FAZER LOGINThe evening sky over Ashford Manor turned a deep, velvet indigo as the sun dipped behind the western hills. Huge, glowing lanterns lined the grand gravel driveway, casting a warm, golden light onto the dark green hedges.The low hum of expensive car engines filled the cool air. One by one, sleek black luxury sedans, silver limousines, and dark sports cars pulled up to the front steps of the estate.Footmen in dark blue suits with white gloves opened the car doors. Out stepped the most powerful people in the state: wealthy business owners in tailored tuxedos, high-society ladies dripping in diamonds, politicians, and famous newspaper editors.As the guests walked up the grand stone steps toward the main entrance, they could hear the soft, elegant sound of violin music drifting out from the open tall windows. But beneath the pleasant music and the polite smiles, the air was thick with intense curiosity and quiet drama.Groups of guests gathered near the grand archways of the foyer, hold
Three days before the night of the gala, the atmosphere inside Ashford Manor shifted completely. The quiet, solemn halls that had been silent for years suddenly filled with the purposeful energy of dozens of high-end planners, interior designers, and florists from the capital.At the center of all the activity was the estate's Grand Ballroom.Workers in dark blue uniforms moved carefully across the vast space, polishing the high, arched stained-glass windows until they sparkled like quartz. Massive crystal chandeliers, which had hung under velvet dust covers for six years, were lowered to the polished marble floor. Teams of technicians cleaned each individual glass pendant before raising them back up toward the gilded ceiling.In the gardens behind the West Wing, delivery trucks arrived every morning at dawn. Crates of rare white orchids, velvet-red roses, and fresh eucalyptus were brought straight into the cold-storage rooms beneath the kitchen.Inside the main office on the ground f
While dark plans were being drafted in the West Wing, the East Wing was filled with a soft, peaceful morning light.Inside the spacious private drawing room, little Leo sat on a soft wool rug near the wide glass windows. He was wearing his favorite green jumper and dark pants. In front of him were three small sketchbooks that Naomi had given him, along with a set of colored wax crayons. He was busily scribbling a giant blue circle in the center of a white page, his small face full of pure focus.Naomi sat on the sofa nearby, wearing a comfortable white cardigan and gray trousers. She held a cup of hot tea in her hands, watching her son with a peaceful, gentle smile.The morning air inside the suite felt light and clean. For the first time since she had arrived at Ashford Manor, the constant knot of tension in her stomach had loosened. Hearing Lucas’s heartfelt confession last night, seeing his tears, and letting go of the heavy rock of bitterness she had carried for five years had fre
The heavy rain had stopped completely by the time the sun began to rise, leaving a thick blanket of cool gray fog hanging over the wide lawns of Ashford Manor. The dark oak trees stood still in the early light, their leaves dripping wet onto the soggy ground below. Inside the grand house, the halls were quiet, but deep within the walls, an unseen storm was brewing.In the sunlit breakfast room of the West Wing, Valentina sat alone at a round glass table. She was wearing a silk robe of pale pink, her hair styled neatly, but her face was cold and stiff. She held a delicate porcelain cup of coffee in her hand, yet she had not taken a single sip. Her sharp eyes were fixed entirely on the door that led toward the servants' kitchen.Outside the breakfast room, two female servants were quietly folding white cloth napkins near a tall silver cart. They were speaking in low, excited whispers, believing that the heavy glass doors were thick enough to keep their words from carrying."Did you hear
"Can I see it?" Naomi asked gently.Lucas looked at her in surprise. His dark eyes softened instantly, filled with a deep, silent gratitude. "Of course."He slowly opened the heavy leather cover. The thick paper pages were yellowed around the edges, smelling faintly of old paper, cedar wood, and dried ink.On the very first page was a large black-and-white photograph of a small boy standing on the grand marble steps of Ashford Manor. The boy was wearing a small wool coat, holding a wooden toy boat in his hands. He was about five years old, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a sharp, serious expression.Naomi leaned forward slightly to look at the picture. A soft gasp escaped her lips."He looks exactly like Leo," Naomi whispered, her eyes wide with wonder. "Look at his chin... and the way he holds his hands.""I know," Lucas said softly, a quiet emotion choking his raspy voice. "When Marcus brought me the security photos of you and Leo in London three days ago... I looked at my son's face
As the gray afternoon faded into a deep, silent evening, a cold mist began to roll over the manicured lawns of Ashford Manor. The dark clouds in the sky settled low, wrapping the estate in a quiet, heavy shadow.Upstairs in the East Wing, Naomi stood near the heavy wooden door of her private sitting room. She reached out and pulled back the small brass cover over the peephole, looking out into the grand hallway.Standing directly outside her door were four tall men in tailored dark suits. They were not ordinary security guards hired from a local agency. These were Marcus’s top private security officers—former elite soldiers with sharp eyes, broad shoulders, and quiet, heavy footsteps. They stood two on each side of the heavy double doors, their hands crossed neatly in front of them, their eyes constantly scanning the long carpeted corridor.Every thirty minutes, Naomi watched through the peephole as a fresh guard walked up the grand staircase to replace one of the men on duty, carryin







