Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs novel Chapter 641

Chapter 641: Help from the Agency?

She knew.

She didn’t need me to explain it, didn’t need the dramatic villain monologue or a PowerPoint presentation titled Why My Life Keeps Exploding.

She knew exactly why this had happened. Why five bullets had torn through me in a concrete garage like I was a plot device. Why her mother stood beside her shaking like a glass set too close to the edge of a table and not in a morgue.

Margaret was trembling. Not the dramatic kind you see in movies. The quiet, constant kind. Micro-quakes running through her frame, hands locked around Charlotte’s arm like that arm was load-bearing architecture.

She’d barely finished healing from Miami. From the kidnapping. From weeks of terror and therapy and pretending she was fine when she very much was not. She’d watched me almost die once already saving her.

And now the universe had apparently decided to run the sequel.

Too much. Anyone with eyes could see it. The cracks were there, spiderwebbing through her expression, stress fractures threatening full structural collapse. One more shove and she was going to shatter.

I held Charlotte’s gaze and softened my expression. Not your fault. None of this is on you. I needed her to hear it without words, because words felt too fragile for what she was carrying.

"I need you to help me," I said, addressing everyone, but my eyes never left her. "I need you to stay at the estate. Stay behind those walls where nothing can touch you."

"Peter—" Her voice broke immediately. Like glass tapping stone.

"Everything’s going to be okay," I said, gentle but firm, the tone you use when you’re lying for someone’s own good. "I promise. This will be over soon. Just... don’t worry. Let me handle it."

She nodded, tears pooling but not falling yet. Holding it together through sheer force of will.

I shifted my gaze just enough to catch Madison, then back to Margaret. A silent message passed. Take care of her. Don’t let her fold.

Madison got it instantly. She moved to Margaret’s other side, slipped an arm around her waist, became a human support beam as Margaret’s knees flirted with the idea of giving up entirely.

"I know you want to come to the hospital," I continued. "I know you want to see me with your own eyes, poke me, confirm I’m not a very convincing ghost. But right now, the safest place for all of you is exactly where you are. Please. Trust me on this."

Madison’s jaw tightened like she wanted to argue, fight me, kidnap the hospital if necessary. Then she nodded. Sharp. Controlled.

"How long?" she asked.

"Days. Maybe a week."

Priya scrubbed at her face, smearing makeup that had cost more than most people’s rent. "And then what?"

"Then I come home," I said. "And this ends."

I shifted my focus to the back of the room, where Soo-Jin stood like a shadow with opinions. Calm. Alert. Already three steps ahead. ARIA hummed in my skull, waiting.

"ARIA. Soo-Jin." My tone changed. No softness now. This was steel. "Activate full security protocols. And release "THEM"."

Soo-Jin’s eyes flickered once. Understanding clicked. She nodded and turned on her heel, already moving, already executing, without asking a single clarifying question.

That alone should’ve terrified them.

The women exchanged looks. Confused. Uneasy. Madison frowned. "Release what?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"You’ll be safe," I said, deliberately vague. "That’s all that matters. Trust me."

Luna shifted uncomfortably but stayed quiet. Smart girl.

I could see the questions stacking up behind their eyes. What did I just authorize. Where was Soo-Jin going. What exactly was about to be unleashed in their defense.

They didn’t ask.

Maybe they were exhausted. Maybe they trusted me. Or maybe something in my voice made it very clear this was not a Q&A session and the answers would not be comforting.

"I’ll be home soon," I said, looking at each face in turn. "A few days to recover. Make sure the doctors aren’t hallucinating my vitals. Then I’m back. Until then, ARIA and Soo-Jin are in charge. Listen to them. Follow protocols. Stay alive."

Linda wiped her eyes and nodded. "We’ll be here."

"We love you," Madison said. Her voice was steady now, even with tears still clinging to her lashes. "All of us. Come home safe."

"I will."

"I’ll call tomorrow," I added. "Give you an update. Until then—"

"We know," Jasmine cut in. "Stay inside. Follow orders. Let the spooky mystery defenses do their thing. Message received."

I smiled despite the pain. "Good."

The hologram flickered as I started to disconnect, but Linda’s voice stopped me.

"Peter?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

The irony punched me straight in the soul. I laughed. Sharp. Bitter. Real. "Thanks, Mom. Best birthday ever."

"Worst birthday ever," she corrected gently.

"Also, accurate."

I disconnected.

ARIA’s voice slid in, softer now. "They’re settling down. Soo-Jin is executing the security upgrades. Estate lockdown remains in effect. And I am bringing THEM."

"We know where he is. Volkov too." Her tone was flat. Clinical. "Locating them is not the issue. The issue is you are currently perforated. Once you’re healed enough to move, we proceed. Simple."

"Ava’s handling what?"

"So," I wheezed, "I’m officially a line item on a balance sheet."

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