36.

Ethan paced in the study, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His mind buzzed with thoughts of Adrian—his pale face, the tremble in his voice when he recounted the kidnapping. The mere idea that Lady Sachel and Anshi had dared to lay a hand on his beloved wife filled him with a rage he had never known before. His patience was worn thin, and the time for passivity was over.

Leclair sat nearby, calmly watching his younger brother, his wheelchair pulled up beside the large oak desk. Despite his outward calm, there was a certain intensity in his gaze that matched Ethan's fury. Across from him was Augustin, Leclair's enigmatic and quiet husband, his fingers dancing across the keys of his laptop.

"They'll pay," Ethan muttered under his breath, his voice low but filled with venom. "Both of them. They'll wish they never crossed us."