***FLASHBACK CONTINUES***Zen gripped the mop tightly as he moved across the living room floor, his eyes scanning the grand room. The thought of living Tom’s life, the strangeness of being in his brother’s shoes, sat heavily on his shoulders. He pushed the mop rhythmically, lost in thought about the reality he was now forced to accept.Suddenly, the front door burst open, and the sound of heavy footsteps filled the air. "I’m home! Get me some food! Where are the chefs?" a loud voice called out, breaking the quiet of the mansion.Zen looked up from the floor, startled by the sudden intrusion. His eyes landed on a man with an arrogant smirk plastered across his face. Paul, Tom’s brother-in-law. Zen recognized him from pictures among the one’s at his grandfather’s place, though they had never met in person. From the look on Paul’s face, he didn’t seem the least bit interested in Zen—or rather, Tom."Wait up! Look at the floor—I’m mopping," Zen called out, his voice was firm but polite. H

***FLASHBACK CONTINUES***Zen stepped into the garden, relishing the brief moment of solitude. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow over the lush greenery. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of blooming flowers, trying to shake off the suffocating atmosphere of the mansion. Just as he was beginning to unwind, his mother-in-law, approached him, her expression unreadable."Tom!" she called out, her voice sharp against the serene backdrop. "I’m glad I found you. I have something important to discuss."He turned to face her, forcing a smile. "What is it?"She stepped closer, her demeanor shifting from stern to almost conspiratorial. "I’ve been thinking about your future here. I want to gift you a piece of land in Santa fizzo."Zen raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "That sounds generous. What’s the catch?""No catch, just a gesture of goodwill, you do clean a lot," his mother-in-law insisted, gesturing towards a nearby table laden with papers. "I’ve prepared the documents fo

Tasha stepped off the stage, She had made it through the presentation, but before she could fully breathe, she was stopped by a firm voice from the panel. The panel of reviewers sat in a long row, their faces serious, almost as if it was a debate. At the center of the table was Dr. Patel Bass, the owner of the hospital and its head doctor. He sat with an air of authority, surrounded by other high-ranking doctors and hospital officials.“Miss Tasha,” Dr. Bass said, his deep voice booming across the room. “Your presentation was impressive, and this new advancement in traditional medicine has certainly caught our attention.”Tasha's heart pounded as she stood frozen in place, nodding politely as she tried to catch her breath. She glanced at her team, who were also looking at the panel with wide eyes.Dr. Bass continued, “We would like to review more about this treatment at a later date, but for now, there is something more pressing.” He leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. “We

“Is this why you disturbed my busy schedule?” Keisha asked, crossing her arms and giving Zen a mock-serious look. Zen shrugged, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “I guess.”Keisha raised an eyebrow, her tone shifting slightly. “I am disappointed in you, Chief. Respectfully.”He chuckled, shaking his head. “You always get away with respectfully shading me, don’t you?”“Only because you make it so easy,” she shot back, a smirk breaking through her stern facade.As they exchanged their banter, their attention turned to the park where the brother and sister sat, now playing with a toy car that Keisha seemed to have brought at Zen's behest. The sight of them brought warmth.Zen’s expression softened. He walked over to the older sister, who was still watching her brother play. “Hey,” he said gently. “Talk to me. Why were you crying?”“I..I wasn’t, he was the one crying,” the little girl said, with an embarrassed fluster.Read more