The number of bodyguards wasn’t overwhelming, each stationed at a different position. Adding to that, the villa was nestled in a quiet street, far less fortified than the castle-like estates in the Merika State. This made it remarkably easy for Alex to sneak out.Once he reached the street, Alex quickly dialed Justin’s number.On the top floor of RC Corporation's headquarters, Justin sat at the head of the conference table, leading a meeting with the multinational project team. His phone, face-down next to a stack of documents, buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he raised his hand to interrupt his subordinate mid-report. “Hold on a moment.”Without leaving his seat, Justin answered the call. “Alex, what’s wrong?”Alex, unaware Justin was in the middle of a meeting, chirped brightly, “Uncle Justin, where do you work?”“RC Corporation. Why?” Justin replied absentmindedly, charmed by Alex’s cheerful voice, assuming the boy was just curious.“No reason, Uncle Justin. I’ll hang up now.
Glancing at the clock on his desk, Sam noted that the meeting had been going on for nearly two hours and was about to wrap up. He stood and made his way to wait outside the conference room.For the past five years, Sam’s position hadn’t changed. He was still Justin’s executive assistant. However, his salary and responsibilities had multiplied several times over. In the company hierarchy, he now ranked just below the vice presidents and shareholders. Many of his decisions and actions could effectively represent Justin himself.After reviewing the final page of a document, Sam signed it and exited his office. He walked to the executive office suite and placed the file on a secretary’s desk.“Deliver this to the marketing director,” he instructed.“Understood, Mr. Spencer,” the secretary replied.Not long after Sam reached the top-floor conference room, Justin wrapped up the meeting and escorted the participants out. Sam followed closely behind.“Mr. Yates, the front desk just cal
The employees' curiosity about the situation far outweighed their interest in work. Sam walked over, rapped his knuckles on a desk, and said coldly, “Still looking? Aren’t you worried Mr. Yates might show up unexpectedly and double your workload?”One of the secretaries let out an awkward laugh. “I’m not looking anymore! I still want to take my son out to play on my day off, so I’ll get back to work now.”She hurriedly sat back down and began tackling her tasks for the day.Carrying his mug, Sam made his way back to his office. Without betraying much emotion, he cast a quick glance toward the CEO’s office. Who was that kid to the boss?*Inside the office, Justin set Alex down on the couch. Alex slipped off his backpack and pulled out a gift box, holding it out to Justin. “Uncle Justin, this is for you,” Alex said in his pure, childlike voice, his expression serious. “It’s to thank you for treating me to dinner last time. Mommy says we should always return kindness with k
Justin hadn’t expected Alex’s handwriting to be so neat and orderly. The subjects Alex was studying were far beyond what most kids his age would tackle. At just five years old, Alex had already started learning physics. Though some parts of his work were slightly inaccurate, the overall concepts were well-articulated.Justin couldn’t help but be curious about Alex’s family. What kind of upbringing could produce such an exceptional child—brilliant, disciplined, and eager to learn? The idea of connecting with Alex’s family crossed his mind.But then another thought struck him. Why would a child be out socializing alone? Could it be because he came from a single-parent household? Was his mother too busy working to properly care for him? Justin frowned at the possibility.When Alex saw Justin approaching, he put down his pen and asked, “Uncle Justin, are you done with work?”“Mm,” Justin replied with a nod.That single “Mm” reminded Alex of Chase, his older brother, who always loved
After a short while, Zac must have found a way to calm Helen down. Taking the phone, he spoke to Alex. “Stay with Uncle Justin for now. After your Aunt Helen and I finish lunch, I’ll come pick you up.” “Okay, Uncle Zac! No rush!” Alex replied obediently. Hanging up, Alex handed the phone back to Justin. “Uncle Justin, here you go.” Justin calmly took the phone and placed it on the table beside him. As they waited for their food, Alex stole glances at Justin. Hopefully, he hadn’t overheard Aunt Helen’s yelling earlier. When Alex realized it was her on the line, he had quietly turned down the volume. After all, he was a big kid now, and letting Uncle Justin hear him getting scolded by Aunt Helen would be way too embarrassing. It would ruin his reputation completely! Justin had caught bits and pieces of the commotion, but not enough to understand what was being said. He wasn’t particularly curious about other people’s phone calls anyway. *Meanwhile, in Zac’s car,
Zac took a sip of juice, masking his thoughtful expression as his lips pressed into a slight line. He had met Evelyn and Richard before—Helen didn’t have a sister. The only person close enough to Helen to share such a bond was Emily. So Emily wasn’t dead after all. And Alex was five years old. Doing the math, his father had to be… Justin Yates. The realization hit Zac like a bolt of lightning. After five years, Justin suddenly had a brilliant son? And what about him? In those same five years, not only had he lost his girlfriend, but now he was even lagging behind Justin in having kids. It seemed like he was the one who had suffered the most and lost the most during these years. A wave of bitterness welled up in his chest, sharp and unsettling, like a lingering ache that wouldn’t go away.*Meanwhile, at another restaurant, Alex and Justin sat across from each other. Justin occasionally picked food from the dishes and placed it onto Alex’s plate, selecting
After a satisfying meal, Zac guided Helen to the car. Settling into the passenger seat, Helen felt the post-lunch drowsiness kick in. The warm afternoon sun and her full stomach made her eyelids grow heavy. Her head bobbed slightly as she dozed off, trusting Zac to handle picking up Alex. After all, she didn’t need to drive, so she let herself relax completely. Seeing her fast asleep, Zac quietly drove to a nearby hotel. After booking a room on his phone, he carried her inside. Sleepiness must be contagious because Zac was starting to feel it too. After taking off her shoes and settling her on the bed, he sent a quick message to Justin. “I’ll pick up Alex from you later this afternoon.”With that done, he climbed into bed on the other side and wrapped his arms around her before drifting off. *They slept soundly until late in the afternoon. In her half-asleep state, Helen thought the warmth beside her was her plushie. She turned over and snuggled against it, rubbing he
In the afternoon, Alex woke up on the couch in Justin’s office, rubbing his sleepy little hands over his eyes. Once fully awake, he looked around the empty room—Uncle Justin was nowhere in sight. Slipping on his tiny shoes, Alex hopped off the couch and padded over to the door. Pushing it open, he called out, “Uncle Justin?” As he wandered through the executive suite, he passed a flurry of activity where busy assistants worked at their desks. One of the secretaries kindly pointed him in the right direction, and Alex followed the hallway until he reached the conference room. Inside, Justin had just wrapped up a meeting. Spotting Alex at the door, he immediately walked over and crouched down to scoop him up. “Awake?” Justin asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft. The executive director standing behind Justin was stunned. The resemblance between this boy and both the CEO and the marketing manager, Emma, was uncanny. While it wasn’t as noticeable when the boy was asle
“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