Elena’s eyes moved between the three of them, the pieces slowly clicking into place. “Wait. New Haven is Stern territory, isn’t it?”

Alaric’s expression shifted slightly. “Yes.”

“The Sterns control the central region. Manufacturing, trade routes, distribution.” She thought through what she’d just heard, her gaze narrowing. “If a shipment that size passed through New Haven, it wouldn’t exactly go unnoticed.”

“Not necessarily,” Alaric said. “They control a lot of territory, but that doesn’t mean they know about every shipment that crosses it.”

“No, I suppose not,” Elena agreed. “But this wasn’t just any shipment. It was Eros, and someone managed to make it disappear without leaving much of a trace.” She paused, looking between them. “If whoever took it had enough influence to move something that large through Stern territory, wouldn’t the Sterns at least know something was happening?”

Alaric’s jaw tightened. He glanced toward the others, then back at Elena. “You think they know?”

“I think it’s a possibility,” she said. “And if they knew and did nothing…” She let the thought trail off.

Alaric shook his head slowly. "I don't see it. Arthur Stern has held control of the central region for thirty years. He's never allowed a move like this inside his borders. It would destabilize everything he's built."

"Unless," Veya said, pulling a small notebook from her jacket, "it's not Arthur."

The room went quiet. Elena watched Veya scribble something down—the batch number, the route, the date. Her handwriting was quick and jagged, the hand of someone used to recording things that mattered and then running.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

Veya looked up. "I mean, the old man's not the only Stern, right? Doesn’t he have kids?”

Alaric's expression flickered—something Elena couldn't quite read. "He wouldn't—"

“How well do you know him?”

Before he could answer, a knock at the door made them all turn. Sebastian rose from his chair and crossed the room, opening the door. A young man in a black vest stood on the other side, his face flushed.

“Mr. Hart—there’s a dispute on the floor. One of the purchased pieces. The buyer’s claiming it’s not authentic, and the auctioneer needs Ms. Rossi to verify it.”

Sebastian turned back to them and cleared his throat. "You two have what you need?"

Veya pocketed her notebook and nodded. “If there’s a trail, I’ll find it.” She turned to Elena, her expression softening. “You’ve given me more tonight than I’ve had in months. Thank you.”

Alaric moved toward the door, but paused before following her. His gaze settled on Elena.

“And for what it’s worth, thank you. Most people would’ve walked away once they realized how deep this went.” He paused, his gaze steady on Elena. “I haven’t forgotten what you’ve done for us. So, as a gesture of thanks, I’ll keep this conversation to myself. Not my family, not Liam, and certainly no one outside this room will hear it from me.”

It was a generous offer, but Elena couldn't ignore the distinction. Alaric was choosing to keep her secret. He wasn't promising that everyone else would do the same.

She held his gaze, unsure whether to feel reassured or simply grateful that, for now, he was willing to protect her.

Alaric's expression sobered. “Just be careful where you step from here. What you've uncovered tonight, you're no longer standing outside of it. This information is dangerous.”

“I understand,” Elena said quietly.

He studied her for a long moment, something almost like respect crossing his features. Then he gave a single nod.

“I hope you do.”

With that, he followed Veya out, leaving Elena alone with Sebastian and the weight of everything they'd uncovered.

The door clicked shut. Elena exhaled, her shoulders dropping for the first time in what felt like hours.

Sebastian turned to her. “You handled yourself well tonight. Better than most people with years of experience dealing with this stuff.”

"I’m just trying to do what’s right."

“An admirable answer. I only hope it doesn’t get you killed.” Sebastian's eyes held hers for a moment before he stood and adjusted his demeanor. “Now, are you ready to earn your fee?”

Elena smoothed her dress and lifted her chin. "Show me the piece."

She followed him into the low thrum of the club, the weight of the night's revelations pressing against her ribs like a second heartbeat. Right now, she had a painting to authenticate.

The night lights blurred past the window—amber streetlamps, the red smear of a brake light, the neon glow of a bar sign that cut through the dark like a wound. Elena watched them without seeing them, her forehead resting against the cool glass, the hum of the engine filling the silence between her and Victor.

The auction had been a success. When the buyer challenged the disputed piece, Elena took the painting from the wall and examined it beneath the gallery lights. She studied the layering of the paint and the age of the materials, then compared the signature against authenticated examples of the artist’s work. The brushwork was consistent, the pigments matched the period, and even the canvas showed no signs of having been artificially aged. Less than four minutes later, she had confirmed that the painting was genuine.

Sebastian had handled the buyer with the smooth ease of a man who'd done it a hundred times. The money had changed hands. The painting had gone home with its new owner. Everyone had left satisfied.

Except her.

She couldn't stop thinking about the map on Sebastian's desk. The route Veya had traced with her finger, cutting west through the city like a knife before ending at New Haven. The capital. The seat of Stern power. The destination of the missing shipment—and the heart of the family that controlled it all.

“You're quieter than normal,” Victor said.

She blinked, pulled back to the present. The car was warm, the leather seat soft beneath her thighs, and Victor's hands were steady on the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Just tired,” she said, keeping her voice even. She wasn't ready for Victor to know what she'd learned. “It was a long night.”

“It did seem that way. Looks like you kept busy.”

He didn't push. She was grateful for that. Victor had a way of letting silence sit without needing to fill it, a quality she'd come to appreciate at times like this. He asked the questions that mattered, and let the rest go.

The car turned onto a quieter road, the city lights thinning behind them, the darkness of the outskirts closing in. Elena watched the familiar trees slide past, black shapes against a blacker sky.

“Victor,” she said, her voice quieter than she meant it to be.

“Yeah?”

She hesitated. “Do you think people always deserve to know the truth?”

Victor glanced at her, then back at the road. “That's a broad question. Where did that come from?”

“I've just had a few things on my mind lately.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Depends on the truth.”

Elena watched the dark trees slide past the window. “So there are things you'd keep from someone?”

“Sure.” Victor shrugged. “Sometimes keeping something to yourself is about protecting them. Sometimes it's about protecting yourself.”

Elena let that settle. “And how do you know which one it is?”

“You don't,” he said. “Not always.”

The answer stayed with her as the manor gates appeared in the distance.

Victor rolled down his window as they approached the gate. Two security personnel stepped out of the small guardhouse, one checking the vehicle while the other glanced through the windshield at Elena before giving Victor a nod. After confirming their identities, they stepped aside, and the iron bars swung open with a low groan.

The gravel crunched beneath the tires as they rolled up the long drive, the manor rising ahead of them, dark and still, its windows black except for the warm glow of the foyer light. Victor parked by the front steps and killed the engine. For a moment, neither of them moved.

“You did good tonight,” he said. “You kept your head when things got complicated. Not everyone can do that.”

"Thank you."

"You want me to walk you in?"

"I'll be fine." She opened the door, the cool night air hitting her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. "Goodnight, Victor."

"Goodnight."

She climbed the steps, her heels clicking against the stone, and pushed open the front door. The foyer was quiet, the lights dimmed, the house settled into its nighttime stillness.

She climbed the stairs, her legs heavy, the weight of the night pressing down on her shoulders. The hallway was dark, the doors closed, the silence so complete she could hear her own breathing. She reached her room and pushed the door open, stepping inside without turning on the light.

The moon cut a pale stripe across the floor, falling across the foot of the bed. She kicked off her heels, the thud of them hitting the carpet louder than she expected in the quiet. Then she reached behind her and pulled the zipper of her dress down, the sound of it splitting through the air like a seam coming undone.

The dress slipped from her shoulders and pooled at her feet. She stepped out of it, leaving it where it fell, and stood in her underwear as the cool air raised goosebumps along her skin. She let out a quiet breath of relief. The fabric had clung to her all night, a second skin that had felt less like a dress and more like a cage.

She walked into the bathroom and flicked on the light. Her reflection stared back at her, hair coming loose from the updo she'd spent an hour on, her eyes tired from the long night.

She reached for the cleanser and began wiping away the makeup she'd applied across her chest. The cloth picked up traces of shimmer and color with each pass until her skin was clean again. She rinsed the last of it away and looked at herself in the mirror.

Bare. Tired. Herself again.

She dried her face and studied her reflection. Green eyes. Brown hair. The same face she'd seen that morning, the same face she'd brought into the Velvet Rope. Nothing had changed in the mirror. But after everything she'd learned tonight, Elena couldn't quite recognize the woman looking back at her.

She turned off the light and walked back into the bedroom. The bed was waiting, the sheets cool and white in the moonlight. She crawled in, pulling the duvet up to her chin, and stared at the ceiling.

Her thoughts circled back to New Haven, the missing shipment, and the questions surrounding the Sterns. And then there was Liam—the man who may have trapped her brother, the man she should have had every reason to hate, and the man she loved anyway.

She closed her eyes and let the exhaustion take her, the way it always did in the end, pulling her down into a darkness that was blessedly empty of answers.

Morning light slanted through the curtains, pale and thin, pulling Elena from a sleep that felt more like surrender than rest. She lay still for a moment, the sheets tangled around her legs, the memory of the night before pressing against the inside of her skull like a bruise.

She pushed herself up, her hair falling in tangled waves around her shoulders, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. The floor was cool against her bare feet. She padded to the bathroom, splashed water on her face, and stared at her reflection—same green eyes, same brown hair, same face that had walked into the Velvet Rope and come out carrying secrets she didn't know what to do with.

She dressed simply, a soft cream sweater and dark jeans, and made her way downstairs. The manor was quiet, the way it always was in the mornings, sunlight spilling across the polished floors and warming the dark wood of the banister. She could hear the faint clatter of dishes from the kitchen, the smell of coffee and something sweet drifting toward her.

Marta was at the stove when Elena pushed through the kitchen door, her back to the room, a wooden spoon in her hand. She turned at the sound of footsteps, her face breaking into a warm smile.

"Morning, dear," Marta said. "You're up early. I didn't expect to see you until noon after last night."

Elena slid onto a stool at the counter, letting out a breath. "Couldn't sleep much longer. The auction ran so late."

“How did it go?” Marta asked, turning back to the stove. Before Elena could answer, she ladled oatmeal into a bowl, drizzled it with honey, and topped it with berries before setting it in front of her.

"It went great, actually," Elena said, wrapping her hands around the warm bowl. The heat seeped into her palms. "No problems at all. The pieces sold well, and I had one buyer who challenged one of the paintings, and I was able to verify it was genuine. So everything went smoothly."

Marta nodded approvingly, wiping her hands on her apron. "That’s amazing! I told you you'd be fine. You have a good eye for that sort of thing."

Elena took a bite of the oatmeal, the sweetness of the honey settling on her tongue. It was warm and comforting, the kind of breakfast she'd had a hundred times growing up. For a moment, she let herself pretend everything was normal. That she was just a girl eating breakfast in a beautiful house, with no debts, no secrets, no brothers trapped by men in tailored suits.

Marta busied herself at the counter, arranging a tray of pastries, humming softly under her breath. The quiet was comfortable, the kind that didn't demand filling. Elena ate, letting the warmth spread through her, grateful for the small mercy of an ordinary morning.

Then Marta spoke, her voice light, almost offhand. "Oh, I don't know if you heard, but the Master should be returning this evening."

Elena's spoon stopped halfway to her mouth. "Liam's coming back?"

"That's what Presley said when he called ahead," Marta said, not looking up from her task. "He's been in the city all week, dealing with business. Should be home by dinner, I expect."

Elena set the spoon down slowly. Her heart had picked up a strange, uneven rhythm, a mix of something that felt dangerously close to excitement and a colder thread of nerves that coiled in her stomach.

She hadn’t seen him in days. Not since he’d left with Presley without telling her where he was going or when he’d be back. Part of her was still angry about that, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to let him off the hook. She had her own secrets now, her own work to focus on, and she couldn’t afford to forget that just because he was home again. Still, the thought of him walking through the door, filling the manor with that quiet, commanding presence, stirred an anticipation she couldn’t quite suppress. She wanted to see him. She was almost dreading it, too.

"That's good," she said, keeping her voice even. "It's been quiet around here."

Marta glanced at her, a knowing look in her eyes that made Elena look away. "He'll be happy to see you, I'm sure."

Elena didn't answer. She took another bite of oatmeal, chewing slowly, though she barely tasted it. Her thoughts kept circling back to Liam. He was the one who had put her family in this position, but she still didn't know how much of the contract had been his doing, how much he'd chosen, or whether there were things she didn't yet understand.

And somehow, she had fallen in love with him.

That was the part she couldn't make sense of. She could be angry with him, question his motives, wonder what else he might be keeping from her—and still find herself wanting to see him, wanting to be near him. She didn't know what that meant for them, or what she was supposed to do with the truth now that she knew it.

She finished her breakfast, thanking Marta as she rinsed her bowl and set it in the sink. The kitchen was warm, the morning light golden, and for a moment she wanted to stay there, in that small pocket of ordinary life, where the biggest question was what to make for dinner.

But the pull of the library was stronger. She had hours before Liam returned, hours she could spend doing something—anything—that felt like progress.

"I'm going to spend some time in the library," she said, more to herself than to Marta. "Before he gets back."

Marta nodded, already turning back to the stove. "I'll have dinner ready for when he arrives. Don’t forget to stop by and get something too"

Elena slipped out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs, her footsteps soft on the carpet. Reaching the library at the end of the hall, she pushed the heavy oak door closed, the air inside cool and still, smelling of old paper and leather.

She crossed the room, her fingers trailing along the spines of the books as she passed. The shelves rose to the ceiling, crammed with volumes she'd never opened, histories and biographies and novels that had been read by hands long gone. She found the spot she was looking for—a gap between two leather-bound books, where she'd hidden Amara's journal—and pulled it out.

The journal felt heavier than it should have. The worn cover, the faded gold lettering, the pages yellowed with age. She carried it to the reading table by the window, where the light fell soft and even, and sat down.

The chair creaked beneath her. Outside, the garden was green and still, the morning sun catching the dew on the grass. She opened the journal to where she'd left off, the pages falling open to a section she hadn't read yet.

Amara Thorn's handwriting was elegant and precise as always, as Elena began to read.

Liam came home from school today, and he won't be returning…