Arkanza took a deep breath before carefully pushing open the small gate of his house. The scorching 3 PM sun burned against his skin, causing sweat to trickle down his temples. He glanced left and right, making sure the surroundings were clear before stepping inside.At this hour, Maria and his father were usually busy with work, while Norman—his stepbrother—was nowhere to be found. This was the perfect time for him to sneak back home without attracting anyone's attention.His steps were slow, almost soundless. He moved toward the back door, hoping to slip into his room unnoticed. But before he could even reach for the door handle, a familiar voice interrupted his movement."Do you think I don’t know you sneak in like a thief?"Arkanza’s heart nearly stopped. He turned sharply and found Norman standing at the kitchen doorway, his expression neutral, but his sharp gaze clearly conveyed his displeasure.Arkanza swallowed hard, trying to remain calm despite being caught. "I just didn’t w

After returning from Adam’s presence, Arkanza felt confused."Did his brain break because Isabella left him? But Maria is with him now—there’s no way she’s not giving him what he needs, right?"Arkanza sighed and stood in front of the large mirror in his room. The dim light cast a soft glow on his face, creating faint shadows around him. He studied his reflection in silence, tracing every line and contour of his face as if searching for something he had long ignored.His eyes moved from one feature to another—his perfectly arched eyebrows, his slightly sharp nose, his thin lips. He raised his hand, touching his cheek lightly, then let out a deep breath.He had always thought of himself as a part of Adam Smith—a father so powerful, so in control of his life. But the longer he stared at his own face, the more he realized something he had never truly noticed before.He didn’t actually resemble Adam.His jawline wasn’t as sharp as his father’s, his eye color was softer, and his skin was s

Maria sat in the living room of the Smith family home with a worried expression. Her fingers clutched the fabric of her blouse, her eyes fixed on the two people standing before her—Norman and Amber. Her children from her second marriage, both of whom could never get along with Arkanza, Adam Smith’s eldest son from his previous marriage.“How many times do I have to say this? Stop causing trouble with Arkanza,” Maria’s voice was tense, but Norman merely clicked his tongue in annoyance.“He’s the one who always acts like he’s in charge of this house, Ma,” Norman retorted. “As if he’s the only one with a right to all of this.”Amber, sitting beside him, chimed in. “That’s right. He acts like the sole heir. But we’re also Dad’s family. We have rights too!”Maria closed her eyes for a moment, trying to ease the growing anxiety weighing on her chest. The relationship between Arkanza and her two children had worsened over time. Norman and Amber felt that Arkanza always received special treat

Adam sat behind his office desk, his fingers tapping restlessly on the wooden surface. The financial report placed before him displayed numbers that made his headache even worse. The company was still unstable after a series of management system failures, and it only added to his frustration."How is this still a mess?" His sharp voice made the executives standing before him tense up."I'm sorry, Mr. Smith. We're still working on fixing the system. It takes time to—"Adam shot the man a piercing look, cutting him off. "I don't want excuses. I want solutions. If nothing changes within a week, I'll handle it myself."A heavy silence filled the room. The executives knew that when Adam said he would step in, it meant a massive restructuring was coming—and many heads would roll.Without another word, Adam stood up, grabbed his coat, and strode out with a furious expression. The day had already been bad enough, and he just wanted to go home and find some peace.As his car passed through the

A light drizzle fell over the university courtyard as Arkanza stepped out of the classroom, his mind swirling with questions that had been bothering him more and more each day. Adam had never truly cared about him before. They rarely spoke, and Adam was always too preoccupied with business matters. But lately, everything had changed. Adam had become more controlling, as if he didn’t want Arkanza to move even an inch without his approval.Rules that were once vague had now become painfully clear. It wasn’t just about family or business affairs—Adam was even starting to dictate his friendships. Arkanza was not allowed to be close to anyone unless they had Adam’s approval."What is he really thinking?" Arkanza muttered under his breath.Beside him, Barak stretched lazily, yawning. Classes were over, and as usual, they planned to grab lunch at the cafeteria."Hey, let’s eat first. I’m starving," Barak said, patting Arkanza’s shoulder.Arkanza had just nodded when several men in black suit