Chapter 1 - The Frozen Heart
Roman kicked the heavy oak doors of the mansion open with a force that shattered the glass panes.
The grand foyer fell into a dead, terrified silence as he carried the freezing woman inside.
Guests in expensive suits and glittering gowns backed away, their champagne glasses trembling.
He did not look at any of them.
He carried Claire straight through the massive hallway and laid her gently on the velvet sofa in the private study.
"Get the doctor down here right now!" he roared at his stunned security chief.
Within seconds, the estate's private physician was frantically working over Claire, hooking her up to an IV and wrapping her in thermal blankets.
Roman paced the length of the study, his hands covered in the melting snow from her uniform.
His heart was hammering against his ribs in a way it had not done since his father was murdered.
He stepped out of the study and walked directly into the service hall, where the kitchen staff was huddled in fear.
"Who sent her out there?" Roman asked, his voice deathly quiet.
Nobody dared to breathe.
Roman pulled his sidearm from his shoulder holster and slammed it onto the stainless steel prep table.
"I will ask one more time before everyone in this room loses their job, or worse."
Mrs. Patel, the elderly assistant housekeeper, stepped forward with tears in her eyes.
"It was Ms. Mercer, sir."
Roman felt the blood freeze in his veins.
"Vivian sent her into a blizzard?" he asked.
"She wanted a specific bottle of vintage wine from the carriage house and refused to let security get it."
Roman picked up his weapon and holster, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached.
He walked up the grand staircase, ignoring the whispers of his wealthy guests.
He pushed open the doors to the master suite and found Vivian casually reapplying her red lipstick in the mirror.
She smiled at him through the reflection, completely unbothered by the chaos downstairs.
"I heard the little maid fainted in the snow," Vivian said with a cruel smirk.
"You deliberately sent her out to die," Roman growled, stepping closer to her.
Vivian turned around slowly, her diamond necklace sparkling in the dim light.
"I sent her out there because she is a spy, Roman."
Roman stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
Vivian pulled a folded piece of paper from her clutch and handed it to him.
"Claire Bennett is secretly feeding information to your enemies to pay off a massive debt."
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Roman unfolded the paper, expecting a lie, but his heart stopped when he recognized the signature.
It was a bank transfer receipt proving Claire was receiving money from the head of the rival Moretti crime family.
