Los Angeles, California

The sun had already dipped below the hills, leaving streaks of orange and violet across the Los Angeles skyline. The city lights began to flicker awake, spreading like fireflies through the valley.

Daniel stepped out of the car and inhaled the cool evening air. The familiar scent of sea salt drifted faintly from the west. The neighborhood was quiet, the kind of calm only found in upper Los Angeles suburbs—where life slowed down and the noise of the city seemed faraway.

Ahead of him stood the two-story house, warm light spilling through the balcony windows. On the balcony stood Marcus, his older brother, smiling the same way he always did—half proud, half teasing.

"About time you showed up," Marcus called out, leaning against the railing.

Daniel laughed as he walked up the driveway. "You sound like Mom."

"Yeah, well, I learned from the best," Marcus replied, grinning as he made his way down the steps.

They met halfway and hugged, a firm embrace. It had been almost three weeks since they last saw each other in person.

"You hungry?" Marcus asked, stepping back and studying his younger brother's face.

Daniel chuckled, rubbing his stomach. "Starving."

Marcus laughed and gestured toward the door. "Perfect timing. Anna's been in the kitchen since you texted. She says she made something 'celebratory.' Whatever that means."

Daniel smiled as he followed his brother into the house. The smell of herbs, butter, and freshly baked bread filled the air, warm and comforting.

"Someone's been busy," Daniel said.

"That someone's right here," came Anna's voice from the kitchen. She stepped into view, wiping her hands on a towel, her dark hair tied back neatly. Her face lit up when she saw Daniel.

"Look at you," she said, smiling. "You look like someone who just wrestled a lion and barely survived."

Both brothers laughed. Anna had always had that way with words—blunt but full of affection.

"Rough few weeks," Daniel admitted, chuckling.

"Few weeks?" Anna raised an eyebrow. "Try few years. You look exhausted. Sit, before you fall."

"Yes, ma'am," Daniel said with mock obedience, pulling out a chair at the dining table.

Anna smiled, shaking her head, and began setting the last few dishes. "Dinner's ready. I started cooking the moment Marcus told me you were coming."

"That's too kind of you," Daniel said. "You didn't have to go all out."

Anna gave him a playful glare. "Oh, hush. We're celebrating the new Managing Director of Bellemere Family Office, remember?"

Daniel laughed softly, settling into his seat. "You two make it sound like I became President."

"You might as well have," Anna said, taking her seat beside Marcus. "You're basically handling a billionaire's empire now."

Marcus chuckled. "Correction—the billionaire kid's empire."

That made all three of them laugh.

Anna began serving the food—roasted salmon glazed in honey and lemon, creamy mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables, and warm rolls. The smell alone made Daniel realize how hungry he really was.

He took a bite, and his eyes widened slightly. "This is incredible, Anna."

"It's just dinner," She waved her fork, pretending to dismiss the compliment.

"Dinner that could win awards," Daniel said. "Seriously, my brother got lucky."

Marcus smirked. "Don't remind me. I'm still trying to figure out what she saw in me."

Anna chuckled. "There are plenty of good women out there, Daniel. Maybe you'll find one if you stop hiding behind work."

Daniel smiled, shaking his head. "I doubt it. I'm not about to work my entire life just for someone to take half my assets."

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. "You're such a pessimist."

Anna nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You talk like every woman's waiting with a calculator and a divorce lawyer."

Daniel chuckled. "Can't help it. I see too many stories like that at work. Billionaires losing half their fortune over bad choices."

Marcus leaned forward, elbows on the table. "So how is work, really? I know you said it's hectic, but you've got to tell me what it's like running point for the richest kid on the planet."

Daniel paused for a moment, fork halfway to his mouth. He sighed softly, then smiled. "It's intense. There's no downtime. I'm either in meetings, on calls, or dealing with something extremely important. But…" He paused again, his expression softening. "It's the most fun I've ever had."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Fun? You look like you haven't slept in three days."

"Probably haven't," Daniel admitted, laughing. "But it doesn't feel like work. Everything's so efficient. Liam—" he stopped himself, then smiled, "—he runs things differently. He's young, but his mind's sharp. The kind of sharp that makes you wonder if he's even human."

Anna leaned forward slightly. "He sounds… interesting."

"He is," Daniel said simply. "He doesn't talk much, but when he does, it's worth listening to."

"You really sound proud," Marcus whistled softly.

Daniel smiled. "You'd be too if you saw what I've seen."

The rest of dinner flowed easily. They talked about their parents, childhood memories, Anna's new project at work, and Marcus' recent fishing trip that ended with him nearly falling into the lake. By the time they finished eating, laughter had filled every corner of the house.

Afterward, the brothers helped Anna clear the table and wash the dishes. When they were done, they moved to the living room.

Marcus went to the bar and poured two glasses of amber whiskey. He handed one to Daniel, who accepted it gratefully.

"To the new Managing Director," Marcus said, raising his glass.

Daniel clinked his glass gently. "To Anna's cooking."

Anna rolled her eyes. "You two are hopeless."

They laughed and took a sip. The whiskey burned warmly down Daniel's throat, loosening the tension in his shoulders.

Marcus studied him for a moment. "You really enjoy this, don't you?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. I know it sounds crazy, but I do. Every day's something new. And even though I'm tired, I wake up excited."

"That's good," Marcus said. "But don't burn yourself out. You've always had this thing where you don't stop until you collapse."

"I'll be fine," Daniel smiled.

The TV in the background caught Anna's attention.

"Hey," she said, nodding toward it. "Isn't that the company everyone's been talking about? Nova Technologies?"

Marcus turned, setting his glass down. "Oh yeah, the one behind those Lucid things, right?"

The television showed live footage from around the world—sleek drones descending from the skies. Reporters stood in front of crowds, their voices full of excitement.

"Looks like science fiction," Anna murmured.

"That's crazy. How do they even move like that?" Marcus whistled.

"Beats me," Daniel said, watching quietly. "They're saying it's some kind of magnetic propulsion or zero-resistance system, but nobody really knows. The company's not exactly transparent."

Anna frowned. "Still, it's impressive. They've practically taken over the news. Every channel's running the same story."

"Yeah," Marcus said. "It's like the world woke up and realized someone's twenty years ahead of everyone else."

The anchors on TV discussed global reactions—governments demanding technical disclosures, investors scrambling to understand how an unknown company became the most talked about in the past week and became an even better bigger topic of discussion today.

Daniel listened quietly, his expression unreadable. He wasn't surprised by the chaos, but he didn't comment either.

"You think it's safe?" Anna asked. "All this technology coming out of nowhere?"

"Depends on who's behind it," Marcus said. "Could be genius. Could be trouble."

Daniel shrugged, giving a small, neutral smile. "Hard to say. But you have to admit, it's fascinating. Whoever built this… they've changed everything."

Anna nodded slowly. "You sound like you wish you were part of it."

Daniel chuckled. "I think I've got enough on my plate already."

They laughed again, and Marcus changed the channel to a baseball game, deciding they'd had enough world-changing tech talk for one night.

The conversation drifted to lighter topics—family, old stories, and plans for the weekend. The whiskey glasses emptied slowly, and the house grew quieter as the night deepened.

At one point, Marcus leaned back and sighed. "I miss nights like this."

"Same here," Daniel said softly.

Anna smiled from her spot on the couch. "Then don't make me wait three months for the next one."

"I won't," Daniel promised. "But you know how it is. Work never really stops."

Marcus nodded. "Then take moments like this when you can."

Daniel looked around the room—the familiar walls, the framed pictures, the smell of home-cooked food still lingering in the air. For a moment, all the stress and noise of his life melted away.

"Yeah," he smiled and said quietly. "I will."

They stayed up a little longer, talking and laughing until the clock neared midnight.

When Daniel finally stood to leave, Marcus clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Don't forget to breathe once in a while, big shot."

"I will try," Daniel smiled.

Outside, the night was cool and silent. As he walked to his car, he glanced once more at the glowing skyline of Los Angeles. He felt tired, yes, but also content.

He has seen a lot of shocking things over the past three weeks but the truth was that he was still looking forward to more. He was only worried about his heart, hoping it's strong enough to take all that shock.

"Good times," he chuckled, before getting into the car. He started the engine and drove off.

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