The baby store went silent.
The manager accepted the black card with both hands.
Sweat appeared across his forehead as he examined the silver wolf emblem and the security code beneath it.
“This card carries full Vale household authorization,” he said.
“Please accept my deepest apologies, ma’am.
The footage will be preserved immediately.”
Coel’s face tightened.
“You should be asking her to pay, not apologizing.”
The manager barely glanced at him.
Isla held out her hand for the card.
“I’m not using it to pay for damage I didn’t cause.
I want the security footage secured before anyone can erase it.”
“Of course.”
The manager returned the card and turned toward an employee.
“Retrieve every recording from this aisle since she entered the store.”
The employee hesitated.
“But Alpha Reese already explained—”
“Now.”
The sharp order sent her hurrying toward the security office.
Coel stepped forward.
The Vale guard immediately moved between him and Isla.
“Are you accusing me of lying?” Coel demanded.
“The footage will confirm your story if you told the truth,” the manager replied.
“Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Yes, Alpha Reese.”
“Then you should know better than to challenge my word.”
The manager’s gaze moved briefly to the card in Isla’s hand.
“I also know whose authority that card represents.”
Unease flickered across Coel’s face.
Before he could respond, the large display behind the counter came to life.
The employee had connected the security recording to the screen.
Everyone turned toward it.
The footage showed Coel approaching Isla while she examined the baby socks.
The store’s security system had captured every word as he insulted her pregnancy and called her child a bastard.
His vulgar offer played next.
Several customers looked at him with open disgust.
The recording showed Coel blocking Isla’s path and releasing his Alpha command.
Then came the slap.
“Good for her,” a woman whispered. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Coel growled, but the worst was still to come.
On the screen, Isla stood several feet from the display as Coel deliberately shoved it.
He snatched the basket from her hand and dropped it among the shattered merchandise before accusing her of causing the damage.
The recording ended.
No one spoke for several seconds.
“He used an Alpha command on a pregnant Omega,” someone murmured.
“Then destroyed the display because she rejected him,” another customer said.
Coel’s face burned red.
The manager turned toward him.
“Do you have anything to say in your defense, Alpha Reese?”
“It was a misunderstanding.”
“You deliberately destroyed my merchandise and attempted to blame another customer.”
Coel shrugged, though the muscles in his jaw tightened.
“It was one display.
Send the bill to my family.”
“The preliminary damage is seventy thousand dollars.”
His arrogance cracked.
“That is impossible.”
“The display contained limited-edition crystal keepsakes, imported care equipment, and custom products that can no longer be sold because of the broken glass.
That amount does not include the disruption to my business or the formal complaint for harassing a customer.”
“You expect me to pay seventy thousand dollars over this nonsense?”
“I expect you to take responsibility.”
Coel attempted to walk away, but two store security officers blocked the exit.
The Vale guard remained beside Isla.
“Move,” Coel ordered.
“We have contacted the commercial district authorities,” the manager said.
“You may settle the damages now and provide your details for the complaint.
If you refuse, security will prevent you from leaving until the officers arrive.”
“You dare detain me?”
“I dare protect my business.”
Coel’s furious gaze returned to Isla’s black card.
This time, he examined the markings more carefully.
His eyes stopped on the gold lettering.
Authorized Household Account: Logan Vale.
The color drained from his face.
“Why do you have Logan Vale’s authorization?”
Isla slipped the card back into her purse.
She owed him no explanation.
Suspicion and anger twisted together across his face.
“What did you do to get that?”
Isla turned to the manager.
“I would still like to purchase the things in my basket.”
“After what happened, they’re yours.
Please choose anything else you want from our VIP collection as well.”
“That isn’t necessary.
I’ll pay for what I selected.”
The manager hesitated before picking up the little gray wolf toy.
“Then please accept this as the store’s apology.”
Isla considered it.
The manager had been too quick to believe Coel, but he had corrected his mistake once confronted with evidence.
She accepted the wolf.
“Thank you.”
The guard collected her shopping bag and accompanied her toward the exit.
Behind them, Coel struggled against the security officers.
“You planned this!” he shouted.
“You wanted to humiliate me!”
Isla stopped beside the door.
She did not look back.
“You approached me.
You harassed me.
You destroyed the display, and then you lied about it.” Her damaged voice remained calm.
“You humiliated yourself.”
“I’m not done with you!”
“We were done the moment I rejected your sorry ass.”
Isla walked outside without looking back.
Logan listened to the guard’s report without interrupting.
The office grew colder with every detail—the insult to Isla’s child, the sexual harassment, the Alpha command, and Coel’s attempt to frame her.
“She wasn’t injured?” Logan asked.
“No, Alpha.
She handled Reese herself.”
Gold entered Logan’s eyes.
“Cancel every Vale contract connected to Coel Reese.”
His Beta hesitated.
“All of them?”
“Every one.”
Logan’s voice dropped to a lethal calm.
“He dared to threaten my wife.”