Chapter 4 Wrongly Accused

Levi couldn't hold back his excitement. "Tell me where you are, and I'll come pick you up right away!" "Lenoville," Alexei replied calmly. "What?" Levi sounded stunned, like he couldn't believe his ears. He was clearly trying to process the fact that the legendary Dragon Healer was in the same city. "I'll be at the entrance of Daneo Bay Estate. You have an hour," Alexei said before hanging up. He grabbed his suitcase and headed downstairs. As he reached the front door, Frida blocked his way. "Hold it right there! You're not leaving." Alexei's brow furrowed. "Why not?" "I think you've stolen something from the house," Frida said, crossing her arms. "Until I figure it out, you're not going anywhere." Alexei sighed, his patience wearing thin. "I've signed the divorce papers. Can we not do this?" "Do what? I'm just being cautious. You signed that agreement way too quickly, didn't ask for a thing. Of course, it looks suspicious!" Frida snapped. "I'm not letting you take anything until I'm sure you haven't grabbed something valuable." Frida crossed her arms. "I don't have time for this," Alexei said firmly. "Don't even think about it! I'll call the police if I have to," Frida barked and grabbed his box. "Let go," Alexei said, his voice dropping an octave, cold enough to send a shiver down her spine. For a moment, Frida froze. Her grip on the suitcase slackened as an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her. It was like standing face-to-face with a predator, and she felt utterly powerless. Before anything else could happen, the screech of tires broke the tension. A car sped into the driveway, and Eric leaped out, storming toward them. He grabbed Alexei by the collar. "What the hell are you doing? Did you touch her?" "I didn't," Alexei said, his tone steady. "Don't lie to me! I saw it with my own eyes!" Eric shouted, his face twisted with rage. Hilda stepped out of the car then, her jewelry catching the light as she walked over with exaggerated confidence. "Eric, don't be so rude," she said with a smirk. "After all, he's your ex-brother-in-law. Try to show a little class." "Class? For this guy? Please," Eric sneered. He shoved Alexei back and wiped his hands on his pants like he'd just touched something disgusting. Alexei stood tall, unfazed. "Mrs. Miller," he said politely, acknowledging Hilda with a nod. "Drop the fake niceties. We're done here," Hilda snapped with a smirk. Alexei's eyes darkened, but he stayed silent. Three years of marriage, and his mother-in-law had never liked him. She always had something to say, some way to make him feel small. Now that the divorce was final, she must have been thrilled. "Alexei," Hilda began again, her tone dripping with condescension. "I know divorce is tough, but you should know your place." "My daughter's career is thriving now. She's our shining star, our future. The last thing we need is someone dragging her down, someone like you. "This is the best thing that could've happened to both of you." Alexei's fists tightened, his nails digging into his palms. They were divorced; she didn't need to keep twisting the knife. "What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked through gritted teeth. Hilda's smile turned sharper. "Oh, nothing much. Just making sure you didn't take anything that doesn't belong to you." "You know, our family owns some very valuable items; jewelry, antiques. It wouldn't be good if anything went missing," she added, her words pointed. Her eyes flicked to the box in Alexei's hand, and the implication was clear. Finally, it clicked. They weren't blocking him out of concern or principle. They thought he was a thief, sneaking off with their precious belongings. "Look, we're reasonable people," Hilda said. "Just open the box. Let us check. If there's nothing suspicious, you're free to go." Alexei's eyes narrowed. "And if I say no?" Hilda's confidence wavered for a split second, but she quickly recovered. "Excuse me?" "This box is mine," Alexei said, his voice firm. "Everything in it is mine. You don't get to touch it, and you don't get to decide what I do with it. Is that clear?" "If you won't let us check the box, you're just proving you're hiding something!" Hilda snapped, her tone sharp and accusing. "Let me be clear," Alexei said evenly, his tone sharp. "The Miller family owes me a lot. I owe you nothing." Something about the way he spoke, the unshakable certainty in his words, made Hilda instinctively step back. It was unsettling. This wasn't the meek man she was used to ordering around. "Ah, so this is the real you," Eric said, his voice thick with disdain. He cracked his knuckles, stepping forward with a sneer. "Think you're tough now? Let's see how tough you really are."