77

I couldn’t sit still. My study was a cage, the damn clock on the wall ticking off every second like a countdown to hell. Every tick was a reminder of the precariousness of my new position, every tock a whisper of the danger lurking just outside. My mind raced, but one image burned through the chaos—Gabriella, locked up upstairs for her own damn safety. It was a mess, but hell, it was the only way.

The meeting earlier that day had scared the shit out of me. Not for myself but for her and also for our son. It’s all a mess. I killed their king, but they won’t accept me that easily as his replacement. How come my father still has influence even after his death? My blood boiled at the thought. I kicked a chair, watching it crash against the wall.

"Damn it, Gabriella," I muttered, frustration lacing my words. Why’d she have to be so headstrong? Last time, she nearly got herself killed, thinking she could negotiate with those backstabbers who pretended loyalty to my old man.

Enough. I had to