Chapter 459

Evelyn's blood boiled as each accusation tore from her lips. "You only care about money! I would have given you everything - the entire Wright fortune. Why murder Grandmother? Why destroy our family?"

Julian's cold chuckle sent shivers down her spine. "With the Wright assets frozen across Aldenria and me branded a fugitive in Valtoria, I needed to prove my power. Or you'd keep underestimating me."

Darkness clouded Evelyn's features as her fists clenched. White-hot hatred pulsed through her veins.

"Meet Genevieve," Julian continued smoothly. "My new wife. By tomorrow, she'll control all Wright assets with Archibald's documents. The company, the estate - everything."

His voice turned lethal. "If you want your family to avoid Margaret's fate, don't interfere. Keep Liam away. Fail me again, and I'll burn your world to ashes."

Family meant everything to Evelyn. Without hesitation, she agreed. "Harm no one else, and you'll have whatever you want."

Julian's lips curled. "Excellent. Now hand over the hydronium."

"It's worthless without me," Evelyn countered. "No one understands its properties like I do."

"But I can sell it," Julian purred. "Five billion dollars per gram on the black market."

"Your greed disgusts me."

"Deliver all forty-eight vials to Genevieve by tomorrow."

"Fine." Evelyn ended the call and hurled her phone across the room.

Rosalind gaped at her, eyes wide with alarm.

Evelyn squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Only the military's senior researchers truly understand the compound."

Rosalind remembered the border explosion - when those same professors failed to replicate just two vials of Azurium.

Understanding dawned. "You're giving him counterfeit hydronium?"

Evelyn nodded.

"But what if he discovers the deception?" Rosalind's voice trembled.

"Julian's no chemist. Even the best couldn't detect fakes without comparing them to the real thing."

Rosalind exhaled slowly. "That makes sense."

Evelyn's expression darkened. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless there's a traitor in Liam's research team."

Rosalind gasped. "Surely not?"

Evelyn's mind raced. The imposter Victoria infiltrating the institute... The spilled Azurium... Someone had orchestrated it all.

Azurium remained priceless in Aldenria - scarce despite the country's resources. Without Evelyn's refinement blueprints, obtaining it required exorbitant sums or dangerous overseas deals.

Her stomach twisted. Snatching her phone, she dialed with shaking fingers.

Rosalind caught her arm. "What's wrong?"

"I have to warn Liam," Evelyn said urgently. "His team might have a mole."