Aria’s POV

The real warden was waiting for me in the interrogation room.

"Ms. Aria," he said, offering me a document with both hands. "This is the liability clause from Hemsworth Group. It states Ms. Sophia’s detention will last six months."

Six months.

My eyebrow twitched upward. My wolf paused, tail flicking in surprise. Sophia’s crimes were disgusting, but six months? That was a punishment usually reserved for those with very serious crimes.

Nathan must be furious.

"And what about the Darvin Group?" I asked, folding the document. "Have they responded?"

The warden blinked, scratching his temple. "Darvin Group? No. No response at all."

Silence pooled like cold water.

I exhaled through my nose, a small, humorless smile tugging at my lips. So Patrick truly abandoned her. He is opportunistic to the bone it was typical of a man who would trade his own blood for power.

"Ding—"

Both my phone and Rowland’s chimed in unison. He leaned lazily against the wall, his thumbs moving over his screen like a cat toying with its prey. I opened my notification.

The headlines seemed to roar louder than any wolf:

#PatrickConfirmed

#ClarenceRevives

#SophiaDetainedForSixMonths

#Patrick’sIllegitimateChild

One after another, like blows meant to break the Darvin family’s spine.

Everything was unfolding exactly as I anticipated.

I scrolled through the comments, that were piling up. I was amused by the biting wit of the online commentators.

"Patrick bites the hand that feeds him. How shameless can someone be?"

"Clarence is quite the escape artist."

"Margaret stayed quiet for too long. The only one who suffered is Aria."

My breath caught, just for a heartbeat. The past clawed at me...Sophia’s arrival, the humiliation, the marriage, the jail cell.

My wolf snarled darkly within me..

We survived all that...we will rise higher.

Rowland watched me carefully; the usual mischief in his eyes softened with concern. He was my partner in crime in all this so he understood the plan.

"We have more to handle," I said, pushing off from the table.

Rowland straightened and followed me.

We stepped out of the detention center just as my phone rang again. Amelia’s voice crackled through, steady but strained:

"Aria, check your email. Patrick is dumping shares. And...listen...he took out massive loans using Darvin Group and Margaret’s identity."

I didn’t flinch.

Of course he had. That was the kind of thing he could do.

If Patrick clung to that chairman seat any longer, he’d drag the company into the abyss with him. And Margaret? He’d let her drown just to keep himself afloat.

I lifted my eyes to the sky. The sun was setting, night creeping in like ink over parchment.

"Keep an eye on Margaret," I told Rowland, stepping away from the curb. "She’ll either break... or awaken."

After all, I’d sent her the anonymous email. The truth was in her hands now. Whether she burned or rebuilt, that was her choice.

Rowland opened the car door for me. I hesitated, watching the horizon swallow the last of the light.

Whatever came next, I would be ready.

Not as their daughter, not as an ex-wife, not as their victim but as a phoenix that has risen from the ashes.

I slid into the car seat. My destination was a private cafe where I was meeting up with Amelia.

I soon arrived and went to the caf—’s private room. My wolf paced beneath my skin, restless; every muscle in my body hummed with restrained power.

Amelia closed the door behind us. "We’re clear," she said, voice low.

A woman dressed head-to-toe in black sat at the head of the table. Her fingers danced across her laptop keys with lethal elegance. She didn’t look up as she spoke.

"Do you need me to intercept it?" she asked, her voice cool as winter steel.

The glow of her monitors reflected off her skin, making her look ghost-pale...otherworldly. Even my wolf paused, intrigued. Amelia had already told me about her. She said her name was Chloe and she was a computer wizard.

I leaned forward. On one screen: There was Margaret’s loan documents, stamped and verified. On another: There was live surveillance of her wandering cluelessly into the lion’s den...Asterfell police headquarters. And worst of all... the signature Patrick had forged to condemn her.

My jaw tightened. My claws pressed against my fingertips, aching to break through.

"No," I said, my voice sharp enough to cut. "If she’s so foolish, let her be fooled until she loses everything."

My wolf snarled in agreement, satisfied.

Silence settled like snowfall. Chloe hit a single key, every screen went dark at once.

"Chloe, how’s it going?" Amelia offered her water. Her name was Chloe? It was a beautiful name for a beautiful woman, I thought.

Chloe grinned, downing it with a reckless tilt. "Easy. I hacked into Patrick’s files and took out a few massive loans in his name. If he tries to flee the country, border control will snap their jaws around his throat."

A dark thrill shivered through me.

"Well done," I told her, laying a hand on her shoulder. My wolf approved. "Aren’t you worried about getting caught? This kind of work... it smells like danger."

Amelia chuckled. "For her? It’s just a hobby. Multiple identities, airtight covers. No one’s ever traced a thing back."

Chloe winked. The confidence in her scent was intoxicating.

Then Amelia snapped her fingers. "Oh! Aria, the music score from the Darvin house. Chloe should see it."

I paused.

Chloe’s eyes lit like a pup scenting a rare feast. "A score? A real one?"

Amelia leaned dramatically. "Not just real. Rare. And she..." she nudged Chloe "...happens to be one of Asterfell’s top young pianists."

I blinked.

A hacker and a pianist. This world never ran out of surprises.

"May I see it?" Chloe asked, nearly breathless.

"Of course," I said. My wolf flicked her tail. Let’s see what secrets you can smell on it, little genius.

We piled into Rowland’s car and headed to my home.

The ride to Shevron Estates was quiet, but I felt the calm before the storm pressing hard against my ribs.

As we pulled up, I froze.

A figure stood at the gate.

It was Nathan.