Chapter 4
Daniel Carrow was alive, nearby, and very involved.
That was the first surprise.
The second was worse.
He had been meeting with Malcolm inside my estate for seven months.
Not secretly sneaking through windows.
Invited.
By Tobias.
Using Cassandra’s household access.
My sister looked physically ill when she learned that.
“You brought Daniel into my home?”
Tobias answered:
“He’s my brother.”
“So is Octavian.”
Silence.
Good.
Blood arguments become less impressive when everyone has blood.
Daniel was supposed to arrive after Cassandra’s announcement.
A dramatic return.
Carrow brother beside Carrow brother.
Cassandra between them.
Then five Westbrook associates crossing the ballroom.
Visual.
Clean.
Powerful.
A family fracture designed for photographs.
I almost respected the staging.
Almost.
“Why the anniversary?”
I asked.
Tobias looked at me.
“Because this date is a lie.”
There.
Finally.
“What lie?”
He pointed toward the anniversary crest projected across the ballroom wall.
Eighteen years of peace.
Westbrook and Carrow.
One family.
Tobias laughed bitterly.
“My father didn’t join you. He was forced to kneel.”
Cassandra’s expression changed.
Not agreement.
Confusion.
I remembered Ellis Carrow differently.
He had come to my father after two of his captains turned on each other.
Three businesses burned.
Families threatened.
Men disappearing from their own crews.
Ellis asked Westbrook to absorb the stable operations before the Carrow name destroyed itself.
At least that was the version told to me.
Tobias had another.
He said my father created the chaos.
Paid two Carrow captains to rebel.
Then offered protection once Ellis had no choice.
I stared.
“Who told you?”
“My father.”
Interesting.
“When?”
“The night before he died.”
Ellis died eleven years ago.
Meaning Tobias carried this belief for eleven years.
Married to my sister for fourteen.
Sitting at my table.
Raising children inside a peace he believed began with betrayal.
Cassandra whispered:
“Your father told you that?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Tobias’s face tightened.
“Because you would choose Octavian.”
There.
The marriage wound beneath the political one.
He never trusted her choice.
So he planned to manufacture it publicly.
Then Cassandra said something neither of us expected.
“Ellis told me something too.”
Tobias stared.
“What?”
She looked at her husband.
“The night before he died.”
May you like
Same night.
Different story.
