"Come, have a seat, Rena. Welcome back."
The air around the Dawn family dining table seemed to thicken as Serena entered the living room. Mathew Dawn, sitting in Edwina's usual seat at the head, gestured toward the empty chair reserved for her. Serena's gaze swept over each member of the family as she approached, her polite smile fixed in place. Ahh.. This was going to be interesting. Everyone was present other than Lucas...
"Thank you for inviting me over, Uncle Mathew," Serena said smoothly, seating herself directly across from him. "I see your promise to 'extend the olive branch' has reached all the way to the house itself. That's quite...generous."
Mathew's smile remained steady, though his eyes revealed a flicker of unease. "Of course, of course, Serena. It's important we keep family matters civil. Now that all of us are here, perhaps we can begin."