Chapter 1: Valentine Corporations

...The towering glass building of Valentine Corporations stood in the heart of the city, a monument to success and power. Its sleek, reflective surface mirrored the bustling urban life that thrived beneath it, while inside, everything ran with the precision of a well-oiled machine. In one of the uppermost offices, hidden from the chaotic noise of the outside world, sat Sebastian Valentine....

...A man of few words, he rarely made his presence known to anyone beyond what was necessary. He didn’t need to. His reputation preceded him—sharp, calculated, and unyielding. In the world of business, there were no second chances, and Sebastian’s cold, calculating demeanor was a tool that had brought him to the pinnacle of his career. But those who saw only his public face didn’t understand the depth of the man beneath....

...Sebastian sat at his sleek desk, a dark mahogany surface that reflected the ambient light from the city below. The modern furniture around him—minimalist and sophisticated—mirrored his personality: understated yet undeniably powerful. A cold cup of coffee sat untouched beside a stack of papers, reminders of the deals he was brokering, the meetings he’d had, and the numbers he constantly calculated in his mind....

...His fingers drummed lightly on the desk, though his gaze was fixed on the large window before him. The cityscape stretched endlessly, a web of lives all moving in rhythm to an unspoken beat. He was part of that rhythm. He controlled it, for the most part. But there was something about the view that always unsettled him—a feeling he couldn’t quite name. It had been there for years, since the very day he’d inherited the company from his father. Despite his success, something felt… incomplete....

...With a sigh, he pushed the thought aside and returned to the spreadsheets scattered before him. Valentine Corporations had been thriving under his leadership, but Sebastian knew the stakes were high. The business world was always a game of survival, and he played it with skill. He didn’t allow anything—be it emotion or sentiment—to cloud his judgment....

...The door to his office opened with a soft click, and his assistant, Marissa, entered. A quick glance told him everything he needed to know—she was a woman who never wasted words. The same could be said of him....

..."Mr. Valentine," she began, her tone efficient. "The board meeting is in twenty minutes. Everything is prepared for your presentation."...

...Sebastian nodded without looking up. "Thank you, Marissa."...

...She hesitated for a brief moment, then placed a small folder on his desk. "There's one more thing. A request from the art gallery. They’ve asked for a donation to support a new exhibit they're hosting."...

...He paused, a flicker of curiosity passing through him. Art. It wasn’t something he often thought about, but the idea of contributing to something that wasn’t business-related felt strangely intriguing....

..."Is it a cause worth supporting?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of interest....

...Marissa, always precise, didn’t hesitate. "It’s for a local artist. Her work has been gaining attention, and they believe it would benefit the gallery to have her involved."...

...Sebastian didn’t respond immediately. He hadn’t had much exposure to the world of modern art. The last time he’d visited a gallery was over a decade ago, and even then, it had been an obligatory affair. Yet, something about the notion of an artist gaining attention stirred something in him. Maybe it was the idea of creation itself—something so far removed from the meticulous calculations he dealt with daily....

..."Tell them I’ll consider it," he said, finally lifting his gaze to meet hers....

...Marissa nodded and left the room, closing the door softly behind her....

...Sebastian leaned back in his chair, his mind wandering briefly to thoughts of art. But before he could dive too deeply into that unfamiliar territory, his phone buzzed. The meeting was approaching....

...The boardroom was located on the top floor, where the panoramic view of the city sprawled endlessly. As the elevator doors opened, Sebastian stepped out, his presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room. There was no need for a grand entrance; his mere existence filled the space with a quiet dominance....

...The members of the board greeted him with nods of respect, their eyes focused on the man who had taken the company to new heights. The meeting began, and Sebastian moved through the agenda with practiced ease. He presented figures, made strategic decisions, and answered questions with sharp precision. But as always, his thoughts occasionally drifted. The boardroom was a well-rehearsed performance, one he had perfected over the years. Yet, beneath the surface, there was always that feeling of emptiness....

...The meeting wrapped up just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the city. Sebastian stood, nodding to the board members as they filed out, their conversations fading into the background. His gaze turned once again to the window, his thoughts elsewhere....

...As the evening air grew cooler, Sebastian found himself walking through the city’s central park, a place he rarely visited. His mind was preoccupied with work, the details of the day, and yet there was something about the stillness of the park that pulled at him. Perhaps it was the quiet, or the space away from the chaos of the city. Either way, he had always found the park to be a place for reflection....

...He strolled along the winding path, the soft crunch of leaves beneath his shoes the only sound that accompanied him. The park was peaceful, with only a few joggers and late-night walkers scattered about. He was almost lost in his thoughts when a figure ahead caught his attention....

...A woman, sitting on a bench beneath the branches of an ancient oak tree. She was sketching something in a notebook, completely absorbed in her work. The streetlights cast a soft glow over her, and for a moment, she seemed like a part of the scenery itself. There was something captivating about her—her focus, her poise. Even in this quiet park, she stood out....

...Without thinking, Sebastian found himself walking toward her. He wasn’t sure what drew him in. Perhaps it was the serenity she exuded or the fact that she was completely unaware of the world around her, lost in the art she was creating. His steps slowed as he approached, taking in the details of her features—the curve of her jaw, the way her hair fell in loose waves around her face. She looked entirely different from anyone he knew. So lost in her world, she seemed untouched by the corporate battles and pressures that defined his own life....

...Finally, he cleared his throat, breaking the silence between them....

...“Beautiful night, isn’t it?” he said, his voice smooth but carrying a hint of curiosity....

...The woman looked up, her eyes meeting his with a spark of recognition, as if she had been waiting for him all along. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she smiled—a soft, inviting smile that made something shift inside him....

...“Yes, it is,” she replied, her voice carrying the calm of the night itself. “It’s the perfect kind of evening for inspiration.”...

...Sebastian stood there for a moment, captivated by her presence. For the first time in a long while, he felt the world around him slow down....

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