1.4 Blossom

Zoe knocked and entered the room when she heard a voice say, "Enter."

She handed a tablet to the president and said, "We received an alarm from the land you recently purchased, President Cole. Someone broke the fence and trespassed. Here is the security tape."

President Cole took the tablet and asked, "How long before we reach the castle?"

"We will be there in 40 minutes," Zoe answered. "As you've ordered, dinner will take place in the dining room on the second floor. Everyone is present except the perpetrator."

President Cole looked up from the tablet and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Zoe explained, "I used facial recognition and found out the identity of the trespasser. His name is Persie. He is the managing director of Leos Enterprises' research and development subsidiary. I've sent you his file if you need more information."

Cole nodded, and Zoe left. Once she was gone, he looked at the live feed. A young man was lying in the middle of a meadow.

He had a serene expression on his face, and his body was lying flat and still. His breathing was slow and steady, indicating that he was in a deep state of relaxation.

The young man's arms and legs were outstretched as if he was enjoying the feeling of the ground beneath him.

Cole closed the feed and checked the file his assistant had sent him. He didn't need to see it since he had to do his homework now that he was back on the planet.

The only reason he had invited everyone to the castle was so he could determine who would receive the axe.

The R&D subsidiary was by far the most successful, and Persie was a genius. He had heard about Demetrius and Calista taking in their birth son, Evander, who was switched at birth.

Luke told him Evander was better than Persie, and that he did everything in his stead, while Persie took credit.

He found it hard to believe since Evander had only been working for a couple of months. He thought that if that were the case, R&D would not have been at the forefront of technology, since Persie started working there full-time.

During dinner, Cole would ask about the company and their new plans.

Cole pushed a button and ordered, "Give the captain the coordinates of the meadow and tell him to land in stealth mode. I don't want to be seen."

Evander walked to Persie's bedroom. After knocking three times, he tried to open the door, but it was locked. He needed to speak with Persie before dinner.

Evander didn't have any ideas for the new plans as he would always steal them from Persie, knowing his computer's password was certainly helpful. Even if Evander knew everything about the field, it wasn't his passion.

Despite what they all thought, every idea he gave was Persie's. Persie had changed so much that they believed him, every time he told a lie.

Evander took a year to learn everything he needed to know to become president, before meeting Demetrius and Calista, only because the company was his birthright.

Evander's parents, Hector and Yolanda, switched him with Persie, hoping that he would help them get out of their poor life in the future.

But they fell in love with him and decided to give up on Persie. They never abandoned him, despite struggling financially.

Yolanda and Hector told Evander the truth when he became sick, knowing that Demetrius and Calista would be able to find him a heart when they saw that neither of them was a match.

Even if Evander was upset at first, it faded when he thought about everything his parents had done for him.

They could have gotten Persie back, but they didn't, despite their financial struggles. They had given up everything for Evander's future and when he became sick, they both offered their hearts.

When they weren't a match, they told the truth, even though they were sure he wouldn't forgive them because they loved him more than anything. And they wanted him to live.

After talking, they put a plan in place. Evander hired a private detective and dug up information about the entire Leos household.

If he wanted to inherit the company, he needed to show that he wasn't after the money and, most importantly, he needed to have a good relationship with Luke, the heir of Leos Enterprises.

Evander lied to Luke and told him that, just like him, he had bounced from foster home to foster home. As soon as he said that, Luke changed and wasn't cold anymore.

He acted like a big brother and was always thoughtful. Evander started to tell him lies about Persie, and he could tell that Luke wanted to deal with him.

Luke started to pretend to get along with Persie because he knew it would destroy him and he would be more inclined to take his life with the pills when he rejected him.

Evander didn't even have to ask for help; Luke did it behind his back. Demetrius and Calista hated Persie too.

When Evander thought about the fact that he could've grown up with parents like them, he felt like throwing up.

As soon as Demetrius and Calista found out that he was their birth son, they turned their back on Persie. No matter what, Evander would never love them or call them mother or father.

His parents were Hector and Yolanda, and everything he was doing was so he could give them a good life and live a long life.

But there was one thing he had never expected: to develop such a crush on President Cole. As soon as he saw a picture of him, his heart skipped a beat for the first time.

During dinner, Evander had to make a good impression on Leader Cole, but Persie was nowhere to be found. He needed his ideas or he was sure to fail at a first good impression.

While Evander knocked on Persie's door again, Luke approached him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Luke looked at Evander, who seemed uncomfortable to have been caught.

Luke frowned and said, "Don't tell me you were about to try to make him feel better."

Evander bit his lip and looked down. "I... I just wanted to make sure he wasn't too upset."

Luke lifted his head and said, "He doesn't deserve your care and kindness. Stay away from him. Do you understand?"

Evander nodded with wet eyes. Luke felt guilty and pulled him into his embrace, caressing his back. Evander rolled his eyes, feeling suffocated by Luke's actions.

Meanwhile, Persie reluctantly opened his eyes and stood up, picking up the blanket he had been laying on.

He gazed at the beautiful meadow he was about to leave and closed his eyes for a moment to focus on the sounds of nature.

Even though he had committed a crime, Persie felt it was worth it. He picked up a few flowers and decided to take them with him.

From afar, President Cole watched him, tilting his head in suspicion at first but then realizing that Persie just wanted a moment of peace.

As Persie was almost done gathering flowers, President Cole walked towards the gate Persie had broken into.

Persie grinned as he looked at the flowers. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and his cheeks dimpled, conveying a sense of genuine warmth and joy.

Being in a meadow always made him feel calm and hopeful. He knew he needed to be there before starting his mission.

As Persie reached the gate, he looked up and froze when he saw a man walking toward him. "Hello there, blossom," the man said.

The man stood tall and confident, with a chiseled jawline framing his strong features. His piercing blue eyes held a commanding presence, radiating power and authority.

His golden hair was neatly styled, adding to his polished and sophisticated appearance. His well-tailored suit emphasized his broad shoulders and muscular build, hinting at his physical prowess.

As he walked, his movements were purposeful and precise, exuding control and dominance. Despite his imposing figure, there was a charming ease to his smile, and his deep voice had a soothing quality that could calm even the most restless soul.

He was a striking figure, the epitome of both beauty and strength. Cole gazed at Persie, who seemed stunned.

Persie checked on Aurora and felt his heartbeat quicken when he realized that this was leader Cole and the land was his. 'Seriously? How am I so unlucky?' he thought to himself.