CHAPTER 246: THE OSBORN MORNING COURT

The first thing that caught Kaia’s eye as she stirred awake was a breathtaking chandelier.

Not just any chandelier, but an exquisite cascade of crystal and light, hanging grandly from the vaulted ceiling like a frozen galaxy.

It shimmered softly in the morning sunlight filtering through tall arched windows draped in pale golden curtains.

For a moment, her heart raced as she forgot where she was,the silk sheets brushing against her skin, the fresh linen scent wafting around her, the ornate bedposts towering above, and the cool marble flooring beneath a plush fur rug, it all felt like waking up inside a movie!

She sat up abruptly, blinking at the palatial room surrounding her as thoughts slowly pieced themselves together.

The Osborn Estate. Billy. Last night.

Her heart thumped wildly,this wasn’t a dream.

A gentle knock echoed on the heavy oak door, snapping her from her awe.

She quickly slipped out from under the warm blankets and padded over to twist the golden knob.

The door swung open to reveal Billy, casually dressed with an amused smirk playing on his lips.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he greeted playfully.

Kaia blinked at him, still shaking off sleepiness. "Morning..."

He chuckled softly and said, "How was your royal sleep in the land of chandeliers and silk sheets?"

She rubbed her eyes and smiled back at him. "I still think I might be dreaming."

"Well," he replied with a wink, "if you are, wash up and come downstairs,breakfast is ready! The kitchen staff might riot if we keep them waiting."

Kaia laughed lightly and nodded. "Alright, I’ll be down in a bit." With a playful two-finger salute, Billy turned and strode off.

Leaning against the closed door for just a moment longer to collect herself, Kaia exhaled deeply before making her way into the en-suite bathroom.

There she found gleaming gold fixtures sparkling under bright lights,a heated floor beneath her feet and a mirror larger than her bedroom reflecting back her wide-eyed wonder.

---

Meanwhile, another scene unfolded in the grand living room of Osborn Estate.

Arthur sat regally in his throne-like chair near the center fireplace, draped elegantly in a black morning robe adorned with subtle silver embroidery.

He looked every bit an emperor holding court, poised yet devastatingly cold.

In front of him stood his infamous cousins: Ashley, Bella, Charlotte, Eva, Edward, George, William, and Oscar, all lined up in various states of sleepy disarray.

Dressed in pajamas with fluffy slippers and tousled hair they resembled schoolkids caught sneaking out past curfew rather than members of one of Neo-Luminara’s most powerful families.

"You had one assignment," Arthur’s voice rang clear like an edge of steel slicing through silence. "One."

They all kept their heads low, guilt etched on their faces like a poorly painted canvas. Arthur’s gaze zeroed in on Ashley.

"Especially you," he declared, his tone sharp enough to cut through the tension.

Ashley groaned internally, stealing a sideways glance at her father, Nathaniel, who was nonchalantly sipping tea on a nearby couch as if this were just another Tuesday morning.

"Dad, are you seriously just going to sit there?" she asked incredulously.

Nathaniel cleared his throat and suddenly found his teacup infinitely fascinating.

Eva decided to give it a shot; she widened her eyes in an exaggerated display of innocence and glanced toward Aunt Margaret for rescue.

But Margaret? She seemed utterly captivated by the intricate patterns of the wallpaper.

Julian and Richard exchanged amused looks but opted for silence, smart move! The maids flitted about with trays of breakfast and tea, stifling giggles behind polite hands as they observed the scene unfolding before them.

Ashley clenched her fists in frustration. "This is so humiliating!"

Just then, Kaia descended the stairs. The sight that greeted her left her momentarily speechless.

She paused midway on the spiral staircase, eyes wide as she took in the luxurious living room that stretched out like something from a royal fantasy, polished marble floors gleaming under towering windows with morning light spilling across plush rugs,all while Arthur casually scolded a gaggle of pajama-clad billionaires.

Billy appeared beside her at just the right moment. "Shocking, right?" he said, amusement dancing on his lips.

Kaia nodded absently. "What... what’s happening?"

"Family discipline," Billy replied smoothly with a hint of mischief.

She turned toward him with mock suspicion. "And why aren’t you standing there getting yelled at too?"

Billy puffed out his chest proudly. "Because the family head is my brother."

At that moment, a petite voice chimed in from the stairs: "Because he already got his punishment."

Kaia turned to see a girl no older than fourteen with sharp silver eyes and luscious golden hair framing an impish grin.

"I’m Elizabeth,you can call me Liz," she announced proudly. "And big brother Billy has to work as a servant for a whole month when we move to Varenya! It’s his punishment."

Billy shot her an exaggerated glare. "Traitor."

"Snitch," Liz replied sweetly, clearly relishing her role in this family drama.

Meanwhile, back in the living room, Arthur sipped his morning tea with regal composure.

"For failing your assignments," he began, his voice gliding like cold steel through the air, "you will each receive... fair punishments."

Ashley squinted suspiciously and grunted defiantly. "Define ’fair.’"

Arthur dismissed her with a wave of his hand and continued, "Ashley, you’re going to draw the Osborn family crest from memory, by hand. And it better impress me! If I catch you using AI or outsourcing this task, trust me, I’ll know."

Ashley looked as if someone had just asked her to scale Mount Everest without any gear.

"Edward, William, George," Arthur pressed on, "you each will write ten-thousand-word essays on the history of our family. Double-spaced and handwritten!"

"Come on! Big brother, you can’t be serious!" George protested, disbelief etched across his face.

"Should I make it twenty thousand?" Arthur shot back playfully.

"Nope, ten’s perfect," George conceded quickly.

"And Eva, Bella, Charlotte," he continued with a mischievous glint in his eye, "no new clothes for a month. No online shopping either, your cards are frozen!"

"What?!" Charlotte gasped dramatically. "That’s psychological warfare!"

Arthur remained unfazed. "You can always knit," he quipped casually.

"And just for fun," he added with an impish grin, "your cars are getting seized for two weeks."

"Nooooo!" Screams erupted around the room like fireworks on New Year’s Eve.