Chapter 60

Asher pov

I stood there, dumbfounded, my eyes scanning in every direction for the minutest trace of the mysterious figure; he had vanished into nowhere.

I shook my head, trying to put together what was happening. First were the revelations of what Sophia had been into-the stuff sent my head reeling-and then, all of a sudden, here is this figure who just materialized and then in almost a single instant, poof.

I looked down at the folder still clutched in my hand, the documents inside showing some real shockers about Sophia's actions. I knew I needed to confront her, but some part of me just wouldn't take action.

Maybe it was just some kind of setup. Maybe Sophia was totally innocent, and this phantom figure wanted me to think otherwise?

Shrugging off my doubts, I went up to my hotel room with my mind swimming in questions and doubts. The minute I stepped into that room, there sat Sophia upon the bed, more innocent than one human mind can fathom.

But I knew a thing or two about her innocent act. Beyond that innocent cover-up, something lay hidden. And I was right there to find out just that.

"Sophia, we have to talk," I said firmly and coolly to her.

She looked at me with her gaze upwards; the expression showed the slightest shade of curiosity: "What is this, asher?"

I had to take one deep breath in anticipation of a hot and perhaps uncontrollable clash. "I know what you have been doing, Sophia. I know about the money of the pack and how you use it for financing your very own empire."

But her face didn't change; I did catch something glinting in her eyes, though-guilt, perhaps, or fear.

Innocence dripped from her voice, as she asked. "What do you mean, asher?"

I wasn't buying that, and she knew what happened-she would pay for lying to me.

I stepped a step closer to her, my gaze set right into her eyes. "No game-playing with the amnesia trick for me, Sophia," I warned her now, since hardness laced every word. "I have proof, know about all of the secret accounts, the shell companies, wild spending-you stole from the pack for years. It's done, finished now." Sophia slitted her eyes as if spitting on me was nothing. "You'll never be able to prove it.".

I smiled-cold, calculated. "Oh, I think I will," I said, pulling out the folder and slapping it onto the bed beside her. "You see, I have documents, records, and testimony from someone who's been watching you from behind the scenes. You're not as slick as you thought you were, Sophia."

The face of Sophia had whitened; her eyes scoured the papers in the file. For a moment, she was taken aback and did not really know what she should do further.

Then her face contorted, and her eyes flared up with anger. "You'll never bring me down, asher," she snarled in a thick hoarse voice. "I have too many secrets, too many allies. You'll never be able to touch me."

I laughed. It was cold, mirthless. "We'll see about that," I said, reaching into my jacket for my phone and dialing a number. "You see, Sophia, I have been preparing for this moment for a very long time. And now it's time to take you down."

The words still hung in the air when the door to the hotel room burst open, a team of pack enforcers surging inside to surround Sophia and take her into custody.

Her eyes flashed to mine, spewing detestation and venom. "This isn't over, asher," she spat as enforcers hauled her off.

A cold, triumphant smile stretched across my face. "Oh, I think it is," I said, watching as Sophia was taken away, her empire crumbling around her.

I've got to find this out when I return to town. But my mind could not be stopped from spinning-there was one thing which set all things at rest: the concept of Aurora, finding her, talking over things.

I got out of my room onto hers. At her door, I stood composing my words. I was about to knock when the hotel attendees walked to me.

"Good day sir. What is wrong?" she asked, her mouth woven by a big smile.

"Oh, sorry. But I am looking for the lady who is in this room, Miss Aurora, right? I'm a friend, so don't worry," I told her with a smily forcing its presence.

"Okay, but sorry sir, she checked out of this hotel this morning," she also said, mimicking the act of smiling still.

"Oh, damn," the falling of the face was obvious, like somebody plunged a heavy hammer on my head.

"Oh, is something wrong?" she asked, sounding conciliatory.

"Oh, no, nothing. Thank you," was my reply with my quelled, tight smile on.

"Okay, if you need anything, just say it," she tried to make eye contact which I forbade her from having.

"Actually, I want. can you please give me her address? I think all of us mentioned it when booking the room," I said after taking a deep breath.

"Oh, actually, sir, I can't give that to you. Hotel policy, if you can understand, for the safety of our customers," she added this time, forcing a bright smile.

"I understand," I said, looking down in disappointment as I walked away.

My phone rang. I picked it up, and it was my personal assistant.

"Sir, our flight is ready back home. I shall send a car to the airport to pick you up back where I would meet," a low tone buzzed on the other side of my call.

I nodded, even though I knew she couldn't see me. "Okay, thank you; I'll be ready."

I hung up and took a deep breath, shaking off the disappointment of not being able to find Aurora. I needed to focus on how to get back home and the situation awaiting me with Sophia.

The thoughts about Aurora-just would not stop: was she, too, in on it with Sophia, or was that a genuine coincidence?

All these thoughts apart, I began to pack my luggage in order to leave for home. Right on time, at the right minute, came my assistant-sent car and whisked me to the airport.

A feeling of loss, that I was leaving something behind, overcame me as I boarded the plane. And in my head, the mystic presence of Aurora would not stop showing; it came to my mind if ever again I set my eyes on her.

The flight was rather smooth, uneventful, but within my mind, the presence of Sophia and Aurora, what was next in the schedule with the pack. Finally, we landed, and my assistant met me with a gloomy expression.

"Sir, we have a situation," she said, walking me in the general direction of my car. "Sophia's followers are rallying, and from all indications, it looks as if they are going to try something on against you."

I nodded grimly, my head racing with stratagems and counter moves. Time to get on top and protect my pack.