Charles walked into the meeting room later than he was supposed to. The moment he stepped inside, he could feel the weight of every eye turning to him. A wave of nervousness washed over him. His footsteps echoed across the polished floor, making him feel even more exposed. He hated being late—especially for something this important.He adjusted his suit jacket and tried to keep his expression calm, but inside, he was uneasy. He worried they would think he didn’t care. That he wasn’t serious about the campaign. Being late to such a major meeting—one about politics, strategy, and the future—could easily be seen as a sign of carelessness. That wasn’t the image he wanted to give.But then something unexpected happened. Instead of frowns or stern faces, everyone in the room turned to him with warm smiles. It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t fake. Their eyes showed genuine welcome. That small, surprising gesture helped loosen the tight knot of tension in his chest.He took a breath, thankful for th

After helping Ethan earlier that evening, Charles Grey leaned back into the soft leather of his office chair and let out a long, deep sigh. His shoulders slumped slightly as the pressure from the day slowly started to leave his body. It had been an exhausting, eventful day. He felt it in his bones. What he really needed now was some rest—just some quiet time to let his mind settle.But instead of fully relaxing, his thoughts drifted straight to the conversation he had with Ethan. He thought again about Ethan’s offer and what he had said. Somehow, it didn’t feel right to him. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a trap. Something about it just didn’t add up. Ethan had made a big claim, but it was all too sudden, too convenient. It felt like bait.Still, Charles knew there was only one way to be sure whether Ethan was serious or just playing games. He needed proof. If Ethan could show something solid, maybe he would believe him. Until then, Charles wouldn’t be

Ethan was very pleased with what he had just heard. A big smile slowly formed on his face. He stood up from his seat without thinking twice and stretched out his hand for a handshake. He honestly didn’t think Charles would return the gesture, because Charles usually kept to himself. But to Ethan’s surprise, Charles reached forward and shook his hand with a firm grip.That small gesture was everything to Ethan.In that moment, Ethan became convinced that Charles had fallen completely for the story he had carefully crafted. Charles trusted him now—or so it seemed. Ethan didn’t expect things to turn around so quickly or so smoothly, but it had, and for that, he was deeply thankful.“This must be my lucky day,” he thought to himself, still smiling inside.Charles gave him a polite nod and said, “Okay, you can go now. I’ve got some other matters I need to handle.”Ethan tilted his head, pretending to be a little confused, and asked, “But I thought I was now part of your inner circle. Doesn

Charles sat in silence, his face calm but his mind full of thoughts. He was clearly upset, though he tried not to show it. What troubled him most at that moment was that he couldn't simply speak up and ask about the Richard they were talking about. He badly wanted to know what that conversation was about, but he knew better than to interrupt. It just wouldn’t look good. If he tried to cut in or act like he was listening in, Mr. Jackson might take it the wrong way. It would be considered rude. It might seem like he was spying on a conversation that wasn’t meant for him, and that would create a bad impression.Not long after that, Mr. Jackson stood up from his seat and quietly walked out of the meeting room. Charles watched him leave, then slowly exhaled. He breathed out deeply like someone who had been holding something heavy inside. His expression looked distant, as if his thoughts had traveled far away. Anyone watching him closely could easily tell that something was on his mind. Ali