The Memory Keeper: Twisted Roots

Three Years Later...

Khai's POV

As the list of contractors flashed on the screen, I felt my attention drift-until Mr. O'Connor spoke up. "Why don't we consider the top contractors in the market, the newest and most talked-about in the industry, like F&V Construction Firm?" His suggestion stirred a few murmurs of agreement around the table. I raised an eyebrow.

"We're looking for contractors with years of experience," I replied, my voice firm but not dismissive. "F&V is based in Chicago, and while they have top-notch design, their portfolio speaks more of innovative ideas than a long-standing legacy."

Before I could continue, my father, Poppa, cut me off. "Let's give them a try. Invite them to send over their portfolio."

There was a pause before Mr. O'Connor, ever eager to push the conversation, typed something on his laptop and turned the screen to us. "Look at this," he said, showing us an image of an enormous building. "This is one of their projects in LA. It's a high-end one-stop supermarket. Look at how they've designed this place-it's massive. They used sustainable and durable materials, with a tight budget, and yet, it turned out to be one of the most successful supermarkets in LA."

He clicked to the next image, showing a sleek stadium. "This stadium is in Singapore. Here's one they completed in Argentina. And this one is in Spain. They've been everywhere, and their work is in high demand."

Mr. O'Connor smiled. "And here's something interesting. One of their engineers, the head architect, is from Jackson. She's now based in Chicago. She's been the hidden gem, the mastermind behind many of these successful designs. Let me show you her latest work."

The screen shifted, and a breathtaking image of a modern museum appeared. "This is the Njor Museum in Norway. Beautiful, right? This was designed by no one other than F&V Engineering and Enterprise."

Poppa didn't hesitate. "Khai, schedule an appointment with Mr. Boyd. He's the CEO. We'll fly out to Chicago tomorrow morning."

I couldn't help but feel a knot form in my stomach. F&V had been on my radar for a while, but to hear such glowing praise-especially about a designer from Jackson-had me questioning just who this person was. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be? The possibility lingered like an echo in the back of my mind, but I shook it off. This was about business. Nothing more.

"Understood," I said, quickly refocusing on the task at hand. "I'll get the arrangements sorted."

The meeting continued, but my mind was no longer fully there. I had to admit, despite my resistance, I was curious.

°°°

"Chicago," I muttered under my breath as I stared at the screen, the F&V Engineering and Enterprise website in front of me. My mind was racing, but not entirely about the company. Ella, always quick to notice when I was lost in thought, glanced over and asked, "What's up?"

I tried to brush it off. "Nothing, just curious about this contractor company in Chicago." I didn't want to admit that the thought of Chicago made me think of Rain-after all this time.

Ella raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Chicago? Isn't that where Rain moved?"

I stiffened for a second, but quickly masked it with a shrug. "Yeah, she has a relative there." I was trying to keep it casual, but it was hard when the city now carried so much weight for me.