The morning came quietly.
Soft light filtered through the tall windows, pale and cold against the polished floors. The mansion was still—silent in the way it always was this early, before movement, before voices, before the day fully began.
Upstairs, Leah slept.
Undisturbed.
Downstairs—
The stillness had already been broken.
The front doors had been opened not long ago, and now the sound of controlled movement filled the living room. Not loud. Never loud. Just the low murmur of voices, the careful shifting of weight, the muted thud of something heavy being carried across expensive flooring.
A tree.
Large.
Perfectly shaped.
Guided through the entrance with precision.
Izana stood a few feet away, watching.
Still.
Composed.
His posture straight, his hands resting loosely behind his back as his gaze tracked every movement without missing a single detail.
"…Careful."
His voice was calm.
Low.
Enough to make the men adjust instantly.
They slowed, shifting their grip, correcting their angle as they carried the tree further inside.
Izana's gaze didn't waver.
"…Stop."
They stopped.
Immediately.
The base of the tree hovered just above the floor as they waited.
Izana stepped forward.
Not rushed.
Measured.
He circled once, his eyes scanning the space, the proportions, the placement. The room was large—open—but that didn't mean anything went anywhere.
Nothing did.
His hand lifted slightly.
"…A little to the left."
The men adjusted.
Carefully.
Another inch.
Then—
"…There."
The tree was lowered into place.
Set.
Centered.
Exact.
Izana studied it for a moment longer.
Silent.
Then stepped back.
Satisfied.
Behind him, boxes and bags were carried in next.
Decorations.
Organized.
Placed neatly to the side.
Everything where it should be.
Everything waiting.
Footsteps approached from the hallway.
Unhurried.
Familiar.
Izana didn't turn.
He didn't need to.
Elias entered first.
Dante just behind him.
They both slowed as they stepped into the room.
Not because of the workers.
Not because of the movement.
But because of what stood in the center of it.
A tree.
Decorations beside it.
And Izana—
Overseeing it.
Elias's gaze settled on the scene, thoughtful.
Dante's—
Paused.
Then shifted slowly to Izana.
There was a beat of silence.
Then—
"…I'm going to assume I missed something."
Izana didn't respond.
Didn't look at him.
His attention remained on the workers as one of them adjusted the base slightly.
Dante walked a little further in, hands sliding into his pockets as he looked up at the tree again.
Then back at Izana.
"…Is that a Christmas tree?"
A pause.
"…Yes."
Flat.
Simple.
Dante exhaled slowly through his nose.
"…Right."
He glanced at Elias.
Elias said nothing.
Because he already understood.
Dante, however—
Did not let it go.
He stepped closer, circling just slightly, his gaze moving between the tree and the neatly stacked decorations beside it.
"…Didn't take you for the festive type."
Izana finally looked at him.
A slow glance.
Unimpressed.
"You don't take me for many things."
Dante's mouth curved faintly.
There it was.
"…That's fair."
He tilted his head slightly, studying the setup again.
"…This one's new, though."
Silence.
Izana looked away again.
Dismissive.
Elias stepped forward just slightly, his gaze resting on the tree.
"…It suits the room."
Calm.
Observational.
Not a question.
Not a judgment.
Just a statement.
Izana didn't respond.
But he didn't correct him either.
Dante noticed that.
Of course he did.
His eyes flicked toward the bags beside the tree.
Then back to Izana.
"…Let me guess," he said casually. "You're decorating next."
No answer.
Dante's expression shifted—just slightly more amused.
"…Should I cancel your meetings?" he continued. "Clear your schedule for ribbon selection?"
Nothing.
For a moment.
Then—
Izana looked at him again.
This time—
Just a fraction longer.
"…You're still here."
Dante blinked once.
That wasn't unusual.
But then—
"Don't you have something useful to do?"
A beat.
Dante's eyes narrowed just slightly.
Then—
He smiled.
Slow.
Knowing.
"…There it is."
Elias noticed the shift.
Small.
Subtle.
But there.
Izana had engaged.
Rare.
The workers stepped back as they finished adjusting the tree, one of them straightening slightly as he turned toward Izana.
"Everything is in place, sir."
Izana gave a single nod.
That was enough.
They moved quickly after that, gathering themselves, exiting the room as quietly as they had entered.
The doors closed.
And the space stilled again.
Now—
It was just the three of them.
And the tree.
Tall.
Perfect.
Standing in the center of the room.
With decorations waiting beside it.
Dante looked at it again.
Then at Izana.
The teasing softened—just slightly.
"…She hasn't seen it yet."
"No."
Elias's gaze shifted briefly to Izana.
Then back to the tree.
"She will like it."
A pause.
Izana didn't answer.
But he didn't dismiss it either.
That silence said enough.
Upstairs—
Leah stirred.
Slowly.
The quiet of the room still wrapped around her as she shifted slightly beneath the covers, her hand moving instinctively across the space beside her.
Empty.
Her eyes opened.
Not fully.
Just enough.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Then turned her head slightly.
The sheets were slightly disturbed, but he wasn't there.
"Iz?"
That wasn't normal.
Izana was usually still beside her in the mornings.
Even if he was awake.
Even if he was already thinking.
He stayed.
Leah pushed herself up slightly, her brows drawing together just a little as she looked at the empty space for another second.
Then exhaled softly.
Something had pulled him away.
She didn't rush.
Didn't need to.
But she got up.
Leah moved quietly through the hallway upstairs, then toward the stairs.
She could hear something now.
Faint.
Movement.
Voices.
That confirmed it.
He was downstairs.
She descended slowly, one hand brushing lightly along the railing.
Her steps quiet.
Unhurried.
But more aware now.
Because he hadn't been there.
And that meant something.
She reached the bottom step.
Turned—
And stepped into the living room.
Then stopped.
The tree stood in the center of the room.
Tall.
Perfect.
Decorations stacked neatly beside it.
Waiting.
Her gaze fixed on it.
Still.
Processing.
Then shifted.
Izana stood near it.
Elias behind him.
Dante off to the side.
Dante noticed her first.
Of course.
"…Good morning."
Leah blinked slightly.
"…Morning."
Her voice was softer.
Still catching up.
Dante gestured lightly toward the tree.
"…All his idea."
Izana's gaze snapped to him.
Sharp.
Dante didn't look concerned.
Leah looked at Izana.
A pause.
Then—
"…Li."
Her attention shifted immediately.
"Come here."
Calm.
Certain.
She hesitated—
Just for a second.
Then walked toward him.
Slowly.
Her gaze flicking once more to the tree before settling on him again.
She stopped in front of him.
Close.
"…You—."
She didn't finish.
Didn't need to.
Izana watched her quietly.
Then—
"…It arrived this morning."
Simple.
Like it wasn't anything.
Leah looked at him for a moment longer.
Then—
Back at the tree.
Something softened in her expression.
Small.
But real.
"…It's nice."
Izana didn't respond.
But his gaze didn't leave her.
"You did this for me?"
"Yes."
And for the first time that morning—
The fact that he hadn't been there when she woke up—
Made sense.
He hadn't left without reason.
He had left for this.
Leah stepped slightly past him, her fingers brushing lightly against one of the boxes beside the tree.
Still a little unsure.
Still taking it in.
But no longer hesitant.
Behind her—
Izana turned just slightly.
Watching.
Not correcting.
Not controlling.
Just—
Letting it happen.
And the room—
Didn't feel as cold anymore.