The gaming room was unusually quiet—not because Max was alone, but because every single one of his friends was sweating over their screens in deep concentration.
"Luke!"
"What?!"
"THAT WAS YOUR JOB!"
Luke immediately gestured wildly at his monitor. "I was actively being shot at!"
"That sounds like a personal problem."
Fred's laugh crackled through the voice chat, with Nathan sounding equally entertained in the background. Meanwhile, Max sat comfortably back in his gaming chair, one arm resting lazily on the desk while he effortlessly carried the match. His team was losing, mostly because absolutely nobody was listening to his callouts.
"You're all hopeless."
"Wow."
"Rude."
"Accurate, though," Nathan admitted.
Before Max could retort, a firm knock sounded at the door. A moment later, Nanny Margaret stepped into the room. Max immediately glanced away from the monitor.
Unlike Angel, who would occasionally ignore the entire world when she was gaming, Max knew better than to keep Nanny waiting.
"Nanny?"
"You need to come downstairs, Max."
Max frowned, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Now?"
"Now."
Something about the serious edge in her tone made him pause. He turned back to his mic. "Nathan, take over."
"Take over what?!"
"My character."
"Max, wait—"
Max cut the connection before he could hear the rest of Nathan's horrified yelling echoing through the headset.
A few minutes later, the elevator doors chimed open, and Max stepped out into the main foyer. He stopped dead in his tracks.
Every single member of the household staff was present. Housekeepers, chefs, gardeners, drivers, and security personnel—nearly fifteen employees stood neatly lined up on either side of the grand entrance hall.
Max blinked, taking in the formal display.
"What the hell?"
Before anyone could answer, the heavy front doors swung open. Several security personnel entered first, securing the perimeter, followed immediately by two deeply familiar figures.
Edward Dove and Victoria Dove.
The owners of Dove International and the heads of one of the wealthiest families spanning both America and England. Their family business stretched across multiple continents, with powerful branches throughout Europe, North America, and Asia.
While the American sector managed a significant portion of their global operations, the company's main headquarters remained strictly in London—the city where Edward Dove had been born and raised.
Victoria Dove's face lit up the moment she spotted her son. "There he is."
Max immediately walked forward, and his mother pulled him into a warm hug before he could even think about protesting.
"Missed me?" she asked, pulling back to look at him.
"No."
"Liar."
Max cracked a smile. "A little."
Edward chuckled, stepping up next. Max shook his father's hand before being pulled into a brief, firm hug as well. "How was London?" Max asked.
"Busy," Edward replied, sighing slightly.
"When is it not?"
"Fair point."
Around them, the staff relaxed slightly as the formal greetings concluded. Victoria glanced around the grand foyer, her eyes searching the space. "Where's Angel?"
Max shoved his hands into his pockets, leaning back on his heels. "Library."
"The library?" his father repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"School project."
Victoria looked genuinely, pleasantly surprised. "She's voluntarily studying?"
"Don't sound too shocked, Mom."
"I am shocked," she laughed.
"She went with Miley," Max added.
Victoria nodded, her expression softening. "Good."
The family slowly migrated toward the main sitting room while several staff members immediately dispersed to prepare refreshments. Edward loosened his tie, the exhausting toll of the international flight finally showing on his face.
"Call her," Edward said, settling into an armchair.
Max looked up from his phone. "What?"
"Tell her we're home," Victoria said with a smile. "I'd really rather she didn't find out through a social media notification."
Max snorted. "Too late for that."
His mother sighed, shaking her head. "Well, call her anyway."
Max pulled out his phone, a mischievous grin slowly spreading across his face as he unlocked the screen. "She's probably going to scream."
"Most likely," Edward agreed, adjusting his cuffs. "Still call."
For once, Max was actually looking forward to disrupting his sister's afternoon.
*****
Angel practically flew through the front doors, her voice echoing throughout the grand spaces of Dove Manor.
"MUMMY! DADDY!"
The moment she stepped into the foyer and spotted her parents, she dropped her bag right onto the marble floor and ran straight toward them. Victoria barely had time to open her arms before Angel crashed into her.
"Whoa!" Victoria laughed, wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter. "Careful, sweetheart."
"You came back early!" Angel cried, squeezing her.
"We noticed," Edward said dryly, a fond glint in his eye.
Angel immediately released her mother and threw her arms around her father next. "I missed you so much!"
Edward smiled softly, holding her close for a moment before kissing the top of her head. "We were only gone for a few weeks, Angel."
"It felt like forever."
Max, who had been leaning casually against a nearby wall watching the display, rolled his eyes. "Drama queen."
Angel turned on him instantly. "Nobody asked you."
"I live here."
"Unfortunately."
Victoria sighed, though a smile tugged at her lips. "Five minutes."
"What?" Angel asked, blinking.
"Five minutes. That's exactly how long it took before you two started arguing."
Edward looked thoughtful, checking his watch. "That's actually longer than usual."
Max grinned. "A personal record."
Angel stuck her tongue out at him,
completely unbothered. Nearby, Nanny Margaret shook her head fondly. "Some things never change."
Soon, the family moved into the warmth of the main sitting room. Tea and snacks were brought in by the staff, and Angel immediately claimed the spot right between her parents, sitting like she was determined not to let them out of her sight.
Victoria smiled, brushing a stray hair from her daughter's face. "How was school while we were gone?"
"Boring."
"Your project?"
"Less boring."
"Your friends?"
"Still annoying."
"Hey!" Max protested from his armchair.
Angel ignored him entirely. Edward chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. "Sounds perfectly normal, then."
For the next half hour, the room was filled with the easy chatter of a family catching up.
Victoria told them about a massive charity gala in London, Edward spoke briefly about his endless rounds of business meetings, Angel complained about her classes, and Max grumbled about the intensity of his recent football practices.
At one point, Angel even climbed onto the armrest right beside her mother, despite being far too old for it. Max noticed immediately.
"You know you're not five, right?"
Victoria gently patted Angel's hair, giving Max a warning look. "Leave your sister alone, Max."
Max looked completely betrayed. He turned to his father. "Dad?"
Edward didn't even look up from his coffee. "Leave your sister alone."
"Unbelievable," Max muttered, sinking back into his seat.
Angel smirked victoriously.
Eventually, however, the laughter began to die down. Edward exchanged a swift, weighted glance with Victoria, and something about that silent look immediately caught Max's attention.
The atmosphere in the room shifted. It was subtle, but noticeable.
Angel sat up a little straighter, her smirk fading. "What?"
Victoria slowly placed her teacup down on the saucer. Edward leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"There is something we need to discuss," Edward said, his voice dropping into a serious register that made both siblings freeze.
Max frowned, his playful demeanor completely vanishing. Angel glanced between her parents, a small, cold feeling of unease settling deep in her stomach. Nobody was smiling anymore.
"What is it?" she asked softly.
Victoria reached over, taking her daughter's hand and rubbing her thumb over Angel's knuckles. "Just listen to us first, okay?"
Now even Max looked deeply concerned, shifting at the edge of his seat.
Edward took a slow, measured breath. "As you both know, the company has continued to expand rapidly over the past few years.
The London headquarters currently requires much more direct, hands-on supervision."
Neither sibling spoke. The room had gone dead quiet.
"Your mother and I have spent the last few months discussing the best way to handle this matter," Edward continued.
Something about the trajectory of the conversation made Angel's chest tighten. Victoria squeezed her hand gently. "We didn't want to tell you until everything was officially finalized."
A heavy silence filled the room, stretching out for what felt like an eternity before Edward finally delivered the news.
"We're moving to London."
For a moment, nobody reacted. The words seemed to hang in the air between them—unmoving, unbelievable.
Angel stared at her parents, her breath catching. Max stared too, his jaw tightening. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved.
The look of absolute, staggering shock on their faces was identical.