“I love it,” little Mario chirped, his voice brimming with excitement. “I have Mommy and Daddy, and Ms. Riley, little Nina, Mr. Delaney, Ms. Carol, my teachers at preschool, and cookies… I love all of them!”
As Briony listened, a sense of ease slowly settled in her heart.
That afternoon, Attorney Hughes called to ask about proceeding with the lawsuit.
Briony told him she’d decided to drop it for now.
She realized things were good as they were—she and Stewart led separate lives, but they co-parented the kids together.
This way, the children could still have both parents’ love and presence.
Life, after all, has to keep moving forward.
…
A week later, the students welcomed summer break.
The animation studio Briony had invested in released its first original feature film in theaters.
The box office numbers were fantastic.
Within just a week, the film became a huge hit!
Traditional folk elements woven into the story generated a lot of buzz and discussion.
Briony had contributed to the film’s creation; she personally illustrated those folk motifs.
For those credits, she used the name “Leilani.”
It had become her pseudonym in the industry.
The moment “Leilani” appeared in the credits, it immediately set off a fresh wave of conversation online.
By the third week of the movie’s release, ticket sales were still exceeding expectations.
This success gave the company a solid foundation and a boost of confidence.
Novalith Industries, as the studio was called, suddenly became a household name. The company’s CEO, Joe, called Briony to share the good news and suggested throwing a celebration party.
Everyone at the company was young and full of drive; after such an achievement, their enthusiasm was through the roof.
As the company’s behind-the-scenes owner, Briony didn’t have the heart to dampen their spirits.
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