Chapter 4
I had every drink at the head table removed.
No explanations.
No testing in front of guests.
I did not need a laboratory to understand intent.
Scarlett spoke quickly.
“It wasn’t poison.”
I looked at her.
“You’re doing poorly.”
Her mouth shut.
Cassian rubbed one hand over his face.
The plan, finally, came out.
During the engagement toast, I would drink.
Within minutes, I would become heavily drowsy.
Scarlett would announce that I had been working without sleep and needed privacy.
Cassian would escort me through the east corridor.
The Vaughn men would enter—not to attack.
To occupy visible positions throughout my mansion.
By the time guests understood something was wrong, half the ballroom would see Scarlett’s family standing beside Westbrook security.
An image.
Not a battle.
Then Cassian would announce that I had authorized a temporary joint command until morning.
I stared at him.
“You thought one unconscious night would give you Westbrook?”
“No.”
His voice broke slightly.
“Only enough time to stop you.”
“From what?”
Silence.
Then Scarlett said:
“From destroying my family.”
There.
Her real motive.
“What did I do to the Vaughns?”
She laughed bitterly.
“You killed my father.”
The ballroom disappeared around me.
Anthony Vaughn.
Dead four years.
Ambushed on a mountain road after leaving Westbrook territory.
Everyone knew the story.
He had betrayed my father years earlier, returned asking peace, then disappeared.
But I had not killed him.
I had done the opposite.
I spared him.
Scarlett saw my face.
“You’re going to deny it.”
“I’m going to tell you something worse.”
She stared.
“I let him leave.”
Her lips parted.
Cassian immediately said:
“Dorian.”
I turned toward him.
Too fast.
Too frightened.
And suddenly I understood why Scarlett had trusted him.
Not merely because he was close to me.
Because Cassian had been there the night Anthony Vaughn died.
He was the man who told me the road had been attacked before Anthony reached the state line.
May you like
I had believed my friend for four years.
Scarlett had apparently believed a very different version.
