In Mr. Dale's study, the air grew thick with tension as he confronted Bartlett. "William, you have to stop this. It's gone too far. I've done everything you asked, but now it has to end."
Bartlett, leaning back in the chair, let out a sinister laugh. "Richard, my old friend, you've always misunderstood our arrangement. You didn't help me; you did what you had to do because you were trapped. It was me who provided the way out."
Mr. Dale's face contorted with frustration. "You're twisting the truth. I've given you everything you wanted. Now, you need to leave my daughter out of this."
Bartlett leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Mr. Dale's. "You're going to do what I say, and if you try anything foolish, your precious Eve will suffer the consequences. It's time you realize who holds the power in this game."
Mr. Dale's eyes flashed with anger. "I won't let you harm her. I'm done playing your games. Leave her out of this!"
Bartlett, unfazed, stood up. "Aiden, you don't get to dictate the terms anymore. The game is in motion, and you can't stop it."
//////
In his room, frustration clawed at Raven as he strained to decipher the fragments of conversation seeping through the interference in the signal. The distorted snippets left him with a gnawing sense of unease, unable to grasp the crucial details hidden within the tangled web of words.
"Finish it," Mr. Dale's voice echoed, a plea or demand, Raven couldn't discern. Then, the sinister laughter of Bartlett cut through the air, a cold shiver running down Raven's spine. "Helping you?" Bartlett's mocking tone carried a weight Raven couldn't fathom.
As the signal wavered, Raven's frustration intensified. He clenched his fists, his mind racing to fill in the blanks. "Daughter's life" and "Leave her out of this," Mr. Dale's desperate words lingered, revealing a paternal concern that struck a chord with Raven.
But the interference persisted, obscuring the details Raven yearned to uncover. It was a strategic move, and Raven knew it. Bartlett, a puppet master orchestrating a sinister game, was deliberately keeping him in the dark.
Raven's monologue echoed in the silent room, a manifestation of his inner turmoil. "This interference isn't just a technical glitch. It's a calculated move by Bartlett to keep me from hearing the truth. Damn it!"
His mind churned with frustration and anger. The cryptic puzzle of the Velvet Scandal seemed to tighten its grip, eluding Raven's attempts to unravel it. As he paced the room, a storm of emotions raged within him, a mixture of helplessness, determination, and an unrelenting desire to protect Eve from the shadows closing in.
///
As the evening wore on, the time came for Bartlett and the other guests to leave. Mr. Dale, Eve, and Raven stood at the entrance to bid them farewell. Bartlett, exuding a sinister confidence, sent a knowing smirk in Raven's direction. Unfazed, Raven met it with a glare that conveyed an unspoken determination and a promise of vigilance.
Mr. Dale, though maintaining a composed facade, felt the weight of the impending consequences. Bartlett's departure left an unsettling air behind, the shadows of their clandestine conversation lingering like a looming storm.
Eve, oblivious to the intricacies at play, exchanged polite farewells. As the car carrying Bartlett disappeared into the night, Raven's gaze remained fixed on the fading taillights, a silent vow echoing in his mind. The game had reached a critical juncture, and Raven knew that navigating the shadows ahead required more than just vigilance—it demanded unraveling the mysteries entwined with the Velvet Scandal.