-Maya’s POV-


    One week.


    That’s how long the cold, damp cell had been my onlypanion. The stale air, the flickering fluorescent light, the constant echo of distant shouts –


    it all melded into a single, horrifying memory. The relief of Natalia flinging her arms around me when I was finally released was almost suffocating.


    “They wouldn’t even let me see him,” I thought bitterly, clenching my fists


    in myp. Ivan had exined things vaguely, something about political pressure and “influential forces.” He’d insisted he wasn’t responsible for my relea


    SM


    Moving in with Ivan had been a whirlwind. The twins, bless their curious little hearts, were asking endless questions I couldn’t answer. “Where have you


    I would exin but I was just too damn tired. There was almost no tears left in my eyes.


    Today, however, I wasn’t here for tears. I was here to fight. Sitting across from a portlywyer with thinning hair and a perpetually worried expression, I s


    “Mr. Davies,” I began, my voice firm despite the tremor in my hands, “with all due respect, I don’t feel like you’re doing enough. It’s been a week, and I ha


    Mr. Davies squirmed in his seat, adjusting his spectacles. “Miss Stone, I understand your frustration. Believe me, I am doing everything in my power. But


    “Complicated how?” I pressed, my voice rising a notch.


    He sighed, a deep rumble that seemed to emanate from somewhere deep within his belly. “The evidence against him is… substantial, Miss Stone. Large


    ounts, the whole shebang. It doesn’t look good, I’m afraid to say.”


    My stomach clenched. My father had always done things the legal way. That was one thing I could brag about even though we never saw eye to eye. Bu


    “And how long?” I finally managed to ask, “How long could he be in prison for moneyundering?”


    He avoided my gaze, his lips pursed in a thin line. “Moneyundering is a serious offense. Depending on the severity, the sentence. could range from…”


    ten to twenty–five years.”


    Twenty–five years.


    A heavy silence descended upon the room after he uttered the chilling sentence. The air felt thick, the weight of the situation pressing down


    on me. Wiping a stray tear that escaped down my cheek, I forced myself to speak.


    “Ten to twenty–five years,” I repeated, the words catching in my throat. “That can’t be it. There has to be something we can do.”


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    He shuffled some papers on his desk, avoiding my gaze. “Look, I understand this is a difficult time for you. But these usations. are serious, and the e


    your father seems strong. However,” he continued, a hint of hope creeping into his voice, “there might be a small chance. We could try to argue entrapm


    was pressuring him into


    A flicker of hope ignited within me. “Entrapment? But how would we know? They won’t even let me see him.”


    He steepled his fingers, his expression thoughtful. “That is a problem. However, I can draft a request for visitation rights. There’s no guarantee it will be g


    situation.”


    A sliver of relief washed over me. At least I wouldn’t bepletely in the dark anymore. “Visitation rights,” I echoed, “Yes, please do that. Anything to see


    He nodded, a faint smile flickering across his lips. “Alright. I’ll get on that right away. In the meantime, I’ll also see if I can


    dig up any information about entrapment. It’s a long shot, but it’s all we have right now.”


    “Thank you. I really appreciate you taking on this case.”


    He gave a small smile. “It’s not about me. It’s about justice. I will be in touch.”


    With a final nod, he shuffled out of the study, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


    I hadn’t allowed myself to truly consider it before. In the whirlwind of emotions, fear, and confusion, the question of innocence hadn’t truly surfaced.


    But now, a seed of doubt had been nted. Was he really guilty of all that they said? A cold shiver


    ran down my spine. And then there was Alex. Could he be behind this? Could he have manipted the evidence, used his influence to get my father out


    The weight of worry


    settled heavily on my shoulders. With m pop y father gone, the responsibility for the Crescent pack loomedrge. The irony wasn’t lost on me. I’d relinqu


    be with Alex, only to have it thrust back upon me by his actions. Why couldn’t he just stay out of my life. Even if he had been the one to have me release


    out of me.


    A choked sob escaped my lips, tears stinging my eyes. Just as I felt myself spiraling into despair, the office door creaked open and Natalia entered. Her


    streaked face and slumped posture.


    “Maya?” she said softly, her voiceced with worry. “How are you holding up?”


    I managed a weak smile, the gesture feeling hollow


    even to me. “It could be better,” I admitted, my voice thick with emotion. “Mr. Davies is trying to get me visitation rights, but it could take days. And the mi


    She pulled up a chair and sat next to me, her presence a source offort. She squeezed my hand gently, her touch warm and reassuring. “Hey,” she s


    I let out a shaky breath, leaning into her side. “It just feels like one drama after another, I confessed, burying my face in her shoulder. “First, everything w


    She wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight. “I know, sweetie,” she murmured. “It feels overwhelming, doesn’t it? Like the


    world is conspiring against you.”


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    I pulled back slightly, tears welling up in my eyes again. “And the worst part?” I whispered, my voice barely above a choked sob. “It feels like Alex’s shad


    She frowned, her brow furrowed in concern. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But jumping to conclusions won’t help. Right now, we need to focus on your fa


    “You’re right. Focusing on anger won’t help. I need a clear head.”


    “That’s the spirit. We’ll get through this together, Maya. You’re not alone. We have each other, the twins, the pack. We’ll figure this out, one step at a time


    But then there was suddenly a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.


    “Natalia?” I prompted, a sliver of unease creeping into my voice. “Is something wrong?


    She hesitated for a moment longer, then blurted out, “There’s something you need to know, Maya. Something I haven’t told you yet.”


    My heart hammered in my chest, a sense of foreboding washing over me. “What is it? What haven’t you told me?”


    She took a deep breath, “I went to see Alex when you were in jail.”


    I froze, the blood draining from my face. Seeing my reaction, she rushed on, “I know, I know, it wasn’t the best decision. But I was worried sick about you


    anyone could get you out of it, I knew it would be him.”


    Her exnation did little to ease the turmoil within me. The mere mention of Alex sent a fresh wave of anger crashing through me. But before I could voic


    dropped another