Chapter 148: Late-night trip

Conri waited in silence until Elvira finished recounting every detail of what had transpired inside Dorian’s study and at the dinner table.

When she finally stopped speaking, he nodded slowly, a cold smile curling his lips.

"You’ve done well, Elvira. The first phase of our plan is in place. We have Dorian positioned exactly where we need him."

"It won’t be that simple, Conri," Elvira muttered. "He intends to reject me by morning. I can’t let that happen. The mate bond is the only lever keeping him tethered to me. If he breaks it, I’ll lose my grip on him entirely."

"He won’t reject you," Conri stated with quiet confidence. "Bethany got a countermeasure secured from Ashgard while we waited for the asylum to release you."

Elvira’s eyes flicked between the two of them. "What countermeasure?"

"A potion brewed from the blood of a Lycan’s heart," Bethany answered, leaning forward. "Obtained directly from a sorceress in Ashgard. It will enhance the bond and neutralize Dorian’s attempt to reject you. No matter how fiercely he tries to sever the link, the blood-magic will hold. In the end, he will have no choice but to yield."

A dark smile spread across Elvira’s face. "That will work."

"Provided you play your part flawlessly," Bethany added, her tone sharp. "Locking the bond is only half the battle. You must remind Dorian why he once fell for you. You need him back under your spell, just as he was years ago."

"I don’t need your reminder, Bethany!" Elvira snapped back. "I played my part perfectly tonight. I wept, I begged, I pleaded, and they swallowed every word. Even his little wolfless Queen felt pity for me."

Bethany and Conri exchanged a brief, subtle look. Conri murmured something low under his breath, prompting Bethany to give a single nod before rising and stepping out of the living room.

Elvira watched them closely, her eyes narrowing as she tried to decipher their unspoken exchange.

"Joffrey and Serena will begin making frequent appearances at the mansion starting tomorrow," Conri continued, drawing her focus back. "You know what to do."

"For the last time, Conri, I don’t need a reminder. You’ve laid out this scheme a dozen times. I know what I have to do."

Bethany returned, holding a small glass vial filled with a translucent, crimson liquid. She handed it to Elvira, then took her seat beside Conri once more.

"The blood-magic potion," Bethany explained flatly. "Drink it before dawn to seal the bond connecting you to Dorian. Once consumed, his rejection will carry no authority."

Elvira stared at the vial with faint disgust before giving a tight nod. "There is one more issue. Dorian wants to know the asylum I was held in. He will bring it up again tomorrow morning, and I cannot keep stalling. He will get suspicious, and eventually trace it back to the two of you."

"Tell him you are withholding the name out of pure terror of being dragged back," Bethany suggested.

"I already told him that. He didn’t buy it," Elvira countered. "Knowing how Dorian is, he will simply offer his protection. If I continue to guard the name of the asylum, his suspicion will only deepen."

"Then give him the name," Conri said suddenly.

Both Elvira and Bethany turned to him in surprise.

"Conri, you can’t be serious," Bethany spat, her brow furrowing in irritation. "Dorian cannot find out that we concealed Elvira’s survival all these years."

"He won’t," Conri replied smoothly. "I will handle everything. If he demands the name in the morning, Elvira, give it to him. I will ensure the trail leads to a dead end."

Elvira nodded slowly, her fingers curling around the vial. She stared into the red liquid for a quiet moment before looking up.

"Where is Joffrey? You said he would be present tonight."

"You stay far away from my son!" Bethany snarled, her voice venomous. "Haven’t you ruined his life enough? He was exiled because of you."

"You seem to be forgetting a few details, Bethany!" Elvira shot back, her jaw clenched tight. "Joffrey was the one who drugged me..."

"Oh, enough with the pathetic lies!" Bethany cut her off sharply. "Joffrey told us everything that happened. He never drugged you. The two of you were having an affair!"

The revelation struck Elvira into stunned silence. She hadn’t anticipated Joffrey laying out the complete truth to his parents.

"So what if it wasn’t a setup?" she purred, recovering her composure with a cold smirk. "He pursued me. He initiated it. You should be telling your son to keep his hands to himself."

Bethany let out a harsh laugh, shaking her head as Conri watched them in cold silence.

"You truly are shameless, Elvira," she muttered. "My son didn’t pursue you out of nowhere. You seduced him even while you were mated to Dorian."

"Don’t blame me for your son’s lack of discipline," Elvira said carelessly. "It’s not my fault that men find me irresistible."

"That’s just your excuse for being a whore," Bethany spat. "At least my husband possesses the sense never to fall for your cheap tricks."

Elvira’s eyes glinted with dark amusement. If only Bethany knew that Conri was already bound tightly to her finger.

She shifted her posture on the couch, casting a slow, mocking grin at the older woman. "Are you certain your husband is immune to me, Bethany? Would you care to test that theory?"

"Enough! Both of you!" Conri growled, shooting Elvira a cold glare. "We have more critical matters to attend to. But Bethany is correct on one point: stay away from Joffrey, Elvira. That’s an order."

Elvira knew Conri’s true motive for keeping her away from Joffrey had nothing to do with Bethany’s maternal outrage, but she chose not to air his jealousy aloud.

Instead, she offered a loose shrug. "Fine. I will keep my distance. You had better ensure he does the same."

She stood up slowly, smoothing down the front of her gown and gathering her black cloak.

"I need to return now. I’ve been gone for too long."

"Remember to take the potion before sunrise," Bethany added coldly. "Don’t forget."

Elvira ignored her, turning her gaze to Conri. "Will you drive me back?"

Conri felt a sharp spike of temptation. He would like nothing more than to drive her back, so he would pull the car onto the side of the road, strip that gown away, and take her right there against the bumper.

But Bethany’s sharp eyes were locked onto his face. He could not risk sparking her suspicion now; a rift between them now would ruin the whole plan.

So he declined. "The driver will transport you back," he stated cleanly. "Report every single event that happens in Dorian’s home to Serena. We need every bit of information to take him down. And don’t try any games with his wife. You may leave."

Elvira didn’t respond. She turned, held her chin high, and swept out the front entrance into the cold night.

The drive back to the drop-off point near the estate boundary was in total silence. Elvira stared out the dark window, her mind racing.

She was eager to see Joffrey again. Now that she was back in the North, she had no intention of being anyone’s pawn. She had her own agenda, one that didn’t involve Conri Lowell at all.

After slipping out of the sedan and jumping over the fence, she hurried down the overgrown path, her eyes darting through the brush for any sign of the guards patrolling.

Finding the perimeter clear, she sprinted across the lawn and slipped quietly through the side door. The time was just past 4:00 AM. She needed to be back in her room before anyone noticed her presence.

As she silently hurried down the hallway toward the guest room, a voice suddenly cut through the dark behind her.

"How was your late-night trip?"