Dowager Queen Charlotte Bamidele Darlington narrowed her gaze in that frightful way as she turned fully to look at Ayo.

“What did you say?”

Her tone was enough to douse Tanya’s newfound rebellion, and she knew her mother was about to let Ayo have the full heat now.

Surprisingly, Ayo merely shrugged and said, “It is Ayodele. My name, I mean. I just think I will make it easy for you so you don’t keep calling me ‘this one.’”

Oh, no.

“You… you… what right do you have to talk to me like that?” Charlotte finally sputtered in her outrage. Then her eyes landed on Ayo’s hand entwined with Tanya’s....