0010
1049 Words
After two years of peaceful coexistence, I had no idea what went wrong.
Suddenly, he began to grow distant, eventually leaving altogether to study abroad. On my eighteenth birthday, he returned - but ironically, his return coincided with my departure.
"What exactly happened, Amelia?"
Her mind was on the verge of shattering, reluctant to delve any deeper. Could they be siblings?
"That night... we were both drunk, so..." Amelia murmured, her face pale.
Olivia couldn't keep her composure, springing up from the sofa and taking several steps back to steady herself.
What had she just heard?
"You two? So... Emily's real father..." Olivia's thoughts spiraled, shaken by Amelia's revelation.
Amelia lowered her gaze, silently confirming.
Olivia held her head. "And him? He doesn't want to take responsibility? And why did you leave? If Emily's father is him, why hasn't he come to see his child?"
"Did you just meet him?" Olivia's urgency spilled over in a flurry of questions.
Hearing this, Amelia's tears fell uncontrollably.
"Please, Olivia, don't ask me anymore."
Seeing her in such distress, Olivia's heart softened. She pulled a tissue from nearby and placed it gently in Amelia's hand.
"Get some rest for now. I'll step outside for some air."
The truth had exploded in Olivia's mind like a bombshell: Emily's father was her non-blood-related brother? Olivia needed quiet, time to digest the revelation.
She felt Amelia had shared only part of the story, leaving the rest —the part that was undoubtedly harder to bear-unspoken.
The Collins family? The only Collins she knew was the one behind Sun International.
The more Olivia thought about it, the more something seemed off. The president of Sun International wasn't a biological son, and rumors circulated that the Collins heiress had disappeared three years ago.
Three years ago? That was precisely when she met Amelia.
Could it be that Thomas, president of Sun International, was Emily's father?
Olivia's mind was a complete blank.
Amelia sat there, lost, her thoughts plagued by the image of Thomas. She was on the verge of forgetting him-so why had he reappeared?
She looked toward the closed door behind which her daughter slept, her heart clenched in uncertainty. Did Thomas suspect? He was never one to be easily fooled. Even after she had hidden herself here, what more could he want?
That gesture of his had almost convinced her that she was his long-awaited love.
Love?
The thought struck Amelia as absurd. How could he, of all people, be capable of love?
Had he seen her?
Nervousness gnawed at Amelia. She couldn't let him discover her presence here.
...
The hotel lobby glittered with opulence, its décor extravagant, while meticulously trained staff moved about with precision. Outside the grand entrance, no fewer than twenty black-suited bodyguards stood tall, each one's gaze sharp as they surveyed their surroundings.
Inside the expansive conference hall, larger than a football field, the pristine white conference table was surrounded by attendees of the recent PC fashion show-industry elites and seasoned players from the business world.
Behind them stood personal assistants, each with a sleek laptop on their lap, their faces grave.
All eyes repeatedly flitted between two men seated opposite each other.
It was public knowledge that the Ethan Group and Sun International were rivals, yet here the two were, side by side.
Thomas sat like a sovereign, his long legs crossed, his sharp gaze fixed coolly on the man across from him. His impeccable suit accentuated his cold, imposing demeanor.
Ethan, however, showed no sign of intimidation; though compared to Thomas's unruliness and boldness, his air was one of greater refinement.
Removing his glasses, Ethan accepted a tissue from his assistant and methodically cleaned them, exuding a chill no less formidable than Thomas's.
It was clear to any observer: these two were at odds, not only in the business realm but in person as well.
Yet no one knew what had truly transpired between them.
At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in equally solemn attire entered, finally diverting everyone's gaze from Thomas and Ethan.
Today's gathering was to contend for a coveted piece of land -its worth surpassing that of countless ventures.
"First and foremost, I thank you all for taking the time from your busy schedules to attend this bid. Allow me to begin with a brief overview of the property in question."
The man spoke, his gaze falling deferentially upon Thomas. He hadn't anticipated that Thomas would attend such a minor bidding event in person. Sun International had already garnered significant renown both domestically and internationally even before Thomas took the helm, with close ties to major global conglomerates.
Thomas's cold eyes remained unmoved, his expression indifferent to the man's flattery. Instead, he turned slightly, listening as Henry leaned in to brief him.
With his face tense and brow faintly furrowed, Thomas's aura grew noticeably colder.
Henry reported on the last woman in question, though their investigation had yielded nothing remarkable. He couldn't fathom why Boss Thomas was so troubled.
But Henry quickly dismissed the thought. In his three years at Thomas's side, he had never seen any woman come close to him. Last time, when a superstar tried to cozy up to him, she had fallen from fame to obscurity, left scrambling for bit parts.
He had long witnessed the extent of his boss's influence. For someone to be reduced to supporting roles after approaching Thomas-it was a rare mercy!
"Boss Thomas, this is all the information you requested," Henry said, straightening and stepping back.
Thomas's face grew darker. The woman's name was utterly forgettable- certainly not Amelia.
"This is what took you half an hour to uncover?" His voice was icy.
Henry's heart skipped a beat. "Boss Thomas, all hands were deployed; every model from today was questioned. This was the conclusion."
"The last woman was Isabelle, twenty-eight, from a family of five, father named
"I heard you," Thomas interrupted with an irritable wave of his hand, his eyes flaring with anger. Henry quickly fell silent.
He had only repeated himself out of concern that Thomas might have missed a detail.
The bidding in the hall had begun, yet Thomas's face remained stony, his interest nonexistent. The truth was, he had simply missed her so much that he'd mistaken someone else for her.
- Writer
