Title: Dangerous Liaisons

Classic's POV

The room was cold. Cold and sterile.

But my thoughts? They burned.

Skylar had approached me weeks ago, asking me to consider her offer. She was trying to salvage what little remained of the image she had crafted—this self-proclaimed protector of the poor. Her agency, her movement—it was all falling apart under the weight of her lies.

But I saw it for what it was—a chance.

A chance to elevate myself. To finally step out of the shadows. The Blackwood Empire was built on manipulation, on strategic power plays. But Skylar? She didn't have the bite to make it work.

That's where I came in.

Christiana was a wildcard. She would be the muscle, the force that would strike where Chris thought he was safest. She had her own ambitions, her own vendettas. And I knew how to use that. Together, we could destabilize Chris's hold on the empire. Create enough chaos that I would emerge on top, taking what was rightfully mine.

I tapped my fingers against the table. Skylar was fragile. Christiana was dangerous.

And me?

I was the wildcard they hadn't accounted for.

But I wasn't stupid. I had to play it smart. Keep my loyalties flexible, so I could shift with the tides.

The question was, who would I betray first?

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