On Thursday afternoon, the meeting was in full swing.
The special meeting focused on the project The Corner in Zone 2, unlike the regular Monday meetings. Lena brought three of her deputies, striving to push for an extension on the project’s delivery deadline.Lena presented her reasoning for why the project required more time than initially planned. She pointed out discrepancies in the early calculations and emphasized the importance of execution quality. “Since this is the company’s first build-to-rent project, I firmly believe we should prioritize quality,” she stated.Alaric, however, disagreed. “The schedule has already been delayed due to previous repairs. There’s no room for further extension. I need to see this project completed by the end of January next year.”His tone was resolute.“Rushing the delivery will lead to inevitable flaws and affect our future leasing potential. Please reconsider quality as a priority,” Lena urged.“No. Our marketing cam"Alright, I’m heading out." Alaric placed his napkin on the table, getting ready to stand up.A hand reached across the table and gently pressed down on his.“Alaric, you just got here. You haven’t even warmed the chair and you’re already leaving?” It was Alaric’s mother, Daisy, speaking. She had been pestering him for ages to come home, and now that he finally showed up for dinner, she wasn’t going to let him off so easily. "It’s Friday evening—surely you don’t have anything urgent to do? Stay a little longer.”“I have a few reports to review for Monday’s meeting,” Alaric replied, pulling his hand back as he stood.Mrs. Winfield, not wanting to confront her son directly, redirected her frustration toward her husband, Albert. “Look at you! You handed over the company to him so early, and now he’s too busy to have a life of his own.”Albert was busy staring at his phone.Irritated, Daisy snatched it away.Startled, Albert blinked in confusion. He had been
Alaric picked up his phone, glanced at it quickly, didn’t type a single word, and put it away again. His expression turned two shades colder than before.Emma tried to keep the conversation going, but he clearly wasn’t in the mood to talk. His replies grew noticeably shorter.Thinking he might just be overworked and tired, Emma reminded herself of the research she had done before this blind date. Alaric had managed a large company at such a young age, and that alone had earned her admiration before they even met. She didn’t want to let go of such a high-quality match.The main course was finished, and dessert was served. Emma picked up her dessert fork but didn’t take a bite. Instead, she said, “I know you’re here because, like me, your parents pushed you into it. Honestly, I hate this kind of thing, t
As soon as Lena entered Cassian's apartment, a teenage girl, around 14 or 15, came running out of the hallway. Her curly auburn hair matched Cassian's.Lena froze for a moment. The girl she remembered as barely waist-high had suddenly grown so much taller."Brother, you're back!" Tessa exclaimed, throwing her arms around Cassian. He gently patted her head—a habit he had with younger girls. "Look who’s here," he said, gesturing toward Lena.Tessa turned her head curiously and said, "Huh? Who’s this pretty lady? Is she your girlfriend? She looks familiar."Lena chuckled, "I’m not your brother’s girlfriend. But do you remember how you used to run to my house whenever your brother scolded you and you didn’t want to go home?"
Cassian quietly stepped out of Tessa’s room. “Sorry about that—she fell asleep.”Lena guessed as much. “Her love for naps hasn’t changed one bit since she was a kid.”He sighed. “Exactly. I told her to finish just two pages of homework, and not even an hour later, she passed out at her desk.”Lena chuckled. “See? You do spoil her.”“What can I do? She’s my only sister.” He shook his head with a helpless smile. “Next time, I’ll invite you over earlier and cook for you to make up for tonight.”Lena’s eyes lit up. “Really? You better tell me in advance then, so I can skip dinner the day before!”
When Lena got home, she leaned against the wall, taking several deep breaths. She was terrified that if she’d walked any slower, the words “Do you want to come up for a bit?” would have slipped out of her mouth.She kicked off her heels, tossed her bag aside, and buried her fingers in her hair, exasperated. “What’s wrong with you, Lena? Have you lost your mind?” she muttered, scolding herself. Her hair became as disheveled as her thoughts. She couldn’t let herself repeat the mistake she made last time—getting drunk and accidentally sleeping with him. No way. Not again....Even if his physique and skills were—Stop!She hurried into the kitchen and gulped down some ice water. The sudden
Lena ignored the architect's puzzled look. After carefully studying the drawing, she looked up and said, “This design is solid, no doubt. But I do have a question—when designing this linear layout, did you take the impact of wind direction and sunlight on the residents into account? Considering we’re by the seaside, it’s a crucial factor.”The two architects froze, seemingly caught off guard. Lena's focused gaze bore into them, prompting a response after a brief pause. One of them replied, “We’re addressing it by enhancing window sealing. As for the wind direction…”The other quickly added, “We’ll reassess the building’s orientation to see if adjustments are needed.”Lena nodded slightly before pointing out, “Another thing—I n
Lena’s heart skipped a beat as she turned her head, finding Alaric standing there, hands in his pockets, a playful smirk on his face."Finished most of that coffee, huh? Aren’t you worried it’ll keep you up even more?" he teased.A small flicker of relief washed over her, but she quickly masked it, turning her head away with a huff. Of all things, he’d managed to track her down and call out her excuse. She lightly touched her cheek with her fingertips, glancing upward. "And what about you? What are you doing down here? How’d you even know I was at the café?""You’re afraid of ghosts, so obviously you’d stay somewhere well-lit," he said matter-of-factly, taking a seat across from her."
Lena glanced at Alaric, who hadn’t moved a muscle. Lowering her eyes, she swiftly swung her legs off the bed. “Forget it. I’m not thick-skinned enough to hog your bed. I’ll just—”As she brushed past him, her dress lightly swept against his leg. In an instant, Alaric’s hand encircled her waist, pulling her back against him. Her back pressed against his rising and falling chest, and even through the fabric, she could feel the heat emanating from his legs, now supporting her seated on his lap.Her breath hitched, and a gravelly voice murmured by her ear, “Be honest, were you thinking about sleeping with me?”The words were nearly the same as before, but the tone was completely different. The air had shifted. Lena’s heart pounded chaotically. She
Lena glanced at Alaric, who hadn’t moved a muscle. Lowering her eyes, she swiftly swung her legs off the bed. “Forget it. I’m not thick-skinned enough to hog your bed. I’ll just—”As she brushed past him, her dress lightly swept against his leg. In an instant, Alaric’s hand encircled her waist, pulling her back against him. Her back pressed against his rising and falling chest, and even through the fabric, she could feel the heat emanating from his legs, now supporting her seated on his lap.Her breath hitched, and a gravelly voice murmured by her ear, “Be honest, were you thinking about sleeping with me?”The words were nearly the same as before, but the tone was completely different. The air had shifted. Lena’s heart pounded chaotically. She
Lena’s heart skipped a beat as she turned her head, finding Alaric standing there, hands in his pockets, a playful smirk on his face."Finished most of that coffee, huh? Aren’t you worried it’ll keep you up even more?" he teased.A small flicker of relief washed over her, but she quickly masked it, turning her head away with a huff. Of all things, he’d managed to track her down and call out her excuse. She lightly touched her cheek with her fingertips, glancing upward. "And what about you? What are you doing down here? How’d you even know I was at the café?""You’re afraid of ghosts, so obviously you’d stay somewhere well-lit," he said matter-of-factly, taking a seat across from her."
Lena ignored the architect's puzzled look. After carefully studying the drawing, she looked up and said, “This design is solid, no doubt. But I do have a question—when designing this linear layout, did you take the impact of wind direction and sunlight on the residents into account? Considering we’re by the seaside, it’s a crucial factor.”The two architects froze, seemingly caught off guard. Lena's focused gaze bore into them, prompting a response after a brief pause. One of them replied, “We’re addressing it by enhancing window sealing. As for the wind direction…”The other quickly added, “We’ll reassess the building’s orientation to see if adjustments are needed.”Lena nodded slightly before pointing out, “Another thing—I n
When Lena got home, she leaned against the wall, taking several deep breaths. She was terrified that if she’d walked any slower, the words “Do you want to come up for a bit?” would have slipped out of her mouth.She kicked off her heels, tossed her bag aside, and buried her fingers in her hair, exasperated. “What’s wrong with you, Lena? Have you lost your mind?” she muttered, scolding herself. Her hair became as disheveled as her thoughts. She couldn’t let herself repeat the mistake she made last time—getting drunk and accidentally sleeping with him. No way. Not again....Even if his physique and skills were—Stop!She hurried into the kitchen and gulped down some ice water. The sudden
Cassian quietly stepped out of Tessa’s room. “Sorry about that—she fell asleep.”Lena guessed as much. “Her love for naps hasn’t changed one bit since she was a kid.”He sighed. “Exactly. I told her to finish just two pages of homework, and not even an hour later, she passed out at her desk.”Lena chuckled. “See? You do spoil her.”“What can I do? She’s my only sister.” He shook his head with a helpless smile. “Next time, I’ll invite you over earlier and cook for you to make up for tonight.”Lena’s eyes lit up. “Really? You better tell me in advance then, so I can skip dinner the day before!”
As soon as Lena entered Cassian's apartment, a teenage girl, around 14 or 15, came running out of the hallway. Her curly auburn hair matched Cassian's.Lena froze for a moment. The girl she remembered as barely waist-high had suddenly grown so much taller."Brother, you're back!" Tessa exclaimed, throwing her arms around Cassian. He gently patted her head—a habit he had with younger girls. "Look who’s here," he said, gesturing toward Lena.Tessa turned her head curiously and said, "Huh? Who’s this pretty lady? Is she your girlfriend? She looks familiar."Lena chuckled, "I’m not your brother’s girlfriend. But do you remember how you used to run to my house whenever your brother scolded you and you didn’t want to go home?"
Alaric picked up his phone, glanced at it quickly, didn’t type a single word, and put it away again. His expression turned two shades colder than before.Emma tried to keep the conversation going, but he clearly wasn’t in the mood to talk. His replies grew noticeably shorter.Thinking he might just be overworked and tired, Emma reminded herself of the research she had done before this blind date. Alaric had managed a large company at such a young age, and that alone had earned her admiration before they even met. She didn’t want to let go of such a high-quality match.The main course was finished, and dessert was served. Emma picked up her dessert fork but didn’t take a bite. Instead, she said, “I know you’re here because, like me, your parents pushed you into it. Honestly, I hate this kind of thing, t
"Alright, I’m heading out." Alaric placed his napkin on the table, getting ready to stand up.A hand reached across the table and gently pressed down on his.“Alaric, you just got here. You haven’t even warmed the chair and you’re already leaving?” It was Alaric’s mother, Daisy, speaking. She had been pestering him for ages to come home, and now that he finally showed up for dinner, she wasn’t going to let him off so easily. "It’s Friday evening—surely you don’t have anything urgent to do? Stay a little longer.”“I have a few reports to review for Monday’s meeting,” Alaric replied, pulling his hand back as he stood.Mrs. Winfield, not wanting to confront her son directly, redirected her frustration toward her husband, Albert. “Look at you! You handed over the company to him so early, and now he’s too busy to have a life of his own.”Albert was busy staring at his phone.Irritated, Daisy snatched it away.Startled, Albert blinked in confusion. He had been
On Thursday afternoon, the meeting was in full swing.The special meeting focused on the project The Corner in Zone 2, unlike the regular Monday meetings. Lena brought three of her deputies, striving to push for an extension on the project’s delivery deadline.Lena presented her reasoning for why the project required more time than initially planned. She pointed out discrepancies in the early calculations and emphasized the importance of execution quality. “Since this is the company’s first build-to-rent project, I firmly believe we should prioritize quality,” she stated.Alaric, however, disagreed. “The schedule has already been delayed due to previous repairs. There’s no room for further extension. I need to see this project completed by the end of January next year.”His tone was resolute.“Rushing the delivery will lead to inevitable flaws and affect our future leasing potential. Please reconsider quality as a priority,” Lena urged.“No. Our marketing cam