As soon as Julian entered the staff lounge, he pulled out his phone and returned the missed call.
"Hello?"
"Julian, it's me,"
Sam's voice came from the other end.
"Are you at the hospital?"
"Yes, Uncle Sam."
"You know Glory Restaurant, right? Come over immediately. And make sure you dress properly before you come."
Julian frowned slightly.
"Did something happen?"
"I'll explain later. Just get here as quickly as you can."
"Understood, Uncle."
The call ended. Julian stared at the phone for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket. Uncle Sam rarely sounded that serious unless something important was happening.
Without wasting any time, he removed his white duty coat and hung it neatly inside his locker. After changing into a clean suit, he headed straight toward the parking area and drove away from the hospital.
.....
At ten o'clock that morning, a cool breeze drifted through the air beneath a cloudless blue sky. Sunlight filtered through the trees, scattering patches of golden light across the ground.
On the rear terrace of a large mansion, Ethan sat across from a middle-aged man in his forties. Several guards stood silently around them. Ethan leaned forward with both elbows resting on his knees, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.
Across from him, the older man calmly smoked a cigar while gazing into the distance. After exhaling a cloud of smoke, he glanced sideways at Ethan.
"Ethan, stop being so reckless."
He tapped the cigar against an ashtray.
"This isn't just your problem. What you're trying to do could drag our entire organization into danger. I'm not telling you to give up. I'm telling you to be patient."
The man narrowed his eyes.
"You know exactly who Devil Iris is. Are you planning to provoke that old monster again?"
Ethan clenched his jaw.
"Brother, you know how much effort I put into taking control of Ping Casino. I spent years securing that place. How am I supposed to accept losing it so easily?"
His voice hardened.
"I still can't let it go."
He leaned back in his chair.
"And honestly, I've been distracted lately because of some personal matters. Otherwise, I would've already started taking it back."
The leader sighed heavily and crushed the remaining cigar into the ashtray.
"Ethan..."
His voice softened slightly.
"I'm not stopping you from reclaiming it. But don't rush."
He pointed a finger at him.
"Take your time. Plan carefully. I don't like unnecessary risks."
After a brief pause, he added,
"And I certainly don't want a direct confrontation with Devil Iris."
Ethan nodded.
"Fine. I'll handle it carefully."
The leader smirked.
"This personal matter of yours..."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That girl again?"
Ethan remained silent. The older man laughed.
"You really are hopeless."
"There are countless beautiful women in this world. If you want introductions, I can arrange them."
He shook his head.
"You're young. Don't obsess over a single girl."
A faint smile appeared on Ethan's lips.
"Easy for you to say."
"You already won the most beautiful woman on campus."
The leader burst out laughing. Ethan continued,
"For me, it's not just about liking her."
His eyes darkened.
"I'm tired of watching that so-called perfect older brother wins everything."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"This time, I want to take something away from him."
The leader folded his arms.
"The Thorne family and the Violet family..."
He chuckled.
"Generations of wealth. Generations of influence."
Then something seemed to occur to him.
"Oh right."
He looked at Ethan with interest.
"I heard that girl developed military-support software."
"Is that true?"
"That's what people are saying."
The leader whistled.
"Impressive. Now that catches my attention."
Ethan gave him a knowing smile.
"Hmph."
"Of course, it does."
He leaned back comfortably.
"If I manage to make her mine, it'll benefit our organization as well."
The leader suddenly slapped the table.
"That's right!"
His eyes lit up immediately.
"Now you're finally thinking like a businessman."
He laughed loudly.
"With her technology, we could smash Devil Iris over the head."
"That old bastard wouldn't know what hit him."
Ethan's smile vanished almost instantly.
His gaze sharpened.
"Brother."
His voice became cold.
"Don't involve her."
The leader raised an eyebrow.
"Mm?"
"Whatever happens between me and Rosalie is my business."
Ethan's expression remained firm.
"If it concerns her, I'll handle it myself."
For several seconds, the leader studied him quietly. Then he suddenly burst into laughter and slapped Ethan's thigh.
"Hahaha! There he is. The infamous Kakamora."
Still laughing, he pointed at him.
"Fine, fine. Do whatever you want. As long as you don't drag the whole organization into a war."
Ethan merely smiled. But behind that smile, his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere to Rosalie and Julian.
The game between them was far from over.
...…
Mr. Thorne frowned slightly.
"Sam…what exactly are you trying to say?"
Sam glanced toward Mr. and Mrs. Violet before speaking calmly.
"The reason I arranged today's meeting is because there is something all of us should know."
The atmosphere inside the private room became noticeably quieter. Sam placed his wine glass down on the table.
"Julian and Rosalie are seeing each other."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room. Mr. Agatha Violet blinked in surprise.
"Seeing each other?"
Sam nodded.
"Yes."
"They have known each other for a long time. Recently their relationship has become more serious."
Mr. Thorne looked genuinely shocked. Even he had not expected such news. Mrs. Violet exchanged glances with her husband before smiling softly.
"So that's why."
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"You already knew?"
Mrs. Violet chuckled.
"Not exactly. But a mother notices these things. Anyway, that's what we expected to happen before. Is that's right Mr. Thorne?"
Mr. Violet laughed.
"Yes, of course. That's Julian's mother wish."
Mr. Thorne reply.
"And Julian visits our house often enough for me to become suspicious."
The tension in the room gradually disappeared. Mr. Thorne leaned back in his chair.
"Then what do you think?"
Mr. Violet folded his hands together.
"What should I think? They are both adults. They can handle their own life."
"And more importantly, they genuinely care about each other."
Mrs. Violet nodded in agreement,
"I feel the same way."
"If they are happy together, I have no reason to object."
Sam smiled faintly.
"That's exactly what hoped to hear."
Mr. Thorne remained silent for several seconds before finally speaking.
"I've known your family for years. If Julian chooses Rosalie, I certainly won't oppose it."
Mrs. Violet laughed softly.
"Then why are we even discussing it?"
"Let the children decide for themselves."
Mr. Violet nodded.
"Exactly. We don't need to arrange anything. We don't need to pressure anyone."
"If one day they decide their relationships is serious enough, they'll tell us themselves."
"Until then…"
He lifted his teacup.
"We simply watch from the sidelines."
Mr. Thorne slowly smiled. For the first time that morning, he felt genuinely relieved. Sam glanced at the door.
"Speaking of which…"
"Julian should be arriving soon."
The moment those words left his mouth, a knock sounded form the outside the private room.
Knock…Knock…
Everyone turned toward the door.
"Come in."
Julian stepped inside. The moment he saw the four elders sitting together, an uneasy feeling immediately formed in his chest. Something about this arrangement immediately made him uneasy.
"Father… Uncle…what's the urgent matter? Why did you call me here?"
Mr. Thorne smiled calmly.
"It's nothing serious. We just haven't had the chance to sit together for a while, so I thought we could have a meal and talk."
Julian hesitated slightly. Something felt off, but he said nothing more. Just then, the door opened again. All eyes turned toward it at once. Rosalie and Lily stepped inside.
She had originally been told to come with her parents, but upon entering and seeing Julian already there, she froze slightly in surprise.
"Julian…"
Julian also paused for a moment.
"Rosie…"
Their voices were soft, almost instinctive. For a brief moment, the two simply stared at each other, both clearly not expecting to meet here.
Around the table, the elders exchanged knowing looks, subtle smiles forming on their faces.
Lily, unable to hold it in, covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh. Mr. Violet chuckled lightly.
"Looks like neither of you expected to find the other here."
Rosalie lowered her gaze slightly, feeling a bit shy. Julian awkwardly scratched his head, unsure what to say.
At the moment, Mr. Sam gently brought the atmosphere back under control.
"Alright, everyone sits down. Today isn't only about business, we just haven't met in a long time, so it's also a family gathering."
The tension in the room slowly eased, replaced with a warmer, lighter atmosphere.
Yet beneath the surface, everyone presents seemed to understand that something important had already begun, something no one had openly stated yet.
And that unexpected meeting quietly marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.