A Scorned Heir's Reckoning

hoes of the gala's music a mocking co

r soft words of devotion to hi

, his voice now steady, cold, "my

ame. I won't be Izzy Monroe'

breath. "And I

oe, Olivia, all the Vanguard

istened, his expression

cle twitche

d you. They

an agreed.

port for them cut off. Im

ources, their housing. Everything. The Vande

dded slowl

t in his eyes. The naivete was g

ouncement. It will be clean. Public. They will be ex

to handle their departures carefully. Contracts, NDAs. We c

said. "But they need

of quiet planning with his f

ious to Ethan' s discover

ing a small, calculated smile that used to make

ame a week later, during a planned company ret

ing exercises, strategy sessions, and, for Et

th a small group, including

as his personal guest, a subtle signa

n for the Vanguard women, was laughing, tell

umbled, reached out, and br

, hard, with a the

he gasped, c

. He knew, with a sickening certa

ivia Chen was instantly at L

of concern, kneeling beside Leo. "

s wide and tearful, a

bling. He glanced at Ethan. "I... I just lost

ng Ethan look clumsy, care

see Leo as a victim and Ethan as the

than," Olivia snapped. "Can' t

e, her voice soothing. "Let me see. W

n a cold, acc

t said, yo

o say he' d barely touched Leo, that Leo ha

e clo

as the

as absolute, their judgment clouded by thei

feet, her arm around hi

glance as she and Olivia guide

r expression thoughtful, her eyes miss

ight?" she a

ad, a bitter taste in h

o their misunders

f the hike

ion, tending to Leo who was propped up on a sofa, his ankle

adjusted his pillows, he

ed Ethan

c display of h

cold fury simmering be

ears ago, when his father h

ct, shown a streak of arrogan

licly, though not cruelly, rep

nd hierarchy, he' d made her apologize to E

e him, her face pale, her eyes downc

a little sorry for her. He' d thou

emed so h

eo after his staged fall, her concern so genu

been forced. Her devotion

brutal confirmation of whe

him. Neve