#Chapter 89: 2 Truths, 1 Lie
Abby
“Gerald, Abby, would one of you care to explain what’s going on?”
Karl’s voice is somehow exceedingly calm, juxtaposed against the chaotic energy filling the room. I feel
like I’ve just stepped into a scene that I never should have witnessed with my own eyes, like a
complete stranger in a home that I once used to rule.
Gerald wastes no time with his explanation. “I found her in your private office upstairs, sir,” he
announces, as if he’s just solved a great mystery. “She was reading your emails, going through your
personal computer.”
Karl turns toward me, his face covered in a puzzled expression. “Abby? Is this true?”
I nod, feeling embarrassed. “Yes, to an extent. But—”
Suddenly, Gerald butts in before I can finish. “Sir, I’ve always suspected she’s a spy for another pack,
and this just further proves my point.”
My jaw drops open, incredulous. I whirl around to face Gerald, wincing against his iron grip on my arm.
“Really, Gerald? A spy? Are you losing your marbles? What pack would I even be spying for, and
why?”
He sneers, his eyes turning into two narrow slits of suspicion. “I’m not entirely sure, but it’s no secret
I’ve had my eye on you for years. Your behavior has always been…off. Perhaps you even plotted with
that gardener—what was his name? The one who has conveniently run away—to create this ‘cheating’
fiasco as a distraction.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It feels like I’ve just stepped into some sort of parallel universe, one
where wild accusations are flung around like confetti.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Gerald, you’re completely delusional,” I fire back, my voice shaking with a mixture of anger and
disbelief. “I’ve never done any such thing. You’re so busy playing detective that you’re seeing
conspiracies where there are none!”
Gerald scoffs. “Ha! As if I don’t—”
“Be quiet!” Karl’s voice booms, echoing off the walls of the study, drowning out my indignation and
Gerald’s baseless accusations. The room falls silent, like a courtroom awaiting a verdict. Meanwhile,
Gianna leans casually on the desk behind Karl, a knowing smirk on her face.
All I can do is think back to the moment I witnessed between her and Gerald earlier; was this a plan of
theirs, somehow? To make me look bad in front of Karl? I always knew that Gianna hated me, but this
feels like a new low, even for her.
Karl’s gaze locks onto mine, and for a brief moment, I see a flicker of something—doubt? Concern? It’s
hard to tell. Then he turns his attention to Gerald.
“Do not interrupt her,” Karl commands, his voice as icy as his stare. He turns back to me, and his stare
is just as icy. It’s clear that he’s not entirely sure who to believe right now. “Abby, explain yourself.”
I stand there, frozen, my eyes locked onto Karl’s. The atmosphere is so thick with tension, you could
cut it with a knife. Gerald’s grip is like iron on my arm, branding me as if I’m already guilty.
“Listen, Karl,” I stammer, my voice laced with desperation, “I just thought you left your laptop on. I was
going to turn it off.”
Karl’s eyes narrow, but not in suspicion—more in contemplation, as if he’s piecing together a
complicated puzzle. “And the emails?” he asks, his voice neutral.
“I’ll admit that it caught my eye,” I mutter, swallowing hard. “I was curious, yes, but I wasn’t trying to
steal anything.”
Karl seems to absorb this, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he turns to Gerald. “You can let
her go, Gerald. I believe her.”
“Sir?” Gerald asks, sounding incredulous. “Are you—”
“I said, let her go.” Karl’s voice is low, stern, and oddly terrifying. It’s moments like this that I’m
reminded of the fact that he’s an Alpha, through and through.
The butler loosens his grip, a look of disbelief contorting his face. But before he can leave, Gianna,
who’s been watching the whole scene unfold like some sort of soap opera, steps in.
“Wow, Karl,” she sneers, her lips curling into a contemptuous smile. “So now we’re letting not just
cheaters but liars and thieves back into our home?”
The room goes silent. A rush of blood fills my ears. I can’t believe she just said that.
Karl’s face reddens, his eyes flashing with something that looks a lot like betrayal. “Both of you, out.
Now.”
Gianna tosses her hair over her shoulder, glaring at me one last time before stalking out of the room,
her heels clicking angrily against the hardwood floor. Gerald follows, throwing me a disdainful glance as
he leaves.
The door slams shut, and I’m left standing there, my heart pounding in my chest, my eyes blurring with
tears I refuse to let fall.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur, wiping away a stray tear. “I never should have come.”
I turn and make my way to the door, but Karl’s voice stops me. “Abby, wait.”
I don’t turn around. I can’t turn around. I’m too scared to see the expression on his face. What if it
mirrors Gianna’s or Gerald’s? What if he thinks I’m guilty too? What if there’s still a hint of her lipstick
on his lips?
Instead, I rush out of the room, bolting up the stairs and to my room, ignoring the confused stares of the
dinner guests.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
…
A soft knock on my door interrupts my thoughts a little while later. I’m sitting on my bed, my mind still
swirling, when Karl walks in. He looks drained, as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.
“May I?” he asks, gesturing to the empty space beside me on the bed.
I nod, scooting over to make room. He sits down, and for a long moment, we’re both silent, lost in our
thoughts.
“I know you didn’t steal anything,” Karl finally says, breaking the silence. “And I feel like I should explain
myself too. About… Gianna.”
My throat clenches. I’m about to tell him that I don’t want to know, but it’s too late.
“It was a misunderstanding,” he says. “She said she has feelings for me, and she kissed me. But I’m
not interested in her. I hope you know that.”
For reasons that I don’t want to admit to myself, I feel almost relieved. Almost.
I swallow, trying to feign indifference. “What goes on between you two is none of my—” I begin, but I’m
quickly cut off.
“No, Abby,” Karl says, his voice firm. Before I can stop him, he reaches over to grip my hand. His
fingers are warm and smooth. “I’m not interested in Gianna. I never have been, and I never will be.”
For a moment, my mouth hangs open slightly, as though the words want to come but can’t seem to spill
out the way they should. What would I even say, though? That I’m glad? That seeing her lipstick on his
face filled me with more pain than I thought possible?
Then, before I can say anything once again, Karl speaks up once more. “Now, I have to ask… did you
see anything… important on my computer?”
I hesitate, unsure of how much I should reveal. Finally, I decide that honesty is the best policy. “I saw
an email exchange between you and Adam,” I say cautiously. “About some rare ingredients.”
As the words leave my mouth, I watch Karl’s face turn pale, his eyes widening ever so slightly. For a
split second, he looks vulnerable, almost afraid. It’s a look I’ve never seen on him before, and
something about it chills me to the bone.
“What’s wrong, Karl?”