Mistress Katha _verified_ -

“Julian Cross has a housekeeper. Marta. She has been with him twenty-three years. She knows where his safe is hidden, what his nightmares are, and which of his smiles is real. She also has a grandson with a rare blood disorder. Julian pays for the treatment. Generously.”

Not hurt . Not expose . Destroy.

“You don’t,” she said. “Fear is for amateurs. You want him to forget you exist. Then, when he is most comfortable, you become the reason his hand trembles when he reaches for his morning coffee. You do not attack the castle. You poison the well he drinks from every day without knowing it’s there.” mistress katha

“You will not get it. Not for money. Not for threats. Not for charm.” She tilted her head. “But I will give you something else. A lesson. The price is one question. Any question. But you must answer mine first.” “Julian Cross has a housekeeper

Mistress Katha straightened. For the first time, something moved behind her eyes—not pity. Recognition. She knows where his safe is hidden, what