The private estate was clearly expensive. You could see it in the buildings, the gardens, and the careful upkeep. Security was extremely tight. Armed guards patrolled the grounds in shifts. Cameras watched every corner. Advanced systems protected the property. No one could sneak in. And without permission, no one could leave.
This estate didn't even exist on the map. The area only showed empty mountains.
Before receiving the photo, Draven had been in his study practicing calligraphy.
Writing usually calmed him. But today it didn't work.
His mind refused to settle. So he stopped.
He opened a drawer. Inside were many folded paper flowers shaped like blooms.
Draven folded one every day. The drawer was already full. Many more were stored in a small room inside the house.
He had prepared this estate slowly before returning to the Zheron. Everything was finished before the Winstons threw the party for the twins.
Draven was halfway through folding another flower when Herman walked in. "Draven, it's almost time," Herman said.
Draven nodded but kept folding.
Herman studied him quietly.
Draven wore all black. No other color. The dark clothes made his pale face stand out. Under the soft lights, his sharp features looked even clearer. Deep shadows rested under his brow. His whole presence felt cold and restrained.
There was a quiet intensity around him that could make people uneasy.
Herman had known Draven since they were 15. They first met at a family banquet. Even then, Draven had been unusually calm. His movements were steady and mature. Far too composed for his age. No one could tell what he was thinking.
He had been a quiet boy who seemed hard to approach. Anyone who tried to befriend him needed the courage to risk rejection.
But once people got close, they found him surprisingly easygoing. Before long, he blended into their circle.
Still, looking back, Herman always felt something was odd. Draven never showed strong likes or dislikes. He rarely revealed clear emotions. It was hard to find any obvious flaws.
But no one is perfect. Either a person adapts to everyone. or they hide everything.
Herman later realized Draven had simply trained himself to live that way.
After Herman met Jeremy, he finally saw a different expression on Draven's face. Hatred. He learned about the long history between them.

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