"Don't just stand there like an idiot. Invite Mr. Blackwood in," Zhang snapped at his younger daughter, cursing her internally for acting like she'd never seen the world outside of a Queens mall.
Mila nodded frantically. "Oh! Right! Please, come in, sir."
Yemei, who had been sweating over the stove all morning, hurried out while wiping her hands on her apron to join the welcome party.
"Mila, is that your father?"
Yemei looked up, and the second she saw the towering, powerful man standing in the foyer, she froze. A massive wave of shock hit her: The CEO of the Blackwood empire is this young? This hot? She realized then that Sienna hadn't just caught a break—she'd hit the damn jackpot.
"You must be Mr. Blackwood. Welcome to our home."
As she spoke, Yemei quickly pulled a pair of expensive, brand-new leather slippers from the closet and set them neatly at Julian's feet.
Julian Blackwood gave a curt, polite nod and stepped into the slippers without a word.
In the living room, Zhe and Mia were jolted out of their seats. They practically sprang to attention, standing off to the side like nervous interns.
Zhe had heard from his father that Julian was coming, but he'd thought the idea of his boss doing a house call was insane. Still, he'd listened to his dad and dragged Mia home to show off—he wanted his future bride to see that the Thompsons were on a first-name basis with titans like Blackwood.
Even though he'd prepped for this, Zhe's palms were sweating buckets. This was the man who held his entire career in his hands. One wrong word and his future was toast.
Mia, meanwhile, was having a total internal meltdown.
She never dreamed Julian Blackwood would lower himself to step foot in a place like this. Back at the office, the man was a ghost—a legend everyone talked about but nobody saw. Even as a top-tier recruit, she hadn't gotten within ten feet of him in six months. And now, the man who lived on the cover of Forbes was standing right in front of her.
Mia's face turned bright red; her legs were literally shaking. Julian was the #1 "Most Eligible Bachelor" in every Manhattan socialite circle. Her only thought was that she needed to get to a bathroom to fix her makeup—she was kicking herself for wearing a basic outfit instead of a dress.
Julian was ushered into the living room. Zhe hurried forward to introduce himself and then pulled Mia over.
"Sir, this is my... fiancé, Mia. She actually works in the same department as me."
When Mia heard the word "fiancé," she felt like someone had dumped ice water down her back. She shot Zhe an annoyed look. In a moment like this, she didn't want to be labeled as the property of some mid-level staffer like Zhe.
Julian gave Zhe a tiny nod, not even sparing a single word. He sat down on the single armchair with a natural grace, crossing his long legs and scanning the modest, slightly tacky home with a cold, judgmental eye.
The entire family stood there awkwardly, but Julian didn't seem to think there was anything weird about it.
He took a slow look around the room before his eyes landed on Yemei. He finally opened his mouth.
"Is Sienna your biological daughter?"
His tone was dripping with mockery. The background check said they were related, but he seriously wondered what color a woman's heart had to be to pimp out her own kid as a bargaining chip.
Yemei, thrilled to be singled out by a man of his stature, took a small step forward with a sycpyantic smile. "Yes, sir. Sienna is my own flesh and blood."
Zhang, afraid his wife was stealing the spotlight, cut in. "I've always treated Sienna like my own daughter. And this is my youngest, Mila. Sienna adores her."
Zhang nudged Mila, who took the cue perfectly. "Mr. Blackwood! It's an honor!"
Julian watched them perform like it was a cheap off-off-Broadway show. He said nothing.
Zhang gave Mila another shove, his voice turning stern. "Go wake your sister up! Mr. Blackwood is in our home and she's still in bed? Unbelievable."
Mila frowned. "Mom just told me not to bother her..."
Zhang shot a death glare at his wife. Yemei mumbled an excuse, "Sienna said she was exhausted when she got back. I just wanted her to get some rest..."
Julian stood up. He flicked a speck of invisible dust off his blazer sleeve, his posture radiating an authority that flattened the room. His eyes locked onto the one closed bedroom door on the second floor.
"Is that the room?" Julian's voice was cold and left no room for debate.
Yemei nodded repeatedly. "I'll go get her—"
"Don't bother. I'll go myself." Julian dropped the line like a final verdict and headed for the stairs, leaving the family staring after him in total shock.
Downstairs, everyone's face told a different story. Yemei was panicking—a man just barging into a young girl's bedroom? It was scandalous.
She opened her mouth to stop him, but Zhang shut her down with a look that warned her not to mess up the deal.
Yemei's face fell. She turned and walked back into the kitchen, feeling a tiny, residual sting of motherly guilt. But it was too late for that now.
In the living room, Zhang sat down, looking like he'd already won the lottery. He started promising Mia a new car and a house, trying to buy her loyalty.
Meanwhile, in the hallway upstairs, Julian pushed open Sienna's door.
The room was small, cramped—it looked like a converted office. There was a simple twin bed, a bookshelf, and a desk buried under legal textbooks.
Julian's gaze found the small shape curled up under the duvet. He didn't wake her right away. Instead, he walked over to the desk, flipping through her law books. Finally, his eyes stopped on an old photo sitting on the desk.