The Unwilling CEO's Love Game

"Look, I owe you one," Melvin said with a serious face. "Once we've dealt with the smuggler, you can take over the business of this region. There was no good excuse to go opposite with him in the open before, but now we have a reason, and there's no need to hold back."

Zachary's gaze was fixed outside the car window, his eyes dark and brooding. "The car accident you had last time was his doing. You're right. It's time to settle that score."

Melvin flexed his fingers nonchalantly, "In a business where you lick blood from the knife's edge, if you're not dead, you'd better cling to life with both hands."

Zachary looked at him, the usual warmth in whose eyes was replaced by a ruthlessness no one had seen before.

Over the years, Zachary had kept Melvin away from the darker trades.

It's easy to get tangled up in that underworld, but cleaning up one's act is far more difficult.

He didn't want Yasmine's brother to fall into such an endless abyss.

Thankfully, Melvin hadn't sunk too deep over the years, and he had led their crew onto the straight and narrow, starting up legitimate businesses. While they might not be well-known back home, they had garnered some reputation abroad.

These days, he played the role of a jewelry tycoon domestically, keeping a low profile. Even a thorough check would only reveal a self-made man who had weathered failures to get where he was. Who would've guessed that such a respectable businessman had once stirred up storms of blood and fear in the murky gray zones, becoming a name that evoked dread?

"I've had someone look into the guy who set you up. He's a new member sworn into the smuggler's inner circle in recent years. A shady character who hasn't shown his face yet. We're in the light, and he's in the shadows. We need to act carefully," Zachary warned him.

Melvin nodded, "The main goal is to bring Castiel back this time."

"Yeah. Once we've got him out, you take him and leave, and I'll handle the rest," Zachary said, not wanting Melvin to get dragged back into the fray.

He didn't want everyone else to end up like him, who was even unable to hold onto the woman he loved.

Jocelyn lived on tenterhooks every day, always feeling like something bad was about to happen.

She messaged Melvin, and thankfully, he consistently replied.

Even if his responses weren't instant, they never took too long.

Knowing he was safe was the only thing that put her mind at ease.

Yasmine visited Jocelyn more often, taking her and Euston out for some fun.

The two had become fast friends with no secrets between them.

"Since Melvin's away, I'll take you to meet someone," Yasmine suggested. "But you can't tell him."

Jocelyn was curious about who Yasmine intended to introduce her to.

After leaving the child with Daisy and Calvin for care, Yasmine drove Jocelyn off.

The road grew more remote, and after a while, they arrived at a sign reading "Haven Nursing Home."

Jocelyn glanced at Yasmine curiously, who just smiled back.

The car continued to climb up the mountain, and after more than half an hour on the winding road, the landscape in front of them finally flattened.

A large natural lake lay before them, surrounded by green hills. The nursing home was situated by the lake, offering the elderly a chance to fish, to garden, or to gather for a game of chess in contentment. Yasmine parked the car and led Jocelyn inside. A staff member greeted Yasmine with a smile, "Mr. Martinez is in the backyard."

"Okay."

Yasmine nodded and continued on.

As Jocelyn heard Mr. Martinez, she had a hunch who it might be.

Passing through a corridor and entering a courtyard, they saw a man-made waterfall with a few vibrant fish in the pond and a couple of turtles on the rocks.

An old man in a tweed jacket sat in a wheelchair. Frail, he seemed almost to be cocooned in it, quietly watching the turtles.

"Dad," Yasmine called out softly.

The old man turned, a smile spreading across his face upon seeing Yasmine. "Yasmine."

"Yeah. What brings you here today?" Yasmine adjusted the blanket on his legs.

"The sun's out, the weather's nice," he replied, noticing Jocelyn. "You've brought a friend today?"

Yasmine usually visited alone.

Melvin would never come to see him.

Nor would he allow Yasmine to bring anyone else.

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Jocelyn knew about Melvin's past and wasn't sure how to face the old man.

Melvin surely harbored resentment, but it didn't seem right for her to show up without any courtesy.

"Mr. Martinez, I'm Jocelyn," she introduced herself with confidence.

The old man nodded, still puzzled why Yasmine had brought her along.

"This is Melvin's girlfriend," Yasmine explained.

The revelation struck the old man, and his gaze shifted as he looked at Jocelyn anew.

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Jocelyn thought she saw a glint of moisture in his eyes.

"Is he... doing well?" the old man asked, his lips trembling.

Jocelyn glanced at Yasmine, who sighed deeply.

He always asked about Melvin, to which Yasmine would reassure him that all was well.

But this time, his voice quivered as he spoke to Jocelyn.

Maybe in his eyes, Jocelyn's visit was as if Melvin had come himself.

"Yes, he's doing well," Jocelyn affirmed.

The old man nodded and returned his gaze to the turtles. Now, he seemed less at ease.

Suddenly, he asked Yasmine to fetch him a cup of water.

Understanding he wanted a moment alone with Jocelyn, Yasmine left.

"Jocelyn, that's a lovely name," the old man said, gesturing to the chair beside him. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you," Jocelyn replied, sitting down.

Upon closer inspection, Jocelyn found Melvin did bear a resemblance to him.

Back in the day, it was a mystery why he doubted Melvin's mother.

"If Yasmine brought you here, you must know about the Martinez family's past," he said, turning to Jocelyn once again.

Unable to deny it, Jocelyn nodded.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life," the old man said, his eyes welling up with tears, "but the one I regret the most is not believing my wife. Because of my doubt, I ruined everything. Yasmine said Melvin never really got over it, and he's sworn off marriage for life."

"It's my fault he's been living with this dark cloud since he was a boy," the old man sighed. "The only silver lining is that Melvin didn't go down a bad path. He's made something of himself, and he has you by his side. I believe he'll escape his childhood shadow over time."

Jocelyn wasn't sure what to say.

Whether or not Melvin could fully heal from such a deep wound was a question no one could answer.

To her, a scar was always a reminder of the past, even if it stopped hurting.

"Jocelyn, could I ask you for a favor?" asked Brighton Martinez, hope etched on his face.

She nodded. "Sure."

"Could you let me see him?" Brighton asked.

Jocelyn was shocked. She knew she couldn't make that decision for Melvin.

Seeing her hesitation and the silence that followed, Brighton's hope faded, "He still hasn't forgiven me, has he?"

As Jocelyn witnessed the old man's crestfallen appearance, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.