Chapter 43: I’ll Accept the Alliance
The silence that followed Serathine’s departure was broken only by the faint sound of her heels on the marble floor of the hall.
Christian remained where he stood, the closed folder still in his hand, its edges neat and unassuming, as if it didn’t bear the weight of someone’s stolen life within its pages.
Outside, the city moved on. Slow and glittering. Unaware.
He didn’t move for a long time. Christian’s thoughts raced through his mind.
Lucas had chosen Trevor.
Of course he had. Of course Serathine would want him aligned with someone polished, presentable, and politically clean. Of course the boy, torn, fragile, rebuilding his bones from memory, would lean toward the man who hadn’t been tied to a forged contract, who hadn’t been the monster standing in a hallway as everything inside him collapsed.
But that didn’t make it right or final.
Christian walked back to his desk, each step measured. He placed the folder down on the surface like he was setting the first stone of a foundation, not evidence of betrayal.
Trevor hadn’t earned Lucas.
He’d simply caught him before he hit the ground.
Christian—he had been building the ground.
He sat, finally, fingers steepled before him, and let the silence settle fully.