Chapter 53 - 8.5 : Shadows Beneath the House
Virellano Residence – Evening
Inside the grand study room of the Virellano family, David sat upright at a golden-carved desk, lit brightly by a shimmering crystal chandelier above. Thick books lay open before him, each filled with complex knowledge. By his side, Clarista, his older sister, carefully monitored his notes. A young female tutor named Fani sat across the table, helping him tackle advanced mathematics. With a pencil tucked behind her ear and eyes sharp enough to kill, she looked ready to launch a barrage of math problems at David.
It was a picture-perfect scene from an elite school brochure:
A future heir, groomed with precision.
The kind of image that would make investors nod in approval and media outlets label them a ’model family’.
Meanwhile...
Al—the biological son who, by all rights, should have been the rightful heir—slipped through the mansion like a shadow. His stealth mode was on. Light-footed and silent, he navigated the massive estate with a single goal: food scavenging.
He made his way to the kitchen.
When the refrigerator door opened, it felt like discovering a treasure chest.
Al’s eyes sparkled. His mouth fell open slightly, a bit of drool escaping.
"Hmm... roast chicken, chocolate pudding... and—whoa, sushi! Jackpot," he whispered triumphantly.
Without hesitation, he loaded the goodies into his enchanted pouch—an item far more useful than a dimensional ring. It could store food and living things without damaging their organic structure. Perfect for his nightly foraging.