Joseph gently placed the apple tree in the hole, his hands carefully covering the base of the tree with soil. His every movement was slow and careful, as if he were performing a sacred ritual. While his hands were busy with his work, his mind drifted back to a conversation he had not long ago.One afternoon, as Joseph was walking around the garden, he happened to come across Mrs. An, the loyal old maid, meticulously tending to the flower bushes near the fence. Mrs. An had been with Joseph's family for a long time, and had always shown dedication to her work. Joseph approached, a gentle smile on his lips as he greeted her."Mrs. An, are you busy with the garden again today?" Joseph spoke, his tone polite but a little curious.Mrs. An raised her head, her eyes looking at Joseph kindly. "Yes, young master. I saw that the grass was growing a bit too much, so I wanted to clean it up a bit. This garden needs regular care to stay beautiful like this."Joseph nodded, his eyes sweeping over th
Joseph bent down, his hand gently stroking the soft fur of one of the old dogs circling around his legs. He smiled faintly, looking at them with eyes full of affection. Despite their age, the dogs hadn't lost their enthusiasm whenever someone paid attention to them. A smaller dog with fluffy white fur jumped onto Joseph's lap, its tail wagging continuously as if seeking more of his attention. Joseph couldn't help but chuckle, reaching out to scratch its head as he spoke in a tender voice:“Buddy, calm down, I haven’t forgotten you.”He then turned to a larger dog with sleek black fur lying right next to him, looking at him with adoring eyes. Joseph bent down and whispered, “Max, I have a new apple tree for you to see today.”Next, another dog with gray fur trotted over, letting out soft sounds as if asking for attention. Joseph smiled and reassured it, “Don’t worry, Rocky, I’ll play with you afterward.”These names weren’t random. Joseph had named each of these old dogs after discover
On the other side, Jayce stood in the middle of his large office, now a scene of utter chaos. Shattered glass and broken decorations were strewn across the floor. His anger had become uncontrollable; his hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. With a powerful motion, Jayce slammed his fist down onto his desk, causing some documents to scatter to the ground. He breathed heavily, feeling the rage burning in his chest.“How dare he…” Jayce muttered, his voice dripping with venom. He couldn’t accept that things weren’t going his way. The plan he had meticulously crafted, every step carefully calculated, was now facing setbacks because of a small, seemingly insignificant detail.He grabbed the glass of whiskey in his hand and hurled it against the far wall, shattering it into countless fragments. The red liquid ran down, leaving streaks on the white wall, creating a scene both chaotic and unsettling.At that moment, the office door opened, and Tyler, Jayce’s assistan
Jayce sat there, phone in hand, his eyes filled with frustration and disbelief at what he had just heard. Coco knew about Joseph’s previous marriage, and she didn’t seem to care. Her calmness was the complete opposite of what Jayce had expected. He couldn’t accept this.Jayce decided to try one more time. His voice was low, with a clear hint of irritation. “Coco, do you really know about Joseph’s previous marriage? And you don’t think that’s important?”Coco responded clearly and firmly, without hesitation. “Yes, Jayce, I know. And as I’ve already said, it’s not important to me at all. Joseph’s past doesn’t affect our current relationship.”Jayce’s tone sharpened, almost turning threatening. “Coco, have you thought about Mr. Watts? Do you think your father will accept you marrying someone like Joseph, who’s been through a failed marriage? In this high society, marriage isn’t just about love; it’s about being well-matched. I’m certain that Mr. Watts will never agree to you marrying som
Joseph had just hung up with Coco, feeling the weight of exhaustion and pressure pressing down on his shoulders. The conversation with Coco had not gone as he had hoped, and now his mind was a tangled mess of thoughts about Charlotte and his current relationship. He had just relaxed back into his chair, trying to regain his composure, when his phone rang again. This time, it was Norman.Joseph answered, trying to sound normal despite the turmoil within. “Norman?”“Joseph,” Norman’s voice came through, a mix of concern and excitement. “Can you come to the hospital right away? Father has woken up.”This news hit Joseph like a gust of wind, clearing away some of the tension clouding his mind. William, their father, had been in a coma for a long time, and everyone in the family had been worried, unsure if he would ever recover. Joseph felt his heart beat faster, a mix of joy and apprehension.“Has Jayce been informed?” Joseph asked quickly, his instincts kicking in.“No. I haven’t told Ja
When Mr. William refused to thank Joseph, insisting that what Joseph had done was merely a son's duty, Joseph wasn’t surprised. He stood there, listening to every word his father said, with a feeling he had grown all too familiar with: indifference, denial, and lack of recognition. Joseph knew very well that in Mr. William's eyes, he was never seen as worthy, never truly valued no matter how hard he tried.In that moment, Joseph felt a deep emptiness rise within him. It wasn't a fresh pain but rather an old, hardened ache, a part of life he had long accepted. Mr. William had always been difficult, and his expectations were never meant for Joseph. No matter what Joseph did, even saving his life, it was never enough to change Mr. William’s ingrained view of him.Joseph didn’t need to think for long. He knew what he had to do to maintain peace for himself and the family during this time. With a faint smile, he said to Norman, “Let’s just let this go. There’s no need to make a big deal ou
Jayce stood there, his gaze cold, barely concealing the hostility he felt. The two said nothing, only staring at each other for a long moment, as if time had stopped. The tension between them was palpable, a chill that no words could adequately express. Jayce smirked slightly, then walked away, leaving Joseph standing there with a growing sense of unease.Joseph didn’t look back at Jayce. He just continued walking, his resolve only strengthening. He knew this battle wouldn’t be easy, but he also knew he had to keep moving forward on the path he had chosen.Meanwhile, inside the hospital room, Norman sat by the bed, his eyes filled with concern. He carefully chose his words as he spoke to Mr. William, trying to subtly express his worries.“Father,” Norman began, his voice gentle but meaningful, “I think we need to reconsider everything. A lot has happened recently that perhaps we haven’t fully understood.”Mr. William, lying in bed, frowned but maintained his usual self-assured demeano
Joseph was surprised, raising an eyebrow. "A girlfriend? Since when did you have a girlfriend without me knowing?"Brian shook his head, trying to keep a serious expression but clearly unable to hide his irritation. "You've been so busy lately that there's been no time to talk to anyone. I didn’t even have the chance to tell you."Joseph burst out laughing, giving Brian a light pat on the shoulder. "Come on, Brian. Don’t be so sulky. You know I've had a lot on my plate lately. But really, tell me, who’s the lucky girl who caught your eye?"Brian sighed but couldn't resist a smile when he heard Joseph’s teasing tone. "She's just a normal girl. We've been dating for a few months, but recently she’s been upset over the smallest things. I honestly don’t know what to do anymore."Joseph raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with interest. "So, tell me, what exactly has she been upset about that’s got you so frustrated?"Brian looked at Joseph for a moment, as if weighing whether or not to s