I kept my eyes fixed on Julian, watching his face crumple with confusion as Matriarch Genevieve's words hung in the cemetery air. The accusation that I had diverted Violet's kidney to my own daughter Isabelle was a deadly threat to everything I'd built.
My back burned where Aurelia's lashes had struck, blood trickling down my spine. I had to act quickly. Julian was wavering—I could see it in his amber eyes. Five years of manipulation could unravel in seconds if I didn't regain control.
"Mmph!" I struggled against the gag, making my eyes as wide and pleading as possible. I'd perfected this look over decades—the innocent, wrongfully accused victim.
Julian's protective instincts flared immediately. He turned to the Matriarch, his voice tight with barely controlled rage. "Remove her restraints. Now."
"You're making a grave mistake," Genevieve warned, her voice cold.
"I said NOW!" Julian's Alpha command thundered through the cemetery.
