The man, quite a handsome man even at his old age didn't raise his head to spare a glance.
The girl's gaze on the boy were deep in resentment, hatred, anger.
An elderly woman. She had a faint smile plastered on her face — she was the only one who smiled at him.
Then there's the lady. Her face was filled with surprise the moment the boy walked in.
"Northern?" She said and sprang to her feet. Then she quickly composed herself and then rushed to him. "Where have you been the whole day?" She asked, pretending to be concerned. "We've all been worried about you and why are you looking so wounded. Tell us."
Northern simply stared at her in silence. He had already confirmed what he wanted to — it was really her. Her countenance the moment she saw him... He didn't miss any detail, not even the slightest anger that flashed across her face.
"Excuse me," he said and moved backwards.
Seeing this, his mother frowned. It was brief but it never escaped Northern's eyes.
"What is the matter?" She asked him in a sweet voice.
"I'm fine," he replied and turned to leave.
"Where do you think you're going?" The man's voice boomed across the large room.
That moment, Northern froze. The man's voice sent shivers down his spine.
'This boy's father, now my father is quite scary.' Northern thought to himself.
"I'm asking you again! I said where do you you are going?" His father asked. Everyone in the room froze this time.
His mother quietly walked back to her seat, his sister stopped eating, and was staring downwards. Even the air stilled. The only person moving was the elderly woman there, she continued to eat her food though quietly as if she was deliberately trying to avoid making any sound.
As for Northern, he slowly turned around and was now facing his father, his new father.
"I am going to my room, is there any problem... Father?" He replied, drawing the word 'father' longer than he should.
The man, for the first time since Northern returned raised his head. As their eyes met, the air around them seemed to have stopped. The elderly woman who was eating also stopped and looked at Northern. When their eyes met, Northern noticed a faint nod of head before she then went back to eating.
"Listen, young man," Northern's father said, drawing his attention back to him. "As from today, you cease to be a member of this family."
The words dropped like thunder, yet the man's face remained calm, almost indifferent, as though he were merely stating a fact.
Northern narrowed his eyes. For a brief moment, his chest tightened, not because of the declaration but because of the weight carried in the silence that followed.
The girl—his supposed sister—bit her lip, the hatred in her eyes dimming into something else, perhaps satisfaction. His mother blinked rapidly, her face caught between shock and calculation. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but then stopped, carefully lowering her gaze.
Only the elderly woman showed no reaction. She plucked another morsel of food with her chopsticks, unhurried, unbothered, though her sharp eyes flickered toward Northern again for a heartbeat.
Northern let out a small laugh, one that sounded more like a sigh. "Cease to be a member of this family?" he repeated softly, as if tasting the words.
"Yes," his father said firmly, his voice carrying no room for negotiation. "From this moment, you are no longer my son. Do not call me father again."
The lady—his mother—finally stood, wringing her hands together with an expression that seemed rehearsed. "My Lord, surely this is too harsh. He is still young. He does not know what he is saying or doing. Please reconsider."
Northern tilted his head and stared at her. The false concern dripping from her words only confirmed what he had already seen in her eyes earlier. She wanted him gone.
His so-called sister smirked faintly, her lips curling in a way that told him she had long been waiting for this moment.
Northern's lips parted slowly. "So… it is true," he murmured, mostly to himself. His gaze swept across the table, pausing briefly on the elderly woman, who still ate with a calm rhythm. Then he looked back at his father.
"You want to disown me?" Northern asked. His voice carried no fear. "Then tell me, Father… is it because of I am yet to awaken an ability?"
The man's jaw tightened ever so slightly. It was a small movement, but Northern caught it. The flicker of annoyance, the twitch of restraint.
"I need no reason," the man replied coldly. "Leave."
Silence stretched again.
Northern took a step forward instead of retreating. "Fine," he said with a strange calmness, "I'll leave." He glanced once more at the elderly woman—her faint smile had returned, almost approving this time.
"But," Northern continued, his tone sharper now, "when I do… don't call me back. Not when the house begins to crumble. Not when your precious ones disappoint you. Not when you realize that I am the only one who'll you'll end up depending on."
The atmosphere shifted, like the room itself had grown colder.
His sister's hand clenched around her chopsticks. His mother's face paled. The man's eyes hardened, a storm brewing behind them.
And the elderly woman… for the first time, she chuckled under her breath, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind.
Northern turned his back on them and walked toward the doors.
Each step echoed in the heavy silence.
And though no one said a word, he knew—all their eyes were on him, burning with different flames.
As he stepped out of the house, someone walked past him into the house — it was as though he had been waiting for him to come out before going in.
Northern turned and gazed at the boy's back. The boy looked a year older than him, golden short hair...
'Everything about him is oddly familiar,' He thought and decided to follow him back inside.
As he stepped into the house, he heard his father calling the boy son.
"You're welcome to the Silver family. From today, you are our son."
That didn't bother Northern, what bothered him was the striking resemblance.
"James?" He called out.
All eyes fell on him still standing at the door but none of that bothered him. He was more after the boy standing some steps away from him. The moment the boy turned around and met his gaze, Northern froze.
For a while, the both boys locked eyes. None said a word — Not yet.
Then the man of the house spoke up, breaking the silence that seemed to swallow them all. "What are you still doing here?" He asked Northern. "Well, since you are here. I'll do a simple introduction. This is Finn Steven and from today, he has become a member of the Silver family. Finn, you will no longer answer Steven but Silver."
The boy Finn smiled and bowed before his new father. "Thank you, father. I will keep that in mind and of course, I'll bring glory to the family and not end up like someone without anything to boast of."
"You, leave now! Your presence is no longer needed here," The man said to Northern.
After glancing at each of them all, Northern turned back tmat Finn, he stared at him for some time before turning and walking out of the door again.
When he was some distance away from the house, he heard some steps behind him. He stopped walking further and turned only to see Finn walking towards him.
"What do you want now?" He asked him.