Chapter 9
Vivienne did not deny it.
Why would she?
She believed she had already won enough pieces.
“Your marriage would have calmed people,” she said.
“Mine?”
“Genevieve is loved.”
I looked at her daughter.
Genevieve’s face was empty.
Vivienne continued.
“If she stood beside you and asked for compromise, your men would listen.”
“And if she refused?”
Vivienne smiled.
“She wouldn’t.”
Genevieve finally spoke.
“You never planned to let me control the council.”
Her mother looked genuinely surprised by the question.
“Control it?”
That one word revealed everything.
Genevieve had spent years believing she would gain authority as compensation for obedience.
Vivienne never intended it.
A daughter was useful.
Not equal.
Marcus leaned back.
“This emotional detour changes nothing.”
I looked at him.
“You have four captains?”
“Enough.”
“No.”
His smile faded.
“You needed my wedding.”
I glanced at Genevieve.
“That part is gone.”
Vivienne’s expression changed for the first time.
There.
The marriage had been more important than they admitted.
Without it, Ashworth intervention became exactly what it was.
External interference.
Old captains could still rebel.
But they could no longer pretend a family union legitimized the shift.
I looked at Vincent and Paul.
Two of my own.
“How much?”
Vincent answered:
“This isn’t about money.”
“Then you’re more foolish than I hoped.”
Paul stiffened.
They believed I had weakened Rienzi.
Same argument every old faction uses when cruelty becomes less profitable.
I closed harbor collections that targeted small merchants.
Removed commanders who used children to enforce debts.
Refused marriages as settlement.
They called it softness.
Vivienne called it instability.
Marcus called it waste.
I called it choosing what kind of organization deserved to survive.
Then Rafe’s phone buzzed.
He read the message.
His face changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Amara and Fatima are gone.”
Everything inside me stopped.
Genevieve stared at her mother.
Vivienne did not.
Too composed.
I stepped toward her.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
Then Genevieve whispered:
“Mom.”
Vivienne looked at her daughter.
May you like
Genevieve finally said the truth.
“She always keeps insurance.”
