Edward's Point Of View
The grandfather clock in the corner of the room didn't just tick; it felt like a hammer striking an anvil in the middle of my skull. Each second pounded through my temples with relentless precision.
I stared at my mother, my mouth slightly agape, searching for any hint of a punchline. But Mother didn't do punchlines. She only dealt in bottom lines. The woman had built an empire on hard truths and harder choices.
"You are the one out of your mind, Edward," she said, her voice smooth and dangerous, like silk draped over a razor blade. She didn't even blink at my shock, her composure as impenetrable as ever. Those steel-gray eyes held mine without wavering. "I have spent the last three hours on the phone with the Silvestro council. Do you have any idea what it took to get them to agree to this after the mess you've made?"
