Chapter 8
The Hale faction arrived three days later.
Not armed.
Offended.
Six older men.
Victoria’s uncle Gregory led them.
He expected negotiation.
I gave him the duplicate ring.
Set it on the table between us.
His eyes widened.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
He reached.
I covered it with two fingers.
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“That belongs partly to Hale.”
“No.”
“It represents the agreement.”
“The agreement ended.”
“Your father never formally—”
I raised one hand.
He stopped.
“Victor used it without permission.”
Silence.
“Andrew took it back.”
Silence.
“My father hid it.”
Then:
“Which part sounds active?”
Gregory changed strategy.
“Victoria is marrying you.”
“No.”
That landed.
The engagement was over.
He looked toward her.
She sat across the room.
No ring.
No argument.
“Because of this?”
“No.”
I looked at Maya’s rope on the sideboard.
“Because when pressure arrived, she decided someone with less power could be restrained until convenient.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
That was the line.
Not ambition alone.
Not family grievance.
Choice.
Gregory dismissed Maya as staff.
Wrong move.
I looked at him.
“Leave.”
He laughed.
“You’re ending an alliance over a maid?”
“No.”
My voice stayed quiet.
“I’m ending this conversation because you still think her job changes what was done to her.”
He stood.
The Hale faction left without the ring.
No dramatic feud.
May you like
No declaration.
Just six men learning an object they had romanticized for fifteen years did not automatically open my house.
