Chapter 5 - The Patriarch’s SummonsThe mahogany dining table in the private wing of the estate could have seated twenty, but tonight only two places were set.
At the head of the table sat Jonathan Vale. Eighty years old, frail in appearance, but possessing eyes like shards of winter ice that had broken empires and crushed rivals without a second thought. He didn't look up as I slid into the chair opposite him, slowly cutting a piece of rare steak with silver cutlery.
"You have remarkable audacity, Miss Miller," Jonathan finally spoke, his voice a dry, papery rasp that carried the weight of absolute authority. "Appearing in my grandson’s life after four years like a ghost returning from a shipwreck."
"I didn't appear," I said, keeping my voice level despite the adrenaline pounding in my veins. "Your security director hunted me down and lied to my face."
Jonathan chuckled softly, a dry, humorless sound. "Daniel Mercer acted on standing orders. A Vale cannot be tethered by common blood. Sebastian is destined to consolidate the eastern seaboard energy grid. A struggling woman from a broken family with three fatherless children would have crippled his trajectory."
"They are not fatherless," I slammed my hand down on the table, the crystal glassware ringing in protest. "They are Sebastian's children. And your bloodline isn't worth the paper your crooked contracts are printed on."
Jonathan paused, laying his knife down with meticulous precision. He raised his clouded eyes to meet mine. "You think you can fight us? My grandson is emotional right now. He feels guilty. He feels angry at me. But blood always returns to the fold, Elena. Within six months, Sebastian will realize that ruling an empire requires a queen who understands power, not a domestic casualty of war. I will offer you ten million dollars to walk away tonight. Leave the children. They will be raised as Vales."
May you like
I stared at the old man, the sheer predatory coldness of his offer stripping away any lingering doubt about what kind of family I was dealing with.
"You can keep your money," I whispered, standing up so fast my chair scraped loudly against the parquet floor. "And you can keep your empire. Because by the time Sebastian is done tearing your legacy apart, there won't be a throne left for you to sit on."
