I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 116

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**TITLE: I Left Before He Learned My Worth**
**Chapter 116**

**ARIA**

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She scrutinized my face for a heartbeat longer, her expression a mask of indifference that left me feeling exposed and vulnerable. Margo, standing nearby, wore an expression of irritation at the interruption, yet she held her tongue, clearly caught in a web of her own thoughts.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, though the words felt like a mere shadow of the gratitude swelling within me. “Thank you for standing up for me. For giving me a chance to clear my name. I… I honestly don’t know what might have happened if you hadn’t spoken out.”

“I did it for the truth,” Ivory replied, her tone flat and devoid of warmth. “Not for you.”

Her words stung like a sharp slap, but I refused to let them derail me. “Even so, thank you. I know we’re not exactly friends. I understand that you harbor resentment towards me. But your actions today were unexpected.”

“You’re correct; we are not friends,” Ivory confirmed, her voice steady, almost clinical. “And yes, I resent what you symbolize. But Luna Aria, you must grasp something crucial.”

She stepped closer, and in that moment, a fierce, dangerous glint ignited in her golden eyes, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Alpha Kael is a man who will kill for those he cares about. He will tear hearts from chests to protect those under his claim. If you’re not innocent—if we find out that you genuinely attempted to murder me—do you truly believe that your bond with him will shield you from his wrath?”

Her question slithered into my mind like ice, freezing my thoughts. She was absolutely right. I had heard the tales from Margo, the stories of Kael’s fury unleashed upon those who dared threaten his loved ones.

“Kael cares about you,” Ivory continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper meant solely for my ears. “Perhaps he even loves you in his own way. But I was his first. I was the one he publicly declared as his mate before the entire pack. I was the one he spent three years in isolation with, the one who knows him in ways you never will.” She paused, letting her words hang in the air like a heavy fog. “If it turns out that you tried to kill me, your mating bond won’t save you from his rage. In fact, it will amplify your betrayal in his eyes.”

She let the weight of her warning settle, studying my face for any flicker of fear or realization.

“So, prove your innocence,” she urged, her voice resolute. “Not for me. Not for the pack. But for yourself. Because if you are guilty, Kael will obliterate you. And nothing—not your bond, not your status, not any pleas for mercy—will deter him.”

With that ominous message delivered, she began to turn away, but then hesitated, glancing back at me over her shoulder with a hint of mischief in her gaze.

“Oh, and Luna Aria? Thank you for dismissing Margo.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the abrupt shift in conversation. “What?”

“Margo,” Ivory reiterated, her tone almost playful. “Thank you for letting her go from your service. I needed an assistant—someone to help manage the administrative chaos of my research while I delve into the actual science. Your petty vindictiveness provided me with exactly the help I required. So for that, at least, I am grateful.”

The backhanded compliment was classic Ivory—acknowledging something positive while simultaneously lacing it with an insult. I almost chuckled despite the gravity of the situation.