Chapter 268

Raventon, at the Fields' courtyard. The moment the last of the guests left, the place settled back into its usual calm. What was even more surprising was Adrian—he hadn't argued with his dad, hadn't stormed off, and had actually sat down to play chess with Charles. The game was supposed to be with Ethan, but after losing round after round to his algorithm-obsessed younger brother, Adrian bailed, grumbling about unfair advantages. Coincidentally, Oliver had to deal with work, and left his game with the old man halfway. What no one expected was for Charles, usually the embodiment of stern and distant, to soften his tone and casually ask his second son if he wanted to play a round. Even Grace, who just came over hoping to enjoy some tea and cake with the family, was caught off guard. That kind of gentle tone from Charles? It was almost unheard of. He'd always held them to high standards—regular conversations at home often turned into lectures. That strict atmosphere only got worse as the