Present/
Kian parked the car neatly in the driveway.
Drake was already inside, heading straight to his room.
Without wasting a minute, he took a quick bath, letting the warm water wash away the tiredness from the day.
After the bath, still drying his hair with a towel, he walked to the fridge, pulled out a chilled juice bottle, and took a few sips.
As he turned back lazily, his eyes caught something on the table — a photo frame.
Curious, he walked closer.
It was a photo of a group of boys — him, Zayn, Lucas, Caleb, Levi, ben— all standing together.
And right in the center of them... A girl
Her smile bright, her eyes sparkling with life.
Drake stared at the frame silently.
Before he even realized, a soft smile appeared on his face — genuine, uncontrollable.
He touched the frame lightly, lost in some old memory.
But then, with a deep breath, he put the frame back in its place carefully.
No words, no sound.
Walking back towards his bedroom, the smile on his face slowly faded into something else — a painful, regretful smile.
He laid down on the bed, turning his face away from the light.
Within minutes, with the weight of memories pressing down on him, Drake slowly drifted into sleep.
Next morning
The loud alarm buzzed through the room.
Drake groaned a little, reaching out and turning it off lazily.
He sat up on the bed for a moment, running a hand through his messy hair, then dragged himself to the bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror, he looked at his own reflection, expression unreadable.
After brushing his teeth, he stepped into a quick, refreshing bath.
Feeling fresher, he got dressed in his usual crisp outfit.
In the kitchen, he sat down with Kian, casually eating breakfast.
Kian, being the only one Drake ever truly relaxed around, joked about random things and made him smile.
After finishing, they left for work together.
As usual, Kian drove the car while Drake leaned back in his seat, scrolling lazily through his phone.
Suddenly, the phone buzzed.
A call from an unknown number.
Drake glanced at it for a second before picking it up.
Drake: "Hello?"
A cheerful voice answered from the other side,
Other side: "Hey dude! How are you!"
Drake frowned slightly,
Drake: "Huh? Sorry, who is this?"
The caller laughed,
Other side: "Come on man, it's me, Lucas!"
For a second, Drake froze, surprised.
Then he smiled slowly, almost like he couldn't believe it, and said,
Drake: "Hey... Lucas?"
Lucas: "Yaa! Don't tell me you forgot me already!" (laughing)
Drake: "What the hell... where are you, man? It's been years, Lucas!"
Lucas: "Yeah, bro, I know... Listen, can we meet tomorrow? Let's catch up. How about The Silverline Hotel?"
Drake: (without hesitation) "Of course. I'll be free."
Lucas: "Great! Anytime, okay? I'll be there."
Drake: "Yaa... okay. Bye!"
The call ended.
Drake kept holding the phone for a second longer, smiling softly — like he had just found something precious he lost a long time ago.
The car pulled up in front of Starlight Corporations — his company.
Drake stepped out smoothly, adjusting his coat, and walked towards the lift.
Behind him, Kian followed quietly.
As soon as they reached the office floor, they both started getting to work — the usual busy, serious atmosphere settling in.
After settling some initial work at his desk, Drake decided to check the production section personally.
He walked through the glass corridors of Starlight Corporations, nodding at a few employees who respectfully greeted him.
Behind him, Kian followed silently, holding a tablet with schedules and updates.
Entering the Production Section, the atmosphere was busy — employees moving around, machines running, supervisors checking items.
Drake's sharp eyes moved across the floor, observing everything.
He went straight towards the Pre-Launch Inspection Area, where samples of their new product — a luxury smartwatch line called EonEdge — were displayed.
The smartwatch was special — not just for fitness and notifications, but also equipped with new AI features like mood detection, advanced health tracking, and premium design using sapphire glass and titanium frames. It was their next big release.
Drake picked up one of the samples carefully.
He turned it over, checking the smoothness of the finish, the precision of the buttons, the clarity of the screen.
He wore it on his wrist, tapping the interface.
The screen responded flawlessly — fast, no lag.
Supervisor Mr. Allen approached carefully, holding a file.
Mr. Allen: "Sir, all final testing is complete. We're at 98% production readiness. Only minor packaging updates left."
Drake nodded without looking up, checking the strap adjustment mechanism.
Drake: "Battery performance?"
Mr. Allen: "Exceeded expectations. Full charge runs about 46 hours with continuous usage."
Drake: "Good."
He removed the watch and placed it back gently on the stand.
Then he glanced through the final packaging samples — minimalist black boxes with a silver logo embossed, a magnetic open-close system.
Drake: (pointing) "Improve the inner padding. Make it feel more premium when the customer opens it."
Mr. Allen: "Understood, sir."
Drake's eyes swept once again across the production area — neat, professional, efficient.
He gave a short nod.
Drake: "Keep everything on schedule. No mistakes. This launch defines our next quarter."
Mr. Allen: "Yes, sir."
Satisfied, Drake walked out of the production section with Kian,
A staff member approached politely.
Staff: "Sir, Mrs. Damon is waiting for you in the guest room."
Drake stopped for a second.
He nodded slowly and handed some work instructions to Kian before walking alone toward the guest room.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
Drake: "Mom... what brings you here?"
His mother, Mrs. Damon, stood up from the couch, smiling lightly.
Mrs. Damon: "Why can't I visit my son? Besides, you're not even coming home to see us anymore. Your dad is always busy with his work... so I came by myself."
Drake sighed, walking further into the room, keeping his tone calm.
Drake: "Mom... please. You know very well dad doesn't like me coming to your house. He doesn't even want to see me."
Mrs. Damon's smile faded a little. She crossed her arms.
Mrs. Damon: "Huh? Why are you bringing that up again? It's been years, Drake. Your dad already forgot about it. Why can't you?"
She shook her head, clearly not wanting another fight.
Mrs. Damon: "Ugh, I'm not here to argue. I actually came to introduce you to Natasha. She's not with me right now, but..."
(she opened her purse and took out a photo)
Mrs. Damon: "I have her photo here."
Drake looked at the photo in her hand with zero interest.
Drake: (half-laughing bitterly) "A blind date? Again, Mom? I told you. I don't want anyone."
His mom's face stiffened slightly, her voice lowering.
Mrs. Damon: "Why? Are you still thinking about that idiot girl?"
Something inside Drake snapped quietly.
He clenched his jaw, but forced himself to breathe slowly.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm — too calm.
Drake: "Mom... please. Give me some time. Why are you always pressuring me?"
Mrs. Damon looked frustrated now.
Mrs. Damon: "Drake, I'm your mother. Not your enemy."
Drake stared at her, a painful smirk appearing on his face.
Drake: (voice low, heavy) "You are the one who makes me feel so tired.
And now... please... leave me alone."
The room went heavy silent.
Mrs. Damon stood frozen for a moment, her hands tightening into fists.
Mrs. Damon: (voice sharp) "Drake, don't forget — everything you have now is because of your dad and me. Don't forget that."
Drake looked her straight in the eyes, no fear, no emotion.
Drake: "Then you can take it.
I don't want any of this.
You can have my position, my company, everything."
His voice cracked a little, the hidden pain surfacing.
Drake: "You know better than anyone... I never wanted to be a businessman."
He turned away coldly.
Drake: "You have to leave. Now."
Mrs. Damon's face hardened, her eyes looking at him — not with anger, but with a sadness she didn't show.
Without another word, she grabbed her purse, gave Drake one last look, and walked away.
The door closed behind her, leaving only silence.
Drake watched silently as his mother disappeared down the hallway.
He sighed deeply, the weight of the conversation pressing against his chest.
Without saying a word, he grabbed the glass of water from the small table nearby and drank it in one long gulp.
After a few seconds to collect himself, he adjusted his sleeves and walked back toward his office room.
He sat down in his chair, straightened his posture, and switched his mind back into work mode.
Opening his laptop, he began checking through the latest emails and proposals.
Different companies had sent collaboration requests — fashion houses, tech companies, fitness brands.
While scanning through the list, one name caught his attention:
Royal Empires.
One of the biggest and most luxurious fashion business companies, known for their bold branding and massive global influence, had officially requested a collaboration.
It wasn't a small thing. A successful tie-up with them could raise Starlight Corporations to an even higher status internationally.
Drake tapped his finger on the desk, considering it.
Just then, Kian knocked and stepped into the room with urgency.
Kian: "Sir, we need to finalize everything for the EonEdge pre-launch event."
Drake looked up.
Drake: "Is everything ready?"
Kian: "Almost. We need your approval on the final venue layout, the guest list, and the press conference schedule."
Drake nodded.
The EonEdge pre-launch was crucial — it was a private first reveal before the full market launch.
Invited guests would include top investors, tech reviewers, brand ambassadors, and a few influential celebrities.
The idea was to build hype, create buzz across media, and let trusted insiders experience the smartwatch before the public release.
Drake opened the files Kian handed him — blueprints of the event hall, a sleek modern space with a main stage for the product reveal, booths for private testing, and lounge areas for interviews and press meetings.
Everything looked polished.
Drake: "Make sure the security is tight. Only invited guests get in. And... prepare an exclusive black edition of EonEdge for the VIPs."
Kian: "Already in process, sir."
Drake closed the file.
Drake: "Confirm the collaboration meeting with Royal Empires too. I want to hear what they have in mind."
Kian: "Yes, sir."
Kian quickly left to handle everything while Drake leaned back in his chair, preparing mentally for the big moves ahead.
The evening, the private event for the EonEdge pre-launch was held at one of the most luxurious venues in the city — the Aurora Grand Hall.
The entrance gleamed under the soft golden lights, and a long black carpet stretched all the way to the grand doors.
Exclusive guests started arriving — business tycoons, tech journalists, celebrities, and a few special investors.
Each one was checked carefully at the entrance. Security was tight, just as Drake had ordered.
Inside, the hall was designed in a futuristic style — sleek black walls with blue neon lights, a large digital countdown timer displayed behind the main stage, and separate lounges for private testing of the new product.
At exactly 7:00 PM, Drake stepped onto the stage.
Wearing a sharp black suit, he looked confident, powerful — the kind of man who didn't need to say much to capture everyone's attention.
The hall grew silent as he picked up the mic.
Drake:
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here tonight."
"At Starlight Corporations, we believe the future belongs to those who dare to dream bigger, push harder, and live smarter."
"Today, I am proud to introduce you to not just a smartwatch... but a new edge of living — the EonEdge."
Behind him, the huge screen lit up, showing the teaser video of the product.
The EonEdge was not just a normal smartwatch — it combined luxury design with cutting-edge technology:
A sapphire glass screen
AI-powered health tracking
Satellite GPS independent of phone signals
Voice control assistant
Fully customizable watch faces for different lifestyles — fitness, business, adventure.
The crowd murmured in excitement.
After the video, the black curtains on the side of the stage drew back, revealing glass showcases where the EonEdge watches were displayed.
Each watch sat on a rotating stand under a spotlight, highlighting its bold, sleek design.
Drake:
"Tonight, you are the first to witness it. And soon, the world will follow."
Applause filled the hall.
Then, the guests were invited to experience the product themselves in the private lounge areas — trying on the watch, testing its features, and giving their feedback.
Kian stayed close to Drake, updating him on small details as the night went on.
Drake walked around the event calmly, talking briefly with some VIPs, answering questions, but keeping his interactions short and professional__