No matter how wild things got outside, ra''s world was oddly still.


    She''d been kneeling on the marble floor in the foyer of the Palm Bay mansion for four hours. Her knees had long since gone numb, but she didn''t dare move. She had no idea what Dn would do—or if he''d drag other people into this mess because of her.


    Eventually, the pain got to her. She shuffled a little closer to the sofa, desperate for a break. It was strange: ever since Dn had disappeared upstairs, he hadn''te back down, and the house was empty-no staff, no noise, just silence echoing off the walls.


    She yawned, heavy and unrestrained. Last night, she and Eli had taken turns watching Beck, and she hadn''t slept at all. Now she was exhausted, her eyelids drooping. She leaned against the sofa for just a second-then, without meaning to, she drifted off, half sprawled on the floor, half slumped into the couch, clutching a throw pillow like it was a life raft.


    She didn''t wake until the middle of the night, jolted upright by footstepsing down the stairs. Groggy, she saw the pillow in her arms and tossed it aside, scrambling to kneel straight again.


    And there was Dn, sitting right beside her.


    Her mind went nk. When had hee down? Had he seen her sleeping like that? But he didn''t even look her way-just kept flipping through some papers, his attention somewhere far away.


    ra pressed her lips together, silent. Maybe Eden''s injuries weren''t as bad as everyone thought-otherwise, with how much Dn cared about her, ra wouldn''t still be here.


    She ducked her head as Aiden came downstairs, stopping next to Dn with the kind of politeness that only came from years of practice.


    "Mr. Ferguson, Walter wants to see you."


    Eden''s ident had convinced Walter there was something going on between Dn and ra-at the very least, that Dn cared about her. By making such a spectacle out of the whole thing, Dn was basically challenging Walter in front of everyone.


    Now the entire Ferguson family was waiting, probably hoping to watch Dn squirm.


    Aiden caught ra listening and, with a pointed nce, added, "Everyone else is there too. Walter even had Aaron brought over.”


    Trantion: this was a setup. A family showdown. All eyes on Dn.


    Dn didn''t react, just gave a quiet, "Okay."


    ra watched him, trying to figure out if she''d imagined the anger from earlier- that sh of emotion when the ss shattered at her feet. Was that side of Dn —the side that actually felt things—something he only showed her?


    She kept quiet, only hearing the soft roll of his wheelchair as he passed by. Instinctively, she sat up straighter, forcing herself to kneel even taller.


    She couldn''t help but wonder: why did Walter really want Dn there? Was it just about Eden? And if Eden''s situation was so serious, why hadn''t Dn taken it out on ra?


    None of it made sense. But then, nothing about Dn ever did. He was impossible to read, all his feelings buried so deep you''d never know they were there at all. The part he let the world see was barely the tip of the iceberg.


    No one knew what was hidden underneath. Maybe something terrifying.


    She was still lost in her thoughts when Aiden strode over, grabbed her phone right out of her hands, tossed it up and caught it, then picked up the remote and switched on the TV.


    Gossip news red from the screen. Henry''s name was everywhere.


    ra remembered him from when she was a kid, tagging along with Johnny to all those dinners. People always whispered about Henry-how he''d ruined so many lives it was impossible to keep count.


    She shot Aiden a look, wondering if he just wanted to give her something to do


    while she waited.


    But then a name caught her ear-Eden.


    She blinked, thinking she must''ve misheard, but there it was, stered across the


    screen.


    The anchor was saying that Eden


    was Henry''s daughter. Online, people were demanding she be


    kicked out of the country, and so far, no one from the Ferguson family had said a word in her defense.


    Eden was Henry''s daughter?


    ra always knew Eden wasn''t a real Ferguson, but how had this secret-her being Henry''s child-gotten out? It couldn''t have been Dn. He was always kind, always protective of Eden.


    Maybe the rest of the family had seen the news and wanted Eden gone, but Dn was fighting to keep her safe. Maybe that''s why Walter had called him in.


    Thinking about it, the whole thing finally made sense.


    ra couldn''t help a cold little smile. Eden deserved this.


    Of all the people in the world, she had to be Henry''s daughter. Henry-the devil everyone whispered about, the one who left nothing but destruction behind.