After breakfast, everyone went about their day—some heading to work, others focusing on studies. Unlike most days, Chase didn’t accompany Wilfred to the office. Instead, he began his first session learning computer skills from Richard. By the time the dining room emptied, only Helen, still nibbling on her breakfast, and Alex, deliberately lingering, remained.“Aunt Helen, can we go out to play today?” Alex asked with a big, hopeful grin as he leaned closer.“Not happening,” Helen replied firmly, easily seeing through his ploy. “You should focus on finishing the homework your mom assigned. When her art exhibition wraps up in a few days, she’ll check your work. If it’s not done, you’ll have to face her punishment.”Alex shrank back slightly, his shoulders stiffening. That sounded serious. *In the small study, Alex sat at his child-sized desk, begrudgingly working on his assignments. The desk next to his sat empty. Chase was off in Richard’s computer room, absorbing new skill
“How about I treat you to lunch?”“Sure!” Alex exclaimed, completely forgetting the promise he had made to the guards at the back gate.Justin pulled out his phone and called Zac, who was still working inside the hospital. “You’ll need to handle lunch on your own today. I’ve got a last-minute lunch meeting.”Zac, in the middle of closing a file and grabbing his briefcase, replied, “Hold on, I’ll wrap things up here and join you…” But before he could finish, the line went dead. “Hello? What the—don’t just ditch me!” Zac groaned at the disconnected call.Justin rolled down the window and called out, “William, drive.” *Meanwhile, Helen was busy working from home in her study. The gallery’s invitations and promotional materials for the art show had already been finalized. Besides the invited guests, tickets for the event were available online for a premium price. After confirming her post-exhibition schedule, Helen shut her laptop. Time had flown by while she worked, and before s
“He doesn’t have a dad?” Justin was stunned to realize how unfortunate Alex's circumstances were. No wonder he had never seen any family with Alex the three times they had met—only the elusive "aunt" whose voice he had heard but never seen in person.If he ever had a child, Heidi would probably carry the kid around 24/7 just to show them off to her wealthy socialite friends. “What am I even thinking?” He mocked himself silently. “The woman I loved most died in the earthquake. I’ll never have children in this lifetime.”With that thought, his gaze toward Alex grew even softer, full of a rare tenderness.After they finished lunch, with Justin deliberately taking his time because he didn’t want the meal to end, he decided to call Alex’s aunt. He was concerned someone might be worried about the boy’s whereabouts and only dialed the number after Alex agreed.Meanwhile, back at the estate, the security guards reported no sign of Alex inside or outside the premises. Helen was brainst
Back at the estate, Richard hung up the phone and casually tossed it into Helen’s arms. Helen stood rooted in place, her gaze fixed on a spot on the carpet as if lost in thought. It wasn’t until Richard called her name twice that she snapped out of her daze. “Helen? Helen?” “Ah!” She swatted at him in irritation. “What’s with your face so close to mine? You scared me!” Richard, unfazed, raised an eyebrow and looked at her puzzledly. “What were you thinking about? You didn’t even hear me calling you.” Then, as if a lightbulb went off in his head, his expression shifted, and he let out a sly chuckle. “Wait a second—have you been acting weird since last night? Don’t tell me… you’re in love! Who’s the guy? Come on, spill. As your brother, it’s my duty to vet him for you.” He leaned in, resting his elbow on her shoulder with a teasing grin. Helen rolled her eyes and shoved him away. “Go play your Batman role somewhere else. Stop gossiping.” Even being pushed off d
Alex picked out an Ultraman action figure and thoughtfully chose a toy gun for his brother. “Looks like boys all have a thing for toys like these,” Justin thought, carrying Alex to the checkout counter to pay. “Thank you, Mr. Yates,” Alex said earnestly. He remembered what his grandma had taught him: to be polite and always return kindness. If you wanted to be fair, you could reciprocate immediately, but if you valued a friendship, you should wait for the right opportunity to give something meaningful in return. Alex’s little mind was already spinning. His watch was dead now, but he decided he would find a way to give Justin a gift later. He wanted to keep this new friendship alive. After leaving the toy store, the afternoon sun still blazed hot. Justin carried Alex back to the car, turning on the air conditioning while they waited for Alex’s family to arrive. From the rearview mirror, William noticed something extraordinary: his ever-stoic and unapproachable boss was
Helen retorted, “I don’t know much about human traffickers, but don’t you hack into their networks every day? You should know more than I do! Alex is still just a kid!” The argument between Helen and Richard showed no sign of stopping. Meanwhile, Chase calmly walked over and took Alex’s hand. “Let’s head back to our room,” he said, guiding Alex upstairs. Alex glanced back at their bickering aunt and uncle, shrinking his neck slightly. “Aunt Helen looks so scary when she’s mad,” he muttered. Clutching his new toy, he followed Chase upstairs. Once the door closed, Chase furrowed his brows in that all-knowing way of his. “So, when you disappeared during dinner last night, was it to meet this guy you’re talking about today?” Growing up together as twins, Chase could easily predict Alex’s actions from the smallest clues. Alex tilted his head, thinking back. “No, it was even earlier than that.” He then excitedly recounted how he had met Justin, though leaving out a few deta
Chase glanced at Alex, clearly unimpressed. “Caught lying to Mom. Let’s see how you get out of this one,” he thought.Alex sent a pleading look toward his brother, but Chase ignored him. It was time his little brother took studying seriously. With a polite nod to their mother, Chase left the room and headed back to Richard’s office. *Justin and Zac stepped out of the meeting room, walking side by side. “It’s finally over. Can we head back tomorrow?” Zac asked, rubbing his temples. “Day after tomorrow,” Justin replied calmly. “There’s a gallery opening tomorrow—Haley’s exhibition. I want to attend.” Haley had been Emily’s favorite artist during her lifetime, and now that Haley was back, Justin thought purchasing one of her paintings might bring Emily some peace, wherever she was. “I’ll come with you,” Zac said decisively. *That evening, Helen was helping Haley prepare for the big day by sorting through outfit options. Haley tried on one outfit after another,
Justin nodded in agreement. He genuinely wanted to bid on a painting to hang in his villa, hoping Emily’s spirit could see it when she returned.Mentioning Emily inevitably brought Helen to mind, and for a moment, the atmosphere between the two men turned heavy with unspoken memories. After a long pause, the two finally decided to leave. Only after they were gone did Haley, dressed in a sleek women’s suit and high heels, step out cautiously from behind the tree. “Are they planning to join the auction?” she thought, her chest tightening. “If so, they’ll definitely see me.”Her mind raced as she reached for her phone and called Wilfred. Instead of returning to the gallery's main floor, she climbed the exterior staircase to the upstairs office area. To her surprise, Evelyn and Helen were already in her lounge. Evelyn set down her teacup with a contented sigh. “Getting older isn’t easy. Just a little walking, and I’m already tired.” Haley glanced at the high heels Evelyn w
Zac jogged off in a hurry, not daring to stick around and witness more of Justin’s embarrassment.Justin, having failed to sneak into Haley’s room, had no choice but to sulk back to the guest room the housekeeper had prepared for him.*The next morning, Haley came downstairs for breakfast. She hadn’t slept well—staying up late to work, only to get riled up by Justin all over again. The dark circles under her eyes were impossible to hide, no matter how much concealer she applied.She stepped into the dining room and spotted Justin already sitting at the table.“Morning, sis!” he chirped.He looked every bit the picture of youthful energy, dressed in a clean athletic tracksuit, his expression bright and full of life. He really did look like a high school senior.Haley took one look at his well-rested, cheerful face and felt an unexplainable surge of irritation rise in her chest.She didn’t say a word. Ignoring him completely, she walked to her seat and sat down. Her gaze swept t
After dinner, Haley returned to her room to get some work done. There were a few reports she still needed to read through, so she made herself a cup of coffee for a quick energy boost.She had just stepped inside and closed the door when a sudden force hit from behind, pushing through the door and into her back. She stumbled forward, nearly spilling the coffee all over herself.Her brows furrowed in irritation. She turned around—only to see Justin already halfway into her room, the door swinging shut behind him.He froze, looking immediately guilty. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” he blurted out.His voice carried that youthful warmth, clear and gentle like an 18-year-old boy. His lowered gaze and sheepish expression were tinged with a kind of helpless remorse that made it hard for Haley to stay angry.She stepped back, putting distance between them. Her tone turned cool. “What are you doing in here?”Justin took that as permission to step fully inside and shut the door behind him
At that moment, Justin furrowed his brows and stared at Haley with confusion, as if trying hard to place her face. After a long pause, his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. He pointed at Haley and exclaimed, “Sis!”That one word stopped Zac in his tracks. He blinked. Did Justin… just slip into little brother mode?And he wasn’t the only one thrown off. Chase and Alex stood frozen, mouths slightly open. Alex placed a hand on Justin’s forehead, then leaned in to check again.No fever.So why was he calling their mom sister?And now… what were they supposed to call him?Haley's gaze locked on Justin, intense and searching. She scanned him from head to toe, as if looking for a clue—anything to explain this strange behavior. But she found nothing.Justin, noticing her silence, instantly wilted. His lips curled into a small pout. “Is it because I’m useless? Is that why you’re ignoring me, sis?”“Sis?” Haley turned slowly toward Zac, her voice low, suspicious. “What is that abou
Zac straightened up and wiped the last traces of tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand.“Haley’s fine,” he said. “Just a few minor injuries. You’ve been out for over two weeks. She healed a long time ago. Right now, she’s temporarily managing RC Corporation for you.“She went on a business trip to that island project you were working on. I heard the scenery’s amazing. Chase and Alex went with her.”“Managing?” Justin repeated, his voice faint.“Yeah,” Zac nodded. “She didn’t accept the assets or shares you left her. She’s just acting as president until you wake up and can take over again.”Zac hadn’t originally known all this. He had only overheard Haley explaining it to the family after she agreed to step in. He had been surprised, even though, in hindsight, it made sense. Justin had written up a will before the rescue mission, leaving everything to Haley. It was bold but not unexpected.Justin lowered his gaze, eyes dimming as he quietly muttered, “Temp
“The building at the heart of the island is a massive wedding chapel,” the staff member explained cheerfully. “The first floor is for the ceremony itself, the second for the banquet. The third floor is reserved for dressing and makeup, and from the fourth floor up, it’s all accommodations. The very top level is the bridal suite.”The more he spoke, the deeper Haley’s frown became. Something wasn’t adding up.“So this is an all-inclusive wedding venue?” she cut in.The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, no, no. This place isn’t open to the public. Mr. Yates built it exclusively for his wife. Just the two of them. One couple. That’s it.”Haley was at a loss for words.Even Alex, the more clueless of the twins, caught on. His eyes sparkled as he tugged at Haley’s hand. “Mommy! Uncle Justin built this place for you! It’s so romantic!”Five years ago—around the time he and Chase were born—their dad had already been planning a wedding for their mom.Suddenly, Alex didn’t feel quit
At 8 p.m., Haley arrived right on time for Jacob and Miss Scott’s engagement banquet.Up on the stage, under the warm wishes of both families and to the sound of dreamy background music, the soon-to-be-wed couple exchanged rings. They followed it up with a string of romantic clichés about love at first sight. Then, under the applause of the guests, they shared a passionate kiss.Just as Sam had said, Haley didn’t need to do much—just show her face. She had no interest in watching the Yates and Scott families put on this show. The whole thing was clearly a political alliance, a calculated marriage meant to secure control over RC Corporation—the very company she was now temporarily leading.She set down her untouched wine glass, smoothed her gown, and quietly left the venue.The car headed toward Mistletoe Villa. Haley sat in the backseat, eyes distant. Sam was in the front passenger seat. Noticing her exhaustion, he pulled out a tablet from his briefcase and said,“President, t
Chase and Alex had settled into a daily routine of their own. Every morning, they accompanied Zac to the hospital to visit Justin. In the evenings, they went home together after work.The world kept turning. It didn’t slow down just because Justin had slipped into a coma.At RC Corporation, Haley was also adjusting. With Sam’s steady guidance, she was slowly getting the hang of the job. Day by day, her grasp of the responsibilities sharpened, and her confidence grew.Everything was moving forward.“President,” Sam said, stepping into her office. “Here’s the compensation proposal for the demolition site. It’s part of the land marked for the international project. The plan was finalized under the former president’s direction, and we just got the government’s approval. We need your signature to release the funds so construction can begin.”He handed her the file, efficient and precise as always. Sam never once got her title wrong. He took his role as assistant seriously.Haley glanc
Haley’s voice was steady and sincere. “It’s true—corporate management and project leadership aren’t my areas of expertise. But from what I understand, RC Corporation is currently working on a major international venture. The overseas partner is Prolux Corporation, based in Merika State.”She paused briefly before continuing. “Prolux Corporation’s CEO is Wilfred—my brother. I also hold shares in Prolux. I believe that makes me a strong bridge between RC Corporation and our international partner, and someone well-positioned to temporarily lead the company.”What?Wilfred was her brother?The shock hit the room like a thunderclap. Whatever doubts they had about her qualifications or lack of experience suddenly evaporated. With a backing like that? No one could ignore it.Compared to her powerful connections, Harry’s passionate speech felt like hot air. All skepticism faded. All except Harry voted in favor.For now, it looked like Haley had secured her position as president—solid a
After finishing his pitch, Harry looked around the room.“I believe that under my leadership, we can take RC Corporation to even greater heights. I’m not doing this for personal gain,” he added, his voice earnest. “My nephew suffered a terrible accident and is now in a vegetative state. I’m simply stepping in as acting president until he wakes up. When that day comes, I’ll hand everything back to him, no questions asked.”Harry silently remarked, “Wake up? A person in a vegetative state doesn’t just wake up in three to five years.”Once he got his hands on full control, that precious nephew of his would never wake up—at least not while he was in charge.Victory was within reach. Harry curled his lips into a satisfied smile, ready to accept the applause.But no one clapped.Instead, Haley’s voice rang out, calm and clear. “I have a document here. Before his accident, Justin gave specific instructions to his assistant, Sam. Should anything happen to him, all authority—his positio