Chapter 156 Mother
Third POV
Asher opened the file slowly, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown. Ashley scoffed beside him, her arms crossed as she watched his face change.
Inside the folder were about twenty photographs. Each one showed Asher and Hazel together at various locations around the mall. Some captured them laughing. Others showed them walking close together, Hazel’s hand on his arm. The most damaging ones showed the moment they’d run into Estelle at the luxury store, with clear shots of Estelle’s detached expression as she witnessed their intimate interaction.
Dorothy’s breathing grew heavier as Asher flipped through each photo.
“What gives you the right to bring that woman out and parade her in front of Estelle?” Dorothy’s voice exploded through the room. “As if cheating on your wife isn’t bad enough, you parade your mistress around where she can see?”
Jessie stepped forward, her face twisted with disgust. “I’ve been telling you for years that Hazel Banner is a no-good witch! She’s been trying to seduce you since you were teenagers!”
“Mom, that’s not—” Asher started.
“Don’t you dare defend her!” Jessie’s voice cracked with fury. “That cursed woman has been nothing but trouble for this family!”
Dorothy struggled to sit up straighter in bed, her eyes blazing. “You already have a perfectly good wife, Asher! Estelle is loyal, capable, and devoted to you. Why are you wasting time with some random woman who’s trying to steal the Luna position?”
“She’s not random,” Asher said quietly, his jaw tight.
“Then what is she?” Dorothy demanded.
“She—”
Ashley rolled her eyes. “She’s obviously his side piece. Men always think they need variety.”
Dorothy’s glare could have melted steel. “Estelle deserves better than this humiliation. She’s been nothing but good to this family, and you repay her by—”
“Don’t talk bad about my mom!”
Everyone turned as Finn burst into the room. His small face was red with anger, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides.
The five-year-old rushed straight to Dorothy’s bed and started hitting her legs through the blanket with his tiny fists.
“Don’t say mean things about my mommy! She’s good! She’s not bad!”
Silence filled the room. Ashley’s mouth fell open while Jessie went pale. Dorothy stared down at the child in shock.
Asher felt his blood turn to ice. “Finn, get back here right now.”
Finn ignored him completely, continuing to defend Hazel. “My mommy is nice! She makes me soup when I’m sick! She reads me stories!”
Dorothy’s voice was dangerously quiet. “Estelle is your mother, child.”
“No, she’s not!” Finn shouted. “That evil woman isn’t my mommy! My real mommy has yellow hair and she smells like flowers and she—”
The sharp crack of Jessie’s palm across Finn’s cheek cut off his words. The little boy stumbled backward, his hand flying to his reddened face.
“You ungrateful little brat!” Jessie hissed. “How dare you speak about Estelle that way? She’s raised you like her own son!”
Finn’s eyes filled with tears. His lower lip trembled as he looked around the room at all the angry adult faces.
“I want my real mommy,” he whispered, then burst into sobs.
Asher moved quickly, scooping Finn up and holding him protectively against his chest. No matter what chaos this created, Finn was still his son. He couldn’t stand seeing the boy hurt, even if his own actions had caused this mess.
“Don’t touch him again,” Asher warned Jessie, his voice low and threatening.
Dorothy’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “This child has no manners. You’ve failed to teach him respect, Asher.”
“He’s been sick,” Asher said defensively, rubbing Finn’s back as the boy cried. “His memories get confused sometimes. The fever makes him say strange things.”
Ashley let out a harsh laugh. “His memories wouldn’t be confused if you didn’t bring Hazel around him so often.”
The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.
Dorothy’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “What did you just say?”
Jessie’s face went from pale to green. “Ashley, shut your mouth.”
But it was too late. Ashley realized her mistake the moment the words left her lips.
Dorothy’s voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “Repeat what you just said, Ashley.”
Ashley’s throat worked as she swallowed hard. “I… I just meant…”
“You said Finn’s memories wouldn’t be confused if Asher didn’t bring Hazel around him so often.” Dorothy’s sharp mind latched onto every word. “How exactly is Hazel Banner around my great-grandson so often?”
The room fell into suffocating silence. Finn’s sobs were the only sound as he clung to his father’s shirt.
Asher felt sweat break out across his forehead. Jessie looked like she might faint. Ashley stared at the floor, clearly wishing she could disappear.
Dorothy’s piercing gaze moved from face to face, reading the guilt written across each one.
“I’m waiting for an answer,” she said, her voice carrying the authority of someone who had been Luna of this pack for decades. “How is Hazel Banner around Finn so often?”