Chapter 471\u00a0<\/p>\n
Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the Duskgrave Estate\u00a0<\/p>\n
74\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moonlight filtered faintly through the heavy storm clouds still hanging above the Stormridge mountains, but inside the Duskgrave estate, warmth pulsed from the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the marble floors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke stumbled through the front doors of the manor, soaked in exhaustion, dark circles beneath his eyes heavy like bruises. Without a shred of decorum, he collapsed onto the velvet- lined sofa with a theatrical sigh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAaah-finally. Heaven.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mrs. Beck, who had been dusting the shelves with practiced efficiency, glanced over and smiled indulgently. She was used to his antics by now. \u201cAnother all-nighter?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke groaned, barely managing to keep his eyes open. \u201cAll-nighter? Please. That wasn\u2019t work, that was a soul-extraction ritual. If Alpha Lucien had ruled in ancient times, I swear he would\u2019ve been a tyrant. He\u2019s draining me dry before I even hit thirty.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A low, magnetic voice echoed from the staircase above.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDuke, it sounds like you have quite a few complaints about your Alpha.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sound alone made Duke jolt upright as if struck by lightning. He snapped into a straight posture, grinning like a loyal mutt, eyes twinkling with faux sincerity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all! You\u2019re the sun in my sky, Alpha. Every day working under you warms my cold, withering heart.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He clutched his chest dramatically. Mrs. Beck and Mia, standing by the dining room arch, both chuckled softly at his antics. The whole estate seemed lighter for a moment, laughter chasing away the remnants of the storm outside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien descended the stairs, sharp in a black cashmere sweater and slacks, his aura cool and commanding. He took the armchair opposite Duke, resting his elbows on his knees as he asked calmly, \u201cHow did it go?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke straightened, pride flickering in his tired eyes. \u201cThe Ebonclaw Pack\u2019s empire? Crumbled. Kael Vale didn\u2019t even have time to beg. But that\u2019s not all. I made a rather\u2026 interesting discovery.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien appeared disinterested, reaching for the folded financial bulletin atop the coffee table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:23 Fri, Jan 16 T..\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 471\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned back lazily, eyes skimming the headlines as he murmured, \u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
74\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke, eager to impress, cleared his throat. \u201cTurns out, Kael\u2019s father, Alpha Alaric Vale, sold off all his stock in the Vale Holdings months ago. Liquidated it. And guess where the money went?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s eyes remained on the page. \u201cSurprise me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTo a single account under a name you\u2019ll know-Dean Elira Blackthorn.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now that got his attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien set the paper down with a soft rustle. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze sharpened like a dagger drawn from its sheath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke continued. \u201cThe Ebonclaw Pack\u2019s accounts were already riddled with holes. Tax evasion, embezzlement, collapsed trust funds. Even if we hadn\u2019t touched them, they would\u2019ve imploded within weeks. But the kicker? A few months ago, the legal ownership of the entire group was quietly transferred.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s brow arched faintly. \u201cTo Kael?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly. All under Alaric\u2019s instructions. He set his own son up as the scapegoat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien leaned back into the chair, a lazy smirk curling at the edge of his lips. \u201cAlaric Vale\u2026 what an impressive coward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke shrugged, still baffled. \u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t get the guy. He built a company from the ground up, only to sell it for scraps and leave his son to take the fall. For a woman, no less.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien tapped the armrest with two fingers, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. \u201cAnd Kael?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cArrested, most likely. The Tribunal was already waiting outside the company tower when he showed up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the legal representative, he\u2019ll be prosecuted for tax fraud. Might serve real time,\u00a0<\/p>\n
too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s expression didn\u2019t change, but there was an unmistakable chill in his eyes. was hoping he\u2019d last a little longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShame. I\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke stretched with a yawn, rubbing his eyes. \u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t think he had another round in him. Looked like he\u2019d already been flattened by the world.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, a commotion stirred at the front entrance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to speak with Riley. Now. It\u2019s urgent,\u201d came a familiar voice-low, anxious, and insistent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Duke, half-asleep, frowned. \u201cWho the hell is that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:23 Fri, Jan 16 T\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 471\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia glanced toward the door. \u201cIt\u2019s healer Theo Hale.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d Duke asked, brows knotting in confusion as he turned to Lucien for clarity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
74\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien didn\u2019t even need to look. He\u2019d recognized the voice the moment it pierced the manor\u2019s calm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His tone was cool and indifferent as always, but firm. \u201cLet him in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 471 Chapter 471\u00a0 Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0 At the Duskgrave Estate\u00a0 74\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Moonlight filtered faintly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20746\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}