The oppressive copper scent of blood hanging in the air gradually yielded to a delicate floral fragrance carried on the evening breeze, lifting her spirits slightly. “Why are you calling?” she answered, her voice soft as silk.

Vincent’s concerned voice crackled through the line. “Why is he suddenly inviting you to dinner? Could it be a trap? Wait for me, I’ll go with you.”

Vincent was intimately familiar with everything that had unfolded earlier. If something sinister lurked beneath Bernie’s facade, the situation could turn perilous in an instant. Of course, if his suspicions proved unfounded, that would be the best outcome.

However, Katelyn swiftly rejected Vincent’s offer. “No need. If you come along, it’ll attract too much attention. If he really is up to something, he might get suspicious and act rashly.”

That scenario was precisely what she hoped to avoid. She harbored no fears for her own safety. Her paramount concern was Alfy becoming ensnared in whatever web was being spun. The mere thought of Alfy suffering any harm made her blood run cold.

Vincent’s brows knitted together tightly, his anxiety palpable across the connection. After a weighted silence, he reluctantly yielded, “Fine. But if anything happens, call me immediately.”

Katelyn understood the depth of his worry and offered reassurance without hesitation. “I will, don’t worry.”

At that moment, her eyes drifted toward her subordinates methodically removing Chester’s and Fiona’s lifeless bodies. A fresh wave of sorrow crashed over her.

Detecting her telling silence, Vincent’s tone shifted to one of grave concern. “What about Chester? Did you get anything out of him?” Though Katelyn hadn’t uttered a single word about it, Vincent sensed instinctively that something was amiss.

Turning her back on the grim scene, Katelyn recounted the entire harrowing encounter in meticulous detail.

ν

Vincent listened without interruption, then spoke with gentle compassion. “Don’t dwell on it too much. They brought this upon themselves. And trust me, the things the Robles family has done in secret are far worse than what you’ve seen.”

Katelyn’s eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing her features. “Aside from tax evasion and helping the current king with certain matters, what else have they done?” she asked, genuine confusion lacing her words.

If Vincent was speaking with such gravity, the situation was undoubtedly more complex than she had imagined.

Vincent’s expression darkened perceptibly as he delivered the grim truth. “If my intel is correct, they’ve been involved in human trafficking.”

Katelyn sucked in a sharp breath. The nobles of Yata were actually trafficking people? She had always known the world harbored shadows, but she hadn’t fathomed depths this dark. If such atrocities came to light, those families would crumble into dust—a downfall both swift and absolute.

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Message from Noa: I hope you enjoyed the new chapters, dear ones. Today, we also have a newly completed novel. God loves you, and Noa wishes you all the best. (? ? – ? ) ?

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