The office hummed with quiet productivity, sunlight spilling across the polished floors. Adrian strode through, briefcase in hand, pausing to greet familiar faces.
"Good morning, Mr. Anderson," called Peter from accounting. Adrian smiled warmly. "Morning, Peter. How's the quarterly report?"
Peter's face brightened. "Nearly ready for your review."
Adrian nodded. Every name mattered. Every detail mattered. He wasn't a distant CEO — he was a man who knew his team, respected their effort, and remembered their lives outside work. Birthdays, anniversaries, the small achievements that no one else noticed — Adrian noticed.
Kelvin Mac appeared beside him, arms folded, eyes scanning the floor. "You've got the Henderson files ready for your review, and the board wants the proposal by noon," he said, calm and precise.
"Thanks, Kelvin," Adrian replied. The man had been with him through everything — childhood battles, financial rescues, corporate storms. Kelvin wasn't just his second-in-command; he was family. A steady presence Adrian could rely on when the weight of the world pressed against his shoulders. As they moved toward the conference room, a group of women from marketing waved. Polite smiles, compliments on his tie, gentle teasing — nothing Adrian encouraged. He offered the bare minimum of charm, keeping boundaries clear. He had long learned that admiration could be tolerated without becoming entangled.
Once in his office, he took a moment to glance out the window. The city sprawled beneath him, lights twinkling like promises he wasn't sure he could keep. He had achieved so much, yet a subtle emptiness lingered, a quiet longing that no success, no praise, and no fleeting flirtation could ever fill. Kelvin set the files down on the polished desk. "You're thinking too much," he said, a hint of a smile.
Adrian returned the smile, a faint one, one only Kelvin would see. It was the kind of connection he had with few — Isabelle, Kelvin, the rare soul who glimpsed the boy behind the suit.
Flashback: Adrian & Kelvin's First Meeting
Adrian's thoughts drifted, and for a moment, the office disappeared. He was back in the narrow alley behind the school, rain soaking his hair, shoes muddied, heart pounding.
A group of older boys had cornered him, shoving him against the wall, laughing cruelly. Fear clawed at his chest. He barely managed to block their blows, but there were too many of them, too strong.
And then a voice cut through the chaos.
"Hey! Leave him alone!"
A figure surged forward, fists flying with precision and fury. Kelvin Mac. Adrian barely knew the boy, but something in him radiated courage, loyalty, and fire. He fought not for glory, not for recognition, but for Adrian. And by the time the last bully ran off, soaked and humiliated, Kelvin had Adrian's arm slung over his shoulder, steadying him.
"You okay?" Kelvin asked, eyes sharp but gentle.
"I… I think so," Adrian muttered, voice trembling.
"You'll be fine. Don't worry about them. Ever."
That day had changed everything. Kelvin had stepped in when no one else would, fought when Adrian couldn't, and somehow, from that moment, became more than a friend — a brother, a protector, a lifeline.
Years later, in the gleaming office of Anderson Holdings, Adrian glanced at Kelvin across the room. The loyalty, the trust, the unspoken understanding — it all stemmed from that rainy alley. And no amount of power, wealth, or success could ever replace it.
A laugh from Kelvin drew him back. "You're thinking too much," he repeated.
"Go grab a coffee; the Henderson call won't bite."