Heavens Fortune System

A reckoning with the past

Sophia had provided a hotel room for Ethan to stay the night while she headed to her family house to wait for James, who was summoned by Mr. Caldwell after work.

In the family sitting room, Olivia and Sophia were having a conversation. Olivia casually asked Sophia about the man she was seeing, suspecting that Ethan was more than just a friend.

Sophia tried explaining that there was no romantic relationship between them, but Olivia, knowing her daughter’s secretive nature, pressed for details. “If there’s something there, just be honest and bring him home soon. It’s not good to hide things,” Olivia insisted, leaving Sophia cornered. Not wanting to argue, she nodded and muttered, “Okay, Mom.”

Moments later, a knock at the door signaled James’s arrival. Sophia opened it without saying a word or meeting his gaze, letting him in before walking back to the sitting room.

“Good evening,” James greeted Olivia with a forced smile, his eyes scanning the room as if it were his first visit.

Two minutes later, Mr. Caldwell entered, his demeanor calm but commanding. James rose from his seat and greeted him respectfully.

“James, have a seat,” Mr. Caldwell began, his voice firm. “Let’s get straight to the point. Do you realize how close you are to losing your job? Do you even remember who brought you into this house and treated you like family? Who helped you when you had nothing? Sophia saved you once, and now you’re threatening her and spreading chaos!”

James lowered his head but kept a confident tone. “I’m sorry, sir, but I haven’t threatened Sophia in any way.”

Sophia, seated next to her mother, narrowed her eyes. Olivia, who had never liked James, remained quiet but visibly displeased.

“What about Paul?” Sophia interjected sharply. “You used him to spy on Ethan and gather information against him. What’s your problem with Ethan, anyway?”

James’s expression didn’t falter. “Paul is an employee who reports to me. If Ethan claims I’ve been prying into his life, call him here to repeat it in my presence. I’ll also summon Paul to clarify matters.”

“Enough!” Mr. Caldwell’s voice rose, silencing the room. “I don’t need witnesses. Here’s my decision. James, you are to hand over all company property in your possession immediately and vacate your position as branch manager. Your behavior has proven you’re unfit for the responsibility.”

James stood, his face expressionless but his eyes gleaming with anger. Without another word, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

As the family sat in silence, Olivia muttered, “What kind of man behaves like that? I told you we shouldn’t have trusted him.”

Sophia frowned but said nothing. Deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that James’s bitterness ran deeper than just personal grudges.

After a while, Mr. Caldwell turned to Sophia with a smile. “Sophia,” Mr. Caldwell began, his voice calm but firm, “I expect to meet your boyfriend on my 75th birthday. Bring him to the house on the 27th.”

Sophia stiffened, her heart sinking. “Dad, do we really need to—”

“This is important, Sophia,” he interrupted, his tone softening slightly. “I’ve built everything for this family, but sometimes… I wonder if I’ve done enough to secure our future. Meeting the man in your life is one way to ensure I’ve passed on the right values.”

Sophia was taken aback. It wasn’t often that her father expressed doubt or vulnerability. She nodded reluctantly, knowing she had little choice but to go along with his request.

The next day, Sophia visited Ethan at the hotel.

“Hey, Ethan, how are you doing?” she asked as she walked into the room.

“I’m fine,” Ethan replied. “What happened with James? Did your dad handle it?”

“Yes,” Sophia confirmed, taking a seat. “My dad removed him as branch manager. He’s no longer part of the company.”

Ethan let out a sigh of relief but noticed a hint of hesitation in Sophia’s expression. “Is something wrong?”

Sophia looked at him, unsure how to begin. “There’s something I need to ask you,” she said finally.

“What is it?” Ethan asked, his brow furrowed.

“My dad still expects me to bring my boyfriend to his birthday party,” she explained. “I was thinking… maybe you could pretend to be my boyfriend for just one day. It’ll stop them from pressuring me.”

Ethan studied her carefully. “If I do this, does that mean you’re actually my girlfriend? Because I don’t like pretending,” he said seriously.

Sophia blinked, caught off guard. “Ethan, you told me before that you didn’t like me. Are you being serious now?”

“I said that because I didn’t want to cross any boundaries,” Ethan admitted. “But the truth is, I do like you. You’re the only person who truly understands me. I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to take advantage of you like James did.”

Sophia smiled warmly. “I understand, Ethan. I like you too. You’re kind, hardworking, and genuine. I think we’re similar in a lot of ways.”

The two spent the evening together, their relationship taking a new, official turn.

Sophia took Ethan shopping to prepare him for the party, buying him stylish clothes and taking him to a salon for a haircut. When Ethan looked in the mirror afterward, he barely recognized himself. His transformed appearance revealed a confident, handsome man.

Sophia stared at him in awe. “Wow, Ethan. You look amazing,” she said, smiling.

Ethan laughed shyly but felt a surge of pride.

Back at the hotel, Ethan spent hours poring over old online archives, piecing together the hidden connections between James’s father and Caldwell Horizon. His persistence paid off when he stumbled upon a forgotten news article.

The headline read: “Co-Founder of Caldwell Horizon Mysteriously Disappears—Family in Shambles.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed as he read further. The article detailed how James’s father, Philip Reynolds, had co-founded the company alongside Mr. Caldwell. But after a sudden disagreement about the company’s direction, Philip vanished without a trace.

Strangely, the story had garnered little attention. The article had been buried under other headlines of the time, as if someone had wanted it forgotten.

Ethan’s thoughts raced. Why would a man like Mr. Caldwell, known for his strict moral code and religious beliefs, sweep something like this under the rug?

He dug deeper, finding records of the company’s name change shortly after Philip’s disappearance. “Caldwell Horizon,” he muttered under his breath. “Why would they erase Philip’s contributions so completely?”

Despite his growing suspicion, Ethan wasn’t ready to pin the blame on Mr. Caldwell. Something still didn’t add up.

If Mr. Caldwell was innocent, then why had no one bothered to investigate Philip’s disappearance? And if he was guilty, why risk everything when he already had so much power?

Ethan knew there was more to uncover. He just hoped he could piece it all together before the Caldwell family’s enemies closed in.