The next morning in the migration room, the air was thick with the kind of infectious laughter that only follows a successful prank. Isaac was in the center of the room, standing on a chair as he delivered a dramatic, high-pitched rendition of Delilah’s reaction at the clothing store.

"But Isaac! How can there be kids? How can there be a wife? I’m the only one who fits his lifestyle!" Isaac mimicked, clutching his chest in mock despair. Grace, Caleb, and Phoebe were doubled over, trying to keep their laughter quiet enough to avoid detection.

"Look," Grace whispered, pointing toward the glass partition. "The 'devil' has arrived at the cabin."

The team fell silent, watching as Delilah stood inside Gabriel’s office. She was gesturing wildly toward the migration room, her finger pointing directly at Isaac.

"Okay, she’s definitely complaining about you, Isaac," Caleb said, leaning back in his chair with a grin.

"Look at Gabriel, though," Phoebe noted. "He’s not even looking up from his screen. He’s showing absolutely zero interest in her complaints."

A few minutes passed, and the body language in the cabin shifted. Gabriel finally looked up, but not with the polite smile he usually wore for Delilah. He stood up, his face hardening as he spoke. Although the glass was soundproof, the force of his words was clear.

"Is he... yelling at her?" Samuel asked, surprised.

Eva leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. "I think she didn't submit the roadmap. He gave her twenty-four hours, and she has nothing to show for it but a complaint about Isaac."

A moment later, Delilah stormed out of the cabin, her face a mask of bitter disappointment. She didn't even look at the migration team as she marched back to her own desk.

"Alright guys, show's over," Isaac said, hopping down from the chair. "Let’s get back to work. We have a flight to catch tomorrow."

An hour later, Gabriel walked into the migration room. He didn't head to his own desk; instead, he slumped into a chair beside the main worktable with a sigh of pure exhaustion.

"I assume you’ve all received your flight tickets?" Gabriel asked, rubbing his temples. "We are leaving tomorrow evening. I’ve emailed you the specific report details for the Eastern land client; please make sure everything is ready before we head to the airport."

"Any questions?" he added, looking around.

"Did Delilah complain about the 'kids' story?" Isaac asked, unable to help himself.

Gabriel let out a short, surprised laugh. "Yeah. She spent ten minutes trying to interrogate me about my 'secret family.' I just told her that my personal life is none of her concern and that I was more interested in why her roadmap was missing."

"So you were yelling about the project?" Caleb asked.

"Yes," Gabriel said firmly. "She tried to tell me her laptop wasn't working. I told her that was no excuse, since I specifically assigned her a physical desktop system to ensure she could finish the work. She’s running out of places to hide."

"Does she know we’re all traveling together for two weeks?" Eva asked.

"She knows I am traveling," Gabriel clarified, his gaze softening as it met Eva's. "But I didn't tell her the rest of you were coming. Discussing the migration team's logistics with her is none of her business. She thinks I’m going solo."

Samuel checked his inbox. "Based on these report requirements, we have a mountain of work to climb before tomorrow evening. Let’s get to it."

The team rallied, and soon the room was filled with the rhythmic clicking of keyboards and the low hum of collaborative discussion. From her distant desk, Delilah peered through the glass. She saw Gabriel and Isaac sitting together, deep in technical conversation, while Eva worked diligently on a separate monitor. The sight of their easy camaraderie only deepened the scowl on her face.

Late that night, in her own apartment, Delilah’s phone buzzed. It was her father, Mr. Peter Cross.

"Hi, Dad," Delilah said, leaning back against her headboard. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart," Peter’s voice boomed through the speaker. "How is it going on your side? Any progress with the St. James boy?"

Delilah smiled to herself. "It’s going well. Eva has officially moved on with someone else, so Gabriel is completely mine now. There’s no more competition."

"Has he proposed yet?" Peter asked, his tone turning serious.

"Not yet," Delilah admitted. "But the route is clear. I’ll get what I want soon."

"You’ve been saying this for five years, Delilah," Peter sighed. "And for five years, nothing has happened. I hope you understand our situation. Your great-grandfather’s property can only be transferred to our branch of the family if you are married. Our business is slowing down, and without that inheritance, the property—and the funds—will go straight to your cousin."

Delilah rolled her eyes. "Dad, you’re only thinking about one property. I have a much bigger dream. I should have told you this before, but do you know who Gabriel really is? He is the only son of the JND Group's founder, Sebastian St. James."

I’ve known him since school, and while his popularity was undeniable, he was always so aloof. I didn't give him a second thought back then, choosing instead to date the other boys in the spotlight. It wasn't until our freshman year of college that I finally realized exactly who—and what—he was worth.

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line. "What?" Peter’s voice was a whisper of shock. "Are you sure? Then why on earth is he working in a regular office as a manager?"

"Because he had a massive falling out with his father," Delilah explained. "I don't know the exact reason, but he’ll definitely patch things up eventually. Or at the very least, the St. James fortune will have to be transferred to him as the sole heir. That’s why I’ve been following him from company to company. He is the ultimate prize."

"How are you so sure he’s the heir?" Peter asked, his business instincts suddenly sharpening.

"I saw it myself," Delilah said. "In our first year of college, Gabriel stayed on campus during the holidays. His father showed up—Sebastian St. James himself. They had a heated conversation in the courtyard. I heard Gabriel shout that he didn't need the properties and could look after himself. Sebastian told him, 'You are my only son, I cannot leave you like this.' It was pretty easy to put the pieces together after that."

"So, if Gabriel doesn't give you a chance, what’s your next move?" Peter asked.

"I’m planning to visit his father," Delilah said, her voice turning cold and calculating. "I’ll tell Sebastian that I’m the only one who can talk to his son and convince him to reconcile. It’s my secondary plan to get into the St. James inner circle."

She paused, looking at her laptop screen. "But for now, I need to get into Gabriel’s good books. I have to finish this project he gave me. He’s traveling for two weeks starting tomorrow, which is perfect. I’ll hire someone to finish the coding and development for me while he’s gone. When he gets back, he’ll think I’m a genius."

Peter laughed, a dry, rasping sound. "That sounds like a plan, sweetheart. A very good plan."