As soon as her mother was out of sight, India's expression shifted, a determined glint sparking in her eyes. She reached into the pocket of her designer jacket, retrieving her phone and quickly dialing a number. Impatiently, she waited for the call to connect, her fingers drumming against the polished marble surface beside her. After several rings, the line clicked, and a deep, familiar voice answered. "Malakai, where have you been?" India demanded, her words laced with frustration. "I've been calling you, and you didn't answer. Your phone should always be with you." There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and India could almost picture Malakai's brow furrowing in response. "I'm sorry, India," he replied, his tone apologetic. "I was... preoccupied with some people. But when I realized it could be an emergency, I decided to take a rain check and answer right away. What is the problem? Is it an emergency?" India let out a heavy sigh, her free hand

As Mr. Colehem opened his mouth to speak, Mrs. Marica cut him off, her voice tinged with a hint of concern. "My lady, you're right. There was a... a little bit of misunderstanding between the board and Alexander on Monday, it was nothing deep believe me," she admitted, her gaze shifting uncomfortably. India raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a subtle smirk. "Could you elaborate on what happened that day, Mrs. Marica?" she asked, her tone deceptively mild. Mrs. Marica hesitated, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Well, when you stormed out of the conference room so abruptly, we all thought it was because of something Alexander had said to you. We had alot to discuss with you that day and we thought he was the one who ruined our chance of having a conversation with you," she explained, her words coming out in a rush. "We asked him about it, but he flared in anger, he said alot of things I can't even remember but when we tried to talk back, he

India hesitated for a while, her gaze sweeping the courtyard one last time, but she reluctantly nodded and allowed her mother to guide her back inside. "I'll go ensure that everything is going right on the other quarter," Maria said, releasing India's hand. "Why don't you take a few moments to collect yourself? I'm sure you're just as excited as I am for this evening's festivities." India offered a wordless nod, watching as her mother disappeared down the hall. Alone now, she slowly made her way back to her room, running a hand through her hair as she went. The events of the past few hours had left her feeling unsettled, a lingering sense of unease gnawing at the pit of her stomach. For some reason, she still couldn't shake off the feeling that there was someone hiding at that corner, however, she was at the same time trying to convince herself that she was just imagining things. Pushing open the door to her chamber, India stepped inside, her gaze immediately

The table lapsed into an uncomfortable silence once again as everyone focused on their meals, the tension palpable in the air. After a moment, Lady Ravenhood spoke up, her voice warm and genuine. "Lady Avendano, I must confess... the food is simply wonderful," she said, her eyes shining with genuine admiration. "You've truly outdone yourself as a host, considering this is the first dinner you'll be hosting as a lady. I must give you the accolades." India offered the woman a grateful smile. "Mrs. Ravenhood, you're too kind," she said, her voice tinged with genuine appreciation. "Please, you don't mention. I only wanted to ensure our guests were well cared for. And just like you said, it's my first dinner, it is supposed to be perfect." Before Lady Ravenhood could say another word in response, Robin interjected, his gaze fixed on India. "That reminds me, speaking of guests, I haven't seen Alexander Avendano around," he said, his tone laced with a hint of cu

India felt the blood drain from her face, her hands trembling as she gripped the phone. "Alexander?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. Suddenly, the effect of the call hit her like a physical blow, and she gasped, unable to contain her shock. No one had an idea what was going on on the other end, they only noticed India's expression changing. As India went down on her knee, Maria rushed to her side, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "What is going on? India, what is it? What's wrong?" India shook her head mutely, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief. The line had gone silent, the call disconnected, but the name that had been uttered still reverberated in her mind, shattering the carefully constructed facade she had maintained for so long. Xavier, who had been watching the exchange with growing concern, stepped forward and gently pried the phone from India's trembling hands. "Calm down India, I just heard you mention Alexander. What is go