Desmond pulled into the driveway of his family home, still buzzing from the evening’s events at the Orton mansion. He stepped out, adjusted his suit, and walked up the steps to the front door. When he opened the door, he found his mother and sister sprawled comfortably in the living room. The television was casting gentle flickers of light across their faces. "Welcome home, Desmond," his mother welcomed him warmly, pausing the remote before turning to him. His sister smiled broadly, clearly excited. She couldn't wait to hear from Desmond. She was expecting a good news. "How did it go?" his mother asked in curiosity. "I hope it went well." Desmond dropped his key and smiled at her. "It went better than I expected," he said and settled onto the sofa next to his sister. "Sir Orton forgave me." "That's great! I'm happy to hear that." The mom said in excitement. "Not only that. He welcomed me back into Orton’s Group. He even promised my company a five hundred million dollar co
"Who is Sylvester?" The dad asked. "The man who came around when you were in the hospital." Jethro answered, and Sir Orton’s expression hardened slightly. "I’m going to talk to her." With that, he walked toward Anabel’s room. He got to her door and knocked lightly before pushing the door open. She was sitting on her bed, flipping through her phone. When she looked up, she immediately knew why her dad was there. "Anabel, are you seeing another man?" He bluntly asked without wasting any time. Anabel raised a brow and dropped her phone aside. "Why are you asking me that?" "Your behavior shows that you’ve seen another man that you plan to marry." He replied, and she scoffed lightly and shook her head. "Stop assuming too much, Dad. This has nothing to do with that. I just don’t want Desmond anymore. I despise him already." Sir Orton exhaled and stepped closer to her. "I knew how much you hated him, but I think he has changed. You can give him a second chance." "I've moved o
Anabel raised her head and looked at him to know what he would say and their eyes met. Desmond didn't look away. He kept looking at her while Anabel held on with an unreadable facial expression. It was as if the time was paused. Anabel was waiting for Desmond to say something but he just kept looking at her. The eye's battle lasted for some seconds before Anabel held back and went back to the food she was eating. Desmond smiled lightly and shook his head before looking back at Sir Orton. "I don't think I have any other thing to request for. I’m well satisfied with what you have already done for me. What else should I ask for? I’m grateful for your forgiveness, and for welcoming me back to work with your company." Lady Orton, who had been keeping quiet, glanced at Desmond knowingly before speaking. "Are you sure you don't want any other thing?" she asked. "You don’t need any other favour from Sir Orton." Lady Orton asked, expecting him to say it out. She knew he wants Anabel bac
Sir Orton closed his eyes and prayed as usual before signaling for everyone to begin eating. Desmond took his first bite, savoring the sweet tastes, but something else caught his attention. There were no maids. No servants. Despite all the wealth, the Ortons handled everything themselves. Like his family, they don't have any helpers. As they were eating, Sir Orton finally spoke up. "Desmond," he began, and Desmond raised his head, "I invited you here this evening because I wanted to personally thank you for saving my life. This dinner is more than just a meal—it is a celebration. A celebration of life." He said, and Desmond nodded slightly and set down his glass. "I’m happy that I was able to help, sir," he said sincerely. "I saw it as my responsibility." "Responsibility?" he repeated. "Yeah, it's my responsibility. My father was a great acupuncturist. He passed his knowledge down to me. Over the years, I’ve helped people in comas and similar cases requiring acupuncture. So w
At work, Desmond could not concentrate on anything. He kept looking at Anabel's picture. A beautiful picture where both of them were holding hands. He couldn't wait to have Anabel back to himself. Getting her back would be his greatest achievement for the year.... After work, he cleared his desk and made his way to the VIP parking lot where his car was parked. He started the car and slowly drove out of the company. As Desmond navigated the familiar streets leading to Sir Orton’s mansion, his mind began to race. This special dinner was more than just a simple gesture of gratitude. It was an opportunity. A chance to right his past mistakes, to seek forgiveness, and perhaps, to open the door for something new. He had spent the entire day in his office, thinking of the right words, the right approach. As he pulled up to the grand estate, he took a deep breath, smoothing out his sleeves, and stepped out of his car. The mansion stood tall and regal under the evening sky. The arc
After dinner, Jethro retreated to his room and pulled out his phone, then dialed Desmond’s number. The first call went unanswered, but he didn’t hesitate and tried again. This time, Desmond picked up."Jethro, good evening." Desmond greeted just as he picked up the call."Good evening, Desmond," Jethro replied and leaned against his desk. "How are you doing today?""I’m alright," Desmond answered. "How is your father? Is he still in the hospital?"Jethro smiled slightly and replied. "No, he had been discharged. He recovered faster than we expected. I just finished taking dinner with him.""That’s good to hear. I'm happy he's back on his feet." Desmond said and nodded. He was glad he didn't make any mistakes."Yeah. So, I want to know if you will be free tomorrow evening." Jethro said "I think I will be free. Is there any problem?" Desmond asked."No. I'm asking because you are invited for dinner tomorrow in our house." Jethro replied, and Desmond hesitated slightly before repeating,