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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 9 / 25

Chapter 9 - FIRE ON THE LANDING AND THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

Aria handed Leo to a waiting bodyguard as Olivia struck a match, tossing it onto the kerosene-soaked drapes. Flames erupted instantly, devouring the ancient wood of the upper landing. "We don't need you anymore, Ethan," Olivia said as smoke filled the corridor. "The estate, the land, the legacy—it's all transferred to Aria's trust. You served your purpose as the tragic guardian." Trapped between the roaring inferno and his ruthless family, Ethan refused to break. With a bitter laugh, he pulled a black remote from his coat pocket. "You thought you were the only one playing the long game, Olivia?"

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