Moira walked out of The Bayside Residence and headed straight to the underground parking garage. Cyril was already sitting in the car.
"Sir, the item has been delivered."
"Get in. We're heading back to Obsidian Estate."
Cyril rolled up the window and slipped in his earpiece.
Moira nodded and got into the driver's seat. She discreetly checked the rearview mirror. Seeing Cyril calmly staring at his phone, she wisely stayed silent.
Cyril tapped a few keys, and his screen switched to a hidden interface.
"Did that little punk really say that?"
A hoarse voice crackled through the earpiece, as chilling as a viper slithering over bare skin.
Cyril lowered his gaze, turned the volume all the way up, and tapped the record button.
Victoria's voice was thoroughly panicked. "Jaxen, is what that bastard said true? Did you... did you really poison the old man?"
"Yeah. Shame God was blind and let the old fossil survive."
There wasn't an ounce of remorse in Jaxen's voice; in fact, he sounded disappointed. "I just ran a few people over. The old bastard kicked me out of Athelvia for it. If he wasn't the head of the Ravenshire family, I wouldn't have had to leave. Don't you think he deserves to die?"
"Jaxen... you..."
Jaxen had only been eighteen at the time. Victoria had no idea he possessed such audacity. She was furious and terrified. "You were too reckless! What do we do now? That bastard says he has proof of the poisoning. If he tells your grandfather, you'll never be able to come back."
Jaxen stayed silent for a moment before sneering. "Why be afraid of a bastard? Didn't he say he could get me back within two years? Just play along with him for now. Don't piss him off. Once I'm back, I'll deal with him myself."
Victoria agreed, and the line went dead.
Cyril tapped his screen, saving the audio file.
That day in The Ancestral Hall, the wooden box the Patriarch kept happened to hold the evidence of Jaxen's poisoning attempt.
Victoria and Jaxen had schemed for years, never once realizing that the Patriarch had always known the poison was Jaxen's doing. The reason he left Jaxen to rot in Solenforth without a second thought was because the betrayal had frozen his heart completely.
The mother and son judged others by their own twisted standards, assuming that if the old man knew the truth, they would be dead. They had no idea the Patriarch had spared Jaxen's life despite knowing of his ultimate treason.
Cyril looked out the car window.
Can you truly turn a blind eye and play the fool forever?
It's a pity your mercy was entirely wasted on them.
*
At noon, Mina Blackthorne came to visit Vivienne again.
This time, she took a Ravenshire family car and brought an enormous haul of bags and boxes.
Since Sophia Everhart had joined The 313th Unit two years ago, there had been no news of her. Mina had gone to the Everhart family to ask, but no one there seemed to care.
The 313th Unit was a highly classified military division, making communication nearly impossible. Hearing that Alaric was heading there, Mina wanted to ask him to pass along some supplies and hopefully get an update on Sophia.
But Alaric was notoriously aloof. Terrified of being shot down before she could even ask, Mina took a different route and begged Vivienne for help.


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