Chapter 262 Aria was actually the Smith heiress?

Chapter 262: Chapter 262 Aria was actually the Smith heiress?

Author’s POV

Sophia’s mind went completely blank at those words.

What did Aria just say?

What the hell was she even talking about?

The Smiths... did she seriously just claim she could represent them?

The assistant standing beside Aria responded immediately, his tone smooth and professional. "If you give the word, Miss Smith, naturally no one would dare."

He paused deliberately, letting each word sink in like a blade. "After all, you are the sole heiress of the Smith family. The only rightful heir to the Smith empire."

Rick knew exactly what Aria wanted—he was spelling it out slowly, making sure every syllable landed.

Derek felt like someone had punched the air out of his lungs. Wait—did that mean Aria was actually the Smith heiress? The one who’d inherited billions?

Sophia’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. When her brain finally caught up, she still couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

No. Absolutely not.

There was no way in hell Aria was some billionaire heiress. She was an orphan from a group home—how could she possibly be connected to a family like the Smiths?

This had to be a bluff. She’d hired a few actors to play along and scare them. That had to be it.

Sophia’s wolf stirred restlessly inside her mind, whimpering softly.

*What’s wrong with you?* Sophia snapped internally, irritated by the sudden cowardice.

*Her scent... there’s something in her scent,* her wolf whimpered. *It’s powerful. Ancient. Dangerous.*

*Don’t be ridiculous,* Sophia snarled back. *She’s human. She doesn’t even have a wolf.*

*I know what I smell,* her wolf insisted, retreating further into the recesses of Sophia’s consciousness. *Whatever she’s been around... it’s not something we should challenge.*

Sophia gritted her teeth, forcing her wolf’s pathetic fear down.

So what if Aria smelled like some powerful Alpha? She’d probably been whoring herself out to one of them. That was the only explanation.

A desperate orphan clinging to powerful men to survive.

It made perfect sense.

But Sophia’s mouth was still covered by the guard’s hand. She couldn’t speak, could only thrash and struggle uselessly against the iron grip holding her in place.

"Now that you know who I am, Sophia, you should understand just how merciful I’ve been," Aria said coldly.

"Bankrupting the Holts was me going easy on you. Go back and tell your brother to have my things ready. I’ll send someone to collect them soon."

With that, Aria turned on her heel and walked away.

Back when she’d first left, her hatred for Ethan had burned white-hot. A single act of revenge would never have been enough.

She’d wanted him to suffer. To watch everything he cared about—his career, his reputation, his precious Clara, his family—crumble to dust piece by piece.

Now the Holt company was a hollow shell. The family was on the verge of total collapse, scattered and powerless. Ethan and Clara had become pariahs in the werewolf world, their names mud wherever they went.

Her revenge was complete.

But Aria felt nothing. No satisfaction. No triumph. Just exhaustion.

The Holts weren’t worth it. Ethan wasn’t worth it.

They didn’t deserve another second of her time.

From now on, whether they lived or died, thrived or rotted—it had nothing to do with her anymore.

The moment Aria left, Rick raised a hand and gestured to the guards. His meaning was clear—deal with these two. Teach them a lesson. But keep it quiet.

Sophia and Derek were roughly escorted out of the venue.

Outside, Aria’s security team gave them both a harsh warning. Sophia especially—she’d been the loudest, the most vicious. The insults she’d hurled were still ringing in the air.

If it weren’t for Miss Smith’s kindness, they’d both be spending the night in a holding cell right now.

"You little—"

Sophia tried to spit another insult, but Derek clamped a hand over her mouth before she could finish.

He nodded frantically at the guards, bowing and scraping until they finally left.

Once they were gone, Derek dragged Sophia all the way back to the car and shoved her inside.

The door slammed shut.

"Are you insane?!" he hissed. "Aria is a Smith. Do you understand what that means? If you keep running your mouth, you’re going to get us both killed! At this point, maybe you should just cut ties with your parents before it’s too late."

The absurdity of his suggestion made Sophia pinch his arm hard enough to make him yelp.

"What the hell was that for?!" Derek rubbed his arm, his face twisted in pain. "I’m trying to help you! You just insulted the Smith family heiress—do you get that?!"

"Derek, you’re usually so sharp," Sophia said with a sneer. "How are you falling for this crap?"

She leaned back against the seat, arms crossed, though her wolf was still cowering somewhere deep inside. Sophia shoved the sensation aside.

Her wolf was being irrational. Probably just intimidated by whatever Alpha scent Aria had picked up from sleeping around.

"You seriously can’t tell she’s lying? There are no photos of the Smith heiress online. She says she’s a Smith, so that makes it true? Please."

"If Aria’s the Smith heiress, then I’m the damn Queen of England."

Sophia’s voice dripped with scorn, though there was an edge of desperation underneath. Her wolf’s fear was making her uneasy, even if she refused to acknowledge it.

Derek hesitated. When he thought about it... she had a point.

Aria had no proof. Maybe she’d just been talking big to shut Sophia up?

"But your wolf—" Derek started carefully. "I could feel her submission from here. What was that about?"

Sophia’s jaw tightened. "She’s being stupid. Aria probably rolled around in some Alpha’s bed and picked up his scent. You know how strong those pheromones can be."

Derek’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in understanding. "So she’s been... involved with someone powerful?"

"What else could it be?" Sophia snapped. "She’s human. She doesn’t have rank. If my wolf reacted, it’s because she smells like whoever she’s been screwing. Probably some old Alpha with more power than sense."

The explanation satisfied Derek, even if it didn’t quite settle the unease in Sophia’s gut.

Still, Derek decided he needed to verify the Smith claim.