A Viper's Nest

My phone buzzed in my hand just as I stepped into the marble vestibule outside the ballroom. Seeing Nathan’s caller ID, I answered before the second ring.

"Is something wrong with Brandon?" I asked, my voice dropping into a tight, quiet register.

"No, he's stable," Nathan assured me, his tone noticeably lighter than it had been all week. "He's resting. But Jasmine... did you see the military program's official release?"

"I saw it," I said, pausing under the high archway. "Vivienne was dropped for intellectual theft, and Ethan was barred for his attitude."

"He tried to cheat during physical trials," Nathan revealed, a dry chuckle vibrating over the speaker. "The idiot literally hid in the storage facility to avoid the five-mile run. Thermal sensors picked him up in ten minutes. He set a speed record for getting thrown out."

I shook my head, a disbelieving laugh escaping my throat.

"Just hurry home when you can," Nathan said, his voice softening. "We’re holding down the fort."

"I'm on my way."

I had barely ended the call when the heavy double doors behind me burst open.

"You absolute viper!"

Sophia came storming out of the ballroom, her heels clicking violently against the marble floor. Her polished hair was disheveled, her face flushed crimson as she shoved her phone into my space.

"Look at what you’ve done!" she screeched. "Vivienne is blacklisted across the entire military sector! Her career is completely ruined! Do you have any idea how much influence we poured into getting those seats?"

I didn't flinch. "She ruined her own career, Sophia. Vivienne stole my work. They weren't going to let that go—and I certainly wasn't."

"You leaked those source logs!" she shrieked, trembling with rage. "You humiliated us in front of the entire country! You think because you have Stephan’s blood running through your veins, you can tear down everything my daughter built?"

Sophia stepped closer, drawing the attention of nearby guests filtering through the foyer.

"You are not welcome in my house. Not now, not ever! You'll never be part of this family!"

I considered that for a quiet second. "Does that mean I can leave?"

Beside me, Noah smirked.

"Forgive me, Mrs. Marsh, but isn't Jasmine the Marsh heiress? Wouldn't that make this house hers as well?"

Sophia went pale. "That's none of your business!"

"Considering I'm engaged to her, I believe it is," Noah replied coolly. He turned toward me, his dark eyes sparkling with dry humor. "Speaking of engagements, Sophia has spent most of tonight trying to convince Cesar and Sebastián to marry Vivienne."

"Did either agree?" I asked.

"No. Apparently, neither wants to spend his life babysitting her."

That was unfortunate.

For Vivienne.

"How dare you!" Sophia snapped, her chest heaving. She raised a manicured hand, her eyes wild with fury. "You ungrateful little—"

Before her palm could swing, my hand shot up. I caught her wrist mid-air, locking my grip with absolute, unyielding military precision.

The air pulled tight. Sophia’s breath hitched as she tried to pull away, but my hold remained ironclad.

"Don't," I murmured, leaning in slightly. "Don't ever raise your hand to me again, Sophia. If you push me further, I won't just release the research logs—I'll make public just what's going on right here, right now."

Sophia froze, the color draining entirely from her face. She looked between Noah’s unbothered composure and my steady gaze, her lips parting without a sound.

Before she could recover, Madam Marsh joined us in the vestibule, her dark silver gown catching the dim chandeliers.

"That is enough, Sophia," Madam Marsh commanded coldly. "Return to the ballroom and control yourself."

Sophia swallowed hard, shot us one last humiliated, venomous glare, and retreated through the double doors.

Just as she stepped back inside, someone tapped a silver spoon against a glass near the stage.

"May I have everyone's attention?"

The Sterling patriarch stood inside holding a microphone, his deep voice echoing out into the vestibule. The sprawling ballroom fell into a sudden, expectant hush.

"I have one final announcement regarding the future of the Sterling family."

"As you know, my grandson Noah is engaged to Miss Jasmine. As of tonight, Noah is the leading candidate to inherit the Sterling family legacy."

Applause erupted across the floor.

Noah frowned, his posture stiffening beside me in the archway.

His grandfather raised a hand, allowing the applause to settle back into silence.

"But don't celebrate too soon, Noah. The Sterling successor who ultimately marries Jasmine will inherit everything."

The applause stopped instantly.

I stared at Noah, my stomach dropping. "Excuse me?"

He looked equally surprised, his jaw tightening as he absorbed the words. Through the open doors, I glanced across the ballroom floor toward Cesar and Sebastián. Neither seemed pleased.

Wonderful. Apparently, I was now the grand prize in a family competition.

"Did you know about this when you asked me to choose you?" I demanded softly, leaning closer to Noah.

"It was mentioned as a possibility, but nothing concrete," he admitted.

"Is that why Cesar was insisting we get married right away?"

"Possibly. But since we're only engaged, Grandfather just raised the stakes. Whoever actually marries you takes everything." He slanted a serious glance down at me. "Be careful while I'm away. Grandfather just painted a target on your back."

"You're leaving?"

"My flight is early tomorrow morning, I'm leaving for an elite training program," he said, pulling out his phone. "We need each other's contact information."

We quickly exchanged numbers.

"Call me if you need anything," Noah said, saving my contact. "At any hour."

"I can handle myself."

"I noticed, that does not mean you have to do it all yourself," he said with a soft, genuine smile. He pressed a light kiss to my knuckles before stepping back. "Safe travels home, fiancé."

"Good night, Noah."

He turned and headed toward his transport detail. I watched him go before turning back toward the quiet marble foyer.

Madam Marsh stood near the terrace doors, staring out at the night sky. Her dark silver gown caught the chandelier light, her posture razor-straight as her icy gray eyes locked onto mine with lethal precision.

"Noah was correct," she said smoothly, her voice echoing against the marble walls. "You are the sole biological Marsh heiress."

"I gathered that from everyone suddenly scrambling to claim me," I replied, folding my arms.

"Your father left strict legal clauses protecting your inheritance," Madam Marsh said, her tone dipping into something quieter, heavier. "There are things about him, your disappearance, and this family that you deserve to know."

My pulse quickened. For seventeen years, my true origins had been a complete blank wall.

"I can tell you about your father tonight," Madam Marsh continued, stepping closer, "or I can hand over the mutated milk thistle."

I stared at her in disbelief as the weight of her choice settled over the room.

"You're making me choose?"

"Only for tonight," Madam Marsh replied, her face unreadable. "Your family's past, or your brother's cure. The choice is yours, Jasmine."