The Thorne Heiress Unveiling Shadow novel Chapter 93

The video feed from Kaelen's office went black. The sudden silence in the Thorne command center was heavy and absolute.

"He cut the feed," Chase said, his voice tight with suspicion. "Why would he do that?"

Evelyn stared at the blank screen, her mind racing. It wasn't a technical issue. It was a deliberate act. Kaelen was hiding his reaction. Before she could begin to trace the reason why, every monitor in the room lit up with a second wave of news alerts.

This one was different. It was personal.

The headline was brutal: TRAGIC TIES: BLACKWOOD VICTIM WAS CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND OF LILLIAN THORNE.

The story was accompanied by old photos. A young, smiling Lillian, arm-in-arm with a handsome young man. The caption identified him as Alistair Finch.

The blood drained from Lillian's face. She let out a small, wounded sound and sank into a chair. "Alistair…" she whispered, her hand covering her mouth. "I… I had no idea."

Arthur rushed to his wife's side, his face a mask of cold fury. Chase stood frozen for a moment, his eyes wide with a dawning, horrified realization.

Then, he turned to look at Evelyn, his expression hardening into one of pure, protective rage. The trust he had begun to build with Kaelen had just been completely, utterly annihilated.

The fight moved from the command center to the grand living room at Thorne Crest. Kaelen had been summoned. He didn't send an excuse. He came immediately.

He walked into the room, his face pale but composed. He looked like a man walking to his own execution. Arthur, Lillian, and Chase were waiting for him. They stood together, a united, grieving family.

He was the outsider. The enemy.

"Did you know?" Chase asked, his voice a low, dangerous growl. He took a step forward, blocking Kaelen's path to Evelyn. "All this time, getting close to my sister. The partnership. The dinners. The fake engagement. Was it all just some sick game? A way to clear your family's conscience?"

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