Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Angelina's POV
Halfway up the mountain, inside the massive villa.
I sat on the living room sofa. Aunt Faye had already recovered from the earlier shock. She'd made me a cup of hot milk in the kitchen and carefully placed it in front of me.
At that moment, Uncle Robert had just finished his phone call and returned to the living room.
I knew perfectly well what he'd been doing—arranging for someone to dispose of those twenty-three bodies. After all, that bloody massacre wasn't something you could just sweep under the rug.
I lazily crossed my legs and picked up the hot milk Aunt Faye had made, sipping it slowly. On the surface I looked completely relaxed, but I was actually observing Robert's reaction.
When Robert returned, I noticed him open his mouth as if to say something, but then hold it back. He hesitated for a moment, then finally decided to explain first:
"Those men were after me. They came here to kill me." Robert's voice was heavy. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this, kid."
I raised the cup of hot milk slightly, the corner of my mouth curving upward, using this gesture to signal him to continue. I was curious to hear what exactly this uncle was going to confess.
Robert swallowed hard, then continued:
"Well, since you saw everything, there's no point hiding it anymore."
"I'm a Senior Enforcer for the Blackwater Cartel."
Blackwater Cartel—of course I knew that name. It was the largest Rogue werewolf alliance on the West Coast, made up of wolves who'd been expelled from their Packs, with over three hundred members.
Everyone knew that any organization controlling so many underground casinos, illegal fighting rings, black market trading posts, and smuggling operations across the entire West Coast had serious power backing it. And Blackwater Cartel was exactly that kind of force.
Their network spread across all of America. In California alone, they controlled 19 underground casinos, 9 illegal fighting rings, 5 black market trading centers... Combined with operations in other states, they had over a hundred locations total.
No wonder Robert was so wealthy. No wonder he knew so many people from the underworld. No wonder he couldn't be honest with Nathan and the family about his identity. And no wonder someone tried to assassinate him.
It all made sense now.
I swirled the hot milk in my hand without saying anything. This information wasn't surprising to me.
Seeing I wasn't shocked, Robert tried probing again:
"Now that you know what I'm involved in, Aria..." He hesitated. "Who are you, really?"
He wanted to know my identity.
I knew exactly what he wanted to know. I answered expressionlessly: "That's classified."
I'd already finished the hot milk. Setting the cup on the coffee table, I stood up, looking down at Robert, and continued in a calm tone:
"All you need to know is that I'm Nathan and Grace's daughter."
The meaning was clear—whoever I was, I wouldn't harm my family. I needed to put his mind at ease.
"And Robert... don't tell anyone about me."
"Your secret's safe with me too."
This was the deal between Robert and me. Both our identities, mutually protected.
Having said this, I picked up the item Dad had asked me to retrieve and prepared to leave the villa.
Robert clearly knew he wouldn't get anything more out of me. He shook his head helplessly:
"Deal. You have my word."
"Come on, I'll give you a ride home. No way you're getting a cab out here in the hills."
Robert dropped me off at my front door then left.
After entering the house, I placed what Dad needed on the table and headed upstairs.
Nathan, Grace, and Ethan had taken Leo to the hospital—they should be back home soon. I planned to go to my room and rest for a bit.
Honestly, I'd almost forgotten Caelan was also staying at the Sterling house. Thinking nobody was home, I'd just reached the second floor when I suddenly saw a tall figure—the kind of presence you couldn't ignore, radiating that oppressive Alpha aura even just standing there.
It was Caelan.
My steps paused.
Right now, only the two of us were home...
Since Caelan had moved in, I hadn't spoken a word to him. This time, I planned to maintain that precedent.
I wanted to walk past Caelan as usual, as if he didn't exist.
I assumed Caelan would also pretend not to know me like before, not saying a word. At worst, he'd just keep his distance from me.
I was completely wrong.
Just as I was about to walk past Caelan toward my own room, he suddenly moved. He reached out and, before I could react, grabbed my wrist.
His low, cold voice carried an undeniable commanding tone:
"I'm coming into your room."
Though his words carried no threatening tone, that low, cold voice with its undeniable command was enough to remind me—even if I refused, he was going into my room anyway.
I blinked, quickly made my decision, and nodded:
"Okay."
But I lowered my gaze to look at Caelan's hand still wrapped around my wrist. It was a warrior's hand—defined knuckles, full of strength, with several faint scars on the back. This wasn't some delicate artist's hand, but a military hand forged through real combat. Even now in casual clothes, I could imagine what he looked like in uniform—that sharp aura belonging to a battlefield commander.
I could now confirm that Caelan had recognized me as the girl from the forest that time. Last time I'd disguised myself as a harmless teenager to escape. Since he'd already figured it out, I stopped pretending.
I reminded him: "You can let go now."
The moment I finished speaking, Caelan released me.
I opened the door. Watching Caelan walk into my room, I followed him in.
Strictly speaking, the room I was living in now was decorated in the original Aria's style.
On the bed directly opposite, many cute stuffed animals were piled up. Above the bed hung a celebrity poster.
As soon as Caelan entered the room, he spotted that poster. He walked around the room once, touching nothing, moving nothing.
What exactly was he here for?
Could it be—a thought suddenly flashed through my mind—was he here for the pendant that had caused my rebirth?