23

The dining hall was lavish, with a long mahogany table that gleamed under the soft glow of a crystal chandelier. Kairan and Serin sat side by side, their dynamic an odd mix of quiet strength and calm confidence. Across from them sat Eda, her sharp features twisted into a smug expression, while Iskendar occupied the head of the table, radiating authority. Minju was on Kairan's other side, her warmth and kindness a stark contrast to the icy tension filling the room.

Dinner started quietly enough, with Minju serving dishes and complimenting Serin on her grace. Kairan's hand brushed Serin's under the table, grounding himself in her presence as his aunt began her predictable antics.

"So" Eda drawled, swirling her wine glass lazily. "How long do you think this little fairy tale will last? Surely not long, considering Kairan's... unique nature."

Serin smiled sweetly, her expression unbothered. "Fairy tales often have happy endings, don't they? Though I suppose you wouldn't know much about that."

Kairan smirked, his amusement flickering briefly across his face. Eda's eyes narrowed, but she didn't stop.

"You've chosen a difficult path, dear" Eda continued, leaning forward as if to impart wisdom. "Loving someone like Kairan... It's bound to end in disappointment. He's... tainted, after all."

Serin's fork clinked softly against her plate as she looked up, her expression still sweet but her words barbed. "I believe taint is more a matter of perspective, isn't it? Some of us might even call it projection."

Kairan chuckled, earning a glare from Eda.

The evening wore on with Eda's incessant remarks filling the air, but Serin countered each one with a sharp yet polite response that left the older woman fuming.

But when Eda's comments turned to Kairan, the mood darkened. "It's amazing you're even here at this table, Kairan. A beast pretending to be a man. Does it bother you, Serin? Knowing the person you're with is the same child who tore my daughter apart?"

Hyejin opened her mouth to speak, but Iskendar's sharp voice cut through the room. "Quiet, hyejin." His eyes locked on her, and she looked down, visibly suppressing her frustration.

Eda smirked, emboldened. "You're a curse, Kairan. A monster who—"

The moment stretched thin like a thread about to snap. Eda's voice, shrill and laden with venom, echoed across the table. Each word was a dagger aimed at Kairan's heart, but before the final blade could strike, Serin moved.

Her fork stilled midair, her hand steady, and her eyes.....her Eyes. The warm brown that Kairan adored melted away like dusk yielding to twilight. In its place, a silver gleam erupted, cold as starlight and just as untouchable. The air shifted, heavy with something ancient and unyielding.

Eda's words faltered, her voice cutting off mid-sentence. She blinked, her hand flying to her throat as she tried to speak again. Nothing. Not a whisper, not a gasp, just an oppressive silence where her cutting words once reigned.

Panic set in, wild and unrelenting. Eda clawed at her neck, her nails leaving angry red marks against her skin. She tapped the table frantically, her eyes darting around the room, seeking help but finding none.

The staff rushed to her side, but she shoved them away, her breaths coming in short, frantic gasps. Her wide eyes finally locked on Serin, and her face paled. Whatever she saw there....something powerful, something otherworldly,made her recoil in pure terror.

Serin, on the other hand, was the picture of calm. She tilted her head slightly, as if observing a curious but unimportant phenomenon. Her silvered gaze lingered on Eda for a fraction of a second longer before she turned her attention back to her plate.

"The soup is really good eomma" Serin said softly, her voice steady and unbothered, as though nothing had just happened. She glanced at hyejin, her tone sweet. "You must teach me your recipe."

Hyejin's fork clattered against her plate, her face a mixture of awe and bewilderment. She nodded stiffly, her words failing her for a moment before she finally whispered, "Of course."

Eda's silent screams filled the room as she continued to claw at her throat, her wide eyes never leaving Serin. The chandelier above seemed dimmer, the shadows in the corners of the room deeper, as though the air itself bent to Serin's quiet wrath.

Kairan leaned back in his chair, his lips quirking up into the faintest of smirks. He reached out and placed a hand over Serin's, grounding her in a way only he could. She looked at him then, her silver gaze softening, returning to its familiar warm brown.

At the head of the table, Iskendar shot to his feet, his fists slamming down onto the table with enough force to rattle the silverware. "What have you done?" he roared, his voice thick with the commanding pheromones of an alpha. The air grew heavy, oppressive, but Serin didn't so much as flinch.

"You're a monster too!" Iskendar spat, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Just like him! Cursed—"

Before he could finish, Kairan's fist came down on the table with a deafening crack, splitting the heavy wood clean in two. Plates and glasses toppled, shattering against the floor. The room fell deathly silent.

"Yeter!" Kairan barked, his voice thunderous, his words searing through the room like a blade. Enough!

He stood slowly, his presence a storm barely contained. His amber eyes blazed as he glared at his father. "I will not hear you insult Serin or me again. The silence in this house is punishment enough for her!"

Serin gave a soft hum of approval, as though Kairan had just agreed with her choice of dessert. She leaned closer to Kairan, her hand brushing his arm. "The food was truly excellent eomma" she said, her tone pleasant and conversational. "Thank you for having us."

Eda's silent terror continued as her hands fell limp against the table. Her mouth moved, forming words that no one could hear.

Iskendar seethed, his rage barely contained, but he was at a loss for words. For the first time, the great Iskendar Karassu found himself utterly powerless.

Hyejin on the other hand, stood tall, her eyes flickering between Serin and Kairan with a strange mixture of pride and sorrow. She finally spoke, her voice firm but kind. "I think this concludes our dinner. It's late, and everyone could use some rest."

Serin rose gracefully, her demeanor unchanged. She looked at Kairan, who offered her his arm, and together they exited the dining hall, leaving behind the fractured table, the stunned silence, and the choking weight of Eda's voiceless horror.

As Kairan and Serin left the dining hall, Hyejin quietly stood from her seat. Her calm and collected demeanor betrayed nothing of the storm brewing inside her. She adjusted her hanbok with a practiced grace, but her gaze lingered briefly on Iskendar. There was no fire in her eyes—only a profound disappointment, sharper than any anger could ever be.

"I will join them" she said softly, but her words carried weight, a quiet rebellion against the man who thought himself invincible.

Iskendar looked up sharply, his expression hardening. "Hyejin, sit down. This family matter isn't finished."

She turned to face him fully, her hands clasped in front of her. "It is for me," she replied, her tone unyielding. "You've caused enough damage for one evening, Iskendar. I won't stand by and let you hurt my son any further."

His jaw tightened, but she didn't wait for his response. She walked toward the door with a poise that spoke volumes, as though each step was a declaration of her defiance.

Eda remained frozen in her chair, her hands still clutching at her throat as her wide, tear-filled eyes followed Hyejin's retreating figure. The staff hovered nearby, too afraid to intervene.

"Hyejin!" Iskendar barked, his voice echoing in the vast dining hall.

She stopped but didn't turn around. "Do you know what it feels like, Iskendar, to see your child thrive despite the cruelty of his own blood? You might be too blind to see it, but Kairan has grown into a man you could never hope to be."

Her words struck like a whip, and for a moment, Iskendar's proud shoulders sagged, his grip on control slipping.

Minju continued walking, her steps echoing through the hallway as she caught up with Kairan and Serin.

_

_

In the dimly lit garden, Kairan stood with Serin, his hand resting lightly on her lower back. The air was cool and crisp, the night sky above them speckled with stars. Serin glanced at him, her lips curling into a faint smile. "You're quiet" she said, her voice breaking the stillness.

Kairan turned to her, his eyes softening. "I'm just... processing," he admitted.

Before Serin could reply, Hyejin appeared behind them, her steps soft against the gravel path. Both turned to face her, surprise flickering across Kairan's features.

"Mother?" he asked, his voice low, almost hesitant.

She smiled, the warmth in her expression melting away the tension that lingered. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on Kairan's cheek. "You did well, my son," she said, her voice steady and proud. "You stood up for yourself, for Serin. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

Kairan's throat tightened, but he nodded, his emotions too raw to speak.

"And you" Hyejin said, turning her gaze to Serin, "you're everything I could have hoped for him."

Serin blinked, momentarily caught off guard, before she chuckled softly. "I try."

She smile widened. "Well, you succeed."

Kairan turned to his mother. "Are you sure about this?"

Hyejin nodded. "I've been sure for a long time. I stayed because I thought I could shield you from his cruelty. But now I see that you don't need me to protect you anymore. You've found your strength, Kairan. And I've found mine."

Kairan reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Then let's go," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of finality.

Together, they walked away from the mansion, leaving Iskendar to stew in his isolation, surrounded by the walls of a home that felt more like a prison than a sanctuary.