From the next day, Yua stopped attending school. After several days of absence, the school’s homeroom teacher informed Darren that Yua had withdrawn from school to study abroad in a neighboring country. Darren, who had been caught off guard by the news, was bombarded with questions from his classmates, but he himself was the one who wanted answers. After school, he hurried to the Lester Trading Company.
After a long wait, Darren finally met with Marc and anxiously inquired about Yua. Marc’s reply was calm.
“Ah, Darren. I’m sorry for the suddenness. Yua left without explaining things to you properly. The truth is, Yua’s grandmother, who lives in the neighboring country, hasn’t been feeling well. As her only grandchild, Yua wanted to spend time with her, so she’s gone to live at my brother’s house for a while. My mother has become a bit more demanding in her old age, and I don’t know how long it will take to satisfy her. In the meantime, I couldn’t have Yua missing school indefinitely, so we decided to have her study abroad. Given the circumstances, we had to act quickly, so she’s already been in the neighboring country since last week.”
Marc explained everything to Darren with a friendly smile. He hadn’t told Darren the truth, but seeing how Yua had stubbornly refused to meet with him, he thought it best to offer a more convenient explanation.
“I see. Is Yua okay by herself?”
Darren put on a worried face, but inwardly, he was thrilled to be free from babysitting for a while. Marc reassured him, explaining that Yua would be staying with his brother and his wife in the neighboring country, and Darren accepted the explanation, albeit reluctantly.
A year passed, and even after Darren graduated, Yua hadn’t returned. After graduation, Darren started working at the Lester Trading Company, alongside his father. Marc, who had once been so kind, now showed Darren no favoritism, treating him as strictly as any other employee.
At first, Darren worked diligently, but as the months wore on, he grew increasingly frustrated. He was assigned menial tasks typical for newcomers, which, though important, annoyed him. Darren, believing himself to be the future heir, resented being given such lowly jobs.
On top of that, Darren couldn’t stand a man named Jas, who had joined the company four years before him. Jas worked at the company’s branch in the neighboring country and, though not much older than Darren, was already entrusted with most of the branch’s operations. Over the past year or two, the branch had begun selling women’s cosmetics, which turned out to be a huge success. Jas often visited the main office to coordinate product lines, but with demand growing rapidly, he had been working at the main office for several months now.
Jas, smart, handsome, and capable, was highly regarded by both customers and colleagues, which further irritated Darren.
However, Darren believed that once Yua returned, the situation would change. Marc would stop favoring Jas and once again look at Darren as Yua’s future husband, the rightful heir to the company.
Since Yua had left for the neighboring country, Darren had often voiced concern about her to Marc, but not once had he written a letter or visited her. Likewise, Yua had never sent him a single letter.
Darren thought to himself: once Yua returns, he’ll be kind to her again. She’ll be so happy just to see him that she’ll cry with joy. And then Yua will tell Marc herself that she wants to marry Darren and make him the heir to the company.
◇◇◇
“When is Jas supposed to arrive?”
That day, Marc had been fidgeting nervously since morning, repeatedly asking the same question to Jas.
“He’s expected to arrive in the early afternoon, sir. He’s making a few stops to visit clients before coming. I’ve already told you several times today,” Jas replied with a mildly exasperated look.
Marc slumped in response, and Jas gave him a wry smile.
“I understand how you feel. It’s been a month for me too. I hope he gets here soon.”
Jas himself had been excited all morning. He kept checking the time and tried to focus on his paperwork, but it was clear he wasn’t able to concentrate.
“Is someone coming?” Darren asked, noticing Marc and Jas’s unusual behavior. Jas gave a polite, formal smile.
“Yes, the other person responsible for the cosmetics that are currently selling so well. Actually, she’s the main person in charge, and I’m merely assisting, so calling her the ‘other person’ might not be quite accurate.”
“Oh, come on, Jas, no need to be so modest,” Marc laughed.
Waving his hand dismissively, Jas replied, “Not at all, sir. In fact, this product was initially met with strong opposition from the branch manager, who thought the costs were too high and that it wouldn’t sell. But she stood her ground and insisted it would be a success, even taking personal responsibility for its launch. She pushed through with it, even after a huge argument with the branch manager. I’m just an add-on, really.”
Jas gently picked up one of the cosmetic products, a soft smile on his face. The packaging, adorned with elegant, intricate designs, was one of the reasons for its popularity.
“This product truly reflects her. It’s striking, with a glamorous appearance that draws everyone’s attention, and inside, it contains the finest quality that captivates all. There’s no way it wouldn’t become popular. It’s so alluring that sometimes I worry it might be taken away.”
Darren, unable to help himself, interrupted.
“Her? The person in charge is a woman?”
The fact that the person responsible for the cosmetics, now popular even among noblewomen like the queen, was a woman caught Darren off guard.
In recent years, the country had been promoting women's participation in the workforce. At the Lester Trading Company, women were employed as well, but primarily in clerical or customer-facing roles, supporting the men.
“Is it really okay for a woman to stay in charge? Wouldn’t it be better to replace her with a man?” Darren blurted out. He was eager to take over the role himself, given how successful the product had become.
“There’s no need for that,” Marc said firmly, fully aware of Darren’s intentions. He shut down the idea without hesitation.
“This is our flagship product, and it’s fitting that the heir to the Lester Trading Company should manage it.”
Darren looked confused. The heir? Then surely, it should be him, right? Not some unknown woman!
“Sir, she’s arrived,” Jas announced with an unmistakable excitement in his voice. Marc’s face also lit up with a broad smile.
“Jas! I’m back! Hello!”
The atmosphere in the trading company shifted instantly. The woman’s presence radiated a fresh, vibrant energy. Though petite, she wore the latest fashion, and her rich black hair was elegantly styled. Her large emerald-green eyes sparkled impressively.
The woman ran toward Jas, embracing him tightly. Jas, who usually maintained a reserved demeanor around women, hugged her back. They held each other closely, pressing their foreheads together as Jas whispered softly.
“Welcome home.”
“Jas! We’ve received another large order! Also, remember that series I mentioned earlier? I’m thinking of launching a fragrance line, but I also want to create a series targeted at younger people. We’ll lower the price a bit and use lighter scents! What do you think?”
“That sounds interesting. Let’s bring it up in the planning meeting. But do you think the branch manager will agree? He might insist we focus on the fragrance line first.”
“I want to expand now, while we still can. I have another idea for the younger demographic! Please, Jas! You’ll support me, won’t you?”
At her sweet, pleading voice, Jas smiled warmly, his expression softening.
“Of course. I’ll always be on your side.”
He gently touched her cheek, his voice low and sweet, but the woman, clearly accustomed to his affection, kissed his fingers lightly and playfully brushed him off, flashing a cute wink.
“Yay! Thank you, Jas! I love you! Don’t worry, I know my uncle is a tough one, but I’ll get someone even tougher on my side!”
With that, the woman quickly stepped away from Jas and spun around.
“Father! I’m back!”
She threw herself into Marc’s arms, and he returned the embrace with less energy.
“Welcome back, Yua. You’ve finally remembered your father, huh? The moment you returned, it’s been all ‘Jas, Jas,’ and nothing about me…”
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