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
“Alright, since Alex found the spot, let’s go eat there,” Helen said cheerfully. Since it was a bit far, the three decided to head back to the parking lot and drive over. *At RC Corporation, the day was relatively quiet, leaving Justin with little to do. When lunchtime rolled around, he took the elevator down to the employee cafeteria with Sam. They had just sat down, and Justin had taken a few bites of his meal when Emma appeared, tray in hand, and walked over to join them. The cafeteria buzzed with employees who had noticed the CEO’s presence, but none dared to approach. For the regular staff, there was an unspoken distance between them and their boss. Managers, on the other hand, were wary of sitting too close and ending up fielding impromptu work questions. Emma, however, confidently made her way over. Seeing Justin make no effort to prevent her from sitting, Sam instinctively scooted further in to make room. Emma smoothly slid into the seat across from Justin.
The next morning, Haley woke up early and gently woke Alex. There was no need to wake Helen. She always set her own alarm. Everything they needed for the trip to the amusement park had been packed the day before, so they were ready to head out right after breakfast. Once washed up, the three ate their breakfast downstairs, then grabbed their backpacks and set off. *At the same time, Justin was already up and shaving in front of the mirror in his bathroom. Without Emily, he had learned to tie his own tie and spritz on her favorite perfume before heading out. There was still plenty of time before heading to Bay Amusement Park. He needed to stop by the office first to attend a morning meeting.*When the car arrived at Bay Amusement Park, Haley helped Alex out of the car and set him down. Alex, wearing a small backpack, had a safety leash secured around his waist, with the other end strapped to Haley’s wrist like a bracelet. Helen stepped out of the car and looked aroun
Helen looked up and gave Haley a quick wink.Haley smiled softly. Helen’s personality hadn’t changed much in the past five years, and that was fine with her. She herself didn’t feel like standing out in the sun either. The sun wasn’t a big deal for her, but Alex was still young, and she didn’t want him to risk getting heatstroke.Leaning closer, Haley said, “Alex, didn’t you mention last night that you wanted to see the fish in the aquarium?” Alex furrowed his brows, clearly reluctant. He hadn’t finished exploring the outdoor attractions yet. Haley could tell what he was thinking from the look on his face. She gently suggested, “How about this? After lunch, when the lines are shorter, we’ll go back to the rides. Sound good?” “Okay, I’ll listen to you, Mom,” Alex said, letting go of his hesitation. They gathered their belongings and left the cafe. *Meanwhile, Justin and his team were inspecting the central ocean-themed building of the park, conveniently located next
“Mom, you need to eat a proper breakfast from now on,” Alex said, mimicking the tone Haley used when she scolded him for skipping meals. “Otherwise, your stomach will get upset.”Haley’s eyes curved into a smile. “Alright, Mom will remember that.” They took a detour, avoiding Justin’s group, and left the amusement park. Across the street was Peninsula Restaurant. Since it wasn’t lunchtime yet, there were only a handful of diners. Haley, worried that sitting near the windows might risk running into Justin again, decided to take Alex into one of the private dining rooms. *Following the time and location Justin had sent him, Zac drove to Peninsula Restaurant. When he entered, a server approached him. “Good afternoon, sir. How many in your party?” “I have a reservation for table six,” Zac replied. The server guided him to a table by the window, where a long-haired woman was already seated. She matched the photo Justin had sent. Raising an eyebrow, Zac thought to
As they exited the restroom, Helen happened to see Zac pushing the door open to enter. Left with no other choice, she stayed in the restroom area with Alex for a while, assuming Zac would head back to his private dining room soon, giving them a chance to slip past unnoticed. To her surprise, instead of returning to a private room, Zac took a seat at a window-side table directly across from the restroom.Across from him sat a long-haired woman, and the two seemed to be chatting. Helen couldn’t hear what Zac and the woman were saying, but it was obvious they were on a date. The restroom had a faint scent of air freshener, but the smell was far from pleasant. Adding to her discomfort, her legs were starting to go numb after walking all morning. Just then, Haley called her, telling them to come back for lunch. Unable to wait any longer, Helen seized the moment when Zac lowered his head to sip his coffee. Quickly scooping Alex into her arms, she dashed down the hallway as fast
After what felt like an eternity, the ring of Alex’s smartwatch finally interrupted them. Only then did Zac reluctantly release Helen’s lips. Quick as a flash, Alex hit the hang-up button, not wanting to spoil the moment. He hadn’t had his fill of peeking yet! Zac glanced down at Alex and asked without hesitation, “Is Alex… our child? Did you secretly have him without telling me?” Helen choked, coughing uncontrollably, caught off guard by his question. Alex’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “What? Mr. White is my dad?!” The two pairs of astonished eyes turned to Helen for answers. Zac patted her back thoughtfully with one hand, while his other arm remained securely around her waist, ensuring she wouldn’t bolt. Once Helen managed to catch her breath, she shot him a furious glare. “Zac White, stop letting your imagination run wild! Alex isn’t your child.” Alex, standing below them, let out a quiet sigh of relief, patting his little chest. “Phew, Mr. White isn’t my dad.
Zac raised three fingers, his expression earnest, as though making a solemn oath. “I can’t spend another night alone in a cold, empty bed,” he thought.Helen shot him a glare as she walked away, snapping, “Who’s your wife? Stop saying nonsense.”As she rounded the corner with Alex in tow, Alex suddenly broke his silence. “Aunt Helen, is this like one of those scenes in a TV drama where the main couple meets again and gets back together?”Helen immediately clamped a hand over Alex’s mouth, leaning down to whisper sharply in his ear, “What nonsense are you talking about? Who’s getting back together? And don’t you dare tell your mom about this, got it?”Alex nodded quickly, his little head bobbing in agreement.But inside, Alex was skeptical. “Does Aunt Helen think I’m clueless? Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I can’t see what’s going on. Mr. White kissed her! This is totally like one of those TV drama couples. At least… it had to be a long time ago,” he thought to himself.When
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