Chapter 137 The Car That Wasn’t Hers

"Seriously?" Isabella rolled her eyes, but she was already reaching for the bag.

She lifted it from the glass case and turned it over in her hands. Small, sleek, and exactly her style.

"Besides, it came out of my brother’s pocket," she said. "One bag isn’t going to break the bank."

Serena smiled. "It looks great on you."

"I know, right?"

Isabella slipped the strap over her arm and admired herself in the mirror.

While Isabella was distracted, Serena scanned the shelves. A black gift box was tucked behind the handbags.

She pulled it out.

"What’s that?" Isabella asked.

Serena opened the lid.A set of car keys lay inside.

Isabella picked them up. "Car keys?"

She turned them over and spotted the Porsche emblem.

"But my brother already has a car. And we have the family SUV. Why would he buy another one?"

Her eyes widened.

"Unless Eira bought it."

Serena looked at her. "Eira drives?"

Isabella snorted. "Please. That woman can barely get around town. Whenever we visit the family cemetery, Dad or Sebastian drives her."

Serena’s fingers tightened around her purse.

If Eira couldn’t drive, the car probably wasn’t for her.

Isabella stared at the keys. Then her face lit up.

"Wait. You think Sebastian bought it for me?"

Serena gave her a small smile.

She didn’t need to answer.

"Oh my God. He did." Isabella hugged the keys to her chest. "My brother bought me a car!"

"Why don’t you go see it?"

"Hell yes."

Isabella hurried toward the garage, with Serena following close behind.

They pulled the cover off together.

A Volcano Gray Porsche Panamera gleamed beneath it.

Isabella stared at the car. "Okay, I’m not going to lie. I hate the color."

"Take it for a spin before you judge it," Serena said.

"Gladly."

Isabella climbed into the driver’s seat, grinning from ear to ear.

"Try not to miss me."

The engine roared. A second later, the Porsche shot out of the garage.

Serena watched it disappear down the road.

Only then did her smile fade.

The car had not been bought for Isabella.

It had been bought for Eira.

Serena had been using Alpha Sebastian’s main credit card for months. The day before, she had noticed that more than half of the available credit was gone.

Now she knew where at least some of that money had gone.

Alpha Sebastian had spent it on Eira.

The thought made Serena’s jaw tighten.

Her phone rang.

Jordan.

She answered at once. "Is Sebastian looking for me?"

"Ms. Winthrop, Sebastian has been tied up all morning. He asked me to contact you about something important. Are you free?"

"Right now."

"Perfect. I’ll see you soon."

They ended the call.

Serena glanced toward the road. This worked out better than she had expected. She could not take Isabella to the stables anyway. The city’s best riding club was outside town and members-only, and Serena had no way through the gate.

She called Isabella.

Isabella answered on the second ring, sounding thrilled.

"Bella, Jordan just called. Sebastian needs to discuss something with me, so I have to skip the stables today. Can we take a rain check?"

"Seriously? I was looking forward to it."

"I know. But you have a brand-new Porsche waiting for you."

"That’s fair." Isabella laughed. "We’ll go next time."

--

Jordan had chosen a café across from Hale Tower. It was quiet enough for a private conversation and close enough for Serena to keep an eye on the building.

"Ms. Winthrop."

He waited until she sat down before taking the chair across from her.

Serena glanced toward Hale Tower. "We’re five minutes from Sebastian’s office. He couldn’t tell me this himself?"

"He’s tied up with the Carter project. Carter’s watching him closely. If the bid falls apart, Alpha Sebastian could be pulled from the project or placed on leave."

Her irritation faded. Alpha Sebastian’s position still mattered to her. Without his money and connections, she had no chance of building her own research team.

"What’s going on?"

"Things at home have become complicated," Jordan said. "Alpha Sebastian wants to make sure the situation doesn’t create problems for you."

Serena’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of problems?"

"Luna Eira may challenge several payments Alpha Sebastian made during the marriage. The apartment, the car, the jewelry, and the money transferred to your account."

"She can’t just take those things back."

"If the money came from marital assets, she may be able to seek reimbursement. The total value could exceed a hundred million dollars."

Serena stared at him. "So what does Sebastian want me to do?"

Jordan placed a folder on the table.

"He wants you to sign an acknowledgment stating that the apartment and the car were part of an investment arrangement, not personal gifts."

"That’s not what they were."

"I know."

Her expression hardened. "So this is a cover story."

"It’s an attempt to put the arrangement in writing before Eira’s attorney starts asking questions. It may help. It may not. Without documentation, you have no protection at all."

Serena glanced at the folder but did not open it.

Jordan held out his hand. "The card first."

She pulled Alpha Sebastian’s black card from her purse and dropped it onto the table.

"Jordan, you know Sebastian loves me."

[He used to,] Jordan thought.

He slipped the card into his pocket. "Sign the agreement."

Serena scanned the first page. "It says I won’t owe him anything if the investment fails."

"That’s the idea."

"And if Eira takes this to court?"

"You may still have to answer questions. This only gives us a position to defend."

Serena’s pride took a hit, but she signed the agreement and pushed it back to him.

Jordan collected the papers. "One more thing. The apartment and the car will be described as loans."

"Loans?" Serena’s voice sharpened.

"That’s how Alpha Sebastian wants the transactions recorded."

She stood, furious. Then she stopped.

"What about the Porsche he bought for Isabella?"

Jordan frowned. "What Porsche?"

Serena gave him a cold look and walked out.

His phone rang a moment later.

Isabella.

"Hello, Miss Hale."

"Jordan, the Porsche is insured, right?" Her voice was small and nervous. "I had a little accident."

Jordan closed his eyes. "How bad?"

"I clipped a curb. The paint’s scratched, and the front bumper is dented."

"And the hood?"

There was a pause.

"It’s only a little bent."

Jordan pressed two fingers to his temple.

It was going to be a very long day.