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A Few Questions

Dinner at Meela’s tonight.

Dad’s excited. I don’t think he’s stopped talking about the girls since I told him about them.

I’ve been thinking about Meela.

She seemed genuinely happy to meet me. Even apologized for us not knowing the girls sooner.

But I’ve been wondering.

Did she ever ask about us?

Surely she wondered why none of us were at her wedding. Or why her children had never met their grandfather. Their aunt. Their uncle.

Did she think we didn’t want to?

I can’t imagine she never asked Drake about his family. Not after meeting us all those years ago.

So what did he tell her?

That we didn’t approve of her? That we didn’t want anything to do with him?

That we didn’t care?

I don’t know.

Maybe there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.

But I keep thinking about how surprised she seemed that I wanted to meet the girls.

I should ask her.

Not tonight, though.

Dad’s been looking forward to this dinner. I won’t ruin it with questions Drake should have answered years ago.

HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

ELIJAH SANTANA

Charmer · Extroverted · Slacker

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Romance

FAMILY

Mother: Clara Reynolds
Sisters: Mayhem, Meela Vanderbuilt

HIS STORY

Elijah Santana has always had a way of getting what he wants without appearing to try very hard. Charming, effortlessly attractive, and rarely short on attention, he’s learned that a good smile and the right words can open just about any door. Growing up in the Reynolds family during some of its more difficult years, Santana developed a resourceful streak early on, finding his way through life with odd jobs, side hustles, and an impressive ability to land on his feet. From making deliveries and driving taxis in New York to a few questionable adventures behind the wheel, he’s never been particularly attached to doing things the conventional way.

Now living in Dowon, Santana splits his time between helping out at Café Kreation and working at the local newspaper, though whether either will become a lasting career remains to be seen. Easygoing, sociable, and more interested in enjoying life than chasing traditional success, Santana tends to follow whatever opportunities catch his attention. His charm might make life look effortless, but there’s more to him than a pretty face—and plenty about his future he hasn’t quite figured out yet.

FAMILY TREE
SOUNDTRACK COMING SOON

HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

CLARA REYNOLDS

Explorer · Clumsy · Bookworm

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Abundance

FAMILY

Children: Mayhem Reynolds, Elijah Santana, Meela Vanderbuilt
Mother: Lana Reynolds
Father: James Reynolds
Twin Sister: Nora Reynolds
Brother: Eli Reynolds
Aunt: Beverly Griffin

HER STORY

Intelligent, ambitious, and quietly resilient, Clara Reynolds learned the weight of responsibility at an early age. After losing her parents, she became the steady hand holding her family together, caring for her younger brother and twin sister while pursuing an education and dreams of a life beyond small-town Vermont. Her determination eventually brought her to New York, where an unexpected romance with Graham Vanderbuilt promised everything she’d worked toward. Instead, it would change the course of her life in ways she could never have imagined.

A devoted mother whose life has been shaped by love, loss, and extraordinary betrayal, Clara knows that doing everything right doesn’t always protect the people you love. Though her past with the Vanderbuilt family left wounds that time alone couldn’t heal, she has never allowed those experiences to define the entirety of who she is. Beneath her composed exterior is a woman who has spent a lifetime rebuilding, protecting her family, and holding on to the belief that her story is still hers to write.

FAMILY TREE
SOUNDTRACK COMING SOON

HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

MAYHEM

Troublemaker · Genius · Materialistic

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Abundance

FAMILY

Mother: Clara Reynolds
Father: Graham Vanderbuilt Sr.
Twin Sister: Meela Vanderbuilt
Brother: Elijah Santana, Graham Vanderbuilt Jr., Mahir Vanderbuilt
Step Sister: Zara Vanderbuilt

HER STORY

Mayhem Reynolds has never been one to live quietly or follow anyone else’s rules. Born ******** ***** Reynolds, she grew up with a family history far more complicated than she could have imagined. Bold, outspoken, and unapologetically herself, Mayhem has a way of making her presence known wherever she goes. Beneath her larger-than-life personality, however, is a woman whose relationships and sense of family have been shaped by circumstances well beyond her control.

Fiercely loyal and guided by a moral code entirely her own, Mayhem has little patience for anyone who mistreats the people she loves. She’s perfectly content with a simple life, working at a café and enjoying the little things, though an occasional robbery, confrontation, or act of rebellion certainly keeps things interesting. To Mayhem, the rules have never been particularly fair, and she sees little reason to respect a system that doesn’t always protect the people who deserve it. Her methods may be questionable, and her temper even more so, but beneath the chaos is someone who believes deeply in loyalty, accountability, and making sure nobody she loves has to face the world alone.

FAMILY TREE
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HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

MEELA VANDERBUILT

Explorer · Extroverted · Clumsy

Career: Vanderbuilt Salon & Spa Owner | Kreation Cafe Founder

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Adventure

FAMILY

Husband: Meela Vanderbuilt
Children: Akello Vanderbuilt-Byrd, Alaia Vanderbuilt-Byrd
Mother: Clara Reynolds
Father: Graham Vanderbuilt Sr.
Twin Sister: Mayhem
Brother: Graham Vanderbuilt Jr., Elijah Santana, Mahir Vanderbuilt
Step Sister: Zara Vanderbuilt

HER STORY

Born into the complicated Vanderbuilt family, Meela has spent much of her life determined to define herself on her own terms. After a turbulent upbringing and a dramatic departure from home, she built a new life far from the expectations and secrets of her past. Ambitious, outspoken, and fiercely independent, Meela has never been afraid to reinvent herself, whether through her businesses, her relationships, or the pursuit of something bigger. But beneath her confidence is a woman still learning how to separate who she is from everything she’s survived.

Now a wife, mother of two, and successful entrepreneur, Meela has created the kind of life she once could only imagine. Yet family has never been simple for a Vanderbuilt, and the challenges of marriage and motherhood have forced her to confront questions she thought she’d already answered. As the life she’s worked so hard to build begins to change, Meela must decide what she wants for herself, beyond the roles she’s spent years trying to fulfill.

FAMILY TREE
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HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

KENJI BYRD

Authoritarian · Devoted · Extroverted

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Self-Determination

FAMILY

Father: Junpei Byrd
Brother: Drake Byrd
Twin Sister: Akiko Byrd

HIS STORY

Kenji Byrd has always believed that family comes with responsibility. Raised in Cahaya, he followed in his mother’s footsteps, dedicating himself to the family business and the traditions she held dear. Disciplined, protective, and sometimes uncompromising, Kenji holds himself and those around him to high standards. When his younger brother Drake left the island, Kenji was left carrying responsibilities neither of them had fully anticipated.

Though fiercely loyal to his family, Kenji isn’t quick to forgive or forget. Beneath his stern exterior is a man whose sense of duty often makes it difficult to express affection or accept change. As old relationships begin to shift, Kenji must confront whether protecting the family he loves means preserving things as they were or making room for something different.

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HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT

DRAKE BYRD

Sentinel · Devoted · Fitness Enthusiast

Career: Beat Code Assistant (On Leave) | Map Point Sales Rep

DESIRED LIFE

Life of Familial Devotion

FAMILY

Wife: Meela Vanderbuilt
Children: Akello Vanderbuilt-Byrd, Alaia Vanderbuilt-Byrd
Father: Junpei Byrd
Brother: Kenji Byrd
Twin Sister: Akiko Byrd

HIS STORY

Born and raised in Cahaya, Drake Byrd grew up surrounded by family, tradition, and the expectations of a close-knit island community. After losing his mother as a teenager, he struggled to reconcile his loyalty to home with a growing desire to see the world. Charming, determined, and deeply romantic, Drake eventually left Cahaya to build a life on his own terms. But independence came at a cost, leaving behind relationships and unresolved tensions he was never quite prepared to confront.

Now a husband and father of two, Drake takes pride in the family he fought to create, even as he struggles with the weight of his own choices. His devotion is genuine, but so is his tendency to retreat when confronted with difficult emotions. Caught between the life he left and the one he’s built, Drake is discovering that finding his place in the world may require facing the parts of himself he once tried to escape.

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