NovelEnglishFredric said, "I'm not doubting you guys, but it beatswho'd wantsix feet under. If I'm out of the picture, who stands to gain the most? We may not share the smother, but we all have the blood of the Stirling family in our veins. We ought to stick together, not turn on each other. Being the head of the family isn't that big a deal. It's not like being king. The head is just the family's manager, serving and seeking fortune for the family. Even though Leopold is the runt of the litter, he's got the sharpest mind among us. The more dough he brings in for the family, the fatter our cuts from the foundation. So, let's not get any fancy ideas about that spot. Today, at Henry's birthday party, let's all make a vow. Relinquish any claim to the throne to clear our names." Arnold shrugged nonchalantly, "It doesn’t bother me, not my cards anyway." Raines gripped his glass a tad tighter, "I'm not interested either. I'd rather be a free spirit, footloose and fancy-free." Fredric nodded, "Fine, we'll each pen a little promise note and hand it over to Leopold for safekeeping. As long as our branch is clean, I'll sleep easy at night, which means the culprit is from one of the side branches." Raines countered, "Fredric, we're flesh and blood. How could we possibly turn on each other? These baseless suspicions you cast hurts, you know." Fredric spread his hands in resignation, saying, "Someone's out to get me, and right now, | trust no one. I'm not Leopold who has seen every trick in the book since he was in knee pants, so he's cool as a cucumber. But it was the first twith a target on my back, and | was scared stiff. Everyone looks like a killer to me." Arnold clapped him on the shoulder, comforting him, "Fredric, | get where you're coming from. | bet Raines does too." He glanced at Raines, "You've been living abroad most of the tout of sight. Who knows what's happened out there? You've changed a lot since the last time, that's got you on edge." Raines quivered his lips slightly, "I've just been dealt a bad hand, health-wise. Not even sure how much tI've got left. Why would | want to take over?" Fredric didn't buy it but played it cool, "As long as it's not you, I'm relieved. I'm all about live and let live. But if someone crosses me, they'll get theirs." It was a warning shot for Raines, a clear message that another sly move triggered the hell to pay.
Raines got the message loud and clear. His previous schhad not only flopped but backfired, landing him in the hot seat with Fredric and Leopold. This was a warning to the wise.
In the garden, Aurelia was having tea and a chat with Beverley and Lisbeth.
Aurelia whispered, "I've been twiddling my thumbs lately and whipping up a screenplay." "What kind?" Beverley asked eagerly.
"The gist is about an orphan who lost her folks young and gets picked up by a criminal syndicate that grooms her into a top-notch killer. The big cheese of the criminal syndicate wants to off a high-flying tech CEO, so he plants her right under his nose as his secretary. The CEO is this dashing, heartthrob, a real Romeo. The more tshe spends with the CEO, the deeper she falls. She starts to forget her mission, yearning to be just an ordinary gal, living the dream with him. And the CEO falls for her too, smarts and all, even pops the question.
Just as they're basking in the honeymoon bliss, the syndicate's head shows up. He kidnaps the CEO, locks him away, and then gets dressed up as the CEO himself, trying to take his place and snatch up the company and all its riches." Aurelia paused for tic effect.
Beverley, already caught up in the story, slammed her fist on the table, "That villain's got to go down. It's gotta be brutal."
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