?Chapter 703:

    Adah and Heather froze. Cole’s head? Reality hit. That wasn’t just anger—it was suicide. Taking on Cole was like going head-to-head with Arthur himself. Arthur was a terrifying figure, but Cole was every bit his equal. If not for Elliana’s marriage, they never would have even brushed up against a man of his caliber. Cole wasn’t some small-time elite. He was ze Wraith. That title alone struck fear into people’s bones. And whatever other identities he wore behind the scenes, they were worse.

    Elliana watched the fire in their eyes dim. “Go on,” she said with a sneer. “What happened to all that fire? You were so brave just a second ago.”

    Heather stepped back and wisely kept quiet. Adah, trying to save face, managed a sheepish smile. “We were just trying to stand up for you.”

    “You need to learn to keep your cool,” Elliana said, firm but not unkind. “The second something happens, you go straight to chaos—talking about killing people, screaming like a wildcat. Look at the men—they’re halfway out the door. You’re supposed to lead, not scare your team. Learn to manage them.”

    Adah tugged Elliana’s sleeve like a child caught misbehaving. “Okay, okay, you’re right. I’ll be better. You obviously had something important to say. Go on, we’re listening.”

    Once the tense mood faded and everyone seemed to settle, Elliana steered the conversation back to business. “Wanda is actually Trinity’s elder sister. She was taken in by Eva and adopted by the Campbell family right after birth. She’s twenty-four now.”

    Surprise flickered in Adah’s eyes. “That’s a twist I didn’t seeing,” she murmured. Then, she turned to Elliana, “If Cole really does get engaged to Wanda, you can bet Trinity won’t let it go. She’ll make trouble for you. She might even go looking for payback.”

    Elliana gave a knowing nod. Experience had taught her to expect retaliation from Trinity. There was nothing to fear when dealing with Trinity or the Craigs, but things had changed—now that the powerful Campbell family stood behind the Craig family, Elliana knew caution was needed. Given the infamous traits of the Craig family, she doubted Wanda would be any easier to deal with. The person orchestrating events behind the scenes to sever her connection with Cole might have been Wanda herself.

    After sorting through her thoughts, Elliana finally spoke. “Since the Campbell family has already begun erasing every trace of Cole and me online, Cole’s engagement to Wanda must be a done deal. I have no doubt they’ll turn their attention on me soon.”

    Clifton, Kieran, Heather, and Damian all straightened up, their faces as cold and hard as winter frost, ready for whatever mighte. Though the Campbell family was formidable, and opposing them could lead to a grim fate, they were unafraid. From the day they joined the Thorn Rose organization, they had set aside their own lives, ready to stand by Elliana through thick and thin.

    Determination sharpened Adah’s gaze. “Elliana, what’s our move?” she asked, resolve burning in her voice.

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    A sense of calm settled over Elliana. “You all know the Campbell family’s reputation. If they decide to act against me, fighting them directly is the worst choice we could make.”

    Clifton’s voice broke through the quiet. “Elliana, we’re not scared. Let’s take the fight to them if we have to.”

    Kieran, Heather, and Damian chimed in at once, “We’re ready. We aren’t afraid.”

    Adah refused to back down. “The Campbell family is intimidating, sure, but Thorn Rose isn’t weak either. If things turn ugly, they’ll have a battle on their hands.”

    A small smile touched Elliana’s lips, but she shook her head. “I appreciate your loyalty, but we don’t need to throw ourselves into a war with the Campbells,” she said, looking each of them in the eye. “They have centuries of history and resources no one fully understands. The best we could hope for is mutual destruction—and I won’t risk that.”

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