Elijah leaned back in his chair, gazing across the dimly lit hotel suite at Olivia.She looked at him with equal parts hurt and fascination, her eyes searching his as though trying to piece together a puzzle.“Elijah, or... James,” she started slowly, “I need to know what you’re hiding, the real reason you’re here. If you expect me to trust you, I have to know. After all, you might guess already that I know a lot, Mr. Norton.”Taking a deep breath, Elijah softened his expression. “Olivia, what I’m going to tell you can’t leave this room,” he said firmly, his tone laced with enough sincerity to draw her closer. “I came here under the name James for protection, to get close to people who might betray everything I stand for.”She studied him, doubt flickering in her eyes. “And you’re saying Duke West and even my family are involved in that?”Elijah held her gaze, feigning hesitation. “You may think you know your family, Olivia, but they’re more entangled in dangerous schemes than you can

Elijah moved through the aftermath of battle, leaving Doug and his men with strict instructions to guard Arthur Palace and, above all, protect Sophia.His mind was set—this final confrontation was inevitable.He made his way toward the dark, isolated part of the grounds where Duke West had stationed himself, awaiting their last clash.The night air was thick with tension as he arrived.Duke West stood under the cold, flickering light, his expression twisted with a self-satisfied smirk.“Elijah,” Duke West greeted, his voice dripping with contempt.“I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to face me alone.”Elijah’s gaze remained steady. “I’m here to end this. All of it.”Duke chuckled, his eyes narrowing. “End it? This has only just begun. Everything you hold dear, I’ve had my hands on it—controlling, twisting.”He tilted his head, a gleam of triumph in his eyes. “Your family’s destruction? That was me, boy. Your enemies? They all answered to me.”Elijah’s jaw tightened, but he held his g

Elijah stood in his study, poring over Duke West’s records that Doug had retrieved. The name of the elusive third player remained hidden, but every detail he uncovered pointed to a force even more cunning than Duke West had ever been.Doug entered the room, carrying a set of files. “Marshal, I dug deeper, but this person—whoever they are—knew how to cover their tracks. The few names we found are aliases, but one of them connects to multiple arms deals and covert missions in Evendore.”Elijah’s eyes narrowed. “So, this isn’t just another power-hungry figurehead. They know the game well enough to sta

Elijah found Reno in the dimly lit library of the Donald estate, sifting through documents.Reno’s casual expression shifted when he noticed Elijah approaching, a glimmer of suspicion in his eyes.“Elijah,” Reno greeted with a forced smile.“Didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you to my corner?”Elijah didn’t waste a second. “Reno, I know you’ve been sharing information with Duke West. Your so-called ‘confession’ about feeding him Sophia’s business details wasn’t the whole story.”Reno leaned back, feigning innocence. “I already admitted my part, Elijah. Just business… nothing more. It’s hardly a crime.”Elijah’s gaze sharpened. “You’re still holding back. You implied you knew something about this shadow figure—the one who’s been connected to Duke West. Who is he?”Reno smirked, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the arm of his chair. “And why would I give you that, Elijah? It seems like you’re more invested in protecting your own secrets than anyone else’s.”Elijah took

Arthur Palace was now under heightened security, each corridor lined with vigilant guards and every entrance fortified. Elijah’s gaze swept over the estate, his thoughts fixed on the growing threat of the Architect, the shadowy figure manipulating forces from behind the scenes. He had stationed guards specifically around Sophia’s quarters, restricting her movements for her safety.Doug approached him, his face set in a grim expression. “The last sweep shows nothing unusual. But Marshal, the Architect… their influence seems to be woven deep. We need to stay sharp.”Elijah nodded. “There’s no room for error, Doug. Whoever this Architect is, they’re counting on catching us off guard.” He looked toward Sophia’s quarters, his thoughts clouded with worry. “She’s the priority.”Doug gave a nod and retreated, leaving Elijah alone in his thoughts. He turned to head toward Sophia’s wing, but the sound of muffled voices caught his attention....Inside one of the drawing rooms, Sophia paused out