CHAPTER 109: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

"You quit your job? Really?" Oliver sneered, glaring at Sarah as he leaned back in his seat. The disdain in his voice was unmistakable, his expression twisted with disbelief as he studied her tear-streaked face.

Sarah glared right back at him, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand in a rough, dismissive motion. "What else was I supposed to say? Tell her she’s cold?" she snapped, her voice sharp and laced with frustration. "She’s definitely on to us!" Her gaze swung to Luke, who hadn’t said a word but continued to focus on the food in front of him.

Luke didn’t so much as glance up. He took another bite of his meal, chewing slowly before speaking in his usual calm, calculating tone. "What else was I supposed to do? She was going to refuse our proposal without even thinking about it."

Oliver’s mouth opened, his retort ready, but his attention flicked to the food that still sat on the table—luxurious and far better than anything they had eaten in months. Without another word, he grabbed his fork and began to eat instead, his hunger overriding his anger.

For several long moments, the room was filled only with the sound of chewing, the silence tense and brittle. Then, June finally spoke, breaking it with a bitter edge to her voice. She set her fork down, her movements slower now, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at her empty plate.

"I can’t believe Violet gets to eat like this every day," she said, her voice trembling, raw with resentment. "Does she even care about what we’re going through?" Tears filled her eyes, her shoulders sagging as the bitterness seeped deeper into her words. "While we’re starving, she’s here living like a king. And she’s not even willing to ask for more money for her family!"

Her voice cracked on the last word, and her tears spilled over. She raised a hand to her face, wiping them away furiously, but the sobs came anyway, loud and wrenching.

"She’s truly not mine," June added with a sigh, her voice quieter now but no less filled with hurt. Her words hung in the air, heavy with accusation, but her eyes, swollen and red, noticed no reaction from anyone at the table.

Neither Oliver nor Sarah acknowledged her outburst. Both kept their heads down, eating mechanically as if trying to block out her words. Even Luke didn’t speak again until the plates were completely empty. Only then did he lean back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he spoke in a voice laced with cold determination.

"I don’t care," Luke said, his tone flat. "All I care about is getting that ten million—and more—from her."

Sarah blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"More?" Sarah asked worried when she heard it since she still needed to get on Violet’s good side if she was hoping to get into the Lord’s mansion as a servant.

Luke’s gaze snapped to her, sharp and unyielding. "Of course, more. Do you think ten million is enough?" he said, his voice harsh. "If we can’t touch her yet, she might as well be useful. We need a huge mansion. Cars. And enough money to sustain it all."

June, still seated, bristled at his words. Her voice was sharp and accusing as she said, "What about all the money we spent on her after picking her up off the dirt? She was abandoned, left to die. Without us, she wouldn’t even be alive!"

Her words landed with a weight that none of them wanted to acknowledge. Instead, they all rose from their seats, their faces turned downward as they avoided looking at the corpses hanging above them as they left the building.

The stench of death was thick and suffocating now, a grotesque reminder of where they were, but none of them said a word. They left the mansion quickly, their steps echoing in the eerie silence of the hallways.

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Cain hated being summoned by Lord Eldric. But as long as he needed to maintain the façade of a loyal dog, he had no choice but to obey. For now, at least.

The helicopter ride was uneventful, the rhythmic hum of the blades above blending into the background as Cain sat in silence. Beside him, Frank was similarly quiet, his expression unreadable as they approached Eldric’s sprawling estate. When they landed on the private helipad, a contingent of guards dressed in immaculate uniforms was already waiting. Without a word, they escorted Cain and Frank to a sleek, waiting car.

The ride to the mansion gates was swift, the vehicle moving through the estate with precision. Cain stepped out as soon as they arrived, his white shirt and pants standing out starkly against the black uniforms of the guards, their sleeves embroidered with the golden wolf emblem. Ignoring his surroundings, he headed straight for the familiar meeting room where Eldric usually held court.

Before he could reach the door, a servant stepped into his path, bowing deeply. "Lord Cain, Lord Eldric has ordered that I bring you to his study," the man said, his tone deferential.

Cain’s eyes narrowed briefly, but he gave a curt nod. "Lead the way."

The servant turned and led him down a long corridor, stopping in front of an ornately carved door. Cain glanced at Frank, who had followed silently. "Stay here," he instructed, his voice sharp. Without waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and entered, slamming it shut behind him.

"You wanted to see me," Cain said, his voice curt as his gaze swept the room. His eyes settled on Eldric first before flicking to the woman seated nearby. She rose as he entered, her smile bright and eager.

"Cain! It’s been—" she began, but Cain cut her off with a dismissive glance, turning his attention back to Eldric.

"You wanted to see me, Eldric," he said, his tone cold as he moved to the chair opposite the large desk. He sat down without invitation, crossing his legs and tapping his fingers impatiently on the armrest.

Eldric’s lips curved into a slow smile, one that Cain had come to recognize as dangerous. "You look good, Cain," Eldric said, his tone casual but undercut with a sharp edge. "Much better than someone whose life-saving medicine is running out."

Cain’s expression darkened slightly, though he gave no outward reaction to the veiled threat. Instead, his fingers stilled on the armrest as he held Eldric’s gaze.

"What do you want?" Cain asked flatly, his voice devoid of anything but irritation.

Eldric chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair as if savoring the moment. "Do you remember Fiona, my daughter?" he asked, gesturing toward the woman who had taken a seat again, her smile faltering slightly at Cain’s cold demeanor.

Cain’s gaze flicked toward her briefly, his disinterest clear. "I don’t have time for introductions," he said bluntly, turning his attention back to Eldric.

Fiona’s face tightened for a moment, though she masked it quickly, her smile returning with slightly less warmth. Eldric seemed unbothered, his amusement only growing as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk.

"I have a task for you, Cain," Eldric said, his voice dropping slightly, the seriousness of his tone cutting through the room.

Cain didn’t react immediately, though the tension in his posture was impossible to miss.

"You might as well spit it out! What do you want?" Cain asked knowing that the fact that he had refused to kill Grainger was already hanging in the air and whatever he was about to ask was bound to be just as bad.