Chapter 6 - THE KING'S WEAKNESS
The kiss changed everything.
But neither of them spoke about it the next morning.
Caprice prepared breakfast.
Diamond drank coffee.
Levi pretended not to notice the difference between them.
But the estate noticed.
Diamond stopped sleeping alone whenever Caprice was nearby.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
He began telling her things.
About his father.
About the empire.
About the bullet.
About waking in the hospital and realizing he couldn't move.
About the first nurse who looked at him with pity.
About the doctors who told him he could still have a life.
He had hated them for saying it.
Because they hadn't understood.
A life wasn't enough.
He wanted his old life.
Caprice listened.
She never interrupted.
Never said, "You should be grateful."
One evening, Diamond finally asked:
"Do you think I'm broken?"
Caprice looked up from her book.
"No."
"Then what am I?"
"Angry."
He frowned.
"That's all?"
"That's enough."
She closed the book.
"You lost something."
"My legs."
"Your control."
He looked away.
She continued.
"You built your whole identity around being the strongest person in every room."
Silence.
"Then someone took that away."
Diamond stared at her.
"You understand me too well."
"No."
She smiled.
"I just clean very carefully."
He laughed again.
This time, it lasted longer.
Meanwhile, Costa's organization was collapsing.
But one question remained.
Who had betrayed Diamond?
Bernardi had been exposed.
Yet the information about Caprice's mother proved someone else still had access.
Levi increased security.
Diamond refused to let Caprice leave the estate.
She argued.
He refused.
Eventually she asked:
"Are you keeping me here because you're protecting me?"
"Yes."
"Or because you're afraid?"
He didn't answer.
That was the answer.
She stepped closer.
"Diamond."
He looked up.
"You can't protect everything by locking it away."
His expression hardened.
"I can protect you."
"That's not the same thing."
He knew she was right.
He hated her for it.
He loved her for it.
Both frightened him.
Three days later, Levi discovered the second leak.
It wasn't an employee.
It was a security contractor.
Someone had sold access codes.
Costa's final attack had been planned before Bernardi disappeared.
Diamond listened quietly.
Then asked:
"Where is he?"
Levi gave him the location.
Diamond nodded.
"Bring him."
Caprice entered midway through the conversation.
She immediately knew something was wrong.
"What's happening?"
"Nothing."
She looked at Diamond.
"You're lying."
Levi almost smiled.
Diamond sighed.
"There is still someone after us."
Caprice sat beside him.
"Then we'll deal with it."
Diamond looked at her.
"We?"
She didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
He shook his head.
"You don't belong in this."
Caprice's expression hardened.
"I already belong in it."
He wanted to argue.
May you like
Instead, he took her hand.
And held it.
