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White Orchids
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2025-08-31 07:32:16
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Blood Ties And Silk Chains Broken Lines
The clock struck seven.Miss Pei tucked Wren into bed, a soft glow spilling from the cracked door. Liora lingered in the hallway, listening as her daughter whispered about kites and stars, the kind of wishes children thought the night sky was big enough to hold.In the study, Varian shut his laptop with a decisive snap. He looked at the clock, then at Liora.“Done,” he said simply.She didn’t hide her surprise. “Just like that?”“You made the rule. I’m respecting it.”Liora tilted her head, suspicion sharpening her gaze. “You don’t strike me as the type who respects rules.”His mouth curved slightly, not a smile exactly. “I respect yours. For tonight.”Later, when the house stilled, Liora padded to the kitchen for water. Varian was already there, sleeves rolled, whiskey in hand, ice clicking against crystal.“You’re still up,” she murmured.“I don’t sleep easy.” His eyes flicked to hers. “Neither do you.”She looked away too quickly. “Old habits.”“Habits born from running,” he said,
Blood Ties And Silk Chains Curfews
Dinner ended in laughter—the small, startling kind that cracked through the constant weight of guards and sirens. Wren had eaten two helpings of noodles, blanket draped like a cape, before yawning so wide it made Miss Pei laugh softly.“Time for bed,” Pei said.Wren nodded, leaning against her. “Can we finish the kite tomorrow?”“Tomorrow,” Pei promised.Varian watched them disappear down the hall. His gaze lingered until the last trace of Wren’s small figure vanished. Only then did he pick up his glass.“You’re staring,” Liora said quietly.“I’m planning,” Varian corrected.“That’s the problem.”His eyes slid to hers. “Explain.”She set her napkin down with deliberate calm. “No meetings. No ‘business’ after seven p.m. Not in the penthouse. Not near her room. Not within earshot.”Varian arched a brow. “You’re setting curfews now?”“I’m setting boundaries. She needs to believe this place is safe. Not a war room.”“It is a war room.”“It doesn’t have to look like one.” Liora’s voice was
Blood Ties And Silk Chains Miss Pei
The orchids remained, wilting in their vase, when the next upheaval arrived.Ines announced it over breakfast, sliding a folder across the table. “Your hire has arrived. Waiting in the east lounge.”Liora frowned. “Hire?”Varian set his coffee down. “Wren needs structure. Lessons. A normal rhythm.”“She just came through surgery. She needs rest, not tutors.”“She needs both,” Varian countered, already rising. “Come.”The east lounge smelt faintly of polished wood and fresh linen. A woman stood near the windows, her posture straight but her smile warm. She wore simple navy slacks, hair pinned neatly, glasses balanced on her nose. She looked like a teacher, not a soldier—until Liora noticed the stance. Weight evenly distributed, hands free, eyes scanning the exits even as she beamed.“Miss Pei,” Varian introduced. “Your tutor.”Liora bristled. “Our daughter’s tutor, you mean.”The woman inclined her head, unruffled. “I specialize in early education—literature, numeracy, languages. I als
Blood Ties And Silk Chains White Orchids
The knock wasn’t timid. It echoed against steel and glass, far too deliberate to be a mistake.Ines opened the penthouse door a crack, then stiffened. She didn’t move to block the man waiting on the threshold: slick black suit, polished shoes, hands empty except for a pristine bouquet of white orchids.“Delivery,” he said smoothly. “For the lady of the house.”Varian appeared behind Ines before she could answer. “Step inside.”The emissary obeyed without hesitation, walking like a man rehearsed to meet his death if necessary. He extended the orchids toward Liora, who stood frozen near the sofa.“From the Marcellis,” the man said. His voice was silk, but his smile was thin. “Our condolences. For future losses.”The silence that followed cracked like glass.Varian didn’t reach for the flowers. He didn’t blink. His voice dropped low, calm, and lethal. “Ines. Strip him.”The emissary raised his hands, unruffled, as Ines’s guards swept him for wires, blades, and bugs. Nothing. Just the flo
Blood Ties And Silk Chains Threads of Home
The elevator hummed to a stop. Liora stepped out, arms wrapped around a soft bundle, the faded lilac blanket tucked tight against her chest. Its edges were frayed, one corner chewed years ago in restless sleep.Varian, waiting in the living room with a glass of water he hadn’t touched, caught the movement instantly.“You brought something.”Liora kept walking, heading toward the suite he’d had prepared for Wren. “Her blanket.”“Old.”“Yes.” She set it neatly at the foot of the small bed, smoothing it once, twice.Varian leaned in the doorway, arms folded. “Looks like a scrap.”“It’s her anchor.”“She has me now.”Liora turned sharply. “Don’t make that sound like a replacement. She falls asleep with this. When the nurses forgot it at the hospital, she cried until I snuck it back.”He studied her, not the blanket. “So you’re saying she needs rituals.”“I’m saying she needs stability. Not just men with rifles, or new toys, or high-security walls. This blanket has been with her longer tha
Blood Ties And Silk Chains The Operating Room Clock
The hospital wing was already locked down. Two men posted at every elevator, cameras tilted, visitor logs erased before the day even began.Liora’s palms were damp as she stood outside the prep room. Wren’s voice drifted through the thin door, cheerful and oblivious, asking the nurse if she’d get ice cream afterwards.Varian stood beside her, tie dark against his white shirt, a shadow that seemed to expand until it filled the corridor.“You don’t need to be here,” she said tightly.His eyes didn’t move from the door. “She’s my daughter. I’m here.”“You being here makes this about you, not her.”He finally looked at her. “No. It makes it about never again losing what’s mine to a locked door.”The surgeon stepped out, cap already on. “Parents—we’ll need signatures.”Liora reached for the clipboard. Varian’s hand landed on it first.“I’ll sign,” he said.Her jaw tightened. “So will I.”The surgeon looked between them, uncertain. “Both is fine.”Liora scrawled her name fast, ink cutting d
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