The downpour was relentless, soaking me to the bone. Every droplet felt like shards of ice against my skin, tracing paths down my face, neck, and the thin white fabric clinging stubbornly to my body. My hair plastered to my cheeks, my heels sinking slightly into the puddled ground, I felt exposed—helpless, yet strangely alive.
"Seriously, what are you doing? Do you enjoy being rained on?" The voice cut through the chaotic symphony of rain, sharp with concern.
I looked up, and there he was—Eiser. His piercing blue eyes, usually so calm and controlled, burned with a kind of intensity that left me momentarily breathless. Even drenched, his white shirt stuck to his chest, the darkened fabric outlining the strength I had only glimpsed before. He gripped my wrist with a firm, unyielding strength, pulling me closer.
I thought, I thought getting soaked… might make me return to my senses. The sensation of his hand on my arm, strong and grounding, was the only tether to reality I had. My heart pounded against my ribs like a frantic drum, each beat echoing the chaos around us.
The rain plastered my hair, poured over my shoulders, and soaked the thin white dress I had chosen without much thought that morning. DRIP. DRIP. My bare feet squelched in the shallow puddles that formed beneath us, the slick leather of my heels offering little resistance.
Then a frantic voice pierced the storm. "LADY SERENA! SIR EISER!" Two figures, servants, dashed through the sheets of rain, their concern apparent in every hurried step.
"ARE YOU BOTH ALRIGHT?" one shouted, voice tight with worry.
I could see it—the subtle shift in Eiser's expression, the storm of emotion behind his blue eyes. Something primal, protective, surged through him. He drew a slow, calming breath as if to gather himself from some impulse he barely understood.
"This is so unexpected that I haven't the faintest idea why I'm acting like this," I thought, mesmerized by the rare vulnerability flashing across his face. Then his voice cut through the rain, firm, commanding, leaving no room for argument:
"DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER."
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around me, shielding me from the pounding rain and the frantic approach of the servants. The gesture, protective and possessive, sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with the cold.
"I shall escort I inside. Summon Sui and Dr. Astance," he instructed, his tone brooking no opposition.
Suddenly, a wave of darkness seemed to sweep over the courtyard, the storm intensifying around us as if drawn to the tension in the air. The wind howled, swirling the rain into a torrential curtain that stung my skin. The world seemed to compress into this single, chaotic moment, the noise deafening yet strangely intimate.
"SWAAA," the storm roared, a force that felt alive, almost sentient, as if testing the boundaries between us and the outside world.
"AH, OF COURSE! UNDERSTOOD!" one servant replied, voice trembling but resolute, before they vanished back into the relative safety of the manor's doorway.
I clung to Eiser, feeling the press of his chest against mine, the warmth beneath his soaked clothes a stark contrast to the relentless cold. Every fiber of my being urged me to ask questions—to demand answers—but the moment, raw and urgent, silenced all doubts. In the midst of the storm, there was only him, only this unspoken understanding, only the impossible weight of what was happening.
And as he led me forward, the rain continued its assault, but I felt strangely untouchable, suspended in a world that had narrowed down to just two figures against the roaring chaos, two hearts beating wildly against the unrelenting storm.
I was wrapped in a thick blanket, perched on an ornate sofa, every muscle in my body still trembling from the storm outside. The warmth of the fabric contrasted sharply with the lingering chill in my bones. Across from me sat Dr. Astance, her presence steady and comforting. Her warm eyes, framed by subtle lines of experience, met mine with gentle authority.
"It's a good thing I happened to be at the manor," she said softly, though there was an edge of concern beneath her calm tone. She explained further, "These are symptoms I've displayed in the past as a result of extreme shock and stress... but now that you've been treated, you should be fine."
A maid—or attendant—hovered nearby, her dark curls bouncing as she sighed with worry. "Hmm, but you had been doing a lot better lately..." She addressed the doctor with a note of pleading. "Please get a good night's rest today, and it would be best for you to take it easy tomorrow as well." Her gaze flicked back to me, anxious. "The hotel event is two days from today... Will I be all right?"
Dr. Astance's expression hardened slightly, her eyes sharpening as she regarded the attendant. "Yes," she said decisively. "Since your condition is not yet stable, it would be best for you to stay in the manor for the next few days... and accompany me to the hotel's anniversary event the day after tomorrow."
The attendant's posture straightened immediately, her worry giving way to determination. "Yes, I'd be happy to! Thank you, Doctor. Now, let me go check up on that kitten again." And with a light step, she disappeared into the hall.
Another maid approached—a neat brown bob framing her composed features. She offered a polite smile and a helping hand. "Lady Serena, why don't I help you to your bedroom? I think taking another bath would be too taxing for you. Let me help you dry off before you get some much-needed sleep."
My eyes, heavy-lidded from exhaustion, fixed on her politely, but my mind was already racing. Plans, strategies, contingencies… all spinning like a delicate web I had to weave carefully.
"Take me to the annex."
"Pardon?" she asked, clearly startled by my request.
I repeated myself, my tone firm but quiet, my gaze unwavering as I stared straight ahead. "I'll be sleeping in the annex… alone."
As the maid led me toward the annex, my thoughts immediately drifted to him—the man from the rain, Frederick.
I need to carefully consider what to do with Frederick.
I must remain calm and patient about this…
I cannot, under any circumstances, let him know what I am thinking.
Every step toward the annex felt deliberate, each movement measured. The warmth of the manor contrasted with the chill that still lingered in my mind, a subtle reminder of the storm and everything it had brought with it. Frederick's presence, his intensity… it lingered in my thoughts like a pulse I could not ignore.
I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, letting the soft fabric cocoon me. Sleep might not come easily tonight, but the annex offered me the one thing I needed: control. Control over my body, my thoughts, and over the precarious game I was about to play with Frederick.
THE NEXT DAY…
A soft KNOCK KNOCK echoed at the door of the annex.
"Lady Serena, here are the documents I requested," came the voice of the maid with the neat brown bob.
I didn't look up. "Just leave what I asked for and go."
She hesitated, balancing a tray with a small pitcher of tea, a delicate teacup, and a few neatly arranged sandwiches. "I also brought you something to eat. The chef took care to make something light and simple. Please, have some while you work—"
"Yes, Lady Serena. Tomorrow is the day of the event, so please don't overwork yourself…" Her voice softened, worry threading through her words. She placed the tray down carefully, then quickly backed toward the door. I caught her muttering under her breath as she left:
(8-8) She really isn't doing well… Even though I told her to rest, Dr. Astance insisted she take it easy… Anyway, why is she going through the hotel documents from the past two years? Sir Eiser used to review them himself… And now, why does she want information about the seaside cities of Meuracevia's subject states?
I ignored her curiosity. Right now, nothing mattered except uncovering the answers I sought.
I picked up the large, blue envelope brimming with papers, the weight of it grounding me.
CLICK.
The folder opened with a soft snap. Inside lay a meticulously organized stack of documents. Charts, maps, proposals, budgets… all of Eiser's recent projects and plans carefully compiled. I settled into the chair, draping the blanket over my shoulders, and began to pore over each page. Hours seemed to slip by unnoticed as I cross-referenced notes, compared past proposals with current developments, and traced patterns in his strategic planning.
Finally, a thought crystallized in my mind.
"THIS IS ODD."
I leaned back, staring at the pile of papers with narrowed eyes. The new hotel plans didn't match what Eiser had told me.
Eiser said he planned to build the second Serenity Hotel in Flo Marina, a coastal city in the subject state of Artiazen… I muttered under my breath.
But the documents… they showed a different location entirely, one I hadn't anticipated. My brow furrowed as I traced the maps and projections. Something about the discrepancy set off a warning bell in my mind.
I closed the folder slowly, forcing myself to focus on the immediate priority. The anniversary event was tomorrow, and I couldn't afford distractions—not yet.
I'll come back to it after the event is over and done with.
Even as I tried to push the thought aside, a spark of determination lit within me. I would uncover the truth, step by step, without giving anyone—even Eiser—any clue that I was watching.
The documents sat on my lap, a quiet reminder that the game was far from over. And I, Serena, would be ready.
I sat alone in the quiet of the annex, the soft rustle of paper the only sound breaking the stillness. In my hands was the document I had discovered, Eiser's old daily work logs, neatly bound but heavy with implication.
Quite suddenly, I recalled that several years ago, Eiser bought several parcels of land in a city I hadn't even heard of. It was noted in the daily logs he used to share with me.
My eyes scanned the current expansion plan. The second Serenity Hotel was clearly slated for: "FLO MARINA, IN ARTIAZEN."
But the old log pages told a different story.
I flipped through them carefully, cross-referencing dates, notes, and locations.
I reviewed those documents again to confirm that Eiser was telling me the truth—and the city mentioned in those logs was indeed Flo Marina—but while there aren't any exact records, I'm certain that the land he purchased back then wasn't in Flo Marina.
Another page caught my eye, labeled boldly: "Santoria Blue."
Rather, he appears to have bought land in Santoria Blue… The sinking feeling in my chest grew heavier with each word.
I unfolded a map, tracing the borders of Artiazen, Flo Marina, and the adjacent region of Santoria Blue. The disparity was stark. Distances, terrain, proximity to the coast—everything clashed with what I had been told.
The realization hit me like a physical blow.
He told me he was eyeing Flo Marina… yet the land he actually bought is in Santoria Blue? Something's not adding up.
My pulse quickened. My hands trembled slightly as I stared at the map, the truth cutting sharper than any blade.
A short, sharp laugh escaped my lips, almost nervous in its disbelief.
"HA!"
I slammed the binder shut, the CLICK of the clasp echoing through the room, as if punctuating my frustration.
WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT? IT WORRIES ME… AND I'M ALREADY FEELING STRESSED ABOUT THE WHOLE FREDERICK BUSINESS, I thought, pressing a hand to my aching temple. My mind raced, a storm of suspicion, concern, and lingering emotions from the rain flooding over me.
I couldn't ignore this. Not now. The man I was promised to—the same man who had sheltered me in the rain—was keeping a significant business secret from me. And for some reason, I was expected to trust him blindly.
There are a few things I need to confirm, I decided, steeling myself.
First, I need to look into the two cities. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH SANTORIA BLUE?
The anniversary event loomed tomorrow, but my immediate priorities had shifted. Rest could wait. Investigation could not.
I took a deep breath, steadying my racing heart. Every decision I made now would matter. Every detail I uncovered might change the game entirely. And I was determined to be ready.
It was late, the manor unusually quiet except for the faint ticking of a clock somewhere down the hall. I found one of the Serenity family lawyers, Jack, alone in a private office. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened, and his posture stiffened.
"Ah, Lady Serena! This is… Jack. Have you been well? What brings you to—" His words stumbled out, caught in surprise.
I didn't answer. My fingers tightened around the decorative telescope I had picked up—a nervous habit I couldn't shake.
"You handled the search and purchase of the land for the new hotel with Eiser, did you not?" My voice was cold, precise, and unwavering.
Jack swallowed hard, the tension palpable. "Ah… uh… Y-YES, THAT'S CORRECT."
I stepped closer, letting the authority in my tone press against him like an invisible weight. "I will now ask you a question, and you are to give me a direct answer. IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER ME AT ONCE OR TRY AND FEED ME A LIE, I WILL FIRE YOU IMMEDIATELY."
The air in the office thickened, each second stretching taut. Jack's eyes darted nervously around the room. I leaned closer, the papers scattered across the desk amplifying the silent accusation in the room.
"IN WHICH CITY DID EISER PURCHASE LAND… FOR THE NEW SERENITY HOTEL?"
He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze. "Flo Marina," he said, his voice quivering slightly.
I pressed, my stare sharp enough to pierce through him. "Flo Marina. You said that's where you planned to build the new Serenity Hotel." My tone carried the weight of disbelief, accusation, and expectation all at once.
Jack's hands fidgeted with his pen, and I knew the truth was being buried somewhere beneath his practiced calm.
Suddenly, the creak of a door behind me froze the moment. I didn't need to turn around—the shadow cast across the room was enough to make my pulse quicken.
"SERENA?" Eiser's voice was low but sharp, tight with surprise and suspicion.
He stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the office with precision. The piles of papers scattered across the table caught his attention immediately. His brows knitted as he took in the scene.
WHAT IS SHE DOING IN MY OFFICE AT THIS HOUR? His internal voice echoed, laced with disbelief and a flicker of frustration. SHE'S MADE QUITE A MESS. WHAT WAS SHE LOOKING FOR?
I kept my back to him, my focus unwavering. My attention remained on Jack, whose face had gone pale. Every muscle in my body hummed with controlled intensity. I was in command here, and I would get the answers I needed, no matter who had just appeared.
The air was electric, charged with unspoken questions, tension, and the collision of secrets about to come to light.
Ignoring Eiser's presence behind me, I pressed the lawyer for the truth, my voice calm but sharp enough to cut through his hesitation.
"But for some reason, the land you bought for the hotel is in Santoria Blue," I stated, letting my words hang in the air, heavy with accusation. I wasn't even looking at Jack anymore; my mind was racing, connecting threads of information.
Jack's face went pale, panic rising in his eyes. Before he could stumble over a word, I continued—speaking, in part, to him, but also processing the information aloud for myself.
I recalled everything I had learned about Santoria Blue. Both are seaside cities in Artiazen, I thought, but because Santoria Blue is also a port city… it is much larger, much more developed than Flo Marina, a standard coastal town.
Then the business details I had gathered began to fall into place like pieces of a puzzle.
What's really interesting is that… the Grayan family has a long-established presence in Santoria Blue. The funds of the largest trading companies in the city are managed by Selters Bank—a bank acquired by the Grayan family years ago.
My gaze flicked to the scattered maps and papers, retracing my earlier research.
There is also an enormous moneylending market in the city that handles all those companies' secret funds… and moneylending is one of the Grayan family's main back-alley businesses.
The dots connected with a terrifying clarity.
The Grayan family is in the construction business. Creating a large hotel and a new commercial district in Santoria Blue—a city they practically own. THERE HAS TO BE A CONNECTION.
The chill of realization ran down my spine, each thread of fact weaving together into a web of danger.
Building a Serenity Hotel in a city completely under the Grayans' control? Excited at the prospect of a new hotel, I briefly overlooked an important fact…
The magnitude of the threat hit me like a hammer to the chest.
If he contracted the Grayans' construction company to build our new hotel… and Eiser is in control of both the Serenity and Grayan families…
My hands clenched into fists, the smooth fabric of my dress creasing under the pressure. My chest tightened, and my mind raced with the potential consequences.
…THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. HE COULD VERY WELL TAKE EVERYTHING WE, THE SERENITY, OWN.
Finally, my eyes lifted, and I noticed the dark shadow in the doorway—Eiser himself, silent, observing, almost as if he had been listening to my every thought. The depth of his deception, the scope of his manipulation, and the looming threat he posed crystallized in that instant.
The room seemed to shrink around me, the scattered papers, the trembling lawyer, and the imposing figure in the doorway all pressing in. The full weight of the danger he represented settled on my shoulders.
And for the first time, I understood just how far-reaching his control was, and how careful I would have to be from now on.
Eiser is not just a rival in business… he is a predator, and the Serenity is his prey.
The air in the office was thick, almost suffocating, charged with the weight of unspoken truths. Eiser stood in the doorway, framed by the dim light of the corridor, his expression unreadable as his sharp eyes swept over the disarray I had made. He had heard too much.
His voice, when he spoke, was dangerously calm, carrying a quiet authority that made the room feel smaller.
"Jack, I believe I told you to make sure the door was locked."
Jack, the lawyer, trembled, caught between fear and the impossibility of defending himself—or me. Not a single word escaped him.
I finally turned, my shoulders squared, meeting Eiser's gaze directly. The chill of dread settled deep in my stomach, but I refused to let it show. My voice was steady, measured, and deliberate.
"I came here to see you, Eiser."
Eiser stepped fully into the room, his presence commanding, filling every corner with an almost tangible weight.
"To see me?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "But I just saw you today. Why didn't you say anything then? If you wanted to see me, why wait until I came home and break into my office?"
I lifted my chin, unwavering. "I wanted to ask you one thing directly."
He paused, studying my serious expression, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of curiosity—or maybe caution—behind his otherwise impassive eyes. "Is that all?"
The words hung in the air like a challenge, a subtle taunt, before I delivered the blow I had been building toward.
"Tell me, Eiser… Did you buy a large piece of land in Santoria Blue a few years ago?"
For a heartbeat, his calm facade cracked. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, just enough to betray him. Then, as quickly as the surprise appeared, it vanished. His composure returned, flawless and unnerving. He took a controlled breath and replied evenly, "Why do you ask?"
The evasion confirmed everything I had suspected. A surge of betrayal and anger coursed through me, hotter than the cold dread in my stomach.
"You said y