9

Chapter Nine

I couldn't take it anymore! I turned to the driver and shouted in frustration:

— Stop! I want to get out of this car right now!

But Elias, who sat beside me with a face as rigid as a marble statue, merely ordered the driver in a commanding tone:

— Keep driving to the mansion.

I stared at him in disbelief and yelled angrily:

— Who do you think you are? You can't drag me through the streets like a sack of potatoes! I'll tell my father!

But no… no response, no apology, not even a glance of disdain. As if I were just background noise unworthy of his attention! I tried to open the door, but it was locked tight. Damn it, is this a kidnapping mission?!

We finally arrived at the mansion. The car stopped, and the night had already spread its curtains. Before I could process what was happening, Elias stepped out, opened my door, and grabbed my wrist firmly, dragging me behind him like a stubborn child refusing to go to school!

— Let go of me!

— Behave rationally, Arwa.

Rationally?! What kind of logic permits this?! I tried to seek support from the servants, glancing at them pleadingly, but… ah, those traitors! They simply watched us indifferently, as if we were a free drama scene for their entertainment.

Once we entered the mansion, his voice thundered through the halls:

— Where is the Duchess?

Wait… the Duchess? This insolent man barging into my house like this? A servant answered respectfully:

— She's in the dining room, sir.

Sir?! Who the hell is this man?!

He dragged me forward forcefully. There was no escape, as if I had fallen into a trap with no way out. We entered the dining room, and there, my mother was sitting quietly, having dinner as if nothing had happened. The moment she saw Elias, her face lit up with joy. She jumped from her seat and rushed to him.

— My son! When did you return? Why didn't you send a message so we could prepare the mansion for your arrival?

Then, she embraced him tenderly!

I froze in place. Everything felt like a scene from a novel I had never read before. I turned to my mother in shock:

— Mom… who is this?

She looked at me as if I had asked a foolish question, then smiled gently:

— My dear, he's your older brother… Elias.

…

Wait a moment. Just one moment! Did I hear that correctly, or are my ears deceiving me? This arrogant man… is my brother?!

I turned to look at him slowly, scanning him from head to toe… searching for any resemblance between us, but nothing! I was sure I wasn't kidnapped at birth! This man… he's the same one who dragged me out of the restaurant so humiliatingly, the one who insulted Mr. Ripent for no reason?!

I tried to regain my composure, steadied myself, then said coldly:

— Welcome back, dear brother.

I turned immediately and left the room. I couldn't stay there another second; the amount of humiliation I had endured tonight was enough to last a whole week.

As I walked down the long corridor, my thoughts began to race…

Elias de Valeska… that name wasn't unfamiliar. He was… the male lead in this novel! The one who married the heroine, Inas!

So… if this was reality, that meant the novel had ended. But he was still here… and he had two children now. Oh, I remembered! Their names were Sylvester and Silter.

Well, at least the story was over, and I wouldn't have to deal with—

— Arwa, stop right there.

I froze in place. No, no, no, that voice did not sound promising. I turned around slowly, and before I could utter a word, I suddenly found myself in his arms.

…Wait?! What is happening?!

Elias, the same man who dragged me like a sack of potatoes earlier, was hugging me now?!

— I'm sorry, little sister…

I lifted my head and looked at him in shock. Did he really say "I'm sorry"? Did I hear that correctly? Had I entered a parallel dimension?

— I've been keeping up with your condition through Father, but no one told me you had woken up… I'm glad you're okay.

My shock faded for a moment, then I felt something strange… Was that… concern? Was this cold-hearted man actually worried about me?

I looked up at him and smiled faintly.

— It's okay, I'm strong.

For the first time, I felt that maybe… just maybe… the story wasn't over yet. There was still more to come, and I was still a part of it.

—

When Elias opened the suite's door, I wasn't expecting to face a small army of polished aristocratic charm.

Before I could even process anything, two children shot toward us like bullets aimed straight at their father's heart.

The first—a boy with eerily familiar features. Frosty eyes reflecting a coldness that didn't quite match the warmth of his smile, and jet-black hair shining under the soft lighting. He looked like a miniature version of Elias, with creamy white skin and sharp features… but in an irresistibly childlike way.

The other was his complete opposite—a cottony soft creature with rosy cheeks and icy blue eyes, but with light brown hair that gave him a dreamy touch. He looked like a luxurious doll crafted to be caressed gently by time.

I stopped staring when I noticed their clothes.

Oh my God… these children walked straight out of an aristocratic catalog from a bygone century!

The first, Sylvester, wore a navy-blue suit made of soft wool blended with silk. He looked like a little duke, with his white silk socks and polished black leather shoes. The golden buttons on his jacket gleamed, as if announcing: "Bow down, world, the prince is coming!"

As for the younger one, Silter, he resembled a tiny angel sculpted to melt hearts. A dark velvet suit adorned with delicate lace at the sleeves and a collar embroidered with golden threads—he looked like a lost prince from a fairy tale. He was so adorable that I had an overwhelming urge to pinch his cheeks… but I resisted. Barely.

Sylvester stood in front of me, exuding a confidence far beyond his seven years. He extended his hand like a businessman about to close a million-dollar deal.

— How do you do, Aunt?

His formal tone made me feel like I was suddenly in a grand palace, under the scrutinizing eyes of a noble court awaiting my response.

I froze for a second before bursting into laughter and pulling him into an unexpected hug, shattering his serious facade instantly.

— Oh, my dear! You are the most adorable little thing I've ever seen!

I felt his body stiffen for a moment, then his face turned red with embarrassment. But he quickly regained his composure and said, with a politeness that could put adults to shame:

— And you are very beautiful, Aunt.

I laughed, unable to resist picking up Silter as well. He was like a shy little puppy, clinging to me as if I were his guardian angel.

— And you, little one, what's your name? I asked gently, but he didn't reply. He just gazed at me with wide eyes… as if he were seeing an angel, not an aunt.

At that moment, a young woman stepped forward. She wore a simple blush-pink dress, with a skirt reaching her ankles, her hair neatly tied back like a proper lady of society.

— His name is Silter, she said softly.

— That's a lovely name… and you? I asked, lowering Silter gently.

She extended her hand for a handshake, but without thinking, I pulled her into a quick hug, making her freeze in shock.

— I'm Arwa, Elias's little sister! I said cheerfully while she was still processing the moment.

— O-Oh… O-okay… she stammered, smiling nervously, which made me laugh even more.

— Well, this is the first time I'm meeting my brother's wife.

She smiled softly and said, — You were sick all this time, and we never had the chance to get to know each other. But… Elias always talks about you.

I paused, watching the small family in front of me—Elias, his wife, and his children. They looked like a scene from a romantic movie, a perfect family that didn't seem to belong to this chaotic world.

I felt a strange pull in my heart.

Oh God… The protagonists of Arwa's story were living their happy ending… and here I was, watching the tale unfold.