로그인Damien looked at the two men lounging in his executive chairs, letting out a heavy sigh as he walked over and sat down at his desk. "Are you two looking for trouble? What was the meaning of that ridiculous prank?"The visitors were Jake Hartmann, the son of Donald Hartmann, a prominent mogul in the oil and gas industry, and Milo Reed, a quieter man whose calm exterior masked a deeply playful personality.Damien was thoroughly annoyed that these two had completely derailed his afternoon plans with Ethan.Milo replied, leaning back and staring at Damien with an amused grin. "Chill out. We just wanted to surprise you. We’ve missed you, man. If I remember correctly, it’s been years since the three of us last hung out."Damien merely snorted in response and booted up his computer. Ready to bury himself in work and ignore them entirely, he decided that since they had ruined his time with Ethan, they didn't deserve a single second of his attention.Jake let out a dramatic huff. "So that's it
Ethan looked at Damien, a faint smile on his lips as the pieces finally came together. "Alright, so that's what this is all about. Well, we can go anywhere you want. After all, I'm the one taking you shopping." Damien turned to the front seat and gave a brief instruction to the driver. "Go to the Drain Mall." When the luxury vehicle pulled into the commercial district, the driver smoothly navigated into the VIP parking area. Ethan and Damien stepped out of the car and headed toward the main entrance. While they were walking, the bodyguard accompanying them hurried ahead to speak with the facility's administration. By the time Ethan and Damien reached the threshold, the entire shopping center had already been completely secured and emptied of the public. The guard returned to Damien’s side, bowing his head respectfully. "Boss, it's done." Damien gave a curt nod and gestured for Ethan to lead the way inside. As they crossed into the grand lobby, Ethan wasn't at all surprised to see
Damien looked at the two men lounging in his executive chairs, letting out a heavy sigh as he walked over and sat down at his desk. "Are you two looking for trouble? What was the meaning of that ridiculous prank?" The visitors were Jake Hartmann, the son of Donald Hartmann, a prominent mogul in the oil and gas industry, and Milo Reed, a quieter man whose calm exterior masked a deeply playful personality. Damien was thoroughly annoyed that these two had completely derailed his afternoon plans with Ethan. Milo replied, leaning back and staring at Damien with an amused grin. "Chill out. We just wanted to surprise you. We’ve missed you, man. If I remember correctly, it’s been years since the three of us last hung out." Damien merely snorted in response and booted up his computer. Ready to bury himself in work and ignore them entirely, he decided that since they had ruined his time with Ethan, they didn't deserve a single second of his attention. Jake let out a dramatic huff. "So that'
Ethan looked at Damien, a faint smile on his lips as the pieces finally came together. "Alright, so that's what this is all about. Well, we can go anywhere you want. After all, I'm the one taking you shopping."Damien turned to the front seat and gave a brief instruction to the driver. "Go to the Drain Mall."When the luxury vehicle pulled into the commercial district, the driver smoothly navigated into the VIP parking area. Ethan and Damien stepped out of the car and headed toward the main entrance. While they were walking, the bodyguard accompanying them hurried ahead to speak with the facility's administration. By the time Ethan and Damien reached the threshold, the entire shopping center had already been completely secured and emptied of the public.The guard returned to Damien’s side, bowing his head respectfully. "Boss, it's done."Damien gave a curt nod and gestured for Ethan to lead the way inside.As they crossed into the grand lobby, Ethan wasn't at all surprised to see the
Ethan woke up early the next morning. Having taken Damien’s strict academic lecture to heart, he had actually remembered to set his alarm the night before. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, he didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, he felt oddly refreshed and was in a wonderfully lighthearted mood as he headed downstairs to the dining room."Good morning, Anna," Ethan greeted her with a bright smile, pulling out a chair and sitting down. He glanced over at the empty head of the table where Damien usually sat. "Is Damien not having breakfast today?"An unexpected urge to see the man had suddenly bubbled up inside him.Anna smiled warmly, setting down a plate of food in front of him. "Well, you know how busy he is. He had to leave the manor very early this morning, he—" She stopped mid-sentence, the name Ethan had used suddenly registering in her mind. Her eyes blinked in surprise. "Wait... what did you just call him?"Ethan froze, realizing too late that he had gotten so used to c
Inside the darkened main building, Elijah woke up from his brief rest. He had slept well, but a parching thirst woke him, prompting him to start his routine midnight check around the estate before heading back to bed. He made his way to the massive kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.Glancing out of the sprawling floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the gardens, he froze. Two distinct figures were moving through the shadows near the garden.Elijah blinked, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. He instinctively stepped back into the shadows and slipped a hand down to the grip of the handgun tucked securely in the waistband of his trousers. Wait, who the hell is out there? Intruders? He tracked the silhouettes until the soft perimeter floodlights illuminated the path, catching the unmistakable sharp jawline of his boss. The boss? But who is that with him?Elijah’s jaw dropped. Through the glass, he watched in utter disbelief as Damien opened his arms and pulled Ethan i
The interior of the SUV was a silent vault, but inside, Ethan was a storm. His palms were slick against the fabric of his school trousers, and his heart felt like a trapped bird beating against his ribs. He had been informed that he was going to the press conference."Don’t say anything irrational,
Ethan heard Stephen's voice behind him the very voice he had been trying to avoid.Then he turned back."I knew it!" Stephen exclaimed, his face lighting up with polished warmth. "I knew I’d recognize that golden hair anywhere."The hair again, Ethan thought bitterly. First thing tomorrow, I’m dyin
Damien got into the car, aware that Ethan was behind him. Earlier, he had spoken with Elijah and made it clear that Ethan was to be taken elsewhere after the press conference, Damien had other matters to attend to. When Elijah relayed this to Ethan, Damien caught the flicker of disappointment on hi
The car glided toward a towering structure of glass and chrome that seemed to pierce the very clouds. Sky Mall.It wasn't an ordinary shopping center; it was a shopping mall where the rich shopped, a place where the air itself smelled of expensive perfume and old money. Ethan stared out the window,







