Valerie stepped into the house and immediately paused.
It was… quiet.
Too quiet.
No sign of him.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her bag before she exhaled, pushing the thought aside. Good. That man being absent was probably the best thing for her sanity right now.
"Miss Valerie?"
She turned.
A woman in her late forties approached with a warm smile, her posture straight but gentle.
"I'm Valentina," she said kindly. "You can call me Aunt Vale."
Valerie blinked, a little caught off guard, before nodding. "…Alright."
Valentina's gaze shifted to the child in her arms, softening instantly.
"Let me take him," she said, carefully lifting Little Roe. "He must be exhausted."
Roe stirred slightly but didn't wake, his small hand clutching her sleeve before relaxing again.
Valentina chuckled under her breath. "Still the same…"
Valerie frowned faintly but followed her upstairs.
The door opened.
And Valerie stopped.
Her heart skipped.
The room was—
It was every child's dream.
A large bed shaped like a sleek black car sat in the center, its edges rounded and safe. The walls were painted in deep blue with glowing stars scattered across the ceiling like a night sky. Shelves lined one side, filled with toys, books, and neatly arranged figurines.
There was a soft play area in the corner with padded flooring, a small indoor slide, and even a mini climbing wall designed for tiny hands. Everything was… intentional.
Safe.
Perfect.
Her gaze moved slowly, taking it all in.
Valentina gently placed Roe on the bed, tucking him in with practiced ease before standing there for a moment, just watching him.
A soft smile touched her lips.
"He looks just like Young Master did as a baby," she murmured.
Valerie's head snapped toward her.
Valentina glanced at her, still smiling. "I was his nanny."
That—
That explained the familiarity.
Valerie looked back at Roe, her chest tightening slightly.
Valentina straightened. "Come, I'll show you the rest of the house."
Valerie followed, still a little dazed.
As they walked through the halls, her eyes kept catching small details.
The edges of tables were padded.
Corners were softened.
Even the staircase had extra railing, lower, clearly meant for a child to hold onto.
Nothing sharp. Nothing dangerous.
It was like the entire place had been… adjusted.
For Roe.
Valerie's steps slowed.
Her fingers brushed lightly against one of the cushioned edges.
"…He really did all this?" she muttered under her breath.
Valentina only smiled.
They stepped outside.
Tall trees surrounded the property, thick and deliberate, blocking almost all view from the outside. It felt secluded. Private.
Hidden.
Valerie frowned slightly, her thoughts shifting—then paused.
Her eyes widened.
Wait.
She turned sharply.
"…Is there a bounce house here?"
Valentina blinked, confused at first.
Then her eyes lit up.
"Oh! Yes—come, come!"
She led her quickly through a side path, opening a gate that connected to another property.
Valerie stepped through—
—and froze.
Her mouth slowly fell open.
There was no house.
Just—
A massive bounce house.
Not the small, cheap kind.
This one was enormous, almost as big as her family house, bright and colorful with slides and towers. Beside it, a large pool shimmered under the lights.
Valerie just stared.
Valentina beamed. "Young Master bought this plot because he didn't want any neighbors disturbing him. But recently, he had this installed for Little Young Master Roe."
Valerie didn't respond.
She couldn't.
Her brain refused to process it.
That thing—
That thing was ridiculous.
Her lips parted, then closed again.
Slowly, she turned around.
"I… I think I'll go rest," she said, her voice a little stiff.
Valentina nodded, still smiling. "Of course."
Valerie walked back in silence.
Her thoughts were a mess.
It felt—
Too much.
Like he was trying to buy Roe's love.
Her chest felt tight at the thought.
Back in her room, she shut the door and leaned against it, exhaling deeply.
Her eyes flicked to the clock.
11:52 PM.
He still wasn't home.
A thought slipped in before she could stop it.
…Was he with one of his mistresses?
Her fist clenched instantly.
Then she scoffed at herself, pushing away from the door.
"What is it to me?" she muttered under her breath.
It wasn't her business.
But—
Her jaw tightened.
She would make one thing clear. If he wanted to live a scandalous life, that was on him. But he would not drag her and Roe into it publicly.
Her steps slowed.
Then stopped.
Her brows furrowed.
…Still.
Thinking about it—
Wasn't he… more of a victim than her?
Her lips pressed together.
She had been angry. Furious. But—
That night.
Her expression shifted.
She still couldn't understand it.
She had always assumed he was the one who took her to his suite.
But in those photos—
She was clearly with another man.
Then how did she end up with him?
Her head started to ache.
"…What the hell even happened…"
Shaking her head, she grabbed her phone and flopped onto the bed.
Her fingers moved quickly, opening the news.
Scrolling—
Scrolling—
Then she froze.
All the slander…
Gone.
Buried.
Replaced.
Her eyes narrowed as she read.
"The story goes she and Azrael bought some of her paintings from a gallery… wanted to meet her. They met several times, fell in love. Families didn't agree, so they secretly married while focusing on their own lives. One year later, they had Little Roe. For privacy and her career, she went abroad, and her 'husband' would meet her…"
Her breath caught.
She kept scrolling.
More posts.
Photos.
"Dates."
Sightings in the same cities, carefully stitched together over the years.
It was seamless.
Too seamless.
It looked real.
So real that even she—
Her grip on the phone tightened.
She wouldn't have doubted it.
A strange feeling twisted in her chest.
She let out a quiet huff.
"I would've applauded you…" she muttered under her breath, "…if you weren't such a jerk."
She scrolled further.
Trending.
Everywhere.
Her name. His name. Their "story."
And her exhibition—
Coming soon.
The spotlight wasn't just on her anymore.
It was blinding.
Her stomach tightened.
The stakes just shot up.
Her mind raced, one thought crashing into another, faster and faster, until even she couldn't keep up anymore.