Chapter 28 I Was So Naive


    Reory’s POV


    After Aubrey finished speaking, she flung open the door and stormed our without looking back, her determination absolute,


    In that instant. I felt as if I had lost something irreceably precious; even Callen, who always had something to say, stood silent as stone.


    The officer standing at the door nced at me hesitantly and asked, “Alpha, should I bring her back <i>for </i>the statement?”


    “No need. I snapped out of it and shook my head.


    Though Aubrey hadn’t provided solid evidence, the pain in her eyes said it all.


    Back then, I had been young; it was an ident, and there seemed no need to verify it. So I had always treated Mariana well. And now, Aubrey was telling me I had been wrong all along?


    Aubrey’s POV


    –


    When I ran out, I found that night had fully fallen; a cold rain wasing down steadily. As the water trickled from my hair down my cor, I suddenly thought of the showers at the virus research center the wolves in whiteb coats always set the water icy cold, iming it would help calm the virus inside me.


    Cold really did clear the mind.


    In my past life, after losing everything, I had once confronted Mariana. She had looked at me with innocent, tears, denying everything; she said the aphrodisiac had only been meant for her pet. She swore she had no idea there was anything in the wine – that someone else must have been targeting Alpha Henry, and I had simply been caught in the trap.


    I had half–believed her; after all, Mariana had always been kind to me, always gentle, always looking out for me. And yes, there had been many she–wolves eager to get Alpha Henry into bed.


    But in the end, if she hadn’t betrayed me herself, I never would have been captured by Bailey and sent to the virus research center. Only then did I realize all of Mariana’s warmth had been a lie. Only then did I see how deep her mask truly ran.


    Now I understood just how wrong I had been. Mariana wasn’t just good at hiding; her schemes were brilliant. She had been weaving such lies since she was thirteen. Compared to her, my naivety wasughable.


    The rain poured down my hair in streams.


    A cold emptiness settled over me. It had only been two nights and a day since my rebirth; already, I had seen just how terrifying people could be. This new life was going to be a brutal fight.


    In my past life, I had lost because I was too slow to act. I had been toote in recognizing my enemies; too foolishly attached to things that didn’t exist.


    Like my love for Alpha Henry; my longing for my father’s affection; my belief in Mariana’s friendship.


    But this life would be different. I had another chance; no matter how strong my enemies were, I would hold on to what was mine.


    15:51 Sat, 9 Ailg


    Chapter 281 Was So Nalve


    +8 Pears


    I still had dreams: I was still young; and now I had Alpha–level E. There was still time. Time to fight back.


    But why did it still hurt so much?


    I clutched my chest and slowly crouched down. The bitterness, the anger, the helplessness, the resentment –it was overwhelming.


    At that moment, a car stopped beside me. Charles jumped out and hurried over.


    “Miss, are you alright?… It’s you!”


    His expression changed. “What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to have gone home already?”


    Hearing someone else’s voice pulled me out of my suffocating emotions. I let Charles help me into the car.


    I was soaked to the skin; Charles pulled one of his jackets from the backseat and draped it over me.


    –


    “I’ll take you home.” Charles said firmly. Amusing just this afternoon he’d treated me with nothing but cold suspicion; now he was ying the protector.


    In truth, I didn’t want to go home. Bailey had said this morning that my father wouldn’t being home tonight; there would be no peace for me there.


    Charles nced sideways at me, voice low. “Are you alright?”


    I didn’t answer. After a pause, he spoke again, voice awkward. “About this afternoon… I want to apologize. I’ve interrogated Robert and Easton; they really were connected to Bailey. But I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding.”


    I let out a coldugh and turned to look at him. “You don’t need to apologize. You’re nothing to me; whether you misunderstand me or not doesn’t matter.”


    Charles frowned, clearly frustrated. After a moment, he forced out, “My aunt married into your family. That makes me your cousin; how can you say we’re nothing?”


    Now I reallyughed.


    I raised an eyebrow, eyes cold and sharp.


    “Then, Charles, today I helped your department catch a criminal. Does the department offer any reward?”


    Charles blinked at my smile, instinctively replying, “There’s a bonus and a banner of thanks – but the bonus isn’t much. You probably won’t care. If you want the banner…<b>” </b>


    “I want the bonus.” My words caught Charles off guard.


    “How much is it?” I asked.


    “It’s fourteen hundred dors,” Charles answered, then asked, “Do you really need money that badly? Doesn’t your aunt give you seven thousand a month? Why would a student need so much?”


    I knew there was no point exining. I simply said, “Can you give me the fourteen hundred now? I need it urgently.”


    “Of course,” Charles said. He took out his wallet a long one, thick with cash. He handed me the bills. I didn’t take extra; once I had fourteen hundred, I returned the rest to him.


    ? oRS AusVEI %


    Chapter 281 Was So Naive


    Charles looked helpless. “We’re family, more or less, do we really need to be this formal?”


    I smiled and said nothing.


    Soon we arrived at the Mary residence. I looked at him and smiled faintly.


    <b>“</b>Park outside. I’ll show you a good show.”


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