The Xia family mansion stood tall in the pale morning light, its stone pillars shadowed against the dull sky.To anyone else, it looked dignified—majestic even.To Elena, it felt like a coffin.Her steps across the marble driveway were slow, deliberate, controlled. Yet every footfall sent a tremor up her spine. She hadn’t returned here in months, and even then, it had been merely for formal obligations.This place was not a home.It was a stage built for pretense, cruelty, and the performance of a “family” that had never included her.A maid opened the door.“Young Miss Elena,” she greeted stiffly. “They are waiting in the study.”They.Not her parents.Not her family.Just they.Elena nodded and entered.The study was dim, the curtains drawn tight. Dust hung in the air like forgotten secrets.Her father, Xia Zhengnan, sat on the leather sofa. His shoulders sagged—older, weaker, guiltier than she remembered.Beside him sat her stepmother.Madam Xia, Lin Wei.Elegant. Composed. Eyes sh
Last Updated : 2025-11-22 Read more