The Almighty Dominance

Chapter 463

Night dropped like a curtain, and the Wolfsbane banquet hall burst to life with laughter and light.

This was their night-their triumph-one that would echo in family stories for

years.

They had spared no expense. The Wolfsbanes booked Winchester's most luxurious hotel, hired master chefs, poured the rarest wines, and brought in a singer whose voice could wash the weight off any soul.

Every detail shimmered with wealth and power.

Word had already spread through Winchester like wildfire: the Wolfsbane family had secured the Eden Group contract. Even more shocking-the chairman herself, Countess Marlena Von Adler, would attend.

The invitations became golden tickets overnight. Everyone wanted one. Few had the privilege to hold it.

Alex and Sofina walked through the hotel's marble lobby with Eve gliding at their lead — an egg-shaped robot with soft chrome curves.

Sofina's hand found Eve's smooth shell. She hugged the little machine like she'd hugged a living thing.

"Miss Sofina," Eve said sweetly, "I will be your guardian tonight. You don't need to worry. I will handle everything."

Sofina hugged Eve closer, a small smile softening her face. "With you here, I actually feel safe."

"You can count on me," Eve answered, a hint of pride rippling through her tone.

At the hotel entrance two reception androids snapped to attention. "Dear guests," one intoned, "please present your invitation cards."

Sofina froze, color draining. "They didn't give us one," she said. Her voice was small for the first time all evening. "We are family, can't we get in."

The androids stiffened, voices flat and mechanical. "Without an invitation card, entry is strictly prohibited. Please leave."

A murmur rolled through the line behind them.

"No invitation and still showing up?" someone scoffed. "How shameless."

Another voice cut in, sharper, mocking. "Pretending to be part of the family now, are they?"

A woman sneered. "No shame at all-trying to sneak into a Wolfsbane banquet. Let's see how they get thrown out. Arrogant fools think every door's open for them."

Eve's eyes blinked, then became a stream of numbers. Suddenly the two androids stepped back as if a hand had pressed against their chests.

They bowed, perfectly composed.

"My apologies for the mistake," the lead android said. "Welcome, Miss Sofina and Master Alex. You do not need invitation cards."

Sofina's eyes widened. "How-?"

my doing," Eve said, chest puffed like she'd just

"Eve... did you hack

digital eyes flickering.

Sofina repeated, raising

fry their chips and wipe their memories clean. Turns out, they found

breathless and

a smug little tilt. "Not brilliant," she said. "They're just

help but shake his head. Eve was Bella's finest creation, and her signature was everywhere in the machine-the sharp wit, the confidence that bordered on arrogance, and the spark of pride that made her almost human. Alex let the smile crawl across his face like dusk settling over a town-slow, deliberate, dangerous. "Tell

a thread of hope in it. "Baroness Wolfsbane promised me the Deputy Chair

slightly, his voice even. "You

she's announcing the new Deputy

a chance-before the announcement

the Baroness hadn't invited her, hadn't called, hadn't said

bridge had

Baroness had used Sofina and moved on. But when he looked at her at the quiet determination in her eyes, the last

fire

on her head, brushing a stray strand

"But fine. Let's believe in kindness- believe in her, if that's what keeps

"I believe people are good," she

nodded, though the words weighed heavy in his

curse-three years under Heinrich's cruelty, three years of manipulation by the Baroness,

are each our own devil, and

believes in heaven-still believes in

into the flame, mistaking the

liars was a kind of

keep believing in

walking toward wolves, mistaking their snarls

go meet them," Sofina said, still

said. "Take Eve with

him a faint smile, then turned toward the

breath, "If you repay

voice cut through the air like a

that counterfeit suit? You look like a stray

gentleman." His eyes slid toward Alex, dripping with contempt and

hardened. "What's it to you? Your outfit isn't any better. You look

Being insulted by a man he considered beneath him—a "half-slave," set his

wife made quite a scene," he sneered. "That's how she

narrowed. "What