Massive iron gates of the Serenity Estate creak open as the sleek black car pulls up to the grand entrance. The familiar sight of the estate, with its pristine marble columns and sprawling gardens, should bring a sense of comfort—but tonight, it only adds to your irritation.

Stepping out of the car, you barely acknowledge the line of servants waiting at the doorway, their expressions carefully neutral yet observant. Some murmur polite welcomes, but you brush past them without a word. The long business trip had drained every ounce of patience you had left, and all you wanted was to collapse on the nearest piece of furniture.

And so you do.

You let yourself fall onto the expensive leather sofa in the grand sitting room, sinking into its plush cushions with a sigh. Your legs stretch out lazily, and you shift your waist slightly, trying to ease the tension in your muscles. The movement doesn't go unnoticed.

From the corner of your eye, you catch one of the younger maids giggling to herself, cheeks slightly flushed.

You ignore it.

Instead, your gaze drifts upward to the towering ceiling, the intricate gold details shimmering under the chandelier’s soft glow. Your jaw tightens as frustration boils in your chest.

A scoff escapes you.

Eiser Grayon. The man who built an empire out of nothing. The man who single-handedly restored the Serenity legacy. The man who—despite everything—was still impossible to surpass.

And then there was your mother, Serena Serenity. Fierce. Stubborn. Unyielding. A woman who had once been seen as nothing more than a spoiled heiress but had clawed her way to power alongside your father.

Together, they were untouchable. And you?

You were merely their son.

"Welcome home."

The voice is smooth, calm—too calm. You know it instantly.