Chapter 7
Chesin grabbed the remote with a contorted look, his eyes narrowing. The surveillance footage showed…
“Expert manipulation!” Orson blurted, his eyes widening. The precision…
To anyone else, it might have looked like she was…
…of her fingers. The realization hit him like a lightning bolt.
Who the hell still uses this stuff?
“Thank God—did your chest feel…tight? Like you were going to burst?”
…bled out the revenue line, dividing a…
Percival sat as still as a statue, his knuckles white and tense. His expression was calm and minimal, but his…
…to see her. “This isn’t… your type… uh… bouncy… full of danger…”
Before Percival could respond, Calluna Hale walked in unceremoniously, a stack of…
Percival flipped through…
Callum met his gaze, lowering his voice as if in a confidential state. “The bride for the wedding!”
Orson interjected, “I thought it was supposed to be someone from the Bennett family. This…command contract…can’t be love then leave Jane…”
He grabbed the documents, a cynical smile on his face…
…not a damn minute. That’s her, not your bride!
Callum nodded gravely. “That’s her.”
Orson stared at him, his head tilted…
…cells at the tail. Replaying the footage, he muttered…
…modern. “You’re telling me this actually worked…”
This blessing crap…terrible. What kind of…blah blah…
Callum’s expression darkened slightly.
“She went missing when she was three and was found seventeen years later?” Percival interjected, breaking the silence, his dark eyes scanning the papers intently. “And she’s only been back with the Bennetts for seven months?”
“Exactly,” Callum confirmed quickly. “She came back seven months ago and signed a contract with the Festivit Group almost immediately.”
“The Bennetts have been keeping it ridiculously low-key, like they don’t want anyone fishing around,” Callum added suspiciously. “…covering their tracks right now. Maybe they’re hiding something…about her…”
Orson let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Weird as hell. Your old man wanted to marry you off to the Bennetts, right? They have a daughter, Sophia Bennett. So why send in this random chick? What’s their game?”
…bureaucratic…it’s due…blessing worked. They…
…you, hoping you’re not…unaware of…modifier. He leaned forward, his gaze…
…It is their duty…wild…even know she’s their real daughter. No, all faking…
Percival’s expression darkened further. “No wonder she insisted on taking all the wedding gifts with her,” he murmured under his breath.
His words hung in the air. Orson froze mid-sip, while Callum’s jaw tightened.
Chapter 7 (Continued)
…sharp as a blade. The oppressive air…
Callum straightened immediately, the weight of the moment not lost on him. “What’s the mission, Mr. Stewart?”
He’d worked for Percival for fifteen years and knew better than to ask unnecessary questions. When Percival gave him that look, it meant he had a job to do.
At past twenty-five, Percival had cemented his reputation as the unshakeable head of the Stewart family. Ruthless, calculating, and decisive, he ruled not just the business world but also carried the weight of the family’s political and military legacy.
He wasn’t just feared—he was respected in a way that left little room for rebellion.
“The Bennetts once had a good relationship with my grandfather,” Percival said, his voice calm but icy. “Now, despite his insistence on this arranged marriage for good fortune, they’ve sent us someone who doesn’t even bear their name. It’s an insult.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. “Tell them this: if they won’t honor their promise, then the bond between the Stewart and Bennett families ends here. We owe them nothing.”
The finality in his tone was enough to send a chill down Callum’s spine. He exchanged a glance with Orson, who, true to form, couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
With a smirk playing on his lips, Orson leaned forward and asked, “Wait, hold up—you’re stepping in for her? Since when do you play the knight in shining armor?”
Percival didn’t give a damn about anything outside his own domain. He had always kept his hands clean of petty family drama. He barely gave a…
It wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Percival’s move wasn’t just about severing ties; it was about making sure the Bennetts knew their games wouldn’t fly. If they thought they could use this marriage as leverage or stir up trouble later, they were in for a rude awakening.
“For her,” Percival’s tone was cold enough to freeze the air. “Not quite. She neutralized the poison in my system. Whether or not I survive, the Stewart family owes her for that.”
“And since the Bennetts clearly don’t value her—and she doesn’t even share their name—there’s no marriage to discuss. They’ve never acknowledged her publicly, have they?”
The Stewarts weren’t in the habit of throwing their weight around unnecessarily, but they sure as hell didn’t take disrespect from anyone. If the Bennetts thought they could play both sides, Percival was about to shut that down for good.
Orson let out a low whistle, leaning back with a thoughtful nod. “You’ve got a point. The Bennetts are trying to have it both ways. Cutting them off now avoids a lot of hassle—keeps them from pulling the old ‘friends’ card when they need a favor later.”
Percival rose without another word, his movements deliberate and unhurried. Orson blinked, then scrambled to his feet. “Whoa, whoa, where are you going! Wait for me—I’m not missing this.”
Odalys had just started to drift off when muffled voices from outside pulled her back to reality. She frowned, tilting her head toward the door, but the soundproofing in the room turned the conversation into indistinct murmurs. Whatever was going on, it didn’t sound peaceful.
Her phone buzzed, the vibration startling in the silence. She glanced at the screen—Hannah Bennett.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she swiped to reject the call and tossed the phone onto the bedside table.