At the Madox Mansion, Thomas Madox, the head of the family, sat across from his youngest son, Julian Madox, as they played a game of chess.
Julian moved his queen forward, capturing his father’s king. “Checkmate.”
Thomas, unfazed, gently set his fallen pieces back in place and looked at Julian. “I received a message this morning,” he said casually. “Phenara City is planning to develop East Lake, and the Everly Estate you bought for two billion is right at the heart of it.”
He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. “So tell me, did you buy that estate for investment purposes, or is it a gift for someone? Perhaps to win a certain heart?”
Julian retrieved his queen, offering a faint, enigmatic smile without answering.
Thomas let it go, shifting the topic. "Your niece has gone of
