The black SUV rolled out of the estate gates, its headlights cutting through the gray wash of late afternoon. Rain clouds hung low over the city, casting a dark shadow over the city. Inside, the air was thick with a silence neither brother seemed willing to break.Aaron kept his eyes on the road, one hand gripping the steering wheel, the other resting on the gearshift. His jaw was set hard, the faint muscle twitch at the corner giving away the strain beneath his calm facade. Lucas sat angled toward the window, watching the blur of passing buildings, his reflection pale against the glass.For nearly ten minutes, the only sounds were the low hum of the engine and the faint patter of rain beginning to tap against the roof.Finally, Lucas spoke, his voice quiet but clear. “How are you doing?”Aaron didn’t look at him. “I’m fine.” The words were clipped, even almost dismissive.Lucas’s brow furrowed. “That’s not what I asked.”Aaron’s grip tightened slightly on the wheel. “Why do you care?
The heavy double doors of the Kingston Estate’s main hall groaned open, and Lucas stepped inside with Elise at his side, Tris trailing just behind them.The atmosphere was already tense, the servants moved quickly, avoiding eye contact with any of them, they had seen the news and were smart enough to know, neither of them were in a good mood, it was as if the walls themselves had absorbed the shock of what had happened at the gala.Elise’s heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, each step matching the clipped tone of her voice. “This is exactly what I was afraid of,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Your father walking straight into one of Giovanni’s traps… and now look where we are.”Lucas said nothing at first, tugging off his coat and draping it over the back of a chair. His expression was tight, jaw working. “We don’t even know the full story yet,” he said finally. “For all we know, this could be nothing more than a performance to humiliate him—”“Performance?” Elise shot
The music note gradually slowed until it died. One moment, the ballroom was filled with laughter and smiles, people conversing freely and then the next, a loud wail of sirens split through the night air, sharp and invasive.All heads turned toward the grand glass doors just as they swung open.And then a stream of uniformed officers poured in, their boots heavy against the polished marble. There presence felt heavy and demanding, almost like they were sucking the life of the party.Huge gasps rippled through the guests. All of them froze in their conversations, their hands trembling.They didn't know what was happening or what to expect.No one did, only Giovanni and his family.For a moment, they stood there, their eyes scanning the room, as if they were identifying their target.One of them spotted him, the lead officer at that.“Mr. Kingston,” the lead officer’s voice rang out, deep and unyielding. “You’re under arrest.”The crowd’s murmurs swelled to a roar. Elise, standing sever
Mr. Kingston sat stiffly in one of the roped-off VIP sections, the glittering chaos of the gala seeming distant despite the crystal chandeliers bathing the room in golden light. The moment Giovanni’s toast ended, he leaned slightly toward Elise, who had joined him, keeping his jaw tense but his eyes never leaving the crowd and most of all Giovanni.Elise, poised but visibly uneasy, especially after Giovanni’s toast.She turned to Mr. Kingston, keeping her voice low, her fingers drumming lightly against the stem of her wine glass.“Marco’s here too, I saw him with Aaron… Giovanni’s family as all here … and now he’s parading your name…our name in front of every power broker in the city. None of this feels casual,” she murmured, her gaze flicking toward the podium before returning to him.Mr. Kingston’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Giovanni never does anything casual,” he replied, voice heavy with meaning. “This… this is him setting the stage. But for what?”Elise’s eyes narrowed. She
The tension between Aaron and Marco still lingered in the air like a storm cloud, since the second Marco uttered Raina’s name from his mouth, but it was broken when the sound of a glass chiming echoed through the hall.“Ladies and gentlemen!” Giovanni’s voice boomed over the hum of conversation in the hall and instantly drawing every pair of eyes to the center of the room.He stood with a champagne flute in hand, smile broad and confident. “If I could have your attention for just a moment.”The chatter died down almost instantly. Aaron’s gaze flicked toward him, jaw still tight, while Marco smirked faintly and stepped back into the crowd leaving Aaron to himself.Giovanni lifted his glass. “First, I’d like to thank everyone for being here tonight. Your presence makes this gathering what it is… an evening of class, celebration, and… opportunity.” His eyes swept the room, lingering on a few key faces.“And of course,” he continued, “a special thanks to the visionaries of Cingarette Fash
Floral Cingarette.The last time he saw her, at the gala a few nights back, when she leaned over his table with that same poised elegance, slipping something unseen into his drink.And then hours later, he’d woken in disgrace, an his dragged through the media.She was dressed in a certain liquid gold gown tonight and it was flowing like sunlight over her figure.She laughed at something a man beside her said, then turned her head towards him and their eyes met.Her lips curved into a slow, knowing smile.Lucas’s grip tightened around his glass. He could almost hear Elise’s warning echo in his head.He had to walk away right now, to stay away from anything that could cause trouble.But still, he didn’t look away. He had to meet her…Lucas didn’t bother taking the long way around. He cut straight through the crowd, his gaze locked on her like a hunter who just spotted his prey.Floral watched him approach, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. When he stopped in front of he