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Velvet chains of winter

Chapter 36 THE COST OF STANDING

Word Count: 690    |    Released on: 07/01/2026

the hard way: confront

announ

t began be

possible to ignore. Meetings were delayed. Documents went missing. Invitati

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1 Chapter 1 THE COLLISION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING 2 Chapter 2 A HOUSE THAT WAS NEVER HOME 3 Chapter 3 SHADOWS IN THE HALLWAYS 4 Chapter 4 THE WEIGHT OF BEING SEEN 5 Chapter 5 LINES THAT CAN'T BE UNCROSSED 6 Chapter 6 WHEN THE WALLS CLOSE IN 7 Chapter 7 A PLACE THAT IS NOT A CAGE 8 Chapter 8 THE COST OF PROTECTION 9 Chapter 9 WHEN SILENCE BREAKS 10 Chapter 10 THE COST OF BEING SEEN 11 Chapter 11 A LINE THAT CAN'T BE UNSEEN 12 Chapter 12 THE NEXT MOVE 13 Chapter 13 THE SHAPE OF DEFIANCE 14 Chapter 14 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS 15 Chapter 15 CLOSE ENOUGH TO MATTER 16 Chapter 16 FAULT LINES 17 Chapter 17 THE WEIGHT OF KNOWING 18 Chapter 18 THE PRICE OF STANDING 19 Chapter 19 UNDER EXAMINATION 20 Chapter 20 THE MASK SLIPS 21 Chapter 21 THE WEIGHT AFTER 22 Chapter 22 THE FIRST CRACK 23 Chapter 23 SHADOWS AND ALLIANCES 24 Chapter 24 THE FIRST PUBLIC CLASH 25 Chapter 25 FLAMES OF RETALIATION 26 Chapter 26 SECRETS IN THE STORM 27 Chapter 27 SHADOWS OF BETRAYAL 28 Chapter 28 THE WEB TIGHTENS 29 Chapter 29 SHADOWS OF LOYALTY 30 Chapter 30 THE PUBLIC GAME 31 Chapter 31 WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS 32 Chapter 32 THE FIRST STRIKE 33 Chapter 33 THE TRAP UNFOLDS 34 Chapter 34 FAULT LINES 35 Chapter 35 LINES THAT CANNOT BE ERASED 36 Chapter 36 THE COST OF STANDING 37 Chapter 37 THE SHAPE OF SILENCE 38 Chapter 38 THE QUIET BEFORE THE FRACTURE 39 Chapter 39 LINES THAT CANNOT BE REDRAWN 40 Chapter 40 THE WEIGHT OF CHOICE 41 Chapter 41 SHADOWS AND REVELATIONS 42 Chapter 42 UNSEEN THREATS43 Chapter 43 SHADOWS OF INTRIGUE 44 Chapter 44 FRACTURED ALLIANCES 45 Chapter 45 TURNING THE TIDE 46 Chapter 46 THE RETALIATION 47 Chapter 47 FRACTURED TRUST 48 Chapter 48 TIDES OF DECEPTION 49 Chapter 49 LINES OF BETRAYAL 50 Chapter 50 THERADS OF TRUST 51 Chapter 51 THE WEB TIGHTENS 52 Chapter 52 FAULT LINES BENEATH THE ICE 53 Chapter 53 THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE 54 Chapter 54 EYES ON THE TABLE 55 Chapter 55 WHERE LEAVERAGE LIVES 56 Chapter 56 A CALCULATED EXPOSURE 57 Chapter 57 SHADOWS IN THE BOARDROOM 58 Chapter 58 ESCALATION 59 Chapter 59 LINES DRAWN 60 Chapter 60 THE RECKONING 61 Chapter 61 PRESSURE POINTS 62 Chapter 62 STRESS FRACTURES 63 Chapter 63 THE COST OF VISIBILITY 64 Chapter 64 SHIFTING GROUNDS 65 Chapter 65 TANGLED ALLIANCES 66 Chapter 66 SHADOWS AND STRATEGY 67 Chapter 67 FRACTURED LOYALTIES68 Chapter 68 THE EDGE OF DECEPTION 69 Chapter 69 WHERE TRUST BEGIN TO FRACTURE 70 Chapter 70 THE WEIGHT OF WHAT CANNOT BE SAID 71 Chapter 71 WHEN POWER HAS A PULSE 72 Chapter 72 THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM 73 Chapter 73 WHAT LINGERS AFTER 74 Chapter 74 EYES THAT NOTICE TOO MUCH 75 Chapter 75 KAEL'S SILENCE 76 Chapter 76 AFTER HOURS77 Chapter 77 UNSAID 78 Chapter 78 BETWEEN RESTRAINT AND RUIN 79 Chapter 79 THE QUIET THAT FOLLOWS WANT 80 Chapter 80 FRACTURES IN CONTROL 81 Chapter 81 SHADOWS OF JEALOUSY 82 Chapter 82 BETWEEN SHADOWS AND SILENCE 83 Chapter 83 THE FRACTURE OF CONTROL 84 Chapter 84 TANGLED IN DESIRE 85 Chapter 85 SPARKS IGNITED 86 Chapter 86 AFTER THE SPARK 87 Chapter 87 FLAMES REKINDLED 88 Chapter 88 TENSION IN THE AIR 89 Chapter 89 AFTER THE SPARK 90 Chapter 90 SPACE BETWEEN THEM 91 Chapter 91 LINES DRAWN 92 Chapter 92 LINES OF FIRE 93 Chapter 93 A TANGLED WEB 94 Chapter 94 UNEXPECTED ALLIANCES 95 Chapter 95 THE FIRST MOVE 96 Chapter 96 FLAMES OF RETALIATION 97 Chapter 97 EDGE OF DESIRE 98 Chapter 98 TENSION IN THE RANK 99 Chapter 99 CROSSING THE THRESHOLD 100 Chapter 100 SHADOWS OF ABSENCE