The Donovan Family’s old residence.
Unlike the Sterling Family’s garden villa, which exudes a sense of history, the Donovan Family’s estate is the epito of modern luxury, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek lines tucked behind lush trees, low-key yet imposing.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom silently glided through the gates of the estate, crossing a ticulously manicured lawn and water features, finally stopping at the entrance of the main house.
The car door opened, and Shane Donovan stepped out.
"Young master is back!" Butler Alfie, who had been waiting at the door, couldn’t contain his excitent and joy as he quickly stepped forward.
"Alfie." Shane nodded slightly, his tone considered gentle.
Alfie was the old man who had watched him grow up.
"Please co in, they’re all waiting for you inside!" Alfie led the way, chattering, "As soon as we got word you were coming back, Madam personally went to the kitchen to make your favorite crab at lion’s head..."
Shane didn’t stop walking as he entered the ten-ter-high luxurious living room, where the crystal chandelier refracted dazzling light, and the large Persian carpet was soft and silent.
Upon seeing Shane enter, Eleanor Winslow was the first to stand up, "Shane!"
"Mom." Shane walked up, allowing his mother to hold his hand and look him over.
"You still rember to co ho?" Old Mr. Donovan put down his teacup, his sharp gaze sweeping over his grandson, but the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.
Shane raised an eyebrow, his expression indifferent, "Wasn’t it you who kept calling every day to co back?"
"Hey!" Old Mr. Donovan was imdiately displeased, "So if I didn’t call you, you wouldn’t co back?"
Shane nodded slowly, "Yes."
Old Mr. Donovan: "..."
—This rascal!
Always aggravating as soon as he’s back!
Better leave quickly!
Old Mrs. Donovan, watching the playful bickering between grandfather and grandson, pursed her lips in slight annoyance and imdiately looked at her youngest son, Philip Donovan.
Philip imdiately understood, promptly smiling, "Shane is a busy man; it’s not easy for him to take the ti to co ho..."
Aunt Beatrice Donovan also chid in repeatedly, "Isn’t that right! Shane is now a rising star in the business world, unlike people like us who stay at ho all day getting underfoot..."
The sarcasm in her words was barely concealed.
Shane’s expression remained unchanged, not even a flicker in his eyes, as he glanced over.
The look was calm and steady but carried the scrutiny and chill of soone long accustod to being in authority.
Second Uncle Philip’s smile froze montarily, instinctively avoiding Shane’s gaze.
Aunt Beatrice was even more unnerved by the look, her prepared complints sticking in her throat, as she awkwardly closed her mouth.
The atmosphere in the living room beca subtly tense.
The current Shane was no longer the Donovan family young master who needed the family’s protection from a few years ago.
The Innovatech Bio he founded was valued astonishingly high, with significant technical barriers, making it a coveted target for capital at ho and abroad.
His influence within The Donovan Group even faintly surpassed that of Old Mr. Donovan.
His absolute business acun and thods granted him an unshakable position in this vast family.
No one dared to underestimate him, let alone provoke him easily.
Eleanor Winslow hurriedly invited everyone to take a seat and ordered the servants to serve tea, slightly easing the atmosphere.
The family appeared harmonious as they sat around, chatting about recent events, with topics typically involving business, current affairs, and so insider gossip.
As they chatted, the conversation sohow shifted to the recent business circles in Crestfall.
Aunt Beatrice seed to want to ease the earlier awkwardness and proactively brought up a topic, smiling at Eleanor, "Sister-in-law, have you heard? That girl from the Sterling Family seems to have returned from Kenton."
Shane’s hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly.
"Really?" Eleanor was sowhat surprised, "That child... we haven’t seen her in five or six years, right? She left for a man back then, splitting with her family and running off to Kenton. Her parents were furious."
"Indeed!" Beatrice interjected with a hint of schadenfreude, "But it seems she has co to her senses now. I heard the Callahan Family is considering a marriage alliance! Their son, Owen Callahan, just finished his dical doctorate study abroad, a fine young man who matches the age of the Sterling girl well..."
She spoke unintentionally, just trying to chat about so familiar gossip within their circles.
However, these words made Shane’s gaze imperceptibly darken.
The Sterling girl...
Marriage alliance...
Owen Callahan...
His fingers slightly tightened around the teacup.
Eleanor didn’t notice her son’s subtle change, continuing along with the conversation, "Owen is indeed nice, gentle and elegant, a doctor, a respectable profession, and quite compatible with Stella Sterling..."
"Bang."
A slight soft sound.
Shane placed the teacup back on the table with enough force that it made the cups and saucers on the table slightly tremble.
Everyone instinctively looked at him.
Only to see Shane slowly lift his gaze, his deep, unfathomable eyes seed to be covered with a layer of frost as he coldly looked at Beatrice, "Aunt’s information is rather up-to-date."
Beatrice, unnerved by his gaze, laughed dryly twice, "I... I just heard it in passing..."
Shane said no more, but the low pressure emanating from him seed to drop the temperature in the entire living room.
Old Mr. Donovan frowned slightly, glancing at his grandson but said nothing.
Eleanor, keenly sensing the tense atmosphere, imdiately tried to smooth things over, "Alright, alright, this is soone else’s business, what do we care. Shane just got back, must be tired, let’s eat first, let’s eat first!"
But Shane suddenly spoke, his voice icy, "The Callahan Family... are they visiting the Sterling Family tonight?"
His question seed out of the blue, but when combined with the previous conversation, the aning was evident.
Aunt Beatrice, caught off guard, instinctively answered, "Ah? Yes... yes, it seems so. Chairman Callahan and his wife are bringing Owen along..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Shane abruptly stood up from the sofa.
His tall figure suddenly brought a strong sense of pressure.
"I’m going out for a bit."
After speaking, not even waiting for everyone to react, he grabbed his coat and car keys he had just taken off, turned, and strode toward the door.
"Shane! Where are you going? It’s ti to eat!" Eleanor quickly called out.
Shane didn’t pause at all.
Soon, the sound of a car engine starting echoed from outside, followed by the screech of tires against the ground, quickly fading away.
Those left in the room looked at each other in confusion.
Eleanor looked a bit worriedly at Old Mr. Donovan, "Dad, what’s Shane..."
"Alright, forget him, ti to eat!"
Old Mr. Donovan stood up, a trace of a knowing look and interest flitting across his eyes.
This boy...
Hides it well...
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