Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 249

When they arrived at Giles's villa, Serena and William barely had time to catch their breath before they pushed open the front door-and froze. Finn was tied up in the living room, duct tape plastered across his mouth, his muffled cries little more than desperate whimpers.

Serena rushed over and yanked the tape off. "Where's Giles?" she demanded.

Finn gasped for air, his voice shaky. "He's... he's in the study."

Serena didn't wait another second. She strode quickly down the hall, threw open the study door, and found Giles himself bound to a chair, tape covering his mouth.

For a moment, relief flickered through Serena-at least Giles was safe at home. She'd assumed he'd skipped the court hearing on purpose. But now the truth hit her: he'd been tied up all along.

She hurried to his side, carefully peeled the tape from his mouth, and asked, "Who did this to you?"

"I have no idea." Giles took a few deep breaths, his voice trembling. "This morning, someone knocked at the door. I thought it was someone from Mr. William's office, so I answered it. Next thing I knew, two men in ski masks forced their way in and tied me up."

hurt you? Did they take

checked every room in the house, and returned to the living

men did all this just to stop Mr. Weatherly

"From what Nestor Leighton said, he didn't

her, concern etched on his face. There were things he wanted to say, but they sounded too harsh, even in

managed a faint smile-fragile, almost defiant, like a rose blooming amid thorns: beautiful, but edged with pain. "I'll be fine," she whispered, lowering her eyes, her lashes trembling. "If Nestor Leighton didn't know about

drew a shaky breath. "But there's someone else who

mingled in her eyes, leaving

She'd accepted that. But to go this far-to block every path she had left?

judgment really that

William said quietly, his tone conflicted.