After an exhausting and painfully humiliating family interrogation—
Annabelle's entire business empire was no longer a secret.
Nicholas was absolutely losing it, doubled over in laughter, his legs sprawled out as if he'd just been told the best joke of his life.
"Let me get this straight," he gasped between chuckles. "You're not just making dresses. You're selling jewelry, glassware, and furniture? Under a fake name?"
Annabelle, arms crossed and fuming, glared at him. "Yes."
"And you built an underground network of merchants and informants?"
She exhaled sharply. "Yes."
"And you actually thought we wouldn't find out?"
She groaned and collapsed back into the couch, covering her face with a pillow. "YES."
Jake let out a long, suffering sigh, rubbing his temples. "Annabelle, I'm both impressed and incredibly concerned."
Meanwhile, Ethan, who had been listening in silent confusion, suddenly jolted upright as if someone had slapped him with reality.
"Wait… I helped you get into the capital?!"
Paula, utterly amused at this revelation, patted his head like a child. "Yes, darling. You were unknowingly aiding and abetting your sister's schemes."
Ethan turned to Annabelle, horrified. "You used me?"
Annabelle blinked at him with her best 'innocent little sister' expression. "I simply leveraged our sibling bond for business opportunities."
"THAT'S THE SAME THING!"
Nicholas collapsed into another fit of laughter, wiping away tears.
Isaac, however, was the only one who hadn't laughed even once. He had been flipping through the financial records she had carefully hidden, his sharp eyes scanning every number, every contract, every purchase.
He shut the ledger with a loud, ominous thud.
"You handled all this—alone?" he asked, his tone calm.
Annabelle straightened, trying to look as responsible as possible. "Yes."
Isaac narrowed his eyes. "With no security measures in place?"
"I was careful."
Isaac stared at her like she had just told him she wrestled a wyvern for fun.
"Right. Careful." He exhaled, shaking his head. "We'll need to change that."
Annabelle froze.
She had a very bad feeling about this.
And she was right to be afraid.
Because her family didn't punish her.
No.
They did something far, far worse.
They invested in her business.
Paula was already excitedly sketching out new designs, brainstorming ways to expand into noble fashion trends.
Jake was reviewing all her contracts, making sure she wasn't being cheated by shady merchants.
Isaac was listing security protocols, muttering about hiring bodyguards, fortifying trade routes, and vetting every single merchant and informant she worked with.
Ethan, despite his dramatic betrayal, had already compiled a list of better artifact suppliers for her jewelry business.
And Nicholas?
Nicholas was grinning like a menace.
"You know," he mused, sprawled out lazily on the couch, "you might have expanded into business, but you've been terrible at keeping up with the noble social scene."
Annabelle blinked. "...What?"
Nicholas smirked. "How do you think high-ranking noble ladies keep their wealth? Investments, sweetheart. You can't just be selling things—you need long-term, elite clientele."
Annabelle's stomach sank.
Nicholas never cared about work. He barely took his own noble duties seriously. So why was he suddenly so knowledgeable?
"You know something," she accused.
Nicholas stretched like a cat, completely unbothered. "Of course I do. You think I just party all day?" He waved a hand. "I know which noble families hoard money, which ones are in debt, and which ones need an exciting new investment." He grinned. "And lucky for you, I happen to be very, very good at making people interested."
Annabelle's suspicion grew.
Nicholas was too carefree to be this involved.
...Until she realized.
This wasn't just about helping her.
Nicholas was having fun.
Oh no.
This was a game to him.
A very dangerous, very public game.
Annabelle sighed, finally accepting her fate.
Her family was going to run her business now.
And she was never going to live this down.
At least she wasn't dead.
Yet.