Replacement Bride
avel. Celeste's letter had ignited a fire inside her - a desperate
ragile quiet, Aurelia crept through the dimly lit hallw
cient ledger hidden behind a false panel in
ames, dates, transactions that hinted at power plays and betrayals b
e never expected - a name that linked Da
shadow loome
an be danger
as quiet, but ed
already in danger. I m
ore. "There are parts of me you don't see -
me, the wall bet
to ask, "The
s, the truth kill
ce. "I don't care if it kills m
ike she was both a t
e not so differe
n them remained - a chasm filled with mis
es, carrying promises of war - both within
not spoken openly about what lingered beneath their uneasy truce, but their glances carr
tudy, poring over old documents by the glow of a single
lved in this," Damian s
ping closer. "If there's a war inside this
t's not one enemy-it's many. Greed, betr
stern-faced people standing around a massi
," Damian said. "They built this empire
the tension in the stiff smiles.
say she was the heart of the family, but the truth is, she
"And Celeste? How does
l memory. "She tried to break free. B
shadow slipped inside-a man wi
irl's rebellion?" the stranger a
ia te
d quietly. "My uncle. The re
on Aurelia like a pr
s, girl. Don't forget
ut flinching. "I'm not jus
y. "We'll see how lo
brushed against Aurelia's-a brief touc
" Damian said quietly. "This family wil
ed, her reso
e fight