At the mention of his name, Tedmond’s eyes snapped toward the butler. He was still in bed, expecting Rick to wake him up for breakfast or some dull morning routine. Instead, the man stood at the door, holding a neatly sealed envelope.“An invitation?” Tedmond echoed, his brows arching in surprise.He sat up straighter, confusion spreading across his features. As far as he knew, no one had any reason to send him anything—let alone an invitation.He hadn’t even stepped foot in the Washington mansion yet. And given how late he’d been accepted into the family, it wasn’t like the world had suddenly recognized his presence.So, where was this coming from?“It’s from the Katsaros family, young master,” Rick said, stepping forward. “Personally addressed to you.”“From the Katsaros family?” Tedmond repeated, frowning. “They managed to send an invitation this quickly?”Before leaving for Santorini, Tedmond had asked Thomas if there were any key acquaintances in Greece he should be aware of.Tho

Tedmond’s brows arched. She didn’t look like she had spoken for the staff to get help—no, it looked more like she had yelled just to get everyone’s attention.He glanced away from her, ready to resume examining the outfits, when the woman raised her voice again.“I literally said excuse me seconds ago. Don’t tell me something else got your attention. Are you disrespecting me?” she demanded.She stopped a few feet away, arms crossed. Her eyes swept over Tedmond with sharp disapproval before landing on Persis, flashing a fake smile.“What do you mean, disrespecting you?” Persis shot back immediately, her tone so cold it made the air tense around them. “And what made you think everyone was made to respect you?”The woman’s eyes darkened as she glared at Persis. “You better watch your mouth when talking to me.”“And what’s going to happen if I don’t?” Persis challenged, locking eyes with her. “You don’t look like the type to go crying to your mother or father. Are you going to cry to your

By the time Tedmond had finished trying on all the tuxedos recommended by the staff and salesperson, the total came to around fifteen. The real reason, though, was Persis—she liked every single one of them, which made him choose each one without hesitation.Her eyes sparkled the entire time, and she looked more like a judge holding an invisible rating sign above her head than a simple observer.“Ten. Ten. Ten again,” she whispered dramatically, barely holding in her laughter. “Okay, that one’s a 9.5—because I like the other one a little better.”“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Tedmond said with a crooked smile as he adjusted the cufflinks on a navy tux that hugged his shoulders just right.“I can’t help it. You’re like a walking GQ shoot,” she teased, twirling one of the price tags between her fingers. “And I feel like a stylist on set. Very VIP.”“And yet,” he said, giving her a playful glance, “you haven’t picked out a single thing for yourself.”“Well, this place doesn’t actua

“You didn’t even flinch! You just stood up like a wall and blocked it, like we were in a slow-motion movie or something. And now you're sitting here, acting like it’s no big deal? It is a big deal, Tedmond! You could’ve been hurt worse. What if that soup had been hotter? What if it hit your eyes? What if—what if you hadn’t moved fast enough?!”He leaned back, watching her with tired but amused eyes.“And don’t even think this is over,” she continued. “I’m going to make sure Kalista pays for this. I’ll file a report. I’ll talk to the restaurant manager. I’ll go to the press if I have to. You don’t just attack people with soup and walk away like you’re some kind of queen of drama.”Tedmond raised his hand slightly. “Persis—”“No! Let me finish. I’m furious. And scared. And I’m grateful. And mad at myself. I should’ve dragged you out of there before she did something crazy, and instead I just sat there ordering lamb risotto like it was a normal day. And now here you are, bandaged up, loo

“Brother!” Bianca yelled, running toward him with a bright smile on her face.Tedmond had just stepped into the building. She had been eagerly waiting for his return, having spotted him from the upstairs balcony the moment he stepped out of the car. She had been running since then, her little feet carrying her quickly down the hallway.She finally reached him just as he walked into the living room with Persis. He bent over, opening his arms to welcome her. She leapt into his embrace, wrapping her small arms tightly around his neck, unaware of the burn that stretched across his neck and upper back.Tedmond winced slightly from the sting.Noticing it, Bianca quickly pulled away, her expression shifting from joy to concern. Her eyebrows furrowed deeply.“Are you injured?” she asked.He gave a small nod. “Yes, but it’s nothing serious.”Her smile vanished completely, replaced by a glare. Since he was covered from head to toe, she could barely see any skin and had no idea what kind of inju