Chapter 459

Exquisite dishes soon covered the dining table.

Daniel Melville's phone kept vibrating, forcing him to answer call after call to handle company matters.

Finally hanging up the last call, he gave Evelyn Langley an apologetic look. "I was too busy yesterday to properly catch up with you."

"Understandable." Evelyn smiled softly.

As the only son of the Melville family, Daniel had been burdened with high expectations since childhood. Now, he carried the weight of the family business on his shoulders.

"I heard you're pursuing your master's at Harvard? I have business in Boston too. Call me anytime if you need help—same number as before."

"Still saved in my phone." Evelyn nodded. "Thanks, Daniel."

"Since when have you been so formal with me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Call it maturity." She playfully blinked.

Daniel chuckled.

"What industry are you in now?"

He picked up a piece of fish. "Co-founded a smart home renovation company with friends. Basically, we use AI to upgrade traditional home design."

With rapid technological advancements, smart homes were gaining traction, but market acceptance remained limited.

A computer science graduate, Daniel had chosen this field to apply his expertise.

Seeing Evelyn's slightly puzzled expression, he didn’t elaborate further.

"How’s business?"

"Nothing comes easy when you’re starting out." He sighed. "New concepts take time to catch on. We’re barely scraping by."

Evelyn assumed it was just the usual startup struggles.

Until—

Returning from the restroom, she accidentally overheard Daniel’s hushed voice on the balcony:

"Mr. Wang, after all these years of partnership, you know my character. We’re just facing temporary cash flow issues..."

"Give me three more days—the final payment will be there. Please extend the deadline..."

His back was hunched, exhaustion lacing his words.

The once-ambitious young man now seemed weighed down by reality.

Evelyn quietly retreated to her seat.

When the bill came, Daniel had already regained his composure. "Let me drive you home."

"Sure."

...

The black sedan stopped in front of the villa.

"I have another meeting, so I won’t come in." Daniel bid a hurried farewell.

William Langley stepped outside at the sound of the engine. "Was that Daniel?"

"Yeah. We ran into each other and had lunch." Evelyn linked arms with her father.

"That boy... He barely visits since taking over the company. He handled all the arrangements for the birthday banquet—really stepping up as the family heir."

Entering the living room, Evelyn’s eyes brightened at the refreshed space.

She collapsed onto the sofa with a contented sigh. "Finally livable again."

"Of course." William chuckled. "Your mother personally supervised three cleaners all afternoon—every corner is spotless."