The auction was nearly over when Samuel glanced at Kevin, who was sitting at the back table.“Kevin,” he called softly.Kevin immediately approached. “Yes, Mr. Samuel?”Samuel glanced briefly at Rebecca, then back to Kevin. “You can go home. Rebecca will go home with me.”Rebecca frowned. “Samuel, I can go home myself with Kevin.”Samuel gave a faint smile. “No need. I’ll take you… and take you out to dinner.”Kevin looked hesitant. “In that case, I’ll take my leave, Mrs. Rebecca.”Rebecca nodded slightly. “Alright, be careful on the road, Kevin.”After Kevin left, Samuel stood and helped Rebecca up from her seat. “Let’s go.”Rebecca followed, still unsuspecting. But once they got into the car, she realized Samuel was driving in a different direction from the road toward the Castillo Mansion.“Samuel… this isn’t the way to my house,” she said suspiciously.Samuel glanced at her with a teasing smile. “It’s not. We’re going somewhere else.”Rebecca eyed him warily. “Somewhere else? Wher
The ballroom lights were slightly dimmed as the MC took the stage with a wide smile.“Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Our charity auction is officially starting. The first item up for bid today is… a ‘True Love’ ring. This ring is made of white gold with genuine diamonds. The starting price will be three million.”Several guests began whispering to each other. Rebecca looked toward the stage, then glanced at Samuel.“A true love ring… seems interesting for a collection,” she said softly.Samuel smiled. “Interesting… for me to put on your finger.”Rebecca instantly shot him a sharp look. “Samuel, don’t start—”Meanwhile, the MC continued, “Do we have any bids higher than the starting price?”A loud voice from the VIP table rang out. “Five million,” said Zasco, raising his paddle.Rebecca was slightly surprised. “Five million right away?”Samuel glanced toward Zasco, a faint smile on his lips. “Six million.”The MC took note. “Six million from Mr. Samuel Wilson. Any higher bids?”Zasco rai
The car carrying Rebecca and Kevin finally stopped in front of the Royal Hall Ballroom. The area buzzed with guests dressed in their finest attire. Cameras from local media were already lined up at the entrance. Kevin stepped out first and opened the door for Rebecca. “Careful, Ma’am.” Rebecca stepped out calmly, her elegant gown catching the light from the camera flashes. She offered only a faint smile before entering. Inside the lobby, Mr. Zasco was already waiting. The moment he saw Rebecca, his face broke into a wide smile. “Rebecca,” he greeted, striding toward her. “You look… extraordinarily beautiful today.” Rebecca returned a polite smile. “Thank you, Mr. Zasco.” Zasco stood before her for several seconds, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. “You know, today I don’t want to simply greet you. From now on, at this event, you’ll be my partner.” Rebecca blinked in surprise. “Partner?” “Yes,” Zasco replied casually. Without further explanation, he took Rebecca’s arm. “
That morning, Rebecca had just arrived at the Castillo Group office. She had barely settled into the CEO’s chair—now her daily seat—when the phone on Kevin’s desk, her assistant, rang.Kevin picked it up quickly. “Hello, Kevin speaking from Castillo Group.”The voice on the other end was firm yet calm. “Kevin, this is Zasco. Please tell Rebecca I want her to attend the charity auction at ten o’clock this morning. There are some important guests I want to introduce her to.”Kevin was a little taken aback. “Ten o’clock? That’s less than two hours from now, Sir. Should I—”“No buts, Kevin. Just tell her. I want her there. Appropriate attire—it’s a formal event,” Zasco said, then hung up before Kevin could reply.Kevin sighed, then stood and knocked on the CEO’s door. “Mrs. Rebecca, sorry to disturb you. A call from Mr. Zasco.”Rebecca, who was reviewing some documents, looked up. “Oh? What is it?”Kevin stepped forward. “He’s asking you to attend the charity auction at ten this morning.
That morning, sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the hospital room, creating a warm atmosphere. Rebecca was packing a small bag on the chair, while Reno, who had just woken up, was still sitting on the sofa, rubbing his eyes.Samuel watched them from the bed. “Are you going somewhere?” he asked softly.Rebecca nodded with a smile. “Yes, I have to take Reno to school. He shouldn’t skip too often.”Reno immediately turned to his father. “But I want to stay here with Daddy.”Samuel smiled warmly. “You have to go to school, Reno. Smart kids study diligently.”Reno pouted. “Will I come back here after school?”Rebecca patted his shoulder. “We’ll see later, okay? Daddy also needs to rest.”Samuel looked at Rebecca with curiosity. “It’s fine. Come back after school if you can. Oh, by the way, you seem really busy now. Or is it just my imagination?”Rebecca was silent for a moment, then slung the bag over her shoulder. “I haven’t had the chance to tell you. I’m now the CEO of Cast
Reno had fallen asleep on the small sofa in the corner of the room, his portable game console still clutched in his hands. His breathing was steady, occasionally accompanied by faint murmurs as if he were dreaming. Rebecca smiled faintly at the sight of her son, exhausted after spending the whole day waiting at the hospital.She returned to sit at the edge of the bed, feeding Samuel the warm porridge she had just brought. Samuel opened his mouth obediently, his eyes occasionally fixed on Rebecca without blinking.“Slowly, it’s still hot,” Rebecca said, blowing on the spoon.Samuel simply nodded. But as Rebecca was about to feed him another spoonful, his hand suddenly reached out, taking the spoon and bowl from her grasp. Without a word, he set them down on the nightstand.Rebecca looked at him in confusion. “What is it? Are you full?”Samuel didn’t answer. Instead, he reached for Rebecca’s face with both hands, holding her still so she couldn’t pull away. The space between them closed