Chapter One

AVA

I stepped off the private jet and stopped without meaning to.

A line of black cars waited on the tarmac. Three of them. All shiny and expensive. Men in dark suits stood beside the doors, already waiting for me.

I let out a slow breath and smiled bitterly to myself. I didn’t know why I expected anything different.

Six years away, and part of me still hoped someone would come for me. Seraphina, Alaric. Maybe even Lucien. Just one familiar face to say welcome home.

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and walked closer.

One of the men nodded politely.

“Welcome back, Miss Elara.”

Not Miss Hale.

My smile faltered for a second, but I nodded anyway. “Thank you.”

Another guard opened the door of the car in the middle. It was a Rolls-Royce. I paused for a moment, my eyes tracing the smooth lines. I had always liked cars.

Still, it didn’t make me feel any better.

I slid into the back seat, and the door closed behind me. The car moved almost immediately.

As the road stretched out ahead, I pulled out my phone. If I didn’t call my best friend, Stacy now, she would definitely complain later.

The call connected quickly.

“You've landed?” she said.

“I just did.” I responded.

"Finally. I was starting to think something happened.” She exhaled.

“So,” she continued, “have you seen your grumpy brother yet?”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

“No,” I said. “I wouldn’t expect him to leave work just to come get me.”

Stacy scoffed. “That man is unbelievable. What kind of brother doesn’t even check on his sister? All he does is send random gifts like that makes up for everything.”

I laughed softly, trying to act normal.

“He’s always been like that,” I said. “You know how busy he is.”

“Girl, I know he’s running the country’s top company and all that,” she said, “but that’s not an excuse.”

I could already imagine her rolling her eyes.

I looked out the window as the city blurred past. “It’s fine, Stacy. I’ll call you later,” I said. “Say hi to Mark for me.”

“I will,” she replied. “And Ava… take care of yourself, okay?”

"I will.”

I ended the call just as tall iron gates came into view.

The Hale estate.

The gates opened slowly, and the car drove in. The grounds looked wider than I remembered. The main house appeared ahead, large and white. Somehow, it looked even bigger than it used to.

I should have felt happy.

Instead, that familiar feeling settled in my chest, reminding me that I was stepping back into a place where I had never quite belonged.

The car stopped at the front steps.

Seraphina Hale, my mother, stood waiting. She looked elegant as ever, dressed simply but in a way that made everything else look less important. Ria, the housekeeper, stood beside her, older now but ever smiling. A few maids stood respectfully behind them.

The door opened, and I stepped out.

Seraphina walked toward me immediately and pulled me into a hug.

“It’s good to see you, darling.”

“It’s good to see you too,” I said, hugging her back.

Ria smiled brightly.

“Look at you,” she said. “You’ve grown into such a fine woman.”

Seraphina nodded. “You really have.”

I smiled politely. I never knew what to say when people talked about my looks. I didn’t think much about it.

We went inside.

The house smelled the same, clean and expensive. Many things had changed, but some of it looked exactly the way I remembered.

Across the room, Alaric, my father, sat reading the newspaper. He looked up when he noticed me.

“Ava, dear,” he said with a small smile. “Welcome home. How was your journey?”

“It was fine,” I replied.

“Congratulations again on your graduation,” he added.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling.

He nodded and returned to his paper.

My eyes moved around the room without me meaning to.

Seraphina noticed.

“Are you looking for Lucien?”

I turned quickly. “No. I’m not.”

She smiled gently, like she didn’t quite believe me.

“He’ll be visiting this evening.”

My heart skipped, then started beating faster.

I nodded, pretending it didn’t matter.

“Go wash up,” she said. “We’ll eat soon.”

I nodded and went upstairs.

When I opened the door to my room, I stopped.

Nothing had changed.

The bed, fhe curtains, even the chair by the window. It felt like the room had been waiting for me, untouched, while my life happened somewhere else.

I walked over to the dresser. Photos sat neatly on top. My friends from high school and memories I barely remembered now.

Then I saw one picture and picked it up.

It was me and Lucien.

I was smiling so widely, almost laughing. Lucien stood beside me, taller even then, his expression bored and clearly annoyed.

I remembered that day.

Seraphina had forced us to take the picture together. It was my sixteenth birthday. The next morning, I was on a plane, sent on my way to London.

That was the last photo of us together. Actually, the only one.

I set the picture down and shook my head. I didn’t want to think about that now.

My luggage sat neatly by the bed. The maids had already brought everything in.

I went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water was warm, exactly what I needed. I stayed there longer than I meant to, letting the water quiet my thoughts.

When I came back out, I chose a comfortable gown from the wardrobe. It had a soft floral pattern and stopped a little above my knees.

I slipped it on and stood in front of the mirror.

I had grown. My body had filled out naturally, curvy where it hadn’t been before. My skin was clear. My hair fell down my back in loose waves, long enough to reach my waist.

Stacy had told me more than once that I should try modelling for a skincare brand. I always said no. I strongly dislike attention.

I smoothed my hair and turned toward the door.

As I was about to turn the door knob, I heard a car park at the entrance.

Lucien was here.