Chapter 6 - The Empty Throne
Panic seized Tessa's chest as she frantically searched the ruined bedroom.
She checked the adjoining bathroom and the massive walk-in closet, but they were both empty.
Vincent could not walk, meaning someone had to have taken him by force.
She noticed the legal documents regarding the harbor were completely missing from the vanity table.
Tessa rushed back into the main hallway, determined to find answers.
The massive estate felt unusually quiet, with all the regular staff completely missing from their posts.
She heard faint voices echoing from the grand library down the hall.
Tessa crept silently along the wall and peeked through the slightly opened library doors.
Vincent was sitting in his wheelchair at the center of the massive room.
Dominic and Arya were standing aggressively over him, surrounded by four heavily armed mercenaries.
"Sign the documents, Vincent," Dominic demanded, slamming the papers onto the wooden desk.
"You have absolutely no leverage left in this city, and your loyalists have abandoned you."
Vincent stared at his former friend with utter contempt, refusing to pick up the pen.
"A king does not hand over his crown just because a rat asks nicely," Vincent growled.
Arya laughed mockingly, crossing her arms as she looked down at her paralyzed fiancé.
"You are not a king anymore, Vince," she sneered, her voice dripping with cruel amusement.
"You are just a pathetic cripple who cannot even use the bathroom by himself."
Tessa felt a surge of violent anger upon hearing the woman insult him so viciously.
She reached into her pocket and gripped the deadly syringe Dominic had given her earlier.
She knew she could not fight four armed men, but she had to do something to level the playing field.
Tessa pulled her cellular phone from her apron and quickly set it to record audio.
She captured Dominic loudly threatening to murder Vincent if he did not sign the contract.
"I will give you exactly ten minutes to reconsider your stubbornness," Dominic announced arrogantly.
He signaled his men, and they all stepped out of the library into the adjacent smoking room.
Only Arya remained behind, glaring triumphantly at the defeated mafia boss.
Tessa knew this was her only chance to make contact with Vincent.
She silently slipped through the library doors and hid behind a massive leather armchair.
Vincent noticed her movement instantly, but his facial expression remained completely unreadable.
He slowly moved his hand toward the edge of his wheelchair, waiting for her signal.
Tessa crawled closer and revealed the deadly syringe filled with poison.
Vincent's eyes widened slightly as he instantly understood the terrible choice she had been given.
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Suddenly, Arya turned around and spotted Tessa crouching behind the expensive furniture.
"What are you doing in here?" Arya screamed, pulling a small silver pistol from her designer purse.
