Chapter 7 - The New Reality
(Độ dài: ~1500 từ)
Three weeks passed in a blur of warm milk, soft blankets, and complete life transformation.
The news of the scandal slowly faded from the headlines as Julian Vance and Arthur Sterling pleaded guilty to corporate extortion charges to avoid trial. Rowan Tech stock didn't just recover—it surged to an all-time high, driven by public admiration for the company's transparent handling of the crisis and my public vow to prioritize family over corporate greed.
Instead of returning to my cold Seattle penthouse, I moved everything into Emily's small house in Bellevue while our team began renovations on a spacious, secure estate in the nearby countryside.
On a quiet Tuesday afternoon in mid-January, the winter sun was shining brightly over Bellevue. Inside the small house, I sat on the living room rug wearing a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a simple t-shirt—a far cry from my usual thousand-dollar suits.
Noah was lying on a soft play mat in front of me, kicking his tiny legs and waving his arms in the air.
"Look at that form," I told him seriously, gently shaking a wooden rattle above his chest. "You've got great shoulder mobility, kid. You're either going to be a star quarterback or an expert coder."
Emily walked out of the kitchen holding two plates of warm sandwiches, stopping at the edge of the rug to watch us. She shook her head, her eyes filled with affectionate amusement.
"He's three weeks old, Gavin," she laughed, setting the plates down on the coffee table. "He doesn't need a career plan yet."
"It's never too early for strategy, Em," I grinned, reaching up to help her sit down beside me. "Though right now, his main strategy seems to be sleeping twenty hours a day and drooling on my favorite shirts."
Emily looked at me, her smile softening into something deep and tender. "You really meant what you said at the press conference, didn't you?"
"About what?"
"About working less," she said, resting her chin on her hand as she watched me gently adjust Noah's blanket. "You haven't been to the office in two weeks. Marcus says your executives are losing their minds because you only answer emails between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM."
I chuckled, taking a bite of my sandwich. "Let them lose their minds. I appointed Thomas Wright as Chief Operating Officer for a reason. He can handle the day-to-day operations. I realized something during those five months we were apart, Em."
"What's that?"
"Money and power are renewable resources," I said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Time isn't. Every moment I spend sitting in a boardroom debating profit margins is a moment I miss watching Noah learn to roll over, or sitting on this floor talking to you. I spent ten years believing I had to conquer the world to be worthy of love. Turns out, all I needed to do was show up."
Emily’s eyes glistened with happy tears. She leaned over and rested her head on my shoulder, wrapping her arm around my waist. "I missed you so much, Gavin. Even when I was mad at you, even when I was terrified... I just wanted my best friend back."
"I'm back," I promised, kissing her hair. "And I'm never leaving again."
A soft knock at the front door interrupted us. I frowned slightly, instinctively moving to put myself between the door and my family—a habit from the Arthur Sterling ordeal that hadn't entirely vanished.
"It's okay," Emily reassured me, patting my leg. "I think that's Sarah."
I opened the door to reveal Sarah, Emily’s best friend who had stood by her during the lonely months of her pregnancy. She was carrying a large gift box wrapped in silver paper.
"Hey, family!" Sarah beamed, stepping inside and kicking off her snow boots. She froze when she saw me standing there in sweatpants with a baby burp cloth slung over my shoulder. "Woah... Gavin Rowan, billionaire tycoon, covered in baby drool. I never thought I’d live to see the day."
"Hello, Sarah," I smiled, stepping aside to let her in. "Thank you for taking care of Emily when I wasn't here. I owe you a debt I can never fully repay."
Sarah’s casual expression shifted into a genuine, warm smile. "You don't owe me anything, Gavin. Just keep looking at her the way you're looking at her right now, and we're even."
Sarah set the gift box on the table and knelt down to coo at little Noah. "Look at this handsome little guy! He's growing so fast!"
"We have a surprise for you, actually," Emily said, standing up and taking my hand. She looked at me, a soft flush rising to her cheeks. "Gavin and I talked about it yesterday."
I nodded, feeling a swell of pride in my chest. "Sarah, we would be honored if you would be Noah's godmother."
May you like
Sarah gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as tears immediately sprang to her eyes. "Are you serious? Oh my god, yes! Of course!" She jumped up and wrapped Emily in a fierce hug, then unexpectedly pulled me into the hug as well.
For the first time in my life, standing in a small living room surrounded by genuine laughter, real friends, and the warmth of a second chance, I felt completely at peace.
