The room went silent the moment Teacher’s eyes settled on Celeste. He studied her with unsettling calm, like a predator who’d finally cornered wounded prey. Then he smirked. “Not so bad,” he said finally. “Not as bad as my boys described.”Celeste froze. “Your boys?”Teacher tilted his head, amused by her confusion. “Yes, Celeste. My boys. You didn’t actually think they were yours, did you?”Her face hardened. “They swore loyalty to me.”“They swore loyalty to power,” Teacher replied. His voice was silk, but his eyes gleamed sharp. “You had power once. Not anymore. Without me, you wouldn’t have lived past that warehouse. You’d be rotting in the ground beside Chris. Instead, I made sure your name disappeared. I covered your tracks. While you were being flown from one country to another, I made sure no one traced a single trail back to you. So, yes, Celeste, your boys, your safety, your survival...you owe all that to me.”Celeste’s jaw tightened. “I don’t owe you anything. I paid my d

Xavier’s study was quiet except for the sound of the clock ticking on the far wall. Amber stepped in, her heels clicking lightly against the marble floor. She looked around, noting the glass of whiskey half-finished on the table, the papers scattered, the way Xavier leaned against the desk like he’d been waiting for hours. “Amber,” he said, his voice low but warm. “Xavier,” she replied softly, adjusting her jacket as she walked closer. “You sounded urgent when you called. What’s going on?”He studied her face, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “First, tell me. How have you been? How’s London?”Amber exhaled, easing into the chair opposite him. “London is… good. Busy and different from how I left.” She smirked faintly. “I’m still getting used to being the one in charge. Having power, people listening to me, and Obeying me.” She paused, her expression softening. “But I’ll confess, it’s intoxicating.”Xavier chuckled. “I can imagine. Power is a drug, once you taste it, you can’t sto