Chapter 386
Chapter 386:
Adelina POV
The ride back to Blackstone Tower was a blur of flashing city lights, but the moment we stepped into the penthouse den, the chaotic energy of Manhattan dissolved into the heavy, intoxicating safety of Kain’s ancient cedar scent.
We sat side by side on the plush velvet sofa. Two crystal glasses of amber bourbon rested untouched on the coffee table. My eyes were fixed on the massive flat-screen, watching the live helicopter broadcast above the Upper East Side.
Five NYPD cruisers blocked the intersection. Flashing red and blue lights painted the century-old wrought-iron gates of the Sterling townhouse in the colors of a nightmare.
“Look at him,” Kain murmured, his voice a dark, vibrating purr of absolute satisfaction.
On screen, Edward Sterling was violently gesturing, attempting to use his wealth and status to block the front door. The lead detective shoved him aside without a second glance. The camera cut to a shaky, ground-level feed. Officers breached Victoria’s bedroom. One held up an evidence bag, and even through the grainy footage, the icy blue brilliance of the Blackstone Sapphire — pulled from her Hermès bag — was unmistakable.
Victoria was dragged out the front doors in handcuffs. She was screaming hysterically, her perfectly styled hair a tangled mess as paparazzi flashes blinded her. In the corner of the frame, caught briefly by a news camera, I spotted Carolyn. My so-called mother was slumped on the narrow attic stairs, clutching her chest, collapsing in pure, unadulterated terror like an abandoned pet.
I felt no pity. A profound, freezing calm washed over me. The last toxic thorn in my soul had been surgically extracted.
у𝗈𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝗂ly 𝗱оѕ𝘦 о𝗳 𝘯о𝘷𝘦𝘭s 𝘰𝗇
Kain felt the shift in my emotions through our bond. He reached over, his massive, scarred hand enveloping mine, and lifted my knuckles to his lips.
“That’s what happens when someone touches what is mine,” he stated, his tone terrifyingly calm.
I turned to him, breathing in the sated, possessive approval of his Lycan, and pulled his mouth down to mine. The kiss was a fiery seal on our dark alliance, cementing our shared victory.
Carmella POV
While the Sterling empire burned on live television, I sat in the suffocating darkness of my Chelsea apartment. The harsh blue light of my computer monitor illuminated my face.
I stared at the encrypted chat client, watching complex lines of code scroll past. I had already transferred a massive cryptocurrency down payment to a notorious dark web hacker I had sourced through old European contacts.
A new message appeared on the black screen.
Target: Massachusetts General Hospital cold-storage servers. The firewalls are military-grade. Worse, they are actively guarded by the Blackstone Pack’s Shadow Network encryption protocols. Suicide mission. Risk is too high.
A spike of cold fear pierced my chest. Grant Blackwell’s family network was guarding my medical files. He was the unseen puppet master controlling my past. But the terror only fueled my desperate need for the truth. I didn’t hesitate. I transferred the remaining funds in my account, doubling the payout.
My fingers trembled slightly as I typed the final command.
I don’t care what it costs. Get me that file.
Payment received. Initiating breach, the hacker replied.