2

“After four years, we're finally back here,” said a tall man in formal attire. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, extending his hand to a woman in a maroon dress that hugged her curves.

“Yes, this is what I've been waiting for all this time,” replied the woman in the elegant maroon dress, placing her hand on the man's with a graceful smile. They both stepped inside as the mansion's guard opened the door. The family members gathered at the dining table stared at the two of them with different expressions in the silent stillness. The servants bowed their heads as the two walked past them at the doorway. The man hugged the woman's waist tightly beside him as if she were a precious object.

A woman with her hair neatly tied up in a bun stared intently at the couple like an alligator about to strike its prey, especially the woman in the maroon dress. “You?” 

The man in the neat clothes was just as shocked by what he saw there. He stared at the woman in the red dress as if he couldn't believe his eyes. “Avery?”

The old woman with the bun approached with an expression of disbelief. “What do you mean?” she asked, holding back her anger.

The old man turned to the old woman with a slight smile. “Why are you so angry? Shouldn't you welcome your husband's return warmly after I've been living abroad for years?” he asked.

The old woman pointed at the woman in the maroon dress. “Why did you brought this woman?” she asked.

The man brushed away the old woman's hand that was pointing at the woman beside him. “Keep your hands off my wife,” he said, shocking everyone there.

It felt like being hit by a hard rock. It hurt so much to hear her husband say that so casually in front of her. “What do you mean? Answer me, Leonard!” ordered the old woman.

Leonard turned to the woman beside him with an adoring smile that hurt the old woman so much. “Let me introduce you, Avery Diana Devon. My new wife and the new mistress of this house,” exclaimed the man, making everyone’s jaws drop.

The old woman stepped forward to face Leonard with sharp, glaring eyes. “Are you kidding? You married this woman behind my back?” she asked, still unable to believe what her husband had just said so bluntly. She hoped this was just a dream.

Leonard nodded. “I mean what I say.”

The old woman exhaled roughly and walked forward toward Avery, her hand raised in the air. “You cheap slut!” she cursed, but her hand stopped in midair.

Leonard held the woman's hand with a strong grip, making her wince, while Avery stared at the woman with a victorious smile on her lips, which made the woman even more furious. “You're smiling proudly when my husband defended you?” she asked with a stifled growl. She pulled her hand from Leonard's grip and turned to stare at Leonard with teary eyes. “Why did you marry your son's ex-wife? She betrayed Maxim and hurt me,” she said, gripping Leonard's hands tightly with her eyes narrowed.

“So?” Leonard responded flatly.

“You betrayed me, Leonard!” the woman snapped.

“Lower your voice, Sophie,” Leonard warned, grabbing Avery's arm and holding it tightly. Each of their fingers was adorned with matching wedding rings that looked expensive and elegant, which of course made Sophie even angrier. “We'd better go to bed. The atmosphere in this room is making me even more tired,” he suggested.

Avery nodded in agreement, and the two of them turned and left the dinner room, which was supposed to be filled with a warm welcome. Sophie screamed in frustration and threw the items on the table near her. “Aaaaakh!” Sophie screamed in frustration.

Maxim immediately approached his mother, who was throwing a tantrum. “Mom, calm down,” he pleaded, holding Sophie's body to prevent her from destroying the items around her.

Sophie's face was wet with tears falling from her red eyes, full of anger and disappointment. “How can you be patient?! Your father remarried that woman!” 

“I know, Mom. At least calm down first. Destroying things isn't the right way to vent your emotions. It won't change anything,” he said softly so his mother could understand amid her emotions. He turned to a woman in the corner of the room who had been silently watching their argument. “Olivia, take the children to their room,” he asked.

Olivia nodded, and with the help of her nanny, she took her young son and daughter out of the room. Now only Maxim and Sophie remained, both still harboring anger in their hearts.

“I can't stop thinking about what's going through your father's mind right now,” Sophie stared straight ahead with red, swollen eyes.

“I think something's wrong. Could it be that Avery has been targeting Dad from the beginning?” Maxim guessed.

Sophie shook her head vigorously. “Whatever it is, I won't let that woman be with my husband,” she said. She walked away with hurried steps. 

Maxim followed Sophie, “Wait, Mom, don't do something you'll regret.”

Sophie ignored Maxim's call from behind her. She continued walking quickly, taking the elevator to the upper floor, leaving Maxim behind. She walked towards an ornate, luxurious door and took an iron key from a servant. She inserted the key into the keyhole, but the door would not open. “Stevan! What is this?” Sophie asked, pulling the key out of the lock and throwing it roughly in any direction, causing it to clatter loudly.

Stevan, the head butler of the house, bowed his head in fear. “I'm sorry, ma'am. Mr. Leonard changed the locks on his room a few days before his return,” he said.

Sophie raised her palm in the air. “Give me the new key to this room.”

Stevan bowed his head even lower, fear evident on his face. “I'm sorry, ma'am. The master forbids you from having the key to this room.” 

Sophie slapped Stevan across the face, leaving him with a stinging sensation on his skin. “Just give it to me! I'm the mistress of this house, or you're fired!” she snapped. 

The click of the door opening was heard until the door behind Sophie opened from the inside by Avery, who stared in surprise at Sophie. “How rude. No wonder Mr. Leonard wants to replace you,” Avery said with an innocent look on her face.

Sophie glared sharply at Avery. “You bitch!” she screamed, suddenly pulling Avery's hair, causing the woman to almost fall forward.

Avery didn't stay silent; she pulled the woman's hair back even harder than Sophie could. Footsteps were heard from inside the room heading toward the door, where Leonard stood in the doorway wearing a bathrobe, “What's going on here?”