Chapter 7
808 Words
The Draven household was now a blended family.
When he was young, Lucian’s father had married his mother. It was an arranged marriage, well-matched in status. Though there was no intense love between them, they found each other agreeable enough and treated one another with respect and restraint. Among the city’s elite, they were regarded as something of a model family.
Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. Lucian’s mother fell gravely ill and passed away just as he turned twelve.
Three years later, his father remarried.
Lucian’s stepmother had a child from a previous relationship- Adrian. That year, Adrian was ten and Lucian fifteen. They moved in together and became brothers.
Unlike his first marriage, Damuen’s second began with love.
Emily had once been a well-known actress. Though she was past her prime, she still held a number of prestigious awards and had steady investments, enough wealth to ensure a comfortable life. At the time, even as a single mother, she had no shortage of suitors, yet none had truly moved her.
That was, until Damuen appeared.
After his wife passed away, Damuen met her, and it was love at first sight. He pursued her with intensity and persistence, and in the end, he won the beauty’s hand.
After their marriage, Emily withdrew from the entertainment industry, bringing her career to a close on a triumphant note.
Though this was a blended family, it was far from the messy arrangement outsiders might imagine.
From the very beginning, the couple signed an agreement clearly separating their premarital assets. The Draven family estate would be inherited by Lucian, while all of Emily’s wealth would go to Adrian. They also agreed not to have children together, so there was no possibility of disputes over inheritance.
Every potential risk in the marriage was eliminated before it could even take shape, making the relationship between the two families stable and harmonious.
Because of that, the bond between Lucian and Adrian was very good from the very beginning.
Adrian, in particular, was deeply attached to his older brother, always sticking close to his side, chattering nonstop. As for Lucian, despite his aloof nature, he showed a rare kind of patience and indulgence toward this brother who had suddenly come into his life.
Outsiders who didn’t know the full story might even mistake them for biological brothers. Emily had always taken great pride in that.
Though she was a second wife, she was deeply cherished by her husband, and the children were harmonious and filial. Within the city’s upper-class circles, she had long become someone many admired, and even envied.
Unfortunately, as time passed, the children all grew up. Each had their own thoughts, their own world, no longer as close or inseparable as they once were.
Today, after Lucian took Luna out on a date, Emily went to the spa with Luna’s mother. Unexpectedly, halfway there, Mrs. Carter received a call from her daughter, saying that she and Lucian weren’t a good match and had already gone their separate ways.
At that, Emily’s expression changed at once.
Realizing that her son had left Mrs. Carter’s daughter alone in the middle of a shopping mall, she felt utterly embarrassed.
Flustered and full of guilt, she didn’t know how to face Mrs. Carter for a moment.
In the end, she took the phone and spoke to Luna herself, apologizing sincerely.
Fortunately, Luna was generous and showed no anger or resentment. On the contrary, her voice carried a gentle note of comfort,
“Please don’t feel bad, Auntie. I had a great time visiting your home today, and talking with Adrian was really enjoyable. It’s just that Lucian and I aren’t quite compatible, maybe we’d be more comfortable as friends.”
Hearing that, Emily felt somewhat relieved.
But not long after, she suddenly sensed that something was off.
Today’s meeting had been arranged for Lucian and Luna to get to know each other. So why, in her words, had the girl unconsciously brought up Adrian?
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Emily’s expression shifted slightly. She began to carefully retrace every detail of the day.
Adrian had deliberately canceled his plans with a friend. He had also changed his style of dress, rather than his usual fashionable, free-spirited outfits, he chose something simple and refined. In front of Luna, her son appeared gentle and patient, even taking the initiative to guide the conversation and create a comfortable atmosphere.
He had been unbelievably well-behaved， so much so that he didn’t resemble the rebellious son she knew at all.
The moment that strange thought appeared, it began to gnaw at Emily’s mind like silkworms eating leaves, leaving her restless and uneasy throughout the entire spa session.
So as soon as the treatment ended, she immediately returned home, intending to find Adrian and get to the bottom of it.
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