Betrayed by My Ex, Marked by His Alpha Emperor Brother novel Chapter 229

Chapter 229: Chapter 229

Elara’s POV

The Sapphire Inn rose like a monument to indulgence. Fifteen floors of polished stone and enchanted glass. Gold-veined marble pillars framed the entrance. The doorman bowed as I passed.

I didn’t acknowledge him.

Inside, the lobby gleamed. Crystal chandeliers cast soft, warm light across floors so polished they reflected my silhouette back at me. A woman in a fur-trimmed cloak swept past, trailing expensive perfume. Everything here whispered wealth. Discretion. Secrets kept behind locked doors.

The front desk stretched across the far wall. A young man stood behind it, back straight, smile fixed. Professional. Practiced.

I approached him.

"Good afternoon, madam. Welcome to the Sapphire Inn. How may I assist you today?"

His eyes moved over me quickly. Assessing my clothing. My bearing. The quality of my cloak. I saw the moment he decided I belonged here.

"I need to speak with whoever manages your magical surveillance system," I said. My voice came out steady. Cold. Good.

His smile faltered slightly. "I beg your pardon, madam?"

I reached into the inner pocket of my cloak and withdrew the badge. The Nightfire crest caught the chandelier light. Imperial gold against deep black enamel. The crowned wolf snarled in miniature, its eyes set with tiny rubies.

The attendant’s expression shifted immediately. His professional smile became something closer to alarm.

"I’m conducting a time-sensitive investigation on behalf of His Imperial Majesty," I said. "I require access to your surveillance records. Immediately."

"Of—of course, madam. Right away." He was already reaching for something beneath the counter. A speaking crystal. His fingers fumbled with it. "I’ll summon our surveillance director at once. If you’d care to wait—"

"I’ll wait. But not long."

"Yes, madam. Absolutely. One moment."

He spoke rapidly into the crystal. Low. Urgent. I caught fragments: Imperial crest... surveillance records... immediately...

I stood with my hands clasped before me. Still. Composed. A woman on official business. Nothing more. Certainly not a wife hunting for proof that her world had shattered.

The man who appeared from a side corridor moved quickly. He was somewhere past forty. Completely bald, with a sheen of sweat on his scalp that suggested he’d rushed here. His uniform was pressed to knife-edge creases. Dark blue with silver trim. The inn’s colors.

"Your Majesty." He bowed deep. Lower than necessary. "I’m Roger, head of our surveillance division. It is an extraordinary honor. Please, allow me to escort you personally."

Your Majesty. So the front desk attendant had relayed more than I’d said. Or perhaps Roger recognized me. It didn’t matter. The title opened doors. That was all I needed.

"Lead the way," I said.

He took me through a service corridor. Narrow. Dimly lit. The glamour of the lobby dissolved into bare stone walls and humming enchantment lines that pulsed blue beneath the surface.

"We maintain comprehensive magical eye coverage on all floors," Roger explained as we walked. His voice had the cadence of a rehearsed tour. "All recordings are preserved for a standard period before archival. Fully secure. Tamper-proof. His Majesty’s security team has utilized our records before, of course—"

"Good. Then you understand the protocol."

"Absolutely, Your Majesty."

The surveillance room was small. Cramped. Banks of enchanted crystals lined the walls, each one flickering with pale, ghostly light. A workstation dominated the center—a flat viewing surface embedded in a stone pedestal, surrounded by control runes etched in silver.

Roger positioned himself behind the controls. His fingers hovered. Waiting.

"What timeframe do you require, Your Majesty?"

"Two days ago." My voice didn’t waver. "The Royal Suite corridor. Third floor. I need the magical eye footage from ten in the evening through noon the following day. But start the playback from nine forty-five."

If he found the request unusual, his face betrayed nothing. "Of course. One moment."

His fingers activated the runes. The viewing surface shimmered. Resolved. The image that formed was sharp. Clear. A corridor. Plush carpet. Wall sconces casting amber light. Empty.

A timestamp glowed in the corner. 9:45 PM.

"Shall I let it run, madam?" Roger asked. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Yes."

9:46. Nothing.

9:47. Still nothing. My heart beat against my ribs like something caged.

9:48.

A soft chime. The magical lift at the end of the corridor announced its arrival. The ornate doors slid open.

I watched in horror as he stepped out first.

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