The Prop That Must Not Break
Gwen Valquin masked her emotions flawlessly as she accepted the amulet. Her fingers were steady. Her expression soft.
"Alright, thank you. I'll wear it."
Her voice was gentle—almost trusting.
Across from her, Evan smiled wider, the curve of his lips carrying unmistakable satisfaction.
"We're all friends here, no need to be so polite."
He sounded relaxed. Confident. Victorious.
Inside, however, calculation ran like clockwork.
As long as Gwen took that talisman home, the Black Magic disturbance inside the Valquin household would no longer harm her directly. The pressure would lessen. The nightmares would ease—at least for her.
And when that happened, she would come back.
She would seek him out.
Then he would "solve" the crisis completely.
And once the Valquin household owed him their survival…
Everything would fall into place.
He could deal with Mike Valquin at his leisure. Break him, reshape him, step over him.
