Between his right fingers was a half-finished cigarette. A fantastically expensive watch adorned his left wrist as he occasionally reached for the cup of coffee to take small sips.

His attire was simple, wearing casual clothes, but what caught the eye was the expensive watch encircling his left wrist. His hair was not neatly groomed, but rather had the typical disheveled look of an ordinary man.

Smoke continued to billow from his mouth, filling the balcony area with the distinctive smell of cigarettes. However, the cigarette seemed expensive too, judging by the cigarette pack lying near the coffee cup.

It could be concluded that the man was a wealthy individual, currently relaxing without a care in the world. Although his T-shirt and shorts looked ordinary, upon closer inspection, one might be surprised by the brand of the clothes.

The man had not uttered a word since earlier, enveloped in the silence, thoroughly enjoying the calmness of the night. However, the tranquility was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door from the entrance to the man's room.

"Come in!" the man shouted after a few moments of brief silence, his brow furrowing slightly, but eventually, he welcomed the person who knocked into his room.

"On the balcony!" the man shouted again briefly. It seemed like he was directing the person who had come to the balcony without knowing who it was.

The man, still exhaling smoke from his mouth, was named Alexander Stone. He was a billionaire in New York City, well-known for his glamorous appearance and his indifferent and arrogant demeanor.

He hailed from a billionaire family, as his father was also a billionaire, so it was no surprise that Alexander became one too. However, he was not just an heir; he was also a business pioneer himself, with the help of his father, which had made him successful today.

"Apologies for interrupting your time, Sir, I just wanted to give you some information," said the person who had come to Alexander's room. He was Alexander's right-hand man or his subordinate, let's call him Hiro. Despite the slight age difference, Alexander sometimes regarded his subordinate as a friend.

As Hiro spoke, Alexander's cigarette butt had finished, and the man immediately discarded the remains of the cigarette and stepped on it near the chair he was sitting on.

"What information?" Alexander asked, turning to his subordinate with one raised eyebrow. Then, casually, Alexander reached for the coffee cup and took a sip until it was finished, leaving only the dregs.

"It's about the charity event that will be held tomorrow at the Tirtawijaya orphanage, Sir. If you're willing to go there, I will prepare everything. You once instructed me to inform you if there's any charity event like this, didn't you?" Hiro replied, explaining what he meant.

Alexander fell silent immediately, deep in thought. 'Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to be charitable,' he thought, a small smile forming on his lips. Previously, Alexander had only casually instructed Hiro like that, but now, for some reason, Alexander became interested in donating a small portion of his wealth to the less fortunate at the orphanage.

"Yes, just prepare everything, Hiro. I'll go there tomorrow," Alexander replied in a commanding tone.

"Very well, Sir," Hiro replied, bowing slightly in respect to Alexander, his big boss.

After that, Hiro bid farewell to leave, carrying out the task as instructed by Alexander. Hiro would prepare everything, especially the items to be brought to the orphanage tomorrow.

So, it could be said that this would be Alexander's first time attending a charity event at the orphanage. He was simply following all of Hiro's suggestions, including whatever gifts they would give to the orphanage children and caretakers.

*****

On the other hand , Olivia had just finished cooking for herself. She did it every day to live frugally and healthily. Besides, Olivia had already grown accustomed to her own cooking, but occasionally once a week, Olivia would dine out at a simple and affordable restaurant.

Olivia always lived modestly, even though her salary at Genius High School was quite substantial. She behaved this way because she had already become accustomed to a simple lifestyle and didn't want to overspend, even though the money she earned was for herself.

Like many others living alone, Olivia sometimes engaged in self-monologue, like now after finishing cooking.

"It seems like my new menu this time is definitely delicious," Olivia said to herself while looking at the freshly cooked meal.

The menu consisted of crispy shrimp coated with tantalizing chili sauce. It might seem like an easy dish, but believe it or not, Olivia had only recently started cooking this dish after years of living alone. So, it was a new dish for Olivia to cook herself.

Its appetizing appearance made Olivia eagerly sit down at the dining table. She spooned her own cooking into her mouth before her eyes lit up.

"Wow! So delicious!" exclaimed Olivia without hesitation. She was genuinely speaking the truth, not just because she cooked the meal herself.

"Oh my, I didn't expect my cooking to be this good. If I knew it would be this good, I would have cooked it long ago," Olivia continued her monologue without hesitation, so her mealtime was interspersed with her own solo conversations.

Nevertheless, Olivia still searched for a film or video to watch to accompany her dinner tonight. So, the dining room was only filled with the sound from her phone, which she had placed on a tripod.

It didn't take long for her to finish her solo dinner. Olivia had been used to this since a few years ago, or precisely since both of her parents passed away.

"What should I bring tomorrow?" Olivia asked herself, as she was alone at her house.

Olivia was thrifty when it came to spending money for herself, but she never hesitated to spend for others, especially those in greater need like the children at the orphanage.

Usually, Olivia would donate money to the caretaker at the orphanage, or sometimes she would give directly to the children there and provide them with food as well.

But this time, Olivia was a bit unsure of what else to give.

"Should I give money and food again?" mumbled Olivia very quietly as she entered her room and closed the door tightly without locking it.

"But I want something different," Olivia continued her monologue.

"But the orphanage is different from the previous one, so giving the same thing wouldn't matter, right? But I'm the one making it complicated," Olivia said, ending her monologue.

Chapter 4 Forbidden Love : The Billionaire's secret Affair

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