Chapter 155 The Missing Evidence
Author’s POV
Linda stormed back to the Frostridge pack, her face still flushed with rage from the encounter at the restaurant. How dare Emilia show her face in Silverlake City again? How dare she act so smug, so untouchable?
She slammed her bedroom door hard enough to rattle the frame and went straight to her dresser. Her fingers fumbled with the drawer, yanking it open.
Empty.
The recording pen was gone.
"No, no, no, no!" Linda tore through the drawer, throwing aside silk scarves and jewelry boxes. She dropped to her knees, searching under the dresser, in every corner of the drawer. Nothing.
Her scream echoed through the entire villa.
"DAD! MOM! WAS THAT VIXEN EMILIA BACK HERE?"
She bolted downstairs, nearly tripping over her own feet. Dorothy and Henry looked up from the living room, startled.
"What on earth is wrong with you?" Dorothy asked, setting down her tea cup.
"My recording pen is missing!" Linda shrieked. "Someone took it! Who came to the house? Was it Emilia? Did you let her in here?"
Dorothy shook her head. "No one’s been here, darling. What recording pen are you talking about?"
"The one I had in my drawer!" Linda’s hands balled into fists. "I put it there, I know I did!"
Henry picked up the newspaper from the coffee table, his movements just a bit too casual, his eyes not quite meeting his daughter’s. "Are you sure you didn’t misplace it somewhere else? No one’s visited recently."
"Impossible!" Linda’s voice rose to a shriek. "I remember exactly where I put it! Someone must have taken it! That bitch must have snuck in here somehow..."
She sank onto the bottom step of the staircase, her composure finally cracking. Tears streamed down her face as the full weight of the situation hit her.
She’d been so close. So close to having everything she wanted. These past two days, she’d been planning her approach to Sebastian, rehearsing what she’d say, how she’d position herself as the sympathetic sister, the one who truly understood him. And now Emilia was back, walking around Silverlake City like she owned the place, and the one piece of leverage Linda had was gone.
"I can’t... I can’t take this anymore!" Linda sobbed, her voice muffled against her knees. "Everything’s ruined!"
Dorothy rushed over. "Sweetheart, don’t cry! Please don’t cry. I’ll help you look for it, okay? Maybe it just fell behind something."
She hurried upstairs, calling back promises to search every inch of Linda’s room.
But Linda barely heard her. The more she cried, the more exhausted she felt. The more she thought about Emilia’s smug face at that restaurant, the more fury replaced her tears.
She’d worked too hard for this. Sacrificed too much. She wasn’t going to let her sister win.
Linda shot up, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Without a word to her father, she grabbed her car keys and stormed out of the villa.
The drive to Simons Imperial Group headquarters passed in a blur of anger and desperation. She had to make Sebastian see the truth about Emilia. She had to make him understand what kind of manipulative, scheming woman he’d actually married.
Linda didn’t bother with the receptionist, didn’t wait for clearance. She marched straight to the executive elevator, her wolf giving her the confidence to push past the confused security guard.
The elevator ride felt like an eternity. By the time the doors opened on Sebastian’s floor, her heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe.
She burst through his office door without knocking.
Sebastian looked up from his desk, where he’d been gathering files into his briefcase. His green eyes darkened when he saw who’d interrupted him.
"What’s the matter?" His voice was cold, edged with warning.
Linda forced herself to look vulnerable, dabbing at her red-rimmed eyes. "Alpha Sebastian, I have something important to tell you."
"What about?" Sebastian’s tone didn’t soften.
"My sister lied to you." The words tumbled out in a rush. "The reason she married you wasn’t as simple as you think. She’s using you! She just wants to take revenge on my parents. She’s a terrible, manipulative woman, and you need to know the truth before she destroys everything!"
Sebastian went very still. For a moment, Linda thought she’d gotten through to him.
Then he laughed. A sharp, mocking sound that made her flinch.
"Do you actually think I would believe a single word that comes out of your mouth?" His voice dripped with contempt.
"You have to believe me!" Linda insisted, stepping closer. "I’m telling you the truth! In this whole world, I’m the only person who won’t lie to you about Emilia!"
"Don’t you think you’re disgusting? Get out of my office right now. I don’t want to hear your pathetic nonsense."
"Alpha Sebastian, please!" Linda’s voice took on a desperate edge. "Emilia is a liar! She had an engagement with a fool ten years ago! Once you help her destroy our family, she’ll leave you and run right back into his arms!"
Sebastian stared at her for a long moment. Then he burst out laughing.
"Oh, that’s rich," he said. "Let me get this straight. You think my wife is going to leave me, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, for a fool? You think I’m somehow less appealing than a man with the mental capacity of a child?"
His laughter died, replaced by pure contempt. "That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all week. And trust me, I’ve heard some stupid shit."
"I’m telling the truth!" Linda stamped her foot, frustrated tears springing to her eyes again. "I have evidence! I recorded everything, but it’s..."
"But what?" Sebastian’s eyebrow arched. "Where’s this supposed evidence?"
"It’s... it’s gone." Linda’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Sebastian leaned back against his desk, arms crossed, looking at her like she was something unpleasant he’d scraped off his shoe.
"I’ve heard rumors about Henry Taylor’s daughter. How she’s always starting drama, making up stories, causing trouble wherever she goes. But I have to admit, seeing it in person is even more entertaining than I expected."
Sebastian grabbed his car keys and walked straight out of the office, ignoring Linda completely. She refused to give up. She chased after him, hysterical. "Sebastian, please believe me! I swear on the Moon Goddess, everything I said is true!"
"I’m warning you. Stop following me."
Sebastian fixed her with a sharp look, radiating a chilling coldness. Linda froze in her tracks, muttering to herself, "Believe it or not, I’m telling the truth..."
By the time he got home, Emilia still wasn’t back. He pulled out his phone to call her.