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Nathan Lancaster leaned back in his leather office chair, rolling his neck to ease the tension. The floor to ceiling windows of his high rise office overlooked the city skyline, but he barely noticed the view. His attention was buried in the documents spread across his desk projections, contracts, and expansion plans for Lancaster Enterprises. At twenty nine, he was already a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Groomed since childhood to take over the family empire, he had mastered the art of control both in the corporate world and in real life. But no matter how meticulously he planned his future, there was always one unpredictable variable, his father. The buzzing of his phone broke his focus. Seeing his father’s name flash across the screen, he sighed before answering. “Father.” “Nathan,” his father’s deep, authoritative voice filled the line. “Tomorrow evening, you’re attending an event with me.” Nathan frowned. His father was never one for casual invitations. If Charles Lancaster wanted him somewhere, it meant there was a calculated reason. “What event?” Nathan asked, flipping his pen between his fingers. “The Cladwell family’s fashion launch,” his father said curtly. “Be ready by seven. Your mother will be coming as well.” Nathan’s grip on the pen tightened. “A fashion launch? And since when do we attend small social gatherings like that?” His father’s silence was short but heavy. “It’s important, and you will be there.” Nathan resisted the urge to argue. He had learned long ago that his father rarely answered direct questions when he didn’t want to. Instead, he leaned back, rubbing his temple. “Fine. I’ll clear my schedule.” “Good.” The line went dead. Nathan exhaled sharply, tossing his phone onto the desk. Something about this felt off. His father was not a man who indulged in social niceties. If he was attending the Cladwell event, there had to be an agenda. And if there was an agenda, Nathan was likely at the center of it. The next evening, Nathan stood outside the grand Lancaster estate, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit. A sleek black limousine rolled up the circular driveway, and he watched as the chauffeur stepped out to open the door. His mother, Eleanor Lancaster, stepped out first, dressed in an elegant emerald gown. Despite the years, she carried herself with the same grace and beauty that had once made her the most sought-after woman in elite social circles. Nathan smiled, stepping forward to greet her. “You look stunning, Mother.” She laughed softly, placing a gloved hand on his cheek. “And you, my handsome boy, are looking as dashing as ever.” His father emerged from the limousine next, already looking impatient. “Let’s go. We’re on a schedule.” Nathan escorted his mother into the car before sliding in beside her. As the limousine smoothly pulled away from the estate, Nathan glanced between his parents. “Are you going to tell me why this event is so important?” His father barely looked up from his phone. “You’ll see soon enough.” His mother, however, gave him a small smile and patted his hand. “Just enjoy the evening, darling.” Nathan exhaled. He hated being kept in the dark. But if there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was that his father always revealed his plans at the moment he deemed fit, and not a second before. The city lights blurred past as the limousine cruised through the streets, heading toward a venue Nathan had barely paid attention to before tonight. Whatever was waiting for him inside, he had the uneasy feeling that his life was about to take a turn he wasn’t prepared for.