Chapter 2: The Eldest Son of the Everhart Family

Leon Everhart, age 31, is the eldest son of the Everhart family and currently single. From a young age, his parents groomed him to inherit the family business. A graduate of a top engineering university with a degree in civil engineering, Leon began immersing himself in the family’s business ventures as early as his freshman year. After completing his undergraduate degree, he attended Cambridge for two years to study management. Upon returning, he joined Everhart Properties under his father’s mentorship and officially took over the reins three years ago, now wielding absolute control over the company.

Leon has a younger brother, Liam, who is more of a free spirit. Liam wasn’t particularly inclined toward academics and couldn’t get into college on his own. However, with the family’s wealth, a hefty donation secured him a spot at the university he had his eyes on. After retiring from real estate, their father began guiding Liam in managing the family’s hotel and bar businesses.

The Everhart family also includes a younger sister, Olivia, who isn’t Leon’s mother’s biological child. She was brought into the family when she was young, the result of their father’s affair. Olivia now studies abroad and is notorious for her extravagant spending habits.

Leon Everhart’s destiny was set the moment he was born: he would carry the weight of the family legacy. His mission is to ensure the Everhart family’s continued prosperity and success. His father’s demands were uncompromising, dictating every aspect of Leon’s life, from his behavior and decision-making to the type of woman he was expected to marry. His path was meticulously laid out, leaving no room for deviation.

Currently, Leon oversees twelve large-scale projects, ranging from residential developments to industrial facilities. His workload is intense, often leaving him with no more than three to four hours of sleep per night.

Among his many hires, Leon is particularly satisfied with Seraphina Arden, his secretary poached from the budgeting department. While her looks might not stand out, Leon isn’t looking for a trophy secretary. Competence and obedience are what he values, and Seraphina delivers on both fronts.

To Leon, Seraphina is a rare find. She’s composed, dependable, punctual, and discreet. While she appears easygoing, she’s sharp and insightful, never letting on more than she needs to. Seraphina is polite and tolerant, never losing her temper, but she’s also impenetrable. No one in the company has managed to pry any sensitive information about Leon from her.

She’s professional to a fault: meticulous, conscientious, and immune to workplace gossip. Seraphina doesn’t take advantage of the company’s resources—she accepts only what’s due to her. Despite her straightforward demeanor, she has a depth of character that’s hard to find in others her age.

Crucially, she harbors no ambitions regarding Leon himself. She never discusses her private life with him or oversteps professional boundaries. Calls and meetings are strictly business, and she keeps his confidences without fail.

Leon has had several secretaries in the past, both male and female, but none have shown Seraphina’s level of dedication or discernment. He considers her a treasure.

However, if there’s one minor issue, it’s her lack of ambition. The moment her workday ends, Seraphina bolts out the door like a rabbit. Calling her back for extra tasks is always met with begrudging compliance, which Leon doesn’t fail to notice.

One late evening, Seraphina prepared for a long drive back after a meeting. To stave off drowsiness, she stashed two bottles of coffee in her car’s console and put on her headphones to listen to some music, careful not to disturb Leon, who promptly dozed off in the passenger seat.

Upon reaching his apartment building, she gently nudged him awake. “Mr. Everhart, we’ve arrived.”

Leon yawned, still groggy. “Already?”

Seraphina stepped out to retrieve his bag from the car. Handing it to him, Leon remarked, “Thanks for today, Seraphina. Your mom’s porridge was amazing—be sure to thank her for me.”

She smiled. “No problem, Mr. Everhart. Get some rest.”

She watched as he walked toward his building before driving off.

Leon’s residence was a penthouse duplex in the most luxurious section of a development his family owned. Though she had clearance to enter the property, Seraphina had never seen his home firsthand and wasn’t curious to.

Seraphina wasn’t envious of Leon’s wealth or looks. She earned her paycheck and stayed in her lane, taking pride in her independence.

Leon, for his part, was generous with compensation. Late-night overtime, for example, was paid at double the rate before midnight and triple afterward.

By the time Seraphina returned home, her parents were already asleep. Her mother had left a note on the fridge: “Seraphina, there’s porridge in the pot—have some before bed.”

After washing Leon’s thermos, she heeded her mother’s advice and ate a bowl of porridge. By the time everything was cleaned up, it was 3:30 a.m. She crawled into bed and, true to her easygoing nature, fell asleep within minutes, soft snores punctuating the night.

The next morning, she arrived at the office by 8:10 a.m., as always, to find the general affairs manager, Sophia, had already placed Leon’s daily schedule on her desk. Seraphina glanced at it and sighed. “Mr. Everhart must’ve been a top in his past life. Look at this—he doesn’t even have time to breathe today.”

Leon’s packed itinerary meant Seraphina would also be on her toes, coordinating appointments and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

The Everhart office occupied floors 16 through 26 of a prime downtown high-rise, with lower levels leased out. Employee elevators were separate from those used by the general public.

Leon’s personal office was on the 26th floor, accessible only through a secure door. Beyond it lay a reception area, a dozen workstations, and smaller offices for Sophia and Seraphina.

Leon’s private office was a world of its own, complete with a luxurious desk, a wall of mineral display cases, and a fully equipped coffee bar. There were also two inconspicuous side doors—one leading to a private suite and the other to an opulent VIP lounge that Seraphina found awe-inspiring on her first visit.

The lounge’s extravagant furnishings—from custom wool carpets to museum-worthy oil paintings—seemed straight out of a period drama. Even Sophia had joked, “Yup, this is the real deal.”

When Leon arrived that morning, he peeked into Sophia’s office for his schedule, then turned to Seraphina. “Did you bring breakfast?”

She grinned. “Good morning, Mr. Everhart. Of course I did.”

Thanks to Seraphina, Leon’s life had found a rhythm, with even breakfasts becoming part of his routine. While her work remained hectic and unpredictable, she handled it all with efficiency and grace.