Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 156

Aria’s POV

My mind was spinning. Racing through everything that had happened in the past few minutes.

Kael had just sworn on his life that he didn’t have a daughter with Rebecca.

The certainty in his voice. The fury in his eyes when I mentioned her name. The absolute conviction.

Kael Blood Crown was telling the truth.

Which meant Rebecca had lied.

My chest tightened. Anger bubbled up hot and sharp.

The office fell silent except for the soft rustle of papers. The distant hum of the building around us.

I should probably leave. Go back to my desk. Let Kael handle this alone.

But my feet wouldn’t move.

I wanted to see this. Needed to see this.

Needed to watch Rebecca try to lie her way out of what she’d done.

Minutes ticked by.

Each one felt like an hour.

My palms were sweaty. My heart was racing. That familiar anxiety creeping up my spine.

What if Rebecca had some explanation? Some way to twist the truth? Some lie that Kael would believe?

What if—

KNOCK KNOCK.

The sound made me jump.

Kael’s head snapped up. His eyes fixed on the door like a predator spotting prey.

"Come in."

The words were calm. Professional. Nothing in his tone betrayed the fury I knew was simmering underneath.

The door opened.

And there she was.

Rebecca Silver Fang.

She looked exactly the same as three years ago. Maybe even more polished. More perfect.

Her blonde hair was styled in elegant waves that probably took hours. Her makeup was flawless. Heavy but expertly applied. Gold eyeshadow. Perfect winged liner. Lips painted a deep red.

She was wearing a designer dress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. Emerald green. Fitted. Showing off every curve.

High heels that added at least four inches to her height. Making her tower over me even more than usual.

She looked like she’d just stepped off a runway.

Like she belonged in Kael’s world in a way I never would.

My stomach twisted.

Rebecca’s eyes scanned the office. Found Kael first. Her face lit up immediately.

That predatory smile. All teeth and no warmth.

Then her gaze shifted. Landed on me.

And her expression changed.

The smile disappeared. Replaced by something ugly. Contemptuous.

Her green eyes narrowed into slits. Looking me up and down. Taking in my simple black dress. My modest heels. My attempts at professional appearance that suddenly felt laughably inadequate.

She rolled her eyes.

Actually rolled them. Like my presence was some kind of personal insult.

Then she walked forward.

Deliberately. Purposefully.

Her shoulder slammed into mine as she passed.

Hard enough to make me stumble. Hard enough that it couldn’t possibly be an accident.

"Oops." Her voice dripped with false sweetness. "Sorry. Didn’t see you there."

The lie was so blatant it was almost funny.

I caught my balance. Pressed my lips together. Refused to react.

Don’t give her the satisfaction.

Rebecca didn’t spare me another glance. Just kept walking until she reached Kael’s desk.

Then she transformed.

The contempt melted away. Replaced by warmth. Affection. That doe-eyed look that probably worked on most men.

"Kael!" She breathed his name like a prayer. "It’s been so long! When Damon said you wanted to see me, I came right away. I’ve missed you so much!"

Her hand reached out. Grabbed his arm. Fingers trailing up the fabric of his suit jacket.

Possessive. Familiar. Like she had every right to touch him.

Kael’s expression didn’t change. He looked down at her hand on his arm.

Then, slowly, deliberately, he pulled away.

Not rough. Not aggressive. Just... removed himself from her grip.

Like shaking off something unpleasant.

Rebecca’s smile faltered. Just for a second. Then it was back. Brighter than before.

"What did you want to talk about?" She leaned against his desk. Her body language screaming availability. "I hope it’s something fun. Maybe dinner? Or drinks? We could catch up properly. It’s been too long since—"

"I heard something interesting." Kael cut her off smoothly. His voice was conversational. Almost casual. "About you. Thought you might want to clarify."

Rebecca blinked. Confusion flickered across her face.

"Clarify what?"

Kael’s eyebrow rose. That subtle movement that could mean a dozen different things.

"Apparently, you’ve been telling people that you and I have a daughter together."

Silence.

Complete, absolute silence.

I watched Rebecca’s face carefully. Watched the emotions flash across her features too fast to fully process.

Surprise. Panic. Then calculation.

All in the span of a heartbeat.

"What?" Her laugh came out too high. Too forced. "That’s ridiculous! Who told you that?"

"Does it matter who told me?" Kael’s voice remained calm. But there was steel underneath. "I’m asking if it’s true."

"Of course it’s not true!" Rebecca’s hands flew up. Defensive. "Kael, how could you even ask that? I’ve never said anything like that!"

She sounded so sincere. So offended.

If I hadn’t been standing right there three years ago. If I hadn’t heard the lies from her own mouth. I might have believed her.

"Really." Kael leaned back in his chair. Steepled his fingers. "So you never told anyone we had a child?"

"Never!" Rebecca’s voice pitched higher. More desperate. "I don’t know where this is coming from, but someone is clearly trying to cause trouble between us!"

Her eyes darted toward me. Sharp. Accusing.

Message received loud and clear.

She was blaming me.

Of course she was.

"I mean," Rebecca continued, her voice softening into something almost pleading, "I DID go to that preschool a while back. Remember? I told you about it. My cousin needed help picking up her daughter. I was just doing a favor."

She reached for Kael’s hand again. He didn’t pull away this time. Just let her take it while watching her face carefully.

"Maybe someone saw me there and... and made assumptions?" Rebecca’s eyes were wide now. Innocent. "You know how people talk. They see a woman at a preschool and automatically think she must be a mother."

I wanted to scream.

Wanted to call her out right there. Tell Kael exactly what she’d said to me. How she’d looked so smug. So satisfied. How she’d made sure I knew Kael had moved on.

But my throat was tight. My voice wouldn’t work.

Rebecca was still talking. Building her lie. Making it more convincing with every word.

"Someone must have misheard. Or misinterpreted." She squeezed Kael’s hand. "You know I would never lie about something like that. Especially not to you."

Then her gaze cut to me again. Sharp. Venomous.

When she spoke, her voice dripped with false concern.

"Although..." She tilted her head. Studied me like I was an interesting insect. "I suppose SOME PEOPLE might have gotten confused."

The emphasis on "some people" made it crystal clear who she meant.

"I remember now." Rebecca’s smile turned sharp. "I was at the preschool. And I did say something. Out loud. To myself, really. Just a passing comment."

She looked back at Kael. Her expression softening into something wistful.

"I said how nice it would be. To have a child with you someday. How I’d always imagined us having a family together."

Her fingers tightened on his hand.

"Maybe someone overheard that. And twisted it into something it wasn’t." Another pointed look at me. "Maybe CERTAIN PEOPLE heard what they wanted to hear."

My hands curled into fists at my sides.

Turning the whole thing around. Making me look like the liar. The troublemaker. The one who misunderstood.

And worst of all? She was doing it while looking completely innocent. Completely sincere.

Like she genuinely believed every word coming out of her mouth.

Kael was quiet.

Too quiet.

I couldn’t read his expression. Couldn’t tell if he believed her or not.

The silence stretched. Heavy. Suffocating.

Then Kael spoke.

"I see."

Two words. Nothing more.

Rebecca’s face brightened. "So you understand? It was just a misunderstanding?"

"Oh, I understand perfectly." Kael pulled his hand free from her grip. Stood up. "Which is why I need to make something very clear."

He walked around the desk. Putting space between them.

"Rebecca." His voice was firm now. Professional. The Alpha giving orders. "You need to stop saying things like that. Even in passing. Even to yourself."

Rebecca’s smile wavered.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Kael continued, his tone leaving no room for argument, "we broke up three years ago. THREE YEARS. We are not together. We will not be together. There is no future where we have a family."

Each sentence hit like a hammer.

I watched Rebecca’s face. Watched the mask start to crack.

"There is no possibility of us getting back together." He said it clearly. Definitively. Right in front of me. "None. Ever."

Rebecca’s face went pale beneath her makeup. She stood there. Frozen. Her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Then her eyes found mine.

And the look she gave me was pure hatred.

Raw. Undisguised. Absolutely venomous.

Like this was somehow my fault. Like I’d orchestrated this whole thing just to humiliate her.

The door burst open at this moment.

Damon practically fell into the room. His face was flushed. His breathing heavy. Like he’d been running.

"Alpha!" He gasped. "We found something! About three years ago! The kidnapping!"