Chapter 9
The absolute finality of Gideon’s words echoed cleanly off the carved walnut walls, sealing Juliette’s fate. The grand, luminous dining hall, bathed in the soft elegant warmth of the crystal chandeliers, felt suddenly like a courtroom where a death sentence had just been handed down.
Juliette took a stumbling step backward, her high heels catching slightly on the thick patterned rug. The sculpted satin of her evening gown seemed to lose its luster. She looked across the table at the man she had believed she could manipulate, realizing far too late that she had awakened a sleeping dragon.
"What are you going to do?" Juliette whispered, genuine, unadulterated fear finally bleeding into her eyes.
"Am I required to explain the consequences of treason to a traitor?" Gideon asked smoothly, his hands clasping casually behind his back.
He didn't raise his voice, but he turned his head slightly toward the shadows near the grand marble columns at the entrance of the hall.
"Will someone escort Ms. Vance to the foyer?" Gideon asked the silent room.
Instantly, two massive White American men in tailored dark suits stepped out of the periphery. They were part of Gideon’s personal security detail, men who moved with silent, lethal efficiency. They approached Juliette, stopping on either side of her without offering their arms. They simply stood as immovable barriers, waiting for her to move.
"Get away from me!" Juliette shrieked, batting her hands at the air though the guards hadn't even touched her. She looked back at Gideon, her face twisted with a mixture of terror and absolute, venomous hatred. "You are choosing a fragile old woman and a common maid over an empire! You are a fool, Gideon!"
"Are empires built by men who allow their mothers to be beaten in their own homes?" Gideon inquired, entirely unaffected by her venom.
Realizing she had absolutely no power left in the room, and terrified of what the guards might do if she resisted, Juliette turned sharply. She stormed toward the heavy double doors, her footsteps echoing loudly against the polished floor. The two security men followed closely behind, matching her pace perfectly.
The heavy doors swung open and slammed shut, plunging the dining hall back into a profound, ringing silence. The toxic presence had been permanently excised from the estate.
Gideon remained standing at the head of the table. He took a slow, controlled breath, the tension bleeding out of his powerful shoulders. He looked down at his mother.
Esther was weeping softly, but they were tears of profound relief. The nightmare of her abuse was finally over.
"Are you safe now, Mother?" Gideon asked gently, his deep voice returning to a warm, comforting rumble.
"I am, Gideon. Thank you," Esther whispered, reaching up to wipe her eyes.
Gideon then turned his perceptive gaze toward the beautiful housemaid who had risked everything to protect his family. Mae stood quietly in her sophisticated black dress, her hands neatly folded over her white apron, her expressive brows relaxed.
"Will you allow my private physician to examine my mother's arm, Mae?" Gideon asked.
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"Of course, Mr. Mercer. I will stay with her until he arrives," Mae replied, her American accent steady and respectful.
Gideon nodded slowly, a profound respect blooming in his cold eyes. The engagement was broken, the political landscape of the syndicate was fractured, but inside the bright, airy mansion, the true family had just been secured.
