The next morning,

Christian crossed the room and stopped before the mirror. His reflection stared back at him — composed, immaculate, controlled.

“You can handle this,” he muttered quietly to himself.

He repeated it until his breathing steadied, though the tension beneath his calm exterior never truly left.

'How does one marry a woman whose name he cannot even pronounce properly?' He wondered. 'There must be another way out of this.'

His phone began to ring.

The screen lit up.

LOVE CALLING.

Christian exhaled and answered.

“Good morning,” Lia’s cheerful voice came through. “Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

“What exactly is good about this morning?” he replied dryly. “I spent half the night attempting to master her name. I cannot remember when I eventually fell asleep.”

Lia laughed softly. “What is her name again?”

Christian frowned. “Mi… no. Maika… no. Wait.”

He searched his bedside table and found the small sheet of paper he had abandoned there.

“Mishka,” he read at last, exhaling slowly. “It’s Mishka.”

Lia chuckled again, knowing he was feigning annoyance, and although he didn't appreciate being amused, he let it go.

“If you’ve finished finding this entertaining,” he said coolly, “I need to shower. She could arrive at any moment, and Grandpa expects me at breakfast. Apparently, he has something ‘important’ to discuss.”

“All right,” Lia replied, her tone softening. “I only called to say I love you. Once she arrives, it may become… complicated.”

Christian’s expression hardened slightly.

“No one complicates my life without my permission,” he said calmly. “You needn’t worry.”

“I love you, Chris.”

“And I you,” he replied before ending the call.

He showered quickly and changed into a fitted grey T-shirt and black jeans.

Composed once more, he left his room and made his way to the dining room.

Leonard sat at the head of the table, reading a message on his phone. A wide, unguarded smile spread across his face.

Christian took his seat beside him and reached for a glass of orange juice.

“What has put you in such high spirits, Grandpa?” he asked.

“It’s Pasha,” Leonard replied. “Her flight has landed. He is bringing her here now.”

Christian nearly choked on his drink.

Leo patted his back. “Steady, boy. Are you quite all right?”

Christian nodded after a moment, regaining composure.

“Aren’t you eager to meet her?” Leonard asked, observing him carefully.

“I hardly slept,” Christian replied evenly. “Naturally, I’m… curious.”

One by one, the rest of the family entered.

Luke arrived with Jennifer.

Berry followed with her husband, Dan Matthews, and their son Jake.

Rony entered with Rose and their adopted eight-year-old son, Daniel.

Christian surveyed the room. “Is this a family summit? Why is everyone present so early?”

“I have an announcement to make before my granddaughter-in-law arrives,” Leo said, sipping his black tea.

“Future, grandpa,” Christian corrected smoothly. “Nothing has occurred yet.”

Leonard gave him a knowing look. “It will.”

He then addressed the room.

“I expect every one of you to treat her with respect. There will be no raised voices, no profanities, and no unnecessary hostility in her presence. She is to feel welcome in this house.”

His gaze shifted pointedly to Luke and Rony.

“And the two of you will refrain from arguing.”

Luke gave a short laugh. “Is she to govern the estate already?”

“No decent woman wishes to live amidst constant conflict,” Rony replied quietly, feeding porridge to Daniel.

“Nobody is requesting your opinion right now, so I recommend you stay silent," Luke retorted irritably as Jennifer observed their argument.

“Enough. You guys started again? Can’t you both sit quietly during breakfast?” Leonard said in a high-pitched voice. “I remember a time when both of you used to fight for each other, and now you both fight with each other!”

Silence settled over the dining room.

Christian rose smoothly.

“Daniel,” he said lightly, “finished?”

The boy nodded eagerly.

“Good. Let’s go outside. We’ll play basketball.”

They left the tension behind and went out to the side courtyard near the entrance while everyone at the breakfast table seethed.

Christian had long since learned to remove himself whenever his father and uncle began arguing. Whatever had fractured their bond remained a mystery to him, though he remembered a childhood when they had been inseparable.

Yet Rony had never allowed that bitterness to affect his affection towards Christian. He had always treated him as a son.

“Brother!” Daniel shouted, throwing the basketball toward him.

Christian turned too late and sidestepped. The ball sailed past him at alarming speed.

It was about to strike her face when a slender hand intercepted it effortlessly right in the moment. The girl stood frozen for a moment with the ball right in front of her face.

Jake reached her first. “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously.

She lowered the ball and smiled. “I’m perfectly fine, Jake.”

Christian stopped in his tracks. For a moment, he simply stared.

Daniel tugged at his T-shirt. “Let’s go inside,” he whispered urgently. “If Grandpa finds out—”

“He will do nothing,” Christian replied absently, his attention still fixed ahead.

“Come inside, Mishka,” Jake said gently. “Grandpa is waiting.”

The name struck Christian like a sudden gust of wind.

'Mishka?' He had expected something traditional, conventional, predictable. Instead, she stood there with effortless composure.

A white top. High-waisted black jeans. Nothing extravagant yet everything deliberate. Her long brown hair fell in a smooth cascade down her back, catching the faint morning light. She did not fidget. She did not look flustered.

There was nothing excessive about her appearance. Nothing ostentatious. Yet she commanded attention without trying.

“My luggage?” she asked.

“Staff will bring it in,” Jake assured her. As they walked inside, Mishka's eyes met with Christian's.

For a brief, unguarded second, the world around him seemed to fall strangely silent. In that suspended moment, Christian realized this woman would not be easily managed.