Prologue
OMNISCIENT POV
Jon Arrison and Alex Besson had grown up together, side by side, like two branches of the same tree. Since kindergarten, they had been inseparable: they sought each other out, understood each other, defended one another. Their friendship was instinctive— a bond forged in innocence, then strengthened by life's trials.
In everyone's eyes, they were not just friends.
They were brothers.
They both lived in Morocco, in the city of Casablanca, with their families.
The Arrison family struggled every day: a small business that Jon's father managed as best he could—just enough to pay school fees, essential bills, and nothing more. Life was never easy, but it was filled with love. Jon grew up watching his parents fight to give their children a better future.
The Besson family was not wealthy either. Alex learned early on how to fend for himself, to rely only on what he had, and above all to protect those he loved. Despite the hardships, both families shared the same values: hard work, respect, and solidarity.
Jon and Alex went through every stage together: kindergarten, primary school, secondary school. They excelled in everything they undertook, always side by side, as if the success of one fed the other.
And, of course…
That success stirred jealousy.
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Their Rival
A boy from their school, Christopher Belrose, the son of an immensely wealthy family, could never tolerate the existence of Jon and Alex.
He had everything he wanted… except academic success, except the respect of their classmates.
And above all… except the sincere friendship he saw between them.
Christopher hated their closeness, their joy, their intelligence.
He provoked them, belittled them, watched them closely, hoping to see them fail.
But Jon and Alex always won.
Always.
And nothing irritated Christopher more than seeing them laugh after every victory.
As they were preparing to enter university together, news struck Jon's life like a thunderbolt:
his father had received a job offer in France.
A golden opportunity.
A more stable future.
A choice impossible to refuse.
The days passed, heavy… as if time itself refused to move forward.
Then, finally, Jon's father accepted.
The day of departure drew near.
And Jon, unable to leave his best friend without one last memory worthy of their story, suggested a final walk through the neighborhood where they had grown up.
They walked for a long time, silent at first, each trying to hide their pain.
Then Jon stopped.
The shine in his eyes revealed everything he could not bring himself to say.
— Alex… you have always been more than a friend to me. Even if today we part ways… you will remain my brother.
Alex forced a smile, but his eyes betrayed him.
— You too, Jon. You are my family. And I want you to know… I will never forget you.
A gentle wind passed between them, as if trying to hold onto their words.
Jon took a deep breath.
— Let's make a promise.
— What kind? Alex asked.
Jon lifted his head, determined, as if he wanted to carve the idea into their future.
— In a few years, when we have succeeded… we will unite our companies.
— You mean… a merger?
— Yes. A real merger. Not just our companies… but our families.
Alex frowned.
— Our families? What do you mean?
Jon smiled softly, almost shyly.
— I mean that… if one day one of us has a daughter, she could marry one of the other's sons. And vice versa. So that our lives remain connected. Forever.
Alex remained silent for a moment—touched, surprised, moved…
Then he replied, his voice trembling:
— Alright. I promise.
They sealed their promise with a simple, sincere gesture: their hands clasped together.
That day, on the dusty roads of their childhood, two destinies took different paths…
but the same future awaited them.
The years passed, taking with them the innocence of their childhood, the dusty streets of Casablanca, the simple laughter, and the promise made one evening—just before a heartbreaking separation.
But despite the distance and the different paths they followed, one thing never changed:
Jon and Alex's determination to succeed, no matter the cost.
After Jon left for France, Alex found himself alone for the first time in his life.
Without his brother of the heart, the world felt heavier, quieter.
He then understood that he no longer had the right to merely dream—he had to act.
He began working early, juggling small jobs alongside his studies.
He learned discipline, patience, and pain as well.
Many nights, he collapsed from exhaustion, but deep within him burned the same flame:
to keep his promise. To succeed. To one day join him.
One morning, a letter changed his life:
he had been awarded a scholarship to study in France.
He cried tears of joy.
He was going to see Jon again…
or so he believed.
In France, he quickly discovered that his friend was not in the same region.
Hundreds of kilometers separated them.
But that never broke his will—never.
Alex worked relentlessly, studied, saved money, learned to rise after every failure.
Then, slowly but surely, he built what they had always dreamed of together:
an import-export company.
The dream they had whispered when they were nothing but poor kids.
Alex succeeded—and far beyond what he had ever imagined.
It was then that destiny placed Asael in his path, a woman beautiful, intelligent, and passionate.
The only one capable of calming his storms, of awakening his lost smiles.
She became the love of his life.
His strength.
His home.
…
On his side, Jon, after arriving in France, also had to learn how to rebuild himself.
The distance from Alex was a wound he carried for a long time.
But he turned his pain into strength.
He worked hard—very hard.
He adapted to a new culture, a new language, a new life.
And like Alex, he never forgot the promise made under the Casablanca sun.
He studied trade, transport, and international management.
With the unwavering support of his parents, he too entered the import-export business, determined to create a name that would honor his family's sacrifices.
And he succeeded.
He prospered.
His success was such that even European companies began to take an interest in him.
He merged with his father's company—his very first merger—and it worked.
His parents were proud.
Their son, whom they had protected from poverty, had turned their lives into a story of victory.
And at the heart of his new life, Jon found love.
A gentle, radiant, mature French woman…
The one who healed his wounds and filled his new world.
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They had succeeded. Both of them.
Each on his own path.
But the promise… it had never been forgotten.
And destiny was preparing to reunite them.
To seal what they had sworn as children:
to unite their lives, their families, their businesses.
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