Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Aria’s POV

I shouldn’t have come.

The thought hit me the moment I stepped through the school gates. But Finn’s text had mentioned Lilith. Said she was having nightmares. Said she was calling for her mother.

And like the fool I was, I believed him.

I’d put on the altered dress again. The navy one. I don’t know why. Maybe I wanted to prove something. That I wasn’t broken. That I could still hold my head high.

The afternoon sun was warm on my shoulders. Parents clustered near the entrance, waiting for their children. Normal parents with normal lives and normal problems.

I wasn’t one of them.

I spotted him immediately.

Finn.

He stood near the playground. Arms crossed. That familiar cold expression on his handsome face.

My stomach dropped.

Of course he was here. Of course this wasn’t just about Lilith wanting to see me. Nothing with Finn was ever simple.

I forced my feet to keep moving. One step. Then another.

Don’t show weakness. Don’t let him see you’re afraid.

"Aria." His voice was ice. "You actually came."

"You said Lilith wanted to see me."

"Did I?" A cruel smile curved his lips. "I suppose I did say something like that."

My hands clenched at my sides. "What do you want, Finn?"

"Straight to business." He pushed off the wall. Walked toward me. "I’ve always liked that about you. No games. No pretense."

"Unlike you."

His smile widened. Didn’t reach his eyes.

"I’ll ask again." I kept my voice steady. "What do you want?"

"My money." His tone sharpened. "Two hundred thousand dollars, Aria. Or have you forgotten?"

"I haven’t forgotten anything." I lifted my chin. "But I’ve been thinking about your little demand. And I’ve decided it’s bullshit."

Finn’s eyebrow rose. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." The words came out stronger than I felt. "Two hundred thousand? For what? The privilege of being your punching bag for five years? The honor of almost dying while giving birth to your daughter?"

"You lived under my roof. Ate my food. Wore clothes I paidâ€""

"I was your WIFE." My voice cracked. "Not your employee. Not your servant. Your wife. And you treated me like garbage the entire time."

Something dark flickered in his eyes. "Careful, Aria."

"Or what?" I laughed. The sound was bitter. "You’ll have me arrested again? Drag me through another humiliation? Go ahead. I’m done being afraid of you."

A muscle twitched in Finn’s jaw. He wasn’t used to this. To me fighting back.

Good.

"The amount isn’t negotiable," he said coldly. "My lawyers have calculated everything. Every meal. Every medical bill. Every piece of clothing."

"Then your lawyers are idiots." I crossed my arms. "Because I’m going to get my own lawyer. And we’re going to contest every single item on that ridiculous list."

Finn stared at me. Genuinely surprised.

"You’re going to fight me? In court?" He laughed. Sharp. Disbelieving. "With what money? What connections? You’re nobody, Aria. You have nothing."

"I’ll figure it out."

"How?" His smile turned vicious. "Did your Alpha not pay you enough for sleeping with him? Is that why you’re so desperate?"

The words hit like a slap.

Heat flooded my face. Shame. Anger. Both tangled together until I couldn’t tell them apart.

"Don’t you dare." My voice shook. "Don’t you DARE talk about things you know nothing about."

"Oh, but I do know." Finn leaned closer. His breath was hot on my face. "Everyone knows. The whole city is talking about it. The Shadow Moon whore who spread her legs for the Blood Crown heir."

My hand moved before I could stop it.

CRACK.

The slap echoed across the schoolyard.

Finn’s head snapped to the side. A red mark bloomed across his cheek.

Silence.

He turned back slowly. Those amber eyes burned with fury.

"You’re going to regret that." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"No." My voice came out surprisingly calm. "I don’t think I will."

Something dangerous flickered across his face. His hand rose.

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