224
~Belinda's POV
I paused, heart pounding, and looked straight at him. "Uncle," I said, quiet but steady, "I have a plan. Let me handle this. I'll make sure everything is back in order."
For a while he didn't speak. The candle between us flickered, throwing shadows across his face, making him look more like stone than man. His eyes were sharp, weighing every word I had said.
At last, his voice cut through the silence. "Will it work?"
I swallowed, forcing the word out like a vow. "Yes."
He leaned back slightly, his face unreadable. "Fine. I will leave you to it."
Then his tone shifted, harder now, stripped of any softness. "I must leave, Belinda. If I remain here too long, it will draw suspicion."
I sighed, though inside I agreed with him. I waved my hand, pretending it was nothing, though my stomach churned. "Very well. Go. You're right. If anyone sees you here, questions will follow, and we cannot afford even the smallest crack in this game."
