Chapter 21
The boardroom had faded behind me, but the tumult of the battlefield still loomed ahead. Some wars, after all, aren’t staged in grand arenas; they’re fought in hushed tones across marble floors, and whispered conspiracies are served subtly over brunch in crystal dishes laid out with precision. This particular skirmish? It ignited the moment my mother summoned me home. Her voice on the other end of the phone line was clipped and devoid of warmth, a signal that this wasn’t a welcoming invitation. “Come to the house. Tonight.” No room for discussion, no hint of affection—only the weight of expectation laden on her command. As I approached the Villarosa mansion, the sprawling estate remained unchanged, standing majestically against the twilight sky. Its façade was meticulously crafted, every
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