Third Person's POV
The two stared each other down from across the table, Cassian's face once again turning to stone.
"According to pack law, you are still my Luna. Crashing at your parents' place isn't a permanent solution," he said coldly.
"Once I wrap up this shareholder meeting, I'm coming to bring you home myself."
Trista set her fork and knife down. The clatter of metal against porcelain was deafening in the quiet restaurant. "Don't bother. Next week, I'm officially hiring a representative to petition the High Council for a forced severance."
Cassian watched her, his eyes unreadable and deep.
Then, he shifted his gaze to Sayer, who was sitting right next to her. "Is Elias the one giving you the balls to challenge me like this?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Trista didn't give him an answer.
She wasn't 100% sure even Elias could snap a mating bond, but she had to try to tear these chains off, one way or another.
Meanwhile, at the restaurant entrance, Samantha was leading Algernon inside.
The boy recognized the tall figure at the table immediately. "Mommy, look! It's—"
Samantha slammed her hand over the boy's mouth and scrambled back into the shadows.
Her head was spinning. Cassian had claimed his accounts were being monitored to cut off her cash flow, yet here he was, dropping hundreds of millions on art to suck up to Trista.
Humphrey had spent days telling her how "swamped" the Alpha was with work, but apparently, he had plenty of time for a cozy dinner with that woman.
If Cassian never actually planned on signing those papers...
Since they'd been back in L.A., he had refused to touch her. No intimacy, no affection—he'd even cut off her survival fund.
He'd signed a sixty-million-dollar check to get her out of the city, so why did he suddenly pull it back?
Why was he protecting her against Howard's wishes? What was his real end game?
A cold shiver raced down Samantha's spine.
She couldn't just sit and wait. She had to find out what he was hiding before he decided to settle the score.
A few days later, Elias finished his business trip and drove to the Randolph estate to pick up his son.
Seeing Sayer curled up in Ulva's lap, snacking while watching cartoons, Elias's dark gold eyes softened with affection.
He set down the gifts he'd brought as a thank-you and gave a polite nod. "I really appreciate you guys looking after this little troublemaker for me."
The second Cassian got back to L.A., Wilmot summoned him to the boardroom.
"How's the preparation for the shareholder meeting in three days?" Howard asked, tracing the head of his cane.
Cassian sounded confident, even arrogant. "I've already got a preliminary deal for the project I brought back. Once we sign, it'll bring the pack massive returns for the next decade. The rumors about my private life won't mean a thing compared to those numbers."
Wilmot didn't hide his pride. "Good. A man should focus on his career and his territory. Everything else is just noise."
After leaving the packhouse, Cassian drove straight to Trista's new place, arriving around 9:00 PM.
He didn't knock; he just sent her two texts.
A few minutes later, Trista walked out, a coat draped over her shoulders.
Cassian handed her an elegant jewelry box. "I saw this on my trip. I thought it suited you."
Trista opened it to find a stunning diamond necklace.
She snapped the lid shut and shoved it back toward him. "Give it to someone who actually needs the attention."
Cassian didn't take it. Instead, he took a step forward, his Alpha aura heavy and undeniable, and pulled Trista into a tight embrace.

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