Page 31 of Ariel’s Possessive Prince

“This was the ‘project’ you were working on,” I state, remembering interrupting her the other day.

She nods, and her expression softens. “I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything before. I wanted to be sure, considering who was behind it.” Her eyes harden as they return to my father. “He approves the spending, then bills the cleanup at a premium while calling it community service. He manufactures crises to sell salvation.”

My father’s face freezes before morphing into fury. “You are out of your depth, little girl.”

Kara opens the folder and fans out glossy prints like cards—license plates, timestamps, metadata glinting under the office lights. “The Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Task Force will decide what it shows,” she says. “I sent them copies an hour ago. They’re in the lobby.”

“Those pictures will show legal waste transfers. The emails will show nothing unusual,” he splutters. “You have no idea what you’re accusing me of.”

A brief knock on the door precedes the entrance of two agents and a uniformed officer with rain on his hat brim. They say names and agencies, voices neutral and professional, and then the words every crime like this requires: we have a warrant.

My father’s laugh is an icy bark. “You’re making a mistake,” he says to them. “This is a board-level dispute.”

“This is an evidence-level situation,” the older agent says, stepping past me to hand over the paperwork. “We’ll let the board know where to send your counsel.”

For a second, I think he’ll run. Then the reality of his mistakes closes in around him. He turns to Kara and snarls, “Why?”

“Because I care about the water,” she answers, and the simplicity of it fills my chest with fierce pride. “Because you forgot what the company is for.”

They read him his rights. He listens, impatient and tight-lipped, eyes flicking over the room like a trapped animal.

As they step him out, he turns to me. “You think you’ve won something,” he says. “But all you’ve done is burn the inheritance that would’ve kept you warm into old age.”

“I haven’t burned anything worth keeping,” I dispute. “And I’d rather be cold than dirty.”

He holds my gaze for several seconds before turning that look on Ariel as if he wishes he could set her on fire. She doesn’t flinch. The door closes behind him and his “escorts,” and silence reigns.

Kara exhales a long, shaky and gives me the barest smile. “So,” she says, “are we done pretending?”

“Yes,” I say. “We’re done. Thank you, Kara.”

She nods. “Thank you for trusting me, Ev.”

I smile. “Always.”

Ariel moves forward to hug Kara. “Thank you,” she breathes. “For everything.”

Kara squeezes her tight. “I’m so glad you came into our lives.”

Tears shine in Ariel’s eyes as she pulls away. “Me too.”

Her hand finds mine, fingers cool and sure. I look at her. She looks at me. The room, the rain, the mess—we stand inside all of it, and somehow, I know it’s made us stronger.

“You okay?” I ask her.

“No,” she says, honest and soft. “But I will be.”

I look at Kara. “This company is yours now.”

Her mouth drops open. “Ev⁠—”

I hold up a hand, stalling her. “You’ve earned it. It’s always been more yours than mine.” I look at Ariel. “Besides, I think I’m gonna be busy keeping my future wife happy for the forseeable future. If she’ll have a disowned son without an inheritance.”

Ariel’s eyes shine with love as she looks at me. “I’ll take you any way I can have you.”

I pull her close and whisper so only she can hear, “Any way? I’ll hold you to that later, my little water nymph.”

Kara makes a sound of disgust. “Okay, get a room, you two. Or better yet, a boat.” She lifts the folder. “I’ll meet the board in thirty. I’ll tell them you’re resigning, Ev, and I’ll accept interim control, make sure you have a generous payout. We’ll put real cleanup first. No more theater.”