Dreading him.

ts light onto C city. It's still dawn and a gen

. She groaned, her disheveled hair a tangled mess across her pretty face. Her left arm ached from lying in the

ded to the balcony. From her vantage point, she could see the quiet, sleepy streets of the Palm-vines residence, a stark contrast to

f her affections, the man who held her heart captive. A familiar, sleek sedan, its gleaming black paint b

was her ritual, a silent acknowledgment of their proximity and the gulf that separated them. It was a morning routine that had

quiet morning air. Mr. Kingston, a fixture in the Chen family since the birth of her older brother, had a kind face and a heart as warm as the sun. He'd grown up in an orphanage

sual to see Sophia awake before 6 am, especially on a Monday morning. Sophia chuckled, her heart a little lighter as she saw the genuine care in Mr. Kingston's eyes. "No, nothing special," she replied, her voice softer now. Th

5:48. 'oh no,' she gasped, her heart skipping a beat. The time was moving faster tha

hower was all she had time for. As she emerged, her crisp, ironed uniform lay neatly on her bed, a testament to the efficiency of their h

he majestic stairs to the living room. The living room covered several square meters, the giant kitchen was located on the left

od morning, Aunt," Sophia greeted cheerfully, grabbing her smoothie cup from the shelf. Normally, she would savor the smoothie at the dining table before breakfast, but today was different. Mrs. Xan, noticing Sophia's unusual energy, wisely chose

on time, Aunt. Please pardon me today," she said with a smile, noticing Mrs. Xan's bewildered expression. Understanding dawned on Mrs. Xan, and she gave a quick nod, hastening to pack the smoothie into Sophia's bag. With

e façade remained serene, within its walls, a flurry of activities takes place. The arrival of General Wu, the

demanded nothing less than perfection. Maidens scurried about, replacing worn curtains with majestic new ones. Butlers meticulously vacuumed floors

ttled work matters and made arrangements for the General's arrival. Downstairs, his wife, Daisy Wu, joined the maidens, overseeing the

ontent. The arrival of his grandfather, a man known for his st

schedule, leaving home two hours earlier than usual and planning to return as late as possible to avoid his presence. Knowing he might be called if he does not show up on time, he deliberately turned of

her, Kevin, looking grumpy. Charles knew why Kevin was being so quiet and unhappy. "You

always the serious and quiet one of the brothers. He never showed his feelings much, so it was hard to know what he was thinking. Charles wasn't very expressive ei

er bag and didn't see him coming. Kevin was quick and stopped her just in time. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. Are yo

heir property so early in the morning. He also didn't understand why she got led into the mansion. "Just watch where you're going next time," he said and wa