Serena Maxwell
The Cross townhouse gleamed under the afternoon light — all polished marble, gilded doors, and restraint.
To the unknowing eye, it was the picture of power's quiet grace.
But Serena had learned better.
Every shadow in this house carried a gaze.
Every silence was a kind of test.
She stepped through the open doorway, her gloved hands clasped to hide the faint tremor in her fingers. She had dressed deliberately — a deep blue gown, modest, unprovocative, chosen to convey obedience and calm. Yet her heart was a battlefield of unease.
The butler led her toward the study. She didn't need to be told that Christopher was already inside. His presence was a weight that made the air feel heavier before she even entered.
When the door opened, she saw him standing by the tall window.
Christopher Cross — Minister of Justice, empire's rising shadow.
