Chapter 203

John sat quietly behind his large wooden desk in his home office. The room was heavy with silence. The thick curtains of the office were drawn halfway, allowing soft light to enter, in order to ease the tension. But even that light could not ease the tension as expected.

Mia and Landon sat beside one another on the long sofa across from him. Stone stood close to the door, his posture straight and composed, his hands loosely clasped behind his back.

No one spoke. The silence stretched for far longer than needed.

John’s face was calm, but unreadable. His eyes showed nothing, giving away no emotion. Stone looked the same-cold, controlled, and watchful. But Landon’s face was tight with anger. His jaw was clenched, his shoulders stiff. Mia sat beside him, her brows drawn together in worry. The frown on her face refused to leave.

She was exhausted.

So much had happened in this family, one problem after another, and it felt like there was no end to it. Every time she thought things would finally calm down, something else would explode.

She missed Alfred deeply.

When Alfred was alive, everything felt different. Even though he was old, he handled every problem with wisdom and calm strength. He knew how to protect the family without tearing it apart. Under him, everyone felt safe.

Now, without him, everything felt like it was falling apart.

Mia shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.

“Father,” she finally said, breaking the silence. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. “You still haven’t answered my question. Please tell me what is going on.”

John lifted his eyes slowly and looked straight at her.

“The question you should be asking,” he said calmly, “is why Landon was working for our enemy.”

Mia gasped loudly.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she turned sharply to look at her husband. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear.

Landon, however, did not move.

He did not look surprised. He did not look guilty either. He simply sat there, his face still hard with anger.

“What do you mean?” Mia asked, her voice shaking. She Looked between John and Landon, confused and scared.”

What are you talking about?”

Before John could answer, Landon suddenly spoke.”No, Father,” he snapped, leaning forward. “The real question here is why you are suddenly becoming so secretive.”

His voice was sharp, filled with frustration that had clearly been building for a long time.

“How can you even think that I would do something like that?” he continued angrily. “How could you accuse me of betraying this family?”

John did not raise his voice. Instead, he leaned back slightly in his chair.

“Then explain to me,” John replied firmly, “why you were following us. Why were you watching my movements?”

“To find out what you were hiding,” Landon fired back immediately. “Why else would I do that?”

The room fell silent again.

The air felt thick and heavy, as though no one could breathe properly.

Landon took a deep breath, then continued, his voice lowering but growing more intense.

“A lot has been happening in this family,” he said. “And you shut me out. You stopped talking to me. You stopped trusting me.”

He stood up slowly, his eyes fixed on John.”I am also a member of this family,” he said firmly. “Even if you are not my biological father, I grew up here. This is my home. These are my people.”

His voice cracked slightly.

“But obviously, you don’t see it that way,” he added bitterly. “Because now, you treat me like some fucking criminal.” he sat back down.

The words hit John like a slap. And it stung.

Mia gasped softly and immediately clutched Landon’s hand, her fingers shaking. Fear flashed across her face as she looked between the two men she loved most.

John clenched his jaw.

Landon’s words echoed in his ears, and were painful.

“There are things that must be done in secret,” John finally said. His voice was calm, but firm. “That was my father’s way. Alfred protected this family with strategy and silence. And it worked.”

He leaned forward now, his eyes locked on Landon.

“I was protecting this family,” John continued. “And that includes you and your wife.”

Then he paused.

“We have a very dangerous enemy,” he added. “Someone who wants to destroy us from the inside. I received information that another person in this family was feeding that enemy information.”

Mia’s grip en Landon’s hand tightened.

“I had to act,” John said. “I had to set a trap to catch whoever it was. It was strategy, nothing more.”

John sighed deeply.

“Wyatt was also a member of this family,” he continued.”

Yet he betrayed us. He chose the enemy instead.”

“I am not Wyatt,” Landon said quickly, his voice firm. “I would never betray my family.”

“So I thought,” John replied. “Until you fell into the trap.”

Landon’s eyes flashed.

“You were following me,” John said. “Watching my every move. That made you suspicious.”

“I followed you because you shut me out,” Landon said angrily. “I felt what you were feeling. I wanted to help. I wanted to be useful.”

He shook his head.

“But you didn’t trust me enough to involve me,” he added bitterly.

The conversation felt like a battle, each word sharper than the last.John closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.

“I am sorry,” he said at last.

The words stunned everyone.

“I am sorry for suspecting you,” John continued. “I am sorry for treating you like a common criminal. But you have been cleared. You are free now. You are not the person we are looking for.”

Mia let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding.

Landon stared at John.

“Then who was?” Landon asked quietly.

“Magdalene,” John replied. “She was the traitor.”

Mia gasped again, this time covering her mouth with both hands.

“What?” Landon’s eyes widened. “Magdalene? She has served this family for years. She’s like family.”

“Yes,” John said. “And that is why she was trusted.”

He continued, “She is under police investigation now. Two other maids were also involved, but they took their own lives when they were caught.”

“Oh my God,” Mia whispered, her hands still covering her mouth.”We are still investigating everyone,” John added. “Even Stephen.”

Landon nodded slowly, but his usual playful expression was gone. He still felt the sting of being suspected.

Then he asked the question that had been on his mind.

“Why did you agree to Carl marrying Delphine?” he asked.

“After everything you know about her?”

John’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“If Carl wants Delphine,” he said calmly, “why should I stop him?”

Landon studied John carefully.

He knew that smile. And he recognised it too well.

John was hiding something again.

There was no way John would allow that marriage without a reason.

Landon chuckled inwardly.

John was becoming more and more like Alfred.

And whatever he was planning, Landon knew the truth would come out soon.