Chapter 696: Chapter 156.2 - She can't say

The Emberheart estate's grand doors creaked open, and a maid ushered Astron and Irina into the hallway leading to the Matriarch's study. The ornate corridor stretched endlessly, lined with paintings of Emberheart ancestors and tapestries depicting their fiery legacy. Each step echoed in the silence, a rhythmic reminder of the confrontation awaiting them.

Irina straightened her shoulders, her fiery gaze unwavering as they reached the polished wooden doors of her mother's room. She didn't glance at Astron, but she could feel his calm presence beside her—a steady anchor in the brewing storm.

The doors opened with a soft creak, revealing the Matriarch seated at her desk, her posture regal and her eyes sharp as ever. The air in the room was thick, charged with an unspoken authority that seemed to press down on them as they entered.