"What's on your mind, Jason?"Karen turned to face him, her expression soft but concernedHe sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's just... everything's different now. Being the Ravenelli heir—it changes everything. I don’t even know where to start."Karen reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm. "You start by facing it head-on. You’ve always been strong, Jason. You can handle this."Jason looked at her, appreciating the calm resolve in her voice. "I haven’t been back to the estate since Grandfather cast me out. It feels like a lifetime ago.""Maybe it’s time to go back," Karen suggested. "You’re the heir now. That estate is yours, along with everything that comes with it."He hesitated, memories of the old man’s harsh words echoing in his mind. "What if they haven’t forgiven me?"Karen smiled gently. "You don’t need their forgiveness. You’ve earned your place. It’s time to claim it."Jason lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as the early morning light filtered through the
The Ravenelli Estate stood grand and imposing, its vast gardens meticulously maintained, with towering trees casting long shadows over the manicured lawns. Jason Ravenelli walked beside his mother, Mrs. Rose Ravenelli, his wife Karen on his other side, as they took in the sight of the estate. It had been years since Jason had set foot on this land, ever since his grandfather had cast him out. The memories of that day lingered, but today, he felt something different—something almost akin to hope.Mrs. Rose pointed out various parts of the estate as they walked. "The east wing has been completely renovated," she said, her voice tinged with pride. "We added a new library, and the garden has been expanded. You remember how your grandfather loved his roses."Jason nodded, his eyes scanning the familiar yet changed surroundings. "It’s different, but it still feels like home."Karen smiled, squeezing Jason’s hand. "It’s beautiful, Mrs. Ravenelli. I can see why you’re so proud of it."Mrs. Ro
The atmosphere in the Ravenelli dining room was already tense, but the sudden intrusion of the LAPD turned unease into utter chaos.As the police officers filed into the ornate room, their uniforms starkly contrasting against the opulent decor, the family members froze in shock. The lead detective, a stern-looking woman with sharp features and piercing blue eyes stepped forward, holding up a badge."Good evening. I'm Detective Laura Martinez with the LAPD. We're here for Ben Ravenelli," she announced firmly, her gaze scanning the faces around the table.Ben, who had been nursing a glass of red wine and a wounded ego from the earlier confrontation, looked up incredulously. "What the hell is this about?" he demanded, pushing back his chair and rising to his feet.Detective Martinez's expression remained impassive. "Mr. Ravenelli, you're under arrest for the theft of the Monalisa portrait and conspiracy to commit fraud. Please turn around and place your hands behind your back."Gasps fil
"Ben, are you okay?" Hilary asked, his voice low and steady.Ben let out a shaky breath. "Not really. I have no idea what's going on. They dragged me out of my own home in front of my family, accusing me of stealing our damn painting. It doesn't make any sense."Hilary leaned forward, his eyes scrutinizing Ben's face. "I need you to be completely honest with me. Is there any possibility that you could be implicated in this? Any dealings, communications, anything that could be misconstrued?"Ben's eyes flashed with indignation. "Of course not! Why would I steal from my own family? That painting means as much to me as anyone else."Hilary nodded, considering. "They're claiming to have evidence—financial records, communication logs. Any idea where that could have come from?"Ben hesitated, thinking hard. "No. Unless... unless someone planted it. I mean, I handle a lot of the family's business dealings, but nothing illegal. Someone must be setting me up."Before Hilary could respond, ther
Chapter One The streets of an open-air market bustled with a lot of activity as people bought and sold their wares. It wasn't quiet, but to an extent, beautiful. This market was one of the best in the state as they sold things that would normally be expensive in normal stores at cheaper rates here. While the quality might be slightly lower, its affordability was its true essence. In the middle of all these activities, stood a young man. His short black hair reflected the light of the sun and his silver-coloured eyes seemed like they could see through anything and everything. His build wasn’t particularly big, but he exuded a bit of a strong aura around him. Jason decided to take a stroll around this market and see if he could get some ingredients for lunch. ‘Those grocery stores be pissing me off. Can’t get a decent lunch without having to spend too much. Tsk… what a drag.’ he thought to himself as he walked through the road betwee
Chapter Two“Tsk… you fool. Don’t you dare call me that amongst these people?” She growled with a whisper but Jason didn’t stop. “Why shouldn’t I call my wife sweet names? Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed by it. I can see the redness on your cheeks.” He taunted and Karen could almost not take it anymore. “I am seriously not in the mood for your stupid games. I will not be lumped together with trash like you.” She bellowed and Jason was slightly displeased but didn’t voice it. Seeing this, Karen calmed down before returning to her cold expression, “So, what did you get my grandmother?” She asked. “You don’t want to be lumped with trash yet you speak to trash,” Jason replied with a cold expression too and one would notice a vein appear on Karen’s forehead.“You think you can just speak to me as you wish because I am married to you?! Are you courting death?!” She inched closer to him and squeezed his shirt by the collar. However, Jason remained indifferent.“What sor
Chapter Three “Aaaaah. What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Jared yelled with shock. His heart sank and not just him, even Karen was astounded. ‘I didn’t know he had such a bad temper.’ she thought to herself with a worried look on her face. However, when they all looked at the vase, they noticed something. The vase wasn’t smashed to pieces like they all expected. But it wasn’t undamaged either. “If it’s truly what you claim it to be, and it does come from the Ming Dynasty, then the vase should be in pieces by now.” Jason analyzed before picking up the vase that only seemed to have suffered a small breakage at the edge at which it made contact with the ground. “Also… for a vase made during the Ming dynasty era, don’t you think this vase’s designs are a little too… perfect? The carvings here are very intricate. No human can achieve this sort of precision without the modern tools we have today.” He pointed but the latter glared at him. “You… what… do
Chapter Four “Grandma… what’s going on?” Karen asked worriedly but got no response from her grandmother. Mrs. Jamie sighed after a while. It seemed like she was quite surprised about the authenticity of the vase and upon seeing that it was indeed a fake, she couldn’t help but sigh. ‘How good would it have been if it were the real thing.’ she thought to herself before looking at her granddaughter, who looked worried. “It’s all right my dear Karen. Even though it’s not authentic, it’s still a gift, and gifts aren’t meant to be rejected unless they are harmful,” she claimed and Karen couldn’t help but smile. Indeed, her grandmother’s wisdom left her marveling. She chatted with her before going to meet her brother. However, the latter was still fuming near the pool, thinking about what Jason had done to him that day. The embarrassment was too much for him to take. Not only that, but his father scolded him to a point and his allowances were going to be cut for a few month