2026-03-27 23:36:05
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CHAPTER 806
The silence following Tedmond’s accusation was heavy, like the ionized air before a lightning strike.Lorenzo, Vincenzo, and Pietro didn't immediately protest. Instead, their faces shifted, the masks of nostalgic warmth crumbling to reveal the cold, calculating stone beneath. Lorenzo’s brow furrowed into a jagged line as he cast a sharp, sideways glance at Pietro. The look was brief: a flicker of recognition that they weren't dealing with an impulsive heir, but a tactician who had come armed with receipts. A grim, silent understanding passed between them: this one was going to be difficult.Tedmond watched them with predatory stillness. He caught the minute tilt of Lorenzo’s head and the twitch of Vincenzo’s hand over his knee, clear signals in the silent language of the Old Blood families. He didn't need to know the specific cipher to recognize the intent. They were shifting formation, closing ranks against a threat they could no longer patronize."Our apologies, Mr. Washington
CHAPTER 805
The smiles faltered. A heavy, awkward hesitation settled over the table. Cordelia glanced at Juliette, her fork stilled against the china."This is a private family caucus, Persis," Juliette said, her tone tightening as she reached for a justification. "The other families are... in the main hall. We felt that given your history, a more intimate setting with women of your own rank would be less overwhelming.""My rank?" Persis tilted her head, her gold earrings catching the light. "I am a Washington. My rank is the head of the table. So I ask again… why am I the only guest here? Are the other families not invited to your private talks, or are they simply afraid to be in a room where everyone shares the same blood and the same secrets?"She looked at them, her silence demanding an answer they weren't prepared to give."We... we felt it was safer this way," Cordelia stammered, her copper braids shifting as she leaned forward. "With the Architect still at large and the Washingtons acti
CHAPTER 804
"Now," Persis continued, her lips tilting into a sharp, clinical smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Since my husband and I have spent the last fifteen years concerned with matters of actual consequence, I find I haven't had the time to memorize the roster of every adjacent branch on the map.”“To be perfectly blunt: I don’t care about your family history, and I have absolutely no idea what any of your names are."A collective intake of breath hissed through the room. Cordelia’s grip on the door handle tightened, her copper hair practically vibrating with indignation. Juliette froze, her cigarette holder halfway to her lips, her burgundy eyes narrowing.Persis gestured vaguely toward the circle of women with a gold-cuffed hand. "So, if we are to have this discussion you seem so eager for, it would be beneficial for you to introduce yourselves.”“One by one, please. I’d hate to mislabel a file later when we’re deciding which parts of the Moretti infrastructure are still worth keeping.
CHAPTER 803
She signaled to a younger woman with copper hair braided with gold wire. "Cordelia, escort the lady to the Rose Gallery. The others are waiting."As Persis walked away, her gold dress trailing like a flame, Tedmond stood in the center of the room, alone amidst his enemies. He watched her disappear behind the silk curtains before turning his gaze back to Beatrix."The Library, then," Tedmond said, his voice a low rasp. "Let's see what the men of this house have to say for themselves before I stop listening entirely."Tedmond followed the silent beckoning of the Moretti elders toward the Library, a room that smelled of old leather, expensive tobacco, and the stagnant rot of ancient secrets.The double doors closed behind him with a heavy, final thud, cutting off the glittering light of the ballroom."Mr. Washington. Please," a man with silvering red hair and a face like a hawk gestured toward a heavy velvet armchair at the center of the semi-circle. "Take a seat. We have much to discus
CHAPTER 802
"Perhaps he’s finally realized he can't fight the council alone," one guest suggested, though his voice lacked conviction."Tedmond Washington doesn't realize he needs help; he realizes he needs targets," a younger heir countered, eyes fixed on the entrance. "Think about the timing. He’s been purging the secondary branches for days.”“If he shows up here, in the heart of the Moretti estate, he’s either surrendering, or he’s bringing the fire to the front door. And Tedmond doesn't know how to surrender."The murmurs grew in volume, a low, tectonic vibration that filled the crystalline space. In the rigid hierarchy of the city, the Washingtons were the sun: distant, burning, and singular. They didn't orbit other families; they didn't attend parties; they merely allowed them to happen. The fact that the black-suited Washington was breaking his years-long social exile for the family that had facilitated his mother’s kidnapping made the champagne taste like vinegar to those who understo
CHAPTER 801
She grabbed his face, forcing him to meet her stare. "Because if the Glass Pavilion ends with you still looking at them and me still hiding in a hoodie, I might just break the glass myself."The Architect reached up, his large hands covering hers and pinning them to his cheeks. He looked amused, a man watching a beautiful, dangerous storm."Millicent is a debt, Daphne. Persis is a variable," he whispered, his voice smooth and hypnotic. "But you... you are the prize. The Washingtons and the Morettis are fighting over the past. We are the only ones looking at the future."He pulled her closer until their foreheads rested together."Tomorrow night, the hiding ends. When the pavilion falls, we won't be in the wreckage. We’ll be the only ones left standing on the shore. Is that enough, or do I need to prove it again?"Searching his face, Daphne felt the jealousy remain like a bitter coal in her chest, but the promise in his eyes was a drug she couldn't refuse."Prove it," she challenged,
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