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The tea in Ethan’s cup was still warm, but a sudden, violent chill swept through the grand study. Down at the base of the staircase—the exact spot where thirty years ago Olivia lay bleeding while Derek and his father laughed—little Leo stopped playing with his wooden train / Chapter 18 / 25

Chapter 18 - THE POISONED BLOODLINE

Olivia, held in a solitary cell awaiting trial, summons Aria for a final visit. With a chilling smile against the glass, Olivia reveals her ultimate insurance policy: thirty years ago, she inoculated herself against a slow-acting neurotoxin she steadily mixed into the family's daily tea. Aria, Julian, and the real Ethan have less than thirty days to live unless Olivia inputs the formula code into a secure medical server—a code she will only trade for her absolute freedom and full custody of Leo.

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