“Are you absolutely certain about this, sweetheart?” the old man asked.

“I’m completely sure,” Lisa replied firmly.

“Then we’ll set everything into motion tomorrow morning,” her grandfather promised.

The next day, Ava enjoyed her breakfast on the sunny terrace with her oldest son, Zachary. He’d been running the family real estate empire since his father passed away, and he had a serious, deliberate temperament.

“I’ve decided to invite Lisa to my birthday party,” Ava bragged over her meal.

Zachary paused and looked up from his tablet.

“Are you talking about Lisa Davis, our cleaning lady?” Zachary asked.

“Yes, Chloe thought it would be incredibly funny,” Ava laughed.

Zachary pushed his coffee cup away, his face turning serious.

“That is entirely wrong, Mom,” Zachary said sternly.

Ava let out a dry, dismissive laugh.

“I didn’t ask for your approval, Zachary,” Ava retorted.