Olivia’s POV


    By six in the morning, I slipped out of my parents’ house as quietly as I could. Dad usually went out early for patrol runs in the woods, and Mom would be in the kitchen making breakfast. But not today. Neither of them had stirred. They’d stayed up past 2 a.m. waiting for me toe home-something they weren’t used to.


    I left a handwritten note on the fridge door. “Went to see a friend. Will callter.”


    I wore a hoodie, pulled the strings tight, and added a mask and cap before stepping out.


    Then, I hailed a cab and found Ava.


    She opened the door with messy hair and bloodshot eyes.


    “Those bitches,” she muttered the second she saw me. “I swear to god, I’m gonna kill Chole and Amelia both.”


    I stepped inside, brushing past her. “Do you have eggs or anything in the fridge?”


    Ava blinked. “What?”


    “I want to make breakfast.”


    She stared at me like I’d just offered to host a tea party in a war zone. “You wanna cook right now?”


    I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Yeah. We need food before we deal with scumbags.”


    Ava followed me, fuming. “You’re seriously worrying about breakfast?”


    I grabbed a pan and shrugged. “What, you want to go to war on an empty stomach?”


    Her eyes narrowed. She was about to argue again but stopped when she caught sight of my wrists. Deep red marks wrapped around the skin like cruel reminders of the night before.


    Her face twisted. “Why would he do this to you if he didn’t love you anymore?” Her voice cracked slightly. “Why not just break up like a damn adult?”


    I didn’t respond. I flipped the burner on and cracked some eggs.


    “It’s been eight years, Liv.” Ava’s voice got louder. “Eight freaking years. You’ve been with him longer than we’ve been out of school. And this-” She gestured wildly. “This Chole chick? What’s it been, six months? And suddenly he’s doingthisto you?”


    I stayed silent, whisking eggs in a bowl. My hands didn’t shake.


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    13:30


    “He’s getting engaged to her tonight,” I said quietly.


    “What?” Ava was shocked.


    I nodded once. “That’s what Chole saidst night. The big announcement is tonight.”


    “Wait-” Ava leaned forward, bracing herself against the counter. “Does he know you filed the divorce papers? That you made him sign?”


    I pursed my lips. “Maybe. He might’ve found out. Maybe that’s why… all of this.”


    Ava started pacing the floor. “So you think he was nning this from the start? That you’d file for divorce, and then -bam-he’d hit you with this mess so you couldn’t im anything?”


    She kept going, barely pausing for breath. “Amelia ys the soft card, makes you think she’s trying to help. Mean- while, Chole’s poking you, pushing your buttons. You file the papers, they get their clean break-and if you fight back, they’ve got the video to destroy you. This was all nned.”


    Yve growled inside me. She was just as furious as Ava.


    I bit the inside of my cheek and thought back tost night. Ethan hadn’t said a word. Chole had done all the talking. She knew details Ethan couldn’t have known unless he was in on it. But something didn’t sit right.


    “He wasn’t on the call,” I murmured, thinking aloud. “She said he didn’t want to talk to me. But… something was


    off.”


    Ava turned to me, eyes still zing. “What are you thinking?”


    I took a breath. “Ava, I need a favor.”


    Chole’s POV


    I clung to Ethan’s arm as we stepped into the grand ballroom of Moonlight Hotel. The chandeliers above gleamed like a sky full of stars, and every face in the room turned toward us.


    The charity dinner tonight was Amelia’s brainchild, a political move more than anything else. Half the elite packs in the city were here, including my own-Windsor Pack. Everyone knew what this meant. A future alliance. A merger through marriage. Me and Ethan.


    I smiled for the cameras, rested my head on Ethan’s shoulder when needed,ughed politely at the small talk. But in- side, I wasn’t even here. My mind was spinning.


    Why weren’t they answering?


    I nced at my phone again. Nothing. No messages. No calls. Just silence.


    I’d told them everything-inject her, vite her, film the whole thing. Send the video. Simple instructions for a bunch. of rogues who’d do anything for cash.


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    13:30


    :


    What the hell were they doing?


    Did they fail?


    No. I shook my head slightly. That’s impossible. I made sure she went alone. I even told Amelia to lure her to that ho- tel under the pretext of a “private signing.”


    Maybe…


    A chill crawled down my spine. Could they have killed her by ident?


    I pouted, annoyed at the thought. Ugh. That would be boring. No payoff. No scandal. No video. Just a lifeless little body and a bunch of rogues scattering like rats.


    Still, if she was dead, that meant one thing-I’d won.


    Amelia floated over like a queen surveying her kingdom. She smiled at the guests, then leared close and whispered in my ear. “Come, sweetheart. I want to introduce you to a few allies.”


    She looped her arm through mine and led me away, whispering as we walked.


    “Did you get her signature?”


    C


    I hesitated for just a second too long. “Yes,” I said, then smiled brightly. “I’ll bring it to you tomorrow.”


    “Good girl,” Amelia said, squeezing my arm. “You’ll be my daughter-inw soon.”


    I kept my face smiling for the room, but inside, I felt smug.


    That stupid Olivia. She must be dead by now.


    Ethan’s POV


    The balcony doors shut behind me with a quiet thud as I stepped out into the cool night air. The ballroom buzzed be- hind me-clinking sses, soft music, voicesyered over voices. I felt like I needed a break right now.


    I lit a cigarette, dragged in the smoke, and tapped Fin’s number.


    “Where’s Olivia?” I asked without greeting.


    “Still at her parents’ ce,” Fin said.


    I grunted. “Alright.”


    I hung up, and headed back inside.


    Chole was waving a glossy auction catalog at me the moment I walked back in.


    “Ethan,” she cooed,tching onto my arm, “which do you think is better-this sapphire ring donated by Mrs. Donald or the blue diamond ne from Mrs. J? I can’t decide which one I want you to get me.”


    54.2 %


    13:30


    I wasn’t listening. My eyes hadnded on the page she pointed at.


    The blue diamond ne.


    A rare, ocean-deep shade. Delicate and striking.


    I bought that ne for Oliviast year on our anniversary. A one-of-a-kind set I had flown in from Europe.


    Why was it listed here under Mrs. J’s name?


    My mind immediately shed to the empty drawers in Olivia’s locker at the vi.


    I raised my phone and took a picture of the auction listing. My fingers hovered, then I hit send-to Olivia.


    Blocked.


    I stared at the screen.


    I tried calling.


    Also blocked.


    My gut twisted. This didn’t seem normal to me. I had to figure this out by myself. Right now.


    I stepped back from Chole. “Have fun on your own. I’m heading out.”


    “What?” She grabbed my wrist. “You can’t leave now. Tonight’s important-for us.”


    I looked down at her, frowning. “What are you talking about?”


    Before she could answer, a hush fell over the ballroom.


    My mother had stepped up on stage, elegant in emerald silk, holding a mic like it was a scepter.


    “I’d like to make a special announcement before we begin the auction,” she said with a smile that didn’t reach her


    eyes.


    I took a step forward.


    What the hell was she doing?


    She nced at Luna Madeline-Chole’s mother-and then said it:


    “We are thrilled to announce the engagement of my son, Ethan Hawthrone, to Chole Windsor.”


    The crowd gasped. pped. Champagne sses clinked.”


    My feet turned cold.


    She wasn’t done.


    “As a token of celebration, we will be auctioning off the finest item in tonight’s collection, a priceless blue diamond


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    13:30


    ne, as a gift to my future daughter-inw-the soon-to-be Luna of Hawthrone Pack.”


    My ears rang.


    What?