3rd Person POV
Heron Kingston smirked as he pocketed the check. The sale of Calla’s mansion was finalized, and her estate was now someone else’s problem. The news of her death had barely been mourned before Heron stepped in as the grieving fiancé turned secret husband. Everyone had believed his story—Calla’s employees had already suspected a hidden romance between them, and the forged evidence sealed the deal.
By the time the lawyers reviewed Calla’s will, Heron had already spun his web. Calla had trusted him completely, leaving everything in his name. He played the devastated partner well enough that no one questioned his inheritance. Her employees, swayed by the staged photos and manipulated text exchanges, were convinced of the so-called fairytale romance.
But none of it was an accident. Heron and Vivien had been eyeing Calla’s life for years, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They had studied her, infiltrated her world, and waited for her to let her guard down. Heron had made his calculated move at the charity gala, weaving himself into her life with precision. Vivien, meanwhile, had worked her way into Calla’s trust as her closest friend. Together, they orchestrated every detail, from Heron’s charm offensive to Vivien’s careful manipulation of Calla’s confidence.
Heron leaned back in his chair, recalling the beginning of their plan. Calla had been dazzling at that gala, her laughter drawing him in like a siren’s call. Her vulnerability had been easy to spot, though—hidden behind her confident facade. She wanted love, craved it like a drug, and he knew exactly how to provide just enough to hook her. A charming smile here, a carefully chosen compliment there, and she was his.
Calla’s parents’ death had only made things easier. What Calla never suspected was that Heron had been involved, pulling strings behind the scenes to ensure their demise. The car accident that claimed their lives wasn’t fate—it was a carefully executed plan. Their deaths left Calla alone, vulnerable, and desperate for connection, which Heron gladly provided.
She’d fallen hard, convinced he was her happily ever after. Heron had made her believe in a love that didn’t exist. She handed him her heart and her fortune without hesitation. Manipulating her was almost too easy. All it had taken was a steady stream of lies and staged acts of affection.
“The company’s next,” Vivien said, swirling her wine. “Once we sell it, we’ll disappear. Somewhere tropical. Somewhere quiet.”
Heron nodded, sipping his whiskey. “Of course, and we need to move fast before anyone starts asking questions.”
“Do you think anyone suspects?” Vivien’s voice was low.
“Not a chance,” Heron said. “Calla was too trusting. She handed me everything: the will, the shares…her heart. She was easy to manipulate.” He chuckled. “All I had to do was tell her what she wanted to hear.”
Vivien smiled, but the tension in her posture didn’t go unnoticed. “Still, I can’t shake the feeling someone’s watching us. What if—”
Heron waved her off. “Stop worrying. It’s done. Calla is gone.”
But Vivien’s laughter was cut short by the sharp ring of Heron’s phone. He frowned at the unknown number before answering. “Hello?”
“You idiot!” a woman’s voice screamed, loud enough for Vivien to hear. Heron’s stomach dropped. “You had one job, and you failed! Calla is alive, you fool.”
Heron’s throat went dry. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s alive,” the woman snapped. “And not just alive—she’s with her real parents, the Alpha and Luna, here in my world. Do you understand what this means? Everything you’ve taken is at risk.”
Heron staggered. “Impossible. She’s dead. I saw—”
“You fool! You saw nothing,” the voice cut in. “She’s alive and ruining everything now. Fix this. Do something. Do you hear me, Heron? I will end you myself if you can't fix your mess!”
The line went dead. Heron stood frozen, the phone slipping from his hand.
“Who was that?” Vivien asked, her voice tight.
Heron’s face was pale. “Vivien...Calla’s alive.”
Vivien’s wine glass fell, shattering on the floor. Her eyes were wide with panic. “W-What? Heron, what do we do now?”
Heron’s jaw tightened. “We finish what we started.”
Vivien hesitated, fear flashing across her face. “How? She’s not just alive—she’s with them. The werewolf world… that’s not something we can touch.”
Heron’s expression darkened. “I don’t care who or what she’s with. She’s a threat. And threats need to be eliminated. You wanted the good life, didn’t you? Then stick to the plan.”
Vivien nodded reluctantly, but the tremor in her hand didn’t escape Heron’s notice. He downed the rest of his whiskey, his mind racing. If Calla was truly alive, then everything he’d worked for could crumble in an instant. No—he couldn’t let that happen. He would end her, by hook or by crook.
