Emily walked over to where a few older men were standing, translating the sign for them. “It says: ‘Please protect the monuments and facilities. Do not climb over the railings. Please dispose of trash properly, and make sure to sort it into the appropriate bins.’” Bert paused for a moment, exchanging glances with the other men before bursting into laughter. “Oh, so that’s what it says! We were trying to guess if it was a historical description of the Colosseum.” If they wanted more detailed historical information, they'd have to find the tour guide. But when they looked around, Mr. Anderson was nowhere in sight. The group didn’t seem to mind, though. “It’s nice to explore on our own. Feels freer this way,” one of the men remarked. Bert nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I came out here to get some fresh air and relax, not be rushed around.” With that, the group slowly began walking ahead again. Bert turned back to Emily. “Hey, Miranda, want to join us?” Emily shook her head with a smile. “No, you guys go ahead. I don’t want to interrupt your ‘guy talk.’” Bert laughed heartily. “You’re right. You’d probably find us boring! Don’t worry, I’ll stick with them and won’t get lost. We’ll meet back on the bus later.” Emily nodded. “Alright, enjoy.” She found a quiet spot to sit by herself and pulled out her phone. There was a missed call from Jackson and a few unread emails. The sender: Amy. Since Emily had been traveling, she hadn’t been checking her phone much. It looked like Amy couldn’t reach her, so she had resorted to sending emails. Emily opened the emails, scanning through them. Sure enough, they were just as she had guessed. Amy couldn’t get through to her by phone, so she had contacted Jackson, who then tried calling Emily. When Emily hadn’t answered, Amy sent her an email instead. Without hesitation, Emily called Amy back. Amy answered almost immediately, her voice full of relief. “Miranda! I’ve been trying to get in touch with you!” Emily had grown accustomed to Amy’s high energy. She smiled softly. “What’s going on? Something urgent?” “Not urgent, but great news! Your Pritzker Prize win has made waves in America! Several big architectural firms have reached out, hoping to bring you on board. I’ve already filtered out the less impressive ones and sent you a shortlist of the top companies to your inbox. Make sure you check it out!” Emily nodded. “Thanks, I will.” For three years, Emily had worked tirelessly to earn the Pritzker Prize, knowing it would give her the leverage she needed to enter a top-tier company. “Oh, and by the way, Miranda, Jackson’s been worried about you. He couldn’t get through on the phone and wanted to make sure you’re okay. Do you want to give him a call back?” Emily hesitated for a moment before replying, “No, that’s alright. Could you let him know I’m traveling and the signal’s been spotty? I couldn’t take his call.” “Sure thing! I’ll pass the message along. Have fun on your trip, Miranda!” “Thanks.” As cheerful and carefree as Amy was, she hadn’t fully grasped the delicate situation between Emily and Jackson. Jackson wanted something he couldn’t have, and Emily… well, she carried her own guilt. Luckily, Amy served as a buffer between them, keeping things from becoming too strained. Emily opened her email inbox and began reviewing the offers. Each of the companies on Amy’s list was well-known internationally—one based in France, another in the LA., one in the U.K., and one in New York. The New York company was all too familiar: the Great Wall Group. A year ago, the Great Wall had announced the restructuring of the Reed family business, merging it into their own vast enterprise as a subsidiary. The Norman family had also been absorbed into the company, turning them into a multi-industry powerhouse. The person behind it all remained hidden, yet his influence had grown significantly since three years ago, making him even more enigmatic. One thing that puzzled Emily was why the Taylor family’s business had remained untouched. The Taylor Group had long depended on the Norman family for survival, but even after the Norman family was absorbed into the Great Wall, the Taylor Group had been left to stand on its own. Not only that, but they had received a massive investment, allowing the business to thrive independently. Though much smaller than the Great Wall, it had grown considerably in the last three years.Jackson had once asked Emily if she wanted to reach out to Olivia. After hearing of Emily’s “death,” Olivia had cried for a month straight. The once cheerful, lively girl had become quiet and reserved, as though she had aged in an instant. But growing up always came at a cost. Olivia’s price had been her failed first love and her lost friendship—twenty years of a bond with Emily, gone. Emily had considered reaching out to Olivia, wanting to tell her to move on and live well. But every time she dialed the number, she found herself hanging up before the call could connect. If she was to start anew, she had to sever ties with the past. As for Olivia… perhaps they would meet again after Emily had secured a position and established herself in the U.K. They could reunite abroad, free from the burdens of their shared history. After weighing her options, Emily chose the British company and emailed Amy her decision. Amy, quick as always, replied almost immediately, asking why Emily hadn’t considered the Great Wall Group. It was Amy’s favorite choice, boasting a strong reputation, ample resources, and a flexible work schedule that would suit Emily’s lifestyle perfectly. Emily knew all of that. But her reply was simple: NO. As for the reason? There was none. Two hours later, everyone gathered back on the tour bus. Bert seemed to have had a great time, eagerly sharing the stories of what he had seen and heard. Emily listened with a gentle smile, offering the occasional comment to keep the conversation flowing. Mr. Anderson cleared his throat and turned on his mic. “Alright, folks, looks like everyone’s back. I’ll go ahead and start roll call, and once we’re all accounted for, we’ll head to the next destination.” Five minutes later, after calling out the last name, Mr. Anderson confirmed that everyone was present. “Alright, let’s go,” Mr. Anderson told the driver. “We’ve got everyone.” “Wait a second, Mr. Anderson,” one of the elderly women piped up. “Aren’t we missing someone? That young man—the tall, handsome one who joined us late this morning. I haven’t seen him on the bus yet.”Mr. Anderson nodded. “He had an urgent matter come up and had to head back home. He won’t be joining us for the rest of the trip.” “He went home? After just an hour of sightseeing? What could be so important?” another woman asked, clearly perplexed. “Eh, that young man’s probably got important business to take care of,” one of the men chimed in. “I bet he’s going back to close some multimillion-dollar deal. Let’s not worry too much about it, we old folks just need to focus on enjoying ourselves.”