I drew in a steadying breath and spoke slowly. “The man in that image… is my brother.”
“Your… brother?” Celeste’s laughter rang sharp and cruel. “Do you take us for fools? A ‘sworn brother’ your real brother? Or is that what you call every man you deal with? Must admit, that does make things… more interesting!”
The laughter around me grew louder, sharp and mocking; someone even whistled mockingly.
Sebastian’s eyes were ice. “Enough,” he said, voice cutting through the noise. “Stop humiliating yourself. Take your exile notice and leave. From this moment, you no longer exist to me or to this family.”
I gripped the letter tightly, feeling only emptiness crawl through me. For five years, I had hidden my true identity, living as a low-profile operative in his organization, working tirelessly to help him rise to power.
And now, after personally laying the path to his dominance, he was ready to cast me aside like a used tool. I could endure loss—but I would not be made a fool. The last five years of my youth might have been wasted on an ungrateful Don, but I would not break.
“Sebastian… you’ll regret this,” I whispered, low and deadly.