“Is your schedule always this packed?” Vanessa’s tone was sharp; her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she glared at Daven with clear disapproval. She’d voiced her frustration more times than she could count, but none of it ever seemed to make a dent in Daven’s obsessive work habits.Daven sighed, his eyes still scanning the document in his hands. Slowly, he took off his glasses and looked up at his wife. “I told you; this week is packed. My schedule’s full.”“That’s always your answer,” Vanessa muttered, her voice rising slightly. “You couldn’t even make it to the dinner with my fashion client last week. That was important to me, Daven!”“Vanessa,” he replied flatly, his tone devoid of apology, his gaze impassive.She clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Tomorrow’s the catalog shoot. I want you there. You know how much I’ve been looking forward to it.”Daven didn’t look up this time. Instead, he flipped to the next page in his report. “I think I’ve got a meeting—”“You can reschedu
“This is sooo good, Mom!” Josh exclaimed as he shoved a big forkful of baked macaroni into his mouth. His little face lit up with joy, and he gave Althea a big thumbs-up in approval.“I agree with you, little champ,” Chase added with a nod, his voice laced with appreciation. “Honestly, I’ve been wondering—did you ever take cooking classes? Because your food is dangerously addictive. I might start craving it daily, Miss Grayson.”Althea gave him a smile, trying to hide the blush rising in her cheeks. She quickly looked away, occupying herself by refilling Josh’s glass with water.“Eat up, both of you,” she said gently. “Especially you, Josh. Don’t talk while chewing—you’ll choke.”“Yes, Mom,” Josh replied cheerfully, still grinning.Even though she reminded him now and then, Josh was clearly too excited to stay quiet. The joy in his face was u
"How long are you going to keep turning him down?"The question came from Lydia, who sat across from her, sipping her espresso while pinning Althea with a sharp gaze. Althea let out a quiet sigh, setting her fork down beside her barely touched slice of red velvet cake."I'm not turning him down, Lydia. I just... need more time to think about it."They were seated on one of the plush sofas facing the play area, sipping warm tea and stealing occasional glances at the scene unfolding a few feet away.The café was comfortably busy but not too noisy. Golden afternoon sunlight streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow across the hardwood floors. The interior was designed with families in mind—soft pastel tones, a cozy play corner lined with thick carpeting, and shelves filled with educational toys, puzzles, and picture books.There, in the middle of it all, was Joshua Grayson. His cheeks flushed, his hair slightly tousled, the seven-year-old laughed in delight as he stacked bu
Seven Years Later“Josh don’t push the broccoli aside,” a woman called out, still busy at the stove with her cooking. She hadn’t turned to look, but she already knew—her little boy was probably avoiding the vegetables on his plate.“I don’t like it, Mom,” came a soft grumble from the boy with ocean-blue eyes. His small lips pouted in protest. “Can I just eat everything else but the broccoli?”Althea let out a patient sigh. She untied her apron and turned off the stove before walking over to the kitchen table, where her son sat slumped over his half-eaten breakfast.“Joshua Grayson,” she said firmly, her voice calm but not to be ignored.“Yes, Mom,” Josh replied, slowly lifting his head.“Do you know how good broccoli is for you?”Josh sulked. Of course, he knew... but still.“Just eat a little. Don’t leav
“Mr. Daven,” Arsen’s voice broke the silence in the office. “You’re meeting with Mitranesia starts in ten minutes. I’ve prepared all the materials. Have you reviewed them yet?”Daven lifted his head, glanced at Arsen briefly, then shook his head. “Just handle it, Arsen.”Arsen frowned. “Sorry, what?” He caught himself, quickly realizing something wasn’t right. For the first time since working under Daven Callister—disciplined, relentless, detail-obsessed Daven—his boss looked completely... distracted. No, this wasn’t the first time. It had been happening more and more lately, and Arsen had no idea what to make of it.Daven Callister didn’t lose focus. He didn’t hand off meetings like this. He never looked so… lost.Still, Arsen didn’t have the guts to question him.“But sir, this meeting is important. You never—”
“Althea?” Lydia bent down, her eyes glistening with tears as she peered at her best friend’s face. “Oh God, you're finally awake.”The overhead light was blinding. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled Althea’s nose as she slowly blinked her eyes open. Her vision was still blurry, but she could recognize the panic in that familiar voice. She tried to smile, though her entire body felt unbearably heavy.“Here, let me help,” Lydia said quickly, supporting Althea as she adjusted herself into a sitting position on the hospital bed. “Careful, Althea.”“Where... am I?”“The hospital. You fainted at the cemetery. You scared the hell out of me!”“I’m sorry,” Althea whispered, trying to give a reassuring smile.“I’m going to get the doctor. Stay right here.”It wasn’t long before a doctor entered the room, followed by two nurses. Both offered gentle smiles as they approached the bed.“Good evening, Miss Grayson. I’m Dr. Felix, the attending physician tonight. How are you feeling? We’ve already