The sun barely peeked over the horizon as Avery stirred awake in her new room. She had barely slept the night before, her mind too restless with conflicting thoughts. She stretched beneath the soft sheets, the feeling of being in a new home—a new chapter—slowly settling in.
She sighed, her breath escaping in a mix of exhaustion and uncertainty. New house, new people, and Silas. Those words felt like they belonged in a different life, yet here she was, caught up in the web of a reality she hadn't intended for herself.
With a soft groan, she swung her legs off the side of the bed and placed her feet on the cool floor. She stood and walked toward the en-suite bathroom, turning on the shower. The warm water rushed over her body, its comforting pressure helping her clear her thoughts.
After a few minutes, she stepped out, towel-dried her hair, and got dressed in a sharp, professional outfit: a tailored, deep navy blue pencil skirt paired with a white silk blouse that clung to her form, elegant and crisp. The blouse had a delicate, high neckline that complemented her frame perfectly. To finish the ensemble, she slipped on a fitted black blazer and stiletto heels that clicked purposefully as she walked.
As she walked toward the dining room, she pulled out her phone and called her assistant. The moment the call connected, Naya's voice came through, startled. "Miss Vale!? Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting your call since you're on vacation!"
Avery smiled, though it was laced with a tinge of amusement. "Don't worry, Naya. I understand. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be coming into the office today. Make sure my schedule is on my desk when I arrive, okay?"
"Understood, Miss Vale!" Naya replied enthusiastically before quickly hanging up.
Avery nodded to herself and made her way to the dining room, her heels clicking against the marble floor. As soon as she entered, she froze. Silas was already seated across from her at the long dining table, a ridiculous grin plastered across his face which he seemed to have too often on his face now.
His office attire was the epitome of controlled coldness—a black tailored suit that screamed power, with the sleeves rolled slightly to expose just the right amount of his toned forearms. His tie was loosened, though still perfectly straight, and his white dress shirt clung to his chiseled torso in a way that could only be described as effortlessly seductive. Everything about his appearance—his polished shoes, his sharp jawline, his dark, tousled hair—screamed that he was a man who knew exactly what he wanted and took it without hesitation.
Avery rolled her eyes in frustration, making no attempt to hide the exasperation in her gaze as she sat across from him. "What are you so smug about this time?" she muttered, pushing her plate aside. She wasn't in the mood to play games.
Silas smirked, clearly enjoying the tension between them. "Good morning, Mrs. Blackwood," he said with that infuriatingly calm voice. "You don't have to be so upset."
Avery's face flushed, her thoughts instantly circling back to the fact that she had gotten married to him—against her better judgment.
She cleared her throat, trying to dismiss the suffocating tension in the room. She needed answers, not games. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Weren't you supposed to stay in Country Z for a long time? What brought you here? And how did you even know about my engagement? About Cassian? How did you know he wasn't the right guy?"
Her questions spilled out in rapid succession, a wave of confusion and frustration lacing every word. She needed answers. In her last life, Silas had never returned from Country Z during her engagement. And yet now, everything had changed. Even though she had believed it was just the butterfly effect of her rebirth, but still she wanted to know the reason Silas had for this .
Silas let out a long, tired sigh. He leaned forward, resting his elbows casually on the edge of the table, his sharp gaze fixed on her like she was a puzzle only he could solve.
"You're right to wonder," he said, his voice smooth like velvet. "I wasn't planning to come back to Country Z but as I already told you," he began, his voice low and smooth, "I came here because my mother wanted me to marry her niece. An arrangement, obviously, I had zero interest in. But while I was here, I happened to hear that you—" he paused, giving her a meaningful glance, "—were about to marry that idiot Cassian."
Avery blinked, stunned at how casually he had put that.
"So," Silas continued, straightening a little, "I decided to dig around. Just a little background check to confirm the dirt I already expected. And what did I find? That he's nothing more than a bootlicker with a gold-digger's heart and then , I found that you had contacted his ex girlfriend Maya."
His eyes twinkled with both admiration and amusement. "So, as you know nobody knows you better than me —so I was certain you'd expose him at your engagement party. And when that happened, I knew you'd need a way out from Cassian. I didn't want to get married to the one my mother wanted me to. It just made sense to step in and... speed things up."
He said all of that without so much as a pause, like he'd had the explanation memorized for days. Avery, on the other hand, sat frozen, blinking at him like he had just confessed to espionage.
"You stalked Cassian after you heard about our engagement?" she asked, her voice sharp with disbelief. "Why? Why would you even bother?"
Silas met her gaze with a strange look, one that softened for a brief second before melting into a mischievous smile.
"I never liked him," he replied simply. "Back in college, he always rubbed me the wrong way. I knew there was something off about him. And besides... we used to be best friends, remember? I figured—anything for you."
Avery narrowed her eyes, clearly not impressed by the convenient 'best friends' excuse. She was just about to let loose a sarcastic reply when the cook entered the dining room with a bright grin on his round face, effectively saving Silas from her wrath.
"Good morning, ma'am!" the cook said, his tone cheerful and full of pride. "I prepared a special breakfast for you today. It's your first morning here, so I hope you enjoy it."
Behind him, several staff members moved with practiced grace, placing down polished silver trays and delicate bone china plates. The table quickly transformed into a display fit for royalty.
There was truffle scrambled eggs garnished with microgreens, buttery croissants that flaked with a touch, avocado toast topped with poached quail eggs, smoked salmon laid delicately over cream cheese bagels, and a small dish of fresh seasonal fruits arranged like art. A carafe of cold-pressed orange juice stood next to a French press full of dark, fragrant coffee. The final flourish was a dish of soufflé pancakes topped with edible flowers and drizzled in maple glaze.
Avery's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "These are all my favorites!" she said, genuinely impressed. "How did you know?"
But her smile quickly faded when she followed the cook's eyes—he was looking straight at Silas.
Avery glared at Silas, who simply leaned back in his chair and offered her a smug, knowing smirk. "Just a lucky guess," he said, the picture of innocence.
She wanted to retort, maybe something like "I hope you choke on that smirk", but she bit her tongue the moment her fork touched the food. The croissant practically melted in her mouth. Her frustration could wait.
While she was still enjoying her breakfast, a new question popped into her head. She glanced up at Silas and asked, "Where's your aunt and unc... I mean, your mother and father these days?"
Silas's expression shifted. That light humor in his eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by something more grounded.
"It's okay," he said, meeting her gaze. "You can call them my aunt and uncle. We don't have to pretend here."
Avery stilled for a moment. There was something raw in the way he said that, like a subtle truth buried beneath a casual mask.
"And to answer your question," he continued, "they're still in Country Z."
"What?" Avery leaned forward, surprised. "Why? Don't tell me you didn't even tell them about our wedding yet!" Avery said while being shocked coz she knew if Vivienne knew Silas had gotten married she would be here any minute now.
Silas took a calm sip of his water. "They don't even know I'm back here."
_____________
Back in country z after the Butler's information about the young master being located:
"Take me there. Now!" Vivienne snapped, her voice sharp as a blade. The butler didn't hesitate—his face devoid of expression as he quickly nodded in compliance.
Without a second glance toward Alana, Vivienne turned sharply and stormed out, her heels clicking against the polished floor with an air of finality, leaving Alana standing alone, stunned and still processing the news she had just heard.