A Fresh Start

Nolan rubbed his aching cheeks with a sour pout, his small brows knitted together in genuine displeasure. "Auntie Octavia, my face hurts! You pinch too hard. We are just kids, but you are a grown-up looking for humiliation acting like this."

Octavia gasped loudly, dramatically pulling a wry face as she lunged playfully across the table to grab the boy's arm. "You little brat! Why are you so rude to me? Come back here and I will teach you a proper lesson in manners!"

Nolan squealed, darting out of his chair. He quickly hid behind Valerie's back to use his mother as a human shield before sticking his tongue out at the movie star.

Laughter erupted around the table, blending with the ambient noise of the bustling downtown department store plaza.

Maia giggled, her bright eyes crinkling at the corners. "Auntie Octavia, you misunderstood my brother. He just means that you are at your best age!"

Octavia melted in an instant. She rested her chin in her hands to admire the little girl. "Wow, Maia, you are so sweet. Valerie, how did you manage to raise them? Why are they so incredibly adorable?"

Valerie chuckled, shaking her head as she took a sip of her sparkling water. "Do you like kids that much? Well, you can go have some of your own."

Octavia waved her manicured hand defensively, her playful demeanor slipping for a brief second. "I do not dare to do that. After seeing how your marriage went, I..."

She cut herself off abruptly, biting her lip as a flash of intense embarrassment crossed her delicate features.

Valerie offered a gentle, reassuring smile, waving off the awkward tension before it could settle. She did not mind the slip of the tongue.

Eager to change the subject, Octavia leaned forward and picked up her fork. "Have you seen your parents yet? How are they doing these days?"

"Kendrick told me they are fine. He asked me to handle my new company matters first before visiting them. Thank you for taking care of them over the past few years. I would have been sick with worry if you had not kept an eye on them." Valerie spoke softly, her gratitude genuine and deep.

"I just did what I should do. Your parents took care of me after my parents' accident. It was the least I could do!" Octavia unclasped her designer handbag, pulling out an elegant, gold-embossed envelope. She slid it across the white tablecloth. "There is an elite charity event coming up soon. A lot of top-tier businessmen will be attending. This is a brilliant opportunity for your new branch. I secured an invitation for you. Make sure you are there."

Valerie traced the gold lettering with her thumb, sliding the thick cardstock into her purse. "Thank you, Octavia."

"Do not be so polite with me. When do you actually go to the office? Who will watch these two little troublemakers?" Octavia asked, popping a grilled shrimp into her mouth.

Valerie reached back, gently smoothing Nolan's soft hair. "I have rested enough. I head into the office tomorrow morning. The twins are enrolled in a private kindergarten right near our new home. It will be very convenient."

Octavia flashed a cunning, triumphant grin. "That is perfect. I bought a new house in your exact neighborhood just to be closer to you. I happen to have a very light schedule right now. Once you start your demanding new job, I can babysit them whenever you need!"

Valerie felt a heavy lump form in her throat. Her eyes grew slightly misty at the immense loyalty her best friend showed. She knew Octavia genuinely wanted to care for her family. She did not voice her profound thanks aloud, instead giving a firm, watery nod. She swore silently that she would never forget this kindness.

Octavia watched the quiet, resilient woman before her, a sharp pang of distress hitting her chest. She remembered the carefree, innocent girl Valerie used to be. The dramatic transformation over the last few years broke Octavia's heart.

Maia tugged on Valerie's sleeve. "Mommy, I am full. I want to go play with Nolan by the fountain over there!"

"Go ahead. Do not go too far away and come back soon." Valerie nodded, her voice warm.

The twins dashed off toward the plaza fountain, their joyous laughter echoing over the outdoor restaurant.

Octavia picked up her silver knife, meticulously cutting a piece of steak. She kept her gaze fixed on the plate for a long moment. When she finally looked up, her large eyes were cautious. She dropped her voice to a hesitant whisper. "Valerie, does he know you are back? I mean Dominic."

Valerie did not flinch. Her expression remained entirely devoid of the agonizing desperation that once defined her youth. "What does he have to do with this? We divorced a long time ago."

Valerie firmly believed Dominic was happily married to Camilla by now. They had a child together, and his mother Helena adored Camilla. More importantly, Valerie harbored deep, calculated suspicions regarding Dominic's dark involvement in her father's tragic demise. He was not just a figure from her past; he was a potential enemy. Why would she ever willingly contact the man who likely ruined her family? Her youthful obsession felt like a foolish, distant nightmare. She had moved on, placing all her focus on her children and her ascending career.

Octavia sighed, setting her fork down on the porcelain plate. "Why are you thinking in this way? You loved him so much. Do you not think it is a pity that you divorced?"

Octavia had witnessed how fiercely Valerie had pursued Dominic in the past. She simply could not believe that her best friend had erased those consuming feelings so easily.

"No. I was too young and ignorant. I thought it was love, and I thought it would last forever. In fact, it was just an obsession. After a while, I calmed down and realized I did not love him that much. Divorce was the right thing to do. It is not a pity." Valerie smiled faintly, locking away the lingering shadows of her past behind an impenetrable wall of calm.

The bright Valdira sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the NEX Group's highly anticipated Meridia branch the following morning.

Valerie stepped into her expansive new corner office, holding a steaming cup of her favorite vanilla latte. She inhaled the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans, letting out a satisfied breath. Setting the cup down on the sleek glass desk, she walked over to the window. The view was breathtaking. She could see the grand architecture of a theater in Brampton and the sparkling river dotted with moving ships.

Her desk was already a chaotic but organized sanctuary. Fabric swatches in emerald and sapphire hues sat neatly beside rolled-up architectural blueprints for the upcoming seasonal launch. Valerie sank into her ergonomic leather chair, ready to dive into her role as the lead design director.

A tentative knock on the frosted glass door broke the peaceful silence.

"Please come in." Valerie called out, not looking up from a particularly intricate sketch of a silk gown.

The heavy door clicked open. Hazel, her newly appointed secretary, stepped inside holding a polished silver tray. Resting on the metal surface was a crisp, formal memo.

"Ms. Vance, the secretary of the Kensington Group's CEO formally reached out. He wants to invite you to an exclusive dinner to discuss a highly lucrative business cooperation." Hazel announced respectfully, keeping her posture rigid.

Valerie's hand stalled over the paper. The charcoal pencil snapped under the sudden pressure of her grip.

"Kensington Group?" Valerie repeated, her voice dripping with ice.

Hazel mistook the tone for unfamiliarity. She stepped closer, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. "Yes, the Kensington Group. They are ranked first in Valdira. Their influence is unrivaled."

A tidal wave of disgust crashed into Valerie.

Dominic Kensington.

Why was he inviting her to dinner? Did he know she was back in the city? She had kept her return a tight secret. Only Kendrick and Octavia knew the truth. As far as the corporate world was concerned, the NEX Group's design director was an enigmatic figure named Chloe. Dominic could not possibly know her true identity.

She refused to yield a single inch of her hard-won sanctuary to her ex-husband. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with him or his toxic empire.

"Refuse him. Tell him that I am busy!" Valerie commanded, her reaction glacial.

Hazel froze, her eyes widening in sheer disbelief. She stood clutching the silver tray, shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot. She had expected her new boss to jump at the golden opportunity. Dominic Kensington was a terrifying force in Valdira. He crushed his opposition without a second thought. Countless executives begged for five minutes of his time and failed. Yet here was Valerie, rejecting him without a shred of hesitation.

"Ms. Vance, the Kensington Group is involved in almost every sector. They are an unstoppable giant in various industries, especially the clothing market. Are you certain you are going to refuse him?" Hazel warned, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yes. I am busy." Valerie did not bother lifting her head.

Hazel swallowed hard. The company had only just launched its Valdira branch. The sales department might be drowning in work, but the design director was certainly not too busy for a dinner that could skyrocket their brand. However, the icy finality in Valerie's voice warned Hazel to keep her mouth shut. She did not dare push the issue any further.

"Got it." Hazel nodded, pouting slightly before hastily retreating from the office.

Miles away, in the suffocatingly immaculate headquarters of the Kensington Group, the atmosphere was fraught with aggressive tension.

Arthur, the CEO's executive assistant, stood before the massive mahogany desk, nervously wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. His gold-rimmed glasses slipped slightly down his nose.

"Mr. Kensington, I contacted the secretary of Chloe, the design director of the NEX Group, to secure the dinner appointment. She stated that Chloe does not have time for it and bluntly refused the invitation." Arthur reported, his voice tight with dread.

Arthur kept his eyes locked on the carpet, too terrified to meet his boss's gaze. Seeing no immediate explosion of rage, he let out a microscopic sigh of relief.

Dominic sat in his high-backed leather chair, a pristine fountain pen twirling between his long fingers. The office was dead silent. The rejection was unprecedented. It was a direct, almost insulting slap to his unchallenged corporate reign.

"Rejected? Did they decide to cooperate with the Vance Group instead? Or is this Chloe deliberately trying to make things difficult for us?" Dominic asked, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.

He stopped twirling the pen. A terrifyingly cold light entered his dark eyes. No one rejected Dominic Kensington. The blatant defiance sparked a deep, burning intrigue within him. Who exactly was this Chloe? Was the alliance between the Vance Group and NEX truly unbreakable, or was this a calculated negotiation tactic?

Dominic leaned forward, resting his forearms on the gleaming surface of his desk. "Have you prepared the background information documents on Chloe?"

Arthur flinched, his heart hammering against his ribs. Over the previous weekend, his demanding girlfriend had threatened to break up with him if he did not spend time with her. It had been months since they last saw each other, and Arthur was terrified of losing her. Desperate to save his relationship, Arthur had pushed Dominic's investigative orders to the side, assuming he would have time to compile the dossier on Monday morning. He was dead wrong.

"It is almost done. I will give the documents to you soon." Arthur stammered, feeling the cold sweat trickling down his spine.

Dominic did not need a confession. One brief glance at Arthur's pale, panicked face told him everything he needed to know. His assistant was vastly unprepared.

Dominic grabbed a financial report from the top of the stack, signing his bold signature across the bottom line with aggressive strokes.

"Your bonus for this month is gone. If I cannot get all the background information about Chloe before the charity event tomorrow night, you will be fired instantly!" Dominic issued the unforgiving ultimatum, his tone slicing through the air like a blade.

"Yes, sir! I promise I will have the complete file on your desk tomorrow." Arthur gasped softly, relief and terror warring in his chest.

Losing the bonus stung, but keeping his prestigious job was a massive victory. There was a long line of hungry executives ready to take his place the second he stumbled. Arthur bowed hastily, snatching the signed documents from the desk before making a frantic retreat from the suffocating room.

Shortly after Arthur's hasty departure, the heavy mahogany doors of the CEO's office swung open once again.

Camilla, currently holding the prestigious title of Kensington's design director, glided into the room. She wore a pair of towering designer heels and a form-fitting crimson dress that accentuated her enchanting figure. Her long, dark hair cascaded loosely over her bare shoulders, and delicate gold hoop earrings caught the sunlight streaming through the windows.

She sauntered over to Dominic's desk, acute insecurity gnawing at her insides. The rumors of the Kensington Group seeking outside designers from the NEX Group had reached her department. It was a direct, glaring threat to her precarious position.

Camilla stopped in front of the desk, leaning alluringly over the polished wood to give him a clear view of her neckline. She rested her chin on her manicured hand, batting her eyelashes.

"Dominic, I heard a rumor that you wanted to work with the mysterious designer from the NEX Group?" Camilla purred, her eyes wide and inquiring.

Dominic did not even bother to look up from the mountain of financial reports in front of him. He brutally brushed off her carefully practiced charm.

"Did I not tell you to call me Mr. Kensington while we are in the company?" Dominic sneered coldly, his attention solely on the numbers printed on the page.

Camilla gritted her teeth, her seductive smile faltering for a fraction of a second before she forced it back into place. She straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest as she moved to sit on the plush leather sofa adjacent to the desk.

"Okay, Mr. Kensington. Why did you decide to seek an external cooperation with the NEX Group? Do we not have our own dedicated team of talented designers?" Camilla pressed, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.

Dominic slammed the open folder shut, tossing it casually onto the stack of paperwork. He finally lifted his head, fixing her with a gaze so indifferent it made her shiver.

"Who told you that?" Dominic demanded.

"That is not important. Just tell me if the rumor is true. I am the design director of this company. Do you not have faith in my abilities? Why look outward?" Camilla pushed, dropping the pleasantries.

She let a hurt, wronged expression wash over her delicate features, hoping to elicit a shred of sympathy from the man she desperately wanted to control.

Dominic let out a harsh, mocking scoff. "The board of directors is not required to report our strategic moves to you. Or are you planning to take my seat as CEO?"

Camilla shrank back against the sofa cushions, sudden panic flaring in her chest. Dominic's gaze was piercing, stripping away her confidence layer by layer.

"Mr. Kensington, you know I did not mean it like that." Camilla stammered, her hands trembling.

"Good. You should be preparing the costume designing drafts for next season and focus on your own part. You know exactly what the substandard quality of your design department's work has looked like this year. I refuse to pay an exorbitant amount of money to buy the main designs for the upcoming season from another label again." Dominic brutally cut her off, delivering the harsh truth without an ounce of pity.

Camilla's face flushed a deep, humiliating shade of red. He was questioning her competence right to her face. If the Kensington Group forged an alliance with the NEX Group, Chloe would undoubtedly take charge of the seasonal launch. Camilla would be pushed to the sidelines, her title rendered useless. She could not let that happen. She needed to solidify her standing in Dominic's personal life if her professional life was crumbling.

Frantically searching for a way to soften his icy, impenetrable demeanor, Camilla pivoted her tactic. She knew the one thing that could pierce his armor.

"Mr. Kensington, are you going back to the Kensington residence tonight? Mom and Finny miss you a lot. Finny was asking for you this morning." Camilla said, her voice dropping to a soft, maternal register.

The rigid tension in Dominic's broad shoulders instantly eased. The stern lines around his mouth softened by a fraction at the mention of his mother, Helena, and his young son, Finn. He stared at the closed folder for a moment, the heavy burden of his empire momentarily fading.

"No, I have to work late tonight. Buy Finny some new toys to comfort him when you go home." Dominic murmured, his tone losing its sharp edge.

Camilla's heart leaped in triumph. She had found his soft spot. She rubbed her manicured hands together in anxious anticipation, her mind racing with calculated ambition. This was her chance to stake her claim publicly and prove her unshakeable status.

She stood up, smoothing down the front of her crimson dress, and walked back over to his desk. She held her breath, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Mr. Kensington, do you need me to go to the charity event with you tomorrow night? I heard lots of people will be there. I want to go with you so that I can tell Mom and Finny something interesting of the party."