On his first day at work, Ryan hummed a little tune as he cheerfully walked into the office. What caught his eye was a perfectly neat desk, with brand-new stationery neatly arranged and the surface so shiny it almost reflected his image. It was clear someone had put thought into preparing everything for him.
But Aiden Thompson was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, boss, isn't Aiden here?" Ryan asked, looking around the office, clearly puzzled.
Olivia immediately put down the file she was holding and, with a hint of teasing in her tone, corrected him, "Ryan, don't forget. You need to call him 'Mr. Thompson' now. A little respect goes a long way in the workplace."
"Right, right. My bad, Mr. Thompson," Ryan scratched his head, smiling awkwardly.
Grace Li looked up from her computer and patiently explained, "His father's sick and in the hospital. He took some time off to go home and take care of things."
"Oh, I see." Ryan thought for a moment, then curiously asked, "Mr. Thompson's family is on the West Coast, right? I heard they've got quite a bit of influence over there."
"Yeah, that's right," Grace Li replied briefly.
Ryan's curiosity grew even more, and he lowered his voice as if sharing a secret, "Do you think his relationship with his family is a bit... off? I mean, he barely went home over the holidays when he was with Nova Capital. I thought most Americans love spending holidays with their families?"
Grace Li shook her head slightly and said with a touch of helplessness, "I'm not sure. He doesn't really talk about his family."
"No way? You guys have been dating for almost a year, and he still won't open up to you?" Ryan's eyes went wide, clearly in disbelief.
Olivia, picking up a folder from the desk, gently tapped Ryan on the head, "You need to stop sticking your nose into other people's business. People have their privacy, let's not go digging around."
Ryan pouted, muttering, "I'm just trying to be nice, but it seems like it's taken the wrong way."
Grace Li smiled warmly, "It's fine, I'm not dying to know. If he wants to talk, he'll talk when he's ready."
Olivia and Ryan exchanged a look, silently agreeing to drop the topic.
Just then, there was a light knock on the door. The three of them turned to look, and in walked Tom Wilson, dressed in business-casual attire, with a warm smile on his face. "Hey, everyone, hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
Olivia stood up enthusiastically to greet him, "Of course not, Tom! Come on in, welcome!"
Tom Wilson held up a coffee cup tray with a few steaming cups of coffee. "I passed by that coffee shop you all always talk about this morning, so I grabbed some coffee for everyone to help wake you up."
"Oh wow, that's awesome, Tom! You're a lifesaver!" Olivia's eyes lit up, eagerly grabbing a cup.
Grace Li also smiled and thanked him, "Thank you so much, Tom. You really didn't have to."
"Don't mention it, just a few cups of coffee. No big deal," Tom Wilson said, turning to Grace Li, "Ms. Li, if you're free, I'd like to chat with you about something."
Grace Li immediately understood, making a graceful gesture toward the meeting room. "Of course, let's go talk in the meeting room."
"Sounds good."
As they walked into the meeting room, Tom Wilson instinctively glanced around and, noticing Aiden wasn't there, casually asked, "Mr. Thompson still hasn't come back to work?"
"Yeah, he probably won't be back for a while. His father's condition needs his attention for a bit longer."
"Well, that means the workload's on you for now. You've got your hands full," Tom Wilson said, with a sympathetic tone.
"It's fine. With Olivia and Ryan helping out, it's not too bad," Grace replied.
"That's good to hear. Teamwork is everything," Tom Wilson said, pulling an elegantly designed invitation from his briefcase. "This is an invitation to a charity dinner hosted by the East Coast Business Association and the New York Chamber of Commerce. I got two invitations. I've been wanting to expand my network and meet more people in the industry, but I get a bit nervous at these social events. I was hoping you, being the social pro that you are, might want to join me?"
Grace Li took the invitation, looking it over. It wasn't surprising that Tom Wilson, a rising star in the tech world with several patents to his name, had received such an invite, especially since he had recently joined the New York Chamber of Commerce. She knew he was brilliant in his field but a little shy in social situations. Still, it was clear he was eager to improve and get involved in such events to build his social skills.
Grace Li herself had been thinking of using such events to expand her own network and open up more opportunities in her career. So, without hesitation, she agreed, "Sure, I'd be happy to go with you."
"Thank you so much! You really saved me," Tom Wilson said, visibly relieved.
Grace Li smiled and responded, "No problem, I should thank you for giving me this opportunity. I've been wanting to get into these high-end events."
"Great, I'll pick you up the night of the dinner."
"Looking forward to it."
**
When Aiden Thompson was a kid, every Thanksgiving and Christmas, he'd go with his parents to the Porters' house. The two families had been close for generations, so these holidays were a big deal—time for turkey, pumpkin pie, and catching up on the past year's life and business stories. The adults would chat about everything going on, while the kids ran around, laughing and playing, making it a lively, fun time. It wasn't just socializing; it was about keeping that family connection strong.
But as Aiden got older, he started to lose interest in these gatherings. On the one hand, he wanted more independence and didn't want to be stuck at family events his parents set up. On the other, Emily Porter's feelings for him made him uncomfortable. He knew he didn't feel the same way about her, but he didn't want to hurt her, so he kept his distance.
Elijah Porter didn't have Emily until he was forty, and as a result, he spoiled her a lot. This made Emily a little bit of a brat. By the time Elijah was in his sixties, he had stepped away from the business world, living off his wealth and dividends from his many investments. These days, he spent his time collecting art, playing golf with friends, or sipping expensive coffee made by a pro barista, enjoying his well-earned retirement.
Aiden was sitting in the living room of Elijah's home, surrounded by priceless art pieces from all over the world. These weren't just symbols of wealth—they were a testament to Elijah's taste and experience. When Elijah saw Aiden walk in, his smile faded, replaced by a cold, disapproving look. "You walked out on us last year, and now you show up like nothing happened?" Elijah's voice was full of irritation.
Aiden had expected this. He took a deep breath and said sincerely, "Mr. Porter, I was young and rash. I didn't think things through, and I made a lot of mistakes. I hope you won't hold that against me."
Elijah Porter let out a short laugh. "So, now you regret it?"
Aiden gave a small, humble smile. "Everyone makes mistakes. But what's done is done. No amount of regret is going to change the past."
"You think you can just sweep it under the rug with 'I was young and stupid'? Do you have any idea how much gossip Emily had to deal with after you left? You embarrassed her in front of everyone, and you still don't regret it? Then why are you here now?" Elijah's voice was sharp with anger, the protective father in him coming out.
Aiden apologized again, this time more seriously. "Mr. Porter, I messed up. I didn't think about Emily's feelings or our family's relationship, and I apologize to both you and her for my rash actions."
Elijah Porter stayed cold. "Apologies don't fix anything. You hurt her, and that's something she'll carry with her." He was firm on this—his daughter's feelings mattered above all else.
"I get it," Aiden said, lowering his head slightly. He then shifted the conversation. "I screwed up, but our families have been close for years. My dad and I don't want to see this drive a wedge between us. I'm here today to try to make things right and figure out how we can repair our relationship."
"We've always treated you like family, but now you're acting like we don't matter?" Elijah's voice was firm. "Emily's going to marry Henry Morgan now. We're family with the Morgans, not you."
"But you're the major shareholder in the company," Aiden pointed out. "Do you really think Henry Morgan can run the business?"
"Whether he can or not, we'll see. But since he's marrying my daughter, he's basically part of the family. I only have one daughter, and everything I've built is for her. If you don't want it, that's fine. I'll leave it to someone else. What's the issue with that?"
Aiden listened carefully and found himself agreeing with Elijah's point. He only had one daughter, and as he got older, it made sense for him to leave everything to her. The long-standing friendship between their families seemed less important now in light of his daughter's future.
"You've got a point, Mr. Porter," Aiden said with genuine understanding. "I get it."
Elijah Porter glanced at him, then took a sip of his coffee. "Well, since you understand, just do what you need to do."
"Right," Aiden nodded. "But even though your family's joining up with the Morgans, we've shared so many years of friendship. I hope you'll take that into consideration and not hold this against me."
Elijah Porter didn't soften much but his tone had calmed a bit. "There's nothing to hold against you."
"Thanks, Mr. Porter," Aiden said, standing up. "That's all I needed to say. I won't take up any more of your time."