The Anderson Residence
Downstairs, Mr. Anderson and Ray had already left for the company, leaving Mrs. Anderson, Flora, and Greyson in the dining room.
"Mom, I'm going out with Greyson," Flora said, wiping her lips delicately with her napkin.
"Okay. Why don't you go check on your sister to see if she would like to go with you?" Mrs. Anderson suggested.
Flora frowned internally at the suggestion but forced herself to go upstairs to Michelle's room, with Greyson following closely behind her. She knocked on Michelle's door but pushed it open without waiting for a response.
Michelle, who was focused intently on her laptop, turned around to see the intruders. It was none other than Flora and Greyson. Her brow furrowed in a brief frown, and she immediately turned back to her work, ignoring them both.
Flora was furious; if her mother hadn't asked her to come, she wouldn't have bothered seeking out her sister. She quickly adjusted her expression and spoke with an air of practiced superiority: "I'm going out with Grey. Are you coming?"
"No, thank you. I'm okay here," Michelle answered without sparing them another glance.
Flora snorted in disdain and walked out of the room. Greyson, however, remained in the doorway, watching Michelle. He felt a sting of irritation, realizing she didn't even bother looking at him. Was she playing hard to get? He scoffed internally and walked out, slamming the door shut with unnecessary force.
Michelle's fingers on the laptop paused for a moment. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened them again, and continued with what she was doing. Why should she care about them? Why should she go out with them? To watch them display how much they adored each other, or to be a third wheel? She let out a short, self-deprecating laugh.
The Jace Family Mansion
In a luxurious living room, a girl named Freeda sat on a plush couch, her eyes glued to her phone. Her short black hair framed her shoulders, making her look like a lively nineteen-year-old girl.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrgh!" she suddenly screamed, jumping off the couch and dashing upstairs. "Mom! Mom! Mom!" she called, bursting into her mother's room.
"Freeda, what is it?" Mrs. Jace asked, looking up with a puzzled expression.
"Mom, guess what?" Freeda asked, her gaze bright with expectation.
Mrs. Jace looked at her and shook her head with a weary smile. "Can you just say whatever you want to say? You are disturbing my rest."
"Mom, Konvensky is coming back tomorrow!" she screamed.
Mrs. Jace was stunned for a moment. When the news finally registered, she jumped out of bed and shook Freeda's shoulders, tears welling up in her eyes. "Are you serious?"
Freeda nodded wildly, hugging her mother tightly. It had been twelve long years since they had last seen Konvensky. Though he had lived with them for ten years initially, he was a hard nut to crack. Mr. and Mrs. Jace found it incredibly hard to control him, which eventually led them to send him to Singapore to live with his grandparents. His grandparents soon grew tired of his stubborn nature and decided to place him in a military school at a very young age.
Konvensky, being the rebel he was, refused to join the military because he wanted to be an artist. His grandfather, equally stubborn, made a deal with Konvensky: he had to serve in the military for three years. If he completed all the training and came out successful, then he could start his music career. Konvensky served for two years, but in a misguided attempt to escape from the military zone, he was caught. As punishment, he was given another three-year trial period, extending his service to six years.
After successfully completing his mission, he finally began his music career and quickly became one of the most famous and popular artists in the world, alongside his friends.
"Mom, I can't believe Konvensky is finally coming back," Freeda said, wiping away Mrs. Jace's tears of joy.
"Where are all the servants? Clean up the house immediately! My son is coming back!" Mrs. Jace exclaimed, fresh tears streaming down her face. Only a mother knew how hard it was sending her ten-year-old son away. She had tried many ways to reach out to him over the years, but Konvensky, with his cold personality, had blocked every avenue for her to contact him.
After staying away from his family for a very long time, he finally decided to contact his sister to tell her he was returning home.
Veejay Enterprise
In a spacious, high-floor office, two men sat across from each other. One appeared to be in his fifties, the other in his thirties.
They both wore serious expressions, seemingly deep in discussion about something important, when the office door suddenly burst open. They snapped their heads toward the intrusion, wondering who dared to come in without knocking.
A young boy with a perpetual "happy resting face" sauntered in, but his footsteps paused when he realized the deadly glare his father was giving him. He shrugged off the tension and sat down close to his older brother, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pointing his chin toward their father before finally announcing the reason for his visit:
"Konvensky is coming back."