Chapter 4 Dean

DEAN - RAVEN ENTERTAINMENT

Callum looked like he was one step away from losing it.

Seated behind a sleek black desk, he flipped through the growing mountain of paperwork that hadn't stopped multiplying since morning. Every now and then, he'd pause to adjust those gold-rimmed glasses of his and rub at his temples.

Meanwhile, I lay stretched out across the recliner directly in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, letting out a lazy yawn.

As I did so, I could feel Callum's death glare on me.

It was honestly entertaining how obviously his irritation grew the more relaxed I looked.

In the next moment, I heard the rustle of fabric and knew he finally decided to take a break.

Following the sound of footsteps, he dropped onto the sofa across from me with the force of someone fed up with the world, or at least with me.

"It seems you've turned my office into your personal spa," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Have those rumors about you being nothing more than an idle, useless playboy finally gotten to your head, so you decided to make them a reality?"

I didn't respond immediately, quietly watching him groan and rub his forehead in circles before continuing.

"I've been behind that desk since morning, drowning in paperwork and you've been here just as long. Yet, not once did it occur to you to help. If I didn't know better, I'd think this company had changed hands, and you're no longer the largest shareholder."

His voice sounded exasperated, together with a fair dose of resentment.

Ignoring him, I shut my eyes and folded one arm behind my head.

"I'm just an honorary director," I drawled. "What real work do you expect from me?"

Even without opening my eyes, I could feel his piercing stare on me. No doubt he was also clenching his jaw so hard it could almost break while fighting the urge to strangle me where I lay.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips thinking of that scene. An action which did nothing but add to his annoyance. But eventually, all his exasperation and frustration turned into one, long sigh.

"Fine. Forget helping me. But what about your other business? Don't you think it's time you went back?"

He shot me a look. "You've been here on 'vacation' for nearly a months. That's long enough, don't you think?"

He paused, then added, "Do you have any idea how many times Blake's called, asking when you'll return? It's obvious the work is becoming too much for him to handle."

Blake. My assistant.

Highly competent and sharp.

I didn't feel an ounce of guilt for dumping everything on him and leaving him in charge. If he couldn't even handle things in my absence, what was the point of paying him a six-figure paycheck?

"I'm not going back," I said calmly, finally opening my eyes.

Callum frowned. "What do you mean you're not going back?"

Then came the realization. "Wait. Are you saying you're planning to settle down here?"

I sat up slightly. "More or less. I plan to open a branch here, after all."

He looked genuinely stunned for a moment, then narrowed his eyes. "Is this a long-term plan or just one of your spur-of-the-moment whims?"

I smirked. "Guess."

"Be serious, Dean. I know you can be spontaneous at times, but this is no joking matter. "

He leaned forward, hands clasped as he spoke.

I let out a soft laugh, completely unbothered.

"Relax. This has been in the works for a while. I just never got around to telling you."

That was actually a white lie. But as long as the outcome remained the same, I guess it wouldn't matter that much, right?

"The market in Agate Country had become stagnant and over-saturated with similar products," I explained, my aura shifting into seriousness "Downloads are dropping, user feedback is lukewarm, and investing in new ideas has become risky."

"With slower growth, more risk, and tighter competition, something had to change."

Callum frowned. "So you're basically trying your luck here?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't put my faith in fickle things like 'luck.' I only believe in myself."

I dropped my legs from the recliner and faced him directly.

"I've done my homework. Compared to Agate Country, the market here still has untapped potential. The mobile game scene is expanding fast, especially in narrative and female-oriented genres-and no one's capitalizing on it. Yet."

"But soon, they will," Callum replied, his expression softening. "There are plenty of smart people in the world. If you've figured it out, someone else will too. In fact, they might already have."

"Exactly. That's why I plan to strike early and secure a dominant position in the market. That way, no matter who enters the game later, they'll be playing catch-up."

He nodded, clearly impressed and aware of the potential behind my plan.

If things went as planned, Raven Entertainment and Astral Studios could create a complete entertainment chain: comics, animations, live-action adaptations, game-themed merchandise... the possibilities were endless.

"So the nickname "Treasure Hound" our friend circle gave you wasn't just for show, after all. You really never miss a money-making opportunity," Callum commented.

"What about the game?" he asked. "Is it already in development, or are you starting from scratch?"

"It's already underway at HQ," I told him. "But the launch and localization will be handled here by the new branch."

Callum snorted. "So you already had everything planned and were just informing me of the result?"

"Isn't that better?" I winked playfully. "I do the work, and you get to rake in a fortune."

He rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

The office went quiet for a while, comfortable silence settling between us.

Then he looked at me again. "By the way, will you be attending the Caldwells' banquet tonight?"

I shifted back into my previous position and asked lazily. "What banquet?"

"The Caldwells are throwing a party to celebrate their youngest daughter's college graduation. But from what I heard, the true reason behind the banquet is to officially announce her engagement to... Brandon."

He looked at me carefully as he said the last name, but I pretended not to notice.

Instead, I nonchalantly raised a brow. "Oh?"

"So?" he asked. "Will you go?"

Of course not.

That's what I meant to say.

But for some reason, an image surfaced in my mind. The Caldwell's youngest daughter.

Her name, if I remembered right, sounded like a flower.

Lily, maybe?

It had been ten years since I last saw her, but somehow, I remembered her. A quiet little thing in frilly pink dresses. She was like a delicately carved but lifeless doll.

All of a sudden, I felt a flicker of curiosity.

Sudden. Unexplainable.

I didn't question it too deeply at the time. But later, I would look back on this moment, quietly grateful for that impulse. For the fact that I decided to go.

Has her style changed? Was she still the same doll-ish girl?

I wondered.

"I suppose trying out the desserts wouldn't be a bad idea," I said after a moment of consideration.

Callum blinked, clearly surprised at my decision. He knew how much I despised events like this, especially if I had to rub shoulders with people from 'that' family.

But he didn't press. He simply shrugged his shoulders and stood up.

"I'll finish up the rest of my work."

I hummed in response, gaze drifting toward the window.

Looking forward to meeting you, Lily.