Chapter 162 The Evidence

Ashford Lane

It took Eira and Lila nearly two hours to finish the security process at 10 Ashford Lane.

The guard checked Eira’s name against the resident list, then looked over Lila’s sedan.

"Dr. Crawford, the vehicle needs to be registered too. Only approved cars can enter. Unregistered vehicles have to stay outside the gate."

Eira didn’t own a car.

"What about a moving truck?" Lila asked. "Can it get temporary access?"

"Yes, but the request must be submitted at least two hours ahead of time. We need the moving company’s name, the driver’s ID, the license plate, the make, the model, and the color. If anything doesn’t match, the truck stays outside."

Lila whistled. "This place has tighter security than an airport."

The guard barely reacted. With his straight posture and serious expression, he looked like a former soldier.

"So every time I visit, Eira has to come down and let me in?" Lila asked.

"We can always meet for lunch," she added quickly. "It’s not a big deal."

Eira caught the disappointment in her voice and turned to the guard. "Can I register one of her cars under my name?"

Lila stared at her. "You can do that?"

"Dr. Crawford can register one guest vehicle each month," the guard said. "She’ll be responsible for it while it’s on the property. The association won’t cover any trouble the vehicle causes."

Eira nodded. "Register one of your cars. Use something ordinary."

Lila’s eyes stung. She pressed a hand to her chest. "I’ll pay you back by being the best little sister on the planet."

Eira glanced at her. "You’re already making this sound like a business deal."

"Fine. I’ll just be your favorite."

"You’re my only little sister."

"Exactly. I’ve got this in the bag."

Eira laughed.

Lila registered a sleek black sedan. Her grandparents had bought it for Luna Seraphina years earlier, and Luna Seraphina had passed it down to Lila when she turned eighteen. Once the guard entered the information, he sent the temporary access pass to Lila’s phone.

Then he waved them through.

He led them down a quiet lane shaded by tall oaks and maples. At the end stood a three-story brownstone converted into two private residences.

The building was old but well maintained. Its dark brick facade showed its age, and a short set of steps led to the entrance. Tall windows lined the upper floors, with a few window AC units sticking out from the frames. White drainpipes followed the corners, and neatly secured utility lines crossed parts of the brickwork.

Low hedges bordered the small iron fence.

Ashford Lane felt far removed from the city. No traffic, shouting, or strangers passing by. Only the rustle of leaves and the occasional car in the distance.

Eira’s unit occupied the entire third floor.

She unlocked the door, and she and Lila stepped inside.

The apartment had two bedrooms, a formal living room, a small dining room, a kitchen, and one full bathroom. The front rooms were shaded by the trees, while the south-facing windows at the back filled the apartment with light.

The layout had potential.

The rest needed work.

Dark walnut floors, faded yellow walls, heavy furniture, and old light fixtures made the place feel stuck in another decade. The sofa had lost its shape, and the dining chairs were worn around the edges.

Lila turned in a slow circle. "The light is great, but this furniture has got to go. What’s your style?"

"Mid-century modern." Eira looked around. "I’ll redo the whole place."

She took photos of every room with her phone, already planning the renovation. The walls needed fresh paint. The kitchen cabinets had to be replaced, and the bathroom needed a full update. She would send the photos and measurements to a design firm and get the work started as soon as possible.

Eira would not be moving in yet. Not with the apartment looking like this.

By noon, they finished the walkthrough and left the brownstone.

They grabbed lunch at a nearby diner. Eira had barely opened the menu when her phone rang.

Margaret Hale.

She stared at the name for a moment, then answered.

"I found something," Luna Margaret said. Her voice still carried the same commanding edge. "Come meet me."

Eira no longer flinched when Luna Margaret gave orders. "If you want the money, you come to me."

She texted the diner’s address.

Luna Margaret gave a cold little scoff. "Stay there."

Lila’s eyes lit up. "Wow. Mention money, and suddenly she has time. Let’s hope what she found is worth the trouble."

"It’s better than nothing." Eira needed more than proof that Alpha Sebastian and Serena had slept together. She had to prove that he had used marital money to support the affair.

Every piece counted.

Susan had warned her that they still needed stronger proof. A long history of Serena and Alpha Sebastian calling each other husband and wife would help. So would evidence that they had lived together.

If Eira filed, she wanted to come out swinging with a case that could hold up in court.

An hour later, Luna Margaret arrived with Isabella.

Eira wasn’t surprised. Aside from Margaret, no one wanted that money back more than Isabella.

A faint handprint still marked Isabella’s cheek. She dropped into the chair and glared across the table.

When her eyes met Eira’s, something complicated crossed her face. Eira had once been the person she hated most. Now Isabella knew that Eira had been the one protecting her and the entire Hale Pack.

Serena, the woman Isabella had trusted, was the real con artist.

The truth made Isabella furious. At Serena. At Eira. At everyone except herself.

"So you just let another woman blow through your husband’s money?" she snapped. "How useless can you be?"

"You spent all day sucking up to Serena and never noticed she was draining your brother’s account," Eira shot back. "You weren’t smarter than me. You were just easier to fool."

Isabella’s jaw tightened. "You little..."

"That’s enough." Luna Margaret caught her daughter by the arm. "Both of you, knock it off."

She pulled out her phone and slid it across the table. "You wanted video, so I recorded the entire text thread instead of taking screenshots. I saved the transfer records too. There’s nothing small or sentimental in them."

"Sebastian doesn’t do small," Lila said. "That man starts at six figures. He’d never leave a trail with some cute little payment."

Eira skimmed the recording and saved the useful sections to her phone. The file was too long to review at the table. Susan would have to go through the original before they used anything in court.

"Send me the full recording," Eira said. "Keep the original file."

Luna Margaret nodded, then looked at Isabella. "Show her the rest."

Isabella opened her bag and pulled out six printed international flight itineraries.

"I found them tucked under a drawer," Luna Margaret said. "The print is faded, but I verified the booking numbers with the airline."

Isabella tapped the papers. "Six years in a row. Serena’s birthday every time."

She looked at Eira, her voice sharp despite the swelling on her cheek. "My mom and I have been busting our backs to find this stuff. You’d better get every dime back. That snake doesn’t get to walk away laughing."

Eira didn’t answer. She was still uploading the recording when Alpha Sebastian’s name flashed across her screen.

The call dropped.

A second later, he called again. Then again.

Luna Margaret glanced at the screen. "I’ll take this."

She stepped outside before answering.

"Why are you calling like the building’s on fire?" Luna Margaret asked.

"Mom..." Alpha Sebastian began. He went quiet, then forced the words out.

"Serena’s pregnant."