Six hours later, the plane landed smoothly at JFK Airport in New York City. Steven's first action upon turning on his phone was to call his boss to report their arrival. Since neither he nor Emily had any luggage, they bypassed baggage claim and swiftly cleared customs, heading straight out of the terminal. "Dylan is waiting for us at the entrance," Steven said. Emily nodded, unsurprised. When Dylan saw Emily, his greeting was as kind and friendly as ever. "Miranda, it's been a while." Emily smiled slightly. "Not that long. We just saw each other last week in Rome." "True, but for some people, a day apart feels like a lifetime, let alone three years," Dylan said, his words carrying a hint of meaning. Emily pretended not to notice the implication. Steven opened the car door for her, and Emily got in without complaint. During the drive, Steven was at the wheel while Dylan sat in the front passenger seat. Unlike on the plane, neither of them said much, and Emily was more than happy to rest with her eyes closed. "Dylan, could you give me a rundown of the progress of the luxury apartment project? I'd like to get a sense of where things stand," Emily said, breaking the silence. Steven suddenly asked, "Miranda, how did you know the project was called the 'Luxury Apartment'?" Dylan shot him a glare. "Steven, focus on driving." "Yes, sir." Steven fell silent. Dylan, without hesitation, began to explain. "This project stalled three years ago. It was initially started because of our boss's wife. After she... well, after some unfortunate events, the project was put on hold and hasn't moved since." Emily frowned slightly. "Such a massive project, with so much investment. Why did your boss let it stall? Why didn't he continue with it?" Dylan gave a bitter smile. "There was a fire. It practically turned everything the boss had into ashes. He spent almost two years in a sterile environment for recovery, followed by another year of rehabilitation just to be able to speak and move like a normal person. In that state, how could he have managed the company or any projects?"Emily's heart clenched. "But he wasn't even there when the fire happened. Why would he..." "He thought his wife was still in the room. Against everyone's warnings, he rushed into the fire. The blaze was clearly deliberate, and then there was a gas explosion. Even the firefighters hesitated to go in. But he, wanting to save the woman he loved, went in without a second thought. When they finally got him out, he was unrecognizable, and it took three days and nights of intensive care just to save his life..." Dylan's voice trembled slightly. "If his wife was still alive, I can't imagine why she would abandon my boss like that, leaving him to fend for himself. I wonder if she even had a heart." The last sentence carried a tone of blame. Dylan, usually composed and gentle, rarely spoke with such direct emotion. Emily felt a shiver run through her, averting her eyes from the rearview mirror to avoid Dylan's gaze. "But what he’ll never understand," Dylan said softly, "is why his woman lost in that fire." "That's why the boss has been searching for answers all these years," Dylan continued. "But everyone linked to that fire vanished without a trace, including some of his friends." He was talking about Jackson. Emily asked directly, "What about Penelope? Wasn’t she there at the time too?" "Penelope denied any involvement. Nothing could be extracted from her." "And where is she now?" "The boss had her admitted to a psychiatric hospital," Dylan added. "Three years in there... even if she wasn’t crazy before, she would be now. I visited her recently, and she’s completely lost it." Emily took a deep breath, saying nothing more. Dylan pointed to a building outside the window. "We're here. Steven, park in the garage, then you can head back to the office. I'll take Miranda to the boss." Steven nodded in acknowledgment. The conversation between Miranda and Dylan during the drive was full of information. Steven needed some time to process it all. After parking the car, Dylan got out first and opened the door for her. "This way, Miranda." This wasn’t her first time at the Great Wall Group's headquarters.Three years later, she still remembered every corner of this place. Even the parking lot felt familiar. But instead of taking her directly to see Mr. Norman, Dylan led her to a meeting room. Inside, a meeting was in progress, led not by Daniel, but by Ken. The once lively, spirited Ken was now dressed formally, glasses on, projecting a professional demeanor—a stark transformation from the young designer she remembered. Dylan knocked on the door. "Ken, Miranda is here." Ken nodded. "Thank you. Please invite Miranda in." In an instant, every employee’s gaze shifted towards her. For a moment, Emily felt disoriented. The scene felt similar to three years ago. "...Is that really the boss's wife? Let me take a look!" "Wow, they look like such a perfect couple. I'm jealous!" "Boss's wife, boss's wife, I want a feast! A big, meaty feast!" Ken, still very much Ken, sounded almost the same. But now, a formal smile hung on his face as he led everyone in applauding, welcoming her arrival. Emily shook her head, trying to pull herself away from the past. She gave a polite smile, "Hello everyone, I'm Miranda." Ken approached her and extended his hand. "It's an honor, Miranda. Seeing you on TV, I already thought you were beautiful, but in person, you’re even more stunning." Ken invited her to take the head seat and began to softly brief her. "Miranda, the luxury apartment project has resumed. You were personally chosen by the boss to lead this project. As for the current progress, let me fill you in..." Ken’s report was very professional, even more detailed than Dylan’s earlier account. Emily forced herself to calm down and listen attentively, scribbling down notes as she did so. This blueprint—she had seen it countless times. She knew it better than anyone else. And now, with her expertise as an accomplished architect, understanding it once again was even more efficient. She immediately proposed several constructive suggestions. Ken, being knowledgeable in the field, was visibly impressed, applauding her ideas right then and there. With her on board, the project’s progress skyrocketed, and the meeting ran for a solid four hours before finally concluding. When it ended, Ken's eyes were practically shining. "No wonder you were the boss’s personal pick—you’re truly remarkable!"