Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lucifer
I stood by the window when Marcus handed me the file.
"Your Majesty," he said. "We've got her."
I took it and flipped it open. Inside were stacks of printed screenshots—chat logs, wire transfers, signed statements.
My finger stopped on the name "Lina."
"You're sure it's her?"
"Positive." Marcus nodded. "Every account spreading those rumors traces back to the same IP address.
The transfer records show Lina paid off each of those 'victims' a week before the story broke.
And those medical reports? All forged. We found the doctor who signed them.
He's already admitted he took the money. "
I closed the file, my fingers gripping the edge.
"Where is she now?"
"The house up north. The one you arranged for her."
I laughed coldly. Lina. I'd wanted to let it slide, considering she'd taken care of Liam all those years. But she kept pushing, kept hurting Elena. "Get the car."
The car flew through the streets. I stared out the window. I'd planned to wait until after I finished dealing with the human company partnerships before seeing Elena again. But in just these few days, Lina had struck at her again.
The car stopped outside the apartment building in the north district. I got out and looked up—twelve stories. Lina lived on the eighth floor.
I stepped into the elevator and pressed "8." The elevator climbed slowly. The mirrored walls reflected my face. Cold. Eyes full of barely contained rage. Marcus stood beside me, just as grim.
The doors opened. I walked down the hallway and stopped at 804.
I took a deep breath and rang the bell.
Footsteps approached from inside. The door cracked open. Lina's face appeared. She saw me and froze, then her expression lit up with delight.
"Lucifer—"
I pushed the door open and walked straight in.
"Lucifer?" Lina followed, her voice frantic. "What are you doing here? Is it—"
I turned and slammed the file onto the coffee table.
Papers scattered. Photos and transfer records spilled out under the lamplight. Lina came closer, glanced down, and went white as a sheet.
"Lucifer, I—"
"Why?" I cut her off, my voice ice-cold, each word forced through clenched teeth. "Lina, why'd you do it? Why'd you spread those lies? Why'd you frame Elena?"
Lina's lips trembled. "I-I didn't mean to—"
"Didn't mean to?" I laughed bitterly and stepped closer. "So you're saying you accidentally paid those people off, forged medical records, and spread rumors online?"
"I..." Tears spilled down her cheeks. She dropped to a crouch, covering her face with her hands. "I was just... I was so scared..."
"Scared of what?"
"Of losing you!" She jerked her head up, tears streaming.
"Lucifer, you kept seeing her, kept helping her.
The news kept reporting on you two. Those gossip rags said you were rekindling old flames, said you'd make her Luna—I saw those photos, saw the way you looked at her. You never looked at me like that..."
Her voice broke into sobs.
"I was terrified... afraid you'd really marry her, afraid I'd lose you... So I... I just wanted her gone. I made a mistake..."
I stood there watching her cry. My chest felt nothing.
"Lina," I said flatly. "You haven't learned a damn thing."
She froze and looked up at me.
"Five years ago at the Maple Hotel, you made Elena kneel. You made her lick your shoes." I stared at her. "Remember?"
Lina went even paler. She collapsed onto the floor.
"And now you're hurting Elena again!" I was almost growling. "You're going to pay for what you've done!"
"Lucifer..." Her voice shook. "What do you want me to do?"
"Tomorrow. Two o'clock," I said coldly. "Press room at Hale Palace. I've arranged a media conference. We're releasing evidence of your fake news campaign. We're clearing Elena's name."
"And," I stepped forward, leaning down to look at her, "you're going to apologize to Elena in front of everyone."
"You're going to kneel," my voice dropped lower, "the way she knelt in front of you five years ago. Then you're going to lick her shoes, just like you made her do."
"No..." Lina shook her head. "Lucifer, please don't make me..."
"It's what you deserve." I straightened up and shook off her reaching hand. "Tomorrow at two. Don't be late. My people will be watching you."
I turned toward the door.
"Lucifer!" Lina called after me. "I can't! I can't do that in front of all those people—"
I stopped but didn't turn around.
"You can choose not to show up," I said. "In which case, I'll turn you over to the Justice Department. Let them handle your forgery, defamation, and incitement charges. Your choice."
I walked out. As I closed the door, I heard Lina's muffled crying from inside.
The next afternoon at one-thirty, I stood backstage in the press room.
Marcus stood beside me with his tablet. "Your Majesty, all the media are here. Ms. Windsor has arrived—she's in the lounge. And Lina... she's here too."
I nodded. "I'll see Elena first."
I walked to the lounge and knocked.
"Come in."
I pushed the door open. Elena sat on the couch in a navy suit, hair pinned up, makeup flawless. She stood when she saw me.
"Lucifer."
"Ready?" I asked.
She nodded, but I saw her fingers trembling slightly.
I crossed the room and took her hand. "Don't be nervous."
She looked up at me, those amber eyes full of uncertainty—and trust.
"In a minute..." she hesitated. "Will Lina really come?"
"She'll come," I said. "I've made sure of it."
"But..." Elena bit her lower lip. "Making her apologize publicly... isn't it too—"
"No." I interrupted. "Elena, this is what she deserves. What she did to you five years ago, she's paying back today."
Elena didn't speak. She just looked at me.
"Trust me," I said, my thumb brushing across the back of her hand. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."
Her eyes reddened, but she blinked quickly, pushing the tears back.
"Okay," she said.
Two o'clock sharp. The press conference began.
I walked to the podium. Reporters packed the room below. Camera flashes strobed across my face.
"Thank you all for coming today." My voice carried through the microphone across the hall. "I've called this conference to address the recent false reports about Windsor Fragrances."
I gestured to Marcus. He stepped forward and projected the evidence onto the large screen.
"After investigation," I continued, "the so-called 'toxic fragrance' incident was entirely fabricated with malicious intent. The alleged victims were all paid to give false testimony. Those medical certificates were forged."
The screen scrolled through evidence—chat logs, wire transfers, doctors' statements.
Whispers rippled through the reporters below.
"And the person behind it all," I paused, "is Lina, the former lord's daughter adopted by the royal family."
Lina's photo appeared on the big screen. Reporters started snapping pictures. I heard someone say "that's her" and "I thought she'd become Luna."
"Now," I said, "Lina will come forward and apologize publicly to the victim, Ms. Elena Windsor. Furthermore, the Hale royal family is severing all adoption ties with Lina and revoking everything Hale has provided her, including her residence."
Lina's head snapped up. She looked at me like I'd stabbed her, eyes full of venom. She wore a black suit, face deathly pale, hands clenched tight in front of her. She walked slowly, each step like she was heading to her execution.
Elena came up from the other side and stood beside the podium.
Lina stopped in front of Elena. The entire hall fell silent except for the click of camera shutters.
Lina glanced at me. My expression didn't change. She bit her lip, then slowly, her knees bent, and she sank to the floor.
"I'm sorry." Her voice was tiny, clearly reluctant.
"Louder!"
"I'm sorry!" Lina's voice cracked higher, tearful. "Elena, I'm sorry. I spread those lies. I framed you..."
She finished speaking, lowered her head, leaned forward, about to lick Elena's shoe—
"Stop."
Elena spoke suddenly.
Lina froze and looked up.
Elena stepped back, looking down at her.
"I won't become what you are," she said calmly, but every word crystal clear. "Lina, you humiliated me that way. You made me kneel. You made me lick your shoes. Back then, I was in pain. I was humiliated."
She paused.
"But now," a faint smile curved her lips, "I'm better off than you. I have my own business, my own worth, and children who love me. And you? You have nothing but jealousy and spite."
"That's the real revenge," Elena said. "I don't need you to lick my shoes. I don't need you kneeling in front of me. I just need you gone. Out of my life. Forever."
She turned to look at me.
"Lucifer, let her go."
The hall was silent for a few seconds, then erupted in a flurry of camera shutters.
I looked at Elena. At her straight spine. At her calm expression.
The woman who'd knelt in the rain begging me five years ago was gone.
Standing before me now was a strong, independent Elena who had her own light.
My wolf whimpered low inside me.
Mate, my wolf said. She's gotten better.
Lina knelt there, stunned for a few seconds, then slowly stood. She glanced at Elena, her expression complicated, then lowered her head and hurried out of the hall.
"About werewolves and humans," I stood before the microphone again, "there's no oppression either way.
I'm going to make Silver pine different from what it was.
I'll support promising human enterprises.
The business world won't be a werewolf monopoly anymore.
This is my pledge. I hope it stops the attacks online and in reality. "
I saw the Elder Council's livid faces. But I didn't care. Elena stood beside me, her eyes bright. That was enough.
After the press conference, Elena and I walked out of the hall together.
Reporters still chased after us with questions. The guards held them back. We went through the corridor to the side entrance.
"Lucifer."
Elena suddenly stopped and turned to look at me.
"What?"
She looked at me, something unreadable in those amber eyes.