Chapter 228
Chapter 228
Third Person’s POV
Once they reached an agreement, Isaiah finally got to work.
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Trista kept a frantic eye on the study door, her ears straining for the slightest sound. “Move it! If he catches you in here, I’m telling him you picked the lock and broke in on your own p>
Isaiah’s fingers flew across the keyboard, but his mouth didn’t stop. “If Cassian catches us red- handed, I’m telling him you were just thirsty for a piece of this,” he teased.
Trista chose to ignore that.
A few minutes later, Isaiah backed away from the mouse. “Encryption is heavy–duty. What exactly am I looking for p>
Trista leaned in, her eyes landing on a folder with Samantha’s initials. “Crack that one p>
It took less than a minute.
As it turned out, Cassian had been running a secret deep–dive into Samantha’s life during those six
years she spent in France.
Trista’s heart sank as she scrolled. She hadn’t realized just how pathetic and miserable Samantha’s life had been back then.
No wonder Cassian had developed this sick, obsessive need to protect her–it was practically a fetish at this point.
Trista plugged in her flash drive and did a quick data dump.
But she wasn’t done. Ironthorn Pack had business interests all over the globe, and she refused to believe a family that powerful had clean books.
If she could find Cassian’s financial jugular, she’d have her ticket out of this mating.
She scrolled to the very bottom but found nothing suspicious in the business files.
Just as she was about to give up, another name caught her eye: Crispin Sparrow.
Crispin. Cassian’s half–brother. The mixed–blood illegitimate son that the Ironthorns treated like a dirty secret.
Trista shot a nervous glance at the door and lowered her voice. “Hack into this file, too p>
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Chapter 228
Isaiah’s fingers became a blur. He cocked an eyebrow. “This firewall has a psychic lock. Someone went to a lot of trouble to bury this. What kind of skeletons are in here? ”
He didn’t miss a beat with his snark. “Your mate’s got some serious moves, Trista p>
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Trista wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Her heart was hammering against her ribs so hard it hurt. “Less talking, more hacking! Fast p>
If Cassian caught her now, not even the Silverlight Pack could protect her from the fallout.
Finally, the red warning on the screen vanished. Isaiah let out a long breath. “We’re in p>
Trista leaned in close.
It was no wonder nobody in the pack dared to mention the bastard son anymore. Crispin had died in an “accident” four years ago.
The screen showed it clearly: Four years ago, Buddeberg Ski Resort. Fatal accident due to equipment failure…
She didn’t have time to analyze the gruesome crime scene photos. She just shoved the data into her flash drive.
Right then, her phone buzzed. The sharp ringtone in the dead–silent study sounded like a gunshot.
The two of them nearly jumped out of their skins. Isaiah actually pulled a classic move and scrambled behind Trista to hide.
Trista turned ghostly pale, clutching her chest. But once she saw the name on the screen, she finally managed to breathe again.
It was Cassian. Apparently, things were still moving slow at the center, and he wasn’t on his way back yet.
She gestured for Isaiah to reset the encryption while she hurried out of the study to take the call.
Meanwhile, at the healing center, the hallway smelled like sterile chemicals. Cassian tucked his phone away and stepped into the patient room.
After over an hour of tests and monitoring, Algernon had finally drifted off to sleep.
Samantha looked up, looking perfectly exhausted. When she saw Cassian, she put on a show of deep gratitude. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you tonight. As a low–ranking wolf, I was totally lost p>
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Cassian didn’t say a word. He just stared at her with a gaze so cold it made her skin crawl.
Samantha shifted uncomfortably and looked away. “I’ve got it from here,” she whispered. “Luna Trista is waiting. You should get
back p>
Cassian didn’t budge. He stood there like a mountain, hands in his pockets, his voice dropping to sub–zero temperatures. “Claiming Trista as the godmother, moving in right under my nose… was this the plan all along p>
The sudden interrogation caught Samantha off guard.
Her smile froze. But she recovered quickly, putting on her best “innocent” face. “Cassian, do you really think I’m just using you again p>
Cassian radiated a heavy Alpha aura. “Trista has always kept me at a distance. Now you’re coaching the kid to get close to her. What are you after p>
Samantha’s eyes darted around, and her voice wobbled as she fake–cried. “You’ve got it all wrong! Trista threatened me! She said if I didn’t let her be the godmother, she’d make Howard exile us from LA forever p>
Her “damsel in distress” act actually worked for a second, planting a seed of doubt in Cassian’s mind.
He hesitated, then pulled a custom black family card from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.
“Samantha, this is the last time I play along,” he said coldly. “Take the money. Take the kid. Leave the Ironthorn territory and start a new life in another city p>
Samantha’s mask shattered instantly. She let out a sharp cry. “I’m not going anywhere p>
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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.