Chapter 156: Perfect Trap
Chapter 156 of "Mated To The Crippled Alpha" starts unveiling mysteries: Standing off to the side, I was honestly enjoying the scene.Still, I felt Lewis had... Keep reading!
Standing off to the side, I was honestly enjoying the scene.Still, I felt Lewis had been a little too polite.
I crossed my arms and looked straight at Monica.
"Aunt Monica, youâve got some nerve. First you stole my motherâs mate, and now youâre eyeing her son-in-law too? Whatâs wrong with you? Canât you find your own man?"
"I didnât " Monicaâs voice shook. "I may not have a formal bond with your father, but I truly love him!"
She turned toward Grant with teary eyes, looking wrong and stiff all at once.
Maybe she once had charm. Now, years of fixing and reshaping had frozen her face. Her attempt at crying looked unnatural like something carved, not felt.
I tilted my head.
"Dad, how do you live with that face every day? She looks like one of those wax figures where you canât tell if theyâre smiling or mourning."
Grant flinched.
By now, he knew exactly where the power sat.
"Riley," he said carefully, "donât be childish. I know I failed you and your mother. Iâve been trying to make up for it. But Lincy is still my daughter. I canât just watch her get locked away. If you have conditions, say them."
I sat down slowly on the couch, weighing my options.
If I held my ground and Lewis stayed silent, Lincy was done.
I tapped my fingers lightly against the leather armrest. Monicaâs sharp edges softened instantly.
"Riley," she said quietly, "I know you hate me. I deserve it. But Lincy is still your sister. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Iâll do anything. Just save her."
I looked at her calmly.
"Aunt Monica, thatâs all I needed to hear. What you and my father did to my mother and me canât be erased with apologies. If you want Lincy saved, I have conditions."
"Name them."
"First," I said evenly, "sell everything. Every luxury item. Bags. Jewelry. Savings. All of it. Donate it to disaster relief."
Her eyes widened.
"Second, transfer all of Lincyâs properties and assets into my name."
Her lips parted, trembling.
"Third, Lincy is permanently barred from working in any business tied to the Ashbourne name."
Silence slammed into the room.
I had stripped them of everything. Years of scheming gone in a few sentences.
Even without official titles, Monica had drained plenty from Grant over the years.
"Riley..." she stammered, panic flooding her face. "Youâre trying to ruin us."
I crossed my legs and smiled coldly.
"Donât be dramatic. You built your life by using your daughter as a tool. Iâm only asking you to return what you took."
I leaned back.
"If you truly love my father the way you claim, then these things should mean nothing to you. Iâm already being generous. I havenât even asked for compensation for the twenty years you stole from my mother and me."
She bit her lip, unable to argue.
After a long pause, she whispered, "...I can agree. But Lincy is a Ashbourne . Whatâs hers should stay hers. How can I cut her off completely?"
I answered without hesitation.
"Prison belongs to her too."
Then I looked straight at her.
"Remember this you came to me begging. When you ask for mercy, you donât bargain. Compared to what you and your daughter have done, a few years behind bars is mercy. Honestly, even if Lincy rotted away forever, it still wouldnât repay what I lost."
As my voice turned cold, Grant finally spoke.
"Riley, I can cut ties with them. But Lincy carries my name. Sheâs my responsibility."
I looked at him without warmth.
"So you plan to clean up after her forever? The only reason sheâs this reckless is because you always protected her. If you donât let her bleed for her mistakes now, saving her means nothing. Sheâll just do it again."
I rubbed my temples and exhaled. I was exhausted.
"My conditions donât change. Take time to think if you need to but donât waste Lincyâs time. Once she admits guilt, not even Lewis can pull her back after judgment is passed."
I stood to leave.
"Alright!" Monicaâs voice cracked behind me. "I agree. Iâll do everything you asked. Just save Lincy."
I knew exactly what she was thinking.
As long as Lincy lived free, Monica would never truly suffer.
And Grant would never fully abandon them.
They had no idea.
What my mother and Riley endured for years
It was finally their turn.
I turned back to Grant .
"And you?"
He swallowed. "Fine. I agree."
"Good." My tone was flat. "Then itâs settled. But remember if you break this agreement, youâll pay twice over."
I looked at Lewis.
"Any objections?"
He smiled calmly. "If my mate has decided, I have none."
Grant âs shoulders loosened slightly.
"Whatâs the plan?" he asked.
"Itâs simple," I said. "Find the man who tampered with the car. Let him confess. He takes full responsibility. The charge against Lincy is built on loose threads. Once his statement clears her, the case collapses."
Grant stared at me.
"You already found him?"
"I reached him before the authorities did."
Everything made sense now.
Lewis hadnât been worried not for a second.
Lincyâs fate had been in my hands from the start.
Lewisâs voice was calm, but there was steel beneath it.
"So her future depends on whether you keep your word. If you donât, thereâs no guarantee more evidence wonât surface."
Grant frowned. "Weâre family. Is this really necessary?"
Lewis glanced at him, expression empty.
"You misunderstand. Riley, her mother, and I are family. The rest of you donât belong to my circle."
He checked the time.
"Itâs late. Riley needs rest. Any further arrangements go through Theo. Riley, letâs go."
"Alright."
I pushed him into the elevator. As the doors closed, I caught Monicaâs face dark, tight, defeated.
Too late.
They shouldâve known better.
I wasnât Riley anymore.
Everything they took from me
They would return it, piece by piece, and crawl back to where they came from.
I looked at Lewis.
"You planned all of this from the beginning."
He answered easily. "Sending her away wouldâve been a waste. Using her was smarter. But I never intended to interfere."
"You were waiting for me to choose."
"Yes." His gaze softened. "As long as youâre satisfied, the outcome doesnât matter."
My heart skipped.
Before I could move, his presence closed in no space, no escape.
The elevator was dark. Cold metal behind me. Heat in front.
Only his outline showed in the faint city light.
My pulse raced.
"Lewis "
His hand cupped my face, cutting me off with a kiss that stole the rest of my breath.
The restraint heâd worn so long cracked in that moment.
The hunger underneath was impossible to ignore.
My legs weakened, and I clutched his neck, letting my weight fall into him.
His voice brushed my ear, low and sure.
"Donât sleep alone tonight. Stay with me."
I didnât answer.
I didnât need to.