shift before an

ce it settled in her bones. Smiles no longer reached eyes. Conversations stopped too quickly. Doors closed a

Alessandro h

rning what th

r just watched-s

m across the long dining table. She was elegant in a cold way, dressed

urmured under her breath. "One

ena repeat

idn't

The room adjusted around him-postures straightened, voices lowered. He took h

lmly, "we finalize

"Before that, perhaps we

ely-the subtle pivot o

ession didn't cha

on Elena with polite

Alessandro replied. "

smoothly. "She is visible. Emotional att

ned her spine.

r head slightly. "T

was sharp en

the table. "If you have concern

ria replied.

shifted un

e eliminate weaknesses," Valeri

nce

ay. She met Valeria's gaze steadily, letting the woman see what

ose slowly f

he said, his voice even

n eyebrow. "Line

," Alessan

sage wa

ations clipped and tense. Elena follow

u," she said as soo

ys tested me,

aid. "They're

pped w

rned. "You're start

gh," she said. "Som

es

on chilled

n," Alessandro said.

uards flanked her closely now, their hands never far from their

t eyes

ing near the edge of the garde

id, as if issuing a sugges

ards. They hesitated, t

r heels silent against the stone paths

ou expect?"

aleria replied. "S

d n

thinly. "Now I

g. "If you have some

ia said. "But courage wit

at a t

rful, but power invites ambition. Men follow him be

not my i

tter here," Valeria

osing. "You think usin

deny it. "Other

u?" Ele

ria said coolly. "And out

ped closer, sen

le like us don't survive by being pr

he turned an

the estate e

nfire-but w

ena's room, fury barely co

Elena said.

," he snapped. "

dropped. "I

e. "One of the gu

s were immediat

on his post," Ales

whispered. "

o issued orders with ruthless efficiency, but Elena saw the tension beneath

essage," she

ied. "And they

d. Voices shout

er, a call

listening intently. His expressi

lammed against

e," he said. "They

will

cked onto h

eneath it, someth

l kill him,"

es

ed hard. "T

s face hard

she argued. "At le

her shoulders. "You don't

id steadily. "If I'm already

m fell

me?" she as

briefly, as if bracing hi

liances weighed, Elena sat alone, the weigh

ore famil

led at b

beside her

while sharpening knive

dows, someone had decide

longer just somet

learning

tended to