The man was taken away quickly.
Guards dragged him out while guests pretended not to see. Music resumed. Laughter returned. The party continued like nothing had happened.
Seren stood frozen.
She kept seeing the man's face.
Not because of the blood.
Not because of the chaos.
But because she knew him.
Alaric noticed her stillness.
"Go upstairs," he said quietly. "Now."
"I'm fine," Seren replied.
"No," he said firmly. "You're not."
Their eyes met. Something passed between them. Not trust. Not anger. Something heavier.
Seren turned and walked away without another word.
---
In her room, she locked the door and pressed her back against it.
Her hands were shaking.
The man downstairs was named Rowan Hale.
He had worked for her father.
He was supposed to be dead.
Her phone vibrated.
You saw him, the message read.
Seren stared at the screen.
Yes.
Then you know this is bigger than Vale.
Her jaw tightened.
Why wasn't I told?
The reply took longer this time.
Because knowing puts you in danger.
Seren laughed under her breath.
I married danger.
She turned the phone face down.
Too many lies. Too many missing pieces.
---
An hour later, there was another knock.
Seren did not answer.
The knock came again.
"Seren," Alaric said through the door. "Open it."
She hesitated, then did.
His expression was darker than before. Controlled, but strained.
"You recognized him," he said.
She didn't ask how he knew.
"Yes."
"From where?"
She chose her words carefully. "He worked with my family. Years ago."
Alaric's eyes sharpened. "He tried to steal internal files."
"Did he succeed?"
"No."
"That's good," she said quietly.
Alaric studied her. "Why?"
"Because if he had," Seren replied, "you'd already be dead."
Silence filled the room.
"That's not funny," Alaric said.
"I wasn't joking."
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
"You need to tell me everything you know," he said.
Seren shook her head. "Not yet."
His jaw tightened. "This affects my company. My life."
"It also affects mine," she snapped. "And you don't get to decide when I talk."
They stood inches apart now.
"You're hiding something," Alaric said.
"So are you," Seren replied.
For a moment, it felt like they might explode.
Instead, Alaric stepped back.
"Fine," he said. "But understand this. Anyone connected to that man is a threat."
"Even me?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer.
That hurt more than she expected.
---
Later that night, Seren couldn't sleep again.
She slipped out of her room and walked quietly down the hall. Not toward Alaric's study. Toward the guest wing.
She found it on the second door.
A temporary holding room.
The door was guarded.
Seren stopped, heart pounding.
One of the guards recognized her. "Mrs. Vale?"
"I need to see him," she said.
The guard hesitated. "Mr. Vale didn't—"
"I'll take responsibility," she said firmly.
After a pause, the door opened.
Rowan sat in a chair, wrists bound, face pale.
His eyes widened when he saw her.
"You shouldn't be here," he whispered.
"You shouldn't be alive," Seren replied.
He laughed weakly. "Funny world."
"Why are you here?" she asked. "Why now?"
"They're moving," Rowan said. "The people who ruined your family. And Vale is in the middle of it."
Seren's heart dropped.
"Is he one of them?"
Rowan shook his head slowly. "No. But he's standing on their ground."
Footsteps echoed outside.
Seren stepped back just as the door opened.
Alaric stood there.
His gaze moved from Rowan to Seren.
"You went behind my back," he said.
"I needed answers," Seren replied.
Rowan looked between them. "You're married," he said softly. "That complicates things."
Alaric's eyes never left Seren.
"You just made yourself part of this," he said.
Seren lifted her chin. "I already was."
Behind them, Rowan smiled sadly.
Because both of them were already too deep to walk away.