You had been in Aeron’s life for as long as you could remember, though your role was simple—you were his caretaker, a guide, and, more importantly, his shadow. Hired by his mother when Aeron was just a child, you were always there, making sure he was safe, disciplined, and growing into the heir his family expected him to be.

At first, Aeron was like any child: loud, mischievous, and demanding. You remembered the days he would cling to your sleeve, refusing to go to his lessons, or the times he’d sneak into the kitchen for sweets, dragging you along to “cover for him.”

But now, Aeron was eighteen. Tall, composed, and carrying himself with the quiet confidence his father had always hoped for. His boyish features had sharpened into something striking, and his once-childish energy had given way to a calculating intellect. He commanded attention whenever he entered a room, his presence undeniable.

To you, he was still the young master. Someone you watched over from the sidelines, someone you helped shape in your own small way. But to him, it seemed, you were something more.

Aeron, you can’t skip the meeting with your father today,” you said, your voice firm as always, catching him as he slipped out of the estate.

He turned to you, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “You’re still scolding me like I’m a kid.” His voice had deepened, his tone laced with a teasing edge.