Alpha's Discarded Luna (Talia) novel Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Talia’s POV

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Raymond makes a few phone calls while the rest of us stand

in silence. His voice is low, conversational almost, like he is

discussing the weather rather than dismantling someone’s

business empire. He gives clipped instructions, mentions names I do not recognize, and hangs up each time with the

same casual finality.

The room is thick with tension. No one speaks. No one moves.

Then I hear it. Hurried footsteps pounding against the floor, growing louder with each second. A fat middle–aged man bursts through the doorway, his face flushed and glistening

with sweat. His suit is expensive but disheveled, like he threw

it on in a panic. His chest heaves as he scans the room, his

eyes landing immediately on Raymond.

“Mr. Capaldi!” His voice is high pitched, desperate. “I have

finally found you.”

He rushes forward, his hands clasped in front of him like a supplicant approaching an altar. His smile is wide, obsequious, desperate to please.

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“Mr. Capaldi, if there is anything unsatisfactory, just tell me. Anything at all.” He wrings his hands. “Why did you suddenly

withdraw your investment?”

Before he can finish, a sharp voice cuts through the air.

“Honey, why are you here?”

The man freezes. He turns, and his jaw drops when he sees his wife standing near the window. Then he takes in the rest of the room. The teachers huddled together. The principal with his ashen face. Aires and Nick standing near the desk.

Robin with his bruised face. Aeson in the corner with his head

down.

Lily and Gavin are both here. His family. His whole world, crumbling around him.

Eric Christoph is confused. His tiny eyes dart from face to

face. “Mr. Perseus, Mr. Thorne, why are you here too?”

Aires looks at him with pure disgust. I see it in the way his lip curls, the way his gaze slides away like Eric is not worth the

effort of looking at.

Eric shivers under that gaze. He is in over his head and he

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knows it. Somehow, Raymond has decided to withdraw his investment. Not only that, but he has also warned others against partnering with him. Word spreads fast in these circles. If Raymond Capaldi blacklists you, you are finished.

And now, it seems, he has offended the Perseus family as

well.

Eric looks around the room, desperation creeping into his

voice. “What happened exactly?”

I finally break my silence. My voice is steady, cold. “Your son,

Gavin, led the bullying against Aeson at the kindergarten.” I pause, letting the words sink in. “Today, he argued with Robin and got into a fight.”

I hold up my phone, the surveillance video already queued.

“This is the footage. Mr. Christoph, take a look.”

Eric takes the phone with trembling hands, his smile still

plastered on his face even though his eyes are wide with

fear. “Thank you, Mrs. Perseus.”

Mrs. Perseus. He still calls me that. Even now, even after the divorce, even knowing that I am nothing to Aires anymore, he

uses the title like a shield.

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Gavin has been Aeson’s classmate for some time. Eric

attended Aeson’s birthday party. He saw what happened that night. He knows exactly who I am and who I used to be

married to.

The difference between Eric and Lily is stark. He is a

businessman. Sharp. Calculating. And smart enough to never look down on me, even when others did. He has always been polite. Always respectful. Always aware that connections

matter more than personal opinions.

Lily glares at her husband, but there is unease beneath her anger. She treated me so arrogantly just now. She

demanded that Robin kneel. She sneered at me like I was

dirt beneath her shoes. Now she is learning that actions have

consequences.

Eric finishes watching the video. His face turns red, then purple. His hands shake so badly I am surprised he does not drop the phone.

He finally understands. He finally sees the full picture. Why Raymond is here. Why Aires is here. Why everyone is looking

at him like he is the enemy.

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Gavin bullied Aeson. Bullied the son of the Perseus family.

And then got into a fight with Robin. The son of a man who can destroy his entire company with a single phone call.

Eric pauses. He takes a deep breath. Then he forces a smile onto his face, though it does not reach his eyes.

“Mr. Capaldi, Mr. Perseus, Gavin is young and ignorant.” His voice is strained. “I apologize to both of you and your

children. What do you need for forgiveness?”

He lowers his posture. Bows deep. His forehead nearly

touches his knees.

Lily is shocked. Her mouth falls open. “It was Robin who

started the fight!” She pulls Gavin forward, shoving him

toward the center of the room. “Look at how badly Gavin was

beaten. Look at his face!”

Eric’s head snaps toward her. His eyes are blazing. “Shut up!”

Raymond’s lazy voice cuts through the tension. “When I arrived, Mrs. Christoph wanted Lena and Robin to bow and apologize.” He tilts his head. “That seemed excessive to me, but it was her idea. I had to accept it.” He smiles. “Eric, do not

you agree?”

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Eric finally understands. He finally sees exactly why Raymond

is angry. It was never about the fight. It was never about

the bruises on Robin’s face. It was about Lily. About her

arrogance. About her demands.

He turns and slaps Lily.

The sound echoes through the room like a gunshot.

Lily staggers. Her hand flies to her cheek. Her eyes are wide,

unbelieving. She stares at her husband like she has never

seen him before.

Eric’s voice is shaking with rage. “I work so hard for this family. Every day, every hour, I am out there fighting to keep our business alive. And you… you stay home and cause

trouble.” He grabs Gavin by the arm. “Damn it. Bow and

apologize to Mr. Capaldi now, or I will not forgive you.”

Raymond holds up a hand. “Forget the child. The adults

should answer for his mistakes.”

Eric has no choice. His company is hanging by a thread. If Raymond pulls his investment, if he warns others away, the Christoph Group will collapse. He will lose everything.

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He discards his dignity. He bows.

“Robin, I am truly sorry.” His voice cracks. “This was our fault.

Please forgive us.”

Robin does not look at him. He points at me. “You should apologize to Ms. Green. Not to me.”

Eric blinks. For a moment, he does not understand. Then he turns to me, and the pieces fall into place.

“Ms. Green, I am sorry.” He bows again, lower this time. “This

is our mistake. Gavin should not have bullied Aeson. He

should not have fought with Robin.”

I watch him. I do not speak.

He can see it clearly now. Raymond and Robin are not

bothered about the bullying. Not really. What they care about

is the humiliation I suffered. The way Lily treated me. The

way she demanded that a child kneel.

He does not understand why they are speaking up for me. He

does not ask. He knows better.

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He turns to Lily and slaps her again.

“What are you waiting for?” His voice is savage. “Why are you not bowing to Ms. Green?”

Lily’s face is red. Her eyes are wet. She is unwilling. I can see it in the set of her jaw, the way her hands curl into fists. But

she understands. If she does not lower her head now, their

company will be ruined. She will lose everything. Her status. Her wealth. Her life as a rich lady.

She humbles herself. Completely.

“Ms. Green, I am truly sorry.” Her voice is barely a whisper.

“I spoke out of turn earlier. Please forgive me. Do not hold a grudge against me.”

Dignity means nothing in the face of money. The drastic

change in her attitude is almost laughable.

I look at them. The desperate husband. The humiliated wife,

and the confused child.

I do not say anything.

The silence stretches, and the couple only grows more 8/9

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anxious by the second.

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