Chapter 283

Although the cocktails were barely stronger than soft drinks, after several glasses, Valerie still felt the haze of alcohol settling in. Once she was in the car, she leaned back against the leather seat, eyes closed, ignoring whatever thoughts the three men around her might be having. Silas, never one for small talk, stayed quiet. Without a topic, he could remain silent for hours. Keane, usually the one to ease tension, had nothing to say, either. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak—he simply didn't dare to. The Guldner family and anything remotely connected to them were a forbidden subject around Lucius. Yet, just minutes earlier, Valerie had laughed and chatted openly with Marcellus right in front of him, as if no such taboo existed. Lucius finally broke the silence. "Do you know Marcellus?" Valerie opened her eyes halfway and arched a brow at him. "If a few words exchanged count as knowing someone, then yes." She spoke evenly, her tone cool. "He bought me a drink at the bar