The voice on the other end of the line was sharp with annoyance. "Is this how you talk to your father?" Rayughed, the kind ofugh you let out when you hear something utterly ridiculous.


    "Father? Not anymore."


    Ever since Aisha''s parents died and he was shipped off to Cedarvale, that man ceased to be his father.


    Paul paused, letting theughter settle before continuing, "You came back to Maple Grove and didn''t even say a word."


    "Did I need to? You knew I was here the moment I stepped into town, didn''t you?"


    They''d cut off all his financial support and connections the moment he arrived. If it weren''t for that, he would''ve been able to help Aisha when she needed him most.


    "Is Aisha with you?"


    The voice on the other end knew better than to argue and instead asked about Aisha.


    Hearing her name, Ray''s contained emotions burst forth. "What the hell do you want?"


    His voice was sharp, dripping with hatred.


    In the living room, Aisha paused in the middle of her meal and nced towards the balcony.


    "I heard about the Gale Corporation fiasco. That girl has guts, even getting involved with the folks from Club 257... Bring her by sometime; I was good friends with her father for many years. If she''s in trouble, I can help."


    Ray''s grip on his phone tightened, veins popping.


    The voice continued, "And you and Aisha are getting too close. It''s not good for either of you. Remember, you''re the future heir of the Brimer family. Your wife will be one of Maple Grove''s top socialites, not an orphan. You''re of marrying age, and your grandfather has already arranged a perfect match for you. Come meet her when you get the chance..."


    Ray''s phone hit the ground with a loud bang.


    Rage consumed him, threatening to obliterate hisst shred of control.


    Aisha, pretending nothing had happened, finished her meal and neatly put away her dishes before heading upstairs to her room. She didn''t even look at Ray.


    Once in her room, her face fell, and she copsed onto her bed, feeling utterly drained.


    She could guess who had been on the phone from Ray''s tone. But none of that mattered now. Reviving Gale Corporation was her top priority.


    Though the project on simtion robots was set, Gale Corporation was new to this field andcked expert personnel. She was too busy to be distracted by theseplications. Just then, her phone beeped.


    It was a message from Ivan.


    Ivan: Good day, Miss Aisha. We are students from the University of Maple Grove, rmended by Flora. We will report to Gale Corporation at ten tomorrow.


    The message lifted Aisha''s spirits. After washing up, she went to bed early.


    The next morning, she headed to Gale Corporation.


    Meanwhile, Flora was also up early.


    She was meeting Connor and had carefully applied light makeup, pairing a white chiffon blouse with a blue and white knee-length skirt. It was a stark contrast to her bare-faced look from the day before. Before leaving, she asked Henrik, "Do I look good?"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Raul, hidden behind his newspaper, felt a wave of mncholy.


    Ah... The bittersweet pain of watching a daughter grow up and away.