The aftermath of their midnight escape from the morgue left a lingering tension in the air between Silas and Sienna, their fragile alliance more complicated than ever. Morning broke bleak and gray over Sterling Mansion, matching the grim urgency both felt to uncover the truth.
A loud knock startled Sienna from restless sleep. She opened her door swiftly, revealing a stern-faced servant. "Fourth Young Madam, Patriarch Augustus has summoned a family council meeting immediately."
Her pulse quickened, understanding instantly that the incident in the morgue had intensified suspicions. She nodded calmly, swiftly dressing, concealing both the USB and Silas's implant carefully within her gown. Today's confrontation would demand absolute caution.
As she stepped into the ornate council chamber, accusing eyes instantly fixed upon her from every Sterling elder. Augustus sat rigidly at the table's head, eyes piercing sharply through her.
"Fourth Young Madam," Augustus began coldly, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade, "serious allegations have arisen regarding your activities last night. You stand accused of illegally tampering with Dr. Liang's body and attempting to cover your tracks. Do you deny this?"
Sienna lifted her chin proudly. "I deny nothing except your accusation. My actions aimed solely at uncovering the truth behind recent poisonings."
Augustus's gaze darkened dangerously. "Do you have evidence of your claims?"
"Indeed," Sienna replied steadily, stepping forward boldly. "And it implicates someone within this family."
Shocked murmurs rippled through the gathered elders. Josephine's eyes narrowed viciously, sensing a threat. "Enough games, Sienna. Your baseless accusations tarnish our family's honor."
Sienna's gaze hardened icily, fingers subtly brushing a hidden control panel concealed in her sleeve. "Then let evidence speak."
Suddenly, the large screen behind Augustus flickered to life, a recorded audio clip filling the room clearly: Josephine Sterling's unmistakable voice speaking quietly yet distinctly:
"Deliver the poison tonight. Silas must not survive long enough to threaten Spencer's inheritance. Ensure Sienna is blamed."
An instant uproar erupted, chaos engulfing the room. Augustus rose stiffly, fury radiating from him. Josephine stood frozen, eyes wide with horrified disbelief.
"This is absurd!" Josephine shrieked, panic shaking her voice. "Clearly fabricated!"
Sienna's calm voice sliced through the turmoil decisively. "Fabrication? The recording was extracted directly from your smart home security system, Josephine. Technology leaves footprints—truth hidden in plain sight."
Josephine paled dramatically, rage flaring wildly. "Impossible—you little viper!"
Augustus's cold voice cut sharply through Josephine's hysterics. "Is this true, Josephine?"
"Patriarch, please—" Josephine stammered frantically, losing all composure. "I would never—!"
Before she could finish, a sudden beep signaled the recording abruptly stopping mid-sentence, the screen going blank instantly. Confusion rippled swiftly through the council.
Sienna's heart froze in shock. She glanced subtly toward Silas, standing quietly in the shadows, his expression unreadable yet distinctly calculating. He returned her gaze evenly, a subtle warning glimmering in his eyes.
He had intervened, deleting critical moments from the recording.
"Where is the rest?" Augustus demanded coldly, suspicion flaring anew.
Sienna hesitated briefly, mind racing. Without the deleted portion, the evidence was incomplete—insufficient to decisively incriminate Josephine.
"I…I don't know," she replied finally, forcing composure. "Someone must have interfered."
Augustus's expression hardened chillingly. "Convenient. And suspiciously incomplete."
Spencer, standing quietly nearby, smirked faintly, eyes glittering coldly at Sienna's predicament. "Perhaps Fourth Sister-in-law overestimates her cleverness."
Silas spoke quietly, voice steady yet filled with hidden meanings. "Incomplete or not, this recording still demands investigation. At minimum, Josephine must be temporarily confined pending full clarification."
Augustus hesitated briefly, then nodded curtly. "Agreed."
Josephine's scream of outrage echoed sharply through the chamber as guards escorted her forcefully away, venomous threats spilling desperately from her lips. Yet Sienna felt no satisfaction—only bitter frustration and burning questions.
She waited silently until the chamber emptied, leaving only herself and Silas behind, their quiet breathing echoing softly through the tension-filled air.
"You tampered with my evidence," she murmured quietly, accusation lacing her tone.
He studied her carefully, unreadable emotion flickering briefly behind his dark eyes. "Only enough to save your life."
"Save me or protect yourself?" she demanded sharply, stepping closer, eyes blazing defiantly. "Whose side are you truly on, Silas?"
He met her challenge calmly, yet subtle vulnerability lingered beneath his composed façade. "On whichever side keeps us both alive."
Frustration surged fiercely through her. "That's not good enough. The truth matters—even if it condemns us both."
His fingers reached slowly, brushing her cheek softly yet possessively, his voice dropping to a husky whisper filled with quiet desperation. "Truth is rarely absolute, Sienna. Some secrets protect as much as they destroy."
She pulled back slightly, heart racing despite herself at his intimate touch. "I can't afford secrets—especially yours."
He smiled faintly, sadness mingling with danger in his eyes. "Yet some secrets are all I have left."
Before she could respond, footsteps approached quietly from the corridor, interrupting their charged moment. Spencer Sterling stood silently at the doorway, regarding them both coolly.
"Am I interrupting?" he drawled smoothly, voice dripping thinly veiled mockery.
Silas stepped back gracefully, mask of calm firmly restored. "Hardly, Brother. Merely clarifying certain matters."
Spencer smirked coldly. "Clarification? Or conspiracy?"
Sienna's eyes narrowed slightly, wary of Spencer's probing tone. "Careful, Spencer. Accusations carry consequences."
He smiled mockingly. "So does misplaced trust."
He turned abruptly, leaving as quietly as he'd arrived, tension lingering thickly behind him. Sienna exhaled slowly, turning fiercely toward Silas.
"The enemy grows bolder," she murmured quietly, voice strained with worry.
His gaze darkened dangerously, determination hardening his tone. "Then so must we."
As he moved toward the doorway, she caught his wrist sharply, holding him back briefly. Their eyes met, charged with tension, mistrust, and reluctant longing.
"One day," she whispered fiercely, "you'll have to choose—secrets or me."
His gaze softened briefly, voice quiet yet deeply intense. "Let's survive today first."
She released him slowly, watching silently as he disappeared through the doorway. Alone, she stood in the empty council chamber, echoes of suspicion and betrayal surrounding her relentlessly.
The truth had become a dangerous game—a game she intended to win.
And as the shadows deepened once more, Sienna vowed fiercely:
No secret would remain buried for long—not Josephine's treachery, Spencer's ambition, nor even the deadly enigma named Silas Sterling.