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Alexander pulled a sleek, heavy titanium card from his inner pocket and tossed it onto the ivory tablecloth. It clattered against the crystal water glass, sliding to a halt inches from the restored silver cuff link box. / Chapter 22 / 30

Chapter 22 - The Venom of a Fallen MuseMarcus immediately stepped in front of Erin, his jaw set, but Erin gently placed a hand on his forearm, stepping forward into the light. Her posture remained calm, her dark eyes as cold and sharp as polished obsidian.

"I'm right here, Sophia," Erin said, her voice carrying through the silent room with absolute command. "Though I must admit, you look far less radiant than you did on my second wedding anniversary."

Sophia gasped, taking a wild step forward. The elegance she had cultivated in Paris was completely gone. After Alexander’s downfall, the French authorities had audited her tax filings, uncovering her participation in Alexander’s corporate embezzlement scheme. She had been deported, stripped of her assets, and left destitute.

"You ruined my life!" Sophia screamed, tears cutting white streaks through the dirt on her face. "Alexander was mine! He loved me! You were just a temporary stand-in, an empty shell! You took his money, you took his freedom, and you forced his uncle's trust away from him!"

"Alexander destroyed himself," Erin replied evenly, taking a slow, deliberate step toward the hysterical woman. "He thought he could trade my dignity for your affection. He failed. And you thought you could live like a queen on stolen corporate funds. You failed too."

"You think you won?!" Sophia shrieked, her hand whipping out of her pocket.

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