The Matriarch had commanded a small, private family dinner to celebrate the engagement's finalization. It was held in a restricted dining room on the main floor. The air was heavy with the pressure of high expectations. The guest list was ominously sparse: Silas, Elara, Lady Eleanor, Rhys Vancewick, and, crucially, Silas’s younger sister, Aelia Vancewick, and Silas’s lifelong best friend, Zane Alaric.Elara entered the room in a severe, pristine white dress. She wore the massive engagement ring like a shackle, its weight a physical constant. She was the flawless asset Silas demanded.Silas met her by the door, his hand immediately settling on her lower back, a possessive anchor. His slate eyes were tense, analyzing her composure. He was searching for the crack, the fire he missed."My sister, Aelia, has returned from her university sabbatical," Silas stated, his voice low. "And Zane, her shadow, is here. Compliance is absolute, Elara. T
آخر تحديث : 2025-11-25 اقرأ المزيد