Alester brought his hands together as he leaned forward. "Aliana, Jade, both of you were born and raised in a world of luxury and comfort, never seeing the foundation that generations of our families built behind the scenes."
Both women knit their brows in confusion.
Before they could misinterpret his meaning, Alester pressed on. "I am not saying this to belittle the effort either of you has put into expanding this empire. Just like you, we, and our fathers before us, were born into this life. But we were once in your shoes. We were made to sit in those exact seats and have this very conversation, receiving the knowledge passed down to us by our parents."
"What knowledge, Dad?" Aliana narrowed her eyes, an uneasy weight settling in her chest.
