Chapter 20 - Shadows in the Marble
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My fingers trembled slightly as I broke the gold wax seal and pulled out a single sheet of heavy parchment paper.
Written in elegant, blood-red copperplate calligraphy were five short lines that made the night air turn instantly to ice:
“Dear Miss Sterling,
You broke our puppet, Isaac. You destroyed our bank, Vance Construction. You reclaimed your little kingdom.
But Arthur Vance owed us two hundred million dollars.
And in our world, debts are inherited by the one who takes the crown.
We will see you soon.
— The Falcon.”
I stared at the red ink, the paper shaking in my hand as the chilling reality sank into my mind.
Isaac was never the master. Arthur was never the king. They were merely tiny, disposable pawns sitting on a massive, global chessboard I didn't even know existed.
Caleb immediately drew his encrypted comms radio from his jacket. “Noah, lock down the perimeter. Activate Protocol Omega immediately.”
Within seconds, the silent grounds of the Sterling Manor erupted into activity as spotlight beams cut through the darkness and armored security personnel took positions across the estate walls.
Noah, Leo, Julian, and Marcus rushed out onto the terrace, their faces dark and focused as Caleb handed Noah the letter.
Noah read the words slowly, his eyes narrowing into two slits of pure, lethal steel.
He looked up at the dark horizon, then turned his gaze to me.
“Let them come,” Noah whispered, his voice vibrating with dangerous, unyielding power.
I folded the letter, gripping it tight in my hand, and looked out into the endless, shadowy night.
May you like
The battle with Isaac Vance was over.
But the real war had only just begun.
