468 --- Meanwhile, in the dimly lit waiting room of the hospital, Zoe sat on the edge of a plastic chair, her hands trembling in her lap. The events of the past few days had turned her world upside down, and every time she closed her eyes, she saw Darwin’s face—unconscious and vulnerable. She ne

470 “I told you, I don’t know!” Zoe cried, tears brimming in her eyes. She turned to Julius, her voice trembling with desperation. “Please, you have to believe me! I would never betray Darwin—I’d never hurt him!” Julius tilted his head, studying her with an unreadable expression. “Interesting,” h

472 Lady Margaret’s heels clicked sharply as she ascended the grand staircase of the estate, her movements poised and deliberate. Zoe trailed behind her, trembling like a leaf in a storm. Her mind raced with possibilities, none of them comforting. What would Margaret do to her? Was she even safe he

474 ### At the Wettin Estate Lady Margaret reclined in her study, a glass of red wine in hand. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow on the luxurious furnishings. Stacks of dossiers lay on the polished oak desk before her, but her attention was fixed on a particular one marked *Oak

476 Margaret reentered her study, the warm glow of the fire doing little to soften the storm brewing in her mind. The dossier on the Oakbars still lay open on her desk, its damning contents staring back at her. She picked it up, flipping through the pages again, her lips pursed. A knock interrupt