Free Web NovelChapter 132: Chapter 132
Aria’s POV
I was still trying to get over the fact that Rowland had called Nathan his uncle when Rowland’s voice cut through the heat like a blade of ice.
He spoke slowly, each word edged with frost, his gaze locked on Sophia. The sun beat down on him, catching in his hair, casting shadows across his face...but his eyes... they were sharp enough to slice through lies.
Sophia froze.
Her scent soured with fear and embarrassment. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
She wasn’t dumb. She knew perfectly well Rowland was calling her out for what she’d done to me.
The silence stretched so long even my wolf stiffened, her ears tilting in discomfort.
Then Rowland laughed softly, not kindly.
“Aren’t you the lead attorney at the Hemsworth Group? You can’t even answer something this simple?”
He crossed his arms, glanced lazily toward Nathan and his next words were a punch.
“Uncle Nathan, doesn’t your company have basic entry requirements? Does anyone get in?”
Gasps scattered through the small crowd that gathered. They whispered, stared and held their breath.
From the conversation, they had realized who Rowland and me were. My sharp ears caught onto some of their whispers.
“That lady looks like a bit like Alpha Nathan’s wife? Could that be her?”
“Why is Alpha Nathan’s nephew roasting Sophia alive in public?”
Instinctively, their eyes flicked toward Nathan, waiting for the explosion.
But Nathan didn’t move.
His expression remained cold stone, his lips pressed tight, his eyes unreadable.
He was not defending Sophia, not helping her. He was just silent.
My chest tightened for reasons I didn’t want to examine.
Sophia looked like someone had yanked the ground out from under her. Her eyes darted to Nathan again and again, silently begging him to save her.
He didn’t even blink.
I could practically feel her heart cracking... and her jealousy turning venomous. She looked at me like I was the cause of every humiliation she’d ever endured.
Her fists tightened beneath her sleeves, her anger mixing with a spike of resentment that made my wolf want to bare her teeth.
Then Sophia did something desperate.
She lifted her chin, her voice trembling.
“Nathan... the archives can’t stay open for too long. Let’s go back to the office.”
She forced a smile, one meant to look soft and sweet. freewёbnoνel.com
Nathan finally looked at her.
But the expression he gave wasn’t warmth. There was no affection, no protection. Just a cold, distant stare that made even the hairs on my neck rise.
“Let’s go?” I echoed sharply before I could stop myself.
My body moved faster than my thought, wolf instinct taking over. I stepped forward, Lana in my arms, blocking Sophia’s escape.
With Rowland no longer shielding me, Sophia suddenly found her courage.
“Aria, what are you doing?” she snapped. “You hit me! I haven’t even said anything to you yet, why make this harder?”
Her bottom lip trembled, tears sparkling like crystal drops.
And just like that, sympathy drifted through the crowd.
“Yes! We saw her!” someone shouted.
“Luna Aria was trying to hit Ms. Darvin!”
A chorus followed, their whispers aimed like stones.
My wolf bristled, her tail lashing invisibly behind me.
I was not afraid of their accusations.
I stroked Lana’s tiny hand, grounding both of us, and spoke coldly:
“Sophia struck first. I defended myself. And next time you open your mouth on someone’s behalf, remember this, don’t choose sides when you don’t know the truth. Good intentions mean nothing to someone willing to use you.”
I tapped Rowland’s arm and pointed upward at the security camera.
“My witnesses and evidence are all up there.”
Rowland raised a brow behind me, intrigued, his attention never leaving me.
For so long, I’d tried to be calm and gentle like a rabbit hiding its scars.
But standing here...Surrounded by accusations...Facing an enemy dressed like a victim, triggered me...I just could not remain silent.
Rowland’s eyes glowed with an interest I didn’t quite understand, but it burned hot enough for my wolf to notice.
At my words, Sophia’s expression flickered with a mix of anger, panic qnd guilt until her mouth opened but nothing came out. My words must have hit like silver.
Those around us noticed this change in Sophia’s expression and realization rippled through them like wind through dry leaves.
A woman stepped forward.
“I was just shopping nearby. I clearly saw Ms. Sophia Darvin try to hit Luna Aria. Alpha Nathan’s nephew stopped her.”
Another voice chimed in.
“I never thought Ms. Sophia would do something like that!”
Gasps and whispers spread fast. Sophia’s face drained of color, her aura collapsing inward.
“You only saw that I wanted to act!” Sophia suddenly shouted. “But you don’t know why I was doing it!”
The crowd fell silent.
My wolf’s ears perked at the change, they were searching for someone to side with. These werewolves didn’t like uncertainty. They wanted a story.
“That’s true,” a man muttered. “Ms. Sophia was always gentle and pampered by Alpha Nathan. Why would she hit someone for no reason? Maybe Luna Aria pushed her.”
“Yeah,” someone else added quickly. “She went to prison, didn’t she? What credibility does she have?”
My jaw tightened, but I didn’t flinch.
Compared to what I’d already survived, these were nothing more than pebbles thrown at a fortress.
Then someone shouted:
“Ms. Sophia Darvin, please tell us what happened! We’ll believe you!”
