Ivan gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the situation press down on him. He knew Armin had a point—Lilian and Gabriel were too preoccupied with securing the Jarl project to focus on their volatile son. But the reality left Ivan at a loss. What am I supposed to do now? he thought. Bjorn was unpredictable, and without their parents’ authority, keeping him in line was becoming impossible.
Maximilian, still holding down the struggling Bjorn, looked up, his expression serious. “Uncle, I’ll take Alora with me,” he said firmly. “She’ll be safer in the Holland mansion until her parents return. We have more than enough bodyguards and staff to watch over her.”
Ivan hesitated, looking down at the terrified girl in his arms. Alora’s eyes were wide and red, her small hands clutching him as if h
