When they'd first arrived, Leander and Madeline had been seated apart on separate benches. Leander's clothes were plain except for the branded sportswear. He carried only a basic shoulder bag. It was easy to overlook him.But when Madeline slipped her arm through his, that changed everything. Joshua's eyes flickered with something cautious.He masked it quickly, then turned to Madeline with a calm tone. "Madeline, who's this?"Madeline gave a sweet smile, still clinging to Leander's arm. "Joshua, this is Leander. He's my... brother.She paused slightly on the word.Joshua blinked."Brother? Aunt Hazel had a son?"Hazel had left the Shire family long ago. Joshua didn't know her well, but he had heard plenty from others. As far as he knew, Hazel had only one child-Madeline. So, where had this brother come from? And why wasn't he a Shire?Madeline hesitated, unsure of how to answer. Before she could say anything, Leander stepped forward with perfect timing and reached out to shake hands, his face calm."Nice to meet you, Joshua. I'm Ms. Shire's adopted son."Leander rarely offered his hand first. Not even to government officials. But this was Hazel's family, and for her sake, he made the gesture."Adopted son?"Joshua's expression shifted again. He looked surprised, but he took Leander's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Well, nice to meet you. I guess that makes you my cousin, then. Mind if I call you Leander?"Leander shook his head. "Not at all."Right then, the woman beside Joshua stepped forward with a gentle smile, introducing herself. "Hi, Leander. Madeline. I'm Rhea Wallace. Joshua's girlfriend.""Oh, so you're my cousin-in-law," Madeline said with a sweet laugh.Leander nodded with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."The four of them exchanged a few more greetings, then followed Joshua to the parking lot. He led them to a sleek silver Mercedes S-Class."Alright, let's get you two to the estate,” he said as he opened the door.With that, the engine roared to life, and the car pulled smoothly away from the airport.noveldramaAs the car cruised down the highway, Joshua kept both hands on the wheel, silent and focused.Rhea, on the other hand, chatted easily with Leander and Madeline. She smiled often and asked questions that seemed light, but each one probed deeper than the last.At one point, she casually brought up the connection between Leander and Madeline. Her tone stayed friendly, but her eyes flickered with curiosity.Madeline didn't think much of it. She answered everything truthfully, without hesitation."So... he was a kid picked up from the mountains?" Rhea repeated with a calm expression. She didn't let her face change, but she took mental note of every word.Joshua said nothing. He kept his eyes on the road, but he caught every detail, storing them in the back of his mind like files in a cabinet.Aunt Hazel's adopted son? he thought. His eyes moved to the rearview mirror. He watched Madeline laugh beside Leander and shook his head slowly.Leander, about Grandpa's seventieth birthday, this isn't your place.About thirty minutes later, the silver Mercedes turned into a sprawling estate by the River Lorenwick. The Shire family's lakeside villa rose proudly near the water, its walls bathed in afternoon sun. It sat high and wide, looking out over the southwest like a fortress built to watch the land.At the front gate stood an ancient boulder carved with eight forceful words-'Honor Born of Generals, A Legacy That Endures.The parking lot near the estate was already packed. Rows of luxury cars shimmered in the light, and guests moved like a steady stream through the grounds. Most of them were Shire relatives -some by blood, some by marriage-but every one of them seemed dressed to impress.One birthday has pulled in nearly a thousand people, Leander thought as he glanced around. No wonder Ms. Shire respects her father so much.Leander was getting curious about the old man.BrighedJoshua led them toward the house. Before they reached the door, two women stepped into their path.The one on thethe leftwore a whiterobe with flowing sleeves. A strandof jade beads rested against herwrist. Her face was sharp and delicate, with a beauty so quiett almost hurt to look at. She didn't smile, didn't blink. She felt distant-untouchable, like snow frozen high above the world. The woman beside her wore afloor-length gown that clung perfectly to her frame. Her eyes sparkled, and her features were flawless, from the arch of her browsརིག་to the soft curve of her lips. Her high heels clicked softly against the stone walkway as she moved, slow and graceful, like she owned every step. As the pair walked by, conversations died. Heads turned. Some guests stared inadmiration. Others looked away with jealousy.Joshua and Rhea stepped forward with straight backs and lowered eyes."Martha. Ms. Sylvia."The woman in white gave a tiny nod. Her face didn't change. The woman in the gown smiled softly, then turned her eyes toward Madeline.She lifted a hand and stepped closer."You must be Madeline," she said. Her voice was warm and light. "I've seen your name in the tabloids, but this is the first time we've met. I'm Martha. Let's stay in touch, okay?"Madeline blinked in surprise, then smiled and quickly took her hand. “Martha... I've heard so much about you.",Martha gave a nod, then shifted her gaze to Leander. "And who's this?"Joshua stepped in before the silence grew too long. "Martha, this is Leander. Aunt Hazel's adopted son. He came with Madeline to celebrate Grandpa's birthday."Leander gave a quiet smile and nodded politely."Oh?" She gave him a quick once-over. Her eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment,a trace of disappointment flickered in her face, and she gave him a short, distantnod.She turned to Joshua. Her voice stayed calm, but her words carried weight."Joshua, get them settled in. Once that's done, bring Madeline to see Grandpa andGrandma. They've been waiting."Joshua answered without hesitation.Martha looked back at Madeline. "Get some rest first, then go greet your grandparents. They've been asking for you all morning. I need to welcome the restof the guests, but we'll catch up laterShe smiled again, then turned and walked away with the woman in white. She didn'tsay another word to Leander and didn't glance back once.Leander watched them go, then muttered under his breath, “That's Martha?"He wasn't insulted. Just mildly curious.On the flight here, Gale had sent him a list of all the key figures in the Shire family. Martha had been right at the top.She was known as the queen of commerce in the younger generation. At twenty- one, she already managed half the Shire family's empire. Her grandfather trusted her completely. Her name was well known across Cranfordale and had even reached other regions like Listin and Mornwick.It was said that the line of men trying to court her could stretch from one end of the River Lorenwick to the other.Now that he'd met her in person, he had to admit she lived up to the stories, but theone who truly held his attention wasn't Martha.It was the woman in white who stood beside her.The cold that surrounded her wasn'tjust an attitude. It was something deeper. Her whole presence gave off a chill, like ancient ice. Every pressure point in her body had beenI.neunlocked. Her strength was dear. She had reached the level of half-Sovereign-stronger than Claire. Stronger than Ethan.Even stronger than Daphne."Sylvia."Of Astria's nine martial prodigies, one name stood out.Sylvia Blake. From the Stonepeak Sect. One of the Four Beauties.to Overfart The Unwielding Fren