Over and over.

Waiting.

Waiting for some kind of update from the villa.

But my phone stayed completely silent.

By the last night, I caved and made the call myself.

“It’s been three days,” I said, trying to sound indifferent. “Has she acted out again? Tried to get to me? Threatened to show up here?”

There was a pause on the other end. Then the housekeeper spoke carefully. “No, sir. Ma’am Zareena hasn’t said a word in the past three days. Sh-She hasn’t even touched the food I’ve been leaving outside her door.”

Hearing that, I let out a low scoff. A faint, mocking smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. “Tch. Just sulking. Of course she is.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, pacing a few steps as the irritation rose again.

“I made it clear from the beginning,” I muttered, more to myself than the housekeeper. “Whoever gives birth to my first child, that child becomes my heir. She couldn’t do it. Instead, she kept pulling games. Pretending to be the victim. Trying to manipulate me!”

My voice tightened as I went on, old resentment flaring. “Then she had the nerve to team up with my own mother to steal the baby from Shannah. And I still didn’t punish her. I let it go. Heck, I’ve already been more than fair!”

I heaved a sigh. “And now she thinks she can guilt-trip me by starving herself?”

For a moment, I fell silent. Unbidden, the image of her father crashing to the ground replayed in my mind.

Another sigh slipped from my lips—slower this time, heavier.

“Is she mad about her dad dying? Tell her it was an accident. I didn’t expect it to end that way.”

I paused, running a hand through my hair before continuing.

“If she listens… if she eats… I’ll make sure her father gets a proper funeral.”

I hesitated, the next part catching slightly in my throat.

“I’ll even let her be named as the mother of Shannah’s baby. That way, she still gets to live her little fantasy of being the mother of my heir.”

“But only if she stops messing with Shannah,” I added quickly. “Shannah’s moving to the villa soon. From now on, they’ll be treated the same. No more drama.”

The housekeeper quickly agreed, then rushed off toward the basement.

Sullivan’s POV

The moment I heard the basement lock click and the door creak open, the housekeeper’s scream rang out.

“Sir! Sir! Ma’am Zareena—She… she’s dead! And there’s a dead baby next to her!”