Gavin stared blankly at the screen of his phone just after ending the call. He frowned, his mouth slightly open as if the words he had just heard were still hanging in the air. He muttered under his breath, shaking his head slowly."What exactly was she talking about?” he wondered, muttering to himself. He had been here all this while, stuck on this ridiculous hiking trip or vacation Sophie insisted on for days—waking early, trekking through rocks and woods, pretending to enjoy the fresh air like it was a spiritual awakening.Nonsense! Just plain nonsense!Before he could think more about the call, the bathroom door opened. Sophie stepped out, wrapped in a towel, her hair damp as she rubbed it with another. The scent of her shampoo wafted into the room—a mix of honey and lavender. She moved across the room, humming softly as steam still clung faintly to her skin, oblivious to Gavin’s growing irritation.“I’ve been trying to reach Emma since last night,” Sophie said in a concerned
David's gaze slowly moved from Mathew to Isabel... and then settled on Allison.There was something about her demeanor that unsettled him. More than that, she was the only one he could think of that wasn't really on good terms with Emma. But still, that didn't mean he was right.He stepped closer to Allison, and said in a low voice, "Allison, can we talk for a minute?"She looked up, surprised. "Sure."He led her away from her parents, to a quiet corner near the emergency exit. David folded his arms across his chest, searching for the right words. He didn’t want to accuse her. Not outright. That wasn’t his intention. But a part of him needed to understand. To be sure."I was just thinking," he began carefully, his voice steady but cautious, "Have you and Emma crossed paths recently? Maybe... had any sort of misunderstandings?"Allison’s eyes narrowed slightly, her brows furrowed. "Why are you asking?"David just shrugged, trying to appear casual. "I don’t know. With everything going
David didn’t waste a single second. The moment he heard the news, he was already halfway to the door. "Let me come with you," Grandpa said, visibly worried. David paused briefly, shaking his head. "No, Grandpa. Please stay here with Henry and Claire. They need you." Grandpa's eyes darkened with concern, but he didn’t argue. He only nodded, his shoulders slumped with resignation. David turned and rushed towards his car. As the engine roared to life and the tires screeched away, Grandpa sighed deeply, his hands trembling slightly as he walked back into the living room. He sat on the couch and rubbed his hands together. He remembered when Emma had come over to drop off Claire. She had smiled and sounded okay, and even assured him everything was fine, that she was just swamped with work. But he could see past her mask. There had been fear in her eyes. Not obvious, but subtle – the kind that someone tried hard to hide. He had sensed that something was wrong. Grandpa hadn’t w
The sun was already starting to go down when David finally left the office. It had been another long and stressful day at work, and all he wanted now was to see his son, Henry. He drove straight to Allison's place to pick him up. When David rang the bell and the door swung open, he barely had time to blink before Henry launched into his arms.“Daddy!” he shouted, running into David’s arms. “I missed you!”David knelt down and hugged him tightly. “I missed you too, buddy. I’m so sorry I’ve been so busy with work.”Henry pulled back a little, smiling up at him. “It’s okay. I understand. You always work a lot.”That small response hit David in the chest. Henry was always understanding, always patient. He deserved better.They were still talking quietly when a soft clearing of the throat interrupted them. David looked up and saw Allison standing in the hallway.She wore a short silk gown that hugged her body in a way that drew attention without her trying too hard. Her hair was loosely
"...which is why I believe partnering with Ventronix could triple our market reach in Asia," one of the board members, Mr. Lennox, said confidently, folding his notes with a smug smile."And let’s not forget our numbers from last quarter," Mr. Coleman added. "We exceeded projections by fifteen percent. That growth isn’t accidental—it’s strategic.""Exactly," another voice chimed in. "We keep this momentum, our subsidiary company will become the largest private tech conglomerate in the region within two years."David sat at the head of the long glass table, listening closely. His presence alone commanded the room—he didn’t need to speak often.They were all pleased with the progress of the company. The self-satisfaction in their voices was evident. And to some extent, deserved.The subsidiary company in Asia had grown under his leadership—exponentially so. Partnerships were a logical next step for better progress.About thirty minutes later, the meeting wrapped up.“Excellent work, eve
Emma held the steering wheel tightly, her eyes staring at her father's house but her thoughts spinning in circles. As she sat in the driver's seat with Claire buckled up in the backseat, the car still idle, she couldn’t help but feel lost.She hadn’t expected this outcome at all.A deep sigh left her lips. She glanced at Claire through the rearview mirror. The little girl was busy humming to herself, kicking her feet softly. Claire didn’t understand what had just happened inside that house, and Emma wanted to keep it that way.Now, the big question remained. Where to go next?Emma bit her bottom lip, fingers tightening even more on the wheel. There had to be someone. Someone she could trust, someone who would look out for Claire like their own. Someone who wouldn’t turn her away.Then it came to her. A face. A voice. A warm smile.Yes.Her mind settled on one person.She hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t her first choice. Not because of mistrust, but because she didn’t want to inconve