Two days after the discussion with his son in his study, Nelson Drogonuv thought he had given him enough time to process the news of his marriage announcement to his late mother's best friend, Catherine. He needed him to understand that whatever he was doing now was for the good of the family and most especially him, who would need a motherly figure in his life now that she is gone.It was not an easy decision for him to make too, but he had to move on and he expects Justin to do the same. For himself, for the unity of the family and for the continued progress of the company, he is the heir after all.For Justin, he had been inside his room since that day and just got out today for some air.The weight of his father's betrayal still pressed heavily on his chest, making it hard to breathe. He knew his father had been trying to check on him since then but he did not want to see him. He felt their conversation would be strained and he does not want to go through the awkward moment of try

Justin's footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway as he walked through the campus, his heart racing with different emotions like excitement and uncertainty. The buildings around him were sleek, modern, and full of life. It felt like a world away from the chaos he had left behind months ago.For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was in control of his life, like he had a chance to redefine his future.After he left home, he had found a small apartment to rent and stayed in. Since he was not doing anything, he decided to continue his tutorials for his college exams. And with sheer luck and his preparations, he was able to get into college. He had taken the decision on time, but it was not without a small amount of fear. He had taken out of his savings, the sizable amount of money that had been his reliance since he left home and proceeded to pay for his college tuition.He had no family support, no one except himself to rely on. But that has always been the case, is it not? Eve

The hum of the city felt different in the early morning hours. The streets were quieter, save for the occasional honk of a distant car or the sound of footsteps from fellow students rushing to their next class. Justin had grown used to the noise and chaos of college life, but the exhaustion that clung to his bones was something new.He had been awake for nearly twenty hours now. The final draft of his recent project was due in a few hours, but that was not his main concern. No, his focus was on the clock ticking away in the corner of his small apartment, reminding him of the fact his rent was due, and there were other bills that needed to be paid. With each passing day, he felt the weight of the bills and responsibilities getting heavier. The previous day had been another blur of balancing his tasks. He had woken up early for a class on market dynamics, skipped lunch to study for a finance exam, and then worked a six hour shift at the local coffee shop, the same place he had spent co

Justin sat down on the worn out bench, staring out at the bustling campus quad. The world around him seemed to move in fast forward motion, students were hurrying from class to class, laughing in groups, talking with so much life, lost in the vibrancy of their college lives. To him, everything felt muted. The energy around him felt distance, almost unreachable.He pulled his jacket tighter around himself as the cold seeped into his bones despite the bright afternoon sun. His phone, which was kept in his pocket buzzed incessantly. Another message from his Dad. Another reminder about money. Justin did not have the energy to reply him.He had reached the point in his life where he was not sure how much longer he could keep juggling everything. Classes were getting more demanding, the coffee shop Jon had drained him, and his savings were almost gone. And on top of that, he barely had time to talk to Lilly anymore.He had promised her he would make it work, but as each day passed by, he wo

The late afternoon sun filtered through the windows of the small cafe, which had become a regular place for Justin and Lilly Tuscons to meet these days, casting long shadow on the worn wooden tables. He sat across from Lilly, with a half empty cup of coffee in front of him.The two of them had settled into an easy rhythm over the past few weeks, their conversations and interactions had been flowing as naturally as possible, and as the laughter that often filled their meetings.Lilly looked at him, her eyes were bright with enthusiasm, as she talked about the dreams she had about becoming an architect.“You know, I have always loved designs of houses.” She said, using her hands to gesture at buildings animatedly. “The way buildings can tell a story, or shape a city, and also change lives. That is why I am here in this school. But it is much harder than I thought, you know?”Justin nodded at her, understanding more than she realized. He had been putting in long hours at the coffee shop,