The Secret Heirs of the Lycan King (Bella and scott) novel Chapter 49

**When Midnight Winds Carry Secrets Toward Worlds Yet Unknown**

Bella

No. No, no, no. This was the absolute last scenario I had ever envisioned for myself. The mere thought of Scott being anywhere near me sent a wave of panic crashing over my senses. I feared that in just a heartbeat, my carefully constructed facade, my pride, would crumble into dust under the weight of his gaze. I stood there, frozen, my eyes ensnared by his dark, penetrating ones. The look on his face morphed into something fierce, almost murderous. A wave of humiliation washed over me, igniting my cheeks with a fiery blush. He knew. He knew the secret that my family had guarded so fiercely.

A ripple of gasps cascaded through the room, echoing like a tremor. Conversations abruptly halted, and heads turned, eyes widening in shock and curiosity.

“What did Isla say? Her husband?”

“Scott Moore? That Scott Moore?”

Even through the frantic pounding of my heart, I could hear every whispered comment, each one piercing through my already frayed nerves. My grandmother, who had been the first to squeal in delight at Scott’s arrival, glided toward him with a radiant smile, her eyes sparkling with joy. “I’m so thrilled you could make it, dear,” she said, affectionately patting his arm. “But it would have been even more delightful if you had come in holding Bella’s hand. Why did you both arrive separately?”

Scott offered a polite smile, his voice smooth as he murmured an apology. But inside, I felt as though my knees were ready to buckle beneath me. Scott Moore, the man I had pretended to be married to, was now exposed to the entire social circle.

As the shockwaves reverberated throughout the venue, phones were raised, and cameras flashed like lightning strikes. Those who recognized Scott as the formidable CEO of Phoenix Malls, the very man I had claimed as my husband, stared at us as if we were the latest scandal splashed across a tabloid cover.

Whispers erupted like wildfire:

“She’s married to him? When did they tie the knot?”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Their marriage was a secret?”

“Are they heading for a divorce?”

“Why didn’t she say anything?”

“What a pathetic, arrogant witch!”

“She must have made his life a living hell.”

“She’s tarnished her family’s name.”

My palms turned icy, and my breath grew shallow. My secret wasn’t merely revealed; it had been thrust into the spotlight, exposed for all to see.

Maya’s reaction was almost laughable. Her jaw dropped, her eyes bulging as if she had just been jolted by an electric shock.

Craig stood frozen beside her, the color draining from his face. They couldn’t fathom that all this time they had been in my company, blissfully unaware of the truth about my marriage. A fake marriage. The worst possible moment for such a deception to come to light. The repercussions for Scott would be catastrophic. I could hardly bear to think about how this would impact his business. I wished fervently for the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Every shred of humiliation, every pang of regret, every deceit—it was all laid bare.

“Scott… Moore…” Maya repeated in a hushed, trembling whisper, her disbelief palpable.

Scott’s expression darkened, and I could feel a shift in the atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing silently around us. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could utter a word, Maya rushed forward, clutching his sleeve like a damsel in distress.

“Mr. Moore, I’m so sorry you had to witness this drama, but please understand,” she said, her voice soft and pleading. “Bella twists everything. All I ever wanted was for her to be happy. I tried to support her, but she pushed me away. I never expected her to act like this.” Her voice trembled as she dabbed at her eyes, striving to appear fragile and innocent. “You shouldn’t have given her that unique opportunity at Phoenix Mall. She will use you and then discard you like yesterday’s trash.”

And in that moment, it clicked—I realized she wanted Scott to see this.

“She… she even pushed me into the pool,” Maya cried, her voice rising theatrically, ensuring every camera captured her distress. “I was trying to mend our relationship, and she attacked me because Craig still loves me.”

Scott stared at her for a long, incredulous moment before he erupted into laughter—a dangerous, icy laugh that sent shivers down my spine. “If by ‘ruining you’ you mean you threw yourself into the pool like a child throwing a tantrum,” he drawled, “then yes. She ruined you perfectly.” With a fierce glare, he shoved her hand away from his sleeve, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Maya’s complexion turned ghostly white as she stumbled backward, caught off guard.

Scott tilted his head slightly, his expression one of disdain. “You might want to remember—if you’re going to stage a fall, don’t do it right as I’m entering, with a full view of your little performance.”

She was trapped. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air.

I blinked up at Scott, utterly stunned. He had seen through her act? Why was he defending me? Shouldn’t he be repulsed by my presence?

“No one touches what’s mine,” he whispered in my ear, and my breath hitched, my heart momentarily forgetting how to beat. To the onlookers, it appeared as though a powerful husband was shielding his wounded wife.

Craig must have sensed the shift in the atmosphere, for his bravado crumbled into panic. Maya looked as if she might be sick. Grandmother Isla wore a knowing smile, as if she had anticipated this all along, while my father and Lucy stood in shocked silence. But what happened next was even more astonishing.