Estate
The Veron Estate loomed like a modern villa . A fortress of legacy carved into the cliffs above Tavoran's eastern district, it stood as a symbol of enduring ruthlessness.
At its heart, inside a vast obsidian chamber lined with soft red lights and humming projectors, a crisis meeting was underway.
A table of polished basalt stretched across the room. Around it sat the key heads of the Veron Family.
Lord Vairen Veron, the 61-year-old head, sat at the head. He was tall and lean, draped in layered black robes embroidered with crimson veins. His gray eyes were sharp, devoid of warmth. Each movement of his hand was calculated, deliberate—like a surgeon wielding a scalpel.
Across the table sat his son—Valeck Veron, the eldest heir, known for his ambition and military background. His face was marred with a faint scar across the left cheek, a remnant of his early battlefield days.
Next to him were the family's key figures:
Marza Veron – the family's political strategist and Valeck's younger sister.
Dr. Alaric Norr – the head of Veron's internal R&D and infrastructure sabotage division.
Seydon Krell – an outside contractor, mercenary syndicate leader aligned with Veron interests.
The hologram in the center showed the Niremo Development Map. One section flashed in red—marked as "Failed Acquisition."
A small tag beneath read:
> "Southern Railway Corridor – Now under Drax Industrial Dominion."
Silence ruled the chamber.
Then Vairen spoke, voice low and surgical.
> "Explain how the Drax family secured this without resistance."
Valeck stood, fists clenched behind his back. "They used a shell firm—Silent Trade Enterprises. We suspected it was local logistics-backed, but the paperwork was clean. By the time our lawyers traced the ownership, the Drax name appeared after approval."
> "So Aven Drax outmaneuvered you," Marza said, her tone taunting.
Valeck didn't flinch. "He was underestimated. He presented the plan in person—confident, backed by political weight from three Bureau members and support from Niremo city.
Dr. Alaric scowled. "More than that—he offered a rapid deployment progress the council hadn't seen before. Our own delay in prototype testing gave them the opening."
> "And the result?"
"Council awarded Drax the full contract for the high-speed rail corridor. Aven Drax's name is now publicly tied to the project—media outlets are painting him as a genius .
"Twenty days," Valeck replied, teeth grinding. "Yet he recovered. we did not how he recovered . His vitals and performance figures are classified, but our moles say he walked out of the hospital looking stronger than ever."
Vairen drummed his fingers once—an ominous gesture.
> "The boy should've died in that crash."
Seydon Krell leaned forward, adjusting his gloves.
> "You want me to finish the job, Lord Veron?"
Marza interrupted. "No. Not yet. If he dies now, the Drax family will retaliate. you like bloody wolf they will do anything to revenge we are already started facing many problems.
Vairen nodded slightly. "No blood. Not yet. Destroy his success instead."
He gestured at the hologram again.
> "I want the Niremo project to fail. Sabotage their early infrastructure. Leak blueprints to lesser firms. Use union strife, environmental protests—force them into delays and penalties."
Dr. Alaric smirked. "That I can do. We've already infiltrated one of their subcontractor groups—Verdan Freight. A strike is being organized for next week."
Valeck added, "We're also seeding online rumors. Allegations of bribery, corruption, even data tampering. Drax's image will fracture."
Vairen closed his eyes for a moment, then spoke quietly.
> "Still… the boy concerns me."
"You think he's more dangerous than we thought?" Marza asked.
He rose slowly, his robes whispering over the marble floor.
> "If he has ambition, he'll strike again. We will be ready. I want everything about him tracked—his cousins, his inner circle, his old friends. Nothing he builds is to be left untouched."
Valeck nodded. "And the rest of the Drax family?"
> "Let the uncles remain distracted with their empires. Keep their networks busy. We target the cracks—the ones young Aven tries to fill."
I
Vairen stepped toward the window overlooking the distant Niremo skyline.
> "He stole what was mine. I'll see it crumble in his hands."
The sun climbed the sky ,the Drax Estate was alive — silently, orderly, as if every wall had a rhythm of its own. The automatic blinds in Aven's room slid upward with a soft hum, revealing a cascading sunrise over the eastern ridges.
Inside the private bathroom attached to his quarters, steam rose.
Aven stood beneath the rainfall showerhead, water streaming down his sculpted frame. Twenty days of daily rehab, slow nutrient injections, and guided AI muscle conditioning had reshaped him. The body wasn't just strong — it was refined. Built. Engineered with purpose.
He closed his eyes as the warm stream hit his shoulders.
"This world gave me another shot. Not just to survive — to dominate."
The water shut off with a mental command. Aven stepped out, grabbing a towel.
Walking toward the full-length mirror, he paused.
His reflection stared back — a different man.
Sharp jawline, short-cropped black hair slicked back from the steam, clean but dangerous eyes that glinted like tempered metal. His torso, lean but deeply defined, bore no signs of the hospital stay. His skin had a natural bronze hue, a faint line of veins running across his forearms like lightning under the surface.
He touched the mirror lightly. "You're not the same anymore. I am too handsome in this life it's not like was not handsome in pervious life but due take care of face it's not that good.
Aven dressed in a casual dark tunic over black slacks, sleeves rolled up. A subtle chain hung from his neck — a gift from Elyra, his little sister, placed without a word during recovery.
---
Drax Estate – Dining Pavilion | Morning
The breakfast room wasn't a table — it was a glass platform suspended over a serene koi pond, with light filtering from the ceiling's botanical skylight. The silverware was minimalistic, the plates crafted from white-crystal ceramic, and the air faintly smelled of brewed herbs.
Seated at the long table were only two people:
Eira Drax — regal as ever in a satin robe of wine red, her auburn hair gently pinned.
Kaelion Drax — already dressed in a sleek gray suit, sipping his coffee like it was strategy in liquid form.
Aven walked in quietly.
Eira noticed first. "You're up early."
"Yes, I've been trying to wake early more often," he said…
sliding into the seat across from her.
Kaelion didn't raise his head. "Good. Early hours build empires."
A small tray was placed maid set before Aven — protein rolls, energy fruits, boiled root-meat cuts. Balanced. Efficient. High in nutrients. The kind of breakfast designed not for comfort, but performance.
Eira reached for her tea. "Kaen left for the university early. He had advanced class scheduled."
Aven nodded. oh
"He wants to earn his president seat in university before eighteen," she added, her smile soft but proud. "He may seem cold, but he looks up to you."
"What about Elyra?"
"She left with Malira to visit the central school division. For playing always enjoying next week."
"And the rest?"
Eira's voice warmed. "Your cousins are already diving into their departments. Rama's in Varia for her cosmetic . Serin's been locked in the AI labs. Even Revik's up to his elbows in engine blocks."
Kaelion finally looked up.
"You've got time," he said bluntly.
Aven raised an eyebrow. "
Kaelion smirked faintly. "
The silence that followed wasn't awkward — it was heavy with unspoken meaning. This was how Kaelion communicated. No hand-holding. No praise. But the presence, the eye contact, the few words — they meant he acknowledged Aven.
"Rest of the family's in motion," Kaelion added. "Today's yours. Use it well."
Aven picked up a fruit segment and took a slow bite. "I will."
Eira glanced between them and smiled faintly. For the first time since the hospital, her son and husband looked… aligned. Quietly, but undeniably.
Kaelion said came to company office after breakfast .