Asher’s mind churned, cold calculation unraveling through the disbelief trying to claw its way in.There weren’t many who fit that description, family, with the power, the influence, the audacity to orchestrate such a thing.And then the answer hit him like a blade straight through the chest.“…Evelyn.” The name left his lips in a whisper, but it carried the venom of a curse. His own mother.Damien didn’t confirm with words, but his silence was confirmation enough.Asher stepped back, his chest heaving as though the walls themselves had closed in on him. His mother, his blood, had gone against him, against Vera, against Eira. She had conspired with Sarah to erase them. And Dorian… Dorian had paid the price of her ambition.For the first time in years, Asher’s composure fractured. His hands clenched into fists, shaking with the force of the storm inside him. Rage, betrayal, grief, it all collided until his voice came out low and guttural.“She set this in motion. She killed him. She ne
It took nearly an hour before Eira’s exhausted body gave in. Even then, she whimpered in her sleep, her little hands still gripping tightly onto both her parents.Asher lay on the other side of the bed, facing them, watching as Vera stroked their daughter’s back. The moonlight spilling through the curtains made her look even more fragile, but her eyes, though red and swollen, still carried strength.“She’s traumatized,” Vera whispered when she was certain Eira was asleep. “Every sound makes her jump. I don’t know how long it’ll take for her to feel safe again.”Asher’s hand found hers across Eira’s small body, threading their fingers together. “As long as it takes,” he said firmly. “We’ll give her whatever she needs. I’ll make sure of it.”Vera looked at him, searching his face. “Don’t carry all the guilt, Asher. I know you. You’ll drown in it if you let yourself.”His throat tightened. “She saw everything, Vera. Our little girl. She’s going to carry those screams, those gunshots, tha
The service pressed on, the hymns carrying their sorrow into the rafters, but to Vera, the world blurred. All she could hear was the echo of Dorian’s mother’s voice: “My son was supposed to outlive me.”The funeral procession moved from the chapel to the graveside, a gray sky hanging low, as though even the heavens mourned Dorian Fontaine. The polished casket gleamed beneath the dull light, draped in white lilies and roses.Vera’s steps were heavy, her arm looped tightly around Eira, who clung to her dress. Mrs. Fontaine walked beside her, pale and trembling but with dignity intact, her gloved hand gripping a handkerchief soaked through.When the coffin was lowered, Vera’s chest constricted. The sound of the ropes creaking, the dull thud as the wood came to rest against the earth, it was unbearable. She could hardly breathe. Eira whimpered, hiding her face against her mother’s neck.Vera stepped forward when the priest invited family to give their final farewell. Her fingers curled ar
Slowly, Vera walked to the podium, her steps echoing against the polished floor.The eyes of the mourners followed her, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t speaking for them. She was speaking for him.Her voice broke as soon as she began. “Dorian Fontaine was… so many things. To the world, he was brilliant, fearless, successful. To those who truly knew him, he was more. He was kind. Steady. The kind of man who made you feel safe just by being near him.”Her gaze dropped to the coffin, tears blurring her sight. “To me, he was… a lifeline. When I was lost, when I thought the world had taken everything from me, Dorian was there. He stood by me when no one else did. He loved me without asking for anything in return. He gave my daughter a family, a home. And in the end…” Her voice cracked. “…he gave his life for mine.”Gasps and murmurs swept through the church. Vera didn’t care.“I don’t know how I will ever carry this weight,” she whispered, her hand gripping the edge of the podium. “But I p
Damien’s brow furrowed. “Her?”“Sarah,” Asher said, his tone clipped, leaving no room for question. His jaw flexed as his gaze narrowed on the city skyline beyond. “Bring her to me. Quietly. No mistakes.”Damien hesitated. “You’re sure she’ll talk?”Asher’s lips curved into something that wasn’t a smile. A slow, dangerous curl that promised blood. “Oh, she’ll talk. She’s my mom's shadow, her little errand girl. And everyone talks, Damien. Everyone.”Damien studied him for a beat, then inclined his head. “I’ll have her in your hands before sunrise.”“Not here.” Asher’s voice cut sharper, colder. “Take her to the space.”For a moment, Damien’s eyes flickered. He knew exactly what Asher meant. The private sanctum no one but his most trusted men had ever seen.A place off grid, buried in the heart of the Donovan estate’s older foundations.A place where whispers of disobedience, betrayal, or sabotage were smothered in shadows and screams.It wasn’t a rumor. It was Asher Donovan’s insuranc
Asher finally stepped forward. His heart felt like lead in his chest, his usually steady composure splintering at the sight of Eira’s devastation.He crouched down beside Vera, his large hand resting gently on his daughter’s trembling back.“Eira,” he said softly, his voice lower than she’d ever heard. “Uncle Dorian loved you more than anything. He didn’t want to leave… but sometimes, love isn’t enough to stay.”Eira turned her tear streaked face toward him, eyes pleading. “But you’re strong, Daddy. You can fix things. Please.. please bring him back.”Asher’s throat constricted. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep his expression steady, even though his chest burned with the weight of her words.He brushed a strand of hair from her face, his thumb gentle against her damp cheek.“I wish I could, princess,” he whispered. “I’d do it in a heartbeat if I could.”Eira whimpered, burying her face against Vera’s neck again, her sobs muffled but relentless.Vera rocked her gently, as if