It was in the summer of 2007, on a swelteringly hot day, that Ann came to Grayson Global to see her father. She stood there alone in the lobby, her long brown hair neatly combed and adorned with a little white flower. Dressed in a simple white linen dress, the sixteen-year-old girl cut a delicate and lonely figure against the men dressed in black suits that surrounded her.
Donald gazed for a while at his youngest daughter. It had been sixteen years since he last saw her, and the parental love that had for a long time been absent from his life, all at once came flooding back. The normally assertive man was for a moment at a loss for what to do. After a long period of silence, he waved to someone behind him, ¨Charles, take Ann back to the house and get her settled in.〃
¨Yes, sir.〃
The young man took Annˇs luggage and spoke to her in a deep, mellow voice, ¨Hi, Iˇm Charles.〃
He reached out his hand. It was warm and felt strong.
Lifting her gaze, Ann shook the manˇs hand and nodded with a smile.