Chapter 190 What do you want, Aria?

Chapter 190: Chapter 190 What do you want, Aria?

Aria’s POV

I turned away from him, moved to the window overlooking the city. From this height, everything looked small, manageable. People like ants, cars like toys.

"I want," I said slowly, "for you to stop underestimating me."

"That’s it?"

"For now." I glanced back over my shoulder. "I know you’ve been working with Sylvia to sabotage my position here.

I know about the contracts you’ve been diverting, the clients you’ve been steering away from my projects.

I know you’ve been waiting for me to fail so you can convince the board I’m not fit to inherit."

His expression confirmed everything.

"I also know," I continued, "that Jennifer was feeding you false information about my computer files. Information you then passed along to Sylvia." I smiled.

"How much did that cost you, Nathan? That bad investment advice?"

His face went from white to red. "You—you set me up?"

"I gave you enough rope to hang yourself," I corrected. "You chose to take it."

For a moment, I thought he might actually attack me. His wolf was right there, pushing against his human skin, wanting to establish dominance through force.

But we were surrounded by glass walls. Every wolf in this building would see if he lost control. Would see him attack a human woman half his size.

It would destroy his reputation instantly.

So instead, he forced himself to take a breath. Then another. His wolf retreated, though I could still see the gold flickering in his eyes.

"My mother will destroy you for this," he said quietly.

"Maybe." I shrugged. "Or maybe she’ll decide you’re more of a liability than I am. After all, I’m not the one who just lost her a fortune by acting on bad intel."

I watched that sink in, watched him realize that I was right. Sylvia didn’t tolerate failure. She never had.

"Let me give you some advice, Nathan." I moved toward the door, then paused with my hand on the handle. "You and I, we’re not so different. We both grew up without our real parents. We both had to fight for everything we have."

His eyes narrowed. "What’s your point?"

"My point is that I understand what it’s like to be used. To be someone’s tool, someone’s weapon." I met his gaze directly.

"Your parents worked for the Crescent Moon Pack, didn’t they? Under Victor. Then Sylvia left to start her own ventures, and suddenly your parents were being investigated for embezzlement. Funny how that timing worked out."

His face went absolutely still.

"Then they were killed by rogues. Convenient rogues who showed up right after they’d been accused of crimes."

I paused. "Even more convenient that Sylvia swooped in to ’rescue’ their orphaned son shortly after."

"You’re lying." But his voice shook.

"Am I?" I pulled out my phone again, showed him another file.

"I had someone look into the old police reports. There were... inconsistencies. Questions that were never answered. And you know what the interesting thing is?

The same lawyer who represented your parents is now working for Sylvia’s private interests. Isn’t that a strange coincidence?"

I could see him starting to crack, starting to question everything he’d believed about his adoption, his purpose, his place in Sylvia’s plans.

Good.

"Think about it," I said softly. "She’s been using you for years. Grooming you to be her weapon against me, against Vincent’s legacy. But what happens when you’re not useful anymore?

What happens when you make a mistake, or when I actually manage to solidify my position?"

I opened the door, letting in the sounds of the office beyond.

"Do you really think she’ll protect you? Or will you end up just like your parents—a convenient scapegoat when things go wrong?"

Nathan’s eyes flashed. "You think you can manipulate me with baseless accusations?"

"I’m investigating you," I said pleasantly. "So naturally, I’ll say whatever I think might damage your relationship with Sylvia.

Just like you invested in Holt Enterprises specifically to humiliate me and drive a wedge between me and the Blackwood Pack."

I smiled sweetly at him.

"Turnabout’s fair play, wouldn’t you say?"

For a moment, I thought he might actually lunge at me. His hands clenched into fists, his wolf clearly pressing close to the surface.

But he held himself in check. Barely.

"You think I’d doubt my own mother because of your lies?" His voice shook with suppressed rage. "You’re delusional, Aria!"

I didn’t respond. The fact that he had to keep insisting he trusted Sylvia told me everything I needed to know. The seed of doubt was planted. That was enough.

"Stop coming after me, Nathan," I said quietly, all traces of amusement gone from my voice.

My tone dropped, soft and sweet but laced with ice. Even Nathan flinched slightly.

"Silver Creek Pack is toxic right now," I continued.

"The investigation is serious—federal level serious. I’ve already submitted a full report to the Board of Directors recommending we divest from Holt Enterprises immediately."

I let that sink in before delivering the final blow.

"If our investment goes south, if Holt’s empire collapses, you’ll be the one held responsible. You approved the partnership. You vouched for them."

I watched his hand grip the edge of the conference table, knuckles white.

"And when that happens, when the Board demands someone’s head... do you really think Sylvia will protect you? Or will she throw you under the bus to save herself?"

I turned and walked away, leaving Nathan standing alone in that glass-walled conference room, surrounded by his crumbling plans and growing doubts.