That evening, Kara arrived late to the family dinner, making sure everyone noticed. The dining room was as grand as ever, the long table adorned with crystal glasses, silverware that gleamed under the chandelier, and a feast fit for royalty.
Alden sat at the head of the table, speaking in low, measured tones to a few business associates he had invited. Harrison and Aiden were both present, but they barely acknowledged her when she walked in. They were still furious about what she had done.
She didn't care. Or at least, that's what she told herself.
"Kara," Alden said, his voice firm but controlled. "You're late."
She shrugged, sliding into her seat. "I didn't realize we were on a strict schedule."
Alden exhaled through his nose, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he gestured toward the untouched food in front of her. "Eat."
Kara smirked. "Ordering me around now?"
Her father's eyes darkened. "I suggest you tread carefully, Kara. You're already on thin ice."
Aiden cleared his throat, finally speaking. "I'd say she already fell through." His voice was cold.
Kara rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Can we stop acting like I committed some horrible crime? No one got hurt."
Harrison slammed his glass down on the table, making her jump. "No one got hurt?" he repeated, his voice laced with anger. "Kara, you kidnapped our children. Do you have any idea what that felt like?"
Kara shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't expected Harrison to be this furious. Aiden was the one she was used to arguing with, but this was different.
"You make it sound worse than it was," she muttered.
Aiden scoffed. "Are you even listening to yourself?"
Silence fell over the table. Even Alden said nothing, watching Kara carefully, waiting for her to either defend herself or accept responsibility.
Kara swallowed hard but kept her face neutral. "Fine. Maybe I made a mistake. But don't act like you two are saints. You've both done worse things in the past."
Harrison's jaw clenched. "That doesn't justify what you did."
Aiden leaned forward. "You crossed a line, Kara. And if you can't see that, then you have a bigger problem than just making mistakes."
Kara opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, her phone buzzed again in her lap.
Unknown Number: You really should be more careful who you make enemies with, Kara. Some people don't forgive so easily.
Her stomach twisted.
She quickly glanced around the table, suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in. Who was sending these messages?
She had planned to use Aiden and Harrison's anger against them, but now, for the first time, she felt like she was losing control.
Alden's voice broke through her thoughts.
"You will apologize," he said calmly. "Not because I'm forcing you to, but because it's the right thing to do."
Kara set her jaw. "And if I don't?"
Alden placed his knife down gently, looking her dead in the eye.
"Then you will no longer be under my protection."
A shiver ran down Kara's spine.
She had always tested her father, always pushed limits, but this was different. There was a finality in his tone—a warning that she wasn't sure she wanted to ignore.
But before she could respond, her phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number: Tick-tock, Kara. Time's running out.
Kara locked herself in her room after dinner, pacing restlessly. Her father's words played over and over in her mind.
"Then you will no longer be under my protection."
Alden Blackwell never made idle threats. He was a man of power, and with power came control. She had always pushed his limits, always dared to test how much she could get away with. But this time… this time felt different.
She threw herself onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Aiden and Harrison's disappointment stung more than she was willing to admit. She had thought she could handle their anger, but the look in their eyes tonight—the betrayal, the sheer disgust—was something she hadn't prepared for.
They weren't just angry. They were done with her.
Kara sat up abruptly, pressing her palms against her forehead.
"Damn it."
Why did it feel like the whole world was closing in on her?
Her phone vibrated beside her, and she instinctively reached for it, expecting another ominous message.
But it wasn't.
It was her father.
She hesitated before answering. "What?"
Alden's voice was as sharp as ever. "Tomorrow morning, you'll go to Aiden and Harrison and apologize. You will take responsibility for your actions."
Kara clenched her fist. "And if I don't?"
There was a pause before he spoke again, his tone ice-cold.
"Then I will let you see what it's like to stand on your own."
A lump formed in Kara's throat, but she masked it with defiance. "You think I need you?"
"I don't think, Kara. I know."
The call ended, leaving Kara gripping the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.
She tossed it onto the bed, letting out a bitter laugh.
Did her father think she would just roll over and obey?
But then, her mind wandered back to the dinner table—to Aiden's piercing glare, to Harrison's fury, to the realization that she had truly hurt them.
For years, she had been untouchable. She had made mistakes, played games, manipulated people. But now, for the first time, she felt something she never thought she would.
Regret.
Kara inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, willing herself to push it away. She didn't do regret.
And yet…
As she curled up on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest, a single thought nagged at her.
"What if I really did go too far this time?"
She had lost control.
And that terrified her more than anything else.