[DANIEL]

    Being Lina Fay''s temporary boyfriend came with its fair share of advantages and disadvantages.

    The advantage? Their company flourished. With the Fay name attached to Daniel, investors flocked, and landowners were eager to sign lucrative contracts.

    The mere association with the Fay heiress elevated Daniel''s public image, opening doors that had been previously slammed shut in his face.

    For his mother, this was a godsend. The relentless whispers branding her as "the mistress" and Daniel as "the illegitimate son" had plagued them for years, but now, with Lina by his side, those rumors began to fade. His mother could finally focus on business without worrying about scandal tainting their name.

    But the disadvantages weren''t so easy to ignore. Daniel had to deal with an endless parade of ego-driven, arrogant suitors vying for Lina''s attention. Acting as her shield meant enduring countless glares, backhanded remarks, and thinly veiled threats from men who thought they were more deserving of Lina''s affection.

    And when word of their relationship inevitably leaked to the media, their every move was scrutinized. Paparazzi followed them relentlessly, snapping photos of every outing, speculating endlessly about their future.

    Not that either of them cared about the publicity. In fact, it was part of the plan. Daniel welcomed the attention, hoping it would help clear his mother''s tarnished name. He had lived his whole life under the shadow of being branded a "homewrecker''s son."

    The media frenzy might have been chaotic, but it worked—people were beginning to see him in a different light.

    Lina, on the other hand, enjoyed the side benefit of having Daniel as her public boyfriend. It meant that some of her unwanted suitors backed off, unwilling to tangle with the son of a rising business mogul. While some didn''t want to covet a woman in an open public relationship. That would be an unwanted scandal for them.

    "Look at how you''ve grown into a fine young man," Robert said, as if he had played any role in that growth.

    "I know. It''s all thanks to my mother," Daniel replied flatly, his voice carrying a subtle edge.

    Robert''s smile faltered for a moment before he quickly recovered, shifting his attention to Lina. Extending a hand, he greeted her with a practiced charm. "Miss Fay, thank you for allowing this meeting to happen. I wouldn''t have had the chance to see my son after all these years if it weren''t for you."

    Lina met his handshake with a polite but firm grip. "No need to thank me, Mr. Gill. I just thought it was time for my boyfriend to confront his past and move forward."

    Her voice was calm, almost sweet, but the subtle weight in her words made it clear that she wasn''t here to facilitate a heartfelt reunion—she was here to ensure that Daniel''s past wouldn''t haunt him anymore.

    Robert cleared his throat, visibly unsettled by Lina''s poised response. Though she smiled, it felt as though she was subtly drawing a line in the sand, keeping the Gills at arm''s length. The message was clear: she wouldn''t allow anyone to manipulate Daniel under the guise of family.

    "Ah, well," Robert said, attempting to regain control of the conversation, "like they say, you wouldn''t be the person you are now without your past, so perhaps it''s not about putting everything behind you, but learning to forgive and make peace, right?"

    Lina''s smile didn''t waver, but her silence spoke volumes.

    Before the tension could thicken any further, Robert clapped his hands together. "Let''s sit down and order, shall we? Come, come."

    Daniel guided Lina to her seat before taking his own, his eyes briefly locking with his father''s in a silent warning—this wasn''t going to be the kind of reunion Robert was hoping for.

    "By the way," Robert began with a proud smile, "this is my son, Dan Roger Gill." He gestured toward Dan, who gave a charming nod, though his attention was already fixated on Lina rather than Daniel, his half-brother.