Chapter 9 - The Father's Game
Mathis froze in shock, unable to process the sight of the man he had been mourning for months.
His father, Arthur Varenne, looked older, his face lined with deep shadows.
"Close the doors, Nicolas," Arthur ordered in a raspy, authoritative voice.
Elise gripped Mathis's arm, her breathing growing shallow and rapid.
"You faked your death?" Mathis asked, his voice trembling with anger.
Arthur nodded slowly, steepling his fingers on the polished wood.
"I had to see if Nicolas would actually go through with his treasonous plans," the old man explained.
Nicolas stood perfectly still, his gun still raised but his confidence visibly shattered.
"You set me up," Nicolas hissed.
Arthur stood up, leaning heavily on a silver-tipped cane.
"You failed the test, Nicolas, but unfortunately, Mathis, so have you."
Mathis stared at his father in complete disbelief.
"You let your emotions for this woman blind your business judgment," Arthur stated coldly.
Arthur signaled to the mercenaries standing in the corners of the room.
"Lock Elise in the holding room until the child is born, then dispose of her," Arthur commanded.
Mathis realized with horror that his father was just as much of a monster as his brother.
He looked at his father, the empire he was supposed to inherit, and the woman he loved.
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Without a second thought, Mathis drew his pistol and aimed it directly at his father's heart.
Nicolas lunged forward with a wild scream, plunging a hunting knife directly toward Elise's chest.
