Page 84 of Brutal Crown

Back at the estate, I lock myself in my private study. I open the envelope in the silence of the night.

They look like old letters. Not one or two. Almost ten of them. Faded ink, handwritten Latin, and signatures carved in red ink. I spend hours translating and cross-referencing with old Society ledgers from the library.

And then I see something.

According to the official Society narrative, the Six Great Families united to end the brutal massacre of their bloodline during the 1700s. Over the years, they strengthened their influence across Europe through faith, loyalty, and tradition. That’s the version I was taught.

But these records say something else.

They formed the Society during the height of the transatlantic slave trade. They wanted to end the chaos at first, but eventually, they began to profit from it. Some wanted to covet power over others. Over years and generations, what began as protection twisted into domination.

I freeze when I see the last word scribbled in the margins of one page.

‘In a few centuries to come, a prophecy that will change the course of things will be revealed.’

My mind flashes back to Cassian’s words to Lia on the night of my engagement ceremony.

‘…vessel not yet full for your purpose… the bloom before the blood.’

Matteo wasn’t exaggerating. This goes deep.

I fold the letters and slip them back into the envelope before locking it in my safe. If anyone finds out I have this, I’ll be dead. I remain seated in the dark, the weight of centuries pressing against my chest.

Over the next two days, I go over more books and documents trying to draw more parallels, but it seems I’ve reached my wit’s end. So when Silvia texts me about a new restaurant in the city we should try out, I oblige.

La Verita isone of those places that looks like it was built to impress. The atmosphere is sleek and modern, with dark wooden floors and dim lighting that casts an almost moody glow over the room.

Silvia’s already waiting by a table when I arrive. She’s dressed to kill in a fitted black dress that hugs her curves, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. She waves me over as soon as she spots me. Her smile is a mix of warmth and something else I don’t care to decipher.

“You look exhausted,” she observes, her eyes scanning me up and down as I approach her.

I peck her on the cheek. A big rock I bought her is sitting on her finger, after all.

“It has been a long couple of days,” I reply, sliding into the chair opposite her.

She raises an eyebrow. “Something on your mind? You’ve been distracted lately.”

She must’ve been there. They all were. So I know she believes Lia is pregnant with Marco’s child and that they’ll be getting married. But she doesn’t say a word about it.

If I wasn’t sure she suspected something before, I am now. A normal fiancée would congratulate me on her future brother-in-law’s engagement.

Yet, I’m glad she doesn’t say anything.

“I’ve been busy with work. There’s a project that has been giving me sleepless nights,” I say.

Thankfully, she doesn’t press the issue. Instead, she signals the waiter. “You’re here now. Let’s forget about whatever you’re tangled in for one night.”

I nod, grateful for the distraction. A drink is placed in front of me, and we both raise our glasses, the crystal clinking softly. The tension I’ve been carrying loosens, but only a little.

We talk about trivial things. Some upcoming events we have to attend as a couple, a few wedding plans, and people I don’t really care about. But I can feel the undertone of something more, something unspoken between us. Silvia’s always been a smooth talker, capable of navigating the shadows just like the rest of us. I’m sure she can sense the heavy weight I’m carrying.

I try to lose myself in the moment—in the soft music that fills the air, in the calm and quiet around me. But all I can see is Lia, sitting across from me, smiling, laughing at something I’ve said.

God, I would kill to hear the sound of her laughter.

“You’re thinking about her.”

My chest drops at the sound of Silvia’s voice. She scoffs, shakes her head at me, and for the first time since we got engaged, her eyes blaze in anger.