Jade’s POV
The air in the hall felt different today.
Not tense in the way it used to be when I walked through these corridors wondering what punishnt would co next.
This was sothing else.
Sothing heavier.
Sothing final.
I stood slightly behind the boys.
Ronan on my left.
Renzo on my right.
Ryder just ahead of , like he didn’t trust anyone in the room enough to turn his back.
And maybe he was right not to.
Because Linda was already there.
Waiting.
She sat in the center of the hall like she belonged there. Like she was the one being protected, not the one being judged. Her hands were folded neatly on her lap. Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
When her eyes landed on , she smiled.
Softly.
Sweetly.
Like nothing had ever happened.
Like she hadn’t tried to destroy my life.
I felt my stomach tighten.
Ryder shifted slightly beside .
“She still has the nerve,” he muttered under his breath.
Ronan didn’t respond.
But I saw his jaw clench.
Renzo’s hand moved closer to mine without touching it. A silent question.
Are you okay?
I didn’t answer.
Because I wasn’t sure what I was.
Alive.
Breathing.
Here.
But not okay.
Alpha Ashford stepped forward.
The room fell silent instantly.
Even Linda straightened slightly, like she was preparing for performance.
“My Alpha,” one of the guards said.
Ashford raised a hand.
“No ceremony,” he said coldly. “Not today.”
His eyes landed on Linda.
And for the first ti since I had known him...
There was no neutrality there.
Only disappointnt.
“Linda,” he said.
She tilted her head slightly.
“Yes, Alpha?”
A soft, fragile voice.
Perfectly acted.
“I hear there are... concerns.”
Her brows lifted slightly.
“Concerns?” she repeated, as if confused. “About ?”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward .
Then back.
And she sighed softly.
“This is about Jade again, isn’t it?”
My fingers curled.
Ryder made a sound like he was about to speak, but Ronan stopped him with a small movent.
Let it unfold.
That was what Ronan always did.
Let the truth expose itself.
Alpha Ashford gestured.
A servant stepped forward.
Then another.
And another.
My chest tightened slightly.
Sothing was coming.
I could feel it.
The first servant spoke hesitantly.
“She asked to say I saw Jade in the kitchen that night.”
Silence.
The second servant followed.
“She told what to say about the bathroom incident.”
Another.
“She said Jade was unstable.”
Another.
“She said if I didn’t cooperate, I would lose my job.”
My breath caught.
My heart started to beat harder.
Linda’s expression didn’t change.
Not yet.
She simply listened.
Like this was all irrelevant.
Alpha Ashford turned slightly.
“Does this sound familiar to you?”
Linda blinked.
Then laughed softly.
It was small.
Almost amused.
“I think,” she said gently, “there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Ryder took a step forward.
“Oh really?”
His voice was sharp enough to cut.
“You an all of them misunderstood you separately?”
Linda turned to him.
And smiled.
Like he was a child being unreasonable.
“People panic when they’re questioned by authority,” she said softly. “You know that.”
Renzo exhaled slowly.
Dangerously slow.
“You’re still doing it,” he said quietly.
Linda tilted her head.
“Doing what?”
“Lying.”
That word finally made sothing flicker across her face.
Just for a second.
Then it was gone again.
“I’ve done nothing but try to help,” she said softly. “I even took care of Jade when she first ca here. I supported her. I welcod her.”
She placed a hand on her chest.
“I have no idea why she has chosen to hate so much.”
My stomach turned.
Hate.
That was what she called survival.
Alpha Ashford raised a hand.
And another docunt was brought forward.
“This,” he said, “is from the servant records.”
Linda’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“For what purpose?”
“Security logs,” he continued. “You were not in the west corridor during the ti you claid Jade sabotaged you.”
A pause.
A small crack.
Barely visible.
Then Linda smiled again.
“Maybe I was mistaken about the exact ti.”
Ronan stepped forward now.
His voice was quieter than Ryder’s.
But far more dangerous.
“You orchestrated everything.”
Linda looked at him.
And for the first ti...
The sweetness slipped.
Just slightly.
“What are you talking about?”
Ronan didn’t blink.
“The letter.”
Silence.
“The witnesses.”
Silence.
“The staged incidents.”
Silence.
“The manipulation.”
Her lips pressed together slightly.
“Prove it,” she said softly.
And that’s when Alpha Ashford moved.
A sealed envelope was placed on the table.
Then opened.
Inside was handwriting analysis.
Then transport logs.
Then financial transfers.
Then private ssages.
Everything stacked.
Everything exposed.
Each piece of paper hitting the table like a nail being driven into sothing already dead.
Linda’s breathing changed.
Just slightly.
Faster.
Ryder noticed first.
“You’re done,” he said.
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