Vincent is back

Zach stepped into the mansion, feeling the warmth of home after his eventful trip to the construction site. He barely had time to take off his coat when a loud, excited voice echoed through the halls.

"Dad is home!"

Miya's high-pitched shout startled him. His heart skipped a beat, and his eyes widened. Father is back? Without thinking, he bolted toward Vincent's room, his feet barely touching the ground as he sprinted down the corridors. Servants stepped aside, watching the young master rush past them with a look of excitement and relief.

As soon as he reached the door, he flung it open without hesitation. His father, Vincent Ravennest, stood there, still in his travel clothes, with a calm yet exhausted expression. The moment their eyes met, something deep inside Zach stirred memories, emotions, an unfamiliar yet familiar warmth that belonged to the original Zach.

"Father!" Zach called out, his voice breaking slightly.

Vincent barely had time to react before Zach launched himself forward, wrapping his arms tightly around him. The embrace was unexpected, but Vincent's body instinctively moved, pulling his son closer. For a moment, there were no words only the sound of breathing and the quiet warmth of family.

Zach's emotions swirled within him. The remnants of the past Zach's memories, the loneliness he must have felt while his father was gone, and his own relief blended together. He couldn't tell if he was reacting as the Zach of the past or the Zach of the present, but in the end, did it matter?

"You arehome," Zach murmured.

Vincent gently patted his son's head. "I am. I heard you've been causing quite the commotion while I was away."

Zach let out a small chuckle. "You could say that. But more importantly... now that you're back, Mother can finally rest."

Vincent's expression softened at those words. He knew better than anyone how much Vivian had been carrying on her shoulders in his absence. He glanced past Zach, catching sight of Miya standing by the door, pouting with her arms crossed.

"Hmph! No fair, Zach! You ran ahead without me!" she huffed.

Zach turned and extended a hand toward her. Miya rushed forward, squeezing into their hug. Vincent let out a low chuckle as he embraced both of his children.

"I see both of you missed me quite a lot."

Zach tightened his grip slightly. "A lot happened while you were gone."

Vincent hummed. "I expected as much. We'll talk later after I properly rest. But for now, just let me enjoy this moment."

Zach nodded against his father's shoulder. For the first time in a long while, he felt that everything would be fine.

The dining hall of the Ravennest mansion was filled with the warm, golden glow of candlelight. The aroma of freshly prepared dishes wafted through the air, setting a comforting atmosphere that made Zach feel even more at home. It had been a long day, and now, seated with his family, he could finally let himself relax.

Vincent sat at the head of the table, his sharp eyes softened by the joy of being back with his family. Across from him, Vivian gently sipped her tea, her usual composed demeanor slightly relaxed. Miya, on the other hand, was practically bouncing in her seat, her small hands gripping the edge of the table as she eagerly awaited the start of the meal.

Zach chuckled, shaking his head at his little sister's antics. She had been sulking ever since Vincent left, and now that he was finally back, it was as if her energy had been restored tenfold.

Vincent smirked and leaned forward. "I heard you've been a little troublemaker while I was away, Miya."

Miya gasped dramatically, shaking her head. "I wasn't! I was good!"

Vivian set her teacup down and sighed. "Really? Then who was the one throwing a tantrum just because Zach left for his little trip?"

Miya's face turned red, her cheeks puffing up in frustration. "That's not fair! Big brother was gone for so long!"

Zach watched the exchange with amusement, feeling a little guilty but mostly touched. Miya had always been attached to him, and her reaction to his absence only reinforced that bond.

Vincent chuckled. "A crybaby and naughty. Miya, that's quite the reputation you're building."

Miya crossed her arms and pouted. "I'm not a crybaby…"

Zach decided to jump in before his sister exploded from embarrassment. "Come on, Dad. You're teasing her too much."

Vincent leaned back in his chair, grinning. "I can't help it. It's been a while since I got to tease her."

Vivian chuckled softly. "I'd say she deserves it. She clung to Zach's leg for hours before he left."

Zach groaned. "Please don't remind me. It was the second hardest thing I had to do."

Vincent raised a brow. "Second? What was the first?"

"Convincing Mom to let me go," Zach said, shooting a glance at Vivian.

Vivian merely smiled. "And you should be grateful I even allowed it."

Before Zach could respond, the servants began bringing in the food. Plates of roasted meat, fresh vegetables, warm bread, and thick stew filled the table. The sight made Zach's stomach grumble. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now.

As they began eating, Vincent turned to Zach and Miya. "So, how's your studying going? You two keeping up with your lessons?"

Miya immediately sat up straight, eager to answer. "I can read a whole page now without stopping!" she declared proudly.

Vincent raised a brow in mock surprise. "A whole page? That's impressive."

Miya nodded enthusiastically. "And I can write my name and some other words too! I practice every day!"

Vivian smirked. "Only because you want to show off to Zach."

Miya huffed. "No! It's because I want to be smart, like big brother!"

Zach smiled, reaching over to pat Miya's head. "That's a good goal."

Vincent chuckled, watching their interaction. "Zach, what about you? Learning anything new?"

Zach shrugged. "Mostly reinforcing what I already know. Though today's trip was pretty educational."

Vivian looked at him curiously. "Oh?"

"The construction site was impressive. Seeing how everyone was working together, from the experienced laborers to the refugees… it was different from what I expected." Zach's voice took on a thoughtful tone.

Vivian and Vincent exchanged a brief glance, but they didn't press him further. Instead, Vincent smirked. "Sounds like you're getting a taste of what it's like to be a proper lord."

Zach let out a small laugh. "I guess so."

Vincent leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Looking at you now, I'd say you'll make a fine lord in the future."

Zach met his father's gaze, his expression turning serious. "I will."

There was a moment of silence before Vincent nodded, clearly pleased with his son's conviction.

The rest of the dinner continued with lighthearted chatter, avoiding any discussions of work or responsibilities. It was a rare moment of peace for the Ravennest family, a time to simply enjoy each other's presence without the weight of their duties hanging over them.

As the meal wrapped up, Zach found himself growing increasingly drowsy. The exhaustion from his trip was finally catching up to him, and his eyelids felt heavier with each passing moment.

Vincent noticed and let out a chuckle. "Looks like our young lord is ready to pass out."

Zach blinked, trying to shake off the sleepiness. "I'm fine…"

Miya giggled. "You look like you'll fall asleep right at the table."

Vivian smiled gently. "You've had a long day, Zach. Go get some rest."

Zach hesitated, not wanting to leave the warm atmosphere of the dinner, but his body was betraying him. He let out a sigh and pushed his chair back. "Alright… Goodnight, everyone."

Vincent smirked. "Sleep well, future lord."

Miya waved enthusiastically. "Goodnight, big brother!"

Vivian simply nodded. "Rest well, Zach."

With a tired but content smile, Zach made his way out of the dining hall. As he walked through the quiet corridors of the mansion, he couldn't help but feel grateful. No matter how exhausting the day had been, moments like this made it all worth it.

At the same time

The assassin lurked in the shadows of Zach's room, his breath steady, his grip firm on the dagger meant to end the young lord's life. His mission was clear: eliminate the target and leave behind a letter implicating Frosthold, shifting the blame away from those truly responsible.

He had been trained for this since childhood. Unlike the previous failed attempts, there would be no mistakes this time. His hand tightened around the hilt of his blade as he listened for approaching footsteps. The door creaked open

But before he could even react, a cold sensation wrapped around his throat. A steel grip seized him from the darkness, yanking him back into the void. His body refused to obey; his limbs went numb. The last thing he saw was a pair of piercing eyes in the gloom before everything faded to black.

Outside, Zach entered his room, completely unaware of what had just transpired. He closed the door behind him, stretched his arms, and flopped onto his bed, exhausted from the long day.

Somewhere beyond his knowledge, Sebastian silently dragged away the unconscious body, his work already done.