Sting of Betrayal
Stefan's POV~
The marriage draft rested atop my desk, the scrawl of Valenticia’s signature slashing starkly against the blank copy. Her fire at dinner. The sparkle of her eyes demanding equality had cracked at my core, awakening an admiration I could not afford. I sat back in my chair, the city’s neon pulse seeping through the office window as a reminder of the stakes. Seryne was a warzone and Valenticia Clawford was an asset and a risk. The penthouse fire, two nights before that, had cost me more than walls. New Dream’s servers were limping, critical data gone to ash. I was losing my hold, and Victor Galden was winning.
Carter’s call split the silence, his tone strained. “Gideon’s gone rogue, Boss. He’s seeing Valenticia at the pier—midnight. Says he’s showing her evi
