Free Web NovelChapter 235: Chapter 235
Aria’s POV
It was Francis.
Before I could react, Amelia appeared behind me, arms crossed. freewebnσvel.cøm
“Francis, right? The court had his number. I called him to pick you up.”
I stared at her, startled. I hadn’t expected her to think that far ahead, to arrange an exit for me so neatly.
I opened the door.
The moment Francis saw me, the tension draining from his face was almost visible. He grabbed my wrist without hesitation, his grip firm but careful, his eyes scanning me like he was afraid I’d vanish.
“Are you okay?”
His concern hit me harder than I expected.
I nodded my head, meeting his gaze. “I’m fine.”
He exhaled deeply, relief flooding his face.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
Only then did I realize it was still powered down in my pocket.
...Oops.
When I pulled it out, Francis let out a small laugh, the last of his tension finally easing.
“Come with me,” he said, still holding my wrist.
Just three words.
Yet something about them made my wolf stir and my chest tighten.
“They haven’t left yet, they are still outside” Amelia reminded us calmly.
“Outside?” Francis frowned and moved to the window, lifting the curtain slightly. His expression darkened. “That’s Lucious’s car”
“Lucious?” Amelia and I exclaimed together, stepping closer.
Outside, we saw the men regrouped after their failed search. Lucious stormed toward them, fury written all over his face as he barked reprimands. Moments later, he climbed into the Ferrari and sped off, the engine’s roar fading into the distance.
Francis let the curtain fall.
Silence settled over the room, thick and uneasy.
“I need to go back,” I said at last, breaking it. I met Francis’s eyes. I’d been gone too long, tangled in chaos. Lana was at home with the nanny, and my wolf ached with the pull of home.
Francis nodded without argument.”I will take you home”
“Be careful,” Amelia said softly behind me.
Her voice was light but my ears caught every syllable. I turned back and smiled brightly. “Don’t worry.”
The smile came easily.
Francis looked away, his gaze flickering.
On the drive back, he pushed the speed to the legal limit, sensing my urgency. Neither of us spoke. I used the time to scroll through the latest news.
My brows knit together.
Lucious was online...ranting, tagging the First Court, crying injustice.
“Francis had Aria with him, who knew the judge was close to her?”
“Clearly it was Starsource Research Institution that plagiarized our patent, yet we lost!”
“So much for justice for honest researchers!”
Victimhood suited him disturbingly well. The comments flooded in, filled with sympathy, outrage, blame—all aimed squarely at me.
Then an industry rival chimed in sharply:
“Weren’t you just causing trouble for Sophia at the Hemsworth Group? Now you’re blaming everything on Aria?”
In response, Lucious wrote, “Hemsworth Group intervened! Sophia was wronged by Aria! Aria colluded with the judge and disregarded her sister’s reputation... It is truly despicable!”
True to what he said, I saw Hemsworth group had showed their support for Sophia.
Nathan chose Sophia.
My heart began to pound, each beat heavy and suffocating. A bitter taste rose in my throat, sharp and choking, stealing my breath. My wolf recoiled, tail tucked, a low whine echoing in my chest.
Why? How could he?
I had faced rumors before.
Whispers, accusations, public judgment, none of it was new to me. But no matter how vicious the storms became, the Hemsworth Group had never openly turned its fangs on me.
Until now. The news exploded.
#AlphaNathanBacksMsDarvinShe’sTrulyFortunate!
The hashtag shot to the top of the trends like a flare fired into the night sky.
I had always known Nathan favored Sophia over me, anyone with eyes could see the closeness between them, the barely hidden flirtation that made my instincts bristle every time.
But Nathan was the CEO of the Hemsworth Group.
He didn’t make public declarations lightly.
I forced the bitterness down, blinking hard as my eyes burned. I pinched the soft flesh of my arm, grounding myself in the sting.
Why was I disappointed—again? frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Hadn’t I learned?
Nathan and Sophia had been circling each other for a long time now, hunting in tandem. Over a year ago, they had worked together to send me to prison. That alone should have carved the truth into my bones.
So why did it still hurt?
Why did my wolf still ache, still react as if we hadn’t made the decision to end things with him for good?
I bit my lip, anger flaring within me, not at them, but at myself. I should have been stronger. I should have been numb by now.
“We’re here.”
Francis’s steady voice broke through the chaos in my head.
I lifted my gaze and caught my reflection in the rearview mirror. I looked like a shadow of myself.
“Why do you look so pale?” Francis asked, concern etched deep in his eyes.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, shaking my head as I pushed the door open. “Thank you.”
The moment my feet touched the ground, a tremor ran through me. My steps were light and unsteady like a leaf clinging to a branch in a rising wind.
I turned toward the house. The door was slightly ajar.
Laughter drifted out, Then I heard it.
“Lana? Come to your aunt.”
It was Sophia’s voice.
I froze.
