Jealousy Alpha's Regret novel Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Iris’s POV

Catherine’s fake sobbing echoed through my phone speaker, each

whimper more theatrical than the last. I stared at my nails,

examining the perfect pearl finish I’d applied earlier that day. The

sound grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

“Every single time,” I thought, rolling my eyes. “The crying, the guilt

trips, the whole ‘pack family‘ card. How many years has she been

playing this exact same game?”

“Not happening, Catherine,” I cut in, my voice flat and cold. “Find

someone else to save your sinking ship.”

Before she could respond with more manufactured tears, I hung up.

The sudden silence in the hotel room felt like a blessing. I set my

phone down on the bed and resumed filing my nails.

“Finally,” I muttered.

Rachel shifted closer on the bed, her eyes wide. “She really thought

you’d help them after everything they did?”

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I stared at my phone for a long moment. “You know what? I think I

will go back to the Stone territory.”

“What?” Rachel looked shocked. “After you just told her no?”

I looked up, my eyes gleaming. “Oh, I’m not going to help them. But this is the perfect opportunity to deal with the Stone family situation

once and for all. I’d be stupid not to take it.”

“What do you mean?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

Rachel leaned back against the headboard, watching me carefully.

“You’ve got something planned, don’t you?”

I imagined Catherine’s smug face right now–probably already calling

everyone in the pack, gloating about how she’d convinced me to come

back with Sebastien’s money in tow. The thought made me let out a

cold laugh.

“She still thinks I’m that same little wolf she can manipulate,” I said,

shaking my head. “She honestly believes I’m going to convince Sebastien to give them divorce settlement money and help save their

territory. Like I’m still that desperate for approval.”

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Rachel snorted. “As if you’d give them a dime after what they tried to

do to you.”

“Exactly.” I reached for my phone, checking flights. “We should head

back tonight. That’ll put us in Moon Bay early tomorrow morning.”

Rachel was already on her phone, tapping rapidly. “Got it. There’s a

flight leaving in three hours. If we hurry, we can make it.”

I nodded, feeling a strange calm settle over me. The pieces we

falling into place.

“Perfect,” I said, standing up to pack.

While Rachel gathered her things, I sent a text message: “Status

update?”

The reply came almost instantly: “All set. Documentation ready with

evidence.”

I smiled, satisfaction warming my chest. I sent another message to a

different contact: “Tomorrow afternoon. Need you to have people

stationed outside Stone family territory.”

When the confirmation came through, I slipped my phone into my

pocket. It was amazing how much easier things were with human

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money and connections. Something the Stone family had never

understood.

The trip back was a blur of airports, taxis, and minimal conversation.

After dropping Rachel at her place, I finally made it to my apartment.

The moment I stepped inside, exhaustion hit me like a physical wave.

I barely managed to kick off my shoes before collapsing on my bed.

I woke up hours later, groggy and disoriented. My stomach growled

painfully, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since the airplane 1.

Shuffling to the kitchen, I grabbed some yogurt and fruit, eating

mechanically while scrolling through emails.

After eating, I laid out my clothes for tomorrow, selecting each piece

with careful consideration. This would be a performance, and I

needed to look the part. Finally, I checked the internal message

boards for the wolf community, noting with interest several veiled

posts about financial troubles in the Stone territory.

Sleep claimed me again soon after, my body still adjusting from the

travel.

I woke at nine, taking my time with breakfast and a long shower.

There was no need to rush. In fact, arriving a little later than

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expected would only increase Catherine’s anxiety–a small but

satisfying bonus.

Standing before my full–length mirror, I applied makeup with precision–light enough to look natural but flawless enough to project confidence. I chose a cream–colored silk blouse that complemented my skin tone perfectly, pairing it with a fitted black leather skirt that hit just above my knees. My hair fell in soft waves past my shoulders, and a single strand of pearls adorned my neck.

The woman in the mirror looked poised, powerful, and completely in

control. Exactly the image I wanted to project.

I parked my car a block away from the Stone family territory, sliding

on my sunglasses as I stepped out. The afternoon sun was bright, glinting off the windows of the imposing stone mansion ahead. But

what caught my attention was the group of people gathered at the

front gates.

I recognized them immediately–not werewolves, but humans.

Creditors. At least a dozen of them were arguing with Catherine’s

brother, their voices raised in anger. From my position, I could hear

fragments of their shouting.

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“-six months of promises-”

“-need payment today or we’re taking legal action-”

“-already been more than patient-”

I watched as one particularly aggressive man pushed past Catherine’s

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