2025-04-08 18:20:31
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CHAPTER 838
"A few years ago," Svetlana said, her tone flattening, "we had an incident. An insider, someone we trusted as family, stole a set of encryption keys from this very suite.”She paused, her gaze sweeping the room. “It nearly broke our hold on the Baltic ports. It was a betrayal that changed our protocols forever. Since then, no one is above the lens. Not even you."Persis rolled her eyes, though her mind was already racing. "So, because someone had sticky fingers years ago, I have to forfeit my privacy? That’s ridiculous. We're on a ship in the middle of the ocean, Svetlana. Where exactly am I going to take anything?""You'd be surprised what people attempt when they think no one is watching," Svetlana replied, her eyes narrowing. "The cameras stay. If you’re truly one of us, you have nothing to hide.”A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. “Wash up, change into the gown we laid out, and join us for tea on the deck in an hour. And Persis? Don't try to cover them. It triggers a sile
CHAPTER 837
Katerina chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Don’t tire him out, Marcella. We need him alert for the crossing."Marcella didn't wait for a second invitation. She sauntered across the deck, the heels of her designer sandals clicking rhythmically against the teak wood. She stopped just a foot from Tedmond, leaning hip-first against the brass railing of the bridge console."Captain Kelvin," she purred, tilting her head back until her blonde hair caught the midday glare. "The engines feel... particularly powerful today. Is that your doing, or is the ship just excited to have us on board?"Tedmond didn't move. He kept his hands locked on the wheel, his gaze fixed on the endless blue of the Atlantic. Up close, the sheer size of him was overwhelming; he made the bridge feel cramped, small, and suddenly very hot."The engines are standard for a vessel of this displacement, Madam," he rumbled. His voice was a low, vibrating growl he didn't even have to fake.Marcella laughed, reaching o
CHAPTER 836
Svetlana’s laughter died, replaced by a sharp, calculating gleam as she pulled a slender, encrypted burner phone from her clutch. She slid it across the marble tabletop until it bumped against Persis’s hand."Since you’re so adept at identifying the flaws in a spy’s armor, Portia, let’s put that theory to use," Svetlana said, her voice dropping into a silky, dangerous challenge. "Our perfect little maid is due for her check-in.”“She’s been hesitant to pull the file on the Washingtons' offshore accounts because she fears Albert is watching the server logs. I want you to give her the push she needs."Persis stared at the phone. The screen was dark, but it felt like a live grenade in her hand. Sending a message from this device would link her irrevocably to the Sokolov espionage network. Worse, it would trigger a mole she now realized was likely someone she saw every single day."I... I wouldn't know what to say," Persis murmured, the "Portia" persona fluttering back into place, wide
CHAPTER 835
Persis kept her gaze fixed on the golden bubbles in her glass, her expression a mask of docile curiosity. Internally, however, her mind was a tempest.A mole in the house?The revelation hit her like a physical blow. While she had long suspected a leak within the Washington estate, she hadn't expected the Sokolovs to be this brazen, boasting about their infiltration as if they were discussing the weather. They weren't just confident; they were bored by the lack of challenge. She felt a desperate urge to reach for her phone and alert Tedmond, but she was trapped. She hadn’t even told him she was leaving the mansion, and any move toward her gear now would be a death sentence under Katerina’s hawk-like watch.The betrayal stung on a professional level. Why would a maid risk everything? Tedmond paid his staff astronomical sums; his house help earned more than top-tier doctors. It wasn't about the money; it was about the leverage. Persis gave a small shake of her head to clear her
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
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