He Stole My Children I Refused His Crown Chapter 05
Maya stormed into my room with pastries from my favorite coffee shop and snatched the pruning shears from my hand.
“They’re saying you couldn’t handle the shock and that you’re going to hurt yourself!”
I understood their play before she finished her breathless rush.
Redhaven Pack had made its move.
The first rumor was meant to destroy my reputation as a potential alliance consort, making it impossible for the royal family to ever choose me again.
The second was designed to paint Celeste as a victim, justifying her moving into Lucian’s estate. Even without a formal title, she could still secure the position closest to him.
I took the shears back and snipped off a dead leaf.
Pregnant.
The word brought back a secret from my last life.
Celeste had always been unable to bear children because she had already been pregnant with Lucian’s child before she ever entered the royal estate.
At the time, Lucian, fearing a scandal that could cost him his inheritance, had forced her to terminate the pregnancy in secret.
The procedure had damaged her body.
For the next ten years, his guilt was the true source of his so-called fairness.
And right now, Celeste should already be carrying that child.
Redhaven wanted to use a false scandal about me to obscure the truth about her.
Then I would let everyone see who had really deceived the royal family.
Late that night, Elliot returned to the Alpha residence after training.
He stood outside my door. “Don’t worry. I’ll find who started the rumors.”
“And when you find them?” I asked deliberately. “What then?”
His voice turned cold.
“They’ll answer to Pack security. They won’t get a second chance to spread lies.”
Elliot’s methods were direct and effective.
But with the memories of my last life, I knew how to make Redhaven Pack pay a much higher price.
First, I had a rumor spread that I would be meeting my secret lover on Friday night, in a private lounge at the Crown Theater.
In less than a day, illicit betting circles all over the capital had opened wagers on whether I would be caught in the act.
Maya looked at the massive sum I’d wagered and looked like she was about to cry.
“If this plan fails, we’ll lose all that money.”
“It won’t fail.”