CH 1.1

Outside the window of a luxurious private plane, the fluffy-looking clouds spread endlessly.

“Are you alright?”

John, staring at the halo glowing before his eyes, raised his head. It was the man who had brought him here. The man, who appeared to be in his thirties, said his name was Carter Simpson and that he was Ryan Lindbergh’s secretary.

“…Yes, I’m OK.”

When John nodded, Carter raised his wrist and looked at the time.

“We will arrive in England soon. They said we are going to land in about thirty minutes.”

“Ah… is that so? Thanks for letting me know.”

John replied with a slight laugh. Carter looked at him in silence.

So he’s only eleven-years-old.

Carter felt it since the first meeting, but John was a silent child. Although John could ask many questions, there was no way for him to ask something first, and if there was no need to answer, Carter would be silent.

His calm was a little overlooked by Carter. About a month ago, John was an eleven-year-old boy who had lost his mother. Furthermore, he was now heading to see his father, whom he had never met before.

He had never dealt with a child before, but Carter knew that John’s reaction was unusual. So he decided to talk to John even though he wasn’t interested in other people’s personal lives.

When Carter sat down in the empty seat across from him, John, who was leaning over, turned his head. A pair of dark green eyes turned to Carter.

“Have you been to England before?”

“Hum… No. I’ve only been to L.A.”

“You haven’t lived anywhere other than in the United States.”

“No, my mom was always busy. This is the first time I’ve taken a plane. I’m not sure, but are all planes like this?”

John touched the leather seat with his fingertips and asked the question. Carter shrugged instead of answering. The plane they got on was a Gulfstream series luxury aircraft, which costs over £40 Million.

Perhaps most people could live on what  a private plane costs. Carter adjusted the inside of his neck and rested both hands on his thighs.

“Richmond is probably a good place to live.”

“Is there where we are going?”

“That’s right.”

“How is that place?”

“I don’t know. It’s a quiet neighborhood with beautiful parks, old houses, and exclusive shops.”

At Carter’s answer, John nodded as if he already knew, and then looked out the window again. It seemed that his attempt to speak to the boy had failed. Carter looked at the boy’s face, instead of saying something else.

…Ryan Lindbergh’s hidden illegitimate son.

Beneath the dark brown hair there was a pale, thin face. The green eyes surrounded by coppery specks had a dark sparkle and the thin lips closed in a straight line seemed sensitive.

Objectively, John was a very beautiful boy. No one could disagree that he would be a very handsome boy when he grew up. However, the impression of always being depressed undermined his natural charm.

Speaking of Ryan Lindbergh, he was a totally different man than John. He was extremely attractive and his personality was also outgoing and ostentatious. Looking closely, it seemed that they had some similarities; but it was clear that if they were placed next to each other, no one would notice that they were family.

Also, the boy said he was a beta.

Lindbergh’s family was predominantly made of alphas and omegas, with a high percentage of being dominant. It is a known fact that they practiced incest a few centuries ago to maintain the legitimacy of blood relatives.

John, who was a beta and had no particularly outstanding qualities, was not a child who could get Ryan’s attention. Carter was rarely wrong in his speculations. Apparently, just a month ago, Ryan found out that John’s mother had died.

Then, he had unexpectedly decided to bring John to live with him. What was Ryan thinking? He was planning to present an illegitimate son despite having a beautiful wife and a charming son. Carter couldn’t believe it. It was difficult for Carter to guess whether the other family members would accept John or not.

However, that didn’t seem to matter to Ryan.

Eventually, a crew member approached and announced that they would land soon. Carter nodded and stood up so John could enjoy some time alone.

The plane began its descent through the River Thames, preparing to land. After passing through a green field, a vast and isolated land spread out the window and a neo-renaissance style mansion stood on the vast terrain.

Soon the plane shook slightly and remained on the ground. The plane finally stopped after going around in circles for a few times. Carter, holding his phone, appeared when John was removing his seat belt.

“Yes, we have arrived.”

John, who had risen from the seat, looked at Carter. With his large, restless eyes, Carter was about to stroke John’s head without realizing it. Instead, Carter pulled his hand away and grabbed his briefcase.

“I’ll see you in the library in 20 minutes.”

John got in the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which was waiting for him along with Carter. His face did not reveal his emotions, but he was actually quite surprised.

It was surprising that there was an exclusive area for the landing of the plane next to the private property, but it was also surprising that the distance between the runway and the mansion was large enough to have to drive. For John, who had lived in a closed apartment with his mother, Emily, this was all unreal.

Although Emily was only a summer night’s romance, John knew it was all a coincidence.

Still, if you thought about them getting separated at the dating stage…

That situation led him to doubt that Emily was truly aware of his father’s identity. All the men Emily knew were the worst, but what about Ryan? It seemed like he wasn’t a good person, he couldn’t even go to see her as Emily struggled to survive. Thus, John only hoped that Ryan wasn’t a murderer, a pervert, or that he had brought him in with a dark purpose.

Suddenly, the vast green gardens revealed themselves through the thick hollows of the trees, and between them, a luxurious and enormous mansion stood up.

“First of all, you’ll be tired from jet lag. So go greet Mr. Lindbergh and then go to your room, which is ready for you to rest. Let’s think about the future.”

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

John nodded at Carter’s words.

John, don’t be fooled by appearances. So even if it seems good, don’t believe it. Anyway, be careful not to get caught by bad people. Let’s go.

What was the reason that Emily’s words suddenly came to his mind? John rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and walked away from the parked car. He saw the well-groomed lawns and smelled the scent of the grass swaying in the breeze of the wind. The sky was so bright it hurt. Even though it was beautiful, he was afraid of everything that was going on. John was about to run away from how terrified he was.

“John!”

At noon, in a calm and relaxed atmosphere, the vigorous voice of a child resounded. At that moment, John unconsciously turned his head. Something bright and white surrounded by white light was rushing toward him. The flicking blonde was reflected in the sunlight, leaving a dazzling image. When John frowned slightly, the boy, who was getting closer, jumped onto his chest.

“…!”

Finding it  difficult to react, John stepped back and looked at the boy with wide eyes.

“Isn’t it?”

And the moment the boy raised his head, something inside John died.

He was about six years old. He was a boy as beautiful as a fairy. His shiny platinum feet and immaculate face made him look like an angel, and his big blue eyes like a sapphire reminded him of the sea. His thick lips were intensely reddish, like rose petals, and seemed to taste sweet if he bit the rosy cheeks that had warmed up in anticipation.

The boy looked at John with a look of joy. John’s heart beat fast.

“…yes, I am John.”

“I noticed immediately. I was waiting for you.”

“For me?”

“Yup, I’m Valentine, your brother. You’re my brother and we will be together from now on.”

When he finished speaking, Valentine hugged John’s waist again. As he rubbed his cheeks over John’s chest, the soft and peculiar scent of the little boy spread. In response, John looked at the boy with a pretty smile.