Inheritance Redefined

Chapter Thirty-Two

The afternoon sun spilled across the terrace of the Calviero manor, catching the edges of crystal glasses and glinting off polished silverware. A long table had been carefully set with white linen cloths, a collection of porcelain plates and the delicate patterns of silver flatware lined precisely beside each setting. The air carried the subtle fragrance of fresh flowers–lilies, roses and peonies–that Isabella had arranged in tall vases around the terrace.

At the head of the table sat Alessandro Calviero, his posture straight, hands resting lightly on the table. Beside him, Leonidas Drakos maintained a calm but alert gaze, scanning the interactions around him. Jian Wei sat next to Leonidas, his expression composed, quietly taking in the heirs. Across from them, Sergei Vasiliev sat across from them, shoulders relaxed but eyes sharp, while Henrique Moreira stayed slightly back, observing silently as the heads of the families took in the scene before them. Their presence was quiet yet commanding, as if the terrace itself seemed to bend subtly to their authority. Every subtle movement of the adults carried weight, unspoken but understood by everyone present.

Meanwhile, the heirs were far less restrained. Nico, leaning slightly forward in his chair, nudged Matteo under the table. "I bet I can eat three olives before you finish one grape," he whispered with a mischievous grin.

Matteo arched an eyebrow, smirking. "You're on," he muttered, scooping up a grape. "Loser gives the winner their favourite car for two months!"

Raffaele shook his head, amused, rolling his eyes. "You two are ridiculous," he muttered under his breath, clearly more mature than his younger brothers but secretly entertained by all the chaos.

Kai, sitting beside Nico, tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "You guys are… unbelievable," he said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Adonis leaned back in his chair, a proud look on his face. "If you survive this, you're officially one of us," he whispered, giving Kai a subtle nod of approval. "You're in now."

Kai chuckled softly, the sound quiet but sharp, and leaned back, relaxing into the playful energy of the group. The boys erupted into quiet laughter, their excitement bouncing off the marble walls of the terrace.

Olivia, who sat between Elara and Anastasia, bit her lip nervously, glancing at the adults who maintained their composed distance. "I can't believe I'm actually sitting here," she whispered to Elara with wide eyes. "All of them, in one place  and I'm… here. What if I say something wrong?"

She smiled, trying to ease her friend's nerves. "Relax. Just breathe. Remember, no one here expects us to be perfect. And it's lunch, not a council meeting. Sort of." Elara said softly, giving Olivia's hand a small reassuring squeeze.

Anastasia rolled her eyes with a grin. "She's panicking over nothing. Let's be honest–none of them are scary if you ignore the scary vibe."

Across the table, the women of the families were having their own conversation, eyes frequently drifting toward the three girls. Soft murmurs and quiet laughter punctuated the air as they commented on what they saw.

"The girls are lovely," Naomi Wei, whispered, tilting her head slightly as she observed Elara's posture, the way she held her chin high, in a graceful manner. "Absolutely poised. And look at the way they laugh–natural and effortless."

Tatiana Vasiliev leaned closer, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Definitely heartbreakers. Any boy who crosses their path is in trouble. And they're not even aware of it."

Elara felt her cheeks heat slightly, definitely hearing what the mom's are talking about, before glancing at Anastasia who smirked knowingly, while Olivia shrank a little further in her chair, muttering something incoherent under her breath.

From across the table, Luca caught sight of his sister's slight blush and nudged Raffaele quietly. "Oh look, she's embarrassed," he muttered, amusement clear in his voice.

"It's good that she's happy," Raffaele replied softly, a glint in his eye. "Let her be. She deserves it."

The younger boys continued their playful chaos under the table. Elias pretended to lob grapes at Thiago, who dodged them with exaggerated flair. Nikolai laughed quietly, clearly enjoying Kai's presence as he added a clever remark about who could balance a grape on their nose the longest. The conversation between them was fast and light, the way only teenagers could manage, filled with inside jokes and playful challenges.

Meanwhile, the older men observed everything calmly. Any subtle misbehavior or teasing from the younger boys was noted, and their presence kept the terrace grounded. One of them shot a faint glance toward the teen group, enough to freeze their laughter momentarily, and the boys immediately stilled before dissolving into quiet snickers.

The meal itself was a masterclass in elegance and comfort. Platters of fresh salads, roasted vegetables, and herb-marinated chicken were passed around. Bread was sliced warm, and soft music from a discreet string quartet added a serene soundtrack to the lively table. The girls navigated the course carefully, enjoying each bite and exchanging glances, whispering about the sheer intensity of the gathering.

As the meal drew to a close, the adults began to rise one by one, the heads of each family excusing themselves with formal nods. "We'll step aside to discuss business matters," Alessandro said smoothly, his hand resting lightly on the back of his chair. Leonidas, Sergei, Jian and Henrique all nodded, offering polite smiles toward the girls and nods toward the rest before walking toward the interior of the manor.

The terrace was left in a sudden quiet, the heirs still murmuring jokes to each other, the women finishing small sips of tea and sharing a few last whispered observations.

Anastasia leaned toward Elara and Olivia, her eyes shining with mischief. "Now's our chance. Let's go explore," she said softly.

Olivia's jaw dropped, hands flying to her face. "Wait–are you serious? The adults just left and we're… going where?"

Anastasia grinned, brushing off her friend’s panic. "Now is the perfect time for a little adventure. Let's go to the lake!"

Elara led the way, the three girls moving quietly toward the edge of the lake. The soft rustling of leaves underfoot was accompanied by occasional laughter and whispered debates about which path to take. Olivia stayed close, clinging to the sense of safety provided by her two friends but feeling a thrill of excitement at the forbidden freedom.

The trees began to thicken as they moved further from the lake. Sunlight filtered through the branches, dappled patterns shifting across the forest floor. The girls called out suggestions to each other–what made a good hiding spot, where a small bridge might cross a tiny stream, and which areas had the softest moss to sit on.

"You think anyone would notice if we wander a little farther?" Olivia asked nervously.

"Not a chance," Anastasia whispered, grinning. "Everyone's too busy with their meetings and honestly… it's so much more fun to be out here."

Elara laughed quietly, looking at the trees and the small clearing ahead. "Exactly. We're exploring new things now. Just the three of us. No one else is here telling us what to do."

And with that, the girls disappeared into the woods, their laughter trailing behind them, a small, joyful rebellion against the structured, intense world they live in.