They arrived home just in time for dinner.
Following Lila Harrington-Vale's instructions, the staff had already prepared an extravagant, beautifully arranged meal.
Serena Vale sat down between Galen and Lila, her posture neat, her movements soft—almost overly well-behaved.
A faint trace of unease clung to her, delicate and timid.
The Vale family didn't dislike it.
They felt their hearts ache even more.
"This is your home," Lila said gently. "We don't have strict rules here. Relax, sweetheart. Just be yourself."
Be myself and you would be terrified, Serena thought quietly.
But on the surface, she merely nodded softly in agreement.
The Vale family eagerly reached across the table to add food to her plate, each trying to outdo the other in attentiveness—terrified that the slightest neglect might hurt her feelings or make her overthink.
Never had they treated anyone with such careful devotion.
"My sweet girl,"
Lila Harrington-Vale began gently,
"When you were born, I gave you a little nickname… Sera.
I've always wanted to call you that again.
Would it be all right if I still used it?"
Serena Vale—her formal name—had been chosen by her grandfather.
But to Lila, the soft little nickname felt warmer,
closer,
like calling her cherished child home.
"Whatever Mom likes,"
Serena replied softly
Names and nicknames had never mattered much to her.
Hearing that, Galen Vale spoke up cautiously, testing the waters.
"Then… Sera, we were thinking of holding a grand homecoming banquet for you.
What do you think?"
"I don't mind,"
Serena answered obediently, her tone still gentle and composed.
The couple exchanged a quiet glance.
A sigh echoed silently in both their hearts.
Their daughter was too well-behaved—
never demanding, never arguing, never asking for anything.
So sensible it hurt.
They almost wished she would voice her own wants,
even once.
It was the fastest way to close the distance between them.
If she kept insisting on wanting nothing,
they wouldn't even know how to meet her needs—
or how to show their love in a way she would accept.
"Enough talking. Little sister, eat first,"
Lucien Vale urged with a grin.
"Try our chef's cooking. It's the best."
He was already watching her carefully,
trying to memorize every preference she showed.
Elias Vale, ever the observant one, frowned slightly.
He had heard that Serena's life overseas had been extremely harsh.
Most of the dishes on the table tonight were high-end,
rarely seen outside luxury dining.
What if she didn't even know how to eat them?
What if she wasn't familiar with even basic table etiquette?
Perhaps the reason she hadn't eaten earlier
was because she feared embarrassment—
or didn't know where to begin.
Just as Elias Vale was about to speak up,
Serena lifted her chopsticks and began to eat with calm, effortless grace.
Every movement was precise, elegant, and soothing to the eye—
carrying an innate nobility
that no amount of hardship could erase.
She looked…
born to sit at a table like this.
Serena suddenly caught her eldest brother's startled gaze.
Her heart skipped a beat,
and her hand froze mid-air, the movement turning stiff and unnatural.
Damn.
She had forgotten her role—
the fragile, impoverished girl who supposedly knew nothing of luxury.
She had almost slipped.
Elias assumed that his staring had made her uncomfortable,
so he immediately looked away—
and with that, any further suspicion vanished from his mind.
Serena lowered her gaze,
a small flicker of warmth lighting her eyes.
She hadn't expected her eldest brother
to be so considerate of her feelings.
Fortunately, no one else noticed her slip.
The family continued the meal with soft conversation and gentle laughter.
At one point, they asked lightly about her past—
just enough to show concern,
but never pushing deeper.
They were afraid to trigger painful memories.
They wanted her to share only when she felt ready.
After dinner, they led her upstairs to the room they had carefully prepared for her—
on the third floor.
"Sera,"
Lila Harrington-Vale said softly,
"Mom didn't know what style you liked, so I only decorated a little.
If you don't like it, I'll have it changed immediately."
The entire room was done in soft blush tones,
warm and delicate,
filled with every comfort a girl her age might want.
It radiated youthful sweetness—
the kind of space Lila imagined any young woman would love.
"I like it.
Thank you, Mom."
Serena smiled gently.
She didn't particularly like the décor,
but it had been prepared with genuine care.
There was no reason to criticize it.
"Silly child… we're family.
There's no need for thank-yous,"
Lila Harrington-Vale murmured, her voice thickening again.
"When we think about it… it's us who owe you far too much…"
Sensing her mother's sadness rising once more,
Serena quickly changed the subject.
She lifted the gift boxes arranged neatly on the table,
her eyes widening with feigned delight.
"Wow… these are from my brothers?"
Every item was a luxury brand—
the kind of high-end gifts that elite young ladies adored,
each one more extravagant than the last.
But the real surprise lay underneath.
At the bottom of the stack,
five sleek bank cards were lined up perfectly in a row—
each one unmistakably the type with no spending limit.
"We didn't know what you liked,"
Cyril Vale said lightly,
"so we figured it was safest to just give you money.
Go out shopping every day if you want—we won't complain."
Serena:
This sudden wave of wealth left her momentarily stunned.
Was her entire family… this outrageously generous?
Of course, she herself wasn't lacking in money—
but she couldn't exactly say that.
So she accepted the cards quietly.
And that wasn't all.
The entire third floor had been reserved exclusively for her—
a private study,
a dance studio,
even a dedicated gaming room.
"Sera,"
Lila Harrington-Vale said gently,
"three days from now is the homecoming banquet we're hosting for you.
Start getting ready, sweetheart."
Lila Harrington-Vale could hardly wait for Serena to be formally welcomed back into the family.
"Oh, right—Sera, have you thought about school?"
she asked eagerly.
"If you want, I can arrange for you and your third brother to attend the same university so he can look after you."
Galen Vale added carefully,
"We heard from the records that you haven't received higher education.
If you're interested, we can arrange everything."
Lucien's university was the top institution in Velencia City—
filled with elite students,
bright overachievers,
and an equal number of wealthy heirs simply coasting by on family prestige.
It was mid-August now.
Classes would start in two weeks.
And if Serena wanted in—
the Vale family had more than enough power
to open every door for her.