Chapter 89
Bella's POV:
The night air felt different as I drove back to Moonhunt Estate after Liam left. Lighter, somehow. Like I'd finally stopped carrying a weight I didn't even realize had been crushing me.
My hands were steady on the wheel of my new used Honda Civic. No more luxury cars. No more pretending to be someone I wasn't. Just me, Bella Moore, finally taking control of my own damn life.
I pulled into the circular driveway and killed the engine. The estate looked peaceful in the moonlight, its stone facade solid and real. Mine. Actually mine now, not just a prison I'd been locked in.
Jane met me at the door, her weathered face creasing with concern. "Miss Bella, you're back late. Can I get you anything?"
"I'm fine, Jane. Just need to take care of something." I headed straight for the study, my mind clear and focused.
The council's website loaded quickly on my laptop. I'd done my research weeks ago, memorizing every step of the rejection ceremony process. Now I just needed to make it official.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard for only a second before I started typing. Application for Formal Rejection Ceremony. Applicant: Bella Moore. Respondent: Ethan Grave. Reason: Complete and irreparable breakdown of mate bond with no possibility of reconciliation.
Simple. Straightforward. True.
I filled in the remaining fields with practiced efficiency. Date of bonding. Pack affiliations. Current status of relationship. Each answer was another nail in the coffin of a marriage that had been dead long before I'd finally acknowledged it.
My hand trembled slightly as I moved the cursor to the submit button. Not from fear or doubt. From anticipation.
Are you sure about this? Ash stirred in my consciousness, her voice low and mournful.
"Yes," I whispered out loud. "It's time to cut that rotting bond once and for all."
I clicked submit.
The confirmation page loaded instantly. Application received. Status: Pending review. Expected response time: 24-48 hours.
I leaned back in the leather chair, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Done. The wheels were in motion now, and there was no going back.
Not that I wanted to go back. Every cell in my body felt lighter, freer, like I'd just unlocked shackles I'd been wearing for three years.
I closed the laptop and stood, stretching.
---
Morning came too early, sunlight streaming through the curtains and pulling me from a dreamless sleep. I rolled over and grabbed my phone from the nightstand, squinting at the bright screen.
7:42 AM. And I had an email.
My heart jumped as I recognized the council's official address. They couldn't have processed it already. Could they?
I sat up, fully awake now, and opened the message.
Dear Ms. Moore,
Your application for a formal rejection ceremony has been reviewed and APPROVED. The ceremony is scheduled for Friday evening at 7:00 PM in the Council Hall. Both Alphas must be present to witness the severing of the mate bond.
Please confirm your attendance by responding to this email within 24 hours.
Regards,
Mossglen Werewolf Council
Friday. Three days from now. Three days until I was finally, completely free.
I read the email three more times, just to make sure I hadn't imagined it. My hands shook, but not from fear. From pure, unfiltered relief mixed with nervous energy.
We're really doing this, Ash said, her voice steadier now. No more halfway measures. No more pretending.
"No more pretending," I agreed.
I forwarded the email to my lawyer, then threw off the covers and headed for the shower. I had a lot to do before Friday, and sitting around celebrating wasn't going to get any of it done.
---
By nine AM, I was dressed in a crisp navy blue pantsuit and sitting at the breakfast table with Melissa. She was eating oatmeal slowly, mechanically, her eyes unfocused.
"Morning, Mom," I said softly, even though I knew she wouldn't respond.
She didn't. Just kept eating, spoonful after spoonful, like a robot programmed to complete a task.
My phone buzzed. Another email, this time from my bank. The $100 million from Brandon had cleared. I allowed myself a small smile. At least he'd kept that promise.
Then a notification from the auction house. Diana's jewelry and art collection had sold. Total: $3 billion. The money would hit my account by end of business today.
And finally, a transfer confirmation from Thunder Capital. Liam's investment: $15 billion, exactly as promised.
I did the math in my head. One hundred million plus three billion plus fifteen billion. Eighteen point one billion dollars. I was still short, but...
My chest tightened as I pulled up the listing for my Rezvani Vengeance. The armored SUV I'd customized myself, with its matte black finish and military-grade protection systems. The vehicle that had kept me safe through three years of hell.
A buyer had already made an offer. $1.9 billion. Fair market value for a custom armored vehicle with all the modifications I'd installed.
I stared at the screen for a long moment, then accepted the offer. The SUV was just a car. I could get another one. What mattered was getting Mom's company back.
Twenty minutes later, my phone pinged with the final transfer. My account balance now showed exactly $20 billion.
I set down my coffee cup and stood, smoothing my jacket. "Jane, I need to go out. Please keep an eye on Mom."
"Of course, Miss Bella. Where are you headed?"
"To finish what I started."
---
Grave Industries headquarters loomed against the morning sky, all glass and steel and corporate intimidation.
I walked through the lobby with my head high, ignoring the stares from employees who recognized me. The elevator ride to the thirty-eighth floor felt both endless and too short.
Ethan was already in his office when I arrived, sitting behind his massive desk like a king on a throne.
He tossed the transfer agreement across the desk without preamble. "Moore Industries Stock Transfer Agreement," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Congratulations. You got what you wanted. Happy now?"
I sat down calmly and picked up the contract, scanning the terms. Everything looked in order.
"I should be thanking you, Ethan," I said evenly. "For making this so easy."
He stood abruptly, yanking the contract back. "Before you get too excited, I want something clear. Once this is done, you keep your mouth shut. No more threats. No more blackmail. No more using what you know to manipulate me."
I met his eyes without flinching. "I told you before, I never wanted to threaten you. I just didn't have a choice at the time. But now that everything's settled, I'm more than happy to move on. So you can relax, Ethan. After today, anything involving the Grave family is none of my business. From now on, Bella Moore only cares about Bella Moore's business."
He studied me for a long moment, clearly trying to decide if I was telling the truth. Finally, he slammed the contract back onto the desk. "Then prove it. Sign the damn thing and transfer the money."
I pulled out my pen and signed both copies in smooth, practiced strokes. My handwriting looked confident, strong.
The moment I finished, I clutched the contracts to my chest like they were made of gold. In a way, they were. They represented everything Diana had built, everything I'd fought to protect.
I stood and turned toward the door, then paused. "Oh, by the way. The rejection ceremony is scheduled for Friday evening. I assume you got the notice?"
Ethan's jaw tightened. "Yeah. I got it."
"Good. See you there." I didn't wait for a response, just pushed through the door and walked out.
---
I made it exactly three steps into the hallway before running into Faye.
Of course. Because my day couldn't be complete without dealing with her.
She was wearing a champagne-colored dress that showed off way too much skin for a business building, her brown curls perfectly styled. She stepped directly into my path, blocking my way with a smug smile.
"Well, well. Look who's leaving with her prize," she said, eyeing the contracts in my arms. "You really landed on your feet, didn't you? Getting Moore Industries even after losing Ethan."
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "You know what, Faye? I should actually thank you. If you hadn't been sneaking around with my ex-husband, I might never have learned to tell the difference between humans and animals."
Her smile faltered. "There's no need to be crude. We're all adults here. You're a CEO now. Shouldn't you act like one?"
"You're absolutely right," I said sweetly. "Why would I waste energy arguing with a mistress? It's beneath me."
Faye's face flushed red, but she recovered quickly. "You know what your problem is, Bella? You're bitter. You can't accept that Ethan chose me."
I looked her up and down slowly. She really was beautiful, in that calculated, seductive way that men seemed to fall for. Perfect makeup, perfect body, perfect performance of femininity.
What a waste.
"Actually, Faye, I want to give you some advice. Free of charge."
She snorted. "I don't need advice from you."
"Maybe not. But I'm going to give it anyway." I stepped closer, reaching out to gently touch her cheek. She flinched but didn't pull away. "Keep a close eye on Ethan. Because if you're not careful, you might end up as the second me."
She laughed, but it sounded forced. "Please. Ethan and I are nothing like you two. He never loved you, but he's loved me from the beginning. We're going to be happy together."
"Mm-hmm." I nodded, my voice dripping with mock sincerity. "You're right. He really does love you."
"Don't use that tone with me," Faye snapped. "I know you're jealous. But you need to accept reality. Ethan doesn't love you. He never did. You can't force someone to love you, so our relationship ending isn't my fault. You two just weren't meant to be."
"You're absolutely right," I agreed. "We really weren't meant to be."
I stepped around her and walked away, leaving her standing in the hallway looking confused and angry.
---
My phone rang as I was driving away from Grave Industries. Brandon's name flashed on the screen.
I answered, keeping my voice neutral. "Hello?"
"You bought the shares." His voice was tight with barely controlled anger. "You actually went through with it."
"The transaction is complete, yes," I said calmly.
"Where the hell did you get twenty billion dollars, Bella?"
I smiled at the road ahead. "That's my business, not yours."
"Don't play games with me. I heard rumors you've been spending time with some investment tycoon. That's where the money came from, isn't it?" His voice dripped with contempt. "Moving from one man to another. Seamless transition."
My jaw tightened, but I kept my tone even. "You can interpret it however you want. I really don't care."
"You really are something," Brandon said, his laugh bitter and sharp. "So this was your plan all along. Get me to return the money, then swoop in and take everything."
"Take everything?" I couldn't help the edge that crept into my voice. "That company was Mom's life's work. You're the one who killed your own Luna and drove away your own daughter just to monopolize the family assets."
"Don't make it sound so ugly! That was always meant to be mine!"
"Do you believe in karma, Brandon?"
"I believe people die for money and birds die for food. If you don't fight for what's yours, you end up miserable and poor."
"Well, you're certainly not hiding it anymore," I said quietly. "That's the Brandon I know. Congratulations on getting exactly what you wanted."
"Congratulations to you too," he shot back. "You got Moore Industries."
I was about to respond when something caught my eye. Two police cars were parked on the side of the road ahead, along with several expensive custom motorcycles. Officers were loading a group of young men in racing gear into the vehicles.
One of them looked familiar.
My breath caught. Bryan. My supposed brother was being pushed toward a police car by an officer, his face twisted in frustration as he tried to argue his way out of it.
"You go mute or something?" Brandon's irritated voice came through the phone. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
I tore my gaze away from the scene and focused back on the road. I wasn't part of the Moore family anymore. Their problems weren't mine.
But something made me ask anyway. "Where's your son?"
"What?" Brandon's tone immediately shifted to suspicion. "Why are you asking about Bryan?"
"He's still my brother. Just checking in."
"Bella, I'm warning you," Brandon said, his voice hard. "Don't you dare try anything with Bryan. He's a good kid. Pure-hearted. Don't you dare corrupt him with your schemes."
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "Pure-hearted? That's one way to describe it. Another word for it is stupid."
"You—!"
"Brandon," I cut him off, my voice cool and measured. "Let me give you some advice, for old times' sake. You might want to think about more than just your own comfort. Money can run out if you don't manage it properly. Ever heard the saying 'wealth doesn't last three generations'?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm saying maybe you should stop focusing only on yourself and start paying attention to your son. Because one day he might end up in prison, and you won't even know how it happened."
"Shut your mouth!" Brandon exploded. "How dare you curse my son! Bryan is perfectly fine! He's a good boy! You're sick, you know that? Absolutely sick!"
I didn't bother arguing. I just hung up and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat.