Livia solemnly pulled a neatly folded letter from her sleeve and casually tossed it onto the table. The family crest on the envelope was clearly visible.
"Take a look at this." Her tone was neither light nor heavy, yet it carried an undeniable weight.
Adrian frowned, quickly stepped forward, and picked up the envelope. He tore it open and scanned the letter, his expression darkening bit by bit as his fingers tightened around the paper.
"Are you alright?" Elise, noticing his reaction, couldn't help but ask worriedly.
Adrian's voice was as cold as ice, flames of anger flickering in his eyes. "As expected, Father has found out about us."
Elise instinctively looked at Livia, who remained calm and nodded slightly. "That's right. He sent this letter specifically to Elise. Not only is he aware of your relationship, but he has also made his stance very clear—"
Adrian suddenly clenched the letter, fury surging in his gaze. "How could he?! What gives him the right to interfere in my life?! Love is my own choice—why must he meddle?!"
His anger intensified, his fists clenching so tightly that veins bulged on the back of his hands. "I'm going to see him! I need to confront him face-to-face!"
He turned to leave, but Livia stepped forward and blocked his path.
"Adrian!" Her voice was sharp and commanding, carrying an undeniable authority. "If you go now, you won't get any answers. Instead, you'll be locked up in the family estate, and then not only will you be unable to see Elise, but you won't even be able to escape yourself."
Adrian gritted his teeth, his expression grim. "So what, then? Am I just supposed to endure this? Let him dictate my life however he pleases?"
Livia locked eyes with him and said in a low, steady voice, "Endure? No. We won't just accept this. But we need to be smart about it."
She paused, her sharp gaze sweeping over the others. "If you rush to question him now, you'll only strengthen his opposition. Think about it—he is a patriarch who lives for the family's reputation. Do you think he would allow his heir to marry a girl without a distinguished lineage? Your defiance will only reinforce his stance."
Elise, listening to their conversation, felt an uneasy knot tighten in her stomach. She hesitated before speaking softly, "If… if we truly can't change his decision, then maybe… we should just give up."
"Don't be foolish." Livia turned to her, her gaze unreadable. "Do you think I've gone through all this trouble just for you to surrender?"
Elise was stunned, staring at her in a daze. Livia, however, shifted her attention back to Adrian, a cold smirk forming on her lips. "I'm not some fairytale sister who'll simply wish you happiness and step aside."
Adrian met her gaze, studying her for a long moment before he finally released his clenched fists and took a deep breath to steady himself. "…You have a plan?"
Livia raised an eyebrow. "Of course."
She glanced around the room, her tone resolute. "If you two are going to be together, then it should be in the open—with the world's blessing, not in secrecy. Besides, I refuse to let you live a life of struggle. If we want to secure your future, we need more than just your freedom—we need to increase your influence within the family."
Elias, who had remained silent, chuckled meaningfully. "It sounds like you've already devised a strategy."
"Naturally." Livia's expression turned calculating as she lightly tapped her fingers against the table. "But this isn't something we can rush. We need to be patient."
Adrian took a deep breath, sinking into contemplation. Finally, he met her gaze, his determination solidifying. "Tell me—what do we do?"
Livia's lips curved upward slightly. "First, let's lay out our plan properly…"
Her eyes swept across the room, filled with a calm yet commanding confidence. The atmosphere grew tense and heavy—the battle was about to begin.
—
In the following days, an air of unease spread throughout the family estate.
Adrian had seemingly vanished into thin air. Even his closest guards and attendants had no idea where he had gone. Rumors swirled both inside and outside the castle—some claimed that Edgar had secretly imprisoned him for disobedience, while others speculated that he had impulsively eloped with his beloved.
Meanwhile, the family's affairs fell into disorder due to Adrian's sudden disappearance. The expansion project was repeatedly delayed, much to Marcellus's frustration. By the third day, he finally confronted Livia.
"Livia." He pushed open the study door, his deep gaze locking onto her. "Where is Adrian?"
Livia stood by the bookshelf, her fingers gliding over the spine of an old family chronicle. At his words, she quietly closed the book, turning to him with a faint, unreadable smile. "Why do you think I would know?"
"I know about Adrian and Elise. And now, Elise is missing as well." Marcellus sighed, his voice carrying a trace of exasperation. "The expansion project has stalled. Edgar is already investigating Adrian's whereabouts. You should know what that means."
Livia smiled slightly, her eyes calm as she met his gaze. "Has Father found anything?"
Marcellus studied her face, searching for a hint of emotion, but Livia remained composed and unreadable.
"Livia." He exhaled, his tone softening slightly. "If you know something, tell me. If Adrian is in trouble, none of us can afford to stay silent."
Livia slowly walked to the desk, tapping her fingers lightly against the surface before speaking in a teasing, almost playful tone, "He will return."
Marcellus frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean," Livia drawled, her tone light and unhurried, "you don't need to know too much. Just wait. When the time comes, I'll need you to play your part."
Marcellus stared at her for a long moment, a flicker of contemplation crossing his gaze. He knew Livia never spoke without purpose. He also understood that their current relationship was complicated—he had no leverage to challenge her, nor could he ignore her intentions. If this was Livia's scheme, then his only option was to support her.
"I hope you know what you're doing," he said at last, before turning and leaving.
Livia watched his departing figure, the corners of her lips curling ever so slightly.
Adrian had not disappeared to escape—he was laying the groundwork for the future. This was not an impulsive rebellion.
It was a perfectly calculated move.