Free Web NovelChapter 120: Chapter 120 The Truth
Christina’s POV
Jace snorted, looking almost amused by my shock. "Then the reality hit. Eleanor’s fortune? Total bullshit. By the time she died and the will was read, there was barely enough to cover funeral costs."
"What?" I stared at him.
"Mom was even worse with money than anyone thought. Her fund managers had been bleeding her dry for years. The ’substantial pile’ she promised Beatrice? Gone. So Beatrice came crawling back to Highrise City with her tail between her legs."
I felt sick. "So she abandoned Caroline for nothing?"
"Pretty much. And that’s when she got really smart. She realized she’d been right to keep the truth from the Vances. Always good to have a backup plan."
I stood there, completely dumbstruck. Akira whined softly in my mind, equally confused.
The pieces finally locked into place with devastating clarity.
I’d never understood why Beatrice left so abruptly when she and Niall were joined at the hip. Even though I had found out that Niall was my destined mate, if she had spoken up, Niall would definitely have rejected me. He had been utterly obsessed with her, and she certainly wasn’t indifferent.
That ridiculous excuse about stepping aside so I could have Niall? Franklin and Caroline might have bought it, but I never did. Beatrice was many things, but self sacrificing wasn’t one of them.
"She didn’t leave for me," I whispered. "She left Caroline. The woman who raised her, loved her, treated her like a princess for twenty years."
"Bingo," Jace said with a snap of his fingers. "And Caroline still has no idea. She thinks Beatrice made some grand sacrifice."
I felt a mix of rage and heartbreak. "Caroline spent years blaming herself for Beatrice leaving. She thought she’d failed as a mother."
"Meanwhile, Beatrice was living it up in Stonewick, waiting for Eleanor to kick the bucket so she could inherit. Didn’t give Caroline a second thought."
I thought hard, connecting more dots. "You said earlier that it doesn’t matter now if the truth comes out because Beatrice is the Luna of the Frostpelt Pack. Why?"
He stared at me like I was an idiot."You still don’t get it? Money, of course. The Frostpelt Pack is loaded, right? Filthy rich. Beatrice marries Niall, and boom, she’s back on top."
"What about Niall? He thinks he married the Alpha’s daughter from The Crescent Pack."
"He got duped twice - married a girl who isn’t even from The Crescent Pack and whose real family went bankrupt." Jace grinned. "But by the time he figures it out, she’ll have legal claim to half his assets."
Knowing Niall’s father, Clive Granger, who treated bloodlines like a religion, he was probably already drafting annulment papers in his head.
Jace didn’t look concerned. "Doesn’t matter if they do. Beatrice and Niall didn’t sign a prenup. You know what that means, right?"
"It means if they divorce, Beatrice gets half of everything Niall owns," I said slowly.
"Exactly." He grinned wolfishly. "So either she stays married and she’s rich, or she gets divorced and she’s slightly less rich, but still rolling in it. And with a baby on the way, she’ll get even more. Alimony, child support... it all adds up. Either way, win win."
My stomach twisted at the mention of a baby.
The cruelty of it all hit me. Beatrice had manipulated everyone - Caroline, me, Niall, even the Grangers. All for money.
"That still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here," I pointed out, narrowing my eyes.
"What else? Money." His response was immediate and unapologetic. "After Mom passed and left us with debt instead of inheritance, Beatrice ditched me and ran back here. But then my dad got sick, and I needed cash. So I figured, why not pay dear sis a visit?"
"Why are you working at Nyx Collective?"
He shook his head, looking annoyingly smug. "Beatrice got me the job. Told me to keep tabs on you, let her know if you’re working late or going away for a trip, that sort of thing. Gave her the perfect window to sneak around with Niall."
The betrayal stung anew. "So, Niall has been cheating on me longer than I thought. You’ve been here at least six months." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"Don’t shoot the messenger," Jace said with another careless shrug. "I’m just the tool, remember? Besides, Beatrice and Niall were a couple first. This is just setting things right again."
Hudson had returned sometime during our conversation and was waiting quietly. His eyes were fixed on me with concern.
I rose slowly from my chair, feeling oddly numb.
"Done?" Hudson asked softly.
I nodded, unable to form words.
Jace perked up. "Wait. I’ve told you everything. So... you’re gonna let me go, right?"
Hudson rested a protective hand on my shoulder and steered me towards the exit.
Two uniformed officers appeared in the hallway. They nodded respectfully at Hudson and stepped inside the conference room.
"Hey, wait, what the hell..." Jace’s voice rose behind us in panic.
Then the door shut, cutting him off mid shout.
Hudson glanced down at me. His eyes searched mine. "You okay?"
"I don’t know. That was... a lot." I leaned slightly into his side, grateful for his solid presence.
"Tell me on the way home?" he suggested gently.
"We’re going home? It’s the middle of the day." I blinked in surprise.
"You need rest."
His lips quirked up in a slight smile. "I’m Alpha of The Sabreridge pack. I can take time off whenever I want."
Back at our house, Geoffrey greeted us with a mug of hot chocolate so overloaded with marshmallows and whipped cream it looked like a diabetes inducing snow mountain.
We settled in the living room, and I walked Hudson through everything Jace had said. I tried to make sense of it myself as I spoke. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"It explains a lot," I said finally.
"What do you mean?"
