Chapter 140

Jason's POV

I'd barely driven ten minutes when black SUVs surrounded my car, forcing me to pull over. Richard's sleek Bentley appeared, and my stomach dropped. Fucking perfect.

"What the fuck? When did you get back?" I spat as Richard approached my window.

His cold smile didn't reach his eyes. He gestured, and immediately his bodyguards surrounded my vehicle. My confidence evaporated instantly. I might be bold, but I'm not stupid. Going against Richard was suicide.

"Richard," I said, despite my anger, my voice shifted to a more submissive tone, "I haven't done anything to harm you."

"Taking my mate away doesn't count?" Richard's voice was dangerously soft.

"Your mate?" I couldn't help scoffing. "You mean your ex-wife that you abandoned!"

"We never divorced," he stated flatly. "She's still my wife."

My hands tightened on the steering wheel. I couldn't help remembering how Elena looked when she first found me—a shadow of herself. "You should have seen her when she found me—looking like a ghost, wasting away. How can you keep hurting her over and over again?"

Before I knew it, his men had dragged me from the car. I found myself standing face to face with Richard, who towered over me.

Richard's POV

His words stabbed into my heart like daggers. Imagining Elena wasting away caused a sharp pain in my chest, but I wouldn't show any weakness in front of him.

"It was all a misunderstanding," I said, looking down at Jason. "I came here to fix things with her."

"Misunderstanding?" Jason laughed bitterly. "You killed her family, and that's a 'misunderstanding'? Who would believe that bullshit?"

My jaw clenched as jealousy burned through me. Once again, Jason had become Elena's confidant when it should have been me. I hated that she had turned to him instead of waiting for my explanation.

"What is she planning?" I demanded. "What are her intentions?"

When Jason remained stubbornly silent, Ethan stepped forward. "Mr. Cooper, I strongly advise you to answer the Alpha's question. Your family's safety depends on your cooperation."

I watched Jason's face pale slightly, followed by an expression of resignation.

I had him brought to a café. Under continued pressure, he finally spoke.

"She just wants to rebuild the Winter family," he admitted reluctantly. "She's not plotting against you or the pack."

"What kind of person do you think she is?" Jason continued. "What possible ill intentions could she have toward you or the pack?"

My expression softened almost imperceptibly. He was right—Elena wasn't capable of true malice. Even when I was at my angriest with her, I always knew that.

"Is she planning this alone?" I asked, my voice less harsh than before.

Jason's bitter laugh carried more than words. "You think she can't? You have no idea what her real talents are!"

Hearing Jason's intimate knowledge of Elena, I felt another pang of jealousy.

"The business world isn't something she can just waltz into," I argued, maintaining my composure. "Without substantial capital backing, how does she plan to enter those territories?"

Jason shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "What... what's the big deal? She's talented. Is it that hard to enter those circles?"

I let out a cold laugh that made him flinch. "You tell me."

He fell silent, unable to meet my gaze. This idiot had no idea what he was talking about. The financial world Elena was trying to enter wasn't just about money and investments. It was a shark tank where the strongest predators circled constantly, waiting for the slightest sign of weakness.

I'd spent years building Blackwood Group into what it was today—not just a business empire but a fortress protecting our pack. I'd dealt with countless threats from rivals who underestimated me, leaving broken companies and ruined careers in my wake. Some of those "talented" financial wizards who'd once threatened my territory were now living in poverty, their names forgotten.

The financial elites were predators in designer suits. They presented themselves as harmless investment advisors while secretly draining resources and destroying weaker families. They were dangerous—and Elena was walking right into their trap.

"You don't seem to understand what she's getting herself into," I said finally.

Jason attempted to ease the tension. "Hey, don't worry. We attended a gala last night, and Elena got lucky. She found someone to help her."

My head snapped up, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Who?"

"Oliver Grey. Do you know him?"

The coffee cup in my hand shattered, hot liquid spilling over my fingers. I barely noticed the burn.

"Oliver Grey?" I growled, eyes flashing with a cold fury that made Jason shrink back. "She's in contact with him? Who arranged this?"

Jason now looked genuinely frightened. "I think... William introduced them."

William. That name hit me like a physical blow. The man who'd been close to Elena back in Moonhaven, the one who'd helped her at every turn. Now he was connecting her with Oliver?

My mind raced through everything I knew about Oliver. He was the most dangerous financial player in the market—a man who controlled tens of billions and had been a dominant force in Elysium for over a decade. Even Blackwood Group had suffered losses during my father's time due to his ruthless strategies. The man was a predator who destroyed everything in his path.

"You have no idea what you've done," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jason looked alarmed. "Wait... you're not thinking of killing William, are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Can't I?"

"Of course not!" Jason's voice rose. "Have you lost your mind? If you kill him, do you think Elena would ever forgive you? I'm telling you right now—she would kill you herself!"

His words tore through me like claws ripping open my chest. The thought of Elena hating me enough to want me dead was more painful than any physical wound I'd ever suffered.

"She would kill me?" I whispered, the words hanging in the air between us. "For William?"

As much as I wanted to deny it, Jason was right. The connection between Elena and me was fragile at best. Even after last night, when I'd felt her body respond to mine and believed we might rebuild something, I knew the truth. Our relationship was damaged, perhaps beyond repair.

I sat there, feeling more lost than I had in years.

Jason's voice softened slightly. "Look, if you really don't want the bond between you two to shatter completely, don't do anything stupid."

I was about to respond when Elena sent Jason a message.

'Jason? Have you found Dennis yet?'

Jason fumbled with his phone to reply. 'Not yet. Can you send me a picture of him? I'm not sure who I'm looking for.'

My ears perked up at the unfamiliar name. "Dennis? Who's Dennis?"

"Her cousin," Jason said quickly, then corrected himself. "Well, actually her uncle's son. Dennis Winter."

The Winter name caught my attention immediately. "What does she want with him?"

Jason hesitated before answering. "She wants to train him to help rebuild the Winter family."

This idea wasn't bad, actually. Gathering family members, cultivating trusted allies—these were things I understood perfectly. But the thought of another man in her life sparked uncontrollable jealousy and frustration within me.

Finally, I made a decision. "You don't need to pick him up. I'll do it."

Jason looked shocked. "You?"

I nodded, already standing up. "I want to meet him. Assess his abilities. See if he's worthy of becoming new blood for the Winter family."