Chapter 1: The Glass Prince
Setting: A lavish mansion, a flamboyant birthday party for Cedric, the "beloved" son.
Content: Cedric parades around, convinced he is the sole heir to Mr. Valmont's empire. His mother, Eliane, rules the house with an iron fist. We see their casual cruelty toward two young servants living in the service wing: Leo and Lena, the children of Valmont's first wife (who allegedly died in poverty according to Eliane's rumors).
Chapter 2: The Bread of Humiliation
Content: Leo and Lena are forced to clean up the party's remains. Cedric insults them, deliberately spilling red wine on Lena's worn-out dress. Mr. Valmont is often absent or looks away, manipulated by Eliane's lies, believing the two orphans are ungrateful and lazy.
Chapter 3: The Sealed Letter
Content: Mr. Valmont falls gravely ill. Sensing his end, he asks to see his notary in secret. Eliane tries to eavesdrop but is pushed away. She reassures Cedric: "Everything is ours, I've planned it all." Cedric takes the opportunity to double the abuse toward Leo, threatening to throw him onto the streets as soon as the "old man" dies.
Chapter 4: The Patriarch's Silence
Content: Mr. Valmont's funeral. Cedric wears his mourning clothes with ill-disguised arrogance, already sitting in his father's office chair. Leo and Lena are relegated to the back row, forbidden from openly grieving the man they still considered their distant father.
Chapter 5: Judgment Day
The Atmosphere: The reading of the will in the grand drawing room.
Content: All relatives are gathered. The notary begins reading. Eliane wears a victorious smile. The will states: "I leave the entirety of my assets and businesses to my one and only legitimate children." Cedric stands up to thank the assembly, but the notary stops him cold.
Chapter 6: The Secret Unveiled
The Shock: The notary produces a DNA test ordered by Valmont before his death. It reveals that Cedric is not Valmont's biological son, but the result of a hidden affair Eliane had with a former driver. The crowd whispers. Eliane's face turns pale.