Chapter 179
Chapter 179:
Vivian sat on the bed, scrolling through her phone. “This ruins everything! Look at the comments. Everyone loves her now. I can’t paint her as trash if she’s a social justice warrior p>
“We need a new strategy,” Eleanor hissed. “We can’t attack her character anymore. The public won’t buy it. We have to attack her competence p>
Meanwhile, in a sleek, high-rise office in Manhattan, overlooking Central Park.
Elias Thorne stood in front of a wall of screens. The news was playing on mute. Kensington Heiress vs. Slumlord being the chyron.
He watched the footage of Aurora standing on the porch. She looked strong. She looked untouchable.
But he noticed the slight tension in her shoulders. The way her hand had gripped the railing before she let go.
Elias’s hand tightened around the glass of scotch he was holding. He hadn’t intervened. He had trusted her to handle it. But the sight of that man screaming at her… it ignited a dark, possessive fury in his chest.
“Graves,” he said. His voice was low, terrifyingly calm.
His assistant, a man with the silent efficiency of a ghost, stepped out from the shadows. “Sir p>
“Ensure the Housing Authority investigation into Mr. Russo is… thorough. I want every pipe checked. Every wire. And make sure the DA knows we are interested in the outcome p>
“Yes, sir. Already on it p>
Elias looked at the screen again. He zoomed in on the image of the Kensington Estate. Specifically, the West Wing.
“And the property acquisition?” Elias asked.
“The Van Der Hoven estate next door to the Kensingtons,” Graves confirmed. “The paperwork is finalized. You have the keys p>
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Elias turned around, grabbing his jacket.
“Good,” Elias said. “Prepare the car. I’m moving in p>
“Sir?” Graves blinked, rare surprise cracking his professional mask. “Tonight p>
“Tonight,” Elias said, walking toward the private elevator. “I’m done watching from a distance p>
The black Maybach glided silently through the wrought-iron gates of the Van Der Hoven estate—now the Thorne residence. It was a sprawling property, separated from the Kensington manor only by a dense line of ancient oaks and a stone wall.
Elias Thorne stepped out of the car. The rain had stopped, leaving the air crisp and cold.
“Set up the command center in the library,” Elias ordered as he walked up the steps. “I want full connectivity to the main servers in ten minutes p>
Graves, trailing behind with two tablets, nodded frantically. “Yes, sir. The security team is already establishing the perimeter p>
Elias walked into the dark house. He didn’t turn on the lights. He walked straight to the window facing the Kensington estate. Through the trees, he could see the lights of the manor. He could see the window of the West Wing, where Aurora was.
“I’m here,” he whispered to the glass.
Back at Kensington Manor, Aurora was in her room. She had stripped the pink bedspread and replaced it with plain white sheets she found in a linen closet. The room smelled better now—like sage and dried herbs.