Chapter 10
The morning sun broke over the horizon, casting a natural, bright light across the sprawling Ashford estate. The cinematic glow illuminated the devastation of the previous night—the blackened husks of the Cross SUVs, the shattered glass on the driveway, and the heavy iron gates that had been blown off their hinges. Yet, inside the mansion, a profound sense of peace had finally settled over the cream marble floors.
Silas stood by the tall, arched windows of his private study, looking out over his domain. He had shed his shoulder holster, wearing only his crisp white shirt and dark trousers. His dark hair was swept back, and his sharp jawline caught the morning light as he surveyed the cleanup efforts below.
Nora walked into the study, carrying a silver tray with hot coffee and pastries. She wore her elegant fitted black maid dress, the pristine white apron completely spotless, her hair neatly pinned beneath the white ruffled headband. But the worried expression that usually clouded her delicate features was gone, replaced by a radiant, quiet confidence.
She walked over to the carved walnut desk and set the tray down. Silas turned away from the window, his dark eyes instantly softening as they landed on her.
"Is the estate secure, sir?" Nora asked softly, pouring him a cup of coffee.
"Do you believe any rival family will dare approach these walls after what we left on the driveway last night?" Silas asked, his deep, measured voice holding a quiet, lethal pride. He took the cup, the artistic tattoos wrapping around the fine porcelain.
"I heard the guards talking," Nora said, stepping closer to him, her graceful posture relaxed. "They said Vivienne's father is begging for a negotiation."
"Does a man who sends an army in the middle of the night deserve an audience, or should he simply wait for the consequences of his ambition?" Silas asked, taking a sip of the dark coffee.
"He will want her back," Nora murmured, her expressive eyes searching his face.
"He will receive nothing but ashes," Silas stated coldly. He reached out, his large hand gently touching Nora's arm. "You were incredibly brave last night, Nora. If you hadn't opened that door..."
"I only did what was right, sir," Nora whispered, looking down at her flats.
"You saved my family," Silas corrected, stepping closer. "You are no longer a maid in this house. You are under my personal protection. Whatever you need, it is yours."
Nora looked up, a tremulous smile touching her lips. "I just want to see Lily smile again."
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"She will," Silas promised, looking toward the door that led to his family's wing. "We all will."
The political fallout of the night's violence would undoubtedly require his ruthless attention in the coming days, and the fate of Vivienne Cross still hung in the balance in the dark cells below. But as Silas stood in the bright morning light, knowing his wife and daughter were sleeping safely down the hall, he knew his empire was finally whole again.
