Chapter 19 - Whispers from the East
That evening, the Everhart estate hosted a quiet dinner for their closest allies. Marcus Vance had been formally sentenced to eight years in federal custody, and Victoria was awaiting trial at a high-security detention facility with no bail.
In the dining room, Christian stood by the French doors, maintaining visual surveillance over the darkened grounds.
Claire and Nathaniel sat at the long candlelit table, discussing plans for a long-delayed honeymoon in the Mediterranean.
"Two weeks in Greece," Nathaniel insisted with a rare, playful smirk. "No phones, no corporate mergers, and definitely no board meetings."
"And what happens if the markets drop half a point while you're swimming in the Aegean?" Claire teased, raising her wine glass.
"Then the markets can drop," Nathaniel replied without a second of hesitation. "I spent ten years building an empire because I thought wealth was the only thing that could keep me safe. But the only thing that actually gave my life meaning was the day you walked into it."
Claire reached across the table, taking his hand, her heart overflowing with a fierce, quiet devotion. "I love you, Nathaniel."
"I love you, Claire. With everything I am."
Suddenly, Christian’s communication earpiece emitted a sharp burst of static.
Christian tapped his ear, his posture stiffening immediately. "Say that again. Repeat transmission."
Nathaniel noticed the shift instantly, his playful expression vanishing. "Christian? What is it?"
Christian looked toward the dining room table, his face pale beneath the warm chandelier light. "Sir... our perimeter sensors at the southern gate just went offline."
Nathaniel stood up. "Power failure?"
"No, sir," Christian replied, unholstering his sidearm with practiced precision. "The fiber-optic cables were cleanly severed. Someone just cut the entire estate's external grid."
Before Nathaniel could issue an order, the chandeliers overhead flickered once, twice, and died.
May you like
The entire mansion plunged into pitch-black darkness.
***
