Chapter 54

ADELAIDE

Raina wouldn’t know what hit her. The thought circled in my mind like a mantra as I watched her sip the tonic, completely unaware. Adelaide. That’s who they should’ve revered, not this naive, doe-eyed woman sitting in front of me. How dare she walk in here like she owns the place?

"Thank you, Adelaide," she said softly, offering a small, tired smile as she set the glass down.

I forced my lips into a smile, sweet and rehearsed, though every fiber of me itched with contempt. "Of course, Miss Raina," I replied, my tone dripping with fake politeness. “Goodnight.”

She nodded absentmindedly, already turning her attention to the papers scattered across her desk. I stepped back, careful not to show the malice lurking beneath my composed facade, and slipped out of the room.

The moment the door clicked shut, my expression darkened. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms as I stalked down the hallway. That woman. That insufferable, clue