Chapter 19: Life...

In the grand yet quiet dining room, the warmth of their embrace still lingered in the air. Rossa had stopped crying, but traces of tears still dampened her cheeks. They now sat across from each other at the large dining table—a mahogany chasm that separated ten lost years. Nelson had promptly served warm jasmine tea to soothe them both.

"I still can't believe it," Rossa whispered, staring at Clive as if he might vanish at any moment. "Every single day for ten years, I kept wondering. Where are you? Are you safe? Are you... still alive?"

Rossa poured out the pain that she and her family had endured. The deaths of Jonathan and Sierra weren't only Clive's tragedy, but theirs as well. She recalled how close their two families had once been—not just business partners, but like one big family. She remembered how Uncle Jonathan taught her how to hold a wooden sword for the first time, while her father had taught Clive how to ride a horse. "They always said we were a team," she recalled with a bittersweet smile. The fall of the Zenith family had dealt a heavy blow to the White family—not just economically, but emotionally, tearing apart the deep bond that had been built over decades.

"Clive, when exactly did you return to this house?" Rossa asked, her voice calmer now.

"I arrived just yesterday afternoon," Clive replied. "It was a long journey. Three days and two nights from the Province of Nordia to finally reach Rose Valley."

"Nordia?!" Rossa gasped. "My father sent all his best men across the entire kingdom—including every corner of Nordia. Our search teams scoured every city and village there. I don't understand how they couldn't find you."

"Probably because I wasn't in a city or village," Clive explained. "I was at the Heavenly Temple, deep in the heart of Makaoka Forest. It took me a full day of nonstop walking just to reach the nearest village—Ondula."

"How did you even end up in a place that remote, Clive?"

Clive looked down at his steaming tea. "I don't know exactly. The last thing I remember is Mother pushing me into a portal. It felt like falling into a bottomless, cold, dark hole. When I came to, I was lying near a riverbank, freezing and terrified. That's when Brother Wing Shao found me." He smiled faintly. "They were good people, Rossa. Grandpa Yuan and Brother Wing. They saved me, cared for me, raised me. One day, I swear I'll return to them… bearing victory."

"I'm grateful to them for taking care of you," Rossa said sincerely, her eyes misting again. "But why didn't you try to come back sooner, Clive? We were all so worried."

Clive set his teacup down. His gaze turned serious. "I was only thirteen then, Rossa. I was alone and scared. I didn't have any strength to fight anyone—not even the wild boars in Makaoka Forest." He looked straight into her eyes. "Coming back then would've been a suicide mission. I'd have been captured and met the same fate as my parents. That's why I made a choice. I chose to stay, to forget who I was, and to train every day until I became strong enough to reclaim everything."

Rossa looked at him, now with a deep understanding. She reached across the table and took Clive's hand in hers. "It must've been so hard… going through all that alone. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Clive said gently. "I'm back now."

"Yes," Rossa replied, her eyes now shining with resolve. "You're back. And I'm guessing… you haven't visited them yet, have you?"

Clive understood what she meant. "Not yet."

"Come," Rossa said, standing. "Let me take you to Uncle and Aunt Zenith's graves. It's time you said hello."

Clive smiled and nodded. A weight lifted from his shoulders. "Then I'll go change clothes. Please wait for me."

"Of course," Rossa said, her smile finally returning.

Clive climbed to the second floor. He passed his own bedroom and headed to the master bedroom at the end of the hall—his parents' room. He gently pushed open the heavy oak door. The air inside felt solemn and sacred. Everything was just as he remembered, kept perfectly intact by Nelson. On his mother's vanity, bottles of lily and vanilla-scented perfume still stood. Beside the bed, a stack of books his father had been reading still lay neatly arranged.

He walked to his father's wardrobe and opened it slowly. That familiar scent—tobacco mixed with expensive cologne—hit him like a wave of nostalgia, making his chest tighten. He saw rows of neatly hung suits and shirts. With slightly trembling hands, he reached out and touched the fabric of a black shirt his father often wore during important meetings. He took it, along with matching trousers and polished leather shoes.

He changed clothes in the silence of that sacred room, staring at his reflection in the large mirror. The outfit fit well—just a little loose at the shoulders, as if giving him space to grow. But what he saw in the mirror wasn't just himself. He saw an echo of his father.

As he descended the stairs, Rossa, who was waiting in the main lobby, turned—and froze.

Her heart pounded. The man coming down the stairs... he was no longer the Clive she had known. Not the boy she had cried into just moments ago. This figure… this aura… this was Uncle Jonathan reborn. His upright posture, the way he looked straight ahead with his chin slightly raised, that calm yet commanding charisma. But there was something different in his eyes—something sharper, colder, and far more dangerous. As if the light of his father's past had now blended with the dark shadows of his own experiences.

"Rossa, let's go," Clive said, his voice deeper and heavier as he donned his father's legacy.

Rossa snapped out of her daze. "Ah… yes, you're ready, Clive? Then let's go. My driver is waiting outside."

Nelson approached them, equally stunned by Clive's appearance. "Young Master… is that Master Jonathan's outfit?"

"Yes, it was Father's," Clive replied. "I didn't bring a change of clothes. But it fits… slightly big, but that's good. I can move more freely."

"Where are you headed, Young Master? Would you like me to accompany you?" Nelson asked respectfully.

Rossa interrupted with a confident smile. "Clive and I are going to Uncle and Aunt Zenith's grave. After that, I plan to take him for a little walk. Mr. Valdez, please stay home. I'll take good care of Clive. Don't worry," she added with a small laugh. "I'm strong, you know."

Nelson looked at Rossa, then turned to Clive, who now looked like a reflection of his former master. He gave a deep bow.

"Very well, Miss White. Please look after our Young Master with all your heart. I entrust him to you."