The next day quickly arrived.Gray had a good sleep. He went to bed early the night before just to prepare for today's event.It was already eleven in the morning. Lily had left more than an hour ago for school. She looked so happy, even waving and bouncing up and down as she left on her own.And now, Gray was alone in their apartment. The clock ticked in the kitchen louder than usual.Gray let out a sigh.Today was the day.Finally.He was informed yesterday that the handover meeting would take place after lunch. The store would only operate in the morning and would be closed for the rest of the day. They'd even informed customers early this morning that they would only operate for half the day.Marcus handled everything that was needed. Gray didn't even need to worry or help. Marcus made sure he oversaw everything, making sure the handover meeting would be a success.Marcus said that all he needed to do was learn the files and show up for the meeting later.Gray had read everything.

For a moment after Gray introduced himself, there was silence.And then, slowly, one by one, some of the people inside offered nods. Others gave brief smiles or simply watched, observing with unreadable expressions on their faces.Gray didn't let it bother him. He was actually fine, feeling as if his nervousness had suddenly vanished.He walked toward the nearest open seat beside Marcus, who stood up slightly to greet him with a small nod."You're right on time, sir," Marcus said quietly, then gestured toward the chair beside him.Gray nodded and took the seat without hesitation.Across the long table sat the board members involved in overseeing Davenport Group's local investments and business operations. Some of them were older, suited men with sleek watches and neutral expressions.Others looked comparably younger, maybe in their late thirties.And at the head of the table sat Jonathan Davenport.Gray met his gaze briefly.Jonathan gave a small smile and an approving nod as if assur

As Gray stepped inside the apartment, the familiar creak of the door echoed softly through the space. He was just about to slip off his shoes when a voice called out from the living room."Brother!"Gray looked up just in time to see Lily rushing toward him with wide eyes.She stopped a few feet away and stared. Her jaw dropped when she saw Gray's appearance."Whoa! Brother, you look so good! Where did you go?"Gray blinked, then laughed softly under his breath. "You think so?""Are you kidding me?" Lily circled him like she was judging his whole life. "This is the first time I've seen you in a suit! You even smell so nice! Are you getting married, brother?""Silly," Gray flicked Lily's forehead gently. "Your brother has a new job, okay?"Lily's eyes widened even more. "Really?"Gray nodded once."Yeah. It's a big one.""Wow." She stepped forward, her expression softening. "That's so cool. I'm so proud of you, brother!"She threw her arms around him in a quick, tight hug, catching him

Davenport Estate.At ten in the morning, the Davenport family was sitting together at the dining table. Jonathan sat at the head as always, flipping through a paper quietly while sipping his hot coffee. He wasn't as busy as he'd been in the past weeks.On the right side of him, Chloe was eating a piece of bread. She was silent and focusing on eating. It was the same with Emma, who was also eating her own share of the meal.The three of them were doing their own things when suddenly, Jonathan folded the newspaper he was reading and set it down."That boy, Gray," he said after a second of silence. "He handled himself well yesterday."Chloe looked up immediately at the mention of Gray's name. She nodded, her lips curving into a small smile. "He did."Jonathan nodded once, thoughtfully."He wasn't showy, but I didn't expect him to be that good."Chloe glanced at her father, a bit of surprise flickering in her eyes. Jonathan wasn't one to offer praise easily, especially not twice in a row.

Gray returned home just as the sky began to turn orange. The breeze was cooler now, hinting that evening was near. When he left their house, he was carrying nothing but the review sheets that were now with Chloe.However, now he was carrying a lot of bags. Not with files to be reviewed, but rather with snacks, drinks, and groceries. On the way home from the Davenport estate, he made a short stop at the nearby supermarket.He didn't buy a lot. Just food enough for a week. Some household items. And of course, a bag of chips and two medium-sized tubs of ice cream.He also threw in a few candy bars and drinks that he knew Lily liked. It wasn't often they got to enjoy these little things. But tonight, they would.It was Friday, after all. He didn't have a tutoring job tomorrow, and Lily didn't have school. And with the coming days likely to be busier, especially with the grocery branch and Chloe's midterms, he wanted to relax a little.Gray planned to have a simple movie night with Lily, l