Chapter 4 - Entering the Lion’s DenForty-eight hours later, the rusted shack on the vacant lot was empty.
Raymond, Meera, and Tess stepped through the grand double mahogany doors of the Boon Manor—a sprawling, limestone mansion surrounded by manicured gardens, sparkling fountains, and high iron gates.
For the twins, who had spent their lives hiding behind weeds and counting raindrops through a plastic tarp, walking into the grand foyer felt like stepping onto another planet.
“Is this a castle, Dad?” Tess whispered, her tiny fingers clutching the hem of her clean, new dress as she stared up at the crystal chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling.
“It’s home for a while, sweetie,” Raymond smiled gently, kneeling beside her.
Silas’s personal housekeeper, Mrs. Gable—a stern-looking woman with a heart of gold—greeted them warmly, immediately whisking the girls away to the expansive kitchen for hot cocoa and freshly baked pastries.
Meanwhile, Raymond sat across from Silas in the high-backed leather chairs of the private study.
“Julian thinks I’m still holed up in a cheap motel across town,” Silas said, swirling a glass of amber whiskey. “He thinks he’s won. Tomorrow morning is the quarterly executive board meeting. He plans to present forged medical documents claiming I have early-onset dementia, forcing an emergency vote to strip me of my CEO status.”
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“And where do I fit in?” Raymond asked, leaning forward, his eyes sharp and focused.
“You don't just fit in, Raymond—you make an entrance,” Silas smirked, sliding a pristine, tailored charcoal suit across the mahogany desk. “Tomorrow, you walk into that boardroom as my newly appointed Chief Operating Officer and personal advisor. Let’s see how Julian handles meeting a man who actually knows what hunger feels like.”
