Seraphina parked her sports car in the driveway of the Carter estate, stepped up to the main entrance, and rang the bell.
A moment later, a member of the household staff opened the door. Bowing respectfully, she greeted, "Welcome, Miss Seraphina."
"Where is Clara?" Seraphina asked softly.
"Miss Clara is currently in her study," the maid replied. "Would you like me to lead the way?"
"Please."
They walked up the grand staircase to the second floor. Arriving at the study, the maid gave a slight bow before taking her leave. Seraphina knocked lightly on the heavy mahogany door.
"Come in," Clara’s voice called out from inside.
Seraphina pushed the door open and stepped through. The moment Clara looked up and realized who was standing in her doorway, her posture went completely rigid. A mixture of guilt, panic, and tension flushed across her face.
"S-Sera!" Clara stammered, standing up awkwardly from her desk. "Come in, please! How can I help you?"
Seraphina gestured toward the leather armchair opposite the desk. "Mind if I sit?"
"Of course, please sit!" Clara replied quickly. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"A cup of coffee would be lovely."
Clara immediately pressed the intercom on her desk, instructing the kitchen staff to bring two coffees up to the study. Once the line disconnected, a heavy silence settled over the room.
Seraphina leaned back, locking her eyes onto Clara’s. "You were with Julian all night."
Clara froze, her heart dropping into her stomach. "Y-Yes..." she stuttered, her hands trembling slightly. "Julian said... he said you knew about it..."
Seraphina’s expression darkened instantly, her eyes narrowing as she slammed a hand lightly onto the desk armrest. "Do you honestly think I would have allowed that if I knew? Are you really that naive, Clara? Or do you take me for a fool?"
Clara’s face lost all color. The overwhelming guilt that had been eating her since morning exploded into sheer panic. "I am so, so sorry! I swear I didn’t mean to come between you two! Julian told me you gave him your blessing, so I thought—"
Suddenly, Seraphina burst into a fit of sweet, melodious laughter.
Clara stopped mid-sentence, blinking in complete shock as Seraphina leaned back in her chair, wiping a tiny tear of amusement from the corner of her eye.
"Oh, Clara... I’m so sorry," Seraphina giggled, offering a soft, apologetic smile. "I just wanted to see if you were actually scared, and if my suspicion about your behavior was correct."
Clara stared at her, completely dazed. "What... what do you mean?"
"You’ve been acting like a nervous wreck all day because you think you’re a homewrecker, don’t you?" Seraphina asked gently. "You feel guilty, as if you stole Julian from me or barged into the middle of our relationship."
Clara looked down at her hands, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "Isn’t that true? Am I not the ’other woman’ destroying your love life?"
"Of course not!" Seraphina scoffed softly, shaking her head. "You aren’t a homewrecker or the ’other woman.’ You’re simply another woman whom Julian has fallen deeply in love with. Tell me, Clara... do you plan on stealing him away from me entirely? Are you after his immense wealth? Are you using him for some hidden agenda, or do you not truly love him?"
Clara jolted up from her seat, her eyes blazing with fierce conviction. "What are you saying?! There has never been anyone in my heart before Julian, and there will never be anyone else in the future! I love him with everything I have! I would have been content spending the rest of my life just being near him—even if it was only as a business partner or a friend!"
Seraphina’s smile softened into pure warmth. "Then what is there to be tense about?"
Clara blinked, processing her words.
"Julian was worried sick this morning," Seraphina continued with a light chuckle. "He knew something was weighing heavily on your mind, but his logical male brain couldn’t figure it out. It’s a good thing I gave him a task to keep him busy, or he’d be pacing back and forth right now."
Meanwhile, at Grandview Villa No. 1...
"I swear, I can’t figure out what’s going on in women’s heads," I muttered to myself, rubbing my temples as I sat behind the desk in my private study.
Looking up at the housemaid standing near the door, I instructed, "Alright, there are dozens of private medical teams waiting outside. Send them in one by one for an interview."
"Yes, Mr. Vance," the maid bowed, stepping out into the hallway.
A few moments later, the first candidate walked in—a female doctor accompanied by her three-person nursing staff.
"Tell me about your specialization and experience," I requested, leaning back.
"I have three years of clinical practice experience," she stated confidently, "and my team consists of one male nurse and two female nurses specializing in—"
"That’s enough," I interrupted smoothly, sliding a pre-signed check across the desk. "Here is a check for 500,000 Star Dollars. Consider it compensation for your time today. If my team chooses to finalize your contract, we will contact you."
The doctor’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she picked up the half-a-million check, bowing repeatedly before quickly taking her leave.
Next came a seasoned male physician with a veteran medical team. After a brief two-minute pitch, I handed him a 500,000 Star Dollar check with the exact same instructions and sent him on his way.
One after another, nearly twenty different top-tier medical teams entered my study. I asked a few basic questions, handed each candidate a 500,000 Star Dollar check for their trouble, and dismissed them.
Leaning back in my leather chair, I let out an exhausted sigh. "Is there anyone left outside? I’m getting tired of this."
The maid stepped inside, looking slightly hesitant. "Sir, a phone call just came through for the final slot. A private doctor is on her way for the interview and should arrive in about thirty minutes. There... seems to be a minor issue with her schedule."
"An issue?" I raised an eyebrow. "She doesn’t sound very professional. Should I tell her not to bother coming?"
I was about to dismiss the final candidate altogether, but a strange gut feeling stopped me.
"Never mind," I waved my hand. "Let her come. I’ll wait."
As the maid bowed and stepped out, my mind immediately drifted back to Seraphina and Clara. What on earth could those two be talking about right now?
Back at the Carter Residence...
Seraphina took a slow sip of her coffee, looking at Clara with deep sincerity. "Clara, I know you might wonder why I never tried to stop Julian from pursuing you, or why I’m not afraid of losing him. But the truth is... the only thing I ever fear is not being deserving of the incredible love he gives me."
Clara listened intently, her guarded posture completely melting away.
"His love for me knows no bounds," Seraphina said softly, a brilliant, affectionate spark in her eyes. "Have you ever seen a multi-billionaire kneel on the floor, holding his butler’s feet, just to make sure she felt comfortable around him? Because after all, I am both his butler and his girlfriend—he didn’t even strictly need my permission to love you. Yet he was ready to pack up and move to another city if I didn’t agree to this three-way relationship. Simply because Julian thought I might misunderstand your business dinner, he was so serious about my happiness that he offered to leave the city entirely if I asked him to."
Seraphina looked at Clara knowingly. "A man with that level of heart, wealth, and power... how could anyone expect him to belong to only one woman? In the future, there may be others who fall for him, and whom he comes to care for. Isn’t it wonderful that you and I can share this journey, manage his life together, and support him so he never has to carry the burden of his empire alone?"
Clara felt a wave of profound relief wash over her chest. A genuine, radiant smile spread across her face. "You’re right... but your love for him is truly limitless, Sera."
Seraphina chuckled softly. "You’ll understand soon enough. Loving a man like Julian makes life feel calm, effortless, and entirely free of worry—because you have absolute faith that he can handle anything the world throws at him."
"I can’t wait to feel that kind of peace," Clara admitted softly.
"Then why don’t you move into Grandview Villa with us?" Seraphina suggested, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "It will give us plenty of time to get to know each other, build a strong bond, and adjust to the dynamics of our new family."
Glancing at her watch, Seraphina stood up. "Go pack your essentials! Julian is probably pacing around the villa like a lost puppy right now, worrying about what I’m doing to you. Whatever you can’t carry today, your staff can ship over later."
Clara laughed, the heavy tension completely gone from her shoulders. "Alright! Give me fifteen minutes to grab my key belongings."
Meanwhile, at Grandview Villa No. 1...
I glanced at the clock on my desk. "Has that last doctor arrived yet?"
The maid peered out into the hallway, her expression turning into a mix of confusion and curiosity. "Ah... yes, sir. The doctor is here now."
"Send her in..." I ordered, settling back into my executive chair to see who this unusual candidate was.