Maria was still wearing her work attire when the clock on the wall struck nine in the evening. The office was quiet, with only the soft hum of the air conditioner filling the silence. She took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the unfinished documents on her desk.The day had felt unbearably long.Adam Smith, the man who had been her boss for over five years, had just returned from the funeral of their great boss—Mr. Mahogra. Maria could see the exhaustion on his face, but it wasn’t just that. There was something else. Something deeper than mere physical fatigue.She observed Adam sitting in his executive chair, his face looking older than before. He hadn’t said a word since returning from the funeral. Maria knew that Mr. Mahogra’s death was a massive blow to Adam.But it wasn’t just about losing a mentor. There was something more.Maria glanced toward the office door. Out there, sitting on the small living room sofa in Adam’s office, was a young girl in a simple black dress. Isabella

The waiter arrived, bringing the menu book. Valerie opened it briefly before glancing at Arkanza. “So, why?” she asked suddenly.Arkanza gave a faint smile, as if he had expected the question. “Why what?”Valerie closed the menu and leaned back in her chair. “You invited me to dinner—so suddenly. I’m curious, what’s the real reason behind this?”The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he opened his phone, reading something on it with a serious expression. Valerie watched him, feeling a bit odd about his behavior.“What are you looking at?” she asked.Arkanza closed his phone and placed it on the table. “A list of possible allergies you might have.”Valerie raised an eyebrow. “Allergies?”Arkanza nodded slowly. “I just want to make sure that whatever we order won’t make you sick.”Valerie smiled slightly, finding Arkanza’s answer a bit excessive. “So, is this the real reason you invited me to dinner?”Arkanza looked at her for a moment, then let out a short sigh. “Not really. I jus

Arkanza walked up to the mirror, staring at his own reflection.The room felt silent, empty, as if the whole world had shrunk, leaving only him and the reflection gazing back at him with an unreadable expression."So," his voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "What should I do now?"The reflection stared back.No answer.Arkanza let out a deep sigh, pressing both hands against the surface of the table in front of the mirror. His eyes remained fixed on his reflection—a man who looked more exhausted than he should. His hair was slightly messy, faint dark circles visible under his eyes, and his expression... somehow, it felt foreign even to himself."Answer me," he urged again, though he knew well that no voice would answer except his own. "I'm tired. I've come this far, yet why does it feel like I'm still lost?"The reflection remained silent, but it felt as though it was speaking in the quiet.Arkanza straightened his posture, staring intently at his own image. "I used to think I knew ev

The hospital room was still filled with an unbearable silence. Milan sat in the waiting chair, his head bowed, fingers intertwined, while Barak stood near the window, staring outside with a vacant expression. They were waiting for news from the doctor about Arkanza’s condition after suffering an allergic reaction that had nearly cost him his life.Footsteps approached. Milan lifted his head and saw Albert arriving with a serious expression.“What exactly happened?” Albert asked bluntly, his sharp eyes locking onto Milan with an intense gaze. “I heard you were the one who gave Arkanza the food?”Milan tensed immediately. He knew that sooner or later, someone would question this, but he wasn’t ready to face the reality that he might have made a fatal mistake.He felt something lodged in his throat. His chest ached, and his head started spinning. Instinctively, his hand clutched his chest, his body leaning slightly forward. He tried to swallow, but it became increasingly difficult. He le

The hospital room was filled with tension. Milan, Albert, and Barak stood near Arkanza’s bed, watching over his unconscious figure. Meanwhile, Vikram leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp gaze moving from one person to another."We can't keep arguing about this," Vikram said firmly. "What matters now is finding a reason we can give to Mr. Adam and Mrs. Maria. If they find out that Arkanza is in the hospital, things will become even more complicated."Milan clenched his fists and lowered his head in silence. He knew exactly what Vikram meant. Adam Smith, Arkanza’s father, wasn’t the type to accept flimsy excuses. If he found out his son had suffered an allergic reaction outside his supervision, the consequences could be severe. Especially since, from the beginning, Adam had never truly considered Arkanza part of the family."Can we really keep this a secret from them?" Albert asked, tension still evident on his face."We have to," Vikram answered decisively. "