Aria’s POV
I brushed invisible dust off my dress and smiled. His looked up and down.
"Does this dress remind you of anything?" I asked. "Didn’t Clarence wear the sa dress the other day? She’s gone now and this is her funeral... isn’t it?"
I had specifically worn the sa dress Clarence wore the last ti we t, to make a statent.
My eyes glead gold. Patrick’s heartbeat stuttered. I could sll his fear.
"Aria," he growled. "This is your Aunt Clarence’s funeral. I let your past go. I did not forbid you to attend. But if you disrupt this, don’t bla for forgetting our father-daughter bond."
My wolf snarled. Father?
That word was rotting fruit in my ears.
Jonathan raised a brow. "I heard Aria severed ties with the Darvin family. Is there still father and daughter to speak of?"
Rowland laughed, dark. "And if sothing happens, who are you planning to bla?"
The air crackled with wolf instinct, dominance and threat. I could taste Patrick’s terror as he stared at the n.
His gaze flitted to Nathan.
Nathan remained silent, his eyes stayed on .
It was as though he was a predator lurking around as if daring anyone to attempt lifting a finger on .
Ignoring him, I stepped forward, focusing my attention on Patrick.
"Alpha Jonathan is right," I said. "I cut ties long ago. I’m not here as a Darvin. I’m here as a representative of a new legal aid firm."
I flicked my wrist, presenting my card like a blade.
ARIA LEGAL SERVICES.
Rowland lifted his phone to capture it; flashes exploded like bursts of moonlight.
"To our journalist friends, thank you for your support. We plan to go public in a few months. I hope you all help spread the word." I said out loud.
Claps rippled, caras devoured .
This funeral... had beco my stage.
My wolf stood tall inside , fur bristling with triumph.
Patrick shook with rage, his jaw clenched.
He looked like he wanted to tear apart.
But he wouldn’t dare.
Not with all the alphas behind .
Not with the truth finally on my side.
"Mr. Darvin," I said, my voice calm, my smile sharpened like a claw, "you’re welco to visit our firm. Though honestly... I doubt you’ll still be around when we go public in a few months."
I handed Patrick my business card. Our fingers didn’t touch. My eyes t his, just for a heartbeat, and I let him see the truth burning behind mine.
He flinched.
By the ti he blinked, I had already distanced myself from him.
Journalists sward, their caras flashing like lightning, their scent thick with adrenaline and curiosity.
"Ms. Aria," one barked, shoving a mic at , "your lawyer’s license was revoked last year. Why start a legal company now?"
"Is it true you’ve severed ties with the Darvin family?"
"Are you here to cause trouble, like Mr. Darvin and Ms. Darvin claim?"
"My license doesn’t affect my ability to start a firm," I replied, my smile never wavering. My wolf prowled beneath my skin, unsettled by the crowd. "As the founder, I don’t need to be hands-on."
"As for the license issue, I’m investigating. I’ve always maintained my innocence regarding the incident that caused my imprisonnt. The truth will eventually co out. I want my license back more than anyone."
"As for causing trouble," I purred, "that’s a matter of interpretation."
I winked at the caras, letting my eyes flash gold for just a second.
A live stream caught that mont. The comnts started spilling across the internet. There were over 200,000 of them.
"Didn’t she go to prison? Why does she look so confident?"
"I know it’s a funeral but I can’t stop watching."
"Aria is STUNNING. When she winked I nearly passed out!"
"Sothing’s fishy. She says she’s investigating her case?"
"Tell us sothing we don’t know!!"
My wolf grinned inside . Attention... wasn’t always a weapon. Sotis it was a shield.
Margaret arrived then. She slled of sleepless nights and cold dicine; exhaustion clung to her like a second skin. She didn’t speak to , she just tugged Patrick away.
Her eyes flicked over my group, wincing at the colors and pride in our clothes.
I raised a hand, signaling the dia to give space. They obeyed, whether out of respect or fear, I didn’t know.
Silence fell, heavy and solemn.
Patrick glared at before turning to leave. His gaze flicked briefly to Nathan who was watching him with eyes like frozen oceans. Fear clouded Patrick’s scent. Of all the Alphas here present, it was obvious Nathan was the man he feared most.
Few days ago, Nathan had bought the Darvin Group’s shares and presented them to . Now he showed up at the funeral wearing a navy blue suit I have never seen him wear before. What was his deal?
I shoved the questions down. The funeral was starting.
Patrick climbed the platform, grabbing the microphone like it could anchor him.
"Ladies and gentlen," he began, his voice strained, "I have organized this long-delayed funeral to address the rumors circulating online. Here, today, are the crematorium staff who handled Clarence’s remains, the doctor who confird her passing, and the nurse who transported her to the morgue."
Sophia escorted them in.
They presented their licenses. The screens behind them lit up with credentials, IDs.
"Clarence is dead," Patrick declared. "And these individuals can confirm that."
The crematorium worker spoke first: "I personally oversaw her cremation. I ensured the remains were completely incinerated."
My lips curled in a smirk.
The doctor and nurse chid in, giving rehearsed speeches.
"Words are not enough," Patrick said. "So we retrieved this footage..."
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