2025-04-02 23:55:33
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CHAPTER 834
"Now, Portia," Marcella cooed, sliding a flute of champagne toward her. "The Arisov girl. Katerina thinks the Northern estates are too isolated, but I say isolation is exactly what a girl of her standing needs until the papers are finalized.”“Tell us, did your branch of the family deal with such... delicate assets in London? Surely you have some insight into keeping a girl from running away.""We found that if they don't know they're in a cage," Persis whispered, her voice airy and fragile, "they don't look for the door."A ripple of cruel, appreciative laughter circled the table. Persis smiled back, the perfect image of a fallen relative seeking favor, but her attention remained pinned to the reflection in the polished crystal.Behind her, Captain Kelvin was moving steadily across the observation deck. He didn't walk like a man who had spent twenty years in the Sokolovs' pocket. His stride was too heavy, too measured; each step carried a weight that seemed to rattle the glassware.
CHAPTER 833
"But you, Portia, are family. You belong with us. The transition back into our world isn't complete until you've seen how we conduct business away from the prying eyes of the city."Persis stole a quick glance at Jaxson. His face had gone pale, his fingers twitching against his antique book. He knew as well as she did: if she stepped onto that boat, Tedmond wouldn't just be angry, he'd be blind."We leave in thirty minutes," Svetlana cooed, leaning down to whisper in Persis's ear. "Don't worry about packing. We've already moved a new wardrobe onto the ship. Only the best for a returning Sokolov."*****Tedmond paced the narrow aisle of the vehicle, his presence so suffocating that the tech team kept their eyes glued to their monitors.He stopped behind Albert, his shadow looming over the consoles."What's the update? Why is the heat signature moving toward the shoreline?" Tedmond's voice was a low, jagged edge.Albert's fingers stuttered over the keys. "Ted... they're not just movi
CHAPTER 832
Three Miles East: The Command VehicleTedmond stared at the monitor, arms crossed over his massive chest. He had seen Persis flinch at the loudspeaker, and the memory was currently fueling a slow-burning rage that Albert was struggling to contain."She’s in," Tedmond muttered, his blue eyes tracking the heat signatures in the Refectory. "She’s at the table.""And she’s doing fine," Albert said without looking up. "She just got invited to the vault. That’s the endgame, Tedmond. If she gets in there, we get the digital keys to the Sokolov encryption.""I don't like the way that woman looks at her," Tedmond growled, referring to Katerina. "Like she’s a piece of meat being graded for auction.""Just stay steady, Hammer," Albert replied. "The Scalpel is about to make the final incision."Tedmond’s grip on the back of Albert’s chair tightened until the frame groaned. "She has one hour. Then I’m coming in to pick up the pieces."**The Sokolov Estate: The Grand RefectoryThe clink of silve
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
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