Free Web NovelChapter 157: Chapter 157
Aria’s POV
I rolled the window down, letting the wind whip through my hair, trying to shake off the ache clawing at my chest. My wolf huffed, restless, wanting to run through the forest, wanting to tear something apart just to release the tension.
When we arrived at Francis laboratory, he was already waiting at the entrance. People stopped to stare, whispering softly amongst themselves as they watched him, wearing a smile his gaze on his car that had just arrived as if waiting for someone.
Harry opened the door, and the moment my leg stepped out, the murmuring grew louder. I didn’t bother with them at all, my focus was on Francis.
My white dress fluttered in the breeze, Lana tucked against my chest like a tiny moonflower.
Francis blinked, taken aback. “This is...?”
“My daughter,” I said. “Lana Darvin.”
“Darvin?” He repeated it softly, then smiled. “It is good name.”
He reached out, wanting a hug, and Lana, sweet little pup, clapped her hands excitedly at him. My heart softened. I showed him how to support her neck and gently placed her into his strong arms.
Lana squealed with joy, and Francis laughed. He bounced her lightly, and she giggled, kicking her small legs.
Seeing them, I exhaled. My wolf calmed. This, this quiet sweetness, made everything hurt less.
“Come with me,” Francis said, gesturing forward.
As we walked, voices followed us:
“Mr. Murray!”
“Is that your family?”
“She’s adorable!”
Francis didn’t bother correcting them. “Yes,” he said simply. “My daughter. Cute, isn’t she?” freёwebnovel.com
Lana gurgled happily in his arms.
He shot me a smug look. I rolled my eyes, sighing internally.
He’s a world-renowned expert... yet still such a child.
But somehow, that made the corner of my lips lift.
For the first time all day, my heart didn’t feel quite so heavy. My wolf leaned closer, warming, comforted.
Francis and I walked slowly down the long corridor, its walls glowing faintly with cold, futuristic blue light, almost humming with energy. Our footsteps echoed, and with every step forward, the number of people around us dwindled until it felt like we were alone.
But my wolf felt something else.
A heavy gaze, burning into my back.
I didn’t turn around, but the prickle along my spine told me exactly what kind of stare it was, a possessive and conflicted one, the kind that made my wolf raise her hackles. Only when we turned the corner did the weight lift, as if the watcher finally looked away.
Francis’s voice lowered. “Is it... Nathan’s child?”
Nathan.
At the mention of his name, the faint smile on my face vanished. My wolf snarled quietly inside me. I kept the curve of my lips, but it turned sharp and cold.
“Yes,” I said simply.
Lana’s tiny fingers curled around mine, warm and fragile. My chest tightened. She was my pup, my blood, my responsibility.
Francis’s eyes lingered on me before drifting to Lana. Then he sighed, his gaze lifting to the ceiling, as if memories were being replayed above us.
“When I found out you’d been thrown in jail,” he said slowly, “I went to see Nathan.”
His tone hardened. “He really is ruthless.”
A hollow laugh escaped him. “After that, I quit Hemsworth Group and left the country.”
My fingers trembled.
He went that far... because of me?
I never imagined my past would ripple this widely, wounding others I had cared about.
Maybe sensing my tension, Francis quickly added, “But it wasn’t a loss. The reputation I built at Hemsworth Group opened a lot of doors. I got invitations from major research institutes overseas.” ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Why did you come back to Asterfell?”
“There’s a research material that’s only produced in Asterfell,” he explained. “Headquarters decided to build a new lab here, so I volunteered to take charge.”
I thought about how people treated him earlier, the respect, the awe, the whispers. Even the wolves in the crowd instinctively submitted their aura before him.
In just one year, he had become... extraordinary.
I felt happiness for him, real happiness. But when I lowered my gaze, sadness flickered through me before I could bury it. Once, we were equals. Two rising leaders in elite circles. Two wolves racing neck-to-neck.
But time had pushed us onto different paths, worlds apart now.
I didn’t know what emotion overshadowed the others. All I knew was that something inside me ached quietly.
Francis noticed, he always noticed even the slightest change.
“Do you still want to be a lawyer?” he asked gently.
The question caught me off guard. My wolf stilled. My breath hitched.
“My license was revoked,” I said after a moment. “Unless what happened last year is cleared... I can’t return to that profession.”
My voice felt weightless, like mist drifting in the cold hallway. Even the air around us seemed to dim with sadness. My wolf lowered her ears, sensing my pain.
Francis stopped walking and looked at me earnestly. “Then come work with me. Be my legal advisor. It won’t fully use your talents, but there are still plenty of cases you can handle. Once the truth comes out, it’ll be easier for you to reclaim your place as a top lawyer. And you won’t be disconnected from your field.”
I froze.
