The room fell silent. Only the faint hum of the dying chandelier filled the air as Aria stood frozen between the two men.
Lorenzo's jaw tightened, eyes dark with something between rage and shock. "You should've stayed buried, Silas."
Silas chuckled, his tone smooth and cutting. "And miss the chance to see the empire my dear brother built? The empire your queen here is trying to steal?" He looked at Aria, his eyes sharp, unblinking. "You've been busy, Mrs. Beaumont."
Aria forced her breath to steady. "You're supposed to be dead."
Silas tilted his head. "So was Lorenzo. Death, it seems, is just another business strategy these days."
Lorenzo stepped forward, fists clenched. "You have no right to be here. You were banished from the Draven line, Sebastian made sure of it."
"Ah yes," Silas said softly. "The golden brother who took everything. The company, the money, the woman. But in the end, look who's standing now."
