Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Freya’s POV
Finished
The glint of the diamond necklace in my hand caught the morning sunlight, and I could feel the cold fire in my veins flare up. Caelum’s sharp intake of breath barely registered–I knew exactly what he was thinking. My gaze had been utterly indifferent when I looked at him earlier, as if the man who had once been the center of my life now meant nothing. And that, apparently, shook him more than anything I could have said.
“What do you mean it ‘belongs‘ to Aurora?” I said, my voice steady, each word slicing the air like claws. “You used our marital assets to buy her these gifts. I never agreed to it. This necklace has never been hers, and it will never be hers. When I return to The Capital, I will file a lawsuit and reclaim it. Mark my words p>
They gaped at me, and I could almost see the wheels turning in their heads. How dare I fight back? How dare I refuse to be subservient? I let my restraint show for so long that they had come to believe my compliance was natural. Pathetic.
“Freya,” Aurora hissed, red rising to her cheeks, “you’re only after money. During the Lunar Severance Phase, you said you only wanted 1.53 millon, and now–you’re trying to seize all these jewels p>
let a soft snarl escape me. “And you? Are you after money too? You take these jewels, yet claim you don’t want to be a mistress. Why not buy your own, Aurora? Why force a married man to buy them for you?” My words were sharp as wolf’s teeth.
Her face burned crimson, her breath quickening. Around us, the Stormveil estate’s security team had gathered discreetly, their eyes flicking between the confrontation and the two of us. Every word I spoke, they heard, and every insult I threw cut deeper than Aurora could imagine.
I turned to Kade, my companion in all this chaos, and nodded. “Let’s go p>
“Yes,” he said, his tone suddenly deferential, calm–a stark contrast to the cold, commanding wolf he had been moments ago toward Caelum and Aurora.
Aurora hissed indignantly at Caelum. “Freya has gone too far! If she’d just asked for the jewelry politely, I might have—might have given it to her. But she’s manipulative, treacherous. I will not let her have her way p>
Caelum didn’t answer. His eyes remained locked on me as we walked toward the car, and I felt his wolf instinct waver somewhere between longing and regret. That indifferent look I’d given him… he’d never seen it from me before, and it cut deeper than Aurora’s petty anger ever could.
Was it true, then? Did he not matter to me anymore? My wolf growled inside me, amused and vindictive all at once, sensing the sting of realization in his chest.
Aurora’s voice rose, trying to grab his attention, but it fell flat. He barely turned, still caught in the echo of my gaze. Kade’s smirk grew wider. I could feel the pack within him resonating with mine, the predator sense thrumming in tandem.
“I’ll find a way to resolve this,” Caelum finally said, though his voice had lost some of its alpha certainty. “The jewelry… it was given to you, technically. But I owe you p>
I raised a hand to stop him, letting the power of my presence thrum in the air. “Caelum,” I said slowly, deliberately, “how do you intend to repay what you owe? Do you truly believe you could ever pay back what you took from me p>
He flinched, though he tried to hide it. The wound in his pride, the recognition of his failings–it was there, sharp as broken. glass in his chest.
I slid into the passenger seat of the car Kade had opened, still holding the necklace. “Take us to the Ashbourne Charitable Association,” I told him, voice cool, wolfish, uncompromising.
“Why?” Kade asked, though his eyes betrayed his understanding.
“This necklace… it’s no longer mine, nor should it be hers,” I said. “It will be donated p>
An hour later, the transaction was complete. The necklace would be auctioned, and all proceeds donated to a network of Hope Schools across Ashbourne, giving lost and orphaned children a chance to learn. I felt the wolf within me relax slightly, knowing that this token of betrayal had been transformed into something meaningful.
Kade reached over and rested his hand briefly on mine. “If ever you fancy a jewel, I’ll get it for you,” he said casually.
1/2
Chapter 120
Finished
“I have no interest in jewelry,” I said, letting my voice carry the weight of my history. The only ornament that had ever mattered to me was my mother’s ruby necklace, the one she had bartered for peace. That memory pulsed like a heartbeat in my chest. This necklace–this tainted symbol of wasted years with Caelum–would never hold such value.
I looked up at him, curiosity piqued. “You came all this way to find me… why? Was there something on your mind p>
Kade hesitated, lips pressing together briefly before he admitted, “Are you… involved with Silas Whitmor p>
I blinked, momentarily taken aback. “You… saw the WolfComm buzz online?” I said, shaking my head. “No, we are not involved. Silas only… happened to assist me yesterday at the gala. Caelum and Aurora were there; Silas was simply helping p>
Kade’s eyes narrowed, wolfish and perceptive. “Helping? That doesn’t sound like him p>
I let out a dry laugh, wolfish instinct flaring. “Perhaps, for one night, I was his companion. Nothing more p>
Kade didn’t press further. I could feel the intelligence in his gaze, the instinct to protect, to anticipate, to dominate the space around us With him, there was no pretense–only loyalty, unspoken but absolute, like the pulse of a pack in sync.
And that was all that mattered right now.
Send Gifts
98
B