The black Rolls-Royce carrying Elena glided slowly past the iron gates, which were nearly four meters high. On both sides, classic-patterned wrought-iron fences stretched as far as the eye could see, enclosing an area that resembled a private compound rather than a mere residence.

Elena looked out the window in silence.

A vast expanse of impeccably landscaped gardens stretched out before her. Maple trees lined the driveway neatly, while a white marble fountain stood magnificently in the center of the roundabout, reflecting the warm glow of the late afternoon sun.

A few seconds later, the main building came into view.

A classic European-style mansion stood gracefully at the end of the road. Tall pillars supported a spacious balcony on the second floor, while cream-colored stone walls blended with large glass windows that reflected the bluish sky.

So magnificent.

So far from the world Elena had ever known.

Unconsciously, her fingers intertwined in her lap.

"Too big?" Robert asked softly from the seat beside her, breaking the quiet cabin's silence.

Elena gave a slight start, then turned and offered a faint smile to hide her nervousness. "I'm just... still trying to believe that all of this is real, Grandfather."

Robert followed his granddaughter's gaze, looking at the massive building looming before them. "This house is indeed big."

He paused for a moment before continuing in a softer, more meaningful tone, "But starting today, this is no longer just my house."

Elena turned, meeting her grandfather's gaze, which was filled with sincerity.

"This is your house, too."

That simple sentence suddenly made Elena's throat constrict.

Home.

A word that for years had felt so foreign and painful to her.

In the Miller family, she merely occupied a small room in the corner of a cramped house, a place where not a single person was ever willing to call hers.

In Arthur's residence...

Elena smiled bitterly to herself. Even the master bedroom was not a place she was allowed to enter or stay in. Throughout those three years of a hellish marriage, she slept in a cold, small guest room near the kitchen. That grand house had never truly become a place she could return to.

The car finally stopped right in front of the mansion's main steps.

A man of about sixty years old in a neat black suit immediately stepped forward. His whitened hair was combed back with meticulous care. His face radiated both dignity and comforting friendliness.

As soon as the car door was opened by a personal bodyguard, the middle-aged man bowed with flawless respect. "Welcome back, Master."

Robert gave a brief nod, then stepped out of the car. "Thank you, Edwin."

Edwin then shifted his gaze to Elena, who had just followed him down. The smile on the man's face widened sincerely. "Welcome home, Miss Elena."

Elena froze slightly where she stood, unaccustomed to being treated with such respect. "Um..."

Before she could respond or gather her words, the sound of footsteps echoed in unison from within the wide-open main doors of the mansion.

Dozens of servants walked out in an orderly fashion. Men and women alike. All wore matching and neat work uniforms. They moved quickly yet quietly, then lined up to form two straight rows along the magnificent marble stairs.

Then...

In unison, they bowed deeply.

"Welcome, Miss Elena."

The voices of dozens of people echoed together beneath the high porch ceiling.

Elena stood stiffly in silence. Her eyes blinked a few times, trying to process the situation before her. Reflexively, she even glanced back, making sure no other important person had just stepped out of a car behind her.

Edwin smiled understandingly upon seeing Elena's awkward reaction. "The entire staff received official notice since this morning, Miss," he said in a calm and professional tone. "Starting today, you are Master Harrington's biological granddaughter as well as a part of this extended family."

Elena looked at the faces before her one by one.

There were no contemptuous glances there. No cynical sneers like the ones she usually received from Sarah Miller. Nor were there looks of disgust like those shown by Arthur and Victoria.

What remained was only genuine and pure respect.

She parted her lips, intending to say something, but no sound came out. After swallowing hard for a few seconds, Elena finally bowed slightly, awkwardly returning the greeting.

"Thank you..." Her voice sounded very soft. "...I am still not used to all of this."

The servants glanced at one another briefly upon hearing that honest response. Some of them even smiled warmly, feeling both pity and admiration for the new heir's humility.

Robert, standing beside Elena, looked at his granddaughter with slightly reddened eyes. In the business and high-society world he had navigated throughout his life, such extravagant displays of respect were common and ordinary. However, seeing Elena become utterly bewildered just from being greeted with basic politeness... his heart felt tightly squeezed.

How much suffering and humiliation has this girl endured that even something as simple as a welcome is able to leave her speechless? Robert thought with pain.

The old grandfather exhaled slowly, then reached out his hand. "Come. Let's go home, my granddaughter."

Elena looked at the old, wrinkled yet sturdy hand for a moment. Hesitantly, she accepted the outstretched hand into her grasp.

Warm. So warm. Something she had not felt in a very long time.

The interior of the mansion was far more magnificent and mesmerizing than what appeared from the outside.

The ceiling of the main hall soared high with a giant antique crystal chandelier hanging in the center. The clean, polished white marble floor reflected the afternoon sunlight from the large glass windows stretching up to the second floor.

On the left side was the main living room with a beautifully carved classical fireplace. On the right, a curved mahogany staircase led directly to the upper floor where the private rooms were located.

Yet strangely... Elena did not feel comfortable in a place this grand, not even a little bit.

It was not because the place was bad or frightening. Precisely because the place was too beautiful, too luxurious, it caused her inner self to rebel. She felt she did not deserve to be in such a graceful place.

Robert seemed able to read his granddaughter's thoughts through her small bodily gestures. "Don't be too tense, Elena."

"I am not tense, Grandfather," Elena denied quickly, though her shoulders remained stiff.

"You are lying," Robert replied calmly.

Elena spontaneously turned, finding her grandfather smiling faintly.

"Ever since getting out of the car just now, your shoulders have never truly relaxed," Robert pointed out attentively.

Elena raised a hand, rubbing the back of her neck which felt stiff from the piled-up burden of her thoughts. "It's really that obvious, huh?"

"Very obvious," Robert answered with a soft chuckle.

They walked side by side slowly through the expansive main hall, while Edwin followed a few steps behind them alertly.

"This house will indeed feel foreign to you for now," Robert said with his calming baritone voice. "But believe me, as time goes by, you will get used to it and make it your sanctuary."

Elena nodded slightly, her gaze still sweeping every spotless corner of the room. "I will try, Grandfather."

"Don't try," Robert corrected gently.

The old man stopped his steps in the middle of the corridor, then turned his body to face Elena completely. His gaze turned very serious yet full of affection. "You don't need to try hard to adapt here. You just need to live as you normally do."

Robert looked straight into Elena's eyes. "There is nothing left that you need to prove to anyone in this house, Child."

That simple sentence once again struck the walls of Elena's inner defense.

No need to prove anything...

"Edwin, please escort Miss Elena to her room," Robert said softly.

Elena turned quickly, then looked up at her grandfather hesitantly. "A room... an ordinary guest room is enough, Grandfather."

Robert smiled faintly, his gaze hinting at a comforting warmth. "No, Child. You are not just staying over at someone else's house."

The old man gently stroked the back of his granddaughter's hand. "You are coming home."