MasukThe morning sun cast golden rays over the rows of skyscrapers in Manhattan’s financial district. On the top floor of a magnificent modern glass office tower, the atmosphere inside the main conference room was solemn yet filled with enthusiasm.The prestigious Lancaster Group—which had once been headquartered in Europe—had now officially moved its main headquarters to the heart of New York City, United States. This major step was made possible through strategic cooperation, full support, and the steady guidance of Juna and her husband, Calvin Ashford, who had dedicated their resources to ensuring that the family business empire could rise firmly to the pinnacle of its former glory.At the end of the main conference table, made of polished black teak, Camelia sat upright in a formal ivory blazer and matching trousers. Her long hair was neatly tied into a bun, radiating the authority, composure, and classic beauty of a true leader.To her right, Calvin sat beside her in a neat dark suit,
As afternoon approached, the atmosphere inside one of the exclusive apartments in the heart of Manhattan was much quieter than usual. In the modern minimalist living room, Joye sat with her arms folded across her chest, wearing a sulky expression. The girl stared straight at the television playing without sound, deliberately ignoring Daven, who was standing right in front of her.Daven let out a long sigh for what felt like the hundredth time. The young man was wearing a black bomber jacket and a plain white T-shirt, his handsome features looking slightly disheveled from the confusion that had plagued his mind since that morning.After going through a lengthy internal debate, Daven had followed his mother's advice and gone after his girlfriend to the apartment. He had even brought a box of Joye's favorite strawberry cheesecake from a famous pastry shop on the corner of the city as a peace offering.“Joye...” Daven called in the gentlest voice he could manage, trying to ease the tensio
The warm morning sunlight continued to climb higher, illuminating every corner of the rooms on the upper floor of the Ashford residence. In the main living room downstairs, the romantic atmosphere between Calvin and Camelia still lingered softly in the air. However, Calvin's gaze, which had been studying the contours of his wife's face, gradually deepened, revealing a flame of longing that had never faded despite the passing of decades.Calvin lowered his head, looking into the pair of clear brown eyes belonging to the woman before him. His warm fingers gently traced the side of Camelia's jaw, caressing her smooth cheek, which still had the power to bring down his defenses just as it had the first time they met in the university hallway."What's wrong, Calvin?" Camelia whispered softly, feeling a subtle flutter in her chest beneath her husband's intense gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"Calvin smiled faintly, a smile that concealed thousands of bittersweet memories from the
The atmosphere at the Ashford residence suddenly became much quieter after the roar of the car carrying Aurora and Revaline faded as they left the front courtyard. The main gate closed tightly, leaving behind a soothing silence inside the modern-classic house. The servants busied themselves tidying up the dining table, while Grand Master Chandler chose to take a leisurely stroll through the backyard garden with his personal guards.In the main living room overlooking the artificial swimming pool, Calvin and Camelia sat together on a long, light-gray velvet sofa. Morning sunlight streamed through the large glass walls, warming the room and casting a soft glow over the porcelain cups filled with warm herbal tea in front of them.Camelia was wearing a simple white linen dress, her long hair left naturally loose without excessive adornments. The woman was focused on reading a stack of interior design magazines, while Calvin sat slightly closer beside her, one arm gently wrapped around his
The atmosphere in the Ashford family room, which had been slightly tense because of the incident that morning, suddenly became lively when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the staircase.Before anyone had a chance to respond, Revaline appeared in the doorway, already dressed neatly in a light knitted coat and carrying a small crossbody bag with a gold chain strap. Her face, which had been puffy from crying the day before, now looked cheerful again, as if last night’s emotional storm had vanished without a trace.Aurora, who was still sitting on the carpet with a large bag of potato chips on her lap, looked up with one eyebrow raised. “Well, well... what brings Miss Revaline here so early, all dressed up like this? Where are you going?” Aurora asked suspiciously.Revaline smiled broadly, walked closer, and then tugged on Aurora’s sleeve to make her stand up. “Come on, get ready! We’re going to the mall now!” Revaline invited enthusiastically.Aurora’s eyes widened in surprise
The sound of a bedroom door closing slightly harder than necessary echoed through the upper floor of the Ashford residence. Daven, who had followed Joye’s hurried footsteps, could only stare at the white-painted door from outside. When he knocked and called his girlfriend’s name, there was no response from inside.Daven let out a long sigh and rubbed his face with both hands as frustration suddenly overwhelmed him. Realizing that Joye needed time to calm down, the young man decided to return downstairs to look for his girlfriend, who might be planning to go home.However, upon reaching the front yard, Daven’s steps immediately came to a halt.From a distance, he saw Joye walking quickly out through the main gate of the Ashford residence. Before Daven could shout her name, a yellow taxi that happened to be passing along the main road stopped in front of the gate. Without looking back even once, Joye immediately opened the taxi door and got inside.Bang.The taxi door closed firmly, and







