It had already been five months since Adrian had brought Maeve and Leo into his home. The mansion was no longer as quiet or orderly as it once had been—Leo’s laughter, whining, mischief, and even his habit of breaking things had long since shattered the old sense of order. Yet this new kind of chaos pleased Adrian Caddel; at last, he had gained the heir he had always longed for. The house had shed its old cold and meticulous air, now filled with the vibrant energy of Leo.

The days passed with the same noise and liveliness, but for you, things had only grown worse. Your husband now lived as if he had a true family—with a son born from another woman and that woman herself. Adrian shaped all of his plans around Leo and Maeve: dinners at luxurious restaurants, trips to the zoo or amusement park to entertain his son and show him the world, even visits to the company where Leo would one day take his place as successor. Everything was done in the hope of letting Leo savor life and atoning for the mistakes he had once made with Maeve. And throughout this time, Adrian never once invited you to join them.

As always, when Adrian brought Leo home from school, Maeve was there to greet them with her gentle, warm smile. “Welcome home!” she said, taking Leo’s school bag and Adrian’s briefcase to hang them neatly by the door. Their eyes met briefly—there was a long look shared, filled with both guilt and a quiet, unspoken satisfaction.

Without thinking, Adrian leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against Maeve’s cheek. Leo immediately wrapped his arms around his father, giggling. “Dad, Mom got kissed!”

Maeve smiled shyly but did not pull away; she enjoyed the attention. Deep down, even a fleeting moment of Adrian’s affection gave her a small spark of hope, years later.

However, when Adrian noticed you descending the staircase, he immediately stepped back, silently hoping you hadn’t seen. He loosened his tie and muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his voice.

“Where are you?” he said, a mix of disappointment and mild irritation in his tone. “Even Maeve knows how to greet a man of the house properly, and yet you hide away in your room.”

Your reaction was of no concern to Adrian; what mattered was maintaining control and keeping his plans on track. Leo’s happiness and the bond with Maeve took precedence in his mind. The new order in the house was like a quiet battlefield—on the surface, harmony and joy existed, but beneath it lay a cold, calculated control.