Chapter 42 Web of Lies Exposed
[Nyx]
The dinner began pleasantly enough. Ariel had outdone herself with a three-course meal served in the intimate dining room of the west wing. My father seemed genuinely pleased, asking questions about Lysander's training regimen and how we were settling into married life.
Tristan sat beside Ophelia, occasionally touching her hand in what looked like an affectionate gesture. Her pregnancy was just beginning to show, and she looked radiant in a pale blue dress that emphasized her delicate features.
Isla maintained her perfect Luna smile, though her eyes remained watchful. Her scent betrayed her wariness—sharp and slightly acidic beneath her expensive perfume.
"You seem different lately, Nyx," she observed as Ariel cleared the main course plates. "Marriage seems to agree with you."
I sipped my water, meeting her gaze directly. "I've found clarity recently. About many things."
"I'm glad to hear it," my father interjected. "I always knew you would find your place eventually."
As Ariel disappeared into the kitchen to fetch dessert, my father leaned forward eagerly. "Now, what's this news you wanted to share with us?"
The moment had arrived. I rose from my chair with deliberate calm, walking to the sideboard where I'd placed the leather portfolio containing all my evidence.
"You're right that I've found clarity, Father," I said, my voice steady as I returned to the table. "But not about marriage. About betrayal."
I placed the portfolio on the table and opened it, removing the first document—a chart showing Eclipse Pharmaceuticals' declining profits alongside increased supply costs.
"I've been reviewing Mother's company finances," I continued, watching confusion replace anticipation on my father's face. "And I discovered something interesting. Since Raymond Hartwell became CFO three years ago, the company has been systematically stripped of assets."
Ophelia's hand flew to her throat, her face draining of color. Tristan's grip on her other hand tightened visibly.
Isla's scent spiked with alarm. "What are you talking about?"
I ignored her, placing more documents on the table in a precise arrangement. "Three years ago, Eclipse began purchasing all raw materials exclusively from a company called NorthStar Supply Co. at prices 15 to 20 percent above market rate. Interestingly, NorthStar was incorporated just weeks after Raymond became CFO."
My father frowned, picking up one of the financial reports. "I don't understand. What are you suggesting?"
"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm stating facts." I laid down the incorporation documents next. "NorthStar Supply Co. is registered to Hyde Global Holdings—Isla's family company. And the offshore account where sixty percent of every payment ended up? It belongs to Sebastian Hyde. Isla's brother."
The color drained from my father's face as he stared at the documents. Beside him, Isla had gone completely still, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of the table.
Ophelia made a small, choked sound. Tristan's head turned slowly toward her, his expression unreadable.
"The materials themselves?" I continued relentlessly. "Substandard quality, some batches containing harmful impurities. I had them independently tested. Eclipse has been paying premium prices for inferior products, and thirty-six point eight million dollars has disappeared from the company accounts over the past three years."
I placed the final piece of evidence on the table—printed emails between Raymond and Isla, discussing the arrangement.
"You've been stealing from my mother's company," I said, finally looking directly at Isla. "You and your brother have been bleeding it dry, probably planning to buy it at a fraction of its value once you'd manufactured a financial crisis."
The silence that followed was absolute. My father's face had transformed, shock giving way to something I rarely saw—raw, unfiltered rage. His eyes flashed gold, the Alpha power rolling off him in waves that made the air heavy.
"Isla," he said, his voice dangerously quiet. "Explain this."
And then, to my utter disbelief, Isla's perfect composure crumbled. She slumped in her chair, tears suddenly streaming down her face as she shook her head desperately.
"I had no choice," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "My brother—he got involved with the wrong people. Gambling debts, dangerous creditors. They threatened to cut off his fingers if he didn't pay. What was I supposed to do? Just stand by and watch my own brother be destroyed?"
My father's expression flickered with confusion and something that looked like unwilling sympathy.
"So your brother racks up gambling debts and your solution is to gut my mother's company?" I snapped.
"I was desperate!" Isla interrupted, her voice rising. "When Raymond approached me, offering to help Sebastian if I... if I helped secure his position here, what choice did I have? He said we could use Eclipse's resources temporarily, that it would all be repaid."
She turned to Karl, tears streaming down her face. "I never meant for it to go this far. Raymond kept demanding more, threatening to expose everything if I didn't continue. He said if anyone found out, he'd destroy Tristan's future, our family's reputation—everything we've built."
"Mother?" Tristan's voice was barely a whisper, his face pale.
Isla reached for him desperately. "I did it to protect you, darling. Raymond said that if Ophelia married into our family, it would secure his silence. He wanted his daughter to have status, security—"
"Wait." Tristan's voice cut through her explanation like a blade. His eyes had fixed on Ophelia, who sat frozen beside him. "What does she have to do with this?"
Ophelia's lips parted, but no sound came out.
Isla's eyes widened, realizing she'd said too much. "Tristan, it's not what you think—"
"Mother just said Raymond wanted Ophelia to marry into our family as part of the deal," Tristan said slowly, his voice dangerously quiet. He turned to Ophelia. "Was our meeting at the academy arranged? Did your father tell you to approach me?"