THE SPIDER AUNT 2
~NICHOLAS POV~
A knock at the study door pulled me from the memory. Carlos entered, his face troubled.
"Miss Alejandro is refusing to join us for dinner," he reported. "She says, and I quote, 'I would rather starve than be paraded before another Stravkos psychopath.'"
Despite everything, I felt a smile tug at my lips. "Tell Maria to help her dress. Attendance isn't optional."
Carlos hesitated. "Sir, perhaps it would be wiser to let her skip this one. Signora Vasquez seems... particularly interested in her."
"Exactly why she needs to be there," I replied. "If Irene doesn't see her, she'll assume I'm hiding something worse than what exists."
"And what exactly exists, sir?" Carlos asked, his loyalty allowing him this rare direct question.
I considered my response car
