~ Sebastian's POV ~After dinner, I quietly left the dining room and headed to my room to retire for the night. The mansion, once eerily quiet in my parents' absence, was lively again with their return from vacation. Their presence brought energy and laughter back into the walls of this old house. But beneath the surface, tension lingered especially between Mena and me.We had lied through our teeth at dinner, pretending everything was fine between us. Smiles that didn’t quite reach our eyes. Chatter that felt rehearsed. My parents didn’t seem to notice or maybe they chose not to. Either way, I could feel Mena’s cold glances and hear the sharpness behind her forced laughter.I still couldn’t believe she took my scolding so personally. She was clearly in the wrong and yet acted like the wounded party. My intent wasn’t to embarrass her, but to correct her, she crossed the line, and she needed to know that.I slumped onto my sofa, staring up at the ceiling. The laughter and chatter from
~ Helen's POV ~The gentle hum of conversation and the occasional sound of silverware clinking against fine china filled the dining room. Warmth swirled in the air not from the food alone but from the presence of the Hartleys, gathered together like the close-knit family they were. For a moment, it felt like something from a movie, the kind where everything looks perfect from the outside.I stood by the hallway, just far enough to stay unnoticed, observing the way Mr. Hartley laughed at something his wife had said, how Mrs. Hartley gently touched his arm as she spoke, and how Sebastian, though quiet, wore a rare soft smile. There was something deeply comforting about it all. The kind of moment that wrapped around your heart and squeezed tightly and unexpectedly.It reminded me of my family.We didn’t have a mansion. We didn’t have expensive cutlery or candlelit dinners. But we had love. Real, raw, undeniable love. The kind you feel in the way your mother smooths your hair back before
~ Mena’s POV ~That bitch.That conniving, two-faced slut of a maid.Walking around this house like she owns it, swinging her hips in that ragged excuse of a dress like she’s the queen of some fairytale. Please. It’s laughable.She thinks she’s the boss? The nerve.But what pisses me off even more is my brother, Sebastian. My stiff, straight-faced, supposedly intelligent brother. He keeps defending her like she has him wrapped around her fingers. Like she’s some fragile gem he has to shield from every storm.It’s like he doesn’t see it.She’s got him bewitched. Spellbound.He looks at her like she’s made of glass and gold. The way his eyes linger when she walks into the room, the way his whole demeanor shifts when she’s near. It makes my stomach churn.And she…my gosh, she eats it up. She basks in it, like a snake soaking up sunlight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.She feels bold now because of her body. Because of those curves she shoves in everyone's face. She thinks just
~ Sebastian’s POV ~Mena is something else.She’s taken immaturity to a whole new level.Now she doesn’t greet me. Doesn’t even spare me a glance. Let alone talk to me.She walks past me like I’m invisible….like I’m not the same brother who has always had her back. Not the one who defended her all her life, even when she was wrong.It’s almost laughable.She has no clue when she’s at fault, and even when she’s clearly wrong, she acts like the victim.The way she harassed Helen that day… it still makes my blood boil.Dragging her by the arm, accusing her of things she didn’t even try to understand.Helen wasn’t doing anything wrong—nothing that deserved that level of aggression. Over a fucking shopping bag I clearly bought for Helen myself.And yet, when I stepped in, when I scolded her like the child she was behaving like, I became the bad guy.Now she’s angry. Giving me the silent treatment. Tossing glares from across the room.I’m supposed to be the one angry, not her.She left a v
~ Helen's POV ~Days passed and...Mr. and Mrs. Hartley were set to arrive this evening.The entire mansion was alive with motion. Every housekeeper was on their feet…dusting, mopping, arranging, and fine-tuning every visible corner. It felt more like preparing for a royal visitation than a simple family return. But then again, the Hartleys weren’t your average family.Lisa was in the kitchen, orchestrating the culinary chaos with the grace of a conductor leading a symphony. Multiple dishes simmered on the stove, each releasing a distinct aroma that wafted through the house. It was a feast in the making sauces stirred to perfection, roasts slowly browning in the oven, desserts being iced with precision.Mena lingered nearby.Always watching. Always observing.Today, her gaze seemed sharper, more direct as if she were trying to burn holes through my skin with her eyes alone.I felt the heat of her stare on my back as I passed by. But I didn’t shrink. I walked right past her, head held
~ Sebastian’s POV ~I left the office to eat lunch at a restaurant not too far from the building.Mike tagged along, as he usually did. I liked his company, not too talkative, not too stiff. He knew how to balance the line between assistant and sometimes a friend, and I respected that.We entered the modest but elegant spot tucked away on the quieter side of the avenue. The space was warm, modern, and filled with the soft hum of conversations and clinking cutlery. A waiter led us to a booth by the window.Mike slid into his seat, adjusting his tie, while I leaned back in mine, stretching out a little. I hadn't realized how tense I’d been all morning. Maybe last night’s intense release had something to do with the lingering heaviness behind my eyes. Or maybe it was the thoughts that hadn't stopped spinning since Helen walked out of my room.We gave our orders. I asked for grilled steak with mashed potatoes and a glass of red wine. Mike went for a Caesar salad and lemon water seems to b