The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 697: Back Home

The entourage reached the gates of the Wynter and Rainier estates. Aaron’s carriages and his people moved toward the right-side gate, while Lucian and his group headed to the left-side gate to go to their respective residences first, with plans to meet later.

Lucian was accompanied by his parents, who were familiar with the entire estate and could introduce it to him. They entered the massive gate, rode along the beautifully winding roads cleared of snow, and stopped at the main residence.

The guards and servants of the residence were waiting for their new lord. They all bowed to the handsome young man, the last Rainier, the heir of one of the most prestigious family in the kingdom, whom they were finally meeting. While the new servants were unaware of the previous Lord Rainier, the older ones were glad to see the true owner of the estate return.

"Lord Lucian," an elderly, well-dressed man at the front bowed deeply to him. "I am your servant, the butler of this estate, Cedric Thart. We are all delighted to see you back and vow to be loyal to you and serve you with all our hearts."

Lucian simply nodded, while Cedric’s eyes moved to the couple standing next to Lucian. "Paul?"

Paul nodded in acknowledgment. "How are you, Cedric?"

Though Cedric had been informed that Lucian’s new family would be with him, he was still shocked and delighted to see Paul and Gwen. His gaze then fell on the young girl beside them.

"She is our daughter, Rina," Paul informed him.

"Will you stand here at the door all day?" Gwen asked, prompting them to move inside.

"Apologies," Cedric responded, leading them into the residence as he explained, "The entire residence has been thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of the previous owner, and everything is restored like in the past. The rooms for everyone have already been prepared."

All the while, Rina couldn’t blink her eyes as she walked, tightly holding onto her brother’s arm as if she feared she would wake from this beautiful dream if she let go. The grand foyer, the huge, intricate staircase winding upstairs, the magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling, shining like so many gems, the furniture, wall paintings, lamps, vases—could all of this really be real?

"Lord Lucian, these two are your personal servants," Cedric informed, gesturing toward two well-dressed, well-groomed young servants. "They will take care of everything you need."

Lucian nodded, and Cedric did the same for Paul, Gwen, and Rina. Two lady servants were arranged for her, one older and one younger.

"Servants for me as well?" Rina asked, unfamiliar with the concept. "But I’m used to doing everything on my own."

"They will assist you with your tasks, Lady Rina. You are a lady now, and you will need their help," Cedric explained politely.

She looked at her mother, and when Gwen nodded, Rina finally agreed.

Cedric continued, "Lord Lucian, the entire second floor is reserved for you, including your bedchamber, study, and various rooms arranged for different purposes. The first floor is for other family members, and everything has already been prepared."

They were all guided to their rooms with their respective servants, while Lucian headed to the second floor, accompanied by Cedric.

As they reached the second floor, Lucian asked, "Did my parents stay here?"

Cedric nodded. "The chamber you will be staying in belonged to your father, Lord Colin Rainier. It’s located in the left wing of this floor, where I am taking you now. The right wing contains a bedchamber and other rooms for the lady of the estate, which belonged to your mother, Lady Margaret Rainier. In the future, when you marry, the new lady of the estate will stay there."

Lucian simply hummed and entered his bedchamber. The room was as grand as one might expect from the exterior of the residence. As he stepped inside, he tried to sense the presence of his father, whom he had never known. This thought reminded him of something. "Cedric, do we have any portraits of my family members?"

"Yes, my Lord. They are currently being restored, as they were stored away for a long time. We should have them back soon," Cedric replied.

Lucian felt a surge of delight, hopeful at the prospect of finally seeing his family’s portraits. "Thank you."

"It is my duty, my Lord," Cedric replied politely.

----

Meanwhile, at the neighboring estate, Aaron entered the gate with a heavy heart. As he crossed the familiar roads toward the main residence on his horse, memories from his childhood flooded his mind.

"Aaron, you are not allowed to leave unless you finish your meal," his mother scolded him for neglecting his food.

"Aaron, your teacher praised you today. He said you would be a better lord than me," his father, a tall and handsome lord who radiated a powerful aura, spoke to him with pride.

"Aaron, you have to be careful when you play. See, you’re bleeding," came the delicate voice of a young girl—his older sister. At the memory of her and how brutally she had died, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Aaron," Nathaniel called softly, riding slowly next to him.

Aaron held away his tears that threatened to spill out and continued to ride until they reached the main residence. Just like at Lucian’s estate, the servants were waiting for him at the entrance.

They all bowed as Aaron dismounted his horse, but before anyone could say anything, Aaron declared before entering the residence on his own, "I want to be alone."

Though he was here after long, he still emptied the authority of the Lord and this place belonged to him.

Everyone was left puzzled and remained in their places. Arthur and Nathaniel exchanged a look.

"No one is to enter unless you are summoned," Arthur instructed, understanding the situation.

They understood the pain Aaron must be experiencing at this moment—all those memories crashing down on him.

The last time Nathaniel had seen Aaron cry was when the ten years old Aaron had taken an oath of revenge. Since that day, he hadn’t shed a single tear. But it seemed that today, all those accumulated tears from the past two decades were finally going to find their way out.

With heavy heart, Nathaniel and Arthur entered the residence to accompany Aaron in his pain.