Chapter — Two Years Later
Two years.
Two years had passed since the ten of them walked out of college gates for the last time.
Back then they were reckless, loud, stubborn students who believed the world would bend to their will if they simply pushed hard enough.
Now they were something else entirely.
They were leaders.
They were innovators.
They were responsible for thousands of lives, employees, companies, and decisions that could shape futures.
But some things never changed.
One of those things stood silently at the edge of the city.
A massive mansion.
Care's mansion.
The place where everything had begun for them.
The place where the group of ten had become a family.
And even now, two years later, it remained their meeting point.
The rain was falling softly that evening, tapping gently against the wide glass windows of the mansion.
Inside, the lights were warm.
The living room looked exactly the same.
Large couches.
A long table cluttered with snacks.
Blankets thrown around carelessly.
As if time had paused inside these walls.
And at the center of it all stood the one person who had built this place long before the others had even known her story.
Care.
Carolyn Patel.
She stood near the tall balcony doors, her arms folded, eyes quietly watching the distant skyline of the city.
The same city that had once been unfamiliar.
The same city that had once been cruel.
The same city she had conquered.
Her expression was calm.
Collected.
The kind of calm that only came after surviving storms.
Her phone buzzed on the table beside her.
Another business message.
Another board decision waiting.
She ignored it.
Tonight was not for companies.
Tonight was for them.
Footsteps echoed near the entrance.
The main door opened.
Nova walked in first.
Her sharp eyes immediately scanned the living room before settling on Care.
Nova's expression softened.
"Well… the mansion looks exactly the same," she said.
Care turned, a faint smile appearing.
"Because no one else is allowed to redesign it."
Nova chuckled, dropping her coat on the chair.
"You became a billionaire CEO and still refuse interior designers."
"Tradition," Care replied.
More footsteps followed.
Ben entered next, carrying a box of food.
Behind him was Cole.
The moment Cole stepped inside, his eyes instinctively found Care.
Just like always.
It was subtle.
Almost invisible.
But everyone in the group knew it.
Cole paused for half a second before walking in.
"Still alive?" he asked casually.
Care raised an eyebrow.
"Disappointed?"
"A little."
Nova snorted.
Ben set the food down on the table.
"Please tell me someone else is cooking tonight."
"No one is cooking," Care replied. "Everyone is successful enough to afford takeout."
The door opened again.
This time Daisy and Joong entered together.
Daisy immediately rushed forward and hugged Care tightly.
"You look thinner," Daisy said seriously.
Care sighed.
"It has been five seconds."
"Exactly," Daisy replied.
Joong laughed.
The next pair arrived moments later.
Kevin and Ash.
Ash practically threw her bag onto the couch before flopping down.
"I missed this place."
Kevin stretched his arms.
"The board meeting I just escaped from lasted five hours."
Alex and Lyra entered last.
Lyra immediately walked toward the windows.
"Still the best view in the city," she said softly.
Alex stood beside her.
"You technically helped design half of that skyline."
Lyra smirked.
"And Care funded the other half."
Ten people.
Ten lives.
Ten different paths.
All inside one living room again.
The energy in the room felt familiar.
Comfortable.
Like no time had passed.
The conversation started slowly.
Then chaos followed.
Nova leaned back in her chair.
"So," she said, looking around the room.
"Let's do the obvious thing."
Everyone knew what she meant.
Two years had changed everything.
And now they were finally seeing the results.
Ben spoke first.
"Our hospital chain crossed twenty locations this year."
Kevin whistled.
"That's insane."
Cole leaned against the wall.
"We opened three trauma centers this month alone."
Nova added calmly,
"Trinity Care Hospitals is expanding to international partnerships next year."
The room grew quiet.
Not because they were surprised.
But because they were proud.
Ben looked at Daisy.
"And half of our research department basically belongs to her."
Daisy rolled her eyes.
"Don't exaggerate."
Joong laughed.
"You literally run surgical research and biomedical innovation simultaneously."
"It's not that impressive," Daisy replied.
Everyone stared at her.
Kevin shook his head.
"You became a scientist and a surgeon."
Daisy shrugged.
"I was bored."
Ash groaned.
"This group is ridiculous."
Kevin leaned back comfortably.
"Well speaking of ridiculous… Lucos Corporation now operates in twelve countries."
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"Twelve?"
Alex nodded quietly.
"Our logistics networks expanded faster than predicted."
Joong added,
"The AI department tripled its output this year."
Kevin smirked.
"And our competitors hate us."
Ben laughed.
"Of course they do."
Lyra crossed her arms.
"Well at least your company doesn't redesign entire cities."
Everyone turned toward her.
Ash grinned.
"L&A Studio now has five international projects."
Lyra shrugged.
"It was supposed to be two."
Care spoke quietly.
"Your architecture changed urban planning models."
Ash looked at Care.
"And half those projects exist because your company invested in them."
All eyes slowly turned to the last person in the room.
Care.
Carolyn Patel.
The youngest CEO sitting among them.
Nova leaned forward.
"Alright," she said.
"Your turn."
Care remained silent for a moment.
Then she simply said,
"C & Patel Corp expanded into sustainable infrastructure."
Kevin smirked.
"That's the polite version."
Alex added calmly,
"You control four major tech divisions."
Joong nodded.
"And two innovation labs."
Ash raised a brow.
"You literally built a corporation from nothing."
Care shrugged lightly.
"It works."
Nova stared at her.
"You say that like it's normal."
Cole spoke from the wall.
"It's normal for her."
Silence followed.
But it wasn't awkward.
It was the quiet pride of a family watching one of their own succeed.
Then Kevin clapped his hands suddenly.
"Alright enough business talk."
Ash grinned.
"Yes please."
Nova leaned back.
"This is why we meet here."
Joong grabbed pizza from the table.
"No boardrooms."
"No investors."
"No responsibilities."
Ben laughed.
"Just the ten of us."
Lyra curled her legs onto the couch.
"Like before."
The room slowly filled with laughter again.
Memories resurfaced.
Sports week.
Hospital scares.
Prom chaos.
Drunken confessions.
All of it felt distant.
Yet somehow still close.
Cole eventually moved toward the couch beside Care.
He watched her quietly for a moment.
"You never slowed down," he said.
Care looked at him.
"Neither did you."
Cole shrugged.
"People keep getting injured."
Care smirked.
"You mean reckless people."
Cole gave her a look.
"You mean you."
Nova suddenly pointed at them.
"See this is what I mean."
Kevin laughed.
"Two years and these two still haven't figured it out."
Care sighed.
"Please stop."
Ash grinned.
"Never."
Ben stood up dramatically.
"I vote we lock them in a room."
Joong added,
"With no escape."
Alex nodded.
"Highly effective strategy."
Cole rolled his eyes.
"Idiots."
Care simply leaned back on the couch.
For a moment the room grew quiet again.
The rain continued outside.
The city lights shimmered in the distance.
Ten people sat together in a mansion that had once been a place of healing.
Now it was something else.
A headquarters.
A sanctuary.
A reminder.
That no matter how powerful their lives became outside these walls…
Inside this room they were still the same ten reckless souls who had promised each other one thing long ago.
Never leave again.
And this time—
They hadn't.