The Vellaria manor was a piece of history itself—ancient stone walls covered in ivy, corridors echoing with the quiet weight of prestige and power. At its heart sat Aster Vellaria, the formidable matriarch who, despite her age, commanded respect from every member of the bloodline.
Her family had built empires.
But they also destroyed hearts along the way.
That morning, she sat in her sunroom surrounded by the fragrance of roses, reading the latest society magazine. On the glossy cover, she saw two familiar names printed boldly:
Caelum Vellaria & Caliste Winslow.
The headline read:
"Rumors Spark—Caelum Vellaria's New Muse or Something More?"
Aster adjusted her glasses and sighed, her silver hair glinting under the light.
So it had begun.
Moments later, a soft knock echoed.
"Enter," she said.
Caelum stepped in, looking sharper than usual, wearing his signature confident smile that never quite masked the seriousness in his eyes.
"Grandmother," he greeted, bowing slightly before sitting across from her.
Aster studied him with the gaze of a woman who had lived long enough to see every kind of ambition—and heartbreak. "I see your name in the papers again," she said calmly, lifting the magazine slightly. "And with Caliste Winslow, no less."
Caelum smiled faintly. "Then I suppose the media works faster than family."
"Is it true?" she asked, her tone soft but probing. "That you intend to pursue her?"
His expression turned earnest. "Yes, Grandmother. It's true."
Aster arched an eyebrow. "Caliste Winslow. Your cousin's ex-wife."
"I know how that sounds," Caelum admitted, "but my intentions are not shallow. I admire her—no, I love her. I've admired her since long before Lucian ever did. I stayed silent back then because she was his. But now…" His voice steadied, eyes gleaming with quiet conviction. "Now she's free. And I won't let the past define what could be our future."
Aster's hands, fragile but dignified, folded on her lap. "Love and honor are never simple in this family, Caelum. You know that better than anyone. Have you truly thought about what this will bring? The attention, the judgment, the shadow of your cousin's name?"
"I have," he said. "And I don't care. I'm willing to face all of it if it means I can build a life with her."
Aster regarded him in silence. For a moment, she saw the young boy he once was—the one who followed Lucian around with admiration in his eyes, who used to say, "I'll be like him someday."
And now, here he was, standing opposite Lucian in every way.
"Does she know your intentions?" she asked.
"I plan to tell her," he said. "And when I do, I want to do it properly—with your blessing."
Aster's gaze softened, though uncertainty clouded her eyes. "You want to marry her?"
"Yes," Caelum said without hesitation. "If she'll have me, I intend to marry her."
The words hung in the air like a spark threatening to set everything ablaze.
Aster leaned back slowly, exhaling. "Marriage is not something you take lightly, Caelum. Especially not when it involves history like yours. Have you considered what Lucian might feel?"
"I'm not asking for his permission," Caelum replied, calm but firm.
"But you should consider his heart," Aster said sharply. "No matter what happened between them, he once loved her deeply. I can see it in his eyes even now, though he denies it."
Caelum's jaw tightened, a hint of frustration breaking through. "And yet he let her go. He signed the papers, didn't he? He made his choice, Grandmother. I'm just making mine."
Her gaze lingered on him. "You sound so much like your grandfather," she murmured. "Headstrong. Reckless. And willing to burn everything in your path for the one you love."
Caelum smiled faintly. "Maybe that's the Vellaria blood, then."
Aster shook her head, though a small smile betrayed her amusement. "It's also what has cursed our family for generations."
A long silence followed before she finally said, "Very well. I will not stop you. But I cannot give my blessing—not yet. Not until I've spoken to Lucian."
Caelum's eyes flickered with tension. "You'll talk to him?"
"Yes. This isn't something I can decide between my grandsons. I need to see for myself what lies behind Lucian's silence."
Caelum hesitated, then nodded respectfully. "Then I'll wait for your decision."
He stood and kissed her hand gently before leaving the sunroom.
But as soon as the door closed, Aster exhaled deeply, the weight of family and love pressing on her chest.
For the first time in years, she felt the stirrings of an old ache — the helplessness of watching her family repeat history.
---
Later that evening, Aster made the call.
Her voice was steady when she instructed Lucian's secretary to tell him:
> "Tell my grandson to visit me tonight. It's important."
When Lucian arrived, the moon was already high, casting silver light across the manor's courtyard. He entered quietly, greeted by the familiar scent of jasmine and the faint ticking of the old grandfather clock.
"Grandmother," he greeted softly, bowing as he entered the same sunroom where Caelum had sat earlier.
Aster gestured for him to sit. "You look tired, Lucian."
He offered a faint smile. "It's been a busy week."
She nodded. "It always is with you." Then her tone shifted — gentle but direct. "Do you know why I called you here?"
"I can guess," he said. "It's about Caelum."
"So you've heard."
"I've seen the headlines," he replied curtly.
Aster studied him. "And what do you think about it?"
Lucian's expression remained unreadable. "He can do as he pleases."
Her brow furrowed. "So it doesn't bother you that he's pursuing your ex-wife?"
Lucian looked away, his jaw tightening. "Caliste and I ended years ago. What she does now is none of my concern."
"None of your concern?" Aster repeated softly. "You say that, but your eyes tell me otherwise."
Lucian met her gaze, the mask slipping for a moment. "Even if it does bother me, Grandmother — it changes nothing. She made her choice. And I made mine."
Aster sighed. "Oh, my dear boy. You've always been like this — calm on the surface, but chaos beneath. Tell me, Lucian, do you still love her?"
The question struck like lightning.
He froze, the words lodging in his throat. Love. Such a simple word, yet so impossible for him to admit. He remembered her laughter, her tears, her warmth — and her eyes the night she said she wanted her freedom.
His silence was her answer.
Aster smiled sadly. "You do. You've just buried it deep enough to convince yourself otherwise."
Lucian's voice was low, hoarse even. "It doesn't matter. She doesn't want to be part of my life. She wanted out, and I gave it to her."
Aster leaned forward, her old eyes glinting with wisdom. "Lucian, people say many things they don't mean when they are protecting someone — or themselves. You, of all people, should know that."
He looked at her sharply, but said nothing.
"I know what she meant to you," Aster continued softly. "I saw the way you changed when she was by your side. You were softer, kinder… human."
Lucian's lips thinned. "And what am I now?"
"Guarded," she said simply. "A man still chained to a ghost he pretends not to see."
He looked away, his jaw flexing.
"Tell me honestly," she pressed. "If Caelum marries her, can you truly stand there and give them your blessing?"
Lucian's expression turned grim. "If that's what she wants, I won't interfere."
"Even if it tears you apart?"
He hesitated — and that hesitation was enough.
Aster sighed deeply, leaning back. "You may think silence protects you, but sometimes silence destroys what could have been mended."
Lucian's tone grew cold again, a defense mechanism. "This conversation feels unnecessary, Grandmother. Caliste is free to choose her path. I've accepted that."
Aster looked at him for a long moment, sadness flickering in her eyes. "And yet, you haven't."
Lucian stood, adjusting his coat, trying to regain control of the moment. "If that's all—"
"Lucian," she interrupted gently. "One last thing."
He paused.
"If you still love her… don't wait too long. Because Caelum won't."
Her voice lingered in the air even after he left.
---
Later that night, Aster sat alone in the quiet of the sunroom, the clock ticking steadily beside her.
She closed her eyes, torn between love for her grandsons and the truth she could no longer deny.
Both Lucian and Caelum carried the same fire — but one burned quietly, dangerously inward, while the other shone brightly for the world to see.
And at the center of their storm stood Caliste Winslow — unaware that her name was being whispered in the halls of the most powerful family in the empire.
Aster's heart ached.
She had seen enough in her lifetime to know that love, when tangled with pride and bloodlines, could destroy even the strongest of hearts.
And she feared… that this time, it would destroy both.