Chapter 4
The bright, elegant colors of the ballroom seemed to sharpen, acting as an unforgiving spotlight on the unfolding drama. The fair, rosy skin of the assembled guests had turned a uniform, sickly pale as they watched the head of the Vale family publicly interrogate his staff over the objections of his bride-to-be.
Tessa looked at the refined linework tattoos on Sebastian's hands, then up into his intimidating eyes. She didn't see the monster Daphne had promised her; she saw a man demanding the absolute truth to deliver justice.
"The recording said," Tessa whispered, her American accent trembling in the dead silence of the hall, "that I was nothing but property. That if I ever looked at you again, you would have my brother removed from the city. It said I belonged to Miss Sterling, and she could do whatever she wanted to me... to keep me in my place."
Sebastian closed his eyes for a fraction of a second. A slow, heavy breath expanded his broad, athletic chest. The sheer, psychopathic audacity of using his voice—likely a deep-faked audio file synthesized from his public speeches—to terrorize a young woman under his protection was an insult that demanded total annihilation.
He opened his eyes. They were completely devoid of mercy.
"Marcus," Sebastian said softly, without turning his head.
His lead capo stepped out from the shadows of the velvet drapes instantly, closing the distance to the table in three long strides.
"Take the phone," Sebastian commanded.
"Sebastian, no!" Daphne shrieked, her aristocratic composure completely shattering. She clutched the phone to her chest, backing away from the table. "You cannot do this! I am your fiancée! This is a violation of my privacy! She is lying to turn you against me!"
"Take it," Sebastian repeated, the icy lethality in his voice leaving no room for hesitation.
Marcus reached out, his massive hand clamping around Daphne’s wrist. With a brutal, effortless twist, he forced her fingers open and snatched the smartphone from her grasp. Daphne gasped in pain, her fair skin paling to a translucent white.
"Unlock it," Sebastian ordered, finally turning his head to look at the woman he had intended to marry.
"I won't," Daphne defied him, her chest heaving under her silk evening gown. "My father is sitting three tables away, Sebastian. If you humiliate me in front of the syndicate, he will pull the eastern shipping routes. You will lose millions!"
"I will lose... nothing," Sebastian replied, his words measured and absolute. He turned to Marcus. "Use her face."
Marcus seized Daphne by the back of her neck, ignoring her hysterical screams. He held the smartphone up, forcing the facial recognition software to scan her panicked features. The screen unlocked with a soft, damning click.
"Search the audio files," Sebastian instructed calmly.
The dining hall watched in horrified fascination as Marcus navigated the device. Within seconds, the capo found a hidden folder. He tapped the screen, and the sound of Sebastian’s deep, controlled voice suddenly echoed from the phone's speakers.
"She is nothing but a servant. Punish her, Daphne. If she looks at me again, I will have her family erased. She belongs to you."
May you like
The recording was flawless, capturing the exact cadence and low volume of Sebastian’s speech. But Sebastian knew he had never spoken those words. The technological forgery was a sophisticated, calculated weapon.
Sebastian turned his cold, sharp eyes back to his fiancée. "You manufactured... my voice. To torture an innocent woman. And you brought this poison... into my home."
