As Lucian suspected, the shower wasn't broken. Considering how luxurious this mansion was, the chances of a plumbing issue were low. Naturally, the problem had to be the water heater.
After fiddling with it for a bit and clearing out some scale buildup inside the tank, Lucian reassembled the unit. Then he called upstairs, "Try it now! See if there's hot water!"
He craned his neck and waited a while, but no answer came. Annoyed, he raised his voice. "Did you die or what? Just say something if it's working! If not, I'll keep fixing it!"
"It's working," came Seraphina's rather flat voice from upstairs. Surprisingly, she didn't seem angry at Lucian's grumpy attitude. Clearly, since she owed him a favor, she didn't feel it was the right time to lose her temper.
"So rude! Not even a thank you!" Lucian muttered as he stormed into the kitchen, grabbed an apple, and settled on the couch to watch the news. Out of respect for Seraphina's imposing presence, he didn't dare turn up the volume. But if she dared to complain even about that, Lucian was ready to march right back into the kitchen, rip out the water heater, and make sure she never had a hot shower again.
Sure enough, after finishing his fruit and watching TV for a while, there was still no sound from upstairs. He had no idea if she was still showering or had gone to sleep. But she didn't scold him for his antics.
Lucian, being the kind of man who always pushed his luck and knew no boundaries, wasn't about to settle for just an apple and a little TV in a mansion like this. With his nightly craving for a late snack, he thought, screw it, and headed straight for the kitchen again in search of something more satisfying.
Inside the fridge, he found a stash of frozen steaks and a variety of ingredients clearly meant for Western cuisine. He wasn't sure if Seraphina only ate Western food or if she just didn't cook much, but there was nothing else—no ingredients for hotpot, not even a soup base packet in sight.
After rummaging around and finding nothing he could properly work with, Lucian shrugged and decided to go rogue. He sliced up a piece of premium imported steak, tossed it into a pot with some noodles, and began cooking himself an outrageously extravagant bowl of steak noodles.
There was a fruit platter already prepared, and a juicer sat conveniently on the counter.
Lucian made himself a fresh glass of orange juice and finally plated the noodles. Fully content, he carried his meal into the dining room and sat down to eat.
"It might not look as good as a bowl from a noodle shop," he mused, sipping his juice, "but the cost of ingredients alone puts that comparison to shame."
Just as he was about to dig in and enjoy his luxurious midnight snack, the sound of a key turning in the front door lock echoed through the house. A moment later, the door creaked open, and a young woman stepped into the living room—vibrant, stylish, and full of youthful energy.
She locked eyes with Lucian, who was frozen in place at the dining table, and her expression flashed with surprise, delight, and something harder to define.
Heaven help him—Lucian's scalp tingled the moment his eyes landed on her. Instinctively, he prepared to explain himself—why he was using the kitchen without permission, why he was comfortably eating at the dining table like he owned the place.
But then a thought struck him: this girl didn't quite look like Seraphina.
Still, the resemblance was uncanny.
Lucian might not have memorized every inch of Seraphina's face, but with his decent memory, unless she'd undergone some extreme facial surgery or was missing a nose and an eye, he could still spot her in a crowd.
Yet standing there, staring at this new girl, Lucian found himself dazed. For a moment, he genuinely suspected Seraphina had some bizarre cosplay hobby—maybe she dressed like a high schooler late at night to cope with the anxiety of inching toward her thirties.
But the moment passed quickly. Lucian snapped back to reality, realizing this girl wasn't Seraphina. They looked about 80% alike, sure, but everything else—the vibe, the posture, the expression—was clearly different.
Now, as half the rightful occupant of this luxurious mansion, Lucian felt he had every right to stand up and ask who the hell she was. But before he could open his mouth, the girl beamed with excitement and blurted out, "Brother-in-law?"
Lucian's brain stalled.
Brother-in-law?
Could it be—this youthful, fashion-forward girl with mile-long legs, a mischievous air, and an eerily familiar face—was actually Seraphina's sister?
Given their apparent age gap—easily close to ten years—it was impossible they were twins. But if this was really her sister, then damn… Seraphina's family genes were terrifying.
Before Lucian could explain or clarify the situation, the girl leaned in, eyes sparkling with excitement. "I knew Sera was up to something lately. Sneaking around, acting all mysterious… I just didn't think she'd go this far! Bringing a man home? Wow, she really went for it!"
Then, tilting her head and eyeing Lucian from top to bottom, she added, "But you? What does she see in you? Don't tell me you've got… some special talents that win her over in bed?"
Lucian nearly choked. His whole body broke out in cold sweat. This devilish brat and her nonsense!
Sera? Special talents? Bringing home a man? Secret activities?
What kind of unfiltered nonsense was this kid spouting?! Just because you look like the big boss doesn't mean you get to run your mouth like this! One more word and I swear I'll make you cry for your mommy!
"You mute or something?" the girl asked as she tossed her stylish little handbag onto the couch, walked right up to the dining table, and plopped herself down across from Lucian. She grabbed a fork and helped herself to some of the fruit salad. Then, flashing a cheeky smile, she teased, "So… did you sleep with my sister? Don't tell me she's a dead fish in bed too?"
"..."
Lucian nervously glanced up at the second floor. His heart was thudding like it wanted to leap out of his chest. He flinched and asked, "Are you really her sister?"
"Sort of," she replied, her eyes gleaming. "But you better keep your guard up. According to my thorough research, Sera probably isn't even into men. I think she married you just to cover up her real preferences. That's all I can say—figure the rest out yourself."
Before Lucian could even reply, the girl snatched up his untouched bowl of steak noodles and took a few eager bites. "Nice taste," she said, giving a thumbs up. "Using her Australian beef to make noodles… I gotta say, I respect that. You've got the same bold style I used to have."
Watching this girl who looked so much like Seraphina do all these outrageous things—gorging on steak noodles, spewing wild theories—Lucian's mind started to unravel. His expression grew vacant. "President Seraphina, please… stop playing. If you keep roleplaying in the middle of the night like this, you're going to give me a split personality."
"President Seraphina?" The girl paused mid-bite, looking up with an amused, meaningful smile. "So, you work at Kynix, huh? No wonder I couldn't dig up any dirt. Looks like Sera's been keeping things real close to the chest. Who would've thought she'd hook up with a guy right under her own roof?"
Then she added with a playful grin, "The name's Julia Hayes. Half-sister to the infamous Seraphina. Currently a student at Solviva High. Ask around—everyone knows me."
"Three days in class, two days skipping. After school? Out all night with her little gang. She's been publicly scolded in school-wide meetings at least three times. I've seen five different expulsion warnings. She's had more parent-teacher conferences than you've had hot dinners. In just two years of high school, she's caused over three million in damages to her classmates and teachers, and another five million to the school. She even almost burned down the dorm building."
The calm, icy voice came from the stairs.
Dressed in conservative sleepwear, Seraphina descended slowly, her expression cold and unamused. "And you have the nerve to act like those are badges of honor?"
Whenever Lucian reminisced about his high school days, he always felt he should've kept a lower profile, been steadier, not so flashy and attention-seeking. Maybe then, even after being back in Solviva for half a year, at least one of his old classmates would've invited him out for a drink, a meal, or karaoke.
But listening to Seraphina's comments about her sister Julia, Lucian couldn't help but worry—at this rate, wouldn't Julia end up like a drifting ghost, with no support, no direction, and die a lonely spinster?
Yet Julia, with her string of misdeeds, remained utterly unfazed by Seraphina's harsh criticism. She set down her greasy chopsticks and gazed at her sister like a mischievous little fox. With a charming smile, she said, "Sis, I didn't know you cared about me this much. I always thought you were just biased against me."
Lucian was at a loss for words. Internally, he sighed—Julia's shamelessness might even surpass his own. Then he glanced at Seraphina's livid expression and thought, Even as the big boss of NewAero, a rising force in Solviva's business world, what can she possibly do when faced with such a wild little sister?
Sure enough, Seraphina didn't seem inclined to argue further. She simply asked coldly, "It's only Thursday. What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of being at school?"
"If I didn't launch a surprise attack, how could I have run into my brother-in-law?" Julia suddenly clung to Lucian's arm and grinned. "Sis, when did you and brother-in-law get together? Have you told the family? Want me to be the messenger?"
Talk about turning the tables.
Talk about preemptive threats.
Julia had flipped the script completely. That face—so similar to Seraphina's yet far more playful—was brimming with sly intent. Seraphina, momentarily stunned, fell silent. The atmosphere turned subtly tense.
She absolutely didn't want anyone in the family to know Lucian was living here. She had even planned for Lucian to move out every weekend just to avoid being caught by Julia. Who could've guessed Julia would show up on a Thursday, in the dead of night?
"Watch your mouth," Seraphina said, her voice cold. "Brother-in-law? Lucian is just a company employee. It's not what you think."
"Oh really?" Julia smirked darkly. "Usually when I drop by, you nitpick everything and can't wait to kick me out. But now you're letting a male employee live with you? Sis, you're a real overseas returnee with degrees and all—don't tell me you studied yourself into stupidity? I better take this as a warning: education's important, but too much of it might rot your brain."
Seraphina's face flushed with anger. "What good have you ever done when you've stayed at my place? Stealing money, pawning my stuff—if you weren't my sister, I'd have called the police long ago!"
"Brother-in-law," Julia immediately turned pitiful, shaking Lucian's arm. "Did you hear that? My own sister wants to call the cops on me."
Faced with her teary eyes, Lucian suddenly found the courage to speak up. "President Seraphina, no matter what, Julia is still your sister. Don't you think this is a bit too harsh?"
"Shut up!" Seraphina's eyebrows shot up. "Since when do you get to tell me how to discipline my sister?"
"Ahem—" Lucian turned to Julia. "Look, stealing is wrong. A person should have dignity. Even starving, you shouldn't go down the path of theft."
Julia blinked rapidly, squeezing out a few fake tears. She pouted. "Fine, let me starve then. I'm just a poor girl nobody cares about. Dead or alive, what does it matter?"
Her switch in expression was Oscar-worthy. Even Lucian, who was right next to her, couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.
Let alone her own sister.
"What did you do this time sneaking out of school?" Seraphina asked coldly, though a trace of concern showed in her eyes.
In the end, they were sisters—each other's only remaining family. Seraphina couldn't truly be heartless. The only reason she was so cold was that Julia constantly caused trouble. In just two years since coming to Solviva, Julia had worn her down to the point she avoided answering calls for fear of the next disaster.
Still, seeing Julia's pitiful face, Seraphina couldn't help but soften. For this iron-willed boss, Julia was her greatest weakness.
"Can't I just miss you and want to visit?" Julia slipped free of Lucian's grip, grabbed her cute handbag from the couch, and pulled out a beautifully packaged box of face masks. She said tearfully, "Look, I heard this limited edition was up for pre-sale today, so I went to the mall and lined up for three hours to get it. I was just worried you've been working late and your skin would suffer, so I got you this celebrity-endorsed one. And the moment I walk in, I get scolded."
Hearing this, Seraphina's heart softened. She said gently, "You can buy face masks anytime. But you're still a student. What matters most is studying and preparing for the college entrance exam next year. You can't just skip class."
"But it's a limited edition. After today, the next batch won't be out until tomorrow." Julia lowered her head, as if to say I only did all this because I care about you, effectively making Seraphina feel guilty.
"Alright, alright. I'll let it go this time. You can stay the night. But go back to school early tomorrow," Seraphina said seriously. "Don't be this naughty again, got it?"
"Mhm!" Julia nodded rapidly, beaming. "You're the best, sis!"
"Imp!" Seraphina snapped. "Take a shower and get to bed. I have an early meeting."
"Goodnight, sis!" Julia bowed and nodded like a little clown, almost making Seraphina laugh.
Once the stern and imposing Seraphina was out of sight, Julia let out a sigh of relief. She flopped onto the leather couch, shoes and all, grinning proudly. "Mission complete!"
Lucian shook his head with a bitter smile and was just about to retreat to his room when he heard Julia's soft voice from the couch. "Brother-in-law, aren't you going to keep me company?"
That "brother-in-law," sweet as syrup, made Lucian feel like he was floating. He inhaled deeply and said with a straight face, "You can drop the act now, can't you?"
"What act?" Julia blinked innocently. "I'm naturally this lovable."
"I've got work tomorrow. If I'm late, your sister won't let me off," Lucian said lazily, preparing to leave.
"If you dare walk out, my dad will be in your room by morning—ready to chop you into pieces and feed you to the sharks," Julia said with a sweet smile. "I'm not joking. If my dad finds out you slept with my sister and doesn't break your legs, I'll change my surname to yours."
Lucian shivered. He slowly turned back. "Your dad's that scary?"
"Scarier than my sister," Julia said darkly.
"Damn, that's scary," Lucian muttered, lighting a cigarette and glancing sideways. "But aren't you afraid your sister will chop you up if she finds out you blabbed?"
Julia froze, then narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Wait... you really slept with her?"
Lucian puffed his chest. "Why not? With my looks, you think I'm not good enough?"
Julia looked him up and down. "You're okay, I guess. Not bad-looking, not vomit-inducing. But a guy who moves into the woman's house right after getting lucky? That's textbook pretty boy. Honestly, I don't think my sister would go for your type."
"You don't need to insult me to praise your sister," Lucian said, annoyed. "For your information, back in the day, I was the most dangerous prince charming in Solviva High. Girls fell like dominoes. They used to call me 'Lucian the Lady Slayer.'"
"Impressive," Julia said.
"Damn right. Scared now?" Lucian said smugly.
"Please. You're way past your prime," Julia sneered. "These days you're just a 'mature cucumber'—still wrinkly, no market value."
"Can we still be friends? One more insult and I'm going to bed," Lucian grumbled.
"Fine, fine. Since you stood up for me earlier, I won't rub salt in your wound." Julia grabbed a pillow and winked playfully. "Brother-in-law, lend me some money, will you?"
Lucian knew she was up to no good, but couldn't refuse outright—not when he was trying to make a good impression in this mansion. "Alright, how much?"
Julia extended one delicate finger, smiling brightly.
Lucian relaxed, pulled out his wallet, and handed her two crisp bills. "Here's two hundred, since we've hit it off so well. Use it wisely. Money's hard to earn these days."
He placed the cash in her hand—but Julia just stared at it, stunned, not moving.
Lucian thought she was touched. Gently, he closed her hand around the bills. "No need to be so moved. I get it. Young people overspend sometimes. I won't tell your sister."
"What the hell is this?!"
Julia exploded, tossing the crumpled bills aside. "Are you kidding me?"
Lucian blinked. "Kidding? What do you mean?"
"Two hundred bucks?" Julia's eyes went wide. "Do you even know what era we're in? This is the first time I've asked you for money and you're giving me two hundred? What, am I supposed to go buy skewers at a street stall?"
Lucian was dumbfounded.
A handbag worth thirty-eight thousand? Clothes that cost tens of thousands? A monthly allowance of a hundred grand?
Then you—