“You’re Blaze Wraith?” Milton instinctively raised his voice.

Arthur widened his eyes.

Milton and Arthur whipped their heads in sync and turned to Elliana, searching for some explanation.

Knowing where their reactions came from, Elliana couldn’t suppress a small smile. She held up a ring, letting it catch the light. “This is the command ring for Blaze Wildfire,” she explained, voice calm and assured. “Cole put it in my hands, so when you declared war, you declared it on me.”

Both Arthur and Milton twitched with surprise, each registering the tangled mess they’d landed in. What a ridiculous knot of family politics this was turning into.

Seeing Cole still waiting for an answer, Arthur let out a half-hearted chuckle. “Nothing personal,” he said. “Just business. I wanted to absorb Blaze Wildfire to expand the family’s reach in Delta. But since it turns out you lead Blaze Wildfire, let’s leave it in the past.”

A wry smile touched Cole’s lips. Blaze Wildfire was a dominant force in Delta. No one had ever been audacious enough to even consider conquering it. His future father-in-law, it seemed, was in a league of his own.

The Campbell family had declared war and brokered peace in the span of a single conversation. If word of this got out, Delta’s social circles would have a field day, spinning rumors for months.

Cole, Arthur, and Milton reached a silent understanding—this topic was finished, never to be brought up again.

Elliana tucked the ring away, the urge to laugh barely contained.

Just then, the butler appeared at the doorway. “Message from Ms. Evans,” he announced after bowing politely to Arthur and Milton. “She’s arranged a grand luncheon to mark today’s occasion and invites everyone downstairs for a proper family gathering.”

Arthur had never formally recognized Eva’s status, which was why no one under his roof ever dared call her “Mrs. Campbell” in his presence.

The mere mention of Eva made both Arthur’s and Milton’s faces cloud over. Who did she think she was? Playing the part of the lady of the house at a time like this? The nerve.

Cole, well aware of Eva’s unwelcome status in this household, remained impassive, his expression giving nothing away.

Elliana, however, set aside her snacks and delicately brushed the crumbs from her hands. “I’ll go down and see her,” she said.

“I’ll join you.” Milton stepped up right away.

“Great,” Elliana replied with a sly curve to her lips. “And while you’re at it, could you arrange for a construction team to come over? I need one immediately.” Though clueless about her intention, Milton didn’t bother to ask why—he just nodded. “I’ll take care of it right now.”

“Thank you.” She then pivoted to face the butler. “Could you please gather every bodyguard and servant for me? I want them to come with me.”

The butler, now in his fifties, had served Arthur since he was young, undeniably a fixture in the Campbell household, and had become Arthur’s most trusted servant. ? FindN()vel.net

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