“When are you going to get married?”
The lively dining table went silent in an instant, and there was a lingering anticipation in the air that did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room.
Michael McGregor could hear his father’s voice loud and clear, but he chose to ignore it, focusing on the meal before him.
It was a question that he had grown accustomed to over the years. There was no need for him to give a verbal response. After all, his answer would remain the same.
Around the table sat five individuals overall: the Chairman of Haynes-McGregor Industries, his wife, Michael, and the latter’s two siblings, namely William and Joanna.
John McGregor sat at the head of the table with a scowl, obviously displeased by his son’s blatant lack of response. He slammed his fork down on the plate, making a loud noise that caused the others to jolt in surprise.
“I am talking to you,” John said, his eyes narrowing in anger. “When are you going to stop refusing marriage prospects and blind dates? You are not getting any younger, Michael. It’s time for you to find a wife and have her give birth to a son. An heir.”
“And you’re sticking to your traditional beliefs as always, Father,” Michael said indifferently as he took a bite out of the steak. “I am still young enough to avoid settling down for the time being.”
“There have been many rumors going around about you,” John said, his tone filled with displeasure. “What do you keep waiting around for? Do you fancy men, or is there a woman that you secretly favor but is already taken?”
“None are correct,” Michael said calmly.
Michael’s mother, Diana, turned to him with a concerned expression on her face. “Son, is there really no one who has ever caught your attention? Your father and I are just worried about you. You’ve never shown the slightest interest in any of the women we’ve introduced you to.”
Michael’s two siblings, William and Joanna, remained silent, knowing better than to interfere in the same old discussion that had been going on for years.
Michael was the only one in the family who wasn’t married. Will had married a beautiful and obedient woman his parents had arranged for him while Joanna had given birth to her second child last year.
They both worked hard in the family business at Haynes-McGregor Industries, Will being the COO and Joanna running the branch office in another city. She was just here today to visit her family for the weekend.
So, whenever they had family dinners like this, the conversation would eventually come back to one point.
Michael’s lack of interest in women and marriage.
Since Michael was the current CEO of the company, the family had high expectations for him. At first, Will was the one that John wanted to inherit the CEO position. However, when Michael suddenly showed tremendous growth over the past few years, it eventually became clear that he was the one who was best suited for the job.
Will, the most mellow and rational son of the family, did not take it personally and supported his brother in any way he could. He didn’t really care about the position and stepped out of the way when Michael began to prove himself to their father.
Joanna, on the other hand, disapproved of Michael’s way of doing things. As the eldest daughter and sibling, she couldn’t understand why Michael tended to do whatever he wanted and whenever he wished. Because of her father’s strong personality, she had unconsciously adopted his traditional beliefs, believing that every life had a proper process that would guarantee success.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is with you refusing to date or get engaged to someone at least,” Joanna suddenly spoke up with a raise of an eyebrow. “If you don’t want to get married or have a relationship, just say so. Don’t keep stringing Mom and Dad along with your carefree tendencies.”
“Joanna,” Will said calmly with a warning tone in his voice. The two of them were twins, born in the same year, with Michael being the youngest. If there was anyone who could keep her in line, it was him.
“Don’t keep defending him, Will,” Joanna snapped. “He’s been really arrogant lately. He keeps making big decisions on a whim without informing any of us, and he never even tries to ask our opinion when it comes to business matters. It’s like he doesn’t have a family!”
John frowned, but said nothing.
Diana, on the other hand, looked aghast as she tried to remedy the situation.
“Joanna, your brother just has his own way of doing things,” she said. “I’m sure he means well and has plans for himself that we don’t know about.”
“That’s great, then. He can tell us exactly what those plans are,” Joanna said, turning to Michael with a glare. “Enlighten us, dear brother, as to why we seem to no longer exist in your life.”
Michael sighed quietly as he set his utensils down on the table. Then, very calmly, he said, “If being in this family means that I have to obey every single thing I’m told to do and report every detail to all of you, then I don’t need it. I am no one’s puppet, and I am certainly nothing like you, Joanna.”
A stunned silence met him as a response.
Diane gasped in shock. Will closed his eyes, already dreading the outcome of this conversation.
Meanwhile, a deadly scowl painted John’s face while Joanna’s expression twisted into something even uglier.
“What did you just say?!” she shrieked. She slammed the knife and fork down on the table, the loud noise echoing off the walls.
Will reached out and tried to get her to sit down, but she wouldn’t let him. She pointed at Michael accusingly with a fierce glare.
“You’ve become quite brave ever since you took over as CEO. But I hope you haven’t forgotten what you did in the past,” she snapped. “We did our best for you, yet this is how you repay us. If that’s the way it’s going to be, then just get the hell out of here and never come back!”
“Joanna!” Will exclaimed, shocked.
“I will take my leave now,” Michael said calmly, getting up from his seat and turning around.
“Michael Noah McGregor, if you take one more step, I will make you regret it!” John’s booming voice echoed through the room.
Michael, however, paid no attention to his father’s warning and simply walked out of the mansion without another word.
But just as he was about to get into his car, he heard the sound of panting coming from behind him as well as rapid footsteps approaching.
Michael turned around to find himself face-to-face with his older brother, Will.
“Mike, wait,” Will said, taking a deep breath before reaching out to clamp a warm hand on Michael’s shoulder. His eyes were as gentle as ever, ones that suited him as a caring older brother. “I know I’ve already told you this a hundred times already, but…”
“I know,” Michael said evenly. “Mom and Dad are just worried about me, but they don’t know how else to express it. My sister is just annoyed that I keep doing things my way without consulting the rest of you. They say that I’m an ungrateful child because they did everything for me, so I should just let it go.”
The deadpan in his tone made Will wince.
When he said it like that, it did sound bad.
Will felt the guilt in his heart grow even more. He didn’t know how to handle this situation peacefully, but he had to try. Otherwise, the constant conflict would only tear their family apart.
“Sometimes, people say hurtful things when they’re angry. Please don’t take it to heart, okay? You should think more about what you said, too. It really shocked Mom,” Will said softly. “I’ll talk to Joanna later and make her apologize. She was out of line. Make sure to eat breakfast before going to work tomorrow, all right?”
“Okay.” Michael sighed. “I’m sorry, Will.”
“No need to apologize, little brother. I’m sure that things have been tough for you recently, especially since you still have to close the deal with an important client. The board of directors has been breathing down your neck lately, too, right?” Will smiled at him reassuringly. “But… about what Father said earlier…”
“Will…”
“No, I’m not here to nag you about it. Don’t get me wrong. But… Mike, are you really waiting for someone?” Will asked in concern. “What are your plans for the future? You’re not getting any younger, you know. You’re already in your thirties.”
Michael said nothing in response, so Will continued.
“Everybody’s just worried about you, Mike. You’re really good at the business, but… is this all you’re going to do for the rest of your life?” Will said, his tone filled with worry. “Don’t you think it’s time you found someone to fill that empty hole in your heart? Haven’t you ever… you know… longed for someone to be by your side?”
To Will’s surprise, Michael gave him a soft smile in response.
“I am waiting for someone,” Michael answered. “In fact, I’ve been waiting for her for fourteen years already.”
Will’s eyes widened.
He did not expect that at all.
“What? For that long? Why?” Will asked, completely caught off-guard. “Who is she? When did you first meet her?”
Michael tilted his head skywards, watching the clouds drift lazily across the black night sky. The moon shone brightly, casting an ethereal glow over the surroundings.
“I was a freshman in high school when I first met her,” he said softly. “Her name is Hailey, and she’s my first love.”
[Sixteen years ago, in the city of Lenford…] - A single petal floated in front of his eyes. It was a cherry blossom petal, one that signaled the beginning of the tree’s full bloom in spring. It was the first thing Michael McGregor saw before a girl about his age suddenly walked up to him, her hand tightly gripping the strap of her shoulder bag. She was a pretty girl with long dark hair and striking olive-green eyes. She had an intelligent look about her that gave off elegance and beauty, catching the eyes of some of the boys who passed by. Her hair was loose and long enough to reach her waist, letting the wind blow the strands behind her. It was like a picturesque moment that could have been a little romantic if it weren’t for the words that came out of her mouth the next moment. “What are you doing with that cigarette?” - At 15 years old, Michael McGregor had just arrived for his first day of high school. Back in middle school, he was notorious for rebelling against his famil
Michael was still frozen in disbelief even after hanging up the phone. As though sensing that Michael was in internal conflict with himself, Grady told him that he would send all the details through one of their secure chat channels. Michael agreed to it absently and ended the call. Michael scrolled down all of the information that Grady had investigated for him about Hailey. Apparently, after going off the grid for fourteen years, she had managed to turn herself into a different person. The woman in the photo who was staring back at him was so different from the girl he once knew years ago. In the past, Hailey had long black hair. She used to grow it so long that it reached her waist. But now, she had blonde hair that was cut short at a modest length, just a little below her shoulders. Her face had become mature over the years, having lost some of the baby fat from her cheeks. Her features had morphed from cute and smiley to serious and intelligent. Her eyes were still the same,
By the time morning came, Michael was still wide awake, looking like he had barely gotten a wink of sleep. He couldn’t think about anything else other than Hailey. Just the thought of her made his heart constrict. What in the world happened to her? Why did she have to change her identity? Was it because she feared backlash from her family? The fear of being found? Or perhaps just the desire to start a new life? Michael let out a heavy sigh. Fourteen years. He had been waiting for her for fourteen years now. Sometimes he couldn’t understand why she was the only woman who occupied his mind for years. It was surprising, to say the least. It was as though his heart never wavered at all. They had been friends back in high school. Kind of. Rather, Hailey watched over him like a hawk, and she would often scold him whenever he did something wrong. Until now, he didn’t know the reason why she paid so much attention to him. Perhaps it was just her strict and diligent nature. Perhaps she
“Who was that just now?” Camille Parker turned around in surprise to see her boss, Christian Callahan, standing behind her with a raised eyebrow. The esteemed CEO of Callahan Group himself. “Oh, it was…” Camille hesitated for a moment. “An old friend.” “An old friend, you say?” There was a wry smile on Christian’s face. “And who might that be?” Camille narrowed her eyes at him warily. “It’s a friend from high school,” she replied calmly. “They got my number somehow and wanted to say hello.” “A friend from high school,” Christian repeated, nodding thoughtfully. “It seems that you’re meeting up with them on Monday?” Camille sighed heavily. “Look, Christian… it’s not polite to eavesdrop on someone else’s conversation, okay? Let it go. It’s not a big deal.” “It’s not a big deal, and yet you’re being strangely defensive.” Christian’s features turned cold. “Is it a man? If it is, you know that you can’t be seen with other men in public except for me, right? Especially when the offici
Camille Parker had once been Hailey van Gowen.It had been a tough fourteen years. Back then, she had lived well, with wealthy parents, supportive brothers, and convenient resources available all around her. She studied hard and had goals of her own.But all of that changed when she found out. The discovery that changed her life from then on.She had already thrown away the name ‘Hailey’ years ago and made peace with her new identity. She was older now, no longer the teenager from back then.A woman in her early thirties who had a career of her own, but was alone with no family. She had never really planned on dating or getting married, and she had no real goal of her own, either.Because she felt trapped.All because of one stupid favor.After leaving the van Gowen family behind, she settled down in a faraway country with the help of her savings, in a small, peaceful city called Vesdale. It hadn’t been easy, but she had the help of a kind nurse who took her in afterwards, so she at l
Hailey had definitely heard of the name Gregory Callahan.Who wouldn’t?Gregory Callahan, or better known as Greg and Mr. Callahan by his friends and the public respectively, was one of the most hardened CEOs in the country. He built his own empire from scratch and worked hard ever since he was young, so he was mostly known for his hard work and intelligence.He was also ruthless whenever it came to decision-making and negotiations. He would not back down from anything and jumped at every opportunity that was meant for the benefit of his company.He was cold and merciless to anyone who dared go against him. Also, he was quite meticulous with every process and detail, which included his staff. If anybody was even the slightest bit incompetent or had a weakness or even messed up just one time, he would fire them immediately and search for someone who was much more efficient.Which wasn’t exactly difficult since everybody — rather, the professionals and the confident ones — wanted a job
“On contract only, of course,” Christian assured in a smooth tone of voice, sounding as though he were simply negotiating with a client. “You can stop working here in the company and come live with me in my mansion. I will make sure that you are well-treated and given everything that you desire.”Camille’s head was spinning. This was all going too fast for her liking. “Wait a second,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I’m not going to be your wife, Mr. Callahan.”“Of course you are,” Christian said with an arch of his eyebrow. “Do I not have all of the qualities of a fine husband? Besides, you should be grateful. I will give you all that you need. My only condition is for you to not meddle in my business and behave like a good little wife.”“Mr. Callahan,” Camille said stonily. “I am not going to marry you.”She then turned around and attempted to leave the room.“Stop right there, Miss van Gowen.”Camille instantly froze in place.Christian watched her stiff shoulders from behind, smirk
“Leave him out of this,” Camille managed to say.However, she forgot to even out her tone, so the anger in her voice was quite clear.“Oh? Quite sensitive now, are we?” Christian said, having picked up on the change of note.“…”“Is he going to be a nuisance to our cooperation?” he asked.“We have no such cooperation between us, Mr. Callahan,” Camille growled. “And I would appreciate it if you cease meddling in my life and attempting to control it the way you want.”“I have many ways to threaten you, Miss van Gowen. I’m sure you know that quite well.” Christian’s smile widened. “Your mother, your father, your brothers… even Michael McGregor’s notoriety in the past, seeing how much you seem to care about him.”“You—”“But as much as it’s entertaining to keep teasing you, I’m afraid you have no other choice.” He shrugged casually. “I’ve already told my father about how madly in love I am with you.”“What?” Camille was dumbfounded.“I’m quite a good actor, you know. I managed to convince