Chapter 61
The call ended.
Evelyn stood in front of the projector. The screen had gone dark, leaving only her shadow on the wall.
"Why would Sebastian go?"
Cedric slipped his phone back into his pocket. "He must've figured out someone's pulling Arianna's strings."
Evelyn frowned. "He wants to use Arianna to get to whoever it is?"
"Yeah."
"That's risky."
The words came out before she could stop them.
Cedric glanced at her but didn't say anything.
Evelyn looked away. "I'm worried he'll mess things up."
Cedric gave a faint sound of acknowledgment. His tone was dry. "I know."
---
Nine forty PM. Outside Haven Club.
A black sedan sat parked across the street under the trees.
Evelyn was in the study of the west side security apartment. Her laptop screen split into four feeds streaming live footage from the perimeter.
Cedric sat in the living room, separated from her by frosted glass. He didn't interrupt—just had the tech team sync the feeds.
Nine fifty-two. The first car arrived. Arianna stepped out.
She wore a cream-colored dress with a light coat draped over her shoulders. Her hair hung loose, the club lights softening her face.
Evelyn watched without reaction.
Arianna always knew exactly how to look harmless.
Ten o'clock. Sebastian arrived alone.
He got out but didn't go straight in. He paused at the entrance for two seconds, glancing up at the third floor.
Evelyn's finger hovered over the mouse.
Cedric's voice drifted in from the living room. "He didn't bring anyone."
"No."
"Means he doesn't want the Ashford family knowing."
Evelyn watched Sebastian disappear inside. "Or he doesn't trust anyone."
---
Third floor, Grand Hall. The door to the private room closed. The exterior cameras couldn't see inside.
But Parker Group had pulled backup footage from the hallway security system.
In the feed, Arianna sat near the door. Sebastian sat across from her. Just the two of them.
Arianna held a glass of warm water, palm pressed against the side. "Seb, I know you don't believe me. But the baby's innocent."
Sebastian looked at her. "Eight AM tomorrow. I'll have Dr. Gordon arrange a blood draw."
Arianna's face stiffened. She quickly dropped her head, rubbing at the corner of her eye. "Do you have to humiliate me like this? What if I really am pregnant? What then?"
"We confirm it first."
"You're that cold?"
Sebastian's tone was flat—too flat. "Arianna, tears don't make a baby real."
Arianna's fingers tightened. The water in her glass rippled.
She tamped down her emotions, voice dropping. "Seb, Grandpa's health is failing. You don't want him finding out about this, do you?"
Sebastian's eyes cooled. "You're using Grandpa against me?"
Tears slipped down Arianna's face.
"You and Evelyn are already divorced. The Ashford family's a mess. Sam's gone. Grandpa's getting old. The family needs a backup plan. If this baby's real, it's the blood Sam left behind."
Sebastian watched her. "And if it's not?"
Arianna's expression nearly cracked. She turned away. "Why do you always think the worst of me?"
Sebastian didn't answer. He just pushed aside the wine glass the server had brought.
---
At the same time, back entrance of the club.
The surveillance camera jolted.
A man walked in through the back door. Black coat, hat brim pulled low.
The lens only caught his profile. His hand grazed the doorframe as he passed. A cufflink flashed at his wrist—dark gemstone with a single letter.
W.
In the study, Evelyn sat up sharply. "Zoom in."
The tech team pulled the image closer, but the angle was bad. The man's face was blocked by the hat and doorframe. Only his jawline and that hand were visible.
Cedric stepped into the study, standing behind Evelyn. "Same cufflink."
Evelyn's voice was low. "He's here."
"But not through the front."
"He doesn't want Sebastian seeing him."
Evelyn stared at the screen. After the man entered through the back, the hallway cameras caught his silhouette for one second before he slipped into a blind spot.
Ten twenty-seven.
The lights in the Grand Hall hallway flickered. Then went out completely. Static filled the surveillance feed.
Someone on the tech team swore. "Signal's been cut."
The last frame before the screen went black froze on an angle near the door. Arianna stood by the table, hand hanging low. Between her fingers—a small vial.
She was slipping it next to Sebastian's wine glass.
The screen went black.
Evelyn's face went cold. "She's drugging him."
Cedric already had his phone out. "Team two, watch the service corridor. Anything that comes out of that room—don't let it leave."
The tech team responded immediately. "Copy."
Evelyn stared at the black screen, fingertips tense.
She didn't care if Sebastian got played by Arianna. But if Sebastian went down at Haven Club, it would pull everything into a much bigger mess.
Arianna wouldn't drug him for no reason. Whoever was pulling her strings wanted more than just a baby's legitimacy.
---
Inside Grand Hall.
Three seconds after the lights went out, emergency lights kicked on. Faint illumination returned.
Sebastian kept his eyes down, staring at the wine glass on the table.
Arianna had already returned to her seat, tears still on her face. Like nothing had happened.
"Seb, do you think I'm pathetic?"
Her voice was soft.
Sebastian reached out and picked up the wine glass.
Arianna's gaze sharpened for a split second.
Sebastian brought the glass to his lips. Stopped.
He caught a faint bitter smell. Not from the wine.
His expression didn't change. He raised his hand, covering his mouth as if taking a drink. The liquid never touched his lips. Using his sleeve as cover, he poured the wine into a handkerchief folded in his palm.
He set the glass back on the table and pressed a hand to his temple.
Arianna's eyes lit up. "Seb?"
Sebastian closed his eyes briefly. "Head's spinning."
Arianna stood and circled the table, moving to his side. Her voice dropped—soft, careful. "You drank too much."
Sebastian's hand gripped the armrest. His breathing slowed.
Arianna leaned down, closing the distance. Her perfume filled the air. "Seb, don't blame me."
Sebastian's eyelids flickered but didn't open.
Arianna thought the drug was working. She grew bolder. "I didn't have a choice."
She spoke quietly. "As long as you acknowledge the baby, the Ashford family still has me as a fallback."
Sebastian's finger pressed lightly on his cufflink. The recording started.
Arianna didn't notice. She kept talking. "Evelyn's out of control now. The Hawk family's circling too. Mr. White was right—the Ashford family's debts are coming due. But as long as I'm still part of the family, as long as I'm carrying Ashford blood, a lot of things can still be negotiated."
Sebastian's eyes cracked open slightly. "Mr. White?"
Arianna's breath caught. She thought he was too out of it to understand. Her voice dropped even lower. "Don't ask."
Sebastian's voice came out rough—like he really was fading. "Who is he?"
Arianna bit her lip. "Knowing won't help you now. Seb, just listen. Acknowledge the baby. Bring me back to the main house. Grandpa cares about bloodlines more than anything. He'll agree."
Sebastian's hand slid down from his temple. "What about Evelyn?"
At that name, the softness finally cracked off Arianna's face.
"Her?"
She let out a cold laugh. "The more she digs, the faster she dies."