C8 Don't Move.

Edna's hands trembled slightly, struggling to undo the button. Helmer, looking on with a mix of helplessness and patience, took her hand and guided her through the motions step by step.

Under Helmer's intense stare, Edna's cheeks flushed a deep red, and she desperately wished for a crack in the floor to swallow her whole. Helmer was undeniably bewitching.

"Your work will be arranged for you. I expect you to get along with Edith," Helmer said, leaning in close, his eyes narrowing with an edge of danger.

"As long as she doesn't provoke me, I'll get along just fine," Edna replied, meeting Helmer's gaze. She wasn't fond of Edith, but she wasn't about to stoop to the level of stirring up trouble without cause.

"Excellent," Helmer said, nodding with approval. "Carry on."

"Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes?"

"This is..." This is an office, for heaven's sake!

"Don't worry, we won't be disturbed."

Edna's lips quirked up, but before she could revel in the moment, footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder. Seconds later, the study door was kicked open with a bang.

A young man, about twenty, stood in the doorway, catching Edna off-guard. She instinctively withdrew her hand, her face contorting as if she'd been caught in a scandalous act.

The man's face registered a brief flicker of embarrassment. "Sorry, did I interrupt something? Don't mind me, carry on," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Edna's head spun. Who was this man, and why didn't he knock before barging into Helmer's office?

"Lena mentioned the firm hired a new lawyer. I'm here to pick him up," the man explained, his eyes roving over Edna with an assessing gaze.

Caught in such an awkward situation, Edna felt a rush of shame but also a sense of relief that she might have an out.

"Get out," she blurted.

Quickly straightening her clothes, Edna leaped from the desk and made a break for it. But after just two steps, Helmer's hand snatched her back.

Helmer fixed a cold glare on the man at the door. "Graham, when I say 'get lost,' I mean it."

Unfazed by Helmer's fury, the man simply smirked. "I'm here to collect someone, and I'm not leaving without them."

Listening to Graham's words, Edna surmised that he must be the head of the legal team.

"Mr. Andrews, I'll take my leave now." Edna moved another step away from Helmer and quickly straightened her clothes.

"Come back to the family home with me tonight," Helmer said, his temper flaring slightly. The words were directed at Edna, but his glare was fixed on Graham.

"Understood." Helmer had signaled that she was free to go. Edna nodded and quickly left his office.

"I'm Graham, head of the legal team. If you need anything in the future, feel free to reach out to me," Graham said, walking alongside Edna in the hallway. He eyed her curiously. Was Helmer now bringing women into his office?

She was a special hire, and he's taking her home?

This was indeed sensational news. It looked like Edith might be in trouble.

"Thanks. I'm Edna, with a degree in law."

"Just graduated? Edna?"

At the mention of her name, something clicked for Graham. Didn't Helmer have a stepsister named Edna?

"His sister?"

"Sort of."

Graham stared at Edna, taken aback as if he'd stumbled upon a revelation. He hadn't expected Helmer to be involved with his own sister.

And judging by Edna's reluctance, it seemed Helmer had coerced her.

"Mr. Craig, I would appreciate it if you kept my relationship with Helmer confidential."

Graham gave a knowing nod, a wry smile on his face. "Rest assured, whatever the nature of your relationship, it's safe with me."

Three lines of frustration creased Edna's forehead. Having not notified her family of her return for a week, she was naturally met with her mother's endless scolding.

"When did you get back to the country, and why didn't you let us know?"

Edna's eyes grew misty at her mother's words. She had been away for many years and felt a deep sense of guilt. She was about to respond when Helmer cut in.

"Aunt Lula, you don't need to worry about her anymore. She's now employed at my company and won't be leaving."

The room fell into a hushed silence following Helmer's declaration.

Bryant was taken aback, his eyes wide with astonishment as he regarded Helmer.

Helmer had always harbored a deep-seated animosity toward Lula, barely uttering a word unless she initiated the conversation. It was quite unexpected to see him interject today.

It was as if the sun had decided to rise from the west.

No one could fathom the reason behind Helmer's abrupt change of heart, but Edna had a clear understanding.

A subtle smile played at the corners of Lula's lips, a sign that her mother was overjoyed by the affectionate address of "Aunty."

Edna's heart swelled with joy seeing her mother so content.

"Edna, during your time abroad, did you have any boyfriends?" Dalton inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Her cheeks flushed with a touch of red at the question.

"No, Uncle Dalton, I wasn't looking to find a boyfriend overseas."

"Do you intend to find one back home then?" His voice was measured, yet laced with an undercurrent of danger.

Could it be Burke? The image of Edna with Burke had lingered in Helmer's mind ever since he witnessed it, leaving a lasting impression.

Edna tried to dodge Helmer's penetrating gaze, which made her exceedingly uncomfortable.

"Do you have someone special in your life?" Dalton pressed, his interest piqued by Helmer's inquiry.

"No."

"That's probably for the best." Dalton's smile grew broader upon hearing Edna's response. He then turned his attention to Bryant. "Now that Edna is back, you should make an effort to visit more often. It's important for our family to spend time together."

"Dad, you can count on me," Bryant replied with a smile, though inwardly he scoffed. "I'd make the effort even without your suggestion."

But in the next instant, Edna felt a pang of confusion. Uncle Dalton's words seemed to carry an insinuation, linking her and her brother in an odd way. She glanced around, bewildered, only to lock eyes with Helmer's stern gaze.

Helmer's stare was intensely unsettling for Edna. Their strained relationship was a source of discomfort, but she couldn't very well make a scene in front of her mother and Uncle Dalton.

The proud and hot-tempered man appeared to take pleasure in tormenting her.

Edna's hands gripped the fabric of her dress tightly. She vowed to herself that one day, she would repay Helmer for all the indignities she had endured, twofold.

"You've been out of touch with the family for the past three years. Now that you're finally back in Jongvale, why don't you stay the night?"

Dalton watched Edna, who had been away for three years. Throughout that time, he had witnessed the depth of Lula's longing for her.

"Alright," Edna agreed to Dalton's suggestion. She had already intended to stay there that day.

After dinner, Helmer and Bryant left the ancestral home, leaving Edna in her own room. Surrounded by the familiar setting, memories of the past relentlessly flooded her thoughts, most of which were tied to Helmer.

Later that night, an abrupt knocking startled Edna awake. Groggily, she rubbed her eyes and looked toward the door with bewilderment.

The persistent knocking hastened Edna to her feet, and she approached the door. But as her hand touched the doorknob, the door swung open from the outside, striking her on the head. She let out a startled cry, instinctively clutching her head and stumbling backward.

"Edna," Helmer's voice pierced the silence, making her heart miss a beat.

Peering into the darkness, Edna could barely make out Helmer's silhouette at the doorway, his coat draped over one arm and his hair damp from the rain.

A moment of confusion passed before she asked, "Why have you come back?"

Helmer merely gave her a fleeting look, not bothering to reply. He strode into her room and demanded, "Towel."

"I don't have one here. Wait a moment, I'll get one from Ms. Marie," Edna said, ready to bolt. Had she known it was Helmer at the door, she would have feigned sleep rather than face him.

"No need," Helmer's voice, low and resonant, filled the dimly lit room, his expression unreadable.

He moved to sit on the bed, loosening his tie. Edna could sense from his voice that Helmer was in a foul mood.

As Edna reached to switch on the light, she was suddenly enveloped in a tight embrace, tumbling unexpectedly into Helmer's arms.

Blinded by the darkness, unable to discern each other's faces, Edna's fear paled her complexion. She yearned to cry out but restrained herself, not wanting to disturb her mother, the cry catching in her throat.

Previously, they had never been in such close contact.

"Mr. Andrews, release me."