"Boss," the chief shadow guard looked up from his encrypted device, his tone growing sharp. "A fresh update just came in from the operatives monitoring the Young family estate."
I raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the dark oak desk. "Is that so? What is it?"
"Belle Young just departed the main residence with all her personal luggage," the shadow chief reported cleanly. "She is currently heading in a private vehicle directly toward Grandview Villa No. 1. How should we handle her arrival?"
A quiet smirk touched my lips. "Do nothing. After all, if things proceed smoothly, she’s destined to be the future fourth Mrs. Vance. It’s only natural for her to move into the estate. Let her enter Freely. Now, go handle the intelligence investigation regarding the Lin family’s past that I assigned to you."
"Understood, Boss." The shadow chief bowed respectfully and vanished into the hallway shadows.
Stepping out of the ground-floor study, I caught the attention of the head housekeeper. "Gather five maids and have them thoroughly clean and prepare the guest suite adjacent to Dr. Starling’s room. We have a new guest moving in today."
"Right away, Mr. Vance," the housekeeper replied dutifully.
With the arrangements set, I walked upstairs to the master suite. Pushing the heavy double doors open, I was greeted by a charming sight. Seraphina, Clara, and Sophia were all lounging together across the king-sized bed, propped up on plush pillows as they watched a movie on the widescreen television.
I chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "Well, aren’t you three comfortable? Watching movies in my room now?"
Sera turned her head, offering a soft, radiant smile. "Do you have an issue with us being in here, darling?"
"Not at all," I smiled, stepping into the room. "This room belongs to you as much as it does to me."
"Do you have any urgent work left for the afternoon?" Clara asked, shifting slightly on the mattress to make space.
"No, my schedule is completely clear for the next couple of hours."
"Then stop standing around and come watch with us," Sophia added warmly, her cheeks dimpling.
I kicked off my shoes, slid under the soft duvet, and positioned myself right in the center. Clara immediately shifted over, resting her head gently on my lap and letting out a contented sigh.
"Honey... please rub my head while we watch," Clara murmured softly, her eyes fluttering shut. "I’ve been buried under mountains of acquisition contracts for the past few days, and my head is throbbing just a little bit."
"Of course, sweetheart," I murmured gently, reaching down to weave my fingers through her silky hair, applying just the right amount of gentle pressure to her temples.
Sera leaned in from my right, resting her head comfortably on my shoulder, while Sophia nestled against my left side. The warm, quiet intimacy of the room enveloped us completely. We sat together in peaceful silence, enjoying the movie and each other’s presence. Time seemed to lose all meaning in the face of such gentle domestic warmth, and forty-five minutes slipped away in what felt like a brief moment.
Knock, knock.
A light, respectful tap came at the master bedroom door. "Sir," the maid’s voice called from the hallway. "A young lady named Miss Belle Young has arrived in the main living room. She mentioned that she is your fiancée."
I opened my eyes, pausing my hand in Clara’s hair. "Acknowledge her and offer her refreshments. Tell her I’ll be downstairs shortly."
Checking my luxury watch on the nightstand, I saw it was already 5:00 PM. A flicker of concern crossed my mind. Wait... today was supposed to be a half-day at school for Daisy. She should have arrived home by 4:30 PM.
Sliding out from under the blankets while making sure Clara rested comfortably on a pillow, I pulled out my phone and dialed my shadow chief’s internal frequency.
"Where is Daisy?" I asked directly. "She’s thirty minutes past her usual return time."
"Boss, the perimeter detail reports that Young Miss Daisy expressed a desire for sweets after school," the chief answered instantly. "She is currently enjoying an ice cream sundae at the central plaza mall, fifteen minutes away from the estate. Should I instruct the escort team to immediately cut her trip short and bring her back?"
I relaxed, a small smile touching my lips. "No, let her enjoy her ice cream. Just ensure her security envelope remains airtight on the way back."
"Understood, sir."
Walking down the grand spiral staircase alongside Sera, Clara, and Sophia, I caught my first full glimpse of Belle Young sitting gracefully on the main leather sofa in the living room.
She wore a tailored beige trousersuit that emphasized her posture and refined demeanor. She possessed an elegant, sharp professionalism reminiscent of Clara, paired with striking features that could easily rival an A-list screen actress.
Taking a seat across from her, I rested my hands casually on my knees. "Belle, I didn’t expect you to move in directly without giving me a advance call. But your suite is already prepared, and my staff will handle your luggage."
I motioned to the head housekeeper. "Send the transport team to unload Miss Young’s luggage and take it up to the fifth suite in the east wing. Have the maids arrange her personal items neatly."
Belle looked at me with a mixture of surprise and sharp curiosity. "How did you know I was moving into the villa today? My decision was only finalized two hours ago."
I met her gaze with an indifferent, confident smile. "There’s no point in playing modest, Belle. In Metro City, if there is information I wish to know, it reaches me instantly—especially when it concerns my inner circle or my personal affairs."
Beside me, Seraphina cleared her throat softly, giving me a subtle, meaningful nudge.
"Ah, right," I smiled, gesturing between the women. "Allow me to introduce everyone properly. Belle, if our compatibility checks out in the coming weeks, you will become my fourth romantic partner. And these three incredible women are my girlfriends—Seraphina, Clara, and Sophia. If you truly wish to walk beside me, simply liking me won’t be enough. You must respect, cherish, and get along with the people I care about, just as the three of them do."
Belle looked at the three women, taking in their poised, calm, and welcoming expressions. Before she could articulate a response, the heavy double entrance doors of the mansion swung wide open.
"Daddy! I’m home!"
A sweet, energetic voice echoed through the high-ceilinged foyer. Little Daisy came bounding into the living room on her tiny legs, clutching a stuffed bear. The moment her eyes landed on me, her face lit up.
I immediately crouched down, scooping her up into my arms and lifting her onto my lap as I sat back down. "Welcome home, my little princess. Did you enjoy your ice cream?"
"Yep! It was chocolate and strawberry!" Daisy beamed, before her eyes drifted toward Belle.
Belle stared at the little girl in obvious confusion, completely caught off guard by the sudden domestic scene. "Hello, little one..."
"Hello, big sister," Daisy replied politely, before turning her big, curious eyes back to me. "Daddy, who is she?"
I stroked Daisy’s soft hair, flashing a playful glance at Belle, whose cheeks were already dusting with a subtle pink flush. "Princess, if everything goes well, she might become your fourth mommy in the future."
Belle shifted uncomfortably, her composure cracking for a fraction of a second.
I turned to Sophia with a soft, affectionate look. "Sophia, why don’t you three take Daisy upstairs to her room and help her change into some comfortable play clothes? I have a few important, private matters to clarify with Miss Young."
"Come on, sweetie," Sophia smiled warmly, taking Daisy’s small hand as Sera and Clara stood up alongside her. They offered Belle polite nods before guiding the cheerful little girl toward the residential wing.
Once the room cleared, I stood up, my posture shifting into something cold, commanding, and absolute. "Miss Young... follow me to the study."
Belle hesitated for a fraction of a second, taken aback by the sudden shift in my aura from a doting father to a ruthless sovereign, but she silently stood up and followed me into the ground-floor study.
I closed the heavy brass-locked door behind us. Belle walked toward the massive black executive desk where my laptop and confidential folders rested, standing quietly near the edge.
I walked over, stepping closer until I stood directly in front of her.
Because of our height difference, I looked down into her sharp eyes. We were standing so close that my warm breath brushed lightly against her face. The intense proximity caught her entirely off guard—I could visibly see her throat tighten, her breathing catching in her chest as the faint, rapid rhythm of her racing heartbeat resonated in the quiet room. Her cheeks flushed a deep, undeniable crimson.
"Julian..." she stammered softly, trying to maintain her professional distance. "Shouldn’t we... take things a bit slower?"
Without stepping back, I reached past her and turned my laptop screen toward her vision. Displayed on the monitor was her complete, original intelligence The full file —detailing her upbringing, her distant relationship with her father, and her true motives.
My tone dropped into an icy, unyielding register. "Belle... I can shower you with unlimited wealth, absolute status, and endless corporate power. But if you are planning to use my future children as mere pawns for your personal ambition and revenge against your family... I won’t hesitate to erase the Young name from existence entirely."
Belle stared at the screen, her eyes widening in shock before her expression hardened into pure, earnest determination. She didn’t back away. Instead, she met my gaze head-on.
"I have no intention of using my own child as a tool for power games, Julian!" she stated firmly, her voice carrying absolute sincerity. "Don’t forget—the children you are talking about will be mine as well! Do you really think a mother would sacrifice her own flesh and blood for corporate politics? The reason I proposed this marriage is because I refuse to let my future children be treated as second-class citizens or deprived of what they deserve, the way the main Young family treated me! I want them to hold the absolute respect and standing that is rightfully theirs!"
I stared into her eyes, testing the weight of her conviction. "And what about my other children?"
Belle blinked, listening intently.
"As you can see, I currently have three women who hold my heart, including you as a candidate," I continued, my voice steady and commanding. "In the future, I may have more. That means I will eventually have multiple sons and daughters. Will you resent them for inheriting portions of the empire I build? Will you poison our children’s minds, teaching them to fight their own brothers and sisters over petty money and corporate property?"
Silence descended upon the study. Belle closed her eyes, processing my words deeply as she wrestled with her long-standing insecurities and internal walls.
After a long pause, she looked up, her tone softer, carrying a rare vulnerability. "What about them? Will your other women... will your other children treat my child as an equal? Or will my child be pushed to the sidelines?"
I looked at her with absolute, unwavering confidence. "Yes. They will treat your child with complete love and equality."
Belle looked startled.
"Let me tell you a truth," I said smoothly, my eyes softening. "Daisy is not my biological child—she is the daughter of Sophia’s late husband. But have you seen how Clara and Sera treat her? They pamper her and love her as if she were their own blood sister. And I treat Daisy as my own daughter—not just because I love her mother deeply, but because I love that little girl with my entire heart."
I leaned in slightly, my voice carrying a warm, binding promise. "If you can shed your past insecurities, let go of your resentment, and treat everyone in this household with genuine respect and care... I will gladly accept you as my fiancée. Think about what I’ve said, and give me your answer when you are ready."
Belle stood frozen in front of the desk, her heart pounding—not from fear or embarrassment, but from a profound, overwhelming realization that for the very first time in her life, she had encountered a man who held absolute power, yet possessed a heart vast enough to protect everyone under his wing.