Under The Oak Tree Characters

The night New York’s skyline burned with storm light, ex soldier Dickson Ford returned from the dead. Once a covert protection operative betrayed on a mission that erased his unit, he now hides behind a new name, hired to guard the woman who unknowingly sits at the center of the same conspiracy that destroyed him. Celeste Vonn, ruthless young CEO of Vonn Enterprises, rules her corporate empire with ice-cold precision. Her father’s mysterious death left her empire on the edge of collapse and enemies within her own boardroom. When Dickson walks in as her new security advisor, their first meeting detonates like a collision of flint and steel sharp , words, colder stares, unspoken recognition of danger in each other. An unseen network strikes crashing systems, sabotaging assets, turning her own company against her, Celeste makes an impossible move, she binds herself to Dickson in a public alliance that looks like marriage but is really war strategy. What begins as a business contract soon turns into a labyrinth of trust, betrayal, and forbidden emotion. Together they uncover a plot that links her father’s research to Dickson’s lost comrades: a rogue AI program called PROJECT ECHO, designed to weaponize human consciousness. Every step deeper reveals that Celeste’s father didn’t just build the system he used people as its living core. The enemy isn’t just outside the walls it’s inside the network, inside the people. The closer they come to the truth, the more their alliance fractures under secrets. Dickson’s real identity as a ghost of the past could destroy her trust forever and when ECHO awakens fully, it forces him to choose between two impossible missions protect the woman he’s come to love, or finish the war that made him a ghost.

"Who am I?" Waking up in an unfamiliar room with no past memories, an unfamiliar man greets him, claiming to be his new guardian, Ifeus Lero, who then tells him... "Your name is...Topaz Oriole." A world of Magic and Monsters, where those who wield Magic are known as Mages. Every Mage, without exception, falls under one of eleven Classes, each with their own unique forms of Magic; Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Dark, Space, Physical, Support, Tamer and Sneak. As for Topaz, his amnesia isn't his only concern. His Class isn't one of the eleven established Classes, something that's completely unheard of. The Wrath Class, a mysterious Class absent in the history books. Advised to keep his abilities hidden for the time being, Topaz avoids using his Magic in front of others. However, Ifeus's secrecy soon becomes a growing point of frustration for Topaz...it's clear that Ifeus knows about his past, but refuses to tell him anything about it, along with hiding the real reason why it's imperative for Topaz to keep his Class hidden. Even as Topaz settles into his life post-amnesia, forming friendships, rivalries and romance, the dark shadow cast by the mysteries of his forgotten past continue to haunt him. With flashes of fragmented memories, and some common sense, Topaz comes to the conclusion that, whatever he went through pre-amnesia, was likely far from pleasant. And unfortunately for him, the dark, broken past he has no memory of isn't the only issue to contend with. An organization bent on world domination makes its presence known, and operating in the shadows, is a dangerous cult determined to resurrect a powerful, malicious entity who nearly destroyed the world centuries ago and was sealed away. And at the center of it all...is the Fractured Mage, Topaz Oriole.

Max stepped forward, his heart racing as he searched the man’s face, looking for some resemblance, some hint of familiarity. “Who… who are you?” he managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper. The man studied him for a moment before responding, his voice thick with emotion. “I am Reginald Reid, your grandfather.” The words hit Max like a thunderbolt. “Grandfather?” he echoed, his mind racing. He had never imagined he had a family, much less one of such prominence. Reginald nodded, his gaze filled with a mixture of pride and regret. “Yes, Max. You are my grandson, and the last direct heir of the Reid family.” Max stepped forward, his heart racing as he searched the man’s face, looking for some resemblance, some hint of familiarity. “Who… who are you?” he managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper. The man studied him for a moment before responding, his voice thick with emotion. “I am Reginald Reid, your grandfather.” The words hit Max like a thunderbolt. “Grandfather?” he echoed, his mind racing. He had never imagined he had a family, much less one of such prominence. Reginald nodded, his gaze filled with a mixture of pride and regret. “Yes, Max. You are my grandson, and the last direct heir of the Reid family.” Max’s mind swirled with confusion. “But… why didn’t I know? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” A flicker of pain crossed Reginald’s face. “There were… complicated reasons. When your parents passed away under tragic circumstances, it was decided that you should be raised away from the family, for your own safety. It was not an easy choice, but it was necessary.” Max’s heart twisted at the mention of his parents. He’d spent his end of the year

At seven, my father returned with his mistress and my half-brother, who was only a few weeks older than me. Under my mother's grief-stricken and despairing eyes, my father ruthlessly kicked us out. I always knew that my father wanted a supernaturally awakened and talented heir, however, I didn't fit the bill because I couldn't awaken any special talents and didn't show outstanding academic abilities. Moreover, my uncles and aunts were eyeing my father's position, eager to overthrow him and take his place. Competitors also harbored ill intentions towards our family, watching my father like a hawk. In this treacherous situation, my father rekindled his relationship with his mistress, the second daughter of a noble family from the Royal City. Finally, my father no longer concealed his pre-marital affair. After making it public, he brought his mistress and her talented son back home to replace my mother and me. To survive, my mother had no choice but to take me into hiding, changing our identities and fleeing to a remote town to escape their grasp and settle down. What my father didn't know was that I didn't lack talent; my talent was simply too strong, requiring an immense amount of energy to awaken, energy that my weak seven-year-old self couldn't handle. Eleven years later, I had grown up and finally awakened my superlative talent, becoming a renowned genius in the remote town. I never thought about going back to confront my father or seeking revenge on his mistress because they weren't worth my mother's and my time! My mother and I are doing well now. I believe with my talent and effort, our lives will only get better. However, I overestimated the goodness in people, and underestimated their malice!