Chapter Eighty Two

Chapter 82
The tension from the study had seeped into every corner of the Valerian estate, like a storm cloud that refused to dissipate. Sometime within they had all moved from Marcus’s house to the Valerian estate because Marcus thought it safer to do so.
Now silence engulfed them and the faint hum of voices from the living room mingled with the heavy silence of those gathered, each person burdened with the weight of truths unspoken.
Jemma—or whoever she was now—had returned to a seat in the study, her demeanor calm but the energy around her crackling with barely contained hostility. Jay hovered near her like a shadow, his face etched with concern, while Marcus stood near the door, his eyes locked on Lucas and the uninvited guest standing behind him.
Seth Valerian- the prodigal son.
Vanessa and Dimitri were the last to enter, summoned by Marcus after the unexpected arrival. Vanessa’s sharp eyes darted between Seth and Jemma, her lips curling into a frown as she took in the tension that thickened the air. Dimitri lingered at the back of the room, his usual stoic presence now tinged with a rare unease.
"Marcus," Vanessa started, her tone sharp and unyielding. "What’s he doing here?" Their unspoken history dwindles above them.
"That’s exactly what we’re about to find out," Marcus replied, his gaze locked on Seth.
“First of all, am I the only one who doesn’t know who Seth is?” Dimitri inquired, confusion lacing the edges of his brows.
Jemma chuckled softly but the humor did not reach her eyes. “You and Jemima, you both don’t know.”
Dimitri squinted his brows, still confused and waiting for an explanation.
“Seth Valerian is the illegitimate child of Diane. She had an affair with Jon and they produced him. He had a history with Jemima’s childhood best friend, Vanessa, your fiancé. That’s why you can probably sense the hostility between them.”
Jemma explained, placing her legs on the table and crossing them. Everyone went silent, not bothering to disclaim the fact.
“But why is there so much animosity though?” Dimitri asked again while Jay took in his surroundings.
“Seth, planned a coup against Diane and Damien while they were still alive. He betrayed the family and was exiled. He also broke Vanessa’s heart but men am I right? But that’s not all…” Jemma announced, eyeing him maliciously.
“That’s enough Jemma, I only came to pass on important information,” Seth warned, his gaze hardened as he locked it on Jemma.
“Woah! How do you know this is Jemma and not Jemima?” Jay questioned, suspicion lacing his features.
“Well, that’s because he has had encounters with me before. You see, Seth was one of the men in Jemima’s life who tried to take advantage of her. Do you all see why she needs me now?”
“What do you mean take advantage of?” Ava who had been quiet finally spoke up.
“He sexually molested her,” Jemma said point blank, not mincing words as she glared at him. Her demeanor was scary. Everyone gasped and Seth buried his head in his palm in shame.
Murmurs erupted from everyone but anger slowly rose in Jay.
“Enough!” Everywhere became silent. “Now Seth, why are you here?”
Seth didn’t flinch under the scrutiny. He stepped into the room fully, his dark hair slicked back, his sharp features illuminated by the dim light of the study. He looked around slowly, his gaze lingering on Jemma, who stared back at him with an unsettling smirk.
"I came because I thought you’d want to hear what I know," Seth said finally, his voice low and deliberate. "About Jon."
The mention of Jon Ross’s name made Jay visibly tense, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Ava, who had stayed near the back of the room after sending her children upstairs, folded her arms tightly, her expression a mask of calm that didn’t quite hide the worry in her eyes.
"Why would we trust anything you have to say?" Vanessa snapped, stepping forward.
Seth turned his gaze on her, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Because, unlike the rest of you, I don’t have the luxury of playing house. I know what Jon’s capable of. And I know what he’s planning."
"Convenient," Marcus said, his voice dripping with skepticism. "What’s the catch, Seth? You don’t do anything without an angle. So what do you want?”
Seth chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Believe me, I don’t care what you think of me. But I know Jon better than any of you. If you want to stop him, you’re going to need me."
Jemma leaned back in her chair, her arms draped casually over the armrests as if she were watching an entertaining show. "He’s not wrong," she said, her voice cutting through the room like a blade.
"Stay out of this," Jay snapped, his voice rising for the first time. He turned to Seth, his jaw tight. "If you know something, say it. Don’t waste our time with riddles."
Seth’s smile faded, and he straightened, his expression turning serious. "Jon’s building alliances," he said. "Not just within his syndicate, but outside of it. He’s working with the remnants of the Briggs family, consolidating power. And he’s been watching all of you very closely."
"Watching us?" Ava echoed, her brow furrowing.
Seth nodded. "He knows your weaknesses. Your habits. He knows where to hit to make it hurt the most."
"And what do you get out of helping us?" Dimitri’s voice cut through the room, cold and measured.
Seth’s eyes flicked to Dimitri, and for a moment, the two men stared each other down, the tension between them palpable. Then Seth shrugged, his smirk returning. "Call it self-preservation. Jon doesn’t tolerate loose ends, and I’ve been on his radar for a while. Helping you is my best chance of staying alive."
Marcus crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "If what you’re saying is true, why come here now? Why not weeks ago?"
Seth hesitated, his gaze shifting briefly to Jemma. "Because I didn’t know how bad it was until now. And because I didn’t know..." He trailed off, his jaw tightening. "I didn’t know he was using her."
All eyes turned to Jemma, who raised an eyebrow in mock innocence. "Oh, don’t stop now," she said. "This is getting interesting."
"You knew," Seth said, his voice low and accusing. "You’ve been playing both sides, haven’t you?"
Jemma’s smirk widened, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "You give me too much credit, Seth. But it’s flattering."
"Enough," Marcus said sharply, stepping between them. He turned to Seth. "If Jon’s using her—or Jemima—then that changes everything. But we need proof, not speculation."
"I can get you proof," Seth said. "But it won’t be easy. Jon doesn’t leave loose ends, and if he finds out I’ve been talking to you..."
"Then why risk it?" Vanessa interjected, her tone skeptical.
Seth’s gaze hardened. "Because Jon’s not just coming for me. He’s coming for all of you. And if you’re not ready, you won’t survive it."
A heavy silence followed his words, the weight of the threat sinking in.
"Fine," Marcus said finally. "You’ll stay here for now. But don’t think for a second that we trust you. One wrong move, and you’re out."
Seth nodded, his expression unreadable. "Fair enough."
As Marcus turned back to the group, Vanessa stepped closer to him, lowering her voice. "Are you sure about this? Bringing him in could be a mistake."
"I know," Marcus admitted. "But if he’s telling the truth, we need him."
Vanessa didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she turned her attention back to Jemma, who had been watching the exchange with an amused expression.
"And what about her?" Vanessa asked.
"She stays under lock and key," Marcus said firmly.
Jemma laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. "Oh, Marcus. You think you can control me?"
"I don’t have to," Marcus said, his voice like steel. "I just have to control the situation."
The room fell silent again, the tension thick and unrelenting. Dimitri, who had been quiet for most of the exchange, finally stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Jemma.
"If Jon’s using you—or Jemima—then you’re a liability," he said bluntly. "And liabilities get dealt with."
Jay stepped in front of Jemma, his expression hardening. "She’s not a liability. She’s part of this family."
"Is she?" Dimitri countered, his voice cold. "Because right now, I’m not sure who she is."
Jemma’s smirk faltered for a moment, but then she straightened, her confidence returning. "You’re scared of me," she said, her voice low and taunting. "All of you are. And you should be."
"No one’s scared of you," Vanessa said sharply. "We’re scared of what you’ll do to her. To Jemima."
For a moment, Jemma said nothing. Then she stood, her movements slow and deliberate. "You all think you know what’s best for her," she said. "But you don’t. You’ve coddled her, shielded her, made her weak. I’m the only one who sees what she needs."
"And what’s that?" Marcus demanded.
"Freedom," Jemma said simply. "Freedom from all of you."
Her words hung in the air like a dark omen, sending a chill through the room.
"We’re done here," Marcus said finally, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Vanessa, take Jemma to the guest room. Dimitri, you’re on guard duty tonight. Seth, we’ll talk more in the morning."
One by one, the group began to disperse, the weight of the night’s revelations settling heavily on their shoulders. As Vanessa led Jemma out of the room, Jay lingered behind, his gaze fixed on Marcus.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Jay asked quietly, nodding toward the door Seth had just exited.
"No," Marcus admitted. "But right now, we don’t have a choice."
Jay nodded reluctantly, his mind racing with questions he wasn’t sure he wanted answered.
As the house fell into a restless silence, one thought lingered in everyone’s mind. Jon Ross wasn’t just a threat—he was a storm on the horizon, and they were running out of time to prepare.
“Marcus we need to talk,” Jay said after an hour later. Without waiting for a go-ahead, he let himself inside Marcus’s room.
“What is it now Jay?”
“I fear for Jemima. Jemma might slowly take over and who knows the effect that will have on her. We won’t be able to have access to Jemima anymore if this keeps going on.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“We take her to a mental facility against her will.”