Chapter 120 She Never Speaks Without Evidence

Chapter 120 She Never Speaks Without Evidence

Stephanie's POV

In an instant, the air in the ballroom turned to stone.

Joe's face, twisted with venom only moments ago, drained of all color until it looked like parchment. Not far away, Bennett gripped his champagne glass so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand stood out like iron cords. His eyes locked on me with a hunger that was more predator than man.

I could feel it—the shift in the room. The guests who had been watching with idle curiosity now looked at me differently. If before they saw me as nothing more than a spoiled heiress cruising through life on family privilege, now Karon's unapologetic show of support had made something crystal clear.

I was under his protection.

The realization stirred something warm and complicated in my chest, a sensation I hadn't expected in this battlefield of polished smiles and hidden knives.

By the midpoint of the gala, Bennett's little spectacle had finally fizzled out—at least for now. I carried my glass of wine with deliberate poise and made my way toward the allies Frederick had been so keen to introduce me to.

Ivan and William stood together, speaking in low tones. As I approached, their conversation cut off immediately, replaced by polite smiles that were just a shade too measured.

"Stephanie," Ivan said, his voice mild, but his sharp, calculating eyes missed nothing. "Your grandfather seems to have placed all his bets on you."

"Is that so?" I met his gaze with an easy smile. "Then I suppose I'll have to work hard to make sure he doesn't lose too badly."

My unflinching tone caught them off guard for a moment.

"That wager you just agreed to… do you think you can win?" William pushed his glasses up, the light catching in his eyes like the glint of a blade.

"No," I said simply, shaking my head. "But once a bet is placed, the only option is to find a way to win it back, isn't it?"

"Well said." Ivan nodded, though I could tell he wasn't about to be swayed by confidence alone. His expression shifted, the conversation pivoting toward another storm waiting to break.

"What's your take on the Starlight Corp acquisition?"

The real test had arrived. Frederick may have called them friends, but they were businessmen first. They needed to know whether I was worth speaking to as an equal.

"Starlight Corp," I said, swirling the wine in my glass, my voice calm, "is a cake that looks delicious on the outside but may be laced with poison."

"Oh?"

"Its former CEO died far too conveniently," I continued, my gaze drifting toward Bennett, who was across the room laughing with a small circle of admirers. "The night before the company's Series A funding was set to close, he was killed in a car accident. The very next day, all his shares were inherited by a distant relative no one had ever heard of, and those shares were put on the market for a fraction of their value."

I let the words hang for a moment before my lips curved into a cold smile.

"And that so-called distant relative? I looked into him. He's drowning in seven figures of gambling debt to a casino owned by the Blackwood Pack."

My words drew an instant change in Ivan and William's expressions—gone was the polite detachment, replaced by a sharp, wary focus.

"You're saying…"

I cut them off, my tone deliberate. "I'm just saying Bennett's luck has been far too good lately. Good enough that premium assets keep falling into his lap."

The interruption came from behind us, dripping with mockery.

"Stephanie, you really shouldn't say things you can't prove."

Bennett had closed the distance without me noticing. His smile was all surface, but his eyes were ice.

"Spreading baseless theories is not the behavior of a worthy Pack heir," he said, raising his voice just enough to ensure the surrounding guests could hear.

"In fact, I'd suggest that instead of concocting conspiracy theories, some people should spend more time figuring out how to win a bet they can't possibly win."

It was a public attempt to humiliate me.

I was ready to fire back when a tall, commanding shadow stepped between us.

Karon.

I hadn't seen him approach, but now he stood there, his gaze sweeping over Bennett with the kind of disdain one reserves for something foul and disposable.

"Baseless accusations are the real child's play," he said, each word a deliberate strike. "And Stephanie," his voice softened just enough to carry warmth without losing authority, "never speaks without evidence."

The Alpha King's presence rolled through the room like a physical force, pressing down on every heartbeat. Bennett's jaw tightened, his face flushing with frustration, but no retort came.

Looking at Karon's resolute profile, the tension that had been coiled tight inside me finally loosened. I stepped forward from behind him, meeting Ivan and William's stunned gazes with a smile that carried steel.

"So," I said, my voice carrying just enough to reach the edges of the crowd, "to make sure certain lucky individuals stop finding so many easy scraps to pick up…"

I let the pause sharpen the moment.

"I'm creating a specialized headhunting fund under the name of the Valerius Pack."

A ripple of surprise moved through the room.

"It will be dedicated to supporting promising new enterprises that lack the capital and resources they deserve."

I let my eyes sweep the room, catching Bennett in my peripheral vision.

"And, of course," I added, my tone edged with purpose, "helping them deal with any… unnecessary obstacles."

The last word had barely left my lips when the ballroom erupted in a wave of startled exclamations.