Settling beside Caspian, Elara’s hand found his, her fingers intertwining. His confession had left him raw, vulnerable in a way she hadn't seen before. A heavy silence filled the space between them, thick with the weight of shared secrets and looming threats. "Alaric did this to Eleanor?" Her voice was a fragile whisper, disbelief warring with a growing dread. Caspian nodded, his jaw tight. Guilt shadowed his eyes, a familiar pain that had clearly haunted him for years. A cold unease coiled in Elara’s stomach. This wasn't just a historical injustice; it was a blueprint for Alaric's current machinations. Liam, her son, innocent and unwitting, was potentially the next target. He squeezed her hand, a silent vow passing between them. His gaze, though still clouded by past trauma, hardened with a new resolve. "We'll fight him, Elara. Together," he promised, his voice low and firm. Suddenly, the fragile quiet shattered. Caspian's phone buzzed, vibrating insistently against the polished wood of the bedside table. His eyes narrowed, scanning the caller ID. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face, quickly replaced by a sharp alertness. "It's Marcus," he grunted, answering the call with a curt command for privacy. Silence stretched, punctuated by Marcus's frantic, hushed voice on the other end. Caspian listened, his expression growing grimmer with each passing second. His knuckles whitened around the phone. A muscle twitched in his jaw, a tell-tale sign of mounting fury. "What do you mean, *everywhere*?" he demanded, his voice a dangerous growl, barely above a whisper. He slammed the phone down moments later, his face a mask of barely contained rage. A vein throbbed at his temple. "Alaric," he snarled, the name a venomous hiss. "He's making his move. A public one." Marcus had confirmed it: Thorne Corp's biggest private investor, a long-time ally, had abruptly pulled out. Millions vanished overnight, sending the market into a dizzying freefall. Alongside the financial blow, a vicious article had dropped online. It painted Caspian as a reckless, incompetent CEO, alleging massive financial mismanagement and shady dealings. The piece even brazenly alluded to his aunt Eleanor's

Chapter 34: The Antagonist's Move