MORT MANSION
The entire Mort household had gathered in the family courtyard the moment Azron, Sera, and Arelus entered through the gates of the mansion.
The atmosphere was heavy with emotion. Servants stood lined on both sides of the courtyard, their eyes already red even before the family had fully arrived.
Some covered their mouths as they cried while staring at the three figures standing together beneath the lantern lights. Others looked frozen in place, like they still could not believe what they were seeing.
After years of mourning them—
the Lady of Mort and the young heir had finally returned home alive.
Grand Ersi stepped forward slowly, her aged hands trembling as she approached Sera. Tears clouded her eyes as she lifted both hands and gently held Sera's face, as though she feared the woman before her would disappear if she touched too hard.
Sera's throat tightened painfully.
The warmth of those wrinkled hands instantly brought back memories she had buried long ago. Grand Ersi waiting for her during meals. Quietly preparing things for her. Watching over her in silence when she first arrived in Mort City.
Love she had once mistaken for control.
"Grand Ersi…I'm…" Sera tried to speak, guilt immediately choking her voice as she lowered her gaze. "…I'm sorry."
But Grand Ersi quickly shook her head before she could continue.
"No." Her voice broke softly as tears streamed down her cheeks. "It's fine…Everything is fine now." She smiled through her tears while holding Sera's face tighter. "You're home."
The words shattered something inside Sera.
Not anger.
Not disappointment.
Not blame.
Only relief.
Only love.
Grand Ersi suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her with trembling arms like she had waited years for this moment.
Sera's composure finally broke.
She hugged the old woman back tightly as tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes. Her shoulders trembled as years of guilt and distance collapsed all at once.
At that moment, Sera realized the love Grand Ersi had given her all those years had always been genuine.
And for the first time—
she truly regretted not cherishing it sooner.
After a while, Sera slowly pulled away and reached for Arelus' hand, guiding the boy gently forward.
"This is…Arelus," she said softly, her voice still unsteady. "Your great grandson."
"Arelus…?" Grand Ersi whispered the name like it carried the memory of someone precious.
Arelus looked up innocently at the old woman.
"Hello, Great Grandma." He smiled politely. "Nice to meet you."
Grand Ersi's lips trembled violently.
Fresh tears filled her eyes the moment she heard his name again.
Arelus.
The name of Azron's father.
Her son.
Sera had named the child after him.
Emotion overwhelmed Grand Ersi so deeply that she slowly lowered herself despite her age and wrapped both arms around the little boy, crying openly against him.
Nearby, Madam Han covered her mouth as she stared at Arelus. Tears streamed silently down her face while her chest rose unevenly from emotion.
The resemblance was painful.
The boy looked exactly like Azron when he was young.
The same eyes.
The same expression.
Even the way he stood reminded her of the son she had raised with her own hands.
Sera noticed Madam Han standing quietly nearby and gently guided Arelus toward her.
"This is your grandma," Sera introduced softly.
Madam Han immediately lowered herself and carefully held Arelus' tiny hands with trembling fingers, like she was afraid she might hurt him.
"Hello, Grandma," Arelus greeted sweetly.
Madam Han let out a shaky breath before suddenly pulling him into her embrace.
The warmth of the child in her arms completely broke her restraint.
She cried harder while holding him close, unable to stop touching his hair and face like she was trying to make up for the years she lost with him.
Then she lifted her tearful eyes toward Sera.
There were no words.
Only gratitude.
Azron stood nearby watching everything quietly.
A soft smile slowly formed on his lips, but his eyes had already turned red.
For years—
this was all he had wanted.
His family.
Together.
Then—
"Yan!"
Shrin's voice echoed loudly across the courtyard.
Everyone turned as Shrin suddenly stopped in the middle of running, tears already overflowing from her eyes while staring at Sera from afar.
Sera's eyes widened slightly.
"Shrin…"
The moment Sera said her name, Shrin immediately ran toward her and threw her arms around her tightly.
"Where have you been?" Shrin cried against her shoulder. "I thought…I thought I would never see you again."
Sera hugged her back firmly, emotion swelling painfully inside her chest again.
Even the servants and maids nearby started crying harder at the sight of them reunited.
Although Sera was the Lady of Mort, Shrin had always been her closest friend inside the mansion.
And despite everything that had changed—
that never did.
After some time, Sera and Azron quietly left Arelus inside the Mort Mansion so he could spend time with his grandmothers.
Even though Madam Han had personally prepared Azron's quarters for Sera's return, Sera requested to stay for a while in her old house until she could slowly adjust again to everything around her.
Azron agreed without hesitation.
The two of them walked silently toward the familiar gates of Sera's old residence.
Sera slowed the moment they entered.
Her eyes wandered around quietly as emotion slowly built inside her chest.
Nothing had changed.
The star jasmine vines climbing along the gate walls were still neatly trimmed. The small gazebo remained untouched, surrounded by blooming flowers that had clearly been cared for all these years.
Even the scent of the place was familiar.
It felt as though time itself had frozen the day she disappeared.
Sera stepped farther inside the house.
Her fingers brushed softly against the walls as her gaze moved across the familiar surroundings she once desperately wanted to escape from.
"Nothing has changed," she whispered softly.
"I left it the way it was," Azron answered quietly behind her, his eyes never leaving her face.
Sera slowly walked toward her bedroom and pushed the door open.
Then her steps stopped completely.
Her eyes widened slightly.
The bed remained untidied.
Some of her belongings were still scattered across the floor.
The drawers she had pulled open years ago before fleeing Mort City were exactly as she had left them.
Messy.
Unfinished.
Frozen in the moment she disappeared.
Memories immediately rushed back to her.
She remembered panicking that night. Throwing things aside while desperately trying to leave before Azron could stop her. She remembered convincing herself that escaping was the only way she could breathe again.
Slowly, she turned around.
Azron stood quietly against the doorway, his shoulder leaning against the frame while watching her with restrained emotion.
"I didn't fix the mess," he admitted softly. "It was the only trace you left behind."
The sincerity in his voice made Sera's chest ache deeply.
"Have you been…staying here?" she asked carefully, her gaze locking onto his.
Azron fell silent for a moment.
His eyes deepened while looking at her, as though years of loneliness were threatening to spill out all over again.
Then he finally answered.
"Yes."
His voice was low and painfully honest.
"I slept here every night…for all the years you were gone."
He swallowed heavily before continuing.
"I…I couldn't let you go."
The ache inside Sera deepened so sharply that it almost became unbearable.
For years, while she had been running from the life she feared—
Azron had been sleeping beside the emptiness she left behind.
Alone.
Still waiting for her to come home.
She walked towards him slowly, then raised her hand and touched his face softly.
Azron followed the movement of her hand and held it against his cheek. His eyes closed briefly, savoring the warmth of her touch like a starving man finally given breath again. Then he lowered his head and kissed her palm gently.
Sera's chest tightened at the tenderness of it.
She leaned closer to him and stood on her toes. Her fingers slid behind his neck before she suddenly kissed him.
Azron stilled for a heartbeat.
Memories flashed through both of them at once.
That night years ago.
The aphrodisiac.
The loss of control.
The desperate heat that neither of them truly understood at the time.
But this—
this was different.
There was no poison clouding their minds now. No forced desire overwhelming their senses. Everything they were feeling belonged completely to them.
And somehow, that made this moment far more intense.
Azron pulled her against him by the waist and kissed her back deeply, passionately, years of longing pouring into a single kiss. The warmth of his body surrounded her completely, making her knees weaken as his lips moved against hers with desperate affection.
Heat rushed through both of them as the years they spent apart vanished.
This time, there were no walls between them.
No lies.
No fear.
Only the truth they had both stopped running from.
Azron's movements were slower than before, almost reverent, like he wanted to memorize every second with her. He guided her gently against the wall, his broad body trapping her between the cold stone and his warmth.
Sera closed her eyes as his lips traveled down her jaw and to her neck. His kisses lingered there, hot and hungry, making her breathing turn uneven. One of his hands rested firmly against her waist while the other slid slowly upward along her side, feeling the curve of her body beneath his fingers.
"Sera…" he whispered against her skin.
His voice alone made her shiver.
She gripped his shoulders tighter as his mouth moved lower across her collarbone. The tension between them thickened with every touch, every breath, every kiss.
Azron slowly slipped the cloth from her shoulders, exposing more of her skin beneath his gaze. His eyes darkened with emotion as he looked at her, admiration and longing written plainly across his face.
"You're beautiful," he murmured softly.
Sera felt heat rise to her cheeks.
Then she pulled him closer and kissed him again before he could say another word.
The kiss deepened immediately.
Azron lifted her effortlessly into his arms, making Sera wrap her legs around his waist while her fingers tangled into his hair. He carried her toward the bed without breaking the kiss once, laying her down carefully against the sheets as though she was something precious.
The moment he hovered over her, their foreheads touched.
Their breathing mingled together.
Sera lifted her hand and brushed her fingers over the bandaged wound on his shoulder carefully. The memory of him shielding her with his own body flashed through her mind again.
"I love you," she whispered unconsciously.
Azron's expression softened completely.
Then emotion finally overwhelmed him.
He kissed her again immediately, deeper this time, his hand sliding into her hair while the other held her waist firmly against him.
"I love you too," he whispered against her lips.
The years of longing between them disappeared as they held each other close, their bodies moving together with growing urgency. Every kiss became deeper, every touch more desperate, like neither of them could truly believe the other was finally there.
Sera arched slightly as Azron's lips traveled down her neck again, his breath warm against her skin. His hands explored her carefully but possessively, drawing soft gasps from her lips that only seemed to make him lose control further.
Azron buried his face against her shoulder as he pulled her closer beneath him, his breathing rough and uneven now. Sera held onto him tightly, her fingers pressing against his back as the intensity between them continued to rise.
Azron's restraint slowly disappeared the more he kissed her.
The gentleness in his movements turned heavier, hungrier, as though the years he spent longing for her were finally catching up to him all at once.
Sera gasped softly as he pulled her closer against him, his lips trailing down her neck while his hands gripped her waist more firmly. The heat between them intensified until her breathing became uneven beneath him.
"Azron…" she whispered breathlessly.
Hearing his name from her lips like that seemed to completely undo him.
He kissed her deeper, his movements growing rougher with desperation and emotion rather than impatience. Every touch carried years of loneliness, love, and longing that he had buried inside himself while believing he might never see her again.
Sera held onto him tightly as quiet groans escaped her lips, unable to stop herself as his kisses traveled across her skin. The warmth of his body and the intensity of the way he held her overwhelmed her senses completely.
Their movements became faster, less restrained, the room filling with ragged breathing and soft sounds that neither of them tried to hide anymore.
Azron buried his face against her shoulder as he held her close.
And when they finally collapsed together against the sheets afterward, breathless and exhausted, Azron kept one arm wrapped tightly around her waist while his forehead rested against hers.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
They simply stayed there, holding each other quietly while their breathing slowly calmed.
Sera brushed her fingers through his hair gently before looking at the bandages around his shoulder again.
"You need to rest," she whispered softly.
Azron smiled faintly. "You're telling me that after nearly killing me?"
Sera laughed softly for the first time in days.
Then she carefully slipped out from his arms and wrapped a thin robe around herself before leaving the bedroom quietly to drink water.
The house was silent.
Moonlight slipped through the windows as Sera entered the kitchen barefoot, her damp hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She poured herself water and drank slowly, trying to steady her still racing heartbeat.
But before she could finish—
warm hands suddenly settled against her waist from behind.
Sera inhaled sharply.
Azron's body pressed gently against her back as he lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck again.
"You were supposed to rest," she whispered, though there was no real protest in her voice.
"I tried," Azron murmured against her skin. "Then I realized you weren't beside me."
Sera smiled softly as she tilted her head slightly, giving him more access while his kisses slowly deepened again.
The robe slipped slightly from her shoulder beneath his touch.
Azron turned her gently toward him and kissed her again, slower this time at first, but the warmth between them quickly returned. His hands slid along her waist while Sera gripped his shoulders tightly.
The kiss grew deeper.
Hungrier.
Azron lifted her onto the edge of the kitchen table carefully, never breaking the kiss once. Sera wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood between her knees, pulling her closer against him.
Their laughter mixed softly between kisses whenever Azron's bandaged shoulder protested from the movement, but even then he refused to stop touching her.
"Your wounds are going to reopen," Sera whispered breathlessly.
"Then fix me again later," Azron answered, making her laugh against his lips.
The sound alone seemed to drive him crazier.
The second time was less desperate and more reckless, filled with teasing smiles, lingering touches, and kisses that seemed endless after years apart.
Even after the kitchen, Azron still couldn't seem to let her go.
Sera barely had the chance to steady her breathing before Azron pulled her against him again the moment they reached the living room.
"Azron…" she laughed breathlessly as his lips found her neck once more.
The moonlight spilling through the windows illuminated the room softly while Azron held her close like a man starved for years.
Which, in truth, he was.
He kissed her slowly at first, but the moment Sera wrapped her arms around him again, whatever restraint he had left disappeared completely.
Azron suddenly lifted her effortlessly, making Sera gasp softly as her back touched the wall behind her. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist while he held her securely against him.
Sera stared at him in disbelief, her fingers brushing carefully against the bandages around his shoulder.
"You're injured," she whispered between uneven breaths. "Slow down."
But Azron only buried his face against her neck and kissed her there deeply, his grip tightening slightly around her thighs.
"I missed you too much," he admitted hoarsely.
The raw honesty in his voice made Sera's heart ache.
Even wounded, exhausted, and barely recovered from battle, he still looked at her like losing her again would destroy him completely.
Sera held his face gently.
"Azron, your stitches—"
"I don't care."
His answer came immediately.
Then he kissed her again before she could continue protesting.
Sera could not help laughing softly against his lips, half overwhelmed and half unable to believe the stamina he still had despite nearly dying only days ago.
"You're impossible," she whispered.
Azron smiled faintly against her mouth. "You only realized that now?"
His movements grew rougher again as emotion overtook him. He held her firmly against the wall while his thrusts became deeper and more desperate, drawing soft gasps from Sera that only made him hold her tighter.
"Azron…slowly…" she pleaded softly, gripping his shoulders while trying not to put pressure on his wounds.
But Azron only rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily as he moved against her again.
"I can't," he whispered honestly. "Not after losing you for so long."
Sera's expression softened immediately.
The desperation in his voice carried years of loneliness, nights spent sleeping in her abandoned room, and the pain of believing she was gone forever.
Her fingers slid into his hair as she kissed him gently, trying to calm him even while her own breathing had become uneven from the intensity between them.
Azron's movements slowed slightly after that, though the hunger in them never disappeared. Every thrust, every kiss, every touch carried the overwhelming relief of finally having her back in his arms again.
The living room filled with quiet laughter, uneven breathing, and whispered names between lingering kisses while the rest of Mort Mansion slept peacefully outside.
And for the first time in years—
Azron no longer had to imagine what it felt like to hold her again.