Night had already settled by the time Adrian’s car stopped in front of the Voss residence.
The mansion stood tall—silent, powerful, untouched by time.
Home.
Or at least—
Something close to it.
Adrian stepped out, adjusting his coat slightly before walking inside.
The moment he entered—
Voices reached him.
Familiar.
Loud.
Alive.
“—I’m telling you, that’s not how it works!”
“Oh please, Sebastian, you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Adrian paused for a second.
A faint, almost invisible smirk appeared.
Some things never changed.
—
The dining hall was lit warmly.
Victor Voss sat at the head of the table, calm as ever. Beside him, Elena was placing dishes down, while Sebastian argued like his life depended on it.
Alex, meanwhile, was trying—and failing—to stay out of it.
“Finally!” Sebastian noticed him first. “Look who decided to remember he has a home.”
Elena turned instantly. “Adrian!”
Before he could say anything—
She walked up to him and pulled him into a brief hug.
“You haven’t come home for a week,” she said, her voice soft but filled with concern. “Are you even eating properly?”
“I am,” Adrian replied calmly.
She pulled back, scanning his face like she didn’t fully believe him.
“You look tired.”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
The word slipped naturally.
Elena smiled faintly.
“Sit,” Victor’s voice came, steady and controlled. “We were waiting.”
Adrian nodded once and took his seat.
—
“Waiting?” Sebastian scoffed. “Speak for yourself. I was about to start without him.”
“You say that every time,” Elena shot back.
“And one day I will mean it.”
“You won’t.”
“I might.”
“You won’t.”
Adrian leaned back slightly, watching them.
Unchanged.
Predictable.
Comfortable.
Alex leaned toward him slightly. “Good timing,” he whispered. “They’ve been like this for the past ten minutes.”
Adrian glanced at him. “Only ten?”
Alex sighed. “Feels like hours.”
—
Dinner began.
For a while, it was just the sound of cutlery and quiet conversation.
Then—
Victor spoke.
“You’ve been busy.”
It wasn’t a question.
Adrian didn’t look up. “Work doesn’t stop.”
“It never does,” Victor replied. “But you do.”
A pause.
Adrian met his father’s gaze briefly.
“Is there a reason you called me here?”
Straight to the point.
Sebastian leaned back. “Ah, there it is. No hello, no ‘how are you, uncle?’ Just business.”
Adrian looked at him. “You seem fine.”
“I am fine,” Sebastian replied proudly. “Better than you, apparently. At least I come home.”
Elena sighed. “Can we not start again?”
“I didn’t start,” Sebastian said. “He did.”
Adrian raised a brow slightly. “You started the moment I walked in.”
Alex almost laughed.
—
“Enough,” Victor said calmly.
The room settled instantly.
“I called you because you’ve been distant.”
Adrian didn’t respond immediately.
Then—
“I’ve always been like this.”
Elena shook her head softly. “No. Not always.”
A small silence followed.
“You used to come home more,” she added. “Sit with us. Talk.”
Adrian’s expression didn’t change.
But something in the air did.
Sebastian crossed his arms. “Look, we’re not saying stop being a big, scary CEO or whatever you are outside—”
“And don’t forget your ‘other’ job,” Alex muttered under his breath.
Sebastian smirked. “Right, that too.”
Elena gave Alex a look. “Eat your food.”
—
Victor’s gaze remained on Adrian.
“Just don’t forget where you belong.”
A simple sentence.
But heavy.
Adrian leaned back slightly.
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Good,” Victor replied.
—
The tension eased slowly.
Conversation shifted.
Lighter.
Easier.
—
“So,” Alex suddenly spoke, leaning forward with interest, “any interesting people in your life lately?”
Adrian’s gaze flickered for a fraction of a second.
Barely noticeable.
“Why?” he asked.
Alex grinned. “Just asking. You’re always surrounded by boring business people. Thought maybe something changed.”
Sebastian smirked. “Yeah, tell us. Any girl finally brave enough to deal with you?”
Elena looked curious now. “Adrian?”
Adrian picked up his glass calmly.
“No.”
A lie.
A clean one.
—
But for a brief second—
A pair of sharp eyes flashed in his mind.
A stubborn voice.
Mr. Expensive Shirt.
His grip tightened slightly.
Then loosened.
—
“See?” Sebastian shrugged. “Hopeless.”
Elena sighed. “Don’t listen to him.”
“I don’t,” Adrian replied.
—
Dinner continued.
Laughter.
Arguments.
Familiar noise.
—
And for a moment—
Adrian just sat there.
Quiet.
Watching.
Present.
—
But even here—
Even in this house—
Even surrounded by people who knew him—
His thoughts drifted back.
Unwanted.
Uncontrolled.
—
" HIS LITTLE FLAME "
—
His eyes darkened slightly.
Just for a second.
—
Because no matter where he was—
Or who he was with—
She was already there.
Somewhere in his mind.
Waiting.
And this time—
He wasn’t going to ignore it.
_
The house had gone quiet.
Dinner was over. Voices faded. Lights dimmed.
Adrian stepped into his room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
For a moment, he stood still.
Then he moved.
A cold shower.
Water running over him, washing away the noise of the day—but not the thoughts.
Never the thoughts.
—
Minutes later, dressed in simple nightwear, he lay back on his bed.
One arm behind his head.
Eyes staring at the ceiling.
And then—
Like it always did—
His mind drifted back.
Not to the café.
Not to tonight.
But to something older.
Something that never really left.
—
Years ago.
Seoul, South Korea.
—
Victor Voss didn’t travel without purpose.
Expanding the Voss Empire meant building connections—and in Seoul, he found one.
A man of discipline.
Honor.
Strength.
Nyra’s father.
An army officer.
What started as a formal meeting quickly turned into mutual respect.
And then—
Friendship.
—
Adrian had been there too.
Younger.
Quieter.
Watching.
Learning.
Because that’s what his father expected.
“Join us for lunch,” Nyra’s father had said one day. “My family would be happy to have you.”
Victor agreed.
The house was warm.
Simple.
Different from what Adrian was used to.
Voices inside.
Soft laughter.
A sense of… life.
—
Adrian didn’t stay long inside.
He rarely did.
Instead, his attention drifted outside—
Toward the backyard.
—
That’s where he saw her.
—
A small girl.
No older than seven.
Running barefoot on the grass.
Her laughter light.
Carefree.
Unaware.
Adrian stopped walking.
Just stood there.
Watching.
—
She noticed him after a moment.
Tilted her head.
Then walked closer.
“Who are you?” she asked, curious but not afraid.
Adrian blinked once.
“Adrian.”
“I’m Nyra,” she said proudly. “This is my house.”
“I know.”
She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Then why are you standing like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like a statue.”
Adrian looked at her.
Then said, “You talk a lot.”
Nyra gasped. “I do not!”
“You just did.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“It does.”
“No, it doesn’t!”
A small pause.
Then—
Adrian’s lips curved slightly.
Barely noticeable.
“You’re annoying,” he said.
Nyra frowned instantly. “You’re rude.”
“You started it.”
“You came here!”
“You’re loud.”
“You’re weird!”
Another pause.
Then—
Adrian looked at her more carefully this time.
The way she argued without thinking.
The way she didn’t hold back.
The way she looked at him—
Like he was just another person.
Not someone important.
Not someone powerful.
Just…
Someone.
—
“Little flame,” he muttered.
Nyra blinked. “What?”
“You’re loud. Like fire.”
She huffed. “I’m not fire.”
“You are.”
“I’m not!”
“You are.”
“I said I’m not!”
Adrian didn’t argue again.
He just watched her.
And for the first time—
Didn’t feel bored.
—
“Adrian?”
A voice broke the moment.
Nyra’s mother.
She walked toward them, a gentle smile on her face.
“What are you doing here alone?” she asked him kindly.
“Nothing,” Adrian replied.
She glanced between the two children.
Nyra still pouting.
Adrian still calm.
“Do you want something?” she asked softly.
Adrian didn’t answer immediately.
His gaze shifted toward Nyra.
Standing there.
Arguing.
Alive.
Different.
Then he said quietly—
“I want to stay here.”
Nyra’s mother paused for a second, surprised by the answer.
Then she smiled gently.
“You like it here?”
Adrian didn’t look away from Nyra.
“Yes.”
She followed his gaze.
Then said, lightly, almost playfully—
“Then become strong enough to protect what you like.”
A simple sentence.
Said without weight.
Without expectation.
—
The adults inside continued their conversation.
No one paid attention.
It was just a moment.
Just words.
But Adrian—
Remembered.
—
Back then—
It meant nothing.
To them.
To Nyra.
To everyone.
But to him—
It stayed.
—
Present.
—
Adrian’s eyes slowly opened.
Back in his room.
Back in the present.
The ceiling above him felt colder now.
Quieter.
He turned his head slightly.
Expression unreadable.
“Little flame…” he murmured.
The nickname felt familiar.
Natural.
His.
Years had passed.
Everything had changed.
—
Except one thing.
—
He hadn’t forgotten.
—
And now—
She was right there again.
Arguing.
Fighting.
Burning.
—
A slow, dangerous calm settled in his chest.
—
“This time…” he whispered softly,
“…I’m not just watching.”
" TO BE CONTINUED "
____________________________________________________________
Author's note...
Hello readers 😁 😁 😁
A glimpse into the past…
Now you know how it all started.😏😏
What do you think about their first meeting? 👀
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.......
Bye bye dear readers 👋👋👋
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