"I know my Dad, Liam. He's not going to say no."

Adley Evans beamed at the handsome face on her phone screen. She was video calling Liam, her boyfriend, as the taxi sped towards her childhood home. Anticipation crackled in the air. She knew her surprise visit would stun her father, Liam, however, wasn't so sure.

"Maybe you should have told him beforehand, Ady," Liam said, concern etching lines on his forehead. "Keeping our relationship a secret might not go well."

Adley, confident in her plan, shook her head. "I couldn't just tell something like this from LA, Liam. I wanted to tell him about us in person."

"What if he doesn't like me or doesn't agree to the marriage?" Liam asked, his voice laced with worry.

"He'll love you," Adley declared, a confident smile playing on her lips. "Especially after he hears you're the man I've chosen to spend the rest of my life with."

Despite her reassurances, Liam's expression remained clouded with doubt.

Her eyes averted for a moment and she recognized the familiar surroundings. "Take the next right and go through the gates," she told the taxi driver.

A pang of nostalgia hit Adley as her eyes caught a familiar landmark. "Take the next right and through the gates," she instructed the driver. The scent of jasmine, a constant companion of her childhood summers, wafted in through the open window.

The sight of the familiar wrought iron gates, now taller and more imposing, brought a wave of memories crashing down. It had been well over a decade since she'd last stepped foot on this property. After her mother's passing, she'd been whisked away to LA to live with her aunt and uncle, who'd embraced her as their own. Her father preferred visiting her twice a year in California.

"Right here?" the taxi driver interrupted her reverie.

"No, please drive through the gates and stop in front of the house," she clarified.

The automatic gate system, a novelty from her childhood, was absent. The car came to a halt before a pair of uniformed, armed guards flanking the entrance. A frown creased Adley's brow. The only security she remembered was a single guard who doubled as the gardener when she was a kid. Her father's business had grown exponentially, she knew, but armed guards were a new development.

Her heart was pierced by a pang of guilt. While she was living a normal life in LA, her father was living a life that necessitated the use of armed security.

A pang of guilt pricked at her conscience. Here she was, living a carefree life in LA, while her father shouldered the burden of a life that necessitated such measures.

"Who are you?" one of the guards inquired curtly.

"Adley Evans," she replied.

The guard's eyes widened in recognition. "Mr. Evans' daughter?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

A flicker of uncertainty crossed the guard's face. "Please hold on a moment, ma'am." He disappeared into a small guardhouse and emerged a moment later. "Please enter," he said, his voice apologetic. "Apologies, ma'am. I haven't seen you before. Had to confirm."

"No worries," Adley replied, a touch of amusement in her voice.

The once familiar house loomed before her. While undeniably grand, it lacked the warmth of her childhood memories. A large portion of the original structure had been replaced by a modern extension, dwarfing the original footprint. Though beautiful, it felt foreign, a stark contrast to the playful echoes of her childhood laughter that seemed to linger in the air. Memories of her mother's laughter chasing her through the sprawling gardens and lazy afternoons spent swinging on the porch brought a bittersweet smile to her lips.

The taxi pulled to a stop, and several of the armed guards surrounded the vehicle. Adley settled the fare and stepped out, her gaze scanning the unfamiliar faces. Just as she was about to inquire about help with her luggage, a familiar figure emerged from the grand double doors.

"Uncle William!" she exclaimed, a wide grin splitting her face. The middle-aged man had been her father's trusted assistant since she was a child.

A warm smile creased Uncle William's face. "Ley, my dear," he greeted her, using the affectionate nickname from her childhood. "This is quite a surprise. Your father was expecting you next week."

"I know, I know. I couldn't wait and decided to surprise him. Is he home?"

Uncle William's smile faltered slightly. "Yes, he is, but currently in an important meeting. Why don't you freshen up and unpack while he finishes up? I'll have one of the maids prepare your room."

"Adley?" Liam's voice cut through the phone she still clutched in her hand.

Adley turned her gaze to the screen. "I'll call you back later, Liam. Don't worry." She gave him a smile before hanging up the phone.

"Who is Liam?" her father's assistant asked, frowning.

Adley, hesitant to reveal Liam just yet, mumbled, "My... good friend from London." It was a flimsy cover, but for now, she needed to tell her father first. Her uncle and aunt in London knew about Liam, but keeping him a secret from her father felt wrong.

Inside, the familiar grandeur of the house greeted her. Surprisingly, the interior had held onto its charm, with only a few tasteful additions. A woman approached, her nametag reading "Mary."

"This is Mary, our housekeeper," Uncle William explained. "She can prepare you a snack or an early dinner if you'd like. In the meantime, I'll let your father know you're here."

She nodded as the older man hurried away. She noticed him walking towards the newly added addition, which she assumed was the office area.

"Please follow me to the dining room, ma'am," a new maid offered.

Adley smiled politely. "Please, call me Adley. I'm not hungry. I'll wait for my father."

The woman seemed unsure but scurried off nonetheless. Drawn by a flicker of memory, Adley wandered towards the library. The familiar scent of leather-bound books and her father's pipe tobacco filled her senses. The library itself remained unchanged, yet the office space beyond seemed to have ballooned in size.

A frown creased her brow as muffled shouts erupted from the office. It was her father's voice, laced with anger. "...how did this happen again?"

On the speakerphone, other voices were trying to explain something.

"I need this fixed," her father yelled angrily. "This has been happening way too many times and for way too long. Find out if we have a leak somewhere. Do you know how much this is costing me?"

Adley's knowledge of her father's business was limited to the transportation company he'd built from the ground up. Guilt gnawed at her for never taking a deeper interest. Despite graduating from business school as he'd hoped, she craved the stability of a corporate job. 

The office door swung open, revealing a group of men exiting briskly. Adley seized the opportunity and approached her father's office, hoping to find him free.

"Ley!" Her father's voice boomed, laced with a sternness that sent a jolt through her. "What are you doing here?"

Her stomach lurched. "I wanted to surprise you, Dad. I missed you so much, I couldn't wait another week."

His tense expression softened a touch. "I am sorry, Ley. I shouldn't have snapped."

"It's alright, Dad. I understand." She forced a smile and closed the distance between them, engulfing him in a hug. Though they spoke every other week and he visited her twice a year, the physical touch felt necessary.

Her father placed a hand on her head, letting out a weary sigh. "You shouldn't have come unannounced, Ley. Things are different here. Not like they were when you were a child. There are people who wish to harm us."

She pulled back, a flicker of fear replacing her initial confusion. "Why? Because you're successful?"

He gave a curt nod. "Wealth attracts kidnappers. And cutthroat competitors are always looking for an advantage."

Adley frowned, concern etching lines on her forehead. "Dad, is this worth it? Can't we live a simpler life, away from all this stress?"

A humorless chuckle escaped his lips. "You sound so much like your mother when you say things like that. Not just your looks, but your way of thinking too."

A bittersweet pang hit her chest. Her mother, whom she'd lost to a tragic accident when she was just five, was a constant presence in their conversations. The grief in her father's eyes mirrored her own.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by Uncle William bursting through the door, his voice laced with urgency. It seemed like there was some serious issue. Her father left for the office after promising to talk over dinner, leaving Adley with a whirlwind of unanswered questions.

Exhausted, she retreated to her room. Before she could get some rest her phone rang. It was her cousin Fiona.

"Hey, Ley! Did you make it home safe?" Fiona's voice crackled with excitement. After Adley went to LA, she lost touch with all her friends except her cousins. But then she was only five at that time. She was not aware of the values of friendship, but she did know now.

"I did, now let me sleep," Adley replied, tiredly. Both of them were comfortable with each other and always said what they had in mind. No filters.

"Okay, well get some sleep then. How about clubbing tonight? I know this amazing place..."

"Not tonight, Fi. Maybe tomorrow?" Adley offered.

"Fine, fine. Sleep tight," Fiona conceded with mock disappointment.

Hanging up, Adley drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by a gentle touch. Her father stood beside her bed, his usual cheer replaced by a tense expression.

"What happened, Dad?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning due to lack of sleep.

"Do you love me, Ley?"

"Yes, I do, dad. I love you a lot."

"Will you listen to me if I ask you to do something?" He asked, looking a little guilty.

"Of course, Dad. Now tell me what happened? You are scaring me," Adley said, worriedly.

"I want you to get married."

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