The sound of footsteps approached, and Alex turned around. “Mom.” “Hmm. Let me dry your hair first. You can watch more after I’m done,” Haley said as she muted the TV. Alex obediently sat still, watching the now-silent drama while his mom dried his hair. With his short hair, it didn’t take long. Once she finished, Haley put the hairdryer away and noticed a bag of snacks on the coffee table. She reminded him, “Only one bag, okay? Eating too much at night can upset your stomach. Don’t forget to brush your teeth before bed.” “Got it, Mom,” Alex replied. Seeing him behave so well, Haley headed back to her room to take a shower. Not long after Haley went upstairs, Helen came down with a face mask on. She noticed the TV playing the drama she had recommended and walked over to sit on the couch, rubbing serum from the mask into her hands. “Still watching it, Alex? What do you think of the show I recommended? Isn’t it sweet?” “Sweet? Can a TV show be sweet?” Alex tilted
“Hmm,” Haley responded lightly, sensing an odd tension between Alex and Helen. They had probably been bickering again. “Alex, it’s time for bed. It’s past nine. Kids shouldn’t stay up late.” “I’m coming, Mom!” Alex quickly wriggled free from Helen’s clutches and dashed up the stairs, grabbing Haley’s hand and looking up at her with pleading eyes. “Mom, will you sleep with me tonight?” He was worried that as soon as his mom left, his aunt would come after him for revenge. “Sure,” Haley said with a smile. It wasn’t often Alex asked her to sleep with him. Maybe the unfamiliar environment was making him uneasy. Haley and Alex disappeared down the hallway on the second floor. Helen watched them go and smirked. “Lucky little guy. You escaped this time,” she silently remarked.She leaned back on the couch, resuming her drama. Alex’s room was spacious, with a bed much larger than the small one he had back in Merika State. It was more than enough for both him and Haley. Climb
The heirs are the pivotal next generation who determine the future and development of a prominent family.Helen lowered her head, staring silently at the pillow in her arms. After a moment, she asked, “So… you’re saying it doesn’t matter if they meet?” Haley’s brows furrowed, her voice sinking. “Did Justin see Alex?” “No, no,” Helen quickly denied, shaking her head. “I’m just speaking hypothetically. I mean, we’re in Lincourt City now, and you know—better safe than sorry.” “Good, as long as they didn’t meet,” Haley replied, finishing the last sip of wine in her glass. The alcohol had left her slightly tipsy. “It’s getting late. I’m heading to bed. You should rest soon too.” She placed her glass on the coffee table and stood up. “Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about me. Goodnight, Haley,” Helen said, waving her hand. Once Haley left, Helen let out a heavy sigh, smacking herself lightly on the forehead. “Why did I have to go out for coffee that day? If I had waited a little l
“I’ll handle this, Mom,” Justin said firmly.On the other end of the line, Heidi’s voice rose in frustration. “You need to send her away immediately! She saved your life, yes, but after all these years of taking care of her, you’ve more than repaid that debt.”She didn’t stop there. “And don’t let this mess ruin your blind date. I’ve already arranged the time and place, and I’m sending the details to your phone. No matter what’s going on, you have to be there!”Justin sighed. “Mom, didn’t we agree—no more blind dates?”Heidi was relentless. “This is the last one. Did you forget how you promised me in Merika State that you’d meet this girl when you came back? Trust me, this time she’s perfect—” Before she could finish, Justin cut her off. “Fine, Mom, I’ll go. I’m in the middle of something. I’ll talk to you later.” As he hung up, Heidi glared at her phone and muttered, “That boy gets harder to handle the older he gets.” She sent the meeting details to Justin with a huff. Af
After refreshing the page, the screen displayed: “This webpage no longer exists. Please browse other content.”*Emma had just returned to her office and sat down, feeling quite pleased. She had checked the online comments, and the public sentiment was overwhelmingly in her favor. The news was trending, and the attention boosted her mood.As she was about to dive into work, her phone buzzed with a message from Jacob. She opened it, and her expression immediately darkened. It was a photo of her in bed, clearly showing her face. A second message followed: “Last night, you were incredible! So passionate!”Her hands tightened around the phone. “He took my nude photo while I was asleep?” she fumed.She immediately called Jacob. The line barely rang before he picked up.“Jacob Yates, delete that photo right now!” Emma snarled, lowering her voice and locking her office door to ensure no one could overhear.A chuckle came through the line, followed by his teasing, mockingly affectionate
The phone on the side buzzed, and Justin picked it up to see a message from Emma. It was a shared link about the upcoming art exhibition featuring the artist Haley. He clicked on the link, a flicker of regret crossing his face. Missing Haley’s exhibition in Merika State had been a disappointment, but this time, he was determined to attend. He needed to meet Haley in person to complete what Emily had left unfinished in her lifetime. “When the day comes that I die, I’ll be able to tell Emily about it when I see her again,” he thought to himself. Justin replied with a simple thank you to Emma’s message, then opened the link to reserve a spot for the exhibition. Seeing his response, Emma immediately booked herself a ticket as well. Five years—it had been five years, and now she had to pretend to like the things Emily had enjoyed just to stay close to Justin. How ridiculous. She actually had to play the role of her own stand-in.The thought made her seethe with resentment. “I
Elena pursed her lips, placed the file on the desk, but didn’t leave. Instead, she asked, “Dr. White, are you going on a blind date?” Zac looked up at her, his brows furrowing slightly. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Elena quickly explained, lowering her head. “Your voice was just so loud. I accidentally overheard.” After a brief pause, Zac admitted, “Yes, I am.” “And… who’s it with?” Elena asked hesitantly, her voice slightly unsure as she blinked at him. “Alright, you can go now,” Zac replied almost at the same time, not catching her question. His attention was elsewhere. “Oh.” Elena murmured in disappointment, turned, and left the room. *The next morning, Alex woke up to find his mom wasn’t beside him. “She must’ve gotten up earlier than me,” he thought, getting out of bed obediently to change and brush his teeth. His little mind was still consumed by what his aunt had told him yesterday—Justin had a girlfriend. He had thought about it all night, even dre
Haley knocked lightly on Helen’s door. “Coming,” Helen groaned, pushing herself up from the bed. The lingering effects of last night’s red wine made her head throb painfully. She forced herself to the dining table and plopped down. “If you’re feeling unwell, we can skip going out today,” Haley suggested. "Exactly, Aunt Helen. I’ll stay with you and keep you company," Alex offered sweetly. Although he was too young to understand why his aunt felt so unwell after just one night of sleep, his thoughtfulness shone through.“No need.” Helen suddenly raised her hand and grabbed Haley’s arm dramatically. “Back in the day, I ruled the bars and clubs, danced till dawn, and no matter how much I drank, I was always fresh and lively the next day. A little half-bottle of wine can’t bring me down. Impossible!” Haley rolled her eyes. She gently pushed Helen, who was leaning heavily on her, to sit up straight. “Back in the day, how old were you? And how old are you now? You’re not 2
“Sis, I’m pretty handsome, right?” Justin asked, grinning proudly.And just like that, his voice shattered the illusion Haley had briefly fallen into.She gave him a look. “Don’t flatter yourself. Let’s go.”The two headed downstairs, where William was already waiting to drive them to RC Corporation. He pulled into the underground parking garage, and they made their way up to the executive floor.Inside the president’s office, Haley still wasn’t fully at ease. She had him run through the negotiation script one more time, rehearsing the key points like a stage play. Only when Justin delivered his lines with calm precision did she finally relax.“This shipment is critical for the international project’s timeline,” she reminded him. “You read through the materials yesterday—you get how important this is, right?”Justin nodded.“Don’t stress too much. Just channel that cool, commanding energy you had a minute ago,” Haley said, coaching him seriously. “Get in there and bluff your way
Following Haley into the kitchen, Justin was about to speak when he caught the sound of her voice—she was chatting with Helen.Haley had just poured herself a glass of water from the fridge. Helen, as always, was talking non-stop at her side.“Sis, with Justin calling you ‘sis’ every day, doesn’t it kinda feel like you’ve got yourself a younger, puppy-eyed boyfriend?” Her tone was teasing, full of mischief. “Kinda like that matchmaking event I set up for you back then.”She nudged Haley’s shoulder, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.That one line pulled both of them back to that night at the bar.Haley shot her a look. “You’re pregnant. Can you not let your imagination run wild for once? If you’re that curious, have Zac call you ‘sis’ every night.”“Oh, come on. What’s the harm in a little gossip?” Helen giggled. “Honestly though, this amnesia version of Justin is kind of adorable. All innocent and wide-eyed. You’re telling me you don’t feel anything?”“No,” Haley answered flat
Haley pressed her fingers to her temple, her headache building. “Prepare a full briefing. I want all the contract details, background on the partner company, and a response script. He needs to memorize everything by tomorrow. He’s going to that meeting.”She gestured toward Justin, clearly making him responsible.“Yes, ma’am,” Sam replied.“And one more thing,” Haley added, her tone sharp. “Find a new supplier. Once this delivery is done, terminate the contract. We’re not working with unreliable partners.”“Understood.”As Sam left, Haley turned to Justin, looking down at him from where she stood. “Memorize the talking points. Lock the key contract terms in your head. Tomorrow, you’re facing their CEO. Think you can handle it?”Justin blinked up at her with wide, innocent eyes. “Don’t worry, Sis. If it’s something you asked me to do, I’ll make sure I get it right!”*That evening at Mistletoe Villa, Helen had just returned from a prenatal checkup. Everyone was gathered in the l
“You want your memory back, right? Great. Go ahead and read through these files and sign off on them. That’ll jog your memory in no time.”Haley pushed the day’s workload onto Justin’s desk. Memory loss or not, she was sure his business instincts and decision-making skills were still in there somewhere.It was just like when she had lost her memory. Her painting skills and foreign languages had still been there, buried in her subconscious.Justin didn’t need to recall every detail of the past. As long as he could function in the office and resume his role as president, that was good enough.He froze. Sure, he wanted to grow closer to Haley and get her to care about him again, but going back to work so soon? That hadn’t exactly been the plan.Still, realizing what she wanted, he didn’t argue. Instead, he obediently picked up the first document and started reading carefully.Then, suddenly, he asked, “Sis, what’s the project timeline for the international expansion? I don’t remembe
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