Lena’s POV
Adrian stepped inside, looking slightly travel-worn from his early return, yet radiating that effortless.
The traditional chorus of family greetings rippled through the hall as he made his entrance. First, he walked straight toward his father, Richard, who stood with a glass of scotch in hand. The two men exchanged a firm, brief handshake—a customary display of patriarchal acknowledgment, though the air between them crackled with an unspoken, competitive undercurrent that made my breath catch. Adrian then greeted his brothers, trading a sharp nod with Julian and a quick clasp of the shoulder with Damien, effortless in his display of familial dominance.
Finally, Evelyn stepped forward, her face softening into a rare, genuine smile as her eldest son approached. Adrian wrapped
