Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 136 Broken Bones and Belated Reverence
Christina’s POV
The room fell into deathly silence.
Then someone let out a mocking snort.
Three people burst into laughter simultaneously.
"This woman is insane," Preston chuckled.
"Hudson Laurent?" Maxwell wiped a tear from his eye. "Come on, Miss Vance. At least make up something believable."
"Do you really think anyone would buy that?" My father’s voice dripped with condescension.
Maxwell swirled his whiskey, his expression contemptuous. "Miss Vance, let’s drop this charade. As a Senior VP, I barely see Alpha Hudson once a year. You honestly expect me to believe he’s sitting around waiting to answer your text messages?"
I drummed my fingers on the table. "Aren’t you worried about me reporting you?"
He shrugged casually. "The very reason I told you what I do is because it won’t matter if word gets out. Besides, you won’t do anything about it."
I reached for my phone and held it up. "What if I recorded everything you just said?"
"I assume you did," he drawled, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips.
"You’re right, I did," I turned the screen toward him. "And I just sent it to Alpha Hudson Laurent himself."
Maxwell laughed derisively. "Are we playing children’s games now?"
He turned to Franklin. "Why didn’t you tell me your daughter was—"
The door suddenly flew open with such force that the handle slammed against the wall with a jarring crack.
Hudson strode into the room, radiating pure fury.
His eyes swept the room, locking directly onto Maxwell.
Maxwell’s laughter died in his throat. freewebnσvel.cѳm
Everyone froze.
Maxwell jumped to his feet, his chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Alpha Hudson—Alpha—I had no idea—I mean, I didn’t know you’d be joining us—"
Franklin and Preston stood paralyzed, slack-jawed with shock.
The moment Maxwell uttered Hudson’s name, they leaped up in panic, nearly falling over themselves.
"Alpha Hudson," Franklin stammered.
"Alpha Hudson," Preston echoed mechanically.
I remained seated, perfectly still.
"Get up!" Franklin hissed through clenched teeth. "That’s Alpha Laurent of the Sabreridge Pack—are you insane? Stand up!"
I gave him a sidelong glance but didn’t move an inch.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, soaking through his dress shirt.
Franklin and Preston stood closest to the door, inadvertently blocking Hudson’s path.
He stopped, his gaze cutting through the silence like a blade.
Not saying a word.
Maxwell began to tremble.
"Alpha Hudson, I was just—this is merely a business dinner. Been doing due diligence, market research, vetting suppliers, logistics companies, you know how it is—"
He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
Whiskey residue still clung to his face, his lips drained of color.
Getting no response from his boss, Maxwell tried again. "Alpha Hudson, your arrival is quite the pleasant surprise. Perhaps we could sit down and discuss—"
"Yes, yes!" Franklin interjected desperately. "Please, have a seat! Preston, order more food!"
Maxwell bowed so low he looked ready to kiss Hudson’s shoes. He gestured toward the table. "Alpha Hudson, please make yourself comfor—"
Hudson didn’t move. He stared at Maxwell’s hands as an executioner might eye a condemned man’s neck.
Maxwell hesitated, glanced down at his own hands as if searching for blood, then tried to hide them behind his back.
Hudson grabbed his thick wrist before he could.
His grip tightened slowly but firmly until the tendons in Maxwell’s wrist bulged against his skin.
"Alpha Hudson?" Maxwell whimpered in pain, sweat streaming down his face.
"Which hand touched my mate?" Hudson’s voice was deadly quiet.
Maxwell swallowed hard, stuttering. "Mate? What mate? I didn’t—I mean, who—"
I cleared my throat loudly enough to draw attention.
Then I raised my hand like I was back in middle school math class.
"Me," I said. "I’m his mate."
Franklin whipped around so fast he nearly broke his neck.
I pointed to Maxwell’s arm. "Wrong one. It was his left hand."
Hudson grabbed the man’s left wrist and twisted sharply.
A sickening crack echoed through the room.
Maxwell let out an agonizing scream, collapsing to his knees.
Franklin and Preston jumped as if they’d heard gunfire.
I flinched too.
Maxwell’s hand bent at an unnatural angle, backward, with his knuckles pointing toward his elbow.
I turned away, cringing.
His wrist was completely destroyed.
Maxwell slumped to the floor, blinking at his injured wrist as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Then, as the numbing effects of alcohol wore off, the full pain hit him.
He started screaming. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Continuously.
He clutched his arm, mouth wide open, face ashen.
His wails bounced off the walls—sharp, piercing, desperate—like a gutted animal.
He didn’t writhe, though he clearly wanted to.
When he finally found his voice, he croaked, "Alpha Hudson, this is a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to... I swear, I never touched her!"
"You grabbed me in front of half the room and now you’re calling it a misunderstanding?" I cut in.
He shook his head frantically. "Not grab, just a handshake."
"Is that so?" I asked with a smile.
He flinched as if I’d pulled a knife on him.
"I was invited here by Alpha Franklin. Your father-in-law invited me. This was strictly business, nothing more. I wouldn’t—I didn’t—"
His gaze shifted to Franklin, desperately seeking help.
Franklin remained motionless.
He stared at the floor as if it might offer an escape route.
I shrugged. "Setting aside that fake handshake, there’s something more serious. Ederl Maxwell accepts bribes. He was about to finalize kickback terms before dessert arrived. And this isn’t his first time. Over the years, he’s pocketed at least a hundred million dollars."
I looked at Hudson. "His own confession. Doesn’t LGH have an internal audit department? Maybe they should investigate."
Maxwell’s forehead glistened with sweat.
It soaked his shirt collar and ran down his temples, like he’d stepped out of a sauna in a business suit.
"That’s not true," he protested weakly. "I’ve worked at LGH for years, always following protocol. I was just joking. Must be the alcohol talking...someone misunderstood. Right, Franklin?"
My father’s face had drained of all color. Akira growled in satisfaction at his fear.
