Northway City was home to many wealthy families, but only two names carried the kind of influence that made people lower their voices whenever they were mentioned—the Griffins and the Edmunds.
For decades, the two families had stood at the top of Northway City’s business world. Their wealth stretched across real estate, finance, technology, entertainment, and several other industries, with businesses so large that most people could only dream of owning a fraction of what either family controlled.
The Griffins and the Edmunds had been connected long before their children were born. Their fathers were close friends and longtime business partners, and over the years, their families had grown so close that it was difficult to speak about one without eventually mentioning the other.
But their wealth wasn’t the only reason people knew the two families.
Their sons had become famous in their own right.
Henry Griffin and Elisha Edmund had grown up together, attended the same schools, gone through university side by side, and eventually stepped into the business world together. At only twenty-three and twenty-four, they were already being spoken about as two of the youngest billionaires in the country.
They were successful, powerful, and already involved in businesses most men twice their age were still trying to build.
But there was something else that made them stand out.
Their looks.
Both men had inherited striking features that made them difficult to overlook wherever they went. Henry’s delicate, beautiful appearance attracted just as much attention as his wealth, while Elisha’s sharp, masculine features and commanding presence made him equally impossible to ignore.
They were often seen together at business events, private parties, charity galas, and family gatherings, and the public had grown accustomed to seeing them side by side. Their striking looks and undeniable closeness had made them a favorite among fans, with some even shipping the two together. ElyHen was the name those fans had given them.
To everyone who knew them, Henry and Elisha were inseparable.
Best friends.
They had practically grown up as brothers, although neither of them had ever considered the other a brother.
They simply knew each other too well.
They knew what the other liked, how the other took his coffee, and when something was wrong even before a word was spoken.
They had spent countless nights at each other’s homes, sometimes because one of them had stayed too late after dinner, other times because they simply didn’t feel like going home.
Nothing about their closeness had ever seemed strange.
Until one night, everything changed.
THREE MONTHS LATER.
Elisha was sitting in his office, going through the reports his assistant had left on his desk, when his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the screen and saw his mother’s name. He picked up the call, and her cheerful, excited voice instantly came through the line.
"Elisha, where are you?" she asked, sounding happier than she had in months.
"At the company. Why?" Elisha leaned back in his chair, a slight frown touching his brow at her bright tone. "Mom, what’s going on? Why are you so happy?"
"I should actually be congratulating you."
Elisha frowned slightly. "Congratulating me? For what?"
"Your best friend is getting married next month. You should start thinking about settling down too. When are you bringing your own girlfriend home? Your father and I would like to meet her properly."
Elisha sat up straight. "Mom, wait, wait, wait. What are you talking about? Which of my friends is getting married? I only have one best friend."
"Yes, Henry!" his mother replied joyfully. "The Griffin family called us this morning. Henry got engaged last night, and they’re already making plans for the wedding next month."
"What?"
The word tore out of Elisha’s throat, sharp and explosive.
"Elisha, why are you shouting?" his mother scolded gently. "You should be happy for your friend."
"Mom, what is there to be happy about?" Elisha snapped, his grip tightening around the phone. "Henry is just twenty-three! Who is allowing him to get married at such a young age? You and his parents should be stopping him instead of celebrating it!"
"Don’t be ridiculous, Elisha," his mother said. "He’s an adult. Why can’t he get married?"
"Do you seriously think twenty-three is old enough to get married? Adult, you say?"
"Elisha, you need to listen to yourself. You should be happy for your friend, not sounding like this—"
"I will never be happy about this, Mom. He is way too young to get married—"
"Elisha—"
"I’ll talk to you later, Mom."
Without waiting for her reply, Elisha ended the call and dropped the phone hard onto his desk.
Getting married? For what?
Frustration flared hot in his chest, completely overriding his usual cold composure. He grabbed his phone again, dialing his driver’s number without a second thought.
"Get the car ready right now." This has to be some kind of sick joke.
"Alright, sir," the driver answered, and the line went dead.
Elisha grabbed his wallet from the desk and barked out, "Sarah!"
His assistant, who was working at her desk outside his office, immediately stepped inside. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the dark look on his face. Without a word, she picked up his jacket and briefcase and followed him as he stormed out of the office, took the private elevator down to the underground garage, and slid straight into the back seat of the waiting car.
"Griffin Global Holdings," he ordered coldly as the car pulled away.
Elisha stared out the window, still unable to believe what he had just heard. Henry—getting married? It didn’t make any sense.
The ride to Griffin Global Holdings was short, but every second felt like an unnecessary delay. When the car pulled up, Elisha didn’t wait. He stepped out, strode through the grand lobby, and took the private elevator straight up to Henry’s floor.
Henry’s secretary looked up and greeted him politely, but Elisha walked right past her without a word. He marched straight up to Henry’s office door and shoved it open with a loud, violent bang.
The sudden crash startled Henry, making him look up sharply from his laptop, his eyes widening in surprise. But the moment he saw who it was, his expression quickly shifted into annoyance.
"Elisha Edmund, I know we’re best friends, but learn some manners," Henry said, leaning back in his chair. "What is wrong with you? Why are you barging into my office like you’re charging into a war zone?"
Elisha stalked straight across the room, slammed both hands down onto the polished surface of the desk, and glared at him. "Tell me the news I just heard is a complete lie."
Henry frowned. "Which news?"
"The one that says you’re getting married."
Henry stared at him for a second, then gave a cool, indifferent shrug. "Yes, I’m getting married. How does that bother you?"
"Henry!" Elisha shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.
Henry shot to his feet, glaring back at him. "Are you insane? Why are you screaming in my office?"
"I don’t care about your engagement or whatever foolishness you’ve gotten yourself into," Elisha snapped, his chest heaving. "Cancel everything. You are not getting married to anyone."
Henry let out a dry, disbelieving laugh. "Eli, who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do?"
"I’m your best friend!" Elisha yelled.
"That doesn’t give you the right to run my life," Henry said coldly, his face hardening as he turned away. "I have no time for this nonsense. Leave my office."
Elisha didn’t move an inch. He held Henry’s gaze, his voice low and tense. "And if I don’t?"
Henry stopped, turning back to look him dead in the eye. "Then I’ll leave it for you."
The words made Elisha pause. The anger in his face slowly faded, and his voice softened. "Why, Henry? Why do you suddenly want to get married? How long have you even been dating this girl?"
Henry crossed his arms, his expression unyielding. "It’s not your place to ask me those questions. Just leave my office; I still have a lot of work to do."
"You didn’t even tell me about her," Elisha pressed, his chest tightening. "You didn’t tell me anything."
"Why should I?"
"I’m your best friend! We tell each other everything."
Henry let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Is that so? Since when have you called me or stepped into my office just to talk to me as a friend? I mean, aside from business, when was the last time you actually came to see me? It’s been almost three months, Elisha. You’ve been avoiding me this whole time, yet the moment you heard I’m getting married, you rushed straight here. Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean I need your permission to live my life."
Elisha didn’t shout this time. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. "I’m sorry... but I won’t let you get married to someone else."
Henry stared at him, his brow furrowed in disbelief. "Why? You wouldn’t dare try to stop me."
"I will stop you," Elisha said, stepping closer, his eyes fixed on Henry. "Because you are mine, and I won’t let what’s mine belong to someone else."
Henry froze, staring at him in shock before scoffing. "Since when did I become yours?"
Elisha looked at him, his voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "Since..."
"Enough." Henry cut him off, refusing to let him finish. A mix of anger and disbelief filled him. "You must be delusional. Leave my office right now, or I’ll call security." He shook his head in disbelief. "Mine?" he repeated bitterly. "What an expensive joke."
Without waiting for a response, Henry turned around, walked back to his desk, and dropped into his chair. He didn’t look up again. "When you’re done playing games, use the door, Elisha. Please."
Elisha opened his mouth to say something, but Henry immediately reached for the desk phone to call security.
Elisha raised a hand. "Fine. I’ll leave."
Without another word, he turned around...