The Sterile Heir and the Beast

The Karlin family keeps an old dog they treat as a divine beast. The dog is Alex, and he belonged to Celeste Monroe, who left him at Empyrean Estate more than a hundred years ago together with her servant Joan Karlin. The two of them were there to guard the memories Celeste had sealed inside. Over the century that followed the Karlins became the richest house in the south. Liam heads the family now, with reach into everything, and he cannot father a child. Celeste comes back for her memories and learns that Joan died long ago. Alex is at the end of his life and has refused food and water. The Karlins have brought in cooks from all over and set one dish after another in front of him, and he will not touch any of it. Celeste hears about this and goes to the Karlin house. The only thing she has brought to cook with is a pile of broken bones.