CHAPTER 215: CHAPTER 215

So, at that moment, Cecilia turned her head slightly and offered Valentina a soft, reassuring smile. It was the kind of smile that seemed to ease the air, gentle and practiced—like the smile of someone who had lived through a thousand storms and knew just how to quiet a rising wind.

"My dear," Cecilia said, her voice calm and smooth, "you’re worrying far too much. You should feel as if nothing is wrong. Truly. Nothing is going to be wrong."

Valentina looked at her, still slightly tense, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"I just need to see someone," Cecilia continued. "A very good friend of mine. That’s all this is. A short visit. A moment of kindness. And we’ll be heading back pretty soon after the meeting."

Valentina blinked, her brows knitting together slightly. "A friend?"

Cecilia nodded again, this time her tone a little brighter. "Yes. Someone important. And, in fact, someone you should meet as well. She’s family."

Valentina tilted her head, confused.

"Family?" she asked.

"Yes," Cecilia replied, leaning a little closer. "You’re part of the family now, Valentina. You’ve been at Raymond’s side, you’re involved in our lives. You need to be acquainted with all of us sooner or later. This woman... she’s not just my friend. She’s blood. And today is her day."

Valentina remained quiet, absorbing the words.

"It’s her birthday," Cecilia added warmly. "Nothing more. We’ll drop by, greet her, wish her well, and then we’ll head home. I promise."

There was something so convincing in Cecilia’s voice—something so familiar and maternal—that Valentina felt her chest loosen a bit.

A family gathering?

A birthday?

Maybe she was overthinking things. After all, Raymond hadn’t done anything to her when she mentioned she was with Cecilia. If anything, he trusted Cecilia above all. She was his mother, after all.

And if this was just another part of the family she hadn’t met yet, then... maybe it was time. Maybe it was important for her to be introduced. She’d spent so much time around Raymond, but not much time getting to know the roots of his world.

So hearing that it was family and all, Valentina finally breathed out slowly, allowing herself to relax into the seat.

Her shoulders dropped, her hands folded in her lap, and she nodded quietly.

She was going to be calm.

Raymond wouldn’t do anything to her. Not when she was with his mother.

So she was calm in that aspect.

However, hearing that it was also one of the family.

She was extremely more calm now.

She was extremely more calm now. Her heartbeat had slowed, her breathing steady, and the anxious swirl in her stomach had settled—at least for the moment. Still, somewhere deep inside her, she found herself whispering a small, silent prayer: Let that strange headache from yesterday not return... please.

The memory of it was still fresh, sharp like a blade pressing against the inside of her skull. It hadn’t felt natural. It wasn’t like stress or fatigue. It was something different... something off. The pain had come out of nowhere, unexpected and violent, leaving her dizzy, confused, and breathless for hours. And now, walking into an unfamiliar place so far from home, she desperately hoped it wouldn’t happen again.

She didn’t want to feel that pain again. Not today. Not in front of Cecilia. Not in front of strangers.

So, without wasting any more time, Valentina followed Cecilia closely as they stepped out of the car and approached the grand mansion ahead of them.

From the outside, the building had the quiet presence of age. Not decaying, not abandoned—but... seasoned. Like a place that had held too many stories within its walls. The towering iron gate creaked open slowly, revealing a cobbled driveway framed with trimmed hedges and lanterns that flickered even in daylight. The windows were tall and narrow, and the stone walls were wrapped in crawling vines that somehow made the house feel alive.

Yet despite the old structure, everything else hinted at something far more refined.

The moment Valentina crossed the threshold, she noticed it—the subtle gleam of marble floors, the carefully polished wooden staircase, the chandeliers hanging like frozen stars. And then there were the paintings—ancient, regal, and beautifully preserved.

Massive oil portraits lined the hallway, their subjects cloaked in elegant attire from centuries past. Some held swords. Others wore crowns. Each one stared down with an expression of knowing, their eyes seeming to follow her as she moved.

Valentina paused for a moment, taking it all in.

Whoever owned this mansion wasn’t just wealthy—they were powerful. Well-connected. These weren’t decorations picked from a catalogue. These were legacies. She could feel it in the air, taste it in the silence.

There was a presence here. A history. And from everything she saw, from the art to the architecture to the way the light itself obeyed the walls, she could tell that the person who owned this mansion must be definitely well-connected.

Because from everything she had seen, she could tell that the person is also well-connected.

So, however, when they got into the mansion and everything settled into a quiet elegance, Valentina found herself glancing around cautiously, her hands lightly brushing the edge of the carved hallway table. The mansion was quiet—but not in a lifeless way. It was more like a sacred silence. A silence that watched.

She followed Cecilia deeper into the mansion, expecting to be greeted by someone older. Maybe a grandmotherly figure—someone dressed in thick, long robes with silver-white hair, a fragile voice, and eyes filled with stories of centuries past.

But to her complete surprise, the woman who stepped out from one of the inner halls was young.

Very young.

Maybe the same age as Valentina. Early twenties. Smooth skin, glowing eyes, graceful posture. Nothing about her said "elder." Nothing about her matched the image Valentina had imagined in her mind.

And yet—

The moment the woman saw Cecilia, her face lit up.

A wide, radiant smile stretched across her lips, and without hesitation, she rushed forward—arms open, voice bubbling with joy.

"Cecilia!"

Cecilia smiled warmly in return, not holding back even an ounce of affection. "Rebecca!"

Valentina froze for a moment, her eyes widening slightly. Rebecca? She had heard that name before, in hushed conversations. From Raymond. From distant murmurs. But never had she imagined her to look... like this.

Young. Alive. Beautiful.

And the way they greeted each other—it wasn’t just respectful. It wasn’t stiff, polite formality. No. The way they hugged, the way they laughed, the way their eyes glistened with joy—it was like watching two childhood friends reunite after a lifetime apart. Or... two sisters.

They looked like sisters.

They acted like sisters.

It made Valentina shift uncomfortably, her mind spinning with questions she couldn’t quite ask. The embrace, the shared giggles, the soft words exchanged with knowing glances—it all felt too familiar. Too close.

Rebecca held Cecilia’s hand and said, "Thank God for today. I missed you so much. I thought this day would never come."

Cecilia smiled back, squeezing her hand. "We’re finally here. Back together again."

The two women stood in the grand hallway, locked in warm laughter and gentle whispers, catching up like old times—lost in their own world.

Valentina stood at a distance, watching them closely.

And to her, it was very, very strange.

So, at that moment, Rebecca and Cecilia were just going to be hugging each other, telling each other that they have missed each other—like thank God for today and everything. That they are back here again. So, both of them are just going to be laughing.

So, Valentina stood quietly near the grand archway, her eyes slowly drifting around the massive hall as laughter echoed between Cecilia and Rebecca. The mansion was stunning—ornate walls, velvet curtains, golden chandeliers—but her attention wasn’t on the furniture anymore. It was on the people.

Maids walked by gracefully, dressed in dark uniforms with red trim, bowing slightly every time they passed Rebecca. Their movements were sharp, trained, as if they were more than just ordinary house staff. Valentina narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling something odd beneath the surface of all this elegance.

Then, as she turned her head to the left, her gaze landed on someone else—a man.

He was standing just behind Rebecca. Silent. Composed. His build was lean but strong, and he wore an all-black suit that clung to him perfectly, like it had been tailored for war. His eyes weren’t cold, but they were unreadable, and his expression didn’t waver even as laughter filled the air.

Valentina watched him carefully.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t laugh. He was just there, like a shadow waiting for a command.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she tried to piece it together. Who was he?

A servant?

A bodyguard?

Or... was he Rebecca’s boyfriend?

She tilted her head, leaning more toward the boyfriend theory. The way he stood close, not too far, not too near—it felt like familiarity. Like closeness masked under control.

But just as she was about to ask or say something, the man moved.

He stepped forward calmly, bowed slightly to Cecilia with surprising respect, then turned to Rebecca and spoke.

"Madam," he said in a low, crisp voice, "everything is prepared now. You have nothing to worry about. It was a success."

Valentina’s eyes snapped to Rebecca, then to Cecilia.

What did he mean by "everything is prepared"? What exactly was a success?

Rebecca smiled with approval, nodding once. "Good. I trust every detail was handled?"

"Yes, Madam," the man replied, standing tall again. "Just as planned."