Chương 20: Chapter 20: A Seat at the Table
The butler led me through the winding halls of the Blackthorn estate, the soft echo of our footsteps the only sound filling the silence. The building was every bit as grand on the inside as it had been on the outside, with high vaulted ceilings and intricate tapestries hanging on the walls. My eyes skimmed over them without much interest. They reminded me of the ones in my old palace—symbols of power and history.
How quaint.
We arrived at a large set of double doors, the entrance to the meeting room. The butler stopped, turning to me with a slight bow. "Through these doors, Master Blackthorn," he said, before stepping aside.
I stared at the doors for a brief moment, memories flashing through my mind—memories of the endless meetings I had been forced to attend in my past life. Long, dull gatherings with nobles who all had their own agendas. My heart beat a little faster. Was this... excitement? No. I pushed that feeling down. I didn't get excited about things like this. It was a simple meeting, nothing more. I had done this a thousand times before.
With a simple push, I swung the doors open.
Four pairs of eyes immediately turned to me as I stepped into the room. Four people sat around a long, polished table, their faces filled with surprise and curiosity. An empty seat at the head of the table stood out—the one meant for Margot Blackthorn. But Margot wasn't here. I was.
I took a moment to observe them, scanning every detail. Three men and one woman, all dressed in formal clothing fitting their status, their eyes now locked on me. The woman was the first to speak, her voice sharp and filled with skepticism.
"Is this some kind of joke?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she glanced around the room. "Where is Margot Blackthorn?"
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I walked further into the room, my steps calm, measured. When I finally spoke, my voice was cool and unwavering. "It's no joke. Margot is no longer the head of this family. I am the rightful heir."
I stopped in front of the empty seat, meeting each of their gazes with confidence. "My name is Eliot Blackthorn. Son of Elias Blackthorn."
The silence that followed was palpable. They stared at me as if I had just declared the impossible. After all, I was supposed to be dead, missing for so long without a trace. But here I was, standing before them, calm and collected, as though nothing had happened.
One of the men, older with graying hair and a stern expression, leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Impossible. We've all heard the rumors. You were—"
"Dead?" I interrupted smoothly, giving him a cold smile as I made my way to the head of the table. "Rumors can be deceiving, can they not?"
I sat down in the chair that was meant for Margot—the one that, by all rights, was meant for the head of the Blackthorn family. No better way to make it clear. This seat was mine.
"As I said," I continued, settling into the chair, "I am the rightful head of my family. And there should be no problems with that, should there?"
They exchanged glances, clearly unsure of how to proceed. Their expressions ranged from disbelief to confusion, but none of them dared speak against me. Not yet.
Finally, one of the younger men, a sharp-eyed fellow who had been silent up until now, spoke up. "And where is Margot, if what you say is true?"
"She's fallen ill," I replied without hesitation, leaning back in the chair. "She won't be attending any more meetings."
There was another pause. They weren't fools. They could sense that something was off, but none of them seemed willing to challenge me directly. Good. I had no intention of explaining myself any further. Let them think what they wanted. It didn't matter.
The woman, still skeptical, tapped her fingers on the table, watching me closely. "If you're truly the son of Elias Blackthorn," she said, her voice low, "then prove it."
I met her gaze with unwavering calm. "I don't need to prove anything," I said. "I'm sitting in this chair, am I not?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing more. The others, too, remained silent, clearly unsure of how to respond. They didn't want to admit it, but I had already won.
I was the head of the Blackthorn family now.
And soon, they would all see exactly what that meant.
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