The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1314

“Lottie, we—”

“You want me to end up an orphan?” Charlotte cut Nora off, her tone strong and steady. “Nora, quit overthinking it.”

“Relax, I’ll get both of you out of here.”

“The Hawk Family’s got people everywhere. Do you really think threatening Allanson is enough to get us out safe?”

Before Charlotte could finish, Aloys stepped out from the crowd, that familiar, smug grin on his face. “You’re way too naive.”

“You don’t get to make that call.”

Franco’s cold stare slid past Aloys and landed on Allanson. His brow was furrowed, voice tense. “Allanson, you’ve got five minutes. If you can’t hand over what we want, don’t blame me for doing something you won’t like.”

He inched the muzzle of his gun closer to Allanson’s head. It would take nothing for the legendary ruler of the Isle of Veil to become just a memory.

“You ungrateful brat. I’m your father. You wouldn’t dare—”

A gunshot cracked through the room.

The bullet skimmed past Allanson’s ear and buried itself in the pillar behind him.

“I told you, I’ll do anything for my wife and daughter.” Franco blew the smoke from his gun, eyes burning red, voice low and dangerous. “Even if it means killing my own father.”

Allanson’s face turned a sickly gray, his expression dark and unreadable.

Patricide? He had always thought Franco would never cross that line.

What did he mean? Did he really not care about Allanson’s life?

Charlotte and Anthony picked up on the threat in Aloys’s voice too. They gave each other a look, quietly slipping to the side to watch how things played out. After all, it would take a while for the Churchill family to make their move.

Allanson’s old eyes narrowed, something unreadable flickering in them as disappointment clouded his face.

“The whole Isle of Veil is under my control now. Most of the Hawk Family’s men listen to me alone.” Aloys lifted his chin, his eyes cold as they swept over the crowd, finally settling on his father. “You’re a smart man. If you want to live, you know exactly what you have to do.”

Impatient, aren’t you?

“So if I want to survive, I’ll have to hand over the heir’s seat to you?” Allanson stared at him, his voice hoarse. “Are you threatening me?”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Aloys shot back without hesitation, his eyes hard, his words ringing out. “You don’t have a choice. Today, you’re stepping down, Father. End of story.”