I glanced at Gavin's urn, wiped my tears, and replied coldly, "Okay, I will bring Gavin."
Ethan and I met years ago at a conference. Back then, I was a promising apprentice under my father, the CEO of our company, NovaTech. Life was good; I had everything I needed, and I was well-regarded by my family and peers. I was the quintessential good girl, admired and respected.
However then, I was still not announced as the heir of the Everhart family since it was a family tradition that they would only introduce me to the world once I became the CEO.
Ethan, on the other hand, was known as the rebellious young master of the Harrington family. Gossip at social events painted a picture of a man more interested in squandering money in bars than leading his family’s empire. It was common to hear stories of his father publicly reprimanding him for his recklessness.
I found boys like Ethan insufferable. His indifferent demeanor, even when scolded by his father in front of everyone, only added to my disdain. He seemed utterly unbothered, almost childishly detached. Whenever I saw him, I made a point to avoid him. I doubted he even knew who I was, given his apparent disinterest in business and the people involved in it.
The rivalry between our families was well-known, though I never fully understood it. The Harringtons and my Everhart family were supposed adversaries.
Personally, I felt our true competition should have been the Featherson family, who were also venturing into robotics. The Harringtons, with their focus on AI-driven advanced technologies, seemed less directly competitive.
One day, after a conference session, I found myself in an empty hallway surrounded by a group of boys. Panic set in; wealthy men were often arrogant and unpredictable. Just as I felt desperation creep in, Ethan appeared like a hero, facing the group alone. For the first time, I saw him differently.
"Next time you're in danger, try not to be so foolish," he said, breathless from his effort.
"Me? Foolish?" I replied, my wide eyes filled with curiosity.
"Run, do you understand? If you're about to be cornered and can't fight back, just run."
His words, though harsh, were protective. He escorted me back to the conference, and from that day on, we started encountering each other more often at parties and gatherings for young entrepreneurs.