It was meticulously maintained, the hedges trimmed to waist height, forming intricate pathways that flanked the road leading inward.

On either side stood grand gazebos, each surrounded by a breathtaking array of exotic flowers. Roses dominated the scene in countless shades, deep reds, soft pinks, pristine whites, and among them, impossibly, were even rare blue roses. Vines of Juliet roses curled elegantly around the gazebos and along the hedges, weaving through the landscape like something out of a dream.

And ahead of it all...

Ashley’s breath caught.

That wasn’t just a mansion.

It was a chateau. No, something even grander. A place that felt less like a home and more like a palace.

"Gasp—"

Ashley couldn’t stop the sound from escaping her. At this point, she didn’t even know what to think anymore. When Apollo had said their family once had everything, he hadn’t been exaggerating, and when he said they were no longer what they used to be, she had assumed the opposite extreme. That they had fallen, that they were struggling, perhaps even barely holding on.

But this?

Even if their father had hidden away their wealth, even if her brothers had managed to recover it over the years... for them to still claim they weren’t what they used to be while living like this?

Ashley felt her mind short-circuit. From the helicopter, to the Rolls-Royce, and now this, she had been trying to rationalize everything, to downplay it, to make it make sense. But she had never once considered that they were this wealthy.

Her thoughts tangled into complete chaos, and before she knew it, her mouth had fallen open in sheer disbelief, wide enough that she could probably fit an egg inside.

And seeing her like that, so openly stunned and so unguarded, her brothers couldn’t help but find it endearing. A quiet sense of pride rose within them. After all, everything she was seeing now wasn’t simply inherited; it was something they had fought to reclaim, something they had built and protected with their own strength over the years.

And now, with their sister finally back, watching her take it all in with such awe... it made every bit of it feel worth it.

"Brother, this..."

The words slipped out before Ashley could stop herself. Still dazed, she instinctively reached out and clutched Apollo’s sleeve, pointing toward the view beyond the window as the car continued its slow approach.

As they drew closer, the details became clearer and with them, her shock deepened. At the center of the driveway stood a grand circular fountain, easily five meter radius.

It was exquisitely crafted, the centerpiece a marble angel with a pitcher resting against her shoulder, water pouring smoothly from it. At the angel’s feet, four wolves were carved, standing in the four cardinal directions, their forms so lifelike and imposing that they seemed ready to move at any moment.

The car curved gracefully around the fountain before coming to a stop at the foot of a wide staircase leading up to the palace.

And then Ashley noticed them. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Rows of attendants stood waiting on either side, maids, dressed in traditional uniforms, poised and immaculate. Their posture was flawless, their expressions composed, as if they had been trained for years to stand exactly as they did now.

Ashley fell silent, completely overwhelmed. She hadn’t expected to see something so... formal. Households that still maintained this level of tradition were rare, almost unheard of in modern times.

And yet here it was, not only preserved but executed with precision. It spoke of history, of a family that hadn’t just existed for generations, but had carried its legacy forward with discipline and pride.

Her gaze flickered across the line, searching almost instinctively. No butler.

That, somehow, caught her attention just as much. With a household of this scale, there had to be someone in charge. If not a butler, then perhaps... a head maid? With this many staff, someone had to be leading them, and judging by what she was seeing, whoever it was held absolute control.

One of the staff stepped forward and opened the door on Ashley’s side just as Apollo had already exited from the other. The driver moved efficiently, retrieving the wheelchair, but Apollo didn’t wait, he leaned in and lifted Ashley into his arms with practiced ease before she could protest.

One by one, the others stepped out of the car, gathering at the foot of the grand steps. The moment they were all assembled, the line of staff moved in perfect unison. They bowed deeply, their movements synchronized, their discipline unmistakable.

"Welcome back, Master. Young Masters. Butler Lavinia... and welcome back, Young Miss."

Their voices rose together, clear and resonant, echoing across the courtyard like a single, unified note.

’Butler Lavinia?!’

Ashley’s head snapped up in shock, the title echoing in her mind as realization struck all at once. So that was it. Aunt Lavinia... was the butler of the family.

Everything suddenly made sense. The way she had been quietly taking calls in the corner might have been to manage everything in the household, giving instructions without hesitation; it hadn’t just been out of concern or attentiveness.

She had been coordinating the entire household, issuing orders, ensuring everything ran flawlessly. That was why there had been no visible butler or head maid among the staff earlier, because the one in charge had been beside her all along.

Ashley’s thoughts shifted back to what Apollo had mentioned before. That Aunt Lavinia’s father had once stayed behind with their own father, serving him loyally. That could only mean one thing, and that is, he had been the former butler.

And now, Aunt Lavinia had inherited that role, continuing the same duty, the same loyalty. It explained why she had been sent to accompany and protect Apollo as well.

Piece by piece, the structure of this family was beginning to reveal itself, and the deeper she understood it, the more she realized just how much history stood behind everything she was seeing.

"Brother!"

The call came suddenly, light and sweet, cutting through Ashley’s thoughts before she could fully piece them together. Instinctively, her brows drew together, but just as quickly, she forced herself to relax, smoothing her expression before anyone could notice.

What she didn’t realize was how hard she had bitten the inside of her cheek, the faint sting grounding her more than she intended.

"What are you doing here?" Apollo asked, his tone gentle. It wasn’t as openly indulgent as it was when he spoke to Ashley, but there was still a clear warmth in it, one that didn’t go unnoticed.

Her gaze shifted toward the girl with quiet, observant eyes. The way she called him "brother"... the familiarity with it. And yet, none of them had ever mentioned having another sister, and no younger sibling born from the same parents.

There was only one conclusion that made sense.

During the years she and their mother had been gone, they must have taken someone in.

An adopted sister.

It would have been a lie to say Ashley felt nothing. A faint, unwelcome displeasure stirred within her at the realization that another girl had been brought into the household.