The divorced military queen awakens novel

Chapter 332 Sibling Confrontation Chapter 332 Sibling Confrontation +20 Free Coins Serena leaned in , her perfume curling through the dim light as her lips drifted toward his . Leander turned his face at the last possible heartbeat . " Serena , I only ever regarded you as a sister . " Her smile fractured . A hard glint flashed across her eyes . " A sister ? " She scoffed , the sound sharp as breaking glass . " Do you truly imagine you belong in the Fane family ?

" With a sudden shove , she forced him back against the velvet couch . " Years ago , you were half - dead , skin scorched by that fire , penniless on a hospital bed . Lady Margaret mistook you for someone else , and Uncle Everett - fearing for her health - claimed you as an illegitimate son . Without that mercy , infection would have finished you long before now ." Leander straightened , steadying his breath . " I have never once believed I was truly one of you .

" Serena's laugh was cold and brittle . " Good . Remember this - that woman still survives only because the Fane family pays her bills . You're nothing but a dog kept to amuse Lady Margaret . " High heels clicked like gunshots as she swept out of the VIP lounge , chin lifted in haughty triumph . One day , she vowed , that man would crawl to her on his knees . Silence settled in the lounge . Leander remained alone , the echo of her steps fading like a receding storm .

He unlocked his phone and opened a remote - monitoring app . A - hospital room flickered onto the screen : sterile walls , muted lights , the soft hiss of an oxygen line . On the bed lay a young woman , her features pale beneath the respirator , an IV drip feeding time back into her veins . Leander brushed two fingers over the glass . " I will cure you , I swear . Hold on a little longer . " As long as he stayed inside the Fane estate , money and medical access were his to command .

Who he had been - whatever memories the flames had stolen - no longer mattered beside her fragile pulse . Though Julius and Harlan could hardly stand each other , they found common ground in plotting the theft of Leander's DNA . Julius traced Leander's upcoming schedule . Harlan greased palms until a bartender agreed to slip a potent sedative into the liquor . The drug merely induced deep drowsiness - easy to mistake for the after - burn of strong drink .

When Leander retreated to the dressing suite for a brief rest , Quinn slipped inside with Julius and Harlan close behind . Outside , Julius men cordoned the corridor . Every staff member had already been bought . Seeing the unconscious figure - very possibly her long - lost brother - Quinn's heartbeat skipped . An open assault is simple to guard against . A hidden blade is another story .

The bribed bartender was reputedly an expert , even outfitting the boule with a tiny mechanism to deliver the dose . 12 A 16:58 Thu , 21 Aug O Chapter 332 Sibling Confrontation Harlan whispered , " Blood sample or hair ? " He patted the small toolkit slung at his hip - the choice did not matter to him . " Hair , " Quinn decided . " Needles leave questions .

" ༥ ༣ ་ 29 , +20 Free Coins Tweezers in hand , she plucked several strands from Leander's temple , slipping them into a sterile pouch . For safety , she took a few more . Then she knelt , studying the tranquil face beneath the soft light , as if trying to trace family likeness in every quiet angle . Deny it all you want , but my instincts scream - you are Rowan . " Rowan … Do you have any idea how much I miss you ?

If I had found you sooner ," she said , sorrow quivering beneath her measured tone , " would you have been spared even a portion of the pain you've endured ? " Julius and Harlan stood a short distance away . Harlan's brows lifted in quiet empathy , while Julius pressed his lips together , the tension carving a hard line across his face . Harlan stepped closer and laid a light hand on Quinn's shoulder . " Finding him now is not too late . Let's pray he truly is Rowan . " Julius ' jaw tightened .

Quinn had told him Leander Fane bore severe burns - scars from a blaze three years ago , not from the border inferno five years past . If he had met Rowan back then and pulled him from the flames , those scars might never have existed . And if Leander proved to be Rowan , each time Quinn glimpsed those burn marks she would recall Julius ' failure to act . The thought stirred a ripple of dread deep in his chest . On the couch , Leander's fingers twitched - small , involuntary movements signaling the drug's grip was loosening .