Chapter 176. Demand Entry

Wilma sat, still wearing the serene smile she mastered over decades of court life. “Thank you, Ava. Join me.”

Ava bowed her head and took the seat beside her. She poured the tea first. Wilma watched her quietly. Ava’s expression remained soft, warm even, but Wilma no longer saw innocence there. Only calculation…

Ava placed the cup gently before her. “This should help you relax, Your Grace. You look a little tense.”

Wilma picked up the teacup, bringing it close. The aroma was familiar… yet something felt off. Too faint. Slightly sweetened, though she never took her morning tea that way.

She paused.

A strange heaviness settled in her fingers — subtle, like a warning from instinct alone.

Ava noticed the hesitation and smiled. “Is something the matter, Your Grace? I checked it myself. It’s the same blend you always drink.”

Wilma returned the smile, calm and unshaken. “I see.”

But inside, her thoughts sharpened. ‘You dare try somethi