Chapter 91:The Intercepted Message

The morning after I handed the note to the driver felt different than any other morning. I woke up before the sun was fully over the horizon. For the first time in weeks, I didn't feel the usual weight in my chest. I had done something. I had reached out to the world outside these walls. I lay in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling and imagining that piece of paper traveling through the city. I hoped it was already in the hands of someone who could help me.I got out of bed and dressed slowly. I chose a simple sweater and jeans, wanting to feel like myself for as long as possible before the gala preparations started again. I walked down to the dining room, expecting to see the usual spread of breakfast and the twins buried in their tablets.Instead, the room was empty. It was also very quiet. Usually, there was a sound of staff moving in the kitchen or the hum of the vacuum in the hallway. Today, the house felt like it was holding its breath.I wandered toward the kitchen to f

Last Updated : 2026-01-31

Chapter 92: The Branding

The afternoon was slipping away, and the house was becoming a whirlwind of activity. I stayed in my room for as long as I could, trying to avoid the staff who were carrying garment bags and polishing shoes. I felt like a ghost in my own home. After what happened with the delivery driver this morning, I didn't want to look anyone in the eye. I kept thinking about how easy it was for Ivan to erase someone’s life.There was a soft knock on my door. It wasn't the sharp, demanding knock of Ivan or the heavy thud of Arthur. It was light and rhythmic."Come in," I said, sitting up on the edge of my bed.Dmitri walked in. He was already dressed for the gala in a dark suit that made him look even taller than usual. He was carrying a small, square box wrapped in velvet. He had a look on his face that I couldn't quite read. It wasn't the usual smirk. It was something more serious."You look like you're hiding," Dmitri said. He walked over and sat in the chair across from me."I’m just tired," I

Last Updated : 2026-01-31

Chapter 93: The Ghost of the Father

I didn't think I would be able to sleep at all after Dmitri left my room. The weight of the watch on my wrist felt like a physical anchor, keeping me pinned to the mattress. But eventually, the exhaustion of the day won. I drifted off into a sleep that felt more like falling down a well than resting.The dream started in our old house. It wasn't the mansion I lived in now. It was the small, cramped apartment from my childhood where the walls always smelled like stale coffee and old paper. I saw my father sitting at the kitchen table. He looked much older than I remembered. His shoulders were slumped, and his hands were shaking as he tried to organize a stack of legal documents."They're coming for everything, Leo," he whispered without looking up at me. "They don't just take your money. They take your shadow. They take the air out of your lungs."I tried to reach out to him, but the floor felt like it was made of water. Every step I took moved me further away. Then, the walls of the a

Last Updated : 2026-02-03

Chapter 94: The Charity Gala

The morning didn't feel like a new beginning. It felt like a continuation of the night before. I woke up caught between Ivan and Dmitri, the room filled with the smell of expensive soap and the silence of a house that was waiting for us to move. They didn't leave my side while I got ready. Two tailors had been brought to the estate to make sure my suit was perfect. They pinned and tucked the fabric while the twins stood by the window, watching every movement."He looks like he belongs," Dmitri said, adjusting his own cufflinks. "The dark blue suits him better than the black."Ivan nodded once. "It makes him look approachable. That is what we need tonight. People need to see him and feel like they can talk to him, even if they know they shouldn't."I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. I looked like a stranger. My hair was styled perfectly, and the watch Dmitri had given me was visible just under my cuff. I felt like a doll being dressed for a show."Do I have to speak?" I aske

Last Updated : 2026-02-06

Chapter 95: Finch’s Whisper

The drive back to the estate didn't happen right away. Ivan had been stopped by a group of investors near the exit, and Dmitri had been pulled into a corner by a woman who looked like she held the keys to half the city's real estate. For the first time all night, their grip loosened just enough for me to breathe."I’m going to get a glass of water," I told Dmitri.He looked at me, his eyes scanning the immediate area. "Stay at the bar. Don't move from there. I’ll be over in two minutes.""I can walk ten feet by myself, Dmitri," I said. My voice was more tired than I meant it to be.He sighed and nodded toward the long marble bar at the far end of the hall. "Go. Two minutes."I walked away before he could change his mind. The crowd was a blur of expensive fabrics and forced laughter. When I reached the bar, I didn't ask for water. I just stood there, leaning my elbows against the cool surface, looking down at my hands. My palms were sweating."You look like you're planning an escape,"

Last Updated : 2026-02-11

Chapter 96: The Internal Poison

I couldn't stop thinking about the word. Fire. It was a simple enough word, but in the context of my father’s life, it felt like a physical weight sitting in the middle of my chest. I spent the next morning sitting at the small desk in my room, staring out at the gardens. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Sebastian’s whisper.I waited until I heard the heavy front door slam, signaling that Ivan and Dmitri had left for the office. Only then did I open my laptop. My hands were shaking as I typed the words into the search bar. Ascendant Arts.At first, nothing came up. There were dozens of companies with similar names—marketing firms, graphic design studios, even a dance school. I scrolled through pages of results, my heart sinking. Maybe Sebastian had lied to me. Maybe he just wanted to watch me scramble for ghosts.Then I tried searching for my father’s name alongside the company. That’s when the first link appeared. It was an old news archive from twenty years ago. The headline was

Last Updated : 2026-02-15