Emelia's POV:

The guards "escorted" Brenda into the study.

She saw my father's face, dark as a thundercloud, and a flicker of panic crossed her features. She quickly smoothed it over with a practiced, cloying sweetness.

"Julian, darling, what is it? I heard about Emelia, the poor thing..."

"Where were you this afternoon?" My father's voice was ice. It cut right through her performance.

Brenda's eyes darted nervously. "I was... shopping. In the town square."

My father tossed a photograph onto his mahogany desk. It was a grainy security image, but clear enough. Before Brenda arrived, my father had already retrieved the surveillance footage to verify the truth of my words."Really? Because your car was parked at the estate all afternoon."

Her face went pale. "Oh, that. I lent it to a friend. She needed to..."

The excuse died on her lips.

I appeared in the doorway, leaning heavily on my mother's arm. I was the picture of fragile convalescence, my face pale, my movements slow and deliberate.

Brenda saw me, and for a split second, I saw it all in her eyes: venom, fear, and a flash of raw hatred. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a mask of syrupy concern.

"Oh, Emelia, you poor dear! You're alright! Thank the Goddess!"

I didn't look at her. I kept my gaze lowered, focusing on the intricate pattern of the Persian rug, letting my perceived weakness be my shield.

My mother's hand was a firm, steady pressure on my arm. Her eyes, cool and assessing, flicked from me to Brenda and back again. She didn't trust Brenda, but she wasn't entirely convinced by me either. She was watching. Waiting.

"Emelia says she saw you at the cliffs," my father pressed, his voice dangerously low. "With a man. Who was he?"

"That's absurd!" Brenda's denial was instant and loud. Tears welled in her eyes. The performance was masterful. "She's always disliked me! She's making it up to cause trouble, Julian! You know how she is!"

She started to sob, painting herself as the victim of a jealous step-daughter-to-be. For a moment, my father wavered. It was true; I had never hidden my disdain for her.

A cold smile touched my lips, but I kept it hidden. I knew her weak point. I knew the exact key to unlock this lie.

I let out a small, weak sound. "Father..." I began, my voice raspy. "I... I couldn't see the man's face clearly. It was all so fast. But I remember... he had a tattoo. On his wrist. A scorpion."

Brenda's sobbing stopped.

It was as if someone had hit a mute button. Her body went rigid.

That single detail was the fatal blow. I saw the recognition flash in my father's eyes—he had seen that tattoo before, on one of the stable hands. The fury of a deceived Alpha radiated from him, palpable and suffocating. I could feel it pressing against my skin.

He turned to the guards at the door, his voice a low growl. "Get Rick from the stables. Now. And lock down the estate—I want a full account of everyone's movements this afternoon."

Brenda crumpled. She sank to the floor, her face the color of ash. It was over.

My mother's grip on my arm tightened. As we turned to leave the study, she leaned in close, her voice a low whisper meant only for me.

"Are you certain about what you saw?"

I met her gaze. My eyes, clear and unwavering, held hers. "I'm certain, Mother."

A flicker of something—surprise, respect, perhaps even fear—passed through her cool expression. She fell silent. In that moment, she understood. Her daughter, the quiet, pliable girl she had known, was gone. In her place was someone... else. Someone stronger. Someone she didn't recognize.

She didn't ask any more questions. She simply helped me back to my room, leaving my father to deal with the wreckage.

She tucked me into bed, the movements efficient but still distant. The ice wall between us hadn't melted, not yet.

"Rest," she said, her tone clipped. "Don't involve yourself in this any further. I will handle it."

I knew I had a long way to go to earn back her trust. My weakness had always been a constant source of disappointment for her.

But as I watched her leave, I saw the first crack appear in that wall of ice.

It was a start.