<b>Chapter </b><b>304 </b>The <b>Cost </b><b>of </b>Schemes
<b>Leslie’s </b><b>POV </b>
<b>+8 </b>Pear
Morning sunlight <b>filtered </b>through the thick balcony <b>trees</b>, dappling the room in <b>shifting </b><b>gold</b>. <b>Birds </b>chirped on the branches<b>, </b>and the <b>crisp </b>air brought a rare <b>sense </b><b>of </b>calm.
Stretching, I slipped into an ivory day dress with low heels<b>–</b>simple, but <b>still </b><b>refined</b><b>. </b><b>I’d </b><b>never </b>cared for corporate dress codes. As Rogue Pack’s princess, no one dared <b>question </b>my <b>choices</b>. I’d never aimed for the sharp, overbearing style of a corporate irondy.
At Apex Industries, <b>a </b>steaming cup of coffee already waited on my desk. I sipped, <b>lips </b>curving <b>at </b>the rich vor, and picked up the files stacked neatly beside it.
Liam entered with his usual precision, folders in hand. “Leslie, today’s schedule<b>.” </b>
<b>I </b>set the cup down, my tone calm but firm. “Clear everything else. Inform HR that Amelia <b>is </b>terminated. Effective immediately.”
A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, but he quickly bowed his head. “Yes.”
No questions, no hesitation. He turned and left briskly, his footsteps clipped and decisive.
Leaning back in my chair, I gazed out at the skyline, a quietugh curling from my lips.
A Wave Pack Omega, daring to calcte against me with such childish tricks<b>. </b>Last night’s farce had exhausted my patience.
<b>The </b>morning meeting was brief, the Moon Goddess Relic project moving into its next phase<b>. </b><b>A </b><b>few </b>clear instructions from me set the course.
Lunch with Thorbane followed, his chatter about markets fading into background noise as my mind circled Amelia’s games.
When I returned, Liam was already waiting. His voice was measured. “Amelia has been waiting for <b>two </b>hours. She insists on seeing you.”
I <b>gave </b>a cold smile<b>. </b>Asphodel snorted. “Now she’s afraid?”
<b>Waving </b>a hand dismissively, I said, “I don’t have the time. Tell her to <b>go </b><b>wherever </b>she belongs<b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Liam </b>inclined his <b>head</b><b>, </b>as if he’d <b>expected </b>nothing <b>less</b>, and <b>left </b>without another <b>word</b>.
<b>Amelia’s </b><b>POV </b>
The Rogue Pack lounge was bright with sunlight pouring <b>through </b><b>the </b>ss walls. It stung my
<b>10:59 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>20 </b>
Chapter 304 The Cost of Schemes
eyes, too sharp, <i>too </i>honest<b>. </b>
75
+8 Pearls
I sat on the sofa, hands clenched, face pale, thoughts in chaos.
Le growled low inside me. “You’re finished.”
The dismissal hadn’t yet gone public. There was still a chance.
Charles had maneuvered tirelessly to secure my ce at Apex. If he learned I’d failed, he would send me back to that crumbling apartment, branded forever as the Pack’s bastard daughter.
I’d wed this far. Freedom from my past was within reach. Now I was teetering on the cliff’s edge, ready to shatter.
“Miss Amelia.”
Liam’s voice snapped me upright. My fingers tightened. “Mr. Liam…”
He approached, smile polite but eyes cool. “Leslie has two more meetings. She has no time to see you. Please leave.”
My stomach dropped, words spilling from me, trembling. “Why am I suddenly being dismissed?<b>” </b>
Hope clung stubbornly to me.
Even Kirby’s humiliation hadn’t broken me–because as long as I stayed here, I still had a chance.
I couldn’t leave.
Liam gave a quietugh, gaze sharp. “Ask yourself what you’ve done.”
Le’s warning came like ash. “He knows aboutst night.”
My pulse jumped. Last night, to shame Leslie in front of Kirby, I’d tampered with her gown…
I bit my lip hard, trying <i>to </i>hold ground. “I’ll see Leslie. I’ll apologize.”
His eyes stayed t, his tone colder. “You’ve been dismissed. That is the price. Go back to Wave Pack and y thedy. Leslie is the Western chief–she doesn’t waste time onmon wolves.”
Panic surged. “I’m Wave Pack’s daughter. And Leslie dares brush me off like this?”