Vincent gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white, fury pulsing through his veins. The road ahead was a blur, his mind clouded with everything that had unfolded back at the mansion. He had stormed out the moment Olivia started spewing her soft-toned venom, unable to bear another second of the hypocrisy. He didn't even know where he was going—he just needed to get away.
The engine roared as he accelerated, but his thoughts were louder. Rose. Daniel. He had stayed quiet when it mattered most, and now the guilt ate away at him like rust corroding metal. He slammed his palm against the steering wheel, once. Twice. A third time, until the pain in his hand was a welcome distraction from the ache in his chest.
Eventually, he pulled over at a quiet roadside, a forgotten patch of earth with a small pond tucked behind some wild bushes. The world was silent there, save for the chirping of birds and the gentle ripple of water disturbed by darting fish.
He stood at the edge of the pond, hands shoved into his pockets, jaw clenched. The fish moved in fluid synchrony, peaceful in their habitat, unbothered by the cruelty of men. It reminded him of simpler days, when their family hadn't been tainted by betrayal, when their mother was still alive. When Rose still smiled like she meant it.
He had thought Rose and Daniel were just being difficult, their absence a test of pride. But no—his father had cut them off like loose threads. Disowned. Their own flesh and blood. He shook his head, trying to process how things had escalated this far. Dominic Moreau had once been feared by his enemies and revered by his family. Now? He was simply feared, even by those who bore his name.
And Olivia... He never liked her. He had told himself he was imagining things, that his unease was just a son being protective of his mother's memory. But he saw it clearly now—Rose had been right all along. Olivia had sunk her claws in deep, and Dominic let her.
His phone buzzed. A name flashed on the screen: Jace.
Vincent answered with a sharp, "Yeah?"
"Boss, the troops are ready. Waiting for you at the site."
He didn't reply immediately. The word boss echoed in his head. A title, a role, a responsibility. He was a Moreau, and he had power. But what good was it if he couldn't even protect his own?
"I'll be there," he said finally, and ended the call. He took one last look at the water, then turned away with a new fire in his eyes.
---
Back to the Present…
The black luxury car rolled up to the grand Carter mansion, wheels crunching softly against the gravel path. Rose stepped out, her eyes lifting to the towering structure before her. Though she had been here before, today it felt… different. Heavier. Like the world was watching.
Laurence, the new chauffeur, had opened the car door and helped her with her luggage earlier, despite her brushing him off and doing it herself. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about what Julian might be planning.
She entered the familiar halls of the Carter estate. Everything looked the same—immaculate, pristine, and overwhelming. She glanced around, her eyes catching the light that spilled through the windows, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.
A maid greeted her and informed her that Vivienne had stepped out with Madam Flourish. So Rose wandered a bit, letting herself reacquaint with the place. Her hand skimmed over the bannister of the staircase, her gaze lingering on the framed portraits and expensive art that lined the walls.
And then, without warning, her mind wandered back to Julian. The ball. The miserable way he had sat in that dimly lit room, his head heavy with something dark. She remembered the odd scent on him, the way his eyes had seemed unfocused. Someone had spiked his drink. She was sure of it.
The image of that woman—glamorous, dangerous, and too comfortable in the Carter kitchen—flashed in her mind. Was she involved? She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to chase shadows.
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Rose!"
She turned, her face lighting up as Vivienne ran toward her in excitement.
"Viv!" Rose exclaimed, opening her arms.
Vivienne practically jumped into her hug, squeezing tightly. "You're finally back! I missed you!"
"I missed you too," Rose laughed, the tension in her chest easing just a bit.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Flourish approaching from down the hall. The woman stopped a few feet away, gave Rose a cold once-over, nodded without a word, then turned and disappeared into her wing of the house.
"Still charming as ever," Rose muttered under her breath.
Vivienne giggled and pulled her toward one of the couches in the drawing room. "You have to catch me up on everything. So much has happened."
"And I thought I was the one with the drama," Rose teased.
They collapsed into easy laughter, the kind that mended cracks in the soul, at least for a little while. But even as they gossiped and joked, Rose couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was coming. And she wasn't ready.
Not yet.