LOGINBianca slowly placed the glass of wine back on the table . The irritation on her face was clear as she turned to her father. “So if it’s not work, what is it?” Her voice was cold like she was talking to a stranger. “I have clients. I get paid. I built something for myself and it’s successful. Are you still going to call it a hobby?” Edward let out a dry scoff, raising a finger as he pointed at her, shaking his head in disappointment. “I sent you to the best schools. Gave you the best education money could buy. And this is what you choose to do with it? Cutting hair?” His voice raised even higher. “You should be working in the family company, standing beside your brother. Instead, you waste it all on something so… trivial.” Bianca let out a short laugh in disbelief. “Trivial?” she repeated. “There is nothing wrong with being a hairdresser, Dad. It’s honest work. It makes me happy.” “Happiness doesn’t build a legacy. It doesn’t protect the family name.” “It’s my life!” Bianca sho
On the other side of Skyline City, at the very top of the tallest skyscraper, sat one of Alexander Sterling’s private penthouses. The place was huge, with cold marble floors stretching across the space, leaving it spotless. Glass walls reflected the entire city below, lights blinking like stars, yet it did not feel like home at all. There were no personal pictures, no decorations, no traces of memories or life. Just expensive furniture placed perfectly, like no one truly lived there. In the middle of one of the rooms, on a large bed, Alexander Sterling lay flat on his back, looking almost lifeless. One of his arms rested by his side, the other slightly bent, his fingers gripping the sheets. Sweat covered his forehead, small drops sliding down his temple. His jaw was clenched, his body giving small, restless jerking movements like he was fighting something in his dream. And for once, the man who controlled everything could not control what was happening in his own mind. “Pa… Patric
“My name is Sam and I met Madam Cherry in my last year of high school.” We were seated again in the small shop. He sat across from us, his hands rubbing together nervously, his fingers restless like they didn’t know where to settle. His whole body trembled slightly as he took a deep breath before continuing. “You know… at that age, everyone keeps asking what you want to be when you grow up. But as an orphan… I didn’t even know who I was, talk less of what I wanted to become.” He let out a small, empty laugh. “I just wanted to eat. That was it. To have somewhere to sleep, something in my stomach every day. So I told myself I’d just work as an errand boy so at least I could survive” He paused, his eyes dropping again.“Then one day… Madam Cherry got injured. Her shop was smaller back then, just a little place near my school. I used to run errands for her sometimes. That day, she had a big order to finish, and no one to help, so she told me if I learned the basics and helped her com
I didn’t wait for Rebecca or Jerry to ask what I meant. I immediately walked straight toward the quiet shop just as the man inside stretched and reached for the door, clearly about to close for the day. The moment his eyes landed on me, he froze. As I got closer, I saw him clearly. He was skinny and slightly hunched as a result of a deformed leg. His clothes were clean but old, and his young face aged with the kind of exhaustion that sleep alone couldn’t fix. His eyes flickered between the three of us, cautious, like a stray dog unsure whether it was about to be fed or chased away. “What do you want?” he asked. I glanced past him, taking in the shop. It was nearly empty with no display pieces, no customers, barely any fabric in sight. Then I looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a tailor?” I asked simply. “I want you to make clothes for me. Why else would I be here?” The expression on his face shifted into something close to disbelief. It was as if I had just said
“We need to buy a car.”The next afternoon, I stood under the hot sun, frowning as I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the harsh light. Rebecca stood to my left, holding a notebook and pen, while Jerry stood to my right, towering over both of us.The three of us had left the house early that morning, leaving Mary and Anna to watch the kids while we came to Silvergate Trade Market to look for products.Silvergate Trade Market was the hub of the fashion industry in Skyline City. It was the kind of place that came alive before sunrise, with long rows of tightly packed shops and vendors already shouting prices before customers even stepped in. Trucks lined the roads, unloading bales of clothes wrapped in plastic, filling the air with dust, fabric, and the smell of street food from nearby stalls.A lot of successful businesses I knew in my past life had started here. Silvergate was known for hidden gems, pieces you could buy cheap and sell for a high profit if you had the right eye.Bu
“I…” My hand moved to my throat, rubbing lightly as the soreness settled in, making it uncomfortable. Before I could say anything else, he turned without a word. He walked to the small fridge beside the hospital bed, pulled out a bottle of water, and held it out to me. I reached for it slowly, our fingers almost brushing. I took a small sip, then another, letting out a quiet breath as the dryness stopped. “Everyone knows who you are,” I said, my voice still a little weak. “Mr. Alexander Sterling. The most powerful man in Skyline City.” I paused, lowering the bottle slightly. “Thank you… for helping me.” One of his brows lifted slightly, like he found something about that amusing. Maybe it was the fact that I accepted it so easily. There was no shock, or stammering over his name like most people would. But even as I sat there, looking at him, feeling that strange pull I could not explain, I knew one thing clearly. Alexander Sterling had never hurt me. He was not my enemy. If
Gerald’s face drained of colour. “Rebecca, have you lost your mind?!” “Yes!” she shot back, spinning toward him. “I must have been crazy to think you were a good enough man to marry! That was the worst mistake of my life! The only reason I don’t regret it is because I had my precious daughter. Ma
“So this is where you were hiding, you disgraceful child.” Gerald’s voice dripped with disgust as he looked Mary up and down. “Have you and your useless mother completely lost your minds? Why on earth would you stay in this apartment when your father’s place is only a few doors away? What do you
“Here comes the choo-choo train…” I held the spoonful of porridge up to Anna’s mouth, making a soft train sound as I tried to feed her. She stared at me like I’d grown five heads. “Have you lost your mind?” “Why? You don’t like porridge?” I said without missing a beat, dipping the spoon back in
The phone reception in Murkwood was so terrible that the call dropped twice. By the time it finally went through, my hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold the phone and then the bad news started coming out right after the other. The operator explained that the ambulance couldn’t driv







