Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Trista’s POV
Finished
The accident during his teens had left his leg bones to set incorrectly. Emlen always walked with a slight limp, his gait looking as if someone were constantly tugging him back.
He never finished his studies; his life had been squeezed out of the “elite lane” before it even started.
Luckily, his wolf was gentle and down–to–earth. After reaching adulthood, he and his mate opened a tiny shop on a street corner, repairing phones, tablets, and all sorts of electronics. He survived in the cracks of the city on manual skill and a bit of word–of–mouth.
Then, footsteps approached from behind.
Humphrey walked over, maintaining his usual mask of politeness. “Luna Trista, do you happen to know a reliable phone technician? This device contains sensitive files, and I’m not comfortable handing it over to a stranger p>
I shot Emlen a look–a blatant warning—and shut Humphrey down with a practiced reflex. “Sorry, Humphrey. I don’t know anyone in that business p>
But Emlen didn’t catch my drift. Instead, he blurted out with helpful enthusiasm, “Fixing phones? I can do that p>
I reached out to stop him, but it was too late.
Humphrey let out a visible sigh of relief, like he’d finally found a lifeline. “That’s perfect p>
I traded a look with Klein and forced myself to warn Emlen again. “Emlen, Humphrey is the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Ironthorn Group. This phone is loaded with high–stakes corporate data. If anything goes wrong, there are serious legal consequences p>
Emlen patted his chest, giving his word. “Relax, Trista. I’ve been doing this for over a decade p>
He rattled off his shop’s address to Humphrey, who thanked him repeatedly. “I’ll drop it off after work p>
Before leaving, Klein leaned in to reassure me. “Ms. Holmes, as long as Emlen keeps the phone under surveillance from the moment he touches it until the repair is done, he should be fine p>
Once the crowd thinned out, I pulled Emlen aside and hammered the point home; only fix the hardware, don’t touch the data, and keep the cameras rolling the entire time.
He wasn’t used to this kind of high–tension lecturing–his ears were practically pinned to his head–but he nodded. “I get it. I’ll be careful p>
Then came the day of the Council hearing.
Just after 9 AM, I practically had to pin my parents to the sofa, convincing them to stay home. “This is between me and Cassian. I’ll handle it p>
I took a cab alone to the Alliance Building, where the Supernatural Arbitration Tribunal was held.
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Chapter 138
B
Finished
The moment I opened the car door, camera flashes went off like a hail of gunfire. A swarm of reporters rushed me, smelling blood. “Luna Trista, did you know-” “About the rumors of the Ironthorn heir’s bastard
son p>
Before they could get close, Ironthorn guards stepped in, physically peeling the human wall back to clear a path. Their pheromones created an invisible barrier, shielding me from the chaos.
I turned to dodge a microphone that was shoved too close and caught sight of a car door opening on the
other side.
Cassian stepped out.
He was in an expensive, dark custom suit that fit him perfectly–tie, pin, watch; not a single detail out of place. Behind him was a silent team in uniform, every element emphasizing his status.
His Alpha pheromones were pulled in tight, creating a cold, hard circle of pressure around him that made people instinctively want to back away.
He looked up at me. I looked back.
The mangled mating bond gave a light tug deep in my chest, like someone pulling a hook. My wolf bristled by reflex, but I crushed the feeling down.
Neither of us spoke. We looked away at the same time and walked toward our separate waiting rooms.
I pushed open the door to Waiting Room 2.
Klein was already there, meticulously organizing the last of the paperwork. Spread out on the table was the entire paper trail of Cassian’s infidelity.
My fingers brushed the stack of files; my fingertips were cold, but my heart was strangely quiet.
He showed up on time. I had the evidence. Legally and technically, I had the upper hand.
Once I cleared this final hurdle, I’d be officially uncoupled from Ironthorn and free of Cassian.
The thought of that impending freedom made me feel lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
“Ms. Holmes, anything else to add?” Klein asked.
Right as he spoke, there was a knock at the door.
I looked up to see Humphrey entering with two police officers. My scent gland tightened instinctively.
“Humphrey? What is it p>
He still had that respectful, mild–mannered look as he stood before me. “Luna Trista, these officers are here for you p>
One of the officers stepped forward, pulling out a detention order and reciting my name with clinical detachment. “Trista Holmes, after a preliminary investigation, you are a suspect in the theft of corporate trade secrets, resulting in significant financial loss to the firm. You are being taken into criminal custody. Please cooperate and come with us p>
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Chapter 138
白
Finished
My brain went numb. It was like my ears were underwater, like someone had just shoved me into a frozen
lake.
My vision flickered, and deep in my mind, my wolf slammed against its cage, desperate to break out—but it was pinned down by a sudden, crushing sense of helplessness.
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Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.