All Chapters of Once Betrayed Now Untouchable : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Karina POV The temperature in the car seemed to drop ten degrees. The silence that followed was absolute, so heavy it felt like a physical weight. Even the driver had turned to stone. His hands clenched on the steering wheel, eyes locked forward in a desperate attempt to become invisible. From my seat, I could feel it too. This wasn't just irritation simmering under his skin. It was cold, controlled fury. I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead, my spine rigid, my breathing shallow. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to stay very, very still. Celine's eyes were wide and defiant, glistening with unshed tears as she fought to keep her composure. Stop the car! she suddenly shouted. The driver didn't even flinch. Of course not. He only took orders from Adrian. Fearing she might try something reckle

Karina POV The dinner party finally wound down. Adrian emerged, looking completely sober. His piercing eyes were clear, his stride perfectly steady. But when he handed Caleb and me the room key and told us to handle the check, my Beta and I exchanged a look. Our Alpha was definitely drunk. Celine seemed more put together tonight than she had yesterday. She hurried to Adrian's side on quick, dainty steps, tugging at his arm with a familiar ease that made the wolf inside me go crazy. Want to come to my place? she purred. I have that whiskey you like. No. Adrian's rejection was immediate and clipped. A single word, leaving no room for negotiation. That was pure Alpha. Short, direct, and absolute. We continued down the corridor, the tension still hanging thick in the air. Then it happened. Adrian's boots

Karina's POV. "From Management," I lied smoothly. "Apparently, there are two people who clock in every day, but nobody ever actually sees them." The three women glanced at each other, their faces a mixture of confusion, shock, and alarm. After a beat, the oldest of the three leaned in. "Are you talking about Jin Kim and Winston Brown?" My eyes lit up. "Yes, that's them. So you know about it." "I've been here a long time," she said. "Those two were hired recently, so most people wouldn't know." "At first, nobody paid any attention. We're all too tired from work to care who's coming or going. But after a while, we realized no one had ever actually laid eyes on them. When we asked our supervisor about it, he bit our heads off and told us to mind our own business, so we just dropped it." Another worker gasped. "That's creepy as hell. Who's punching their cards? Actual ghosts."

Karina's POV. I pretended my legs were weak, staggering to one side of the hall. He followed, assuming I was heading for a bedroom. From the moment he'd untied me, I had been completely cooperative, letting him believe he'd broken me. Distracted by his phone and his own ego, he thought I was just another woman willing to trade her body for her life. He was smug. Satisfied and utterly convinced he had me. Just as he let his guard down, reaching out to push open a bedroom door, I acted. I slipped the rope from my neck and sprinted for the window. Without a second of hesitation, I threw it open and jumped. The move was fast, clean, and desperate. Clark froze, his hand hovering in midair. He'd completely underestimated her. The distant splash snapped him out of his trance. He rushed to the window and stared out into the black, endless sea. But he couldn't see a thing. She jumped. She

Adrian's pov I finally spoke. My voice calm, but sharp enough to slice through the manufactured drama.Father, don't you see this little performance is exactly what this inspection was meant to expose.My words stripped away their act, laying the ugly truth bare for everyone to see. Celine's face went from flushed to purple.You're the one losing your mind over a woman she accused. You're letting your personal feelings dictate your work. Why are you protecting her? Why do you care so much? Have you fallen for her? She has a husband.Celine, I roared. Disappointment hardened my gaze as I stared her down. Is your head filled with anything besides petty drama?I just asked if you knew why Karina was here, and you don't care, all you care about is whether or not I have feelings for her.I took a deep breath. Yes, I care about her. I care because in three days, she uncovered problems that you've missed for two years.I sent her here to investigate the finances on my behalf.