Aria’s POV
“No,” Francis replied. “I value capability. If you truly had a problem, you wouldn’t be sitting here.”
I tilted my head, puzzled.
Stephan let out a long breath, relief easing his shoulders. “That man... he’s my junior and student.”
My brows rose.
“We graduated from the sa top law school,” he continued. “My first case after graduation was against my own student. Ken was reported for bribery and corruption. I agreed to represent the plaintiff.”
I exhaled slowly.
I see.
“A student turning into a blade against his own teacher,” I murmured inwardly. That cuts deeper than any verdict.
“But that wasn’t all,” Stephan said softly. “I took cases others wouldn’t touch. My family is well-off, so I often worked pro bono. It disrupted the market. I was ostracized. They sared my reputation.”
He bowed his head.
“I love this profession. But with my na in ruins, even helping for free is seen as manipulation.”
I looked at his shoulders.
When we first t, they’d been straight and alert. Now they slumped, as if carrying invisible chains.
I saw myself in that posture.
Being forced away from the one thing you loved... that pain didn’t fade.
“Francis’ case still needs you, Attorney Stephan,” I said gently, pushing a slice of cake toward him. “Let this be the beginning. Step by step. Soone like you should be standing at the front—setting an example, not being buried by slander.”
His head snapped up.
Warmth flooded his expression, spreading through the deep lines of his face. For a mont, it was as though fresh spring water had washed over old stone.
Francis watched quietly, a faint smile touching his lips.
“That’s the Aria I know,” he said. “The one who respects law... and integrity.”
I smiled at him.
“Thank you, Attorney Aria,” Stephan said sincerely.
“Alright, let’s eat first,” Francis said with a soft laugh, clearly relieved as the tension finally loosened.
I felt his gaze linger on . I didn’t need to look up to know it had ward and deepened. When I did et his eyes, his smile grew a little wider.
My wolf stirred quietly in my chest, steady and calm. I wasn’t the sharp-edged Aria from before, nor was I the woman who only knew how to endure. I’d learned how to stand.
The al passed smoothly, even pleasantly, but I was the first to rise.
“If anything cos up, call ,” I said, sliding my number across the table to Stephan. “Let know when the court date is set.”
Francis didn’t try to stop . He only nodded. The al had served its purpose, and I knew he had half a lab waiting for him. As he walked out, I lifted a hand, signaling that he didn’t need to escort further.
He stopped anyway, watching until I disappeared into the crowd before turning back.
Few minutes later, I was already in a cab.
The city slid past the window, and only then did my wolf stir uneasily, nudging my attention to sothing I’d been avoiding all day.
Sophia.
My jaw tightened.
How had my design ended up in her hands?
The thought made my pulse quicken. That wasn’t a small matter. My designs had never left my studio. There was external access.
My brow furrowed.
Only two people had been there, Kara and Sandra.
I pressed my lips together, a dull ache forming in my chest. My first instinct wasn’t anger. It was avoidance. I didn’t want the truth to point to either of them.
Kara had stood by when I had nothing, when Lana was still small and fragile in my arms. Sandra had helped escape, risking herself without hesitation.
They wouldn’t do sothing like that, my wolf insisted, feeling uneasy. They can’t.
But reason didn’t bend to hope.
I clenched my fists and forced myself to think clearly. Instead of confronting anyone, I sent both Kara and Sandra a ssage, asking them to help purchase fabrics and tools from the list I sent, telling them I’d check in by evening.
“Driver,” I said quietly, “you can drop off about five hundred ters before the destination.”
The driver nodded and complied.
From a distance, I spotted my studio. The door was shut. I tested the handle, it was locked.
Good. They were both out.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The space was exactly as I’d left it. It was orderly, clean and empty. My gaze drifted upward, settling on a tiny bump near the doorfra.
It was a miniature cara.
I exhaled slowly and went to my desk, pulling up the surveillance feed.
We won’t allow anyone with hidden motives to stay beside us, my wolf murmured, low and resolute.
But my hand shook slightly as I gripped the mouse.
Please... not them...it cannot be them.
I sped through the footage from the day I’d finalized the designs.
Then I saw her.
My heart dropped.
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