Lahat ng Kabanata ng Nine Ungrateful Sisters: Kabanata 361 - Kabanata 370

Stanley's voice made Clara feel like she had been slapped.She went still. Only moments earlier, she had been chatting happily, stealing glances at his profile and reading every subtle shift in his expression.He had worn a faint smile, tilting his head toward her now and then. That alone had been enough to keep her talking.She had just been thinking of another topic to bring up when everything fell apart. Yes, the dog had darted out suddenly, but it was still far ahead of them. Stanley hadn't been driving fast. He could have slowed the car to a smooth stop long before reaching it.Clara had even thought he didn't need to brake at all. At his current speed, the dog would have been gone by the time they reached that stretch of road.There had been no danger. That was why her tone had stayed light, casual, the same way it would if they were in the middle of a conversation and a bird happened to pass the window. It was just a passing comment before continuing where they left off.S

Clara couldn't hold back any longer. "This is the Northspire Gang?"Unlike Amara, she didn't know much about the gang's history, even though she had lived in Silverton her entire life. Her art studio stood not far from Northspire, and many of her students came from the area.From everything she had heard, the Northspire Gang represented everything rotten in the city. Lazy, idle, running protection rackets, and preying on anyone weaker than them. Every crime people saw dramatized on television existed in some form within the gang's real-world operations.But they were powerful, and they knew exactly how far they could go. They never targeted people capable of striking back. That made them useful to Silverton's upper circles. They were a pair of black gloves for dealing with problems that couldn't be handled openly.To ordinary people, the gang's name was the kind of thing parents used to scare children into silence at night.So what was she looking at right now? Gang members living

Frank led them into his office. They passed several gang members in the corridor, but Frank didn't acknowledge any of them. Instead, he turned to Stanley and the others with a completely unbothered expression."Whatever you want to ask, whatever you want to do, go ahead. As long as I can cooperate, I will."He told Stanley there was no need to restrain him. He was not going to run or call anyone. None of that was necessary.Half convinced, Stanley let go.Frank did exactly what he promised: no signal, no call, nothing.He led them into his office as casually as if he were welcoming a group of old friends, which unsettled the sisters even more.Was this really the Frank they had heard about?Stanley remained tense and watchful, but Frank simply settled into his office chair. Nothing happened.Stanley took the seat across from him and studied him closely. "You're Frank Sawyer?""That's right.""Leader of the Northspire Gang?""Of course.""The top organization in Northspire?

Stanley lowered his hand and looked at Amara, confusion flickering across his face. "No grounds to stand on?"Amara held something back for a moment, as though wrestling with herself, then finally forced the words out. "That's right. No grounds to stand on. Our family is under attack from the Centurion Trade Consortium right now. Every eye in the city is on us. Everything we do is being scrutinized."And you're the Draconox envoy. If you go against this many people without clear justification, it reflects badly on you. It makes your work in Silverton harder moving forward."Stanley lifted his chin slightly, a faint trace of disdain crossing his face. "I've never cared what anyone thinks about how I operate.""But we do. We have to." Amara continued without hesitation, "Our conflict with the consortium comes down to one thing: a few public remarks Dr. Hoffman made."If we can find the person truly behind this and reach an understanding with him, Dr. Hoffman's words lose their influ

Stanley's words broke something inside Clara. She stared at him, then turned to Amara.Amara's face had gone blank. She felt Clara's eyes on her. "Stanley, what are you saying? I think of you as a friend. Nothing more."She didn't dare look directly at either of them.She lowered her gaze, but even then, she could feel Clara's fury crashing over her in waves.Stanley gripped her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Amara, do you think I'm an idiot? I watched everything the Centurion Trade Consortium did to your family. Every step of it. Why do you think I've stood on your side without question? I knew what it would cost me. I knew exactly how much I'd be opposing. And I stayed anyway. Why?"He shook her arm, and their eyes locked.Amara saw anger in his eyes. She saw something that looked like longing. Beneath both, she saw something she couldn't name.She didn't know what to do with any of it, so she stayed silent, her lips pressed tightly together."You're hurting me," s