Aria’s POV

One look at Rowland’s face, I could tell that unlike me, he clearly knew more. He glanced lazily toward the passenger seat, his lips curling faintly. “Sophia got beaten up by Richard.”

My mouth twitched. I met his eyes, those sharp, amused eyes that always seemed to see straight through me.

“When exactly did this happen?” I asked.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled without answering.

I didn’t need him to.

“It wasn’t...” I paused, my claws itching to emerge. “On the way after leaving our company yesterday, was it?”

“Smart girl,” Rowland said with a smirk.

The car stopped at a red light. Rowland lifted his hand from the wheel and snapped his fingers, as if punctuating the truth. I couldn’t help it. I found the gesture both ridiculous and strangely fitting.

Sophia had tried to corner me with words, using them like silver-tipped darts to force me back into the Darvin family’s grasp. That meant Richard, the scapegoat they’d pushed out, had been thoroughly provoked.

“How badly was she hurt?” I asked.

“She’s half-dead.”

His tone was flat and indifferent.

My brows drew together. Half-dead?

Even among wolves, Richard was vicious. A rabid beast who enjoyed tearing into prey long after the kill should have ended. He never went easy. If Sophia had crossed him, she must have paid in blood.

Yet the more I thought about it, the colder my chest felt.

Sophia knew exactly what kind of person Richard was. They must have worked together before. Provoking someone like Richard was like stepping on the tail of a venomous serpent. You might survive, but only after being poisoned.

And yet, Sophia had sold him out without hesitation.

My eyes narrowed.

That meant whatever she was after had to be worth more than Richard’s wrath. Worth more than broken bones and torn flesh. Worth risking death.

I turned it over in my mind again and again, but nothing fit.

Rowland glanced sideways at me. He noticed everything, every shift in my expression, every tightening of my jaw.

Through the rearview mirror, his gaze met the trio seated back there.. A silent exchange passed between them.

They knew.

Whatever it was, I’d find out soon.

A strange warmth flickered in my chest, followed by a dull ache. I had never said it aloud, but I had always longed for family, real family. Especially now. Especially after having a child. My wolf craved a pack that wouldn’t abandon its own.

Margaret had chosen outsiders over blood, proving she was unworthy of the title of family.

The car slowed.

“Ms. Aria Darvin, we’re here.”

Tommy’s car stopped in front of Darvin Villa. He stepped out, walked to Rowland’s window, and bowed slightly in a deeply respectful way.

I stepped out of the car first, the cool air brushing against my skin. My wolf stretched awake inside me, alert and watchful. I went straight to the back seat to help the elderly couple down.

I felt the middle aged woman’s gaze linger on me. When I looked up, her lips curved faintly, approval clear in her eyes. My wolf huffed softly.

Behind us, Amelia and Chloe’s car came to a stop.

The windows rolled down, and before either of them could fully step out, Tommy hurried forward, bowing apologetically. “Ms. Amelia, Ms. Chloe... I’m very sorry, but Mr. Darvin specifically instructed that you cannot enter.”

He extended an arm, blocking Chloe mid-step.

The air shifted.

Chloe’s eyes darkened, fury rolling off her in waves. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?” she snapped.

Tommy broke out in a cold sweat. I could smell it, sharp, sour fear.

“I-I’m sorry, miss,” he stammered. “This is Mr. Darvin’ arrangement. I’m just following orders. I really have no choice.”

He wasn’t lying. Fear clung to him for a reason.

The middle aged woman crossed her arms, amused. “If they can’t go in,” she asked coolly, “what about us?”

Only then did Tommy dare lift his head. His gaze met her face...

Tommy hesitated. “I... I should probably go ask...”

I removed my sunglasses.

The world seemed to sharpen the instant I did. My chin lifted slightly, and I let my aura loose. My wolf’s eyes stared through him.

“If they can’t go in,” I said evenly, “then I won’t go either.”

Tommy stiffened.

I saw the panic flash across his face. He scratched his head, torn. An elderly man. An elderly woman. A middle-aged woman. In his eyes, none of them looked particularly threatening.

He exhaled, defeated, and reached for the gate. “Please... follow me.”

Chloe bristled, rage rolling off her like heat. She looked seconds away from tearing the iron gate apart with her bare hands.

Then Logan spoke, his voice flat, calm and heavy with authority. “Let’s wait and rest for now. If we need to go in, this gate won’t stop us.”

The words were simple, but the power behind them made even my wolf straighten.

Since her idol had spoken, Amelia merely nodded. Chloe shot Logan a sharp glare, then, with visible restraint, climbed back into the car.

We were led Inside the villa grounds, our group stepped onto the cobblestone path.

The stones were rough beneath my soles, grounding. The elderly couple looked around curiously. Their expressions shifted from cautious expectation to faint disappointment.

“This is it?” the elderly woman said as her eyes took in the villa.

It was decent and comfortable but small.

They exchanged a glance, disdain flickering between them.

If Patrick knew what they were thinking, he’d probably explode. This villa was his prized possession. It was purchased with immense effort, company assets quietly moved and rearranged just to secure this patch of Asterfell land.

We hadn’t gone far when the entrance came into view.

Patrick stood there in a tailored suit, one arm wrapped around Margaret’s shoulders. Their heads were lowered, close together, an intimate picture painted carefully for anyone watching.

Margaret clutched her shawl. “These...” she murmured softly. “Didn’t you sell them when the company was in trouble?”

Patrick adjusted her shawl gently, his movements practiced. “Now that Aria has control of the company, it’s settled. After all these years, I didn’t want to treat you poorly. I thought about it for a long time and decided to get everything back.”

Margaret looked up at him, her eyes shining as they met his affectionate gaze.

We approached.

She lowered her head shyly, then glanced toward us, only to freeze.

Her entire body went rigid.