The car door opened to a world Aurelia had never seen before.
Cold wind greeted her as she stepped out, her small hand trembling as she clutched the hem of her hospital sweater. The sprawling Valente Estate rose before her—vast, silent, and intimidating. Iron gates towered behind her, shutting out the world with a final, echoing thud.
The mansion itself was enormous, with tall stone pillars and windows like dark, watching eyes. The garden stretched endlessly, trimmed to perfection yet lifeless, as though beauty here was something forced—something controlled.
Nothing about this place felt like home.
Her grandfather walked a few steps ahead, hands clasped behind his back, posture rigid and authoritative. Even in grief, he was a man used to command. Servants lined up and bowed as he passed, their faces filled with fear and respect.
Aurelia followed, her small footsteps barely making a sound.
Inside, the estate was colder than outside. Marble floors reflected her pale face. Paintings of stern ancestors stared down from the walls. There were no children here. No birthday cakes. No laughter.
Just silence.
A maid approached, bowing respectfully.
"Don Valente, the young miss's room is prepared."
Her grandfather nodded. "Good. See that she has everything she needs."
He looked at Aurelia then, as if trying to say more—but centuries of power and solitude had taught him nothing about comforting a broken child. His jaw tightened.
"You are safe here," he said softly. "This is your home now."
She shook her head, tears filling her eyes again.
"I don't… I don't want to be here…"
She didn't feel safe.
She didn't feel at home.
She felt… empty.
Don Valente exhaled slowly. Then, gently—more gently than anyone could ever imagine from a feared mafia boss—he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Aurelia," he said softly, "I will arrange someone to stay by your side."
"I will assign someone to be your bodyguard. His name is Eren Kael."
The name meant nothing to her.
Not yet.
But she felt the weight of his tone.
"He is loyal," Don Valente continued. "Strong. Trained. And I trust him completely. He will protect you."
Aurelia didn't respond. She couldn't. Her heart was too broken to understand anything beyond her grief.
The maid led her through long hallways until they reached a room far in the west wing. It was beautiful—too beautiful. The bed was enormous, draped in gold and white silk. Toys and expensive dolls were arranged neatly, untouched.
Her heart twisted.
This wasn't her room.
This wasn't her life.
"Do you need anything, Miss Aurelia?" the maid asked gently.
Aurelia shook her head. She didn't trust her voice not to crack.
When the door closed, silence consumed the room.
She hugged her knees and buried her face into them, tears soaking her sweater. The image of her parents flickered behind her eyelids—her mother singing, her father laughing. She tried to hold onto their voices, their warmth.
But everything slipped away.
A knock interrupted her sobs.
Soft. Hesitant. Almost too gentle for this cold house.
Aurelia didn't answer, but the door opened anyway—slowly, carefully.
A boy stood there.
Maybe fifteen.
Tall, lean, dressed in black training gear. His eyes were sharp but strangely warm. A faint scar traced his cheek, making him look older than he should.
He didn't look like the servants, or like a member of this cold mansion.
He looked… human.
He stepped inside, unsure, then bowed slightly.
"Hello," he said quietly. "My name is Eren Kael."
Aurelia sniffed, wiping her cheeks. She didn't speak.
Eren took one more step forward, then knelt in front of her so their eyes were level. He didn't force a smile, didn't try to pretend the world wasn't cruel. He simply offered his presence—steady and warm.
"The Don… your grandfather… asked me to look after you," he said softly. "I'll be your guard. But also… your friend. If you want."
Her lips trembled.
"I… I want my mom," she whispered, voice cracking.
Eren's eyes softened in a way that surprised even him.
"I know," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."
Her shoulders shook as she cried harder. Without hesitation, Eren reached out and gently placed a hand on her head, awkward but sincere.
Then he made the promise that would change both their lives—
"Don't worry. I'll protect you like your father and mother did. I'll be your big brother from now on."
Aurelia looked up at him through her tears.
For the first time since the accident…
something warm flickered in her chest.
Not happiness.
Not comfort.
But the beginning of something she couldn't understand yet.
A connection.
A bond.
And in the silent halls of the Valente Estate, a new chapter of her life quietly began.