Chapter 10
Cedric lost every Alderbourne role.
He expected death.
That angered me.
Not because I planned mercy.
Because his imagination revealed what he thought leadership was.
“You’re not important enough to kill over this.”
His face changed.
I continued:
“You’re important enough to remove.”
No meetings.
No capos.
No household access.
No family decisions.
No succession conversations.
He retained his home.
His money.
His name.
Just no authority.
That punishment confused him more than violence would have.
Men who live through power fear irrelevance most.
Before leaving, he said:
“You’ll regret weakening the family for one child.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
Then:
“I’m strengthening it by ending the idea that children belong to it.”
He almost smiled.
“You sound like your father at the end.”
May you like
Good.
This time I took it as praise.
