Free Web NovelChapter 227: Chapter 227
Aria’s POV
Jonathan’s smile was effortless and refined, like silk sliding over skin. It was impossible to fault.
My wolf tilted her head, mildly curious to know what Francis would decide.
Francis raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. There was something about the way he looked at Jonathan that made me feel he was going to reject the offer.
“Thank you Alpha Jonathan,” I said before either of them could escalate the tension.
That settled it.
Jonathan smiled and called a server over to clear space at the table. As he did, his gaze brushed over Francis briefly before he looked away.
I had just sat down when my phone vibrated violently in my hand.
Williams.
I answered just in time to hear his panicked voice explode through the speaker.
“Aria! Get online right now, you’re trending again!”
The flamboyant voice blasting from my phone made my ears ring. My wolf flinched first, irritation rippling through me, and I instinctively pulled the phone away from my face.
Before I could say anything, Jonathan reached over and took it from my hand. He must have heard his brother’s voice.
His presence was calm like still water over deep stone. His voice flowed into the receiver, gentle but steady.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
The line went dead silent.
I could imagine Williams freezing on the other end. Then came a nervous laugh.
“H-Hey... brother... Jonathan. Why are you there too?”
Jonathan’s gaze sharpened slightly, though his tone remained composed. “What happened?”
There was a pause, heavy enough that my wolf’s instincts prickled.
Then Williams spoke again, this time carefully. “Did Aria attend the hearing at the Asterfell Law firm today?”
I took the phone from Jonathan and put it on speaker.
The moment my name was mentioned, Francis looked up sharply. His brows drew together, unease flickering across his face. Without a word, he unlocked his phone and opened the news app.
I leaned in, my name was splashed across the screen in bold letters, accompanied by a glaring red icon that screamed explosion.
My jaw tightened.
William’s voice continued, strained. “Aria, people online are saying your lawyer’s license was revoked—that you’re not qualified to appear in court. They’re claiming the defendant you were with could be implicated because of this.”
My wolf growled low in my chest. So this was the move they chose.
My thoughts raced, piecing things together with cold clarity. It didn’t take long to identify who had fed the story to the media or why it had been released now, timed so precisely.
I lifted my gaze to Francis, meeting his eyes directly.
“I’m not your attorney,” I said quietly and deliberately. “I was only accompanying you.”
I let my tone soften, hoping to reassure him.
But Francis shook his head.
At first, I thought he was worried about the trial, about public opinion tipping the scales. But then I saw it in his eyes.
It wasn’t the case he was worried about.
It was me.
I inhaled slowly, steadying the restless energy curling inside me.
“Can you find out which media outlet released the story first?” I asked calmly, my voice betraying none of the tension beneath it.
There was silence on the other end of the line.
I could hear Williams tapping furiously at his keyboard. Finally, he exhaled sharply. “I’m not sure I can,” he admitted, his frustration evident.
“Multiple outlets posted it at the exact same time. It’s like it was coordinated. I can’t trace the original source.”
My expression tightened.
I didn’t need to guess who was behind this. It was definitely Sophia. She still wasn’t willing to let go, still circling like a wolf that refused to accept defeat.
Without identifying the first media outlet that released the story, I couldn’t follow the trail. And without solid evidence, no matter how loud I spoke, the public would never believe me.
“Actually...” Williams hesitated on the other end of the line. “If someone influential in Asterfell stepped forward, this wouldn’t be that hard to suppress...”
My eyes flickered, a calculated gleam passing through them.
“Thank you,” I said calmly. “I’ll handle it from here.”
I ended the call.
Jonathan was watching me closely, concern etched into his expression. His aura was steady, like a alpha observing a pack member choosing her path.
“Do you want to suspend ordering right now?” he asked. “I can have the staff come back later.”
“No need.” I shook my head and leaned into my seat, smoothing my expression into something light. I glanced at Francis and Stephan, offering a small smile. “Since Mr. Murray is hosting, there’s no rush.”
Both Francis and Jonathan looked momentarily stunned.
To them, this was a crisis, a storm breaking overhead. To me, it was just another hunt. frёeωebɳovel.com
Francis’s gaze lingered on me, his lashes trembling almost imperceptibly.
Stephan, on the other hand, was the most relaxed person at the table, aside from me. He picked up his chopsticks, digging into the cold dishes without ceremony.
“Getting worked up won’t solve anything,” he said cheerfully. “Let’s eat first!”
I smiled and gestured for the others to sit.
The meal passed smoothly enough, though there was an undeniable stiffness between Francis and Jonathan. They were like two unfamiliar wolves sharing the same territory, polite but wary.
The moment I set down my chopsticks, both of them stood up at the same time, their voices overlapping.
“I’ll take you home.”
“I’ll take you home.”
They froze, then glanced at each other.
