ounterback of the Despised Luna
Chapter 54 Paltry Sum
Eleanor’s POV:
Finished
I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Richard was the once–dominant Alpha of Rivernon’s four, a man who commanded respect in the business world for decades, had chosen to tie Caden to Rosaline, a complete nobody from Frostmoore. What on earth did he see in her?
Caden made it worse. Recently, he’d changed. He defended her, stood by her, and acted like he was actually considering making her his Luna. He didn’t even listen to me–his mother–anymore.
When Caden didn’t come home last night, I asked Queenie to prepare breakfast, thinking we could bring it to him. But when we got there, we learned he’d been hurt. And the reason? He’d stepped in to shield Rosaline from another werewolf’s attack.
My son, injured because of her. It was beyond belief.
To make matters worse, they had spent the night together.
That Omega had no shame. I’d warned her to stay away from my son, but she didn’t listen.
She was trouble–a disaster waiting to happen.
This was the final straw. If I didn’t deal with her now, she’d only drag Caden into more chaos.
And to top it off, she had locked me out of the conference room earlier. The nerve of her!
If not for the fact that foreign clients were at the company, I would have confronted her on the spot.
“You conniving little wretch!” I yelled, bursting into the room. “You’re going to destroy Caden’s life! I won’t let you stay near him any longer!”
Rosaline glanced up from her desk, composed and unbothered. “Eleanor, let’s set the record straight. The person who attacked Caden was Stella. If you’re looking to blame someone, blame her. I have work to do, so don’t waste my time.”
Her calm defiance ignited my temper. I slammed a check onto her desk, my voice sharp. “You insolent girl! Here’s 50 million. Take it and get out of his life. I don’t ever want to see your face again!”
Rosaline’s POV:
Fifty million?
I almost laughed. Eleanor was certainly pulling out all the stops to get rid of me.
But money didn’t impress me.
Queenie’s mocking tone broke through my thoughts. “Rosaline, look at that. Fifty million! You’ve never seen that kind of money, have you? Be honest, you’d never make this much in a hundred lifetimes. Take it and leave while you can.”
“Fifty million, you say?” I glanced at the check, tilting my head slightly.
Picking it up, I studied it for a moment before tearing it into shreds. The tiny pieces fluttered to the floor at Eleanor and Queenie’s feet. “Apologies, Eleanor,” I said, my tone icy but even. “I’m not interested in your
Chapter 54 Paltry Sum
Finished
“How dare you! Aunt Eleanor, are you hurt?” Queenie hurried to Eleanor’s side, her hands fluttering as she inspected Eleanor’s face. She threw me a sharp look. “You ungrateful little wretch!”
Eleanor’s expression twisted with rage as she clenched her teeth. “You insolent girl! Just name your price. What will it take to get you to leave Caden for good?”
“I’ll leave when I’m ready,” I replied evenly. “And that decision will be mine to make. Rest assured, Eleanor, neither your pack nor Caden holds any interest for me.
Without waiting for a reply, I grabbed my laptop bag and walked out of the room.
The nerve of those two. They could pile hundreds of millions at my feet, and I still wouldn’t bat an eye.
As I strode out of the building. I wasn’t watching where I was going and bumped into something–no, someone–solid.
“Ow! That hurt.”
I took a step back, rubbing my forehead, and looked up. My breath hitched. It was Caden, his broad frame and sharp features impossible to miss.
He stood still, his expression unreadable, his piercing eyes fixed on me.
Caden’s POV:
Her words from the conference room lingered in my mind, echoing louder with each second.
She doesn’t want me?
The thought was foreign, almost absurd. I’d always been the one calling the shots, standing above the rest.
People sought my approval–I was the one who rejected them.
But this… this was a first.
And it left an unfamiliar taste in my mouth, something unsettling and strange.
Rosaline’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Caden, weren’t you supposed to be home? What brings you here?”
Before I could answer, Queenie interjected, her voice shrill. “Caden, you came at the perfect time! Look at what Rosaline did to Aunt Eleanor!”
I turned to her with a sharp, icy glare. “Didn’t I make myself clear, Queenie? I told you to stop harassing Rosaline.”
Queenie froze, the color draining from her face. She blinked rapidly, her voice cracking as she mumbled,
“Aunt Eleanor…”
My mom, who had been watching me closely, asked, “Caden, what’s so special about this woman? Why are you sticking up for her?”
I sighed, adjusting my tie. “Because Grandpa likes her. You wouldn’t want him upset, would you?”
My mother fell silent, unable to argue when I brought up Richard.
Chapter 54 Paltry Sum
Rosaline then turned to Eleanor, her tone mocking.
Finished
“Eleanor, I said I’d leave, just not yet.” She glanced down at the torn check on the floor. “You can keep the 50
million.”
Without another word, she turned and walked toward her office.
“Can you believe her, Aunt Eleanor? What’s with that attitude?” Queenie fumed, stomping her foot.
“Are you okay, Caden?” My mom reached for my hand, her face full of concern.
“I’m fine.” I replied, pulling my hand away gently.
Mom’s expression hardened as she scoffed. “So it’s true? This all happened because of Rosaline?”
“It’s not about her,” I said, my voice firm and cool. “Mom, I need you to leave her alone from now on.”
“Leave her alone?” Her tone was incredulous, her eyes flashing with indignation. “Caden, I’m your mother. Everything I do is for your benefit. Are you really planning to marry someone like her? An Omega with no standing? What is it? Her looks? Did she get under your skin with that pretty face? Girls like her have no respect and no boundaries. They take what they can get and don’t think twice. Who knows what she
from you?”
hiding
Queenie, ever eager to stoke the fire, jumped in. “She’s absolutely right. Caden, you’re completely blind to who she really is. She’s from nowhere and has nothing to her name. What could she possibly know besides how to string men along? You don’t even know the half of it. The last time I was out with my friends, I saw her with another man.”
I turned to Queenie, my patience wearing thin: “What man?”
She hesitated for a moment, then smirked, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes. “That actor everyone’s been talking about lately–Ryan Lindsay. I don’t know how she managed to meet him, but they looked very cozy. They were walking together, holding hands like they were a couple
归
