The day finally came and Franklin found himself standing outside one of the grand mansions belonging to his father, his heart thudding like a heavy drum.The cold wind brushed against his face, but it wasn’t the weather making him hesitate. It was the thought of seeing his father after all this time. He hadn’t spoken to Mr. Miles in weeks. Not since…well, since everything had started going downhill.Conor gave him a nudge. “Go on, boss. He’s waiting inside. You’ve got this.”Franklin glanced at him, unsure. “What if he’s mad? What if—”“Stop thinking so much,” Conor cut in, his voice firm but kind. “You’re here now. That’s what matters. Just talk to him.”Taking a deep breath, Franklin finally stepped toward the door. He rang the bell, and within seconds, a butler answered.“Mr. Franklin,” the man said with a polite nod. “Your father is in the living room. Shall I show you the way?”Franklin shook his head. “I know where it is, thanks.”He walked through the familiar halls, memories f

The Insider adjusted his tie in the murky reflection of the elevator doors. Dressed in a navy blue suit and carrying a shabbyleather briefcase, he blended in perfectly with the Miles Empire employees moving through the building. No one looked twice at him as he walked with purpose, heading straight for Mr. Thayers office.Inside the office, Thayer sat at his large oak desk, skimming through some papers while sipping on his coffee. His phone buzzed incessantly, but he ignored it, too focused on preparing for the upcoming board meeting.A light knock came at the door, pulling him from his thoughts. “Come in,” he called, barely looking up.The door opened, and the Insider stepped in, closing it quietly behind him. His movements were smooth, calculated. He smiled politely, though it didn’t reach his eyes.“Mr. Thayer,” the Insider began, his voice calm and steady. “I have some urgent documents for you to review before the board meeting.”Thayer squinted at him, trying to place the face. T

The house felt unusually quiet that afternoon, except for the faint sound of Jack’s video game coming from the living room.Sophie had been pacing back and forth in her room, her mind buzzing with questions she didn’t want to ignore anymore. The heated argument she overheard between their parents yesterday kept replaying in her head.She finally decided she couldn’t keep quiet. With a deep breath, she marched to Daisy’s room and knocked on the door.“Come in,” Daisy’s voice called out, sounding tired.Sophie opened the door and stepped inside. Daisy was sitting on her bed, flipping through a magazine. Her long hair was tied up messily, and there was an open bag of chips next to her. She looked up at Sophie with raised eyebrows.“What’s up?” Daisy asked casually, though her tone was a little guarded.Sophie closed the door behind her and crossed her arms. “I need to talk to you.”Daisy groaned, tossing the magazine aside. “Can’t it wait? I’m trying to relax here.”“No,” Sophie said fir

The sun was shining bright in the clear blue sky, and the waves crashed gently against the shore. Franklin parked the car on the sandy lot, pulling the keys from the ignition. He leaned back for a second, looking at the ocean through the windshield. It had been a long time since he felt like this—calm, almost peaceful.Conor opened the passenger door and stepped out, stretching his arms wide. “Man, this is perfect! You sure know how to pick a spot, Franklin.”Franklin smiled faintly as he grabbed a beach towel from the backseat. “Yeah, well, I figured we both needed a break. Things have been…a bit much lately.”“A bit?” Conor snorted. “That’s putting it lightly.” He slammed the car door shut and followed Franklin onto the sand.The beach wasn’t too crowded. A few families were playing in the water, some couples strolled along the shore, and a group of kids built sandcastles a little further down. Franklin took a deep breath, the salty sea air filling his lungs. It felt good—like the t

It was a good day and Franklin Miles had resumed work in his small office, papers were scattered across his desk. He stared at the screen of his laptop.The light from outside illuminated the room slightly, casting shadows on the walls. He wasn’t thinking about the spreadsheets or emails in front of him. His thoughts were stuck on the mess at Miles Empire, the company he had once been so proud to be a part of.Just as his mind wandered deeper into how he could solve the problems, there was a knock on the door. It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to pull him back to the present.“Come in,” he said, sitting up straighter and closing his laptop.The door opened, and Ashley walked inside. She was holding a notepad and her phone, looking both hesitant and defined. Her expression was serious, and Franklin immediately knew she wasn’t here for small talk.“Hey, Franklin,” she began, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve got something you need to hear.”Franklin leaned back in his chair, motioning fo