Chapter 1:

There were clear skies today in Manhattan, perfect for a calm cozy flight into JFK International. Scattered fluffy white clouds that the plane cruised above began rising up from my perspective view through the small window as the plane descended.

I must have been lost in thought or maybe because I had headphones on because the hostess, Irelia was her name had probably called out to me a few times.

"Sir. Is everything alright?" she asked with a concerned look maybe worried about her performance.

"Ah yes I'm fine, what is it?" I said reassuringly.

"Yes, the captain says we'll be on the ground in five, making final checks with the tower."

Figured that was what she wanted to tell me. I had been in flight for about two hours and I honestly needed some fresh air so the news was a welcome.

"That so, okay then."

"… do you need anything before we land?"

"No I'm fine just get everything ready, we're already late, Sett must be complaining in the sun."

"Yes sir."

With that she left me for the back cabin. I put on some music just to pass the time albeit only five mins but that was enough to calm my nerves. The truth was I was fine like I said. I was terrified coming back after five years of what I could only call a mutual exile. But the slow rock tune did what I wanted as we touched down.

When the hostess gave the all clear. I got up from the luxury seat, pulled up my hoodie and placed the headphones around my neck.

She bowed as I walked by her but I stopped short of a step from her and I began.

"Irelia, was it?"

"Y –Yes sir," she answered flustered.

"You weren't the one booked for the flight today?"

"No sir, it was a dear colleague of mine. She came in with a flu a recommended me."

"Must be one dear colleague." I joked.

"Yes." She smiled back.

"Would you like a new job Irelia, one with much better pay."

A soft chuckle left her mouth at what she thought was another joke.

"Wait, you're serious."

"Pretty much."

"Thank you for the offer but I don't think that would be fair to the air—"

"I own the airline so it wouldn't be a problem."

"What, it can't be. Pegasus Air is owned by the billionaire Alex Heyz who is believed to be well into forties but you, you are barely 17 if I guess."

"Yeah, I guess I'm pretty young to be that rich but it the truth you can as the pilot if you want I can wait about two minutes."

I said that as a joke but she kept alternating her look between the cockpit door and me before storming of towards the cockpit door. Was it really that odd to be a teen billionaire, well I'm the third richest entity according to Forbes. Entity because I hadn't shown my face to the world yet mostly to avoid situations like these.

The cockpit door open and she rushed to me and gave an apologetic bow. It caught me of guard, I mean I was expecting an apology but a full 90-degree bow was a bit much.

"It fine. I told the director to make my flight discreet so only the captain and Anne know who I'm.

"Honestly the job was supposed to be for Anne, but I don't think there would be any problem hiring you too. Oh, right I haven't yet told you the job yet—"

"I accept."

"Huh"

"I accept, it's the least I can do to make up for my previous behaviour again I am really sorry."

Again with the bow maybe she was right for the job after all.

"Okay then follow, I've kept him wait for too long."

****

Sigh.

'What is taking him so long really, I've got places to go, things to do. I've a life too you know.' Sett thought as he leaned on the custom-built black Bentley parked in the hangar beside a private jet. He held in his hand a rolled-up sheet of paper in his left hand and stared at the open door of the jet.

'At least let me enjoy this bad joke.'

Just then a moody looking teen in a hoodie with shades on followed by a blonde lady in a hostess suit walked out the open door and down the.

He quickly unrolled the paper and held it out. It had the words 'ALEX HAYZ' on it.

"You do know we are the only ones in the hangar right, Sett?" he asked.

"Oh really I thought we were in the arrival area of the airport no wonder it's so quiet."

"Haha real funny, if we were, I think I'd need a better escort maybe one with less gray hair."

Cheeky brat.

"Its not gray its white, it shows how mysterious and smart I am."

"Haha really like mine, ok fine I give, I give, lets go you don't wanna keep her waiting now do you."

He right about that 'she' is way more of a monster when it comes to tardiness, Sett thought, but before that—.

"Who is that?" pointing to the blonde hostess.

"One of my two maids."

"You're saying that so casually, does she know?"

"Nope and don't care the worst she can do is try to fire them emphasis of the try."

"You really got everything to piss her off don't you?" Sett said opening the car door.

"What can I say, I need the excitement in life."

'Sigh, the annoying part is that I'm gonna be included in that excitement forcefully.'

"You."

"Y– Yes."

"Your name?"

"I—Irelia."

"Stop staying flustered and get in the front."

"Yes sir."

"It isn't her fault Sett, she just became the personal maid of one of the richest people in the world, even I find that hard to believe.

"But he is right though, Irelia, this really is happening just accept it."

With everyone in the car, Sett started the car and drove out of the hangar, pass two checkpoints and onto the highway.

He occasionally stared at the teen through the rear-view mirror before he finally said.

"So coming back huh, it been how long four years."

"Three years two and a half months three days 14 hours and 42 seconds, give or take a few seconds."

"That long huh."

"How have you got bad at counting days."

"Hey at my age counting the days just means counting the time I've got left.

"Anyways, how does it feel to be back?"

"… Honestly a little nervous, the scenery and everything they seem different, no rather I don't remember any of them at all. When I left I hoped for this day to come but I'm… I'm not sure I'm ready for it."

"Haha its good to see you are still a teenage kid under all that."

He put on his shades and headphones after hearing those words.

Sett looked at the other passenger beside him. He blonde hair and her looks where top notch, figures since she was a hostess of one of the worlds major airlines, scratch that former hostess.

She was probably in her early twenties with her own cares and responsibilities in the world could she shoulder the responsibility about to be put on her though.

"So the new member of the house, I hope you can pull your weight for your sake."

"I—I will."

"It's easier said than done. See that kid back there he may look like a pampered loner who cares for nothing but himself but he is actually someone who has lost enough to make him want to protect what he has left and what little he has gained.

"As the new say addition to that rather small collective he will give everything to protect you so make sure to never betray that, because just as he can be the wall that protect the ones, he loves he can also be nuke that blows them to smithereens understood."

"Y—Yes sir."

"Don't call me that it, its Sett in private but in public it's Master Sett."

"Yes Sett."

"See already getting the hang of things. The one he's gonna meet is someone who likes fast learners hopefully she likes you."

"She?"

"Ah I guess its no use then. The brat's right hand, Lissandria. Actually their relationship is more like an overprotective mother and her spoilt and stubborn rich son who almost always never listens to her.

"And I'm the sad step dad whose only job is to be constantly punished for his mistakes. Seriously my life is sad."

There was a light chuckle from the back seat.

He continued, "Tch at the very least, its about to get better seeing we're about to get two new 'step daughters' good luck."

"Erh thank you."

The journey continued in silence the occasional honking of horns breaking it. They pulled of the highway and headed down the street stopping in front of a café, Zac's Coffee it was called.

"Why are we stopping?" Irelia asked.

"He is making a stop here, a few members of the 'collective' are waiting there. We will be continuing to the manor.

"Also you should count yourself lucky we get to escape that monster, Lissandria."

[Who are you calling a monster?!]

The angry tone of the sound that came from the dashboard made him shiver.

"It wasn't you Lis, there was a large rat on the side lane."

'Alex you are my guardian angel.' Sett thought, he eyes shining with gratitude.

[Really?!]

"Yes anyway how did you even hear that." Alex said changing the subject.

[Someone didn't learn how to set the comms to closed channel.]

They looked at Sett like it was obvious who it was.

"Hey it isn't my fault there wasn't all this fancy gadget back in my day!"

[Fuha it doesn't matter, hurry up and get yourself in here also who else is in there with you.]

"I'll tell you about that when we meet."

[Huh wait don't tell me you—]

Alex stretch forward and pushed a button on the dashboard screen.

"Wish me luck."

He got out of the car and walked into the café.

"Is he gonna be fine?"

"Ha of course they are probably gonna have their usual bickering, lets get going still need to settle you in."

The Bentley pulled of the side lane on the road the café soon becoming distance.