By the time it was 7:30 PM, everyone had finally gathered. Julian had wrapped up his business in Duskhaven and had arrived with Booker. Odie, as usual, was the last to roll in, fashionably late.

James was the only one missing, but he'd already sent over three bottles of top-shelf whiskey as a goodwill gesture.

The private room was packed, and the vibe quickly shifted to something warm and welcoming.

Sophie asked, "Is Kiran not coming with Sandy?"

"He's caught up with some overseas work," Harold said as he sat back down. "But he did send a gift, which should be here any minute."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. The waiter opened it, and in popped Sandy's head, dressed in a trendy floral dress that was both charming and a tad more grown-up than before.

"Hey, everyone! My brother's swamped and couldn't come, but he sent me with a gift!" Sandy announced, pulling out a few boxes of fancy cigars from her bags.

Adler's eyes lit up at the sight of the cigars, but the excitement quickly faded as he said, "Couldn't you convince your brother to pick something else? Who here can even smoke these? Me? My wife would kill me. Colby? He quit smoking ages ago! Booker and Mr. Julian don't smoke, and William's a doctor-cigars aren't his thing. It's not fair that only Griffin and Odie get to enjoy them!"noveldrama

Adler blurted out his thoughts without filtering, and it was too late to take them back as Griffin and Odie's eyes locked onto him.

For a moment, tension hung in the air.

Jenna nudged Adler with her elbow

,วน

and said, "Come on, Mr. Angelo means well! Even if you don't smoke

them, they're worth keove

swnovel

Kiran's gifts were top-notch, not just pricey but also collector's items. In a few years, they'd likely become rare finds.

"It's just that I'm tempted by what I can't have..." Adler said, a bit sheepishly.

Though he typically didn't smoke, cigars were a different story. Reluctantly, they accepted the gifts.

Sandy took a seat next to Sophie

and said, "My brother gave me a day off because he knew how much i wanted to be here. How's everyone been this past month?"

"We've been good," Sophie replied with a smile, then asked, "Just a day off? Do you have other plans?"

"Yeah, I'm heading abroad for advanced studies."

"You? Studying abroad?" Jenna looked Sandy up and down, not out of doubt but surprise at Sandy's ambition.

"Don't underestimate me," Sandy

said proudly. "I decided to do this on my own. Just because you're all amazing doesn't mean I can't aim higher. I want to be an entrepreneur, study business management. With the Pollard family's incredible genes and my brother's brilliance, Want to carve out my own path! I refuse to

be just a sheltered heiress. I want to be as capable as you all are, so I can help Dad and my brother run the company."