The main residence of the head family sat on the northern side of the estate's inner street, quieter, more magnificent, and far more splendid than anything I had ever seen in the Anderson Estate.From my room to Ashbourne Manor, where the tea-offering ceremony would be held, all I had to do was lift my head to see rows of tall buildings stretching upward like terraces carved gently along a hillside. Stone balconies cast their reflections onto the still surface of the lake, like graceful young ladies admiring themselves in the water as they quietly combed their hair and smiled. A narrow stream wound its way through deep-green serpentine stones, its water breaking into a silver-white mist. Everything was so breathtaking that for a moment I forgot I was walking into a place where no one truly wanted to see me.
Following the lake and rounding the winding corridor, the closer I came to Ashbourne Manor, the clearer the voices became.At first they sounded lively, but when I listened closely, most of what they said was resentment toward Jonathan Anderson for the marriage he had "decided on his own."And naturally, the one they were unhappy about was the new bride, Vecna Campbell.
Joseph slowed down and halted under the eaves of the corridor. The deep black of his eyes reflected the cool bluish glow of the wall lamps, and a cold glint flashed within them, faint, but enough to make the nearby stewards bow their heads in fear and retreat into the shadows.
He turned to look at me.I straightened my back, letting my hands hang loosely at my sides. On my lips was a faint, morning-mist kind of smile so calm that even I found it strange. Not the slightest tremor.Perhaps that composure made him pause. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw something… familiar in his eyes.
He didn't give me time to think. He stepped into the front hall.
Instantly, the murmurs died out.Today was the tea-offering ceremony of the "new madam," a major event for the entire family. Beyond the three main branches, there were more than a dozen senior couples and households filling the hall Ashbourne Manor was packed.
When I stepped through the grand doors, the sight before me felt like walking into a living classical painting. Right in front of me stood a rosewood screen carved with intricate European patterns so finely crafted that one could almost smell the age in its wood. Lacquered tables and jade-inlaid chairs shimmered under warm lights, every detail echoing the silent opulence of the place. Across the room, well-dressed gentlemen spoke in refined, low voices; beside them, elegantly adorned ladies and young misses cast sharp, blade-like glances my way. The air here was beautiful, resplendent, and traced with invisible lines that made anyone standing in the center hold their breath tightly.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward me, noisy, yet utterly silent. It was like a hundred flowers blooming at once, dazzling and suffocating all at the same time.
Joseph stood in the center of the hall, his hands clasped behind his back. He didn't begin the ceremony immediately; he simply swept his gaze around with that familiar, chilling sharpness.Just that single glance was enough to make everyone bow their heads and fall into complete silence.
He had never possessed such authority when he was still a teenager. Back when his grandfather Jonathan Anderson had unilaterally decided his marriage and was scolded by the elders, Jonathan had been forced to leave the estate. Power shifted to Joseph's father but the man had been ill for years, barely able to rise from his bed.
And so, at nineteen, Joseph became the youngest head of the Anderson family in history.No one believed the young man could bear such a burden.
But only a few years later, he silenced everyone.The man standing beside me, Joseph Anderson was someone whose very name could make an entire hall stiffen. In Ivorygate City, he reformed the entire tax system, opening revenue streams no one dared touch before. He expanded maritime trade, opened ports in Nightcrest, Glendale, Wyndale… and money poured into the Anderson family like water through a broken dam. When his father passed away, Joseph tightened internal affairs alone, reinstated the reward-and-punishment system, and turned the whole clan into a cleaner, stronger force than ever.
In just five short years, he brought the Anderson family to the peak of its power and from then on, no one dared oppose him.
That was why, when he took my hand and led me into the center of the hall, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Whispering ceased. The dagger-sharp gazes from the ladies and young misses faltered. And then, like a wave rolling across the room, everyone bowed with absolute reverence:
"Greetings, Master. Greetings, Madam."
Only then did he lead me to greet Lady Lauren Anderson and the other relatives.The tea ceremony proceeded in perfect order. All three main branches were present. Their children crowded around. A few lively young ladies ran over and grabbed my hands, calling me "sister-in-law" in sugary, sweet voices thanks to them, I managed to recognize quite a few people.
Lady Lauren sat at the highest seat, quietly observing me. When she saw that I wasn't afraid, she gave a small nod, the suspicion in her eyes fading a little.
Once the atmosphere settled, Joseph finally spoke, his voice low but resonant:
"Miss Campbell is now a daughter-in-law of the Anderson family. From today onward, she is the matriarch of this generation. To see her is to see me. Is that understood?"
The entire hall responded at once:
"Yes, sir."
…
Lunch was served right there in Ashbourne Manor. As the tea was poured, the two lively young ladies once again pulled me into conversation, asking about life in my hometown.
Most of the other women merely watched from the side. Their eyes weren't hostile just distant.
While I was occupied, Lady Lauren called Nurse Maya into a side room and quietly asked:
"Last night… did anything happen between the two of them?"
Maya shook her head gently.Lady Lauren didn't seem surprised her tone was calm, as if everything matched her expectations:
"I see. Do not interfere. Just perform your duty well. If the new daughter-in-law wants to stand firm in the Anderson family, she must rely on her own ability."
Lady Lauren never favored anyone. Every matriarch of the Anderson family had to walk this thorn-covered path.Relying on others allows one to survive for a day.Standing on one's own ensures survival for a lifetime.
Before long, an elderly steward came to report:
"My lady, the master and the elders invite you to the council chamber."
Lady Lauren instructed Maya:
"Stay with Vecna. Keep an eye on her. Don't let anyone bully her."
Maya thought to herself:You just said don't interfere, and now you're telling me to guard her… aren't you contradicting yourself?But she still smiled and answered:
"Yes, my lady."
…
The council chamber, located between the ancestral hall and Ashbourne Manor, was where the most important matters of the family were discussed.And today, the topic was me.
One elder spoke first:
"Lauren, I don't think we should rush to enter her name into the family registry. She may carry Jonathan's token, but we've never met the girl. What if someone swapped her on the way here?"
The man seated at the head lifted the lid of his teacup and replied calmly:
"Mr. Tony, she was personally brought here by my grandfather. That cannot be forged."
Then he set the lid down with a soft but razor-sharp click.
"Besides, we send gifts to the Campbell family every year. The stewards all know her face well."
In truth, the elders didn't truly doubt my identity.They simply couldn't accept how ordinary my background was.
Another elder added:
"We aren't trying to make things difficult for our new granddaughter-in-law. But her background is low… perhaps we should wait until she bears the direct heir before adding her to the registry? It would help everyone accept her more easily."
Joseph raised his head, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"A lowly background is a matter of the past."
He spoke each word slowly, clearly, powerfully:
"From the moment she stepped into the Anderson household, she became one of us. The matter is settled, there will be no further discussion."
Silence fell.No one dared say another word.