Chapter 8
Night had settled over the estate, draping the halls in an eerie stillness. The vast mansion, already cold and devoid of warmth, felt even more lifeless without the soft clinking of silverware in the dining room.
Grayson sat at the head of the long table, his presence commanding as ever, but his expression unreadable. The meal in front of him remained untouched. His wine glass sat half-filled, the deep red liquid reflecting the chandelier’s glow.
Yet his attention was elsewhere.
The chair across from him was empty.
Aurora hadn’t come down for dinner.
Why should he care? She was a pawn, a tool. Whether she lived or died shouldn’t matter.
And yet…
His fingers tapped lightly against the table, irritation simmering beneath his composed exterior.
"Shall I send someone to chec
