Black Spoon: The Hidden Alpha Heiress

6| For Money

ARIANA MORIGAN

My phone vibrated because a message came in. I was still in the jewelry store. I opened the message and scanned it.

“Your debt is due. The principal and interest must be paid off this weekend. Otherwise, you will suffer the consequences!”

I took a deep breath. Messages from loan sharks kept coming. I had already borrowed money from many places to treat my father, but now I was confused about where else to find money to pay it off.

When I was about to return to the jewelry store owner, a new message came into my phone. This time, it came from the family doctor who usually came to do routine check-ups on my father’s health.

“Miss Ariana, I’m sorry to inform you. We just got a suitable organ donor for your father. The surgery must be performed immediately. This opportunity may not come a second time.”

I just read the message. There was happiness when I imagined that my father would be healthy again. However, I was also confused about where to get that much money to pay for the surgery. Meanwhile, my father’s assets had been frozen and controlled by my stepmother.

“Miss, how is it?” the jewelry store owner asked. “Are you going to sell this ring? If so, I suggest you go to a bigger jewelry store. They might be able to value it properly.”

I quickly wiped my tears. “Sir, can you tell me what price range I can get by selling this ring?”

“You can get at least 500 million,” the man answered patiently. “Or maybe more if you manage to find the right buyer!”

I was stunned when I heard the value. 500 million just for a black stone ring that looked ancient and old? I could even get a higher price if I found the right buyer. That amount was more than enough to cover my father’s medical expenses. But Sylas gave me this ring. If I sold it, would he be angry with me?

I put the ring back and quickly left. I started to worry that if someone heard or saw it, they might have bad intentions and take the ring by force. After that, I went to a bigger, more luxurious jewelry store in the city center. The jewelry store was very famous and often visited by celebrities and also the bourgeoisie of this country.

A saleswoman greeted me warmly. Without further ado, I immediately showed her the ring I brought.

“Miss, can you help me check how much this ring costs?”

The saleswoman wearing white gloves received my ring carefully and then brought it in to be checked. I waited there for quite a while, hoping to get a satisfactory result.

***

CASSIAN DWAIN

I was playing a game on my cellphone in my office when a staff member knocked on the door.

“Alpha Dwain, a customer wants to pawn her ring. But I think you need to see it first. Because this is an unusual ring,” said her.

I left my cell phone on the table and focused on the ring she showed me. When I first saw the ring, I was shocked. There is only one such ring in the world, and it has been owned by the Evergreen family for generations.

“Who brought this ring to our store?”

“I have never seen this woman before, Alpha.”

I immediately turned my chair and turned to the computer screen on my desk. I checked the surveillance camera and saw a woman waiting in our store.

“Ariana Morigan?” I muttered while squinting. “That means this ring is indeed Alderon’s, inherited from his mother, Selena Evergreen.”

“Alpha Dwain, what should I do?” my staff asked.

“Go back and tell the woman that we value this ring at two billion!”

My staff nodded and left my office. She returned to the front to meet Ariana and returned the ring she had offered to our store.

I took my cell phone and immediately called Alderon.

“Do you know what I just found in my jewelry store?” I said to Alderon in a panic.

“How should I know? I wasn’t even there,” Alderon replied indifferently.

“Your wife, Ariana Morigan. She came here carrying your family’s black stone ring. The Black Evergreen Ring. Did you give it to her? Or did she steal it from your vault?” I asked.

“Watch your words, Cassian!” Alderon reprimanded, sounding displeased. “Yes, I did give her the ring.”

“But, the problem is, she came to my shop and intended to pawn the ring. Isn’t she being too much? Black Evergreen is your great-grandmother’s heirloom ring,” I said in an unamused tone. Because I knew how much Alderon guarded the ring. He inherited it from generation to generation.

“I gave her the ring. It’s up to her what she wants to do with it. Just give her whatever she needs. I’ll guarantee it. I want to see how interested she is in money.”

Instantly, the anxiety and tension evaporated from my mind. I was able to sit back and relax. I nodded silently.

“I gave her two billion. It seems she didn’t mind. Are you really in love with this girl?”

I heard Alderon laugh softly on the other end of the phone. “Don’t worry. I’m just hiding my identity in order to find the facts behind Sylas’ mysterious disappearance.”

“Well, I believe you are not a man who will go crazy over a woman just like that. I will continue to follow your game and be ready to be an observer.”

***

ALDERON FEROX

Ariana came home with a tired face. I pretended to be indifferent to her. During that time, I kept holding myself back from talking about the heirloom ring I gave her.

“Sorry, I came home late,” Ariana said nervously.

“I thought you would stay at your family’s house. Didn’t you say you were going to visit your sick father?”

“Oh, yes, I have visited him. Now my father has been taken to the hospital. He will have surgery tomorrow,” Ariana replied while lowering her gaze.

“Wait a minute, I’ll bring you a drink.” Then she went to the kitchen without me asking.

I didn’t realize when Ariana came back. I was too focused on my cell phone. She put the drink on the table and sat beside me. At that time, I turned my head, and our faces were too close. Ariana didn’t seem to realize either. She was shocked and quickly stepped back to avoid me.

“Why are you so scared?” I asked.

“What are you doing?” Ariana said hesitantly.

That made me even more suspicious. What exactly did she want to say?

“Just checking the hunting information.”

“You seem very interested in monster hunting outside the walls,” Ariana muttered.

I stared at her sharply. “Well, why? Does Luna of the Fenrir pack feel disgusted by the monster hunters outside the walls? Or do you think that poor people like me are no different from the monsters you have to hunt?”

Ariana shook her head quickly and panicked. “That’s not what I mean. Of course, I understand how important monster hunting is, as it is carried out by hunters outside the walls. Because of the post-war policy, each pack must work together to send expeditions and capture monsters that roam outside the protective walls. If they don’t contribute, the pack must be prepared to be expelled from the walls. Of course, it will affect the reputation and survival of the pack.”

“Tch, you say it as if you have ever hunted. I’m sure spoiled girls like you only know how to enjoy the wealth and freedom of life inside the walls, no matter how many hunters’ lives have to die while facing the monsters outside for your safety!”

Ariana’s gaze softened. I didn’t like that kind of pitying gaze.

“Sylas, you might have misunderstood. I just wanted to know, have you ever hunted before?”

"Yes, several times!” I answered honestly. “Hunting and s*****y! Every prisoner must have done it,” I made up a little story this time.

I tried to restrain myself from gritting my teeth. I knew the association’s policy of using prisoners to hunt monsters was exceptionally cruel. Our family had opposed that policy for years, especially for Sylas. We have always considered the possibility that Sylas was imprisoned or exiled. We didn’t want him to suffer.

“Is the money earned from hunting monsters outside the walls big enough?” Ariana asked, looking very enthusiastic.

“It depends on the results of the hunt you get. There are some monsters that are quite highly valued. However, the risks that must be faced are no less great. Isn’t the Morigan company the one that most often sends expeditions from among prisoners to hunt outside the walls? You want big profits with small capital,” I said sarcastically.

Ariana didn’t hear what I said. She was thinking seriously. I looked at her suspiciously.

What exactly is she thinking and planning right now? Why is she pretending to be interested in hunting outside the protective walls?