Greg and Dylan exchanged puzzled glances as they observed the stark contrast between the two siblings.While the little girl was adorned in elegance, her brother seemed to be struggling in shabby attire. It was a sight that tugged at their hearts and left them with many questions.“Isn’t that strange?” Dylan whispered to Greg, trying not to be obvious as he gestured towards the children.“Yeah, it is,” Greg replied in a hushed tone, concern etched on his face. “I mean, they’re siblings, right? Why is there such a huge difference in how they’re dressed?”As they continued to watch, the mother and her children were seated at a nearby table, and Lucy approached them to take their order.Curiosity getting the better of him, Greg leaned towards Lucy as she came back to their table with their food. "Hey, Lucy, sorry to pry, but do you know anything about that family over there? The one with the two kids,” he asked, trying to sound casual.Lucy looked at the family and then back at Greg, a h
In one of the opulent private study rooms at Von Ritcher estate, a young man named Griffin stood just outside the closed door, anxiously fidgeting with the cuff of his tailored shirt.Inside, his homeschool teacher, Mr. Davies, was engaged in yet another heated conversation with Griffin's mother, Lorraine.The teacher's voice was filled with frustration and annoyance as he complained about Griffin's persistent laziness and occasional bouts of rudeness during their study sessions. He recounted numerous futile attempts to motivate the young man, but all had fallen flat."I've had enough, Mrs. Von Ritcher! I cannot tolerate Griffin's behavior any longer. He refuses to pay attention, and every attempt to engage him has failed. He's simply not interested in his studies!" the teacher exclaimed exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air for emphasis.Lorraine, sitting regally behind the grand wooden desk, let out an exasperated sigh. She had dealt with similar complaints about her son n
Greg and Dylan stepped through the grand entrance of The Von Ritcher estate. The mansion’s interior was adorned with exquisite artwork, elegant chandeliers, and lavish furnishings. The grandeur of the estate left everyone who saw it in awe, yet for Greg… It just brings him a feeling of nostalgia and discomfort. As they walked through the familiar halls, Greg’s mind drifted back to his childhood years spent in this very house. The memories flooded back, some pleasant, but mostly overshadowed by the weight of the past. This place had never truly felt like home to him and the strained relationship with his father and his cunning stepmother added to the uneasy atmosphere. “Nothing’s changed,” Greg thought to himself, observing the portraits of his ancestors that were still hanging on the walls. Despite the passage of time, the mansion seemed frozen in its luxurious glory, a stark contrast to the changes that had occurred in his own life. As Greg and Dylan wandered deeper into the esta
The formal dinner at the Von Ritcher estate commenced with an air of tense silence. The clinking of silverware against fine china was the only sound that filled the opulent dining room. Greg sat at the table, maintaining his calm demeanor while his stepmother, Lorraine, engaged with his father, Austine, in a hushed conversation. "Austine, you couldn’t believe what just happened today. Griffin has been showing remarkable progress in his studies lately, and his teacher praised him. They even state that he seems more focused and dedicated than ever," Lorraine said, her tone tinged with satisfaction. Austine responded with a brief nod. "That's good to hear. I'm glad to see him taking his future seriously." Greg couldn't help but silently laugh to himself. He knew Griffin well enough to suspect that his newfound interest in his studies was merely a show for their father's benefit. Nonetheless, he kept his amusement hidden and continued to focus on his meal. As the conversation between
BLAM! Lorraine slammed the bedroom door shut with a resounding thud. Her rage simmered within her, threatening to boil over. She couldn't believe Austine's audacity to consider Greg as the sole heir once again! All her carefully laid plans to secure the position for her own son, Griffin, were now in jeopardy. "How can he do this?" Lorraine seethed, pacing back and forth in her luxurious bedroom. "After all I've done to be in this family, including marrying that old hag… He still wants to give that stupid son a second chance?! What's so hard about making Griffin an heir anyway?! All Griffin has ever done is get sent to a labor institution for selling weapons and drugs! Didn’t Austine think that that STUPID Greg could get into bigger problems if that picture is out?!" Lorraine’s anger only intensified when she recalled how Austine requested Greg to come to his study room to discuss the second chance further. Why didn't Austine just talk in the dining room? Did he think of them as ou
"Good night, Father. I'll make sure to review all the documents tonight," Greg bid his father farewell with a nod. "Hmmm..." And with that, Greg stepped out of his father's study, clutching a stack of documents in a brownish map. As he walked down the Von Ritcher’s corridor, Greg couldn’t help but replay his father’s words in his mind: "You can start from tomorrow… I want you to begin with Behav Company which is located in Struggl City. Do you still remember Behav, right?" A crooked smile tugged at the corner of Greg's lips as he remembered it. Well, of course… Of course, Greg remembers Behav. How could he ever forget the place where his father made him out from Von Ritcher, and even accused him of crimes that he didn’t commit? Behav Company, a pharmaceutical subsidiary of Von Ritcher Industries, was where Greg had once worked alongside his stepbrother, Griffin. Griffin held the title of an executive, while Greg was just an assistant, overshadowed and underappreciated. Although G
—The next morning at Von Ritcher’s estate— Greg stood in his room, looking satisfied as he surveyed his packed belongings. "Alright, I think I've got everything. I don’t think I’ve missed anything,” Greg said as he checked once more.Today was the day when Greg would embark on his second mission which was: Taking over Behav Company as the executive.After thoroughly reviewing all the documents and the information about the suspects and Bradley, Greg decided to call one of his subordinates to see if there was someone on his side that was still working at Behav.And thankfully, there was, which made Greg's task of gathering further information about the situation at the company much easier."Hm… But John mentioned that after I left, there were significant changes in the roles of the executives, and the only ones who still had their position is just Bradley and his assistant. John also mentioned that those new executives had no prior affiliation with Von Ritcher's other main subsidiar
TING! "Attention all passengers, the gate for flight T1RE8 to Struggl City is now open. We kindly ask all passengers to proceed to the gate for boarding. Thank you." The announcement echoed through the bustling airport terminal, catching the attention of passengers who were waiting to board their flights. Greg and Dylan, along with the other travelers, promptly made their way toward the front gate in anticipation of their departure to Struggl City. Navigating through the crowd, Greg kept a composed demeanor, his strides purposeful while Dylan, on the other hand, seemed slightly annoyed by the prospect of the upcoming flight. As they settled into their seats, Dylan's frustration with the domestic flight process became palpable. "Man, I thought I was going to die out there. Did you see the lines at the security check? It was like a never-ending nightmare," Dylan lamented, rubbing his temples before looking at his boarding pass. “And seriously? UglyPlane 2000? Why on earth did they c