Alice shifted uncomfortably under the collective gaze, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. Her mind screamed for some kind of instruction or direction, but none came.
The older woman at the head of the table tapped her pen against the glass table, the sound sharp and commanding. "Sit," she said, her voice cool and authoritative.
Alice swallowed hard and moved to the empty chair next to Suzy, who gave her a quick nod as if to say
Good luck—you'll need it.
As Alice lowered herself into the seat. The deliberation had stopped the moment she walked in, but she could tell it was about to resume.
She just had no idea whether she was part of the agenda—or its target. But at least, she was part of the Wildfire. They wouldn't treat her poorly right?
But Alice felt the weight of the older woman's gaze on her like a scalpel, slicing away any notions she might have harbored about being seen as an equal here.
"Just to remind you, miss, we don't care who you're married to or where you graduated from or the grades you got in law school. In here, you're nothing. Don't even think about playing smart or trying to override anything. We work by rules and hierarchy, which everyone must obey."
Wait a minute...
So she didn't have to say anything?
Alice almost wanted to dance for joy.
Squaring her shoulders, she spoke diplomatically, "I'm new here and have no intention of using my knowledge to suppress anyone. I'll remain quiet and observe." Just to further assure them, she added, "I will never ever say any word." She fought the urge to grin.
There was a collective snort from the table, but the older woman's eyes softened by a fraction, as if appreciating her humility—or maybe just amused by it. Either way, it was better than open hostility.
Phew, Alice thought. Crisis averted.
Or so she had assumed.
The other older woman's face tightened as she launched into the emergency at hand. "The Estate's security has been compromised," she announced grimly, her voice slicing through the room like a gavel. "And it's credits to an influx of undeserving guests trooping in."
Alice blinked, confused. She recalled the guards stationed at the heavily fortified main gate. Who would even dare infiltrate this estate? But before she could dwell on it, she noticed something unsettling: several pairs of eyes were suddenly fixated on her.
The two young ladies in particular glared at her with undisguised hostility.
Wait a minute. Were they insinuating that she was an undeserving guest?
Before she could think of a response to formulate, the older woman continued, her tone growing even graver. "To make matters worse, last night, there was a thief in the estate."
Alice's eyes widened in shock. A thief? Here? She didn't know there were thieves in the West. And most especially... in this place!
Who would dare?
"If I hadn't I seen it myself from my window, I would dare not believe it," the woman declared, her expression severe. "A suspicious figure dressed in black, skulking around the premises."
Alice frowned. A figure dressed in black… That sounded suspiciously familiar.
The woman added pointedly, "Thankfully, Devil was let loose to chase after the thief."
Wait.
Hold on.
Was she... the thief?
Alice's back went ramrod straight. Her mind reeled, replaying the events of the previous night. Her desperate escape, the wild chase, that blasted dog... Oh God.
She was the 'thief' wasn't she?
Panic bubbled in her chest, but she forced herself to remain calm. Surely this was a misunderstanding. Right? Right?!
"We're not going to let this continue," the woman declared, her voice steely. "The estate's security must be airtight."
The others nodded in grim agreement.
Alice cleared her throat, awkwardly interjecting, "Uh... Maybe it wasn't a thief? I mean... couldn't it have just been a... misunderstanding?"
Her suggestion was met with cold silence. The older woman's gaze was as sharp as ever, as was everyone else's.
What happened to being quiet and only observing. And never EVER speaking?
"Perhaps," the woman said icily, "but considering Hades appears to be affiliated with this so-called 'thief,' it becomes a legal matter."
Alice's jaw dropped. "Affiliated?" she echoed, dumbfounded.
Wait—what?
They all gave her the same disapproving look. But it seemed they were willing to let her off since the culprit they were talking about happened to be her husband.
The older woman's lips pressed into a thin line. "Yes. Hades. Your... husband."
Alice blinked rapidly, her brain struggling to process the sheer absurdity of the accusation.
They genuinely thought Hades was harboring a fugitive—her, apparently.
How?
What was going on here?
The chairwoman spoke up this time, her voice sharp and authoritative. "You are not here as his wife but as a legal representative of this estate. We must remind you of that, Mrs. Wildfire." Her tone made it clear that any personal ties Alice had with Hades were irrelevant in this room.
Alice swallowed hard. Her pulse quickened, but she forced herself to maintain a composed expression.
She didn't care if they got him arrested and jailed. In fact, that would help her get rid of one of her problems and focus on the others for the next one year.
But she had to know how and why she had been tied to him.
Was it Vik and his sidekicks?
She doubted. They would have mentioned her name.
"We've attempted to access all the CCTV footage to trace the thief's movements—where they came from and where they went," the woman continued. "However, all footage has been seized by Hades, refusing to let them out."
Alice's stomach dropped.
Why... would he do that?
Also... this happened just last night. And currently, it was 8 in the morning. When did they all start doing all this?
The woman's lips pressed into a grim line. "Since he has chosen to be reckless, we have no choice but to handle this... legally."