Page 173 of Hard Knot

The dining room feels surprisingly comfortable despite the obvious tension simmering beneath the surface.

Elizabeth's father, Mikhail, has been holding court at the head of the table, regaling us with stories of his business ventures while keeping everyone's glasses suspiciously full.

"You see," he gestures with his fork, "whole world moving to digital. Old money becoming new money through technology."

Felix leans forward, clearly in his element.

"The transition to blockchain technology alone has revolutionized how we handle international transactions."

"Exactly!" Mikhail beams. "Smart boy. Very smart. You understand future."

I catch Elizabeth hiding a smile behind her wine glass as she watches Felix and her father dive deeper into cryptocurrency discussions. The food has been excellent – a mix of traditional Russian dishes and modern cuisine that somehow works perfectly together, just like the eclectic mix of people around the table.

"Should I check on Marissa again?" Anastasia frets, glancing toward the stairs for the hundredth time. "She's been on that phone forever."

"Bah," Mikhail waves dismissively. "Probably still talking to new boyfriend. Useless boy."

"You don't like him?" Carter asks, helping himself to more of what I think is beef stroganoff.

"Don't like him?" Mikhail scoffs. "He is douche bag user. And if I find out he associated with hurting Omegas..." He makes a slicing motion across his throat. "Will kill him just for fun."

"Mikhail!" Anastasia scolds. "If you're going to kill him, at least do it to protect Marissa."

Mikhail throws back his head and laughs.

"If Marissa want to fuck tree with sharp branches, so be it! She doesn't use brain to think. Acts like man with dick."

Felix chokes on his drink, and I pat his back while trying not to smirk too obviously. Carter, naturally, has no such restraint.

"I can see who the favorite is," he says with a grin.

"Of course!" Mikhail doesn't even try to deny it. "Marissa adopted anyway. Did favor for empire that lost everything." His expression hardens slightly. "She been reminded she can't replace my Abbie girl, and I will say until in grave. Even then," he waves his glass expansively, "will have to make sign and hang in NYC so world reminded of my wants and wishes. I didn't hustle in youth for sole daughter to not reap rewards of my suffering and survival."

The boldness of his statement leaves us all slightly stunned.

Elizabeth looks particularly shocked, like she's never heard her father speak so plainly about this before.

Holmes, who's been quietly observative most of the evening, suddenly speaks up.

"Then why does it seem your wife isn't fully on board?"

Anastasia's head snaps up.

"You shouldn't pry into others' business."

"Abercrombie is my business," Holmes says calmly but firmly. "She's my Omega, and I dislike anyone who tries to make her life complicated because of their own insecurities."

The bluntness of his statement seems to shock everyone except Mikhail, who bursts out laughing.

"Yes! Good!" He raises his glass to Holmes. "Love man who bold and tells it like is. Wife never listen to me anyway."

"Mikhail," Anastasia warns, but he's already continuing.

"Truth is," he says, his accent thickening with emotion, "Elizabeth actually birthed via surrogate. None of wife's eggs survived IVF, the fancy chemical shit to form life."

The revelation lands like a bomb at the dinner table.

Elizabeth's eyes go wide as she stares at her parents, clearly hearing this for the first time.

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