Chapter 12 - THE WEDDING WAS NEVER A WEDDING
Victoria took off her engagement ring.
Slowly.
She placed it on the table.
Nathan looked at her.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending the part I understand.”
Richard’s face hardened.
“Victoria.”
She ignored him.
“I agreed to marry you because I wanted power.”
Nathan appreciated the truth.
It came late.
Still truth.
“I thought the Black Table was old men pretending they controlled the future.”
She looked at Edwin.
“I didn’t know there was someone above you.”
Edwin said nothing.
Victoria continued.
“I thought if I joined, I could protect myself.”
Grace entered from the doorway.
Nathan turned sharply.
Lily was not with her.
“Where is she?”
“With Julian and six guards.”
Nathan relaxed only slightly.
Grace looked at Victoria.
“Protect yourself from what?”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“From becoming my mother.”
Grace frowned.
Victoria continued.
“My mother married Richard because her family told her to.”
Richard looked away.
“She died hating everyone.”
Victoria’s voice hardened.
“I swore no man would ever choose my life for me.”
Grace looked at Nathan.
Then back.
“So you let old men choose it instead.”
Victoria flinched.
Nathan said nothing.
It was not his wound to interrupt.
Edwin spoke.
“Enough.”
Nathan turned.
“No.”
Edwin stared.
Nathan moved closer.
“The wedding was yours.”
“Yes.”
“Why Victoria?”
“Hayes blood gives stability.”
Nathan almost smiled.
“Meaning?”
“Richard’s people control routes your father lost.”
“So marriage consolidates.”
“Yes.”
“And if I refused?”
Edwin looked toward Grace.
“That became possible.”
Nathan’s eyes hardened.
“Grace was removed because she threatened the marriage.”
“Not then.”
“Three years ago Victoria and I weren’t engaged.”
“No.”
Edwin’s gaze shifted.
“Grace threatened the succession plan before there was a bride.”
Nathan understood.
Lily.
Even unborn.
“Marcus discovered Grace was pregnant.”
Grace went pale.
Edwin continued.
“The Table debated what to do.”
Nathan’s voice dropped.
“Debated.”
“Yes.”
“About my child.”
“Yes.”
Nathan crossed the room.
Richard moved.
Dante blocked him.
Nathan stopped inches from Edwin.
“What did you vote?”
Edwin met his eyes.
“To send Grace away.”
“And Lily?”
Edwin hesitated.
Nathan saw it.
“Say it.”
“To ensure the child was never recognized.”
Grace’s face emptied.
Victoria whispered:
“What does that mean?”
Edwin did not answer.
Nathan did.
“It means they were willing to make her disappear.”
Edwin lifted his chin.
“Arthur would have understood.”
Nathan hit him.
One punch.
Edwin fell against the chair.
Richard stepped forward.
Nathan looked at him.
Richard stopped.
Nathan crouched beside Edwin.
“I am not Arthur.”
Edwin touched blood at his mouth.
“That is the problem.”
Nathan almost smiled.
“Good.”
Grace stepped closer.
“Who changed the order?”
Nathan looked at her.
Grace stared at Edwin.
“You sent me away. Someone came later and threatened Lily before she was born. Who?”
Edwin’s expression changed.
Nathan saw it.
“You didn’t send the second man.”
“No.”
“Gabriel?”
“I don’t know.”
“Marcus?”
“Maybe.”
“Julian?”
“No.”
Grace whispered:
“So someone inside the Table wanted more than exile.”
Again.
The same pattern as Julian’s bombing.
Formal decision.
Then escalation.
A hidden hand using the system.
Nathan looked at Edwin.
“Who could override you?”
Edwin said nothing.
Nathan waited.
Finally:
“Only the Founder.”
Gabriel.
Richard whispered:
“He’s been gone forty years.”
Edwin looked at him.
“No.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Nathan laughed darkly.
“Everyone builds systems they can’t control.”
Edwin looked at him.
“Gabriel does not need control.”
“What does he need?”
“Fear.”
Nathan glanced toward the hallway.
His daughter was somewhere above.
Three years old.
Already used as leverage.
He looked back.
“Then he chose the wrong child.”
Edwin almost smiled.
“No.”
May you like
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“He chose the right father.”
