Chapter 24: The silence that followed Katherine’s announcement wasn't empty; it was heavy, pressurized by the sudden, violent inversion of the Kendrick family tree. Beatrice sat frozen, the paper in her hand rattling like a dry leaf. George felt as though the very floorboards he stood upon, boards he had assumed were his birthright had turned into thin air."A tenant?" Beatrice’s voice finally broke through, thin and reedy. "Katherine, this is a joke. A cruel, low-class joke. You cannot acquire a legacy. How would I afford my treatment, my…my…medicine..""I didn't acquire a legacy, Beatrice," Katherine said, leaning forward to blow out the flickering candle between them. The smoke curled around her face like a veil. "I acquired a debt. Your debt. To the Venetian, to the holding companies you bled dry to keep George in silk ties, and to the taxes you haven't paid since 2022. I didn't steal this house. I saved it from the auction block. But in doing so, I’ve decided the management nee
Last Updated : 2026-03-08 Read more