Chapter 5
The rotor blades hadn’t even stopped spinning when Delilah’s composure cracked. She clutched Cassian’s arm in panic.
“Cass… those helicopters, those trucks… they’re not actually here for us, right?”
Cassian’s face had gone ghost–pale.
He stared at the descending fleet of military aircraft and black vehicles stamped with special ops markings, his throat
bobbing–but he said nothing.
Seconds later, a tactical unit leapt from the trucks, fully armed and moving in sync.
They split into two ranks and snapped into formation, saluting in unison.
“Commander on site!”
A steady voice rang out from the line.
“We’re looking for Miss Seraphina Vale.”
I stepped forward, calm and clear.
“That’s me.”
The man at the front–a senior officer, judging by the insignia on his uniform–saluted sharply.
“By order of FARA command, we are here to support and assist you with full authority regarding this incident.”
Delilah screamed. “There must be some mistake! She’s just some random nobody from the sticks! What right does she
have to be calling the shots?”
Cassian’s mouth opened, voice tight with forced composure.
“You heard the explosion and overreacted, right? It was just a building. I can pay for the damage–hell, I’ll write the check now. Just tell your people to stand down.”
The officer barely glanced at him.
“And you are?”
Cassian straightened, trying to recover his edge.
“I’m Cassian Sterling. You know, the-”
“You’re not authorized to interfere,” the officer cut in coolly.
“We responded to a national–level alert indicating intentional damage to a secured federal property under classified
protection.”
He turned slightly, motioning to his team.
“We’re here to detain all individuals suspected of compromising national security. Mr. Sterling, you’re one of them. Please
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come with us for questioning.”
Delilah’s mouth fell open, face drained of color.
She didn’t say a word.
Cassian clenched his jaw, voice rising.
“You’ve got it wrong! This is Seraphina Vale’s doing–she’s pulling strings! I just blew up an old building. That place has
been abandoned for years!”
The officer’s face didn’t flinch.
His tone remained steady–but the pressure behind it was undeniable.
“That structure was designated as SRA Safe–House 37–federally commissioned and restricted under FARA classification.
Your actions are being treated as an active threat to national security.“.
Cassian finally panicked.
“You can’t do this to me! Do you even know who I am? I’m the heir to Sterling Industries! My grandfather is-”
“The Sterlings?” The officer gave a short, humorless laugh.
“Effective immediately, Sterling Industries has been placed under federal audit. All corporate assets will be frozen pending
investigation.”
Gasps erupted from the crowd nearby.
“Sterling Industries… is going down?”
“Wait, wasn’t she just some nobody a minute ago? What the hell is happening?”
“Damn. The Sterlings have ruled Cedarcrest for years–and now they’ve finally met their match.”
I stepped forward, coughing lightly to break the tension.
Cassian’s face was grey.
“Mr. Sterling,” I said calmly, “I warned you. There are things in this world your money can’t buy, and power you don’t have
access to.”
“Oh, and by the way-” My voice stayed soft, but every word landed like a hammer.
“The one who called my boss a ‘pathetic old man‘? That was her.”
I nodded toward Delilah, who was half–hiding behind Cassian’s bodyguards.
“And the one who threatened to bomb my boss after destroying a federal facility? Also her.”
“And just in case anyone missed it, she’s the one who pushed the detonator.”
The officer didn’t hesitate.
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“Under Section 47 of the Federal Protection Act, deliberate threats and insults against federal officials will be processed as accomplice behavior. Arrest her.”
Delilah’s knees buckled. She dropped to the ground, wailing.
“I didn’t know! I didn’t mean it! I thought she was just some low–level researcher!”
I raised a brow.
“Oh? So because you thought I was nobody… it was okay to try and kill me?”
Delilah opened her mouth, fumbling for words.
She didn’t get the chance.
Two special agents had already moved in, cuffing her before she could run.
Cassian watched in horror as one by one, his people were hauled away.
Finally, his rage boiled over.
“Who the hell are you?!”
I gave him a cool smile.
“Only now you want to know?”
“Sorry… you don’t qualify.”
I added, evenly, “Maybe if you’d become my husband, you’d have earned the right to speak to me.”
“But as things stand? The only Sterling with the clearance to talk to me-
Is your grandfather.”
Chapter 5
