Chapter 6 Final Coercion

The words "Richmond villa" hit Adela like a physical strike.

Her body jerked under Harmon's heavy suit jacket. The phantom feeling of her throat swelling shut returned. She saw Kayden's mocking smile. She saw her father's dismissive wave.

That house wasn't a home. It was a slaughterhouse.

Adela slowly lifted her head. She turned to look at Harmon. Her eyes were red and swollen, but the tears had stopped. A terrifying, dead calm had settled over her features.

"Yes," Adela said. Her voice was hoarse, but it didn't shake. "Take me to the villa. I need to get my things."

Harmon didn't ask questions. He didn't offer fake sympathy. He simply held her gaze for a second, a flicker of approval flashing in his cold blue eyes.

He tapped the glass partition. Donovan adjusted the route immediately.

The drive to the Upper East Side was suffocatingly silent. Adela stared out the window at the blurred neon lights, her fingers gripping the edge of Harmon's jacket so tightly her knuckles ached.

When the Maybach pulled up to the massive iron gates of the Richmond estate, the house was blazing with lights.

Adela opened the car door before Donovan could get out. She slipped Harmon's jacket off her shoulders and placed it neatly on the leather seat.

"Thank you," she said softly, not looking back at him.

"Keep it," Harmon said from the shadows of the car. "It's cold. I'll wait here."

Adela paused. Why would he wait? She didn't have the energy to argue. She shut the door and walked up the long, wet driveway toward the massive oak front doors.

She pushed the doors open.

The grand foyer was dead quiet, but voices echoed from the main living room.

Adela walked in.

Her entire family was gathered in the living room. Her father, Warren, stood by the fireplace. Her mother, Beatrice, was pacing. Her eldest brother, Alexzander, sat on the sofa checking his phone. And Kara, her adopted sister, was sitting gracefully in an armchair, sipping tea.

The moment Adela stepped into the room, all eyes snapped to her.

Warren's face instantly twisted in fury. "You finally decided to show up!" he barked, pointing a thick finger at her.

Beatrice rushed forward, grabbing Adela's cold, wet arm. "Addie, you look like a mess. Go upstairs, fix your makeup. The PR team has a statement ready. You are going to call Juston right now and apologize. We will spin this as a lover's quarrel."

Adela stared at her mother's manicured hand on her arm. She felt physically sick.

She violently yanked her arm out of Beatrice's grip.

Alexzander sighed loudly, rubbing his temples. "Adela, stop being so dramatic. Your little stunt tonight jeopardized the real estate merger with the Bond family. You are being incredibly selfish."

"Selfish?" Adela whispered. The word tasted like bile.

Kara set her teacup down. She stood up, smoothing her perfect silk dress, and walked over with a sickeningly sweet look of concern on her face.

"Sister, please don't be mad at Mom and Dad," Kara said, reaching out to touch the center of her own chest as if she were the one in pain. "They just want what's best for you. Juston is a good match. You'll be taken care of."

Adela looked at Kara's perfect, innocent face. It was a mask. It was all a mask.

Warren slammed his hand against the mantle. "You will marry Juston Bond, Adela! We have already initiated contact with the Holland trust's legal advisors tonight. We will be formally petitioning them to allow Kara to fulfill the marriage clause instead of you."

Warren puffed out his chest, asserting his absolute authority. "So you will marry Juston, and you will clear the path for your sister. That is your final duty to this family!"

Beatrice nodded frantically. "Yes, Addie. Kara and Harmon are a much better fit. You... you just need to settle down."

Adela looked at the four of them.

They didn't care that Juston had humiliated her. They didn't care that she was soaked to the bone. They just wanted her out of the way so Kara could have the billionaire, and they could keep the Bond real estate deal.

A laugh bubbled up in Adela's throat.

It started small, but it quickly grew into a loud, sharp, humorless sound that echoed off the high ceilings.

Warren's face turned purple. "Are you insane? Stop laughing!"

Adela stopped. The smile vanished from her face instantly.

"Clear the path?" Adela asked, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. She took a step toward her father. "Before I clear anything, I have a few questions."