Leon ducked away from Serena's outstretched hand and ran straight behind Eliza.
"I don't want you," he muttered stubbornly, clutching Eliza's clothes. "Eliza will take care of me."
Serena's hand froze midair.
Only then did she notice the woman standing by the door.
Eliza Stone.
She stood there elegantly in a white dress, holding her son Oliver's hand as though she had every right to be in the Powell residence. Rainwater still clung lightly to the ends of her hair, making her look fragile and gentle.
Victor stood beside her silently.
The warm atmosphere between the four of them made Serena feel like the outsider.
Leon leaned against Eliza obediently while Oliver stood close to Victor without fear, as if he was already familiar with this house.
Serena slowly lowered her hand. "Why are they here?"
Victor removed his coat calmly and handed it to the servant nearby. "It's raining heavily outside. Eliza and Oliver will stay here for a while."
For a while.
Serena almost laughed at how casually he said it.
This was the master residence of the Powell family, yet Victor sounded as though he was informing a housekeeper instead of speaking to his wife.
Leon tugged on Eliza's sleeve. "My knee hurts."
Eliza immediately crouched down and checked his wound gently. "It's just a small scrape. Don't be scared."
Her voice was soft and patient.
Leon pouted. "If Mommy did it, she'd definitely scold me again."
The word "Mommy" stabbed into Serena's chest like a needle.
Victor frowned slightly at Leon. "Don't talk nonsense.
But there was no real warning in his tone.
Serena stood quietly by the side, suddenly feeling exhausted.
Just yesterday, Leon had still been acting spoiled toward her. Yet after spending only a short time with Eliza, he had already begun pushing Serena away openly.
Eliza looked up apologetically. "Mrs. Powell, Leon is still young. Please don't misunderstand."
Serena looked at her calmly. "Then what exactly should I misunderstand?"
The air instantly turned tense.
Victor stepped forward impatiently. "Enough. It's late."
He naturally picked Leon up into his arms.
"Oliver," Eliza said gently, "say hello to Uncle Victor properly."
Oliver obediently nodded. "Hello, Uncle Victor."
Victor's cold expression softened slightly. "Good boy."
Serena watched the interaction silently.
It looked painfully harmonious.
As if they were the real family.
The servant quickly came downstairs. "Mr. Powell, the guest room has already been prepared."
Victor nodded, but before anyone could move, Leon suddenly spoke up.
"I want Ollie to sleep with me!"
Oliver's eyes lit up immediately. "Really?"
"Yeah!" Leon grinned excitedly. "My room has lots of toys."
The two children instantly ran upstairs together.
Eliza looked troubled. "Will this be too much trouble?"
Victor replied calmly, "It's fine. The kids get along well."
Serena's fingers slowly tightened.
Even Leon's room had already become shared territory.
She suddenly remembered all the toys she had personally picked out for Leon, all the nights she spent putting him to sleep, all the times she stayed awake when he was sick.
Yet now, another child was casually stepping into the life she built.
A servant walked downstairs again awkwardly.
"Mr. Powell... Young Master Oliver seems to really like the master bedroom. He says the view there is beautiful."
Serena's expression instantly changed.
The master bedroom.
That was her room with Victor.
Before she could speak, Leon's excited voice drifted downstairs.
"Ollie, come look! My daddy and mommy sleep here!"
The servant looked embarrassed. "Young Master Leon already brought him inside."
Serena's chest tightened violently.
She immediately turned and walked upstairs.
Just as she reached the bedroom door, she saw Oliver standing by the balcony curiously looking around, while Leon climbed onto the large bed happily.
"This room is so big!" Oliver exclaimed.
Leon nodded proudly. "Daddy sleeps here every night."
Eliza hurried over behind them. "Leon, Ollie, don't make trouble."
But her tone carried no urgency at all.
Serena stood at the doorway silently, staring at the scene in front of her.
Her private space had been entered so casually.
Like her boundaries no longer mattered.
Victor walked upstairs afterward and frowned slightly when he saw Serena standing there.
"It's just children playing around," he said flatly. "Why are you overreacting?"
Overreacting.
Serena suddenly felt cold all over.
Her husband had brought another woman and her child home.
They entered her son's room.
Now they were standing inside her bedroom.
Yet somehow, she was the unreasonable one.
Eliza gently pulled Oliver back. "Ollie, come out first. This is Mr. and Mrs. Powell's room."
Oliver lowered his head obediently. "Okay, Mom."
Leon immediately grabbed Oliver's arm unwillingly. "Why can't he stay? I want Ollie here!"
Victor looked at Serena. "They're just children."
Serena met his eyes quietly.
For the first time, she realized something clearly.
This house no longer felt like her home anymore.
