Elise stared at William, completely speechless.

He remained perfectly calm as he added, "I've been your primary caretaker these past few days."

So what?

"I've washed your face, cleaned your body, and changed your diapers..."

As William detailed every intimate task he'd performed for her, she finally couldn't take it anymore. "Please stop talking."

"Alright." William flashed that familiar, bewitching grin.

There it was again—that smile that could melt anyone's resistance.

"So? Do you still want that shower?" William asked pointedly.

"Absolutely not," Elise refused firmly. Ignorance had been bliss, but now that she knew everything, the thought was unbearable.

"Where exactly are we?" she asked, desperate to distract herself from the showering dilemma.

"My private estate in Rockville," William replied smoothly. "We're two hours from Stuart Manor. Besides me, there are two housekeepers, five security guards, and one physician on site."

"Has Victoria been here?" Elise questioned.

She wouldn't feel jealous—after all, anything could happen between William and Victoria given how far their relationship had progressed.

What truly concerned her was whether she was in danger. She'd have serious doubts about William's ability to protect her if Victoria discovered her presence here.

Just like what happened that other night.

William clearly understood the risks, yet he hadn't been able to prevent the situation.

"She doesn't know about this place. To be precise, the Stuarts are unaware I own this property," William explained.

Elise simply kept staring until he added, "I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't dare lie to you."

Pursing her lips, she asked bluntly, "Did you know what was going to happen that night?"

"No," William answered immediately.

Elise frowned skeptically, so he elaborated, "I've been in Rockville for a month, but all I've done is assist with Stuart Group's business operations and help Victoria prepare for their charity gala. I had no idea what her family was plotting or what arrangements they'd made—they're still very cautious around me."

"Then why did you try to stop me from coming to Rockville?" Elise pressed, her doubt evident.

"It was just a gut feeling," William explained. "The two main priorities for Charles's branch of the family are neutralizing his brother's political influence and strengthening Stuart Group's position as a business empire. The first concerns their political ambitions, while the second ensures the legacy they've built over decades remains unshakable. And the two key figures in achieving both are Patrick and myself."

Elise listened quietly as he continued his analysis. "Michael's successors are Patrick's father and Patrick himself. However, Patrick's capabilities far surpass his father's, not to mention that his father has no interest in politics and is what you might call mediocre. One could argue that Michael was too strict with him, or perhaps he simply couldn't escape the shadow of Michael's formidable legacy, which is why he turned out to be the exact opposite of what Michael wanted. But that's their family drama, and we can leave it at that."

William sighed before continuing, "Therefore, if Charles wants to remove Michael from the picture, his first target would be Patrick. The subtle power struggle between both family branches is reaching its climax, and both sides know the other is preparing to make a move. However, they wouldn't act recklessly, so it's mostly been a stalemate with reconnaissance missions so far."

"However, Charles decided to strike first due to Michael's declining health and his continued absence from public view. Since there's no concrete evidence that Michael is terminally ill, Charles intends to force him into the open by harming Patrick. Naturally, he might also be planning to eliminate Patrick altogether, solving all his problems with one decisive move."