Should've known better than to send Marcus to wake her—total waste of time. Corvin threw him a look sharp enough to cut glass as he trailed behind Emma, then turned toward the kitchen to grab her breakfast tray. Before Emma could say a word, Edric caught her hand. "Emma, everything's packed. We can leave as soon as you're ready." His words had barely settled when her lightcore chimed. Two calls lit up the screen—Lucien and Silas. Video calls. Both of them. Emma answered, and two holographic projections appeared before her, both men in crisp uniforms. Silas stood behind his desk, with a straight posture and a warm gaze. "Emma, I've finished most of my work. I'll be home in three hours. I want to renovate our room for a fresh start. If you have any ideas, let me know now so I can begin arranging them." Lucien's projection flickered on beside him. His voice was calm, but his eyes showed a slight sense of urgency. "Emma, my room also needs a full redo. If you have any preferences, let me know. I'll take care of it." It wasn't about competition; Lucien's room truly needed help. The man occupied his study like a ghost—cold, tidy, and lifeless, lacking warmth, softness, or any cozy touches. Now that he was preparing to bond with her, there was no way he'd let her step into a room that screamed bachelor dorm. If she walks in and hates it, I'm done for, he thought. She'll never come back. Edric cleared his throat, speaking softly yet confidently. "Emma, I think my room could use some updates. What style do you prefer?" Marcus remained silent but shot Corvin a quick, grateful look when he returned with a tray of breakfast. His room had already been rearranged before they left for A3—Corvin's work, as suggested by Silas. It had all been planned with Emma in mind. She'll like it, Marcus thought. She has to. Watching all of them crowd around her like contractors waiting for approval, Emma suddenly felt an odd sense of dread.She thought, They're all acting like I'm some kind of royal inspector. I'm five feet tall, not a miracle worker. She forced a polite smile. "Just decorate however you want. I'm fine with anything." Before anyone could argue, she ended both calls with a quick tap. Facing the men standing in front of her, she straightened up. "Go handle your things. Once I finish breakfast, we'll head out." They would definitely come back home today, but once they did, she would need to set some ground rules right away. If she didn't, she wouldn't last the week without losing her sanity. .. A few hours later, Emma said goodbye to Aria at the Central Planet Starrail Hub and boarded the ship home. She had barely stepped through the manor doors when Lucien and Silas came rushing in. "Emma!" Silas reached her first, eyes burning bright. "Let me take a look at you. Did A3 wear you out?" Lucien followed, his gaze scanning her from head to toe. Once he confirmed she hadn't lost weight or suffered a scratch, his shoulders loosened. He turned toward Edric. "How'd you get back so fast? You were supposed to land an hour from now." They had planned to meet her at the Starrail Hub, but Corvin's message had thrown them off—Emma was already home. So they'd turned right around and rushed back. Edric replied evenly, "We hit a time rift on the way. Saved us about an hour." Lucien nodded, then his gaze slid back to Emma. "You must be exhausted. Why don't you go upstairs and rest?" Before she could answer, Silas jumped in, "Emma, you can rest in my room. I just remodeled it—you'll love it." Marcus added smoothly, "My room's finished too, Ms. Tibarn. You could rest there if you'd like." Corvin entered the room at that moment, his lips pressed tight, clearly finished with the competition. "Emma, I'll begin tidying my room now. It'll be ready before dinner. Just wait for me."Edric frowned, realizing his room wasn't ready either. "I'll go fix mine up too." Corvin's urgency was nothing compared to Edric's. The warrior in him hated being last. He turned on his heel and left immediately. Lucien watched him leave before moving closer to Emma. "Want to see my room? I've remodeled it and added the newest massage chair—the top model available. You should try it." "Squeak!" Malrik wriggled in Emma's arms, letting out a cheerful chirp. The little furball wanted to join the others—set up his own space, make it perfect for bonding with his female. If only I could tell her who I really am, he thought miserably. How do I even start that conversation? Emma wasn't faring much better. With eager eyes—Silas, Lucien, Marcus—all waiting for her attention, she could only think: I need three clones and a vacation.