2025-03-05 13:19:58
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CHAPTER 831
The morning light filtered through the heavy cream curtains of the suite, pale and cold. Persis was already awake, her internal clock overriding the exhaustion of the night’s heist. She stood in the center of the room, her movements fluid and silent as she surveyed her surroundings. The sanctuary Svetlana had provided felt less like a bedroom and more like a high-end interrogation cell draped in velvet.She was reaching for her robe, preparing to wash away the lingering tension of her midnight trip to Katerina’s study, when the silence shattered.BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.A harsh, mechanical chime rang out, followed by the crackle of a high-end intercom."Good morning, family. It is eight o'clock. Breakfast is served in the Grand Refectory. Presence is expected in twenty minutes. Do not be late."Katerina’s voice, amplified through hidden speakers, vibrated through the floorboards. Persis flinched, her shoulders jumping as she instinctively reached for a blade that wasn't there. Her h
CHAPTER 830
The Washington Command Vehicle – 8:45 PMInside the reinforced SUV, the air was thick with the scent of ozone and the frantic clicking of keys. Tedmond hovered over the central console, his knuckles white as he leaned into the holographic map of the Sokolov estate.His eyes were no longer just cold; they were incandescent with a restless, violent energy."I’m done waiting," Tedmond growled, his voice a low vibration that made the monitors flicker. "The EMP is ready. We breach Gate Four, neutralize the exterior guards, and I’m taking the front doors. I want her out of that den of vipers now.""Tedmond, sit down," Albert said. He didn't look up from his primary screen; his voice was unusually calm, the only anchor in the storm of Tedmond’s fury."Don't tell me to sit down, Albert. You heard the audio feed from the warehouse. They’re talking about buying and selling human beings like they’re trading stocks. And Persis is sitting there, nodding along, letting them touch her—"Tedmond sl
CHAPTER 829
The conversation drifted into the mundane details of their depravity.They laughed about which families were ripe for hostile takeovers and which daughters were being groomed to settle old debts. They spoke of people as if they were livestock, discussing the value of human investments with the same clinical detachment they applied to their high-protein diets.Persis listened, a faint, submissive smile playing on her lips while her mind raced at a thousand miles per hour. Every name, every location, and every mention of the Arisov daughter was a new thread in the web she was spinning. She caught Jaxson’s eye; the Professor looked appropriately horrified, his white wig trembling as he focused on his antique book. She knew he was recording every word."It sounds... fascinating," Persis whispered, her voice like silk over a sharpened blade. "I would love to see how a real family operates. To see where the power truly changes hands.""Then you shall come with us," Katerina declared, rai
CHAPTER 828
She looked at Katerina, her gaze steady and deceptively humble. "I don't have much left, Katerina. The estates are gone. The ledgers the Professor carries are all we have to bargain with for a new life. But I wanted to come home.”She paused, letting a soft, practiced vulnerability enter her voice. “I wanted to be among people who understand that power isn't about how much you can destroy... but how much you can preserve."Katerina Sokolov’s expression softened, her predatory suspicion melting into a satisfied, maternal arrogance. She relished the role of savior to a broken branch of her own dynasty, especially one that arrived bearing ledgers and secrets."You speak with a wisdom beyond your years, dear Portia," Katerina purred, reaching across the crystal table to lay her hand over Persis’s. "Your uncle was right to bring you to me.”“The other family and their ilk are a temporary storm; we are the bedrock. Since you’ve been under the Professor's care for so long, I think it’s ti
CHAPTER 827
"Look at the winter garden, Portia," Svetlana cooed, her voice dripping with a saccharine malice that never reached her eyes. She gestured toward the glass-enclosed atrium where rare white orchids bloomed in artificial frost."They’re quite delicate, aren't they?" Svetlana continued, her gaze scanning Portia for any sign of a hidden spark. "The climate control is state-of-the-art. It ensures that nothing, and no one, gets too hot or too cold.” A sly smile pulled at her lips. “It’s all about balance. Don't you think it’s just... cute? So much more refined than those vulgar, sprawling estates the Washingtons favor. I always felt those high walls were more for keeping things in than keeping things out."Svetlana didn't wait for an answer.Her heels clicked sharply against the polished floor as she guided the group of elite women past the floral displays. She moved with a predatory grace, ensuring everyone in the room saw the disgraced woman trailing behind her like a shadow. To them
CHAPTER 826
"Morning," Tedmond said, his eyes sweeping the room.Thomas looked up, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "You're up early. Rough night?""Something like that," Tedmond replied, his voice still thick with the remnants of a restless sleep.He pulled out the chair at the head of the table but didn't sit. His gaze remained fixed on the empty place setting where a steaming cup of Earl Grey usually waited.Thomas paused, his fork hovering mid-air as he took in the sharp, restless energy radiating off the younger man."You look like you're ready to charge into a war zone, Tedmond. Sit. Eat. Albert's already tracked three more Sokolov shell companies while you were dreaming of demolition."Tedmond didn't move. His eyes narrowed, scanning the quiet corners of the breakfast nook. "Where is she, Thomas? Is she still in bed, or did she beat me down here?"Thomas blinked, genuine confusion crossing his weathered face."The Madam? No, young master. I've been down here since five-thirty prepping the
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