The soothing gentleness of good sleep lingered in Phei even after he had fully woken, like warm sunlight caught somewhere beneath the ribs. Falling asleep in Mother’s arms had done something to him no medicine, no cultivation, no system reward and no expensive car could imitate.

It had quieted the restless edges of his soul and folded the dragon inside him beneath an old, soft blanket and told it, for a few hours.

Then morning had given him another strange blessing: the scent of Mother’s breakfast, Diana’s quiet watchfulness, and finally Maya’s presence returning to him after too many hours of absence, after too many hours of something empty and wrong sitting where her name should have been.

’Breakfast for four.’

Three women around one boy with far too many women, far too many burdens, and far too many things waiting beyond the door.

It should have been all of them around the long table of the suite, all his women together with Mother and Diana, voices overlapping, plates being passed, Sierra smiling gently, Maddie making trouble before the tea cooled, Valentina pretending not to be soft while feeding someone from her plate, Patricia reading everyone like a criminal case, Noor and Soraya slowly finding their place, and the others filling the morning with that strange, impossible warmth his life had somehow gathered; all of them.

But they were not there yet. The household was still scattered, resting, settling, hiding in their or rooms or his penthouse, recovering from the madness of the night before.

The table had room for them all, but morning had chosen only four.

Maybe if Melissa had been there, the room would have felt closer to complete.

The thought came gently, but it struck deep.

Phei wanted the most important women in his life to finally meet properly, to greet one another without chaos, without injury, without danger standing outside like a rude guest refusing to leave.

Melissa had played a huge role in Mother’s improvement back in the hospital. She had been there in ways words could not pay for, and Phei wanted Mother to see her not merely as another woman beside him, but as someone who had helped hold him together during one of the ugliest stretches of his life even without him knowing.

But that would have to wait.

Melissa had promised he would get her and Roxanne, but she had not called him yet. Perhaps she was still bonding with Roxanne, Phei did not mind that.

He missed her, yes. He missed both of them, truly. But the longer Melissa and Roxanne forged their bond, the stronger it would become, and the better they could accommodate each other, stand for each other, fight for each other and walk together through the ridiculous eternity they would all spend with him.

Eternity, naturally, being the kind of relationship plan only insane people and cultivators discussed before breakfast.

Mother, Maya and Diana had begun clearing the breakfast utensils, despite Phei’s immediate internal protest that women he loved had no business doing chores when he was standing there with two functioning hands and a guilt complex large enough to qualify as furniture.

Diana moved with calm precision, collecting plates before Mother could overreach, while Mother pretended not to notice Diana’s vigilance.

Phei held Maya’s hand lightly and turned toward Mother. "We will go run a few errands," he said. "Then I will come back for you."

Mother looked over her shoulder.

Phei smiled. "We have a date, do we not?"

For a second, there was a soft silence in the room.

Mother’s face warmed with that helpless affection she tried to hide whenever Phei became too direct, and Diana’s gaze lowered just slightly, not because she was embarrassed, but because gratitude sometimes needed somewhere quiet to stand.

Maya, beside him, squeezed his hand once, her smile small and luminous.

Mother placed a cup gently into the sink. "Take your time."

Phei blinked. "You are letting me go that easily?"

"I am not letting you go," Mother said. "I am allowing you to leave temporarily..."

"That sounds much worse."

"It is. Also, treat Maya properly."

Phei looked down at Maya, then back at Mother. "I always treat Maya properly."

Mother turned fully now, one hand resting on the counter, eyes narrowing in a way that made even sunlight behave. "I cannot have Maya feeling jealous."

Phei stared. "Jealous? What does she—"

Maya laughed; it was soft, sweet, and absolutely traitorous.

Phei slowly turned to her. "You are laughing."

Maya lifted her free hand to her mouth, trying and failing to hide it. "I am not."

"You are."

"I am breathing with amusement."

"That is laughing with extra paperwork."

Mother’s gaze sharpened. There were swords dancing in her eyes now, bright maternal swords polished by years of scolding and love.

"Should I remind you, young man, that you slept in my arms like a mommy’s boy instead of spending the night with your girlfriend?"

The realization struck.

Phei’s mouth opened.

Closed.

Opened again.

Maya’s smile became unbearably pleased.

Diana turned slightly away, but her shoulders gave one tiny tremble, which was insulting because she had seemed so professional five seconds ago. Apparently even Diana could be bought by Phei’s suffering.

’Loyalty these days has the structural integrity of wet pastry.’

Phei released Maya’s hand only to place one palm over his chest and bow deeply toward Mother with dramatic reverence, as though addressing a queen whose decree had descended from heaven itself.

"What can I do without your wisdom, Mother? I am merely a foolish son wandering the wilderness of affection without a map."

Mother stared at him, Maya pressed her lips together while Diana’s composure visibly cracked.

Phei stayed bowed. "Your lessons shall be carved into the foundation of my soul. I will treat Maya properly. I will comfort her wounded heart, compensate for my crimes and I will never again underestimate the political consequences of sleeping in my mother’s arms."

Mother’s mouth twitched. "Phei."

He straightened slightly, one hand still over his heart. "Unless you ask me to, of course. Then I will betray everyone immediately."

Maya gasped softly. "Phei."

He turned to her, wounded. "You see the difficulty of my position?"

Mother finally laughed, unable to help herself, the sound warm enough to scatter the last thin shadows from the room. "You stubborn boy."

"A loved boy," Phei corrected.

"Spoiled boy."

"Accurately loved."

"Mommy’s boy," Maya added softly.

Phei pointed at her. "You were supposed to be the victim."

"I evolved."

"You were corrupted quickly."

"I had a good teacher."

Mother looked pleased with that answer, which was unfair because Phei could see the alliance forming in real time. Three women at breakfast, and somehow all three had found common ground in his humiliation.

’Democracy is a failed system.’

He groaned softly, Korean-style, long and wounded, letting his head tilt back; he had learnt from Jade. "Aigoo... I am being bullied in the morning."

Mother wiped her hands on a towel, smiling. "Good. It builds character."

"I have enough character."

"You have too much mouth."

Maya nodded gravely. "That is true."

Diana, from near the table, added with quiet sincerity, "Only occasionally, sir."

Phei looked at her. "Diana."

She lowered her head at once, hiding her smile. "Forgive me."

"No. You are all becoming dangerous."

Mother stepped closer and touched his cheek, still laughing softly. "Go on, tiger. Take Maya with you. Run your errands. Come back when you are done. I will be here."

That last sentence settled into him more deeply than it should have.

I will be here.

Such a simple promise.

’Such an impossible luxury.’

He crossed the distance letting go of Maya’s hand for a moment, and bent to kiss Mother’s forehead.

She closed her eyes as he did, one hand coming up to rest against his arm.

Then he hugged her, not as desperately as last night, not with that frightened strength that wanted to lock her away from the world, but softly, fully, with the quiet gratitude of a son who had woken to find her alive, healthy, cooking, laughing, scolding him, and calling him spoiled.

"I will come back soon," he murmured.

"Take your time," she whispered again. "And no reckless driving."

Phei paused.

Mother leaned back and looked at him.

He smiled too innocently.

"No reckless driving," she repeated, slower.

"I heard you."

"That is not the same as agreeing."

"I will drive with respect."

"For the law?"

"... And for the road."

Mother stared.

Maya laughed again.

Diana murmured, "That does not sound reassuring, sir."

Phei sighed. "I am leaving before this household fully weaponizes breakfast against me."

He kissed Mother’s forehead once more, then turned to Diana. "Goodbye, Diana. Please make sure she actually rests after breakfast."

Mother frowned. "I am standing right here."

"That is why I said it where you could hear."

"Still too direct," Mother said.

"I am learning slowly."

"Very slowly."

Diana bowed her head, but there was warmth in her eyes now, not just gratitude, not just service, but something gentler. "I will do my best, sir."

Phei nodded, then returned to Maya’s side and took her hand again. The moment his fingers wrapped around hers, her expression softened, and for a breath the whole morning quieted around them. Mother watched that small gesture with a tenderness edged in old grief, but she did not cry this time.

Phei walked toward the door with Maya beside him.

The suite behind them held sunlight, the smell of breakfast, dishes drying by the sink, Mother’s restored laughter, Diana’s quiet gratitude, and the fragile warmth of a morning that had somehow survived all the darkness beneath it.

At the doorway, Phei paused once and glanced back.

Mother lifted a hand.

Maya squeezed his fingers.

Phei smiled.

It was finally time to face the day.

A very long, beautiful crazy-ass day.

Only if he knew what Melissa had prepared for him.