Chapter 62 His Father

(Iris)

“You have no choice.”

Elias let go of my arm and stepped back, staring at me with a complicated blend of emotions.

“Naomi can help us from the inside. But she’s not under your thumb anymore. She can do whatever she sees fit. But I can convince her that you are our best bet.” My words hung in the air, each one carefully chosen to avoid antagonizing him.

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Sit,” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. I complied, perching on the edge of the chair, my mind racing with potential strategies. But it soon became clear that strategy was not on his mind.

He opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of letters, placing them in front of me. “Father never told me about my mother. Now I know why,” he said, his voice tinged with bitterness.

“Mother?” I echoed, and he pushed the letters toward me.

I picked them up, my hands trembling slightly as I did so. I began to read, each letter revealing a piece of a puzzle I hadn’t even