The Tan Family Estate was impossible to miss. It stood like a crown jewel at the end of the street—white marble walls glinting under the late afternoon sun, surrounded by iron gates carved with intricate gold designs. From my bedroom window, I could just make out the crest etched onto the main entrance: Tan Holdings, one of Singapore's most prestigious and elusive family names.
My mother had mentioned them in passing—how the Tan family owned several real estate properties across Asia, and how the father, Mr. Lionel Tan, rarely made public appearances anymore. I didn't care for gossip, but the house had a magnetic pull.
Especially today.
Black luxury cars had lined up by their driveway since morning. I watched as security guards in sleek suits directed each vehicle in with robotic precision. Servants with polished trays moved between the front entrance and the garden as though preparing for something grand. I couldn't tell if it was a ceremony, a family gathering... or maybe something richer people just did for fun.
Then I saw them.
Two young men stepped out from one of the cars, tall and commanding.
The first looked like he belonged in a magazine cover shoot. Jared Tan, the elder son. I'd heard the name once through a passing conversation between two women in the elevator of our building. He was the one sent abroad to study business and finance, supposedly Harvard. His tailored suit, sharp jawline, and effortless confidence made him seem unreal, like a character from a drama my mum would binge on weekends.
The other... had a different vibe.
Zayden Tan. The younger brother. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing toned arms. His hair was messier, smile more relaxed—like he didn't care to impress anyone. Yet something about the way he moved—calculated, amused—felt dangerous in the most captivating way.
They stood together at the base of the front stairs, nodding at a few guests, exchanging brief smiles. Then Zayden said something to Jared, who rolled his eyes and walked off, leaving his brother grinning at his back.
I didn't realize I was still standing by the window until my mom called out my name.
"Nat! Are you going to help me unpack or just stand there spying on rich people all day?"
I stepped back from the curtain, cheeks warm. "Coming!"
But even as I moved toward the door, my thoughts lingered on them—on Jared and Zayden Tan.
There was something about that house. That family.
And I had a strange feeling...
This wasn't going to be the last time I saw them.
✨ POV: Tan Family Scene
Inside the Tan Estate, Singapore. Present day.
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The marble floors gleamed like still water beneath the soft hush of designer shoes.
Mr. Tan stood at the top of the grand staircase, his sharp eyes surveying the return of his empire. After six months abroad in Geneva finalizing yet another merger, he had returned to his fortress: the Tan Family Estate, nestled among the hills of Bukit Timah. Not a single blade of grass was out of place.
He liked things that way.
"Inform Chef Chen that I don't want any Western dishes tonight," he said without turning to the butler behind him. "Zayden barely touched his food in Milan."
"Yes, sir."
From below, the echo of laughter cut through the silence. Zayden Tan strolled into the foyer like he didn't have a care in the world, hands shoved into his pockets, jacket swinging lazily off his shoulder. His tie hung loose around his neck, and a mischievous glint flickered in his eyes as he looked up at his father.
"Still not a fan of pasta," Zayden said dryly.
Mr. Tan arched an eyebrow.
"And still not a fan of punctuality, I see."
Leaning casually on the gold banister, Zayden smirked. "Blame traffic. Or the universe. Either works."
Before Mr. Tan could respond, a second set of footsteps approached—calm, crisp, measured.
Jared Tan.
The eldest son, heir to the Tan legacy, stepped into the room with quiet confidence. No need for flamboyance. His presence spoke for itself. Clean-cut suit. Polished shoes. Cold steel in his gaze. The kind of man whose handshake could silence a boardroom.
"Father," Jared said with a slight nod. "Everything is in place. I've had the files from the legal team delivered to your study."
Mr. Tan gave a short nod of approval. "And the press?"
"Handled. No cameras beyond the estate gates. I made sure of it."
Zayden let out a low whistle. "Big brother's really playing the role of Prince Tan perfectly today."
Jared shot him a glance. "Try acting like a Tan for once. Just once."
Zayden only grinned wider. "But chaos makes life interesting."
Their father didn't interfere.
This was the way of things—Jared, all order and legacy; Zayden, all fire and rebellion.
And yet, both were his sons.
"Enough. We have guests arriving this weekend for the Foundation Gala. Make sure your schedules are cleared. Especially you," Mr. Tan said, directing the final comment toward Zayden.
Zayden sighed dramatically. "I was hoping to disappear again before that boring circus."
Mr. Tan's eyes narrowed.
"You won't."
A quiet tension filled the room, laced with decades of expectation.
Suddenly, Jared turned toward the grand front windows. His gaze lingered outside, expression unreadable.
"There's a new family in the neighborhood," he said, voice low.
Zayden turned too, lazily peeking through the tall windows. Across the road, behind lacy curtains, he caught a glimpse of movement—soft hair, a shadow of curiosity.
A girl. Watching.
Zayden smirked. "Looks like someone's already interested in us."
Jared gave him a look. "Don't."
Zayden raised both hands, amused. "I didn't say anything. Yet."
Mr. Tan didn't speak. He simply turned away, his cane tapping lightly as he ascended the stairs.
🍀🍀🍀🍀 NEXT DAY🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿
The Tan Estate stood still in the late afternoon heat, Zayden was flipping through messages on his phone, brows slightly furrowed. Jared stood beside him, eyes narrowed, deep in thought as if mentally preparing for another exhausting board dinner their father might throw without notice.
Then, a familiar sound shattered the silence.
The gates clicked.
Their heads snapped up just as the estate's main driveway camera caught the slow glide of a black Genesis G90—sleek, quiet, deliberate.
Zayden blinked. "She didn't say she was coming."
Jared's jaw clenched slightly, but a flicker of something—relief? respect?—passed through his eyes. "Of course she didn't."
The driver stepped out first, crisp in a tailored black uniform. With the practiced fluidity of years in service, he opened the rear passenger door.
She stepped out.
Mrs. Min-Ji Tan.
Their mother.
Flawless as always. Regal as ever.
She wore an ivory blouse tucked into high-waisted, charcoal-gray silk trousers. A long cream-colored trench coat flowed around her as if the wind bowed just to touch it. Her heels clicked sharply on the stone path, echoing with authority through the courtyard.
There was no entourage.
She didn't need one.
Her long black hair was swept back into a low, elegant twist, her makeup soft but meticulous. Not a single line out of place. She was the type of woman who could stop time—and had, in more ways than one.
Zayden immediately descended the steps, a wide smile forming. "Omma?"
She turned at the sound of his voice and opened her arms slightly. "Zayden-ah."
He reached her first, wrapping his arms around her with the warmth of the boy he still was deep down.
Jared followed a moment later—his steps slower, his expression unreadable, but the moment their eyes met, the corners of her lips lifted.
"Still brooding, my firstborn?" she teased softly, gently brushing his hair off his forehead.
Jared cracked a small smile. "You ambushed us."
"I missed you both," she replied simply, her voice laced with that familiar Seoul cadence, polished by years of diplomacy and grace. "Your father didn't know I was coming either."
Zayden raised a brow. "You two fighting again?"
She waved off the question with a gloved hand, already making her way up the steps. "Nothing new. Let's not talk about your father today. Let me enjoy my sons."
The brothers exchanged a look—half amused, half intrigued.
Mrs. Tan was back.
And as always, her arrival meant something was about to change.