Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown novel Chapter 276

Serena locked eyes with Aaron, refusing to look away.

His gaze was steady—no hint of panic, only confusion flickered there.

That expression didn’t look like an act.

And if it was? Then Aaron’s acting skills were truly Oscar-worthy.

Serena pressed a trembling hand against her wildly beating heart and spoke, cautious, testing the waters. “Did you know that I’m in a lawsuit with Penelope?”

Aaron’s brow furrowed.

He really didn’t know.

Ever since he’d arrived in Northspire, the Vance family had been pressing him to return home. To justify staying longer, he’d launched a new business venture in the city.

Caught up in work, he hadn’t paid attention to any legal disputes.

Even when Serena collapsed from hunger and landed in the hospital, he hadn’t had time to look into it himself; he’d only managed to ask Victor to check what had happened.

But so much had happened in the past few days, he’d completely forgotten to follow up with Victor.

Could it be…?

Did this have something to do with Penelope?

The thought sent a sharp, persistent ache through his chest.

But Serena had no idea about the storm of thoughts raging inside him. All she wanted now was to uncover the person backing Penelope. Who could it be?

“Aaron, you really don’t know about the lawsuit between me and Penelope?”

He snapped back to the present, catching the distrust in her eyes. Another stab of pain twisted inside him. “I swear, I didn’t know.”

“And you didn’t hire Nestor Leighton, either?”

“I don’t even know who Nestor Leighton is.”

Serena’s shoulders sagged in defeat.

Aaron’s reaction didn’t look like a lie.

But if not Aaron… who else could possibly bring in someone like Nestor Leighton?

She knew there were people coveting the antiques in her possession.

The largest wolf species alive, reaching up to six feet long—powerful, tireless, fiercely aggressive. Hunters in the wild feared them more than any other predator.

Aaron knew of only one organization in the world whose members bore that tattoo. But that group operated out of North America.

That was why Aaron had been so certain, back then, that Cynthia Lynwood couldn’t have been responsible for Dr. Owens’ death.

Cynthia Lynwood simply didn’t have the clout to command an organization that far-reaching.

Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to focus.

Ever since Victor had told him about the tattoo, Aaron had quietly started investigating the man—but turned up nothing.

He hadn’t dwelled on it, chalking it up to coincidence.

Maybe the killer wasn’t after Dr. Owens at all.

Maybe he was targeting the bodyguards—men who, truth be told, were anything but innocent.

But tonight, Serena had told him Penelope brought a lawsuit, and hired Nestor Leighton.

Aaron might not know Nestor Leighton, but the way Serena spoke, it was clear—this was no ordinary lawyer.