?Chapter 485:


    Elliana’s voice dropped, low and precise. “Tell me, Derek—who fed you that story?” The room stilled.


    Derek blinked, caught off guard. He floundered for a reply. Only Cole’s most trusted allies had apanied him to Podgend—Jason, his elite team, and a few handpicked loyalists. No leaks. No way that kind of information had slipped unless it was nted deliberately.


    What Derek had heard wasn’t fact but rumors spread by Irene, who had fabricated them to destabilize Elliana. And now, these very rumors were being repeated by Carter’s camp to serve their own agenda.


    Right now, under Elliana’s unrelenting stare, Derek faltered. He opened his mouth but then shut it again. No answer came. He had expected her to crack under the weight of scrutiny—to shrink, maybe cry. But instead, she stood like iron—cold, unyielding. Her gaze pinned him like a knife to the chest, and he couldn’t hold it.


    Elliana noted every twitch of Derek’s jaw, every darting nce—a guy unraveling beneath the intensity of her scrutiny. And she wasn’t about to let up. “Cat got your tongue?” she taunted, leaning in just enough to unnerve him. “If you can’t name a source, Derek, that makes this nder. And in this family, nder doesn’te without consequences.”


    “I—I heard it from the servants!” Derek blurted, iling for cover.


    Elliana’sugh sliced through the room like a de. “Let’s suspend disbelief for a moment and pretend your little tale holds water. Even then, most of the household staff have never set foot in Podgend. So you expect us to treat gossip from people miles away as fact?” She tilted her head, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “Tell me—are you naturally this dim, or just another fool dressed in designer threads?”


    “You!” Derek’s face turned beet red, a mix of fury and embarrassment flickering across his features. Just moments ago, he had been the self-assured user. Now, he stood exposed, unraveling under her questioning like a poorly stitched suit.


    rence stepped in smoothly, ying the diplomat to Derek’s firebrand. “Elliana,” he said with a cool smile, “Derek meant no harm—he’s just fiercely protective of the family. Please don’t take his words too harshly. He’s just impulsive.” He turned to Derek, his tone firm. “That’s enough. Stand down.”


    Chastened, Derek began to retreat behind Carter—until Elliana’s voice rang out, sharp andmanding. “Hold on.”


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    Derek froze, his spine stiffening as hisposure drained away, leaving him uneasy.


    Elliana’s gaze locked onto Derek, her eyes narrow and piercing. “If anyone can throw around baseless usations and hide behind so-called good intentions, what happens to order? What happens to truth? Rules exist for a reason. Without them, what would be the point of all this?”


    Derek never expected Elliana to cling to this issue so fiercely. He had intended to back down, but now his anger was surging. “Elliana, don’t push your luck!” he snapped, jabbing a finger at her, full of arrogance. “You think that just because I don’t have solid proof, you can say whatever you want? Just wait. I’ll uncover the truth—and when I do, you’ll regret every word!”


    Derek thought his outburst would shake Elliana, but instead, she stared at him like he was a fool and let out a cold, mockingugh. “Derek, that’s a cute threat.”


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