Chapter 39

“Well, now that the excitement is over,” Silas began loudly, trying to regain his composure and draw attention back to himself, “there's still the matter of the missing jewelry—”

The woman earlier, in a lavish gown suddenly stepped forward, holding up a glittering diamond necklace. “Oh, Silas!” she exclaimed, interrupting him. “I found it! I must have kept it in my purse without realizing.”

The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief, with some chuckling nervously. But Silas wasn’t satisfied. He opened his mouth to argue, “But—”

“Silence!” the Albrecht patriarch's voice boomed through the hall, cutting Silas off sharply. His face was stern, his eyes narrowing with impatience. “Enough of this nonsense! We have had more than enough drama for one night.” He turned to the Wales patriarch, who stood nearby, and his voice softened slightly but remained commanding. “See to it that your grandson knows his place and keeps his mouth shut.”

The Wales patriarch sighed and turned, giving Silas a