After a moment of heavy silence, I spoke, my tone icy with determination. “The prime minister’s daughter, Lila – she is graceful, well-mannered, and intelligent. I’ve met her. She would be the perfect match for you.”
With a sharp crash, the teacup on the table shattered into pieces, knocked aside by his furious sweep.
“Do you no longer care for your father’s and brothers’ lives?”
What?
I spun around to face him, my heart seizing in fear.
His eyes blazed red with fury, his expression contorted with barely suppressed rage.
“Surely, you didn’t know. Last night, I had your family’s estate raided. Your father, the general, and both of your brothers have been imprisoned in the dungeons!”
He was using my family – my blood – to blackmail me. My fury erupted like wildfire, and I slapped him across the face with all my strength.
“What crime did they commit to deserve such cruelty? Why would you destroy them?”
His expression remained icy, his voice hard as iron. “Your family wields too much military power. They conspired with Lord Alistair and have controlled the court for far too long. If I didn’t strike first, I’d be the one sitting in a cell right now.”
I couldn’t deny the truth of his words.