The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 77: [Volume 1] - 77- Guest !

Chapter 77: [Volume 1] Chapter 77- Guest !

The servant’s expression shifted to one of mild confusion. "Madam Rose is taking care of a guest."

"Guest?" the brothers echoed, bewildered. This was the first they had heard of any visitor. Esme hadn’t mentioned anything, and anxiety swelled within them. What kind of guest required her attention, especially at this hour?

As they exchanged worried glances, Kay’s brow furrowed, and Jay bit his lip, frustration mingling with fear. They felt a sense of helplessness wash over them. This wasn’t like Esme.

"Who is it?" Ray asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as if the very question held too much weight.

The servant shook her head, a hint of concern flickering in her eyes. "I’m afraid I don’t know, sir. But Madam said that after you guys freshen up, you should come down too."

As the door clicked shut behind her, a heavy silence filled the room once more. The brothers sat there, uncertainty hanging thick in the air, their thoughts racing as they tried to piece together the puzzle of Esme’s absence.

As the Aron brothers dressed up for the evening, an odd feeling settled over them. Something wasn’t right, but they couldn’t place it. Brushing off the unease, they made their way downstairs. The murmur of conversation floated up toward them, and they heard a sound they hadn’t heard in a long time—Esme’s laughter. It was bright and unrestrained, echoing softly through the house.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs and stood in the hall, they could see her clearly now. Esme was seated at the dining table, talking animatedly with someone. The sight of her laughing caught them off guard. Her smile was not the polished, poised one she usually wore in front of them, but a true, radiant expression of joy. Her eyes gleamed with life, and her laughter was so genuine that it felt like a secret glimpse into a side of Esme they had never seen before.

The brothers paused, exchanging a look. They had never seen her like this—so carefree, so unburdened. It was as if they were intruding on a moment that wasn’t meant for them.

But then Esme’s eyes found them. The laughter stopped abruptly, her expression shifting as if she were slipping on a mask. She smiled, but it wasn’t the same. The warmth in her eyes dimmed. The light, so evident moments ago, flickered out. Her smile returned to that practiced, flawless expression they had grown accustomed to.

"Oh, darling, you’re here," Esme greeted them with her usual calm voice, standing up from the table gracefully. She walked towards them, and though her tone was pleasant, the brothers could feel the distance between them. Something had shifted, and they weren’t sure what to make of it.

Ray was the first to speak, trying to bridge the strange gap that had formed. He forced a smile, though confusion lingered in his eyes. "Yeah, where have you been? I’ve been trying to find you all this time." He hesitated, his eyes flicking to the IV drip she had been hooked up to earlier. "And how are you walking around without the IV? I was worried—"

But his words trailed off when the guest at the table stood up.

The man—or rather, the being—wore a suit that was startlingly out of place. It was sky-blue, an unusual color for formal attire. But that wasn’t what made Ray fall silent. The guest had an ethereal quality, his movements fluid, his presence almost otherworldly. The air around him seemed to shimmer faintly, and his eyes—deep, mysterious, and unreadable—landed on the brothers.

It was then that the Aron brothers realized who, or rather what, this guest was.

He was a mer.

Ray’s breath caught in his throat, and Kay instinctively took a step closer to his brothers, his hand gripping the edge of his sleeve. Jay’s face was unreadable, but his eyes darted between Esme and the mer, questions swirling in his mind. Why was there a mer in their home? And why had Esme seemed so... happy in his presence?

The brothers were silent, caught between confusion and shock. Esme’s smile, now perfectly composed, did little to ease the tension. The moment hung in the air, thick with the weight of unspoken questions. The mer’s gaze lingered on them for a moment longer before he offered a polite nod, acknowledging their presence, but not speaking a word.

Esme, sensing the tension, gently touched Ray’s arm. "This is our guest," she said, her voice soft but controlled. "He’s come to discuss some important matters with me."

The brothers could feel the significance of her words, but none of them knew how to respond. The sight of Esme smiling so freely with the mer just moments ago left a lingering sense of unease. This was a side of her they didn’t know—a part of her world that had remained hidden until now.

And they couldn’t help but wonder what else Esme had kept from them.

"What do you mean, discuss?" the mer interrupted, his voice smooth and authoritative. The atmosphere shifted, the air growing heavy with anticipation.

Esme glanced at him, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "i amtalking to my husbands so shut up a," she replied, her tone clipped

"What do you mean, discuss?" the mer interrupted, his voice smooth and authoritative. The atmosphere shifted, the air growing heavy with anticipation.

Esme glanced at him, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "I’m talking to my husbands, so shut up," she replied, her tone clipped but playful.

The mer raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Ah, but Esme, isn’t it rude to dismiss a guest, especially one who brings important news?"

Esme crossed her arms, her demeanor shifting between annoyance and amusement. "News? Or chaos? You have a knack for the dramatic, don’t you?"

The mer leaned back slightly, feigning innocence. "Dramatic? I prefer to think of it as engaging. You must admit, the tension here is quite thrilling."