Chapter 279

Chapter 279:

As Herod drifted into unconsciousness, a strange peace settled over him. He had done it. Finally. Told the truth. Chosen the right path, even knowing it would lead to his own punishment.

For the first time since his family’s downfall, Herod Preston felt something like redemption. Whether it would be enough to stop Rose remained to be seen.

Alexander Pierce stood in the ballroom of the Grand Plaza Hotel, watching his security team transform the elegant space into a fortress. Men in black suits installed hidden cameras in the crystal chandeliers. Others tested metal detectors disguised as decorative archways. Every entrance, every window, every air vent was being secured.

“The sniper teams will be positioned here, here, and here,” his head of security explained, pointing to locations on the blueprint spread across a table. “We’ll have a clear view of all approaches. No one gets within a hundred yards without being spotted.”

Alexander nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. Rose Lewis had vanished completely. No sightings. No trails. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air. And that worried him more than if she’d been openly threatening them.

The silent threats were always the deadliest.

His phone buzzed. Stefan Rodriguez’s name flashed on the screen. Alexander stepped away from the security team to take the call.

“What do you have for me?” he asked without preamble.

“My contact at Bessonov’s club just called,” Stefan’s voice was tense, urgent. “Rose met with Anton yesterday. Paid him a large amount of cash.”

Alexander’s grip tightened on the phone. “For what?”

“He wouldn’t say exactly. But it wasn’t just muscle. She asked for something special. Something with ‘impact.’”

A cold knot formed in Alexander’s stomach. “Explosives?”

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“Maybe. Or worse.” Stefan paused. “You need to check everything that comes into that ballroom. Food deliveries. Flower arrangements. Staff uniforms. Everything.”

“We already are.” Alexander looked across the ballroom, where security personnel were using dogs to sniff every package, every decoration. “What else can you tell me about her tactics? How she thinks?”

Stefan was silent for a moment. “Rose likes to strike where it hurts most. She won’t just go after the building or random guests. She’ll target what matters to Camille personally. The Phoenix Foundation donations.

“Yes. Or the people Camille cares about. You. Victoria. Maybe even her parents, if they’re attending.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. “They are.”

“Then watch them closely. Rose knows that hurting them would destroy Camille in a way that physical harm to Camille herself never could.”

Alexander made a mental note to assign additional security to the Lewis family and Victoria. “Anything else?”

“Yes.” Stefan’s voice dropped lower. “Rose won’t come herself. Not directly. She’ll use someone else. Someone no one would suspect.”

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