Chapter 130- Gaining the Upper Hand
Lexy
I know Tarria is strong and can take care of herself, but I’m worried. Not knowing where she is at and how she is being treated keeps gnawing at me. After the meeting earlier today, the conference has been extended for another day.
Everyone is getting themselves ready for tonight's dinner while I sit in my office with CJ and go over everything Tarria found before leaving. She found a decent amount of information and couldn’t finish going through it since I had to show my face for dinner.
I prepared myself with deliberate care. This wasn't a celebration—it was a show of strength. The conference with the Alphas and their representatives had stretched into an unexpected extra day, and I needed to remind them who sat at the head of the table.
When I stepped into the hall, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations faltered. Eyes turned. Some stared in awe, others instinctively lowered their gazes. It was understandable.
I wore a tailored ensemble in deep obsidian, the color of midnight embers—strong, unwavering. The structured jacket hugged my shoulders with military precision, its high collar embroidered with gold and flame-red thread in the subtle shape of phoenix wings unfurled. Beneath it, a sleek floor-length tunic flowed like molten fire, dyed in a gradient that moved from dark ash at the hem to a smoldering crimson near the waist, as though I’d risen from flame itself.
At my waist, a wide leather belt embossed with my crest—the Phoenix in full wingspan—cinched the look with authority. A cloak of sheer black silk, featherlight but deliberate, trailed behind me like smoke, catching in the light with each step. My boots were polished, silent, built to move quickly if needed—but still carried the weight of command.
My hair was swept back into a braided crown, interwoven with gold thread and crimson accents, giving the impression of flames woven into firelight. My eyes were sharp, lined in deep bronze, and I wore no jewelry except for a single ring: my wedding ring, glowing faintly with ancestral fire from the red gem CJ chose to place on it.
I didn’t just look like the Great Phoenix—I *was* her. And they would do well to remember it.
From across the room, Adrian's gaze found me immediately. His jaw tightened, and for a brief second, the mask of composure he always wore cracked. His eyes narrowed—not in disdain, but in recognition. He saw the fire in me, the authority I carried like a second skin, and he knew. He knew that whatever leverage he thought he held was slipping fast.
He recovered quickly, lifting his glass in a smooth motion, his smile polite but tight. But I saw the flicker in his eyes—the sharp edge of caution. Good. Let him feel the heat. Let him remember who he’s dealing with.
While I made him falter for a moment I said to myself, ‘For Tarria’.
The dinner went by like a blur. Formalities, forced pleasantries, the occasional toast—it all melted together under the steady current of strategy. I had already collected most of the signatures. Only three remained: Adrian, and the two representatives still stubbornly standing in his shadow.
But I could see it in their eyes—it wasn’t loyalty that held them back. It was fear. Not fear of me, not yet, but fear of what Adrian might do if they betrayed him. The way they avoided my gaze, the stiffness in their postures, the silence when the others spoke in support of the agreement—I knew the signs.
And so did Adrian.
He kept his expression carefully neutral, but I caught the flicker of unease every time someone approached me with a signed scroll. His grip on his wine glass had tightened over the evening, the charming mask he wore beginning to fray around the edges.
Good.
Let him watch the ground erode beneath his feet while I rise.
I stood slowly after the final course was cleared, my chair scraping lightly against the polished floor. The subtle sound still managed to draw attention. Conversations hushed. I let the silence settle, let the weight of it hang.
“My thanks to those who have already pledged their support,” I said, voice calm but unmistakably firm. “For those who haven’t…” My eyes drifted briefly to Adrian, then to the two still clinging to him like brittle leaves to a dying tree. “We will discuss terms tomorrow. I hope you won’t miss this great opportunity. The future doesn’t wait for the hesitant.”
With that, I gave a nod and turned to leave, my cloak whispering behind me like smoke in the wind. I didn’t need to look back. The fire was already lit.
I decided to head to my office and keep working with the team to find Tarria. The evening’s tension still lingered in the air, but there was no time to dwell on it. The path to victory required unwavering focus and determination. The search for Tarria was not just a mission; it was the cornerstone of her strategy, the key to unraveling Adrian’s grip.
As I walked, my mind sifted through the layers of plans and contingencies. My team awaited me, a dedicated cadre of strategists and allies who shared my vision. They would delve into the latest reports, decode the cryptic messages, and piece together the elusive puzzle. Every detail mattered; every lead was a potential breakthrough.
Entering my office, I felt a surge of energy. The room buzzed with quiet urgency, papers strewn across tables, screens flickering with data. I joined my team, their nods of acknowledgment a silent testament to their readiness. Together, they would navigate the complexities, outmaneuver the obstacles, and find Tarria. The future was within reach, and I was determined to seize it.
CJ
I stayed behind at the dinner table observing how everyone reacted to Lexy’s words. How Adrian let his guard down for one second. No one else dared to look at him or his way. They whispered amongst each other. Everything is going according to plan.
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