Standing by the door of the adjacent room, Zach leaned his head out just in time to catch a glimpse of Emmitt''s joy-filled profile. He couldn''t help but say, "Emmitt, I told you ages ago, Mirabe might hold a grudge, but she''s not heartless."


    If only he had taken the step forward sooner, all this awkwardness could have been avoided by now.


    Hearing his brother''s voice from behind, Emmitt straightened up, his face returning to its usualposed expression. He turned around, saying as if nothing had happened, "It''s gettingte. Goodnight."


    Zach''s gaze lingered on the slight smile ying at the corners of Emmitt''s lips, his eyebrows raised in a half-mocking, half-amused gesture.


    As if not noticing Zach''s expression, Emmitt calmly returned to his room. Once the door was shut, the smile on his lips deepened.


    His phone in his pocket kept vibrating, flooded with New Year''s wishes from friends and colleagues.


    Feeling cheerful, Emmitt responded to each message with a generous digital gift.


    **


    The next day, New Year''s Day, Mirabe went downstairs early to find her parents handing her a thick envelope.


    In addition to that, her Messenger was filled with simr digital envelopes, not just from rtives and friends, but also from school teachers, professors, and even some senior students from the physics department she hadn''t met in person yet. Looking at the long list of figures in her digital wallet, Mirabe couldn''t help but feel that hanging out with affluent people had its perks.


    Just the New Year money alone could cover a down payment for an apartment in Riverdale.


    After having New Year soup for breakfast, Mirabe took her dog, Baxter, out for a walk. Walking past the neighboring vi, she nced up briefly before quickly diverting her gaze.


    She had met James the night before, and he had rushed back to Riverdale overnight.


    After roaming around the neighborhood for nearly an hour, she handed Baxter over to the housekeeper and went to the living room.


    Emmitt and Zach were sitting there, discussing something.


    Mirabe quietly took a seat in a small corner of the sofa and pulled out her


    phone, noticing a few unread messages on Messenger.


    They were from Jenna, asking if she wanted to hang out.


    Just then, Zach''s voice reached her ears.


    "By the way, Mirabe, Zach is nning to set up the newpany''s office in the same


    district where you and Nick live


    Zach turned his head towards


    Mirabe, his face gentle behind his sses.


    Mirabe, who had been texting, looked up in surprise upon hearing Zach''s words and took a moment before asking, "A newpany?"


    "Yeah," Zach nodded. "I''ve been nning to establish a branch in Riverdale sincest year. It just so happens that Emmitt has a client in need of liquid assets, looking to sell theirpany."


    Hearing this, Mirabe paused her texting, pondering why the two had been discussing registration fundstely.


    After a moment, she replied cautiously, "Riverdale is a mixed bag, not the easiest ce to thrive."


    Although the Davis family had some


    ve


    influence in Riverdale, their main powery elsewhere. Her identity was already known to the Santos, and if Zach were toe to Riverdale, it might only expose him to danger.


    She could protect herself, but he couldn''t.


    "I wouldn''t rmend moving to Riverdale." After a thought, she added seriously.


    Her expression was solemn, showing no sign of jest.


    It was the second time Zach had seen his sister with such a serious demeanor. Thest time was when he faced a legal entanglement and retaliation; she had used the same expression to offer him advice.