Alex knocked on the study door, his knuckles rapping softly against the polished wood.
"Come in," came the steady voice of Joseph Walton from within.
He stepped inside to find his father seated in his usual armchair, reading the Financial Times, legs crossed with calm authority. The room smelled faintly of leather and old books—classic, dignified, and completely Joseph.
Alex stood silently, hands in his pockets, waiting for acknowledgment. Two minutes passed. His father didn't look up, only flipped a page.
Finally, Joseph spoke, his voice even. "I have this habit of daydreaming during my morning runs. Today, I found myself wondering—was it the right decision to hand over the company's responsibilities to you so early?"
He lowered the magazine and fixed his gaze on Alex, eyes sharp but not unkind.
"I'm always with you, Alex. I'm biased, of course—you're my only son. But not everyone on the board agreed with me. Many objected. Said you were too young. Too untested."
Joseph leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees.
"You're a people person. That's a gift. Make it your main strength. Surround yourself with capable people. Delegate wisely. No one excels at everything. Outsource your weaknesses, focus on your strengths, and above all—trust your team."
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly with emphasis.
"Sometimes, bounce your ideas off others. A fresh perspective can change everything. Build a team of talented, driven people who share your vision. Encourage honest debate. Tension isn't bad if it pushes you forward. In the end, the decision will always be yours—but don't isolate yourself from insight."
He leaned back again, the weight of his words settling in the air.
"That's all the advice I have for now. You may go."
As always, Joseph delivered his guidance like a final verdict—calm, precise, and absolute. There was no room left for Alex to speak.
"Yes, Father. Have a good night," Alex replied quietly.
He turned and exited the study, the door clicking shut behind him.
Inside, Joseph raised his Financial Times again and resumed reading, as if nothing had happened at all.
Alex wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead with an exaggerated sigh, more out of habit than exhaustion. He made his way to his bedroom, the soft lighting of the hallway casting a golden hue across the polished wooden floor.
After a cool, refreshing shower, Alex strolled over to his sleek, stainless-steel refrigerator. He twisted open a bottle of chilled water and took a long, satisfying gulp. The cold liquid coursed down his throat, grounding him.
Catching his reflection in the mirror as he passed, Alex paused. A faint smirk played on his lips.
He ran a hand through his damp hair, letting out a slow breath.
"Feel that?" he murmured to himself, eyes locked with his own.
"Aura. Effortless. I don't chase perfection—I am the definition of it."
Then he pressed a button on the wall-mounted intercom.
"Wilfred," he called out.
A moment later, the calm voice of the butler replied, "Yes, sir?"
"I'd like to have my dinner in my room tonight."
"Very well, sir. I'll have it sent up shortly."
With that handled, Alex made his way to the desk, picked up the new project report, and sat down. As he flipped through the pages, like something in the data caught his eye. His expression turned focused as this one was one of the projects he was interested on.
---
Luna's POV
Luna was in the middle of a cheerful conversation with Bella, her best friend, when her phone buzzed. The caller ID read Jennifer.
She picked it up with a bright tone. "Hello?"
"Luna! It's Jennifer! How's everything going?"
Before Luna could reply, Bella leaned in and shouted playfully into the phone, "Everything's fine! What about you? I heard you're getting married!"
Jennifer burst out laughing. "Oh! So you heard already, huh?"
Her voice turned light and teasing. "What can I say? My long-time boyfriend finally landed an executive position at a tech company. The first thing he did after getting his offer letter was take me out to a fancy restaurant and propose. I was like—how could I say no?"
There was a pause before she added with a giggle, "Let's be honest, it's hard to find a successful, settled man these days. So I locked him down!"
She continued chattering excitedly for a few more minutes, proudly sharing her engagement details and the ring size.
"Oh! I almost forgot the real reason I called," Jennifer suddenly said. "Next Sunday is our college reunion party. Make sure you come—7 P.M. sharp at Velvette Noire. And tell Bella too—I'm not calling her separately since you two live together, obviously." Her voice took on a teasing, double-meaning tone.
The call ended with laughter and promises to catch up more at the reunion.
Luna lowered her phone, a small smile tugging at her lips. Her stomach fluttered a little at the thought of seeing familiar faces again.
"Hey, Bella," Luna said, turning to her best friend. "Jennifer just called. She's inviting us to the college reunion next Sunday at Velvette Noire."
Bella slowly raised her head, pulling a dramatic face. "Ah yes, the Grand Championship of Who's-Richer-and-Married-the-Hottest. Can't wait to hear all about their husbands, investments, and gluten-free toddlers."
Luna giggled. "Come on. It'll be nice. We haven't seen most of them in a year or two."
Bella sighed deeply, then threw an arm over her forehead like a tragic heroine. "Fine. But if one more person says 'You're still single? But you're so pretty!' I'm eating their dessert out of spite."
Luna wagged a playful finger at her. "Yeah, you can eat everyone's dessert if you want—but leave mine alone, got it?"
Bella gave her a mock-offended look. "Wow. After everything we've been through, you think I'd touch your dessert? I have standards, women." Bella rolled her eyes with a grin. "Fine i'll eat everyone's dessert at the reunion—but I'll leave yours untouched. You're the only one I like."
Luna laughed. "Good. Because if you touch my tiramisu, we're breaking up."
They both burst into giggles. After the laughter settled, Luna leaned back against her pillow and stretched.
"Hey," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Tomorrow I'm going for a haircut at the beauty salon. Want to come with me?"
Bella shook her head dramatically. "Sorry, mate. Can't. I'm heading to my cousin's place tomorrow."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Bella said with a grin. "Her cat just gave birth—and you know I've always wanted a kitten. So I'm gonna kidnap one."
Luna gasped. "What?! Bella! You can't do that! Newborn kittens need their mother's milk. You can't just separate them that early."
Bella rolled her eyes but smiled. "Relax, Miss Animal Rescue. I'm not a monster. I just want to claim one now so she doesn't give them all away before I can choose. So I am just gonna stare at the fluffball until my cousin agrees to give me one when it's old enough."
Luna gave her a playful squint. "Hmm… alright. But I'll be watching you."
"You better," Bella replied. "If I bring home a kitten, it's yours half the time too. Co-parenting, baby."
The two girls laughed again, the room filled with warmth and friendship. Soon, their chatter drifted into stories, silly gossip, and dreams for the future as the night deepened around them.