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Chapter 48: House of Secrets
The study was dimly lit, a low fire crackling in the marble fireplace. The scent of old leather and ancient paper filled the room.Marcus sat behind a heavy oak desk, reading a document with leisurely disinterest, as if Ethan’s sudden summons hadn’t rattled him at all.Ethan stood across from him, hands in his pockets, jaw tight."You wanted to see me, Ethan?" Marcus asked, not looking up."I need answers," Ethan said, voice calm but cold.Marcus smiled faintly, finally lifting his gaze. "About?""You know exactly about what."Marcus set the paper down with deliberate care. "Humor me."Ethan stepped closer. "The necklace. The Elders. The coup they’re whispering about. You chose me, didn’t you? You and Clandestine.""I didn't choose you," Marcus said smoothly. "The necklace did.""Don’t give me that," Ethan snapped. "You knew exactly what you were setting me up for."Marcus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "We gave you power. Wealth. Influence. Was it not enough?"Ethan
Chapter 47: An Unexpected Visitor
Ethan kept his head low as he moved through the parking garage beneath Joy’s penthouse building.Baseball cap pulled low, janitor’s jumpsuit zipped up, and a mop bucket rolling in front of him."This is ridiculous," Klaus snickered in his mind. "A man who commands armies . . . now cleaning floors to dodge his psycho fiancée."'You wanna deal with Isabella, be my guest,' Ethan muttered internally."Hard pass."Ethan grunted and pushed the mop bucket to the service elevator, slipping inside and jabbing the button for the penthouse floor.He wasn’t taking chances.Not with Joy.Not with what she meant now.When he got to her door, he rapped twice in a weird pattern—like she was part of some secret club now.The door swung open.Joy’s face lit up . . . then crumpled. Tears welled up in her eyes before she could hide them."Hey," Ethan said softly.Without a word, she threw herself at him, arms wrapping tight around his middle. Her whole body shook with silent sobs."I missed you," she whi
Chapter 46: Collateral Damage
The morning sun streamed through the massive windows of the manor’s east wing, making everything feel deceptively warm and peaceful.It wasn’t.Anna moved briskly down the hallway, her clipboard clutched so tightly her knuckles had gone white. She had no real reason to be on that side of the house—except to check if Ethan was free. Or just . . . catch a glimpse of him.Pathetic, she told herself.She was so lost in thought, she didn’t notice Isabella until the woman stepped directly into her path."Anna, isn’t it?" Isabella’s voice was sweet—too sweet.Anna stopped, her heart stuttering for half a second. "Yes?"Isabella smiled. The kind of smile a cat gave a mouse just before it played with it."You've been looking awfully tense lately," Isabella said, circling her slowly. "Jealousy does that to a woman."Anna froze, gripping the clipboard harder."Something on your mind?" Isabella tilted her head, studying her. "Maybe . . . feelings you shouldn’t have?"Anna swallowed, her voice tig
Chapter 45: Queen of the Manor
Ethan sat at his desk, staring blankly at the papers before him. Numbers, names, logistics . . . none of it sank in.Instead, his mind replayed the feel of Isabella’s lips, the glint in her eyes, the way she’d threatened Joy without batting an eyelash.And now she was somewhere in his home. Redecorating, no doubt. Claiming her territory like a lioness.Klaus snickered in his head. "You should’ve run faster."'Shut up,' Ethan muttered internally.A knock came, sharp and brisk.Before he could answer, the door swung open.Isabella entered, hands on her hips, wearing a silk blouse and a pencil skirt that looked more suited to a seduction than a meeting."We need to talk about the west wing," she announced.Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "The west wing?""Yes. It’s dreary. I’m ordering renovations. Also, your study—" she paused, looking around with visible disgust. "—this needs a woman’s touch.""My study doesn’t need anything," Ethan said coolly.She laughed, like he’d made a joke
Chapter 44: Her Bloodline
"She’s a descendant," Klaus said, his voice low and steady.Ethan blinked. "Of who?""The witch who forged the Jade Necklace. Her name was Seraphina. A pureblood mage. She made the necklace with the intention to heal, to grant power to the weak. But it was corrupted by men. And I was the first fool to wear it."Ethan stared at the ceiling, barely breathing. "So Joy . . . she’s . . . what? A witch?""Not exactly. Her blood is diluted. Generations removed. But the magic is still there. It slept in her family line, dormant. And your, ah, little entanglement with her must have stirred it. That’s why I can speak now."Ethan rubbed his temples. "So you’re saying my one-night stand triggered ancient magic and woke up the ghost in my necklace. Great.""You’re welcome," Klaus said dryly. "The question is, what are you going to do with this knowledge?"Ethan didn’t answer.Weeks passed. Ethan did what he could to act normal. He attended council meetings, reviewed budgets, signed off weapons shi
Chapter 43: The Voice of Klaus
It was well into the afternoon when Ethan stepped back into the mansion. The sun cast lazy rays across the marbled hallway, warm and golden, but he barely noticed it. His mind was still spinning from the night before, the morning after, and the eerie silence that followed.Anna was the first to spot him.She didn’t hesitate. Her heels clacked sharply against the polished floor as she ran toward him, arms wide, eyes wide with a mix of relief and pent-up panic. She threw herself into his arms like she’d been holding her breath the entire time he was gone."You're back!" she said breathlessly. "Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea what kind of mess you left behind?"Ethan gave a tired smile, his hands resting lightly on her waist. "Handled something personal."Anna pulled back just slightly, enough to study his face. Her hands slid up to his shoulders. "You okay? You look . . . off.""I'm fine," he muttered. "Just need a minute to myself."Her brows pulled together. "Alone,
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