Valmont Series - Inheritance Code

Chapter 3.3 - The Dominion Signal

Before she could get lost in her own awe, her ONYX shimmered softly with a delicate pulse — not urgent, but insistent.

Notifications had been silenced through the night — Avalon's strict SleepCore etiquette ensuring nothing disrupted her neural rest cycles.

But now, as her Suite shifted seamlessly into Waking Protocol, the soft pulse of ONYX signaled fresh updates.

[Veritas → Prestige Link Initiated...]

→ Aiden Lancaster (Connected)
→ Allegra Kingsmith (Pending)
→ Luc Raveneau (Pending)

With an effortless swipe, Aria approved Allegra. That one felt natural — even expected.

But her hand slowed as she reached the final name.

Luc Raveneau.

For a second, the Suite felt quieter.

Even Lyric didn't speak — as if the system itself respected the weight carried by that name.

Aria's lips parted slightly — not in shock, but in something closer to intrigued wariness mixed with an uninvited flutter of excitement.

Luc wasn't just some boy.

House Dominion.

The kind people whispered about — but carefully, never too loud.

Cold. Controlled. Lethally composed.

And annoyingly, breathtaking.

She remembered their first encounter.

He didn't even look back at her.

Not a glance. Not even polite acknowledgment.

She, Aria Lancaster — who usually had boys vying for her attention, practically begging to be noticed — had been dismissed.

It still stung.

But now? Now he had sent this. A Prestige Link.

Before she could process, Lyric's voice slid in — silky and a little too entertained.

"Oh my. Look who noticed you after all."

There was a wicked pause.

"Dominion boys don't waste connections, Princess. You must have made quite the impression."

Aria scowled faintly — though her pulse betrayed her.

"Maybe he sends them to everyone," she muttered, brushing it off.

"Unlikely," Lyric countered immediately, far too gleeful. "Luc Raveneau doesn't play games with commoners. Only with equals — or rivals."

Her hand hovered, conflicted.

Part of her wanted to accept immediately — to show she belonged.

Another part wanted to leave it hanging. Make him wait. Make him wonder.

She smiled faintly, a little too pleased with herself now.

"No. Not yet."

Lyric hummed, positively purring now.

"Strategic deferral. Solara-approved. But be warned... Dominion boys don't chase. They hunt."

Aria rolled her eyes, though her cheeks felt warm.

"Relax. He can wait."

But even as she turned to leave — hair and outfit flawless, heart beating faster than she liked — the truth lingered.

Luc Raveneau had noticed her.

And in Avalon...

Being noticed wasn't just flattering.

It was an invitation to the most dangerous game of all.

Next: Echelon is Watching - while Aria played the social game... Aiden was already inside the system.