Chapter 19

Stella's POV

I was the arranged in the east wing guest suite. I tried to lose myself in a book after Adam left for some urgent matters,but my mind kept circling back to the family drama I'd witnessed.

A knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Stella?" Brian's voice made my spine stiffen. "Can we talk?"

I considered ignoring him, but that would only encourage more attempts. "What do you want?"

He closed the door behind him, looking oddly serious.′′There are things you should know about Adam."

"Like what?" I kept my voice bored, though something in his tone made my pulse quicken. Why does he suddenly want to play concerned ex-fiancé?

"Did you know he had a brother?" Brian's eyes fixed on my face, watching for my reaction. "A real one - same mother and everything."

I maintained my neutral expression, though my mind raced. A brother? How had I never heard about this? Adam had never mentioned that.

"Had?" "Died in a fire." Brian's voice dropped dramatically. "Along with three others. Very tragic. Very... convenient."

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my face carefully blank."What exactly are you implying?"

"Uncle Adam spent some time in a very exclusive psychiatric facility after that." Brian's smile held no warmth. "Instead of prison. Funny how that worked out,isn't it?"

I studied him carefully, noting the calculated way he delivered this information. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I still care about you." He stepped closer,and I caught a whiff of expensive cologne. "Despite everything."

"Care about me?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Or are you just upset I married your uncle instead of you?"

His face darkened. "You have no idea what he's capable of."

"And you do?" I arched an eyebrow. "Tell me, Brian, why are you really here? Still have feelings for me?"

Behind a marble column, I caught a flash of pink designer silk.Lucy. Of course she'd be eavesdropping. "You should be careful," Brian warned, backing toward the door. "People tend to have... accidents around Uncle Adam." After he left, I sat perfectly still, processing this new information. A brother? A fire? It seemed the Lancasters had more skeletons in their closets than I'd imagined.

Could Adam really have...? No. Brian's lying. He has to be.

My mind kept circling back to all the little things I'd noticed about Adam - his carefully controlled anger, the way the family tiptoed around certain topics, those moments when something dangerous flickered in his eyes.

What if Brian's telling the truth? What if I've married someone capable of... I couldn't even finish the thought.

Dinner started. The traditional seating arrangement -just like most of the attitudes in the living room.

"Can you believe she actually showed up?" A perfectly manicured woman whispered just loud enough for me to hear."I mean, after that whole Brian scandal..."

"Well, she's certainly... resourceful," her companion replied with a smirk. "First the nephew, now the crippled uncle? Talk about working your way through the family tree." "The way she holds herself- like she actually belongs here."Thomas's wife's voice carried deliberate venom. "Some people just don't know their place." I maintained perfect posture and impeccable table manners.ignoring the whispers and pointed looks. Across the room.Adam sat apart from the others, his wheelchair settled aside.Our eyes met briefly, and something electric passed between us before he looked away.

Lucy kept shooting me calculating looks between her attempts to copy my etiquette. Amateur. She still held her soup spoon like she was digging for gold.

After dinner, I noticed Adam and Thomas being summoned to William's study.

"Mrs. Lancaster." Lucy's voice stopped me in the hallway as I headed back to my room. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she approached. "A word?"

I turned slowly, studying her face. Something about her expression set off warning bells.

"If you want to know the truth about how Adam's brother died." she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "meet me at eight."

I narrowed my eyes. Lucy had only been back in New York society for a few months- How did Lucy, of all people, know about such a closely guarded family secret? "Does it matter how I know?" Her smile turned vicious. "Of course.you don't have to come. But..," she paused for dramatic effect, "can you really afford not to? What if that psycho Adam decides you're his next target?"

I studied her in silence for several long seconds, noting the calculated gleam in her eyes. Interesting choice of words.

"Of course." I smiled sweetly. "I'm always eager to learn more about my husband's family. Which room?"

"West wing guest suite." She practically preened at my apparent acquiescence.

As I watched her sashay away. I couldn't help but smile slightly. DDid she really think I'd believe Adam was some unhinged killer waiting to snap? Please. If he were truly unstable, would someone like Mark - arguably the most shrewd businessman in entertainment-trust him implicitly?

Still, I was curious. What game was Lucy playing? And more importantly, who was feeding her information about the Lancasters' closely guarded secrets?

Time to find out what little show you've prepared, dear sister.