Chapter 210: Returning To Surprise.

"My PA will be in touch with all the formal paperwork and details," I told her with a warm smile, taking a step back toward the door.

"Thank you, Ethan!" Emiliana called out, her eyes shining with relief and excitement as her mother waved us off.

I stepped out onto the porch and walked back toward the SUV, where Patricia was leaning against the passenger side waiting for me. She straightened up as I approached, scanning my face with a curious, expectant look.

"Well?" Patricia asked, crossing her arms against the cool country breeze. "What did she say? Is she moving to the city?"

Instead of answering right away, I reached into my pocket, grabbed her hand, and gently dropped the brass keys to the diner into her palm, folding her fingers over them.

"I know this isn’t the exact city transfer you had in mind for her," I said softly, looking into her eyes. "But building out a local Lumen bakery-diner hub right here gives her the comfort of staying home, while giving Lumen a unique regional outpost. It’s better for both of you."

Patricia looked down at the heavy set of keys resting in her hand, her eyes widening in realization.

"You... you bought the diner for Lumen?" she whispered, looking up at me.

She didn’t scream or jump up and down. Instead, a classic, subtle Patricia smile softened her features—that quiet, knowing look that practically said Classic Ethan without having to utter a single word out loud. She shook her head with fond amusement, running her thumb over the metal edge of the key.

"You really don’t miss a beat, do you?" she murmured warmly, sliding her arm through mine as we walked around to get into the SUV. "A dual-concept rustic Lumen cafe with live music... it’s actually brilliant, Ethan."

By the time Patricia and I drove back to the main ranch house, the sun was beginning its late-afternoon dip, painting the rustic sky in deep shades of gold and amber.

Ruby and Chloe were just stepping out from behind the stables, flushed and laughing. Ruby had wanted one last quick trek around the property to soak in the countryside peace before heading back to the relentless pace of her superstar life, and Chloe had tagged along to keep an eye on her.

Seeing my SUV pull into the driveway, Ruby perked up and jogged over, her wide brim hat bouncing against her shoulders.

"We’re all packed!" she announced brightly, leaning over to give me a sweet peck on the cheek. "I got my last fill of clean air, but honestly? I am so, so ready to get back into the city with you."

"Got everything in the trunk?" I asked, looking back at Chloe, who gave me a smooth, satisfied nod.

"All loaded up, boss," Chloe chuckled, sliding into the front passenger seat while Ruby popped into the back with Patricia. "No missing guitars, no left-behind heels, and definitely no loan sharks."

I climbed into the driver’s seat, resting my wrist over the steering wheel as the heavy engine roared to life. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I caught Ruby leaning her head against Patricia’s shoulder, holding her phone as she quietly checked the rising view counts on her leaked diner teaser. Next to me, Chloe stretched out her legs, looking completely relaxed.

Between the diner legally secured, the Lumen expansion set in motion, Emiliana’s family given a brand-new future, and a 12-track live album safely tucked in the vault, our countryside detour couldn’t have ended on a better note.

I shifted into drive, kicked up a light trail of gravel, and smoothly merged onto the highway, heading straight back toward the city skyline.

I glanced in the rearview mirror, catching the bright glow of Ruby’s phone reflecting off her face as she scrolled through her notifications with a huge grin.

"My manager just called," Ruby said, her voice buzzing with excitement from the back seat. "The clip I posted is still going completely viral! The fans are practically begging for the drop in the comments, but our production team is already getting everything mixed and mastered."

She leaned forward between the front seats, resting her chin on her hands and looking over at me. "Ethan, if a tiny raw teaser is pulling these kinds of insane numbers already, this album is going to absolutely explode the second we officially drop it."

"I told you," I chuckled, keeping my eyes on the highway as the city lights began to shimmer in the distance. "When you pair real, raw talent with the right moment, people can feel it. And now we’ve got an entire live session series setup waiting at the diner to keep that momentum rolling."

Chloe turned her head, offering Ruby a warm smile. "Your team better be ready for the press storm, Ruby. Once this hits the charts, everyone’s going to be talking about that diner."

"Let them talk," Ruby giggled, sinking back into her seat with a satisfied sigh. "It’s going to be legendary."

We pulled through the gates of the estate as the evening sky turned to deep velvet. As soon as I parked the SUV, Ruby unbuckled her seatbelt and stretched her arms over her head with a long, theatrical sigh.

"Home, finally!" she cheered softly, practically collapsing with relief.

Patricia just smiled warmly at her enthusiasm, gathering her designer handbag as we all stepped out into the crisp driveway air.

Together, the four of us—me, Chloe, Ruby, and Patricia—walked up the grand front steps. I unlocked the front entrance and pushed open the massive double doors, expecting the usual pristine, high-end tranquility of the estate.

Instead, we froze dead in our tracks.

The living room was an absolute disaster zone. Throw pillows were tossed onto the floor, empty snack wrappers and drink cans were scattered across the glass coffee table, and clothes were draped casually over the couches. It looked like a tornado had touched down in the middle of our residence.

"What in the..." Chloe muttered, her brows furrowing as she carefully stepped over a stray pair of sneakers.

Ruby gasped, looking around in utter bewilderment. "Did we get robbed?!"

"No," Patricia said quietly, pointing to the expensive art pieces and high-end electronics still perfectly intact. "Everything valuable is still here..."

We were all stunned. Even if May had decided to be lazy and litter the place up, where on earth were the estate’s daily cleaning crew?

Before I could process it, a heavy, muffled bassline began vibrating through the floorboards. Heavy, thumping gym music was blaring loudly from deeper inside the house, echoing down the grand hallway.

"May...?" I called out, exchanged puzzled glances with the girls.