Chapter 69
The grand hall was quiet, but Freya’s mind burned with calculation She paced along the polished floor, heels clicking with a cold rhythm. Her voice, low and sharp, carried authority as she instructed a small cluster of trusted allies.
“Listen carefully,” she said, her gaze cutting across the room like steel. “Adrian Cole cannot survive this duel. He must die. No compromises. No second chances. Not as long as I’m in control. Even if we have to manipulate the entire event, even if it takes using every trick we’ve honed for years, he must not walk away as living man.”
The people she addressed nodded silently, the weight of her words sinking in. They had been with her long enough to know she didn’t bluff, and she didn’t take orders lightly. This was more than a duel–it was a test of survival, of strategy, and of power.
As her instructions echoed in the chamber, one figure lingered, hesitant. Dr. Arvan’s former disciple, a man whose loyalty to the late Arvan had always been steadfast, stepped forward cautiously. “Miss Ventress,” he said, bowing his head slightly, “do you truly think this duel is necessary? Your father has already… suffered. His eyesight…Adrian foresaw it. Shouldn’t we consider keeping him alive? Someone of his power could be… useful. If we forge alliances, he could serve your family.”
Freya’s eyes snapped to him, sharp and dangerous. The man flinched under her gaze. Without thinking, she struck him across the cheek, the sound echoing through the hall. “Shut your mouth!” she spat.
“Don’t talk about my father’s misfortune. No one would ever forgive that. You think I’ll tolerate whispers about blindness or weakness? Silence yourself!”
The disciple swallowed hard, his face red and trembling. “I… I didn’t mean disrespect…”
“Disrespect?” she repeated, her voice rising. “If I keep someone with more power than me alive, I lose everything. I lose the presidency. I lose control. This duel is not just about Adrian–it’s about securing my family’s place, my power. You think Arvan would dare look me in the eyes? He didn’t. And he paid for it. If I hesitate, if I falter, the same fate could fall upon me. You better finish the formula I gave you and leave.”
The disciple bowed deeply, retreating quickly, leaving Freya alone in the hall. She exhaled slowly, her shoulders stiff with tension, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“Fools,” she whispered to herself. “All of them… they’re so foolish. My father’s blindness? His schemes? He wanted the presidency for his brother. He only wanted to manipulate, to control through me. And his little games… the poison, Catherine’s grandfather’s illness–everything points back to him. If I allow Adrian to live, all of my plans, every sacrifice, every move I’ve made over these years, it will be exposed. Wasted. Gone.”
Her eyes narrowed, glinting with ruthless precision. “No. I won’t allow that. Adrian Cole must fall, no matter what it takes.”
Meanwhile, the disciple rushed through the corridors, his mind racing. He had seen Freya’s resolve, had felt the fury in her voice. His thoughts tumbled over themselves as he made his way to Mr. Ventress, the patriarch of the family, who sat in his private study.
“Sir,” the disciple began, urgency in his tone, “I have news. Miss Ventress… she insists. She will continue with the duel. She will not-”
He froze as the maids rushed past him, their faces pale and tense. Sir,” one said breathlessly, “after taking the medication, he’s… he’s complaining about his ears. He says he can’t hear. He can’t hear at all now.”
Mr. Ventress’s face drained of color. He lifted a trembling hand to his ear, panic flashing across his features. “i can’t hear or see anything?” he stammered. “I… I need to hear!”
“How will he hear the news I brought to him?” He asked the maid
“I don’t know Sir, nothing was wrong with his hearing until now. I have been trying to reach Mrs Freya but wasn’t reachable. I just spoke with his son and he said he would he back” she left out.
“We should take him to the hospital and run some test” he let out.
“No we can’t, Mrs Freya wanted me against that” she left out.
He was stunned and didn’t know what to do and then Mr Ventress cried.
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Chapter 69
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“Please, Bring him… bring Adrian here immediately. I will apologize, I will do anything. I’ll step aside. Just… don’t let this end badly!”
The disciple nodded, realizing the gravity of the situation. He knew that any delay could prove disastrous.
The disciple bowed deeply eventhough he knows he can’t hear. “I will do my best, sir. I will go immediately and bring Adrian here.”
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