Chapter 72
Chapter 72:
I stepped forward, claiming the center of the room. “You have a choice to make right now. You can vote me out, forfeit fifty million dollars, and personally explain to the Lycan King why you rejected his investment. Or you can accept the contract and welcome the revival of our Pack p>
Vincent’s face drained of all color. “This is a trick! She’s selling us out to a tyrant p>
“The only traitor here is you, Vincent,” I said coldly. I nodded to Harvey.
Harvey tapped a tablet, and the massive presentation screen on the wall flared to life. The high-definition security footage from the server room played for the entire board to see — Vincent handing a thick envelope of cash to a fired waiter, orchestrating the planting of the wolfsbane to frame the hotel and destroy my reputation.
The boardroom erupted. The sycophantic scents of the executives instantly morphed into outrage and fawning loyalty directed squarely at me.
“Security!” one of the older board members shouted, pointing a trembling finger at Vincent.
The heavy doors opened again. Two loyal Pack Warriors, who had been waiting in the lobby on my orders, marched in and grabbed Vincent by the arms. He thrashed and sputtered, his Alpha facade completely shattered, as they dragged him out of the boardroom like a broken stray to face Pack justice.
𝗥о𝘮аո𝗰𝘦 𝘯о𝘷е𝗅𝘴 𝗼ո
The remaining executives broke into thunderous applause. I had won.
Ten minutes later, I retreated to my father’s former Alpha office. The faint, pure scent of winter snow and pine wrapped around me, welcoming me home. I sank into the leather chair, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away, leaving behind a profound, quiet sense of victory.
My phone buzzed on the desk. A text from Kain.
Did they cry?
A genuine smile touched my lips as I gazed out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the city below. I typed back:
Vincent cried. The board cheered. You bought me an empire.
The three gray dots appeared almost instantly.
I invested in a sure thing. How are you going to thank me tonight?
I looked down at the massive pink diamond resting on my left hand. It wasn’t a shackle anymore — it was the most impenetrable armor I had ever worn. And to thank my war ally, I had already prepared the perfect gift, a gesture to show him I supported his secret life with his Beta, Fletcher.
Feeling bold, I typed my response, referencing a joke we had made days ago:
I bought the tickets to that cruise. Don’t be late.
I hit send, completely unaware of the catastrophic, beautiful misunderstanding I had just set into motion.
Adelina POV
The adrenaline from my victory in the boardroom had finally settled into a quiet, nervous hum by the time night fell over Manhattan. I sat on the plush cream-colored sofa in the penthouse den, my fingers tracing the edges of a thick ivory envelope. The city lights glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but my attention was entirely fixed on the closed door of the master bathroom.
The latch clicked, releasing a billow of warm steam into the cool air of the living room.