Larissa's Game of Thrones (Larissa) novel Chapter 397

Larissa pulled out her phone, opened Twitter, and saw Jagger’s name trending.

A series of high-definition surveillance videos from an underground casino had gone viral.

In the first clip, Jagger slammed a diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe onto the table. “I’m betting my new thoroughbred on this hand!”

In the second, he had his arm around a third-rate starlet as he signed an IOU for ten million. “Don’t worry, the Lincoln family owns thirty mines in Myanmar…”

The hashtags #Jagger Casino Scandal and #Lincoln Family Myanmar Mines were already climbing the trending list, sparking a firestorm of public outrage.

“Was this your work?” Kiernan asked again.

Larissa shook her head. “No, I was taking Bryant home yesterday.”

Kiernan nodded slowly. “If it wasn’t you, then it must have been Haskell.”

Larissa had suspected as much, but she was surprised by the speed of Haskell’s retaliation. It was enough to take down Jagger, but it wouldn’t be enough to cripple the entire Lincoln family. They could simply cut their losses and sacrifice him.

“Whether Haskell did this for his own family’s interests or to remove a threat to you, getting Jagger out of the picture is a good thing,” Kiernan said. “But now you have made a true enemy of the Lincoln family. Before, it might have been a personal grudge with Jagger. Now, it’s a war between families.”

Larissa understood her grandfather’s concern. The Judson family couldn’t withstand a full-scale assault from the Lincolns.

“Grandpa, you’re wrong about one thing. Jagger would never have let it go. He would have kept coming after me until it became a war between our families anyway.”

“So be it…” Kiernan said, his voice heavy. “Haskell’s move against Jagger at least shows us that he’s willing to stand on the front lines for you. It’s a reassurance.”

He sighed. “Paxton, Vivica, and their family have moved out. With everything that’s happened lately, I’ve decided to go abroad for a while. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

Sapphira knew from her daughter’s reaction that it wasn’t her work, but it didn’t matter. The Lincolns would blame her regardless.

“Life in Regal City is going to get much more difficult for you now. You haven’t just made an enemy of Jagger, or even just the Lincoln family. You’ve made enemies of everyone who benefits from them, everyone who sees you as a threat. But you’re not alone. Your father, your grandparents, your uncles… and that boy, Haskell, we will all protect you.”

Larissa felt no fear, only a surge of anticipation.

“Are you heading out now for Haskell’s treatment?”

“Yes.”

“Go on, then.” Sapphira turned to 001. “Remember, your only job is to protect Larissa, at all times.”

“Understood,” 001 replied, its voice flat and emotionless.