604 Darwin froze, his chest heaving. “Protect me? From what?” His voice wavered between anger and desperation, the edges fraying like an old rope. He couldn’t take it anymore—the half-truths, the cryptic words, the suffocating lack of clarity. Margaret pressed a trembling hand to her lips, as thou
605 Margaret shook her head, desperation in her voice. “Darwin, I’m not running. You have to trust me. Just… give me a little more time.” Darwin’s laugh was harsh and humorless, like a blade scraping against stone. “Time? You’ve had days. Weeks, even. And every time I ask you for answers, you give
606 “James shifted, clearly torn between his loyalty to Margaret and his own discomfort under Darwin’s intense gaze. He opened his mouth as though to speak but quickly closed it again, glancing toward the door Margaret had disappeared through moments before. Darwin’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his
607 James took a cautious step forward, his voice soft but earnest. “Sir, Lady Margaret asked for your trust because she cares about you. She wouldn’t do this if it weren’t important.” Darwin shot him a look. “Is that what she told you? That she cares about me?” James hesitated. “Yes.” Darwin la
608 James stood frozen in the middle of the grand hall, the silence pressing in on him like an unbearable weight. His mind raced, torn between his duty to Lady Margaret and his worry over Darwin’s spiraling frustration. The heavy slam of the estate’s front door echoed faintly through the corridors
609 “The first time Darwin asked about his father,” she began slowly, “it nearly broke me.” She paused, her voice softening further. “Back then, he still had his memories. He knew enough to ask the right questions… and I didn’t know how to answer.” James frowned, concern knitting his brows. He too
610 Margaret let out a bitter, humorless laugh, her voice carrying the weight of years she dared not speak of. “You’re so sure, aren’t you? That honesty is the answer to everything. Life isn’t that simple, James.” James, ever the calm presence, folded his hands behind his back as he regarded her.
611 Margaret shook her head violently. “You don’t understand,” she said, her voice trembling. “If Darwin knew what really happened—if he knew the truth—it could destroy him.” James’s expression softened, his voice quieter now. “But what if it doesn’t?” Margaret froze, staring at him as though the
653 Darwin turned at the sound of approaching footsteps to see his mother descending the grand staircase. Lady Margaret Wettin’s regal figure exuded an air of authority, her long, emerald-green gown trailing behind her. Her dark hair was swept into an elegant bun, and the glimmer of diamonds at her
652 He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “There’s more going on than I realized. My family… they’re involved in ways I didn’t see coming.” Mia frowned. “Your family? What does that have to do with this?” Dencia stared at him, her heart sinking. “Darwin, what aren’t you telling us?”
651 Dencia paced the small room, her arms folded tightly across her chest. "I’m sure he’s just busy," she said, more to convince herself than Mia. “You know how he gets when he’s focused. Darwin’s always like that.” Mia, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the couch, twisted her hands nervously. “
Meanwhile, Dencia sat on the bed, her phone still clutched in her hand. She had just finished talking to Darwin, and her mind was reeling with emotions. She couldn't believe he was alive. She had thought she would never see him again, and yet, here he was, offering to help her. Mia, who had been wa
650 As soon as Darwin hung up the phone, his mother, Margaret, turned to him with a look of concern. "You can't be serious about going to her," she said, her voice firm but laced with worry. "I have to, Mother. Dencia needs me," Darwin replied, his eyes steady. "What if it's a trap, Darwin?" she
Darwin’s voice was calm, but there was a quiet intensity beneath his measured tone. “I can imagine,” he said. “But I need to know exactly what happened, Dencia. I need to know everything.” Dencia hesitated, the weight of his request pressing down on her. She glanced at Mia, who nodded, her hand re
649 Tears sprang to her eyes, spilling over before she could stop them. Her voice trembled as she gripped the blanket tightly, grounding herself against the storm of emotions surging through her. “Darwin,” she choked out. “You’re alive. I—oh my God, you’re alive.” The words were foreign on her to
648 “The Blackwoods?” he repeated, his voice hoarse. Margaret nodded grimly. “They were dangerous even back then. Ruthless. Powerful. William thought he could use their influence to protect us, to stand up to my father. But he was in over his head. The Blackwoods don’t do favors without a price.”
647 Lady Margaret turned to leave, her elegant figure moving with purpose toward the door. Her silk gown whispered against the floor with each step, the regal image of control and authority she so carefully cultivated. But before she could reach it, Darwin’s voice cut through the tense silence. “