The silver revolver stayed steady in Frank’s grip. He held his arm out straight, the metal looking dull in the low light, with the barrel pointed directly at the space between Robert’s eyes.Most people would have shaken or tried to back away, but Robert just stood there, watching Frank with a look that showed he wasn't worried about the weapon at all.The room felt heavy and quiet, with thick curtains blocking out the city and making everything feel still. You could smell the old wood and the scent of expensive cigars that had settled into the furniture over the years.On a large screen behind Frank, the fight was playing over and over without any sound. Every time it looped, it showed the same thing, Tristan swinging as hard as he could and hitting nothing but air, while Robert didn't even seem to be trying.A couple of guards stood outside the door with rifles, looking ready to move if they had to. Their presence made it clear that this wasn't a place where you argued, it was a pla

The silence at the table didn’t feel right.It wasn't the kind of quiet you get after a long day or before a good meal. It was tight and unsteady, like something had crawled into the room that didn't belong there, and no one wanted to be the first person to speak.The candles on the table were still flickering, and the plates hadn't even arrived yet. The air in the restaurant was warm and calm, just like the place was known for, but that feeling didn't reach their table anymore.Robert noticed it the second it happened. He didn't need anyone to say a word. He saw how Avery’s hand stayed on her phone just a little too long. He saw the way Anna didn't speak right away, and how Rose leaned forward, her instincts already telling her that something had shifted.Robert looked across the table, his eyes moving slowly from one face to the other. "What is it?" he asked.His voice was quiet, but it filled the space between them. Anna didn't answer at first. She held Avery’s phone, staring at th

Avery didn’t move. For a long second, it felt like everything inside her just stopped. Her eyes were locked on the ring, the deep red diamond reflected the candlelight every time the flame shifted. It didn't look real. None of this did.Her fingers slowly lifted from the table and hovered in the air, like she wasn’t even sure what she was reaching for.“Robert…” she said again, but her voice didn't come out right. It was softer than she expected, as her breath got caught halfway.He didn’t interrupt her. He stayed exactly where he was, one knee on the ground— steady and patient. He looked like he had all the time in the world.Avery swallowed hard. Her chest rose and fell a little faster now. She looked at him, then back at the ring, and then back at him again like she was trying to wake herself up from a dream.“This… this isn’t…” She shook her head slowly, a small laugh slipping out. It wasn’t because anything was funny, it was just the shock. “You don’t just do this, Robert.”Her h

Robert stood perfectly still in the middle of the room. The video on his phone finished loading, and for a second, the screen stayed black. Then the video started playing.His eyes narrowed as the image became clear.It was the penthouse. Not just any part of it, but the exact room he had walked out of only minutes ago. The camera angle was steady and far away, positioned like a predator watching from the trees.Then he saw them.Avery, Anna, and Rose.They were laughing together. Avery was sitting on the couch, her hand moving slightly as she spoke, the red diamond on her finger reflecting the light with every motion. Anna was pacing again, but the stress was gone, she was talking fast and acting something out, making Rose laugh.It looked normal, they were happy. And that was exactly why it felt so dangerous.Robert didn't blink. The camera wasn't inside the room, it was outside, zoomed in through the glass from a distance. It was stable and deliberate. He studied the height and t

“Brother.”The word sat in the air like a weight that didn't belong there. Robert didn’t say anything right away. He just stood his ground, looking at the man in front of him the same way a person looks at a threat they already know how to handle.“I’m not your brother, Frederick,” Robert said. His voice was flat, colder than the wind blowing through the trees.For a moment, the only sound was the leaves rustling. Then Frederick let out a short laugh. “Is that how you greet me?” he asked. “After all the time that's passed?”Robert didn’t look away. “If this is your way of reaching out, you picked the wrong path.”Frederick tilted his head, watching Robert with a look of mock curiosity. “Wrong? I showed you a video.”“You sent a threat.” Robert responded.Frederick’s mouth twisted into a small smile. “Did I? No one touched them, Robert. No one got hurt.” He paused, letting the silence settle between them. “But you moved, didn’t you? You left everything behind and came straight to me.