The heavy double doors of the Caulem manor groaned open as Leo stepped inside, his boots echoing on the gleaming marble floor. Towering portraits of past Dukes placed along the hallway. Leonhardt's childhood memories flickered in Reo's mind—how he'd scurried past these paintings, feeling tiny and judged. Now, they were just old paint, meaningless to him.
Servants lined the entry hall, bowing low, some lingering longer than needed, their eyes averted. "Welcome home, Young Master Leonhardt," they murmured in unison.
His eyes swept over them, recognizing the faces—the same ones who'd whispered behind Leonhardt's back, shunned him, made him an outcast in his own home. He gave a curt nod, brushing past without a word.
A flash of movement caught his eye—a little auburn-haired girl, Vivien, darting up the grand staircase, her small figure vanishing around the corner. A faint smile tugged at Leo's lips, amused by her skittish retreat.
