Chapter 610
Chapter 610:
The grand theater of the gala unfolded below her. She could see Azalea, trapped between a prince and a monster. She could see Dr. Rhys, watching with mounting alarm. Her fingers moved swiftly across the control panel. Elias had given her the back-door access codes.
She was ready to burn the entire stage down.
The crystal chandelier above the ballroom flickered once, twice, then plunged the entire room into absolute darkness.
A collective gasp swept through the crowd, followed by a wave of nervous murmurs. Emergency lights powered by a separate generator kicked on a moment later, bathing the opulent room in an eerie, dim red glow.
Prince Edward’s personal guards immediately formed a protective circle around him and Azalea.
“What the hell is going on?” Edward snapped.
In the control room, Eliza worked fast. The blackout was her cover. She bypassed the main security feed and looped the last five minutes of footage to the bridge. To the yacht’s captain, everything looked perfectly normal.
Using the isolated sound system, she routed a single low-frequency signal to a small receiver she had planted on Azalea’s clutch purse earlier — directed from shore via laser designator.
Azalea felt a tiny vibration from her bag. It was a pre-arranged emergency signal she and Eliza had developed years ago. I am here. Create a diversion. Move to the north exit.
Sh𝖺r𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗼𝗎g𝗵𝘁𝘀 oո
Her heart leaped into her throat. Eliza was on the yacht.
Gideon Sterling, meanwhile, remained unnervingly calm in the red gloom. He seemed to relish the chaos. “It seems the yacht’s generators are as unreliable as European monarchies,” he said with a lazy smirk.
Azalea seized the moment and pressed a hand to her forehead. “Your Highness, the darkness — I feel faint. I need some air p>
“I’ll escort you,” Edward said, his protective instincts engaging at once.
“Forgive my intrusion, Your Highness,” a calm voice cut in. Dr. Rhys stepped forward. “In a potential emergency, it is best if a physician attends to the young lady. The deck may be unstable.” He gestured toward a nearby exit. “The north promenade is more secluded and secure p>
Edward, flustered and eager to appear in control, gave a curt nod. “Very well. See to her p>
Dr. Rhys gently took Azalea’s arm and guided her away from the tense circle surrounding Gideon and the prince. As they moved toward the exit, Azalea caught sight of a female sommelier in the shadows giving a barely perceptible nod.
Eliza.
They reached the quiet, windswept promenade. The sea and sky were a single vast expanse of black.
“You’re not faint, are you, Miss Koch?” Dr. Rhys asked, his voice low.
“No, Doctor,” Azalea whispered, her eyes scanning the darkness. “I’m terrified p>
Eliza stepped out from behind a lifeboat station and pulled the wig from her head. The prosthetic scar was gone. Azalea nearly sobbed with relief.
“Eliza p>
“There’s no time,” Eliza said, urgent and quiet. “Gideon’s presence here is a distraction. The real endgame is in Geneva — he’s cornering Dallas. I need to know exactly what he said to you p>
“He knows everything,” Azalea said, her voice shaking. “He knows who my father was. He’s using it to tear our family apart. He made a direct threat against Dallas p>