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
475 The man stepped forward, his broad shadow engulfing Zoe. His hand gripped the back of her chair, tilting it just enough to force her to meet Margaret’s unyielding gaze. “I swear!” Zoe cried, her voice cracking under the pressure. “I don’t know anything about their plans!” Margaret took a de
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
477 Margaret approached the estate’s towering iron gates, her emerald gown swishing against the gravel as Lawrence flanked her, his eyes scanning the shadows. On the other side of the gate, a lone figure stood shrouded in darkness, the hood of a tattered coat obscuring their face. The evening air w
478 Dencia paced back and forth in her hotel suite, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet as her mind raced with worry. A week had passed since Darwin promised to visit her, yet there was no sign of him. She had called his number countless times, but it always went straight to voicemail. Her
479 Harrison tossed the phone onto the bed, his jaw tightening as rage simmered beneath the surface. His breathing was shallow, his chest heaving as if trying to contain the storm threatening to spill out. The woman beside him, draped in a slinky red dress that clung to her curves, leaned in with a
480 Lawrence waved for the guards to step back, their rifles lowering with hesitant precision. The figure stepped through the gates, their movements jerky, like a cornered animal wary of sudden threats. Margaret’s sharp gaze tracked their every motion, her heels clicking against the stone pathway a
481 Margaret sighed heavily, her fingers brushing the edge of her phone as it buzzed for the third time in a row. The name on the screen was still flashing: Julius Wettin. "Persistent little snake," she muttered under her breath before reluctantly swiping to answer. "What do you want, Julius?" Her