Third Person's POV
"Yes."
Just as Vanya was about to leave, Cliff grabbed her arm from behind.
Vanya jerked her hand back as if she had been touched by something utterly repulsive.
She shot him a cold glance, then turned and ordered, "Before we leave, take down this funeral. It's bad luck!"
Stuart blocked Cliff and said coldly, "Alpha Cliff, please mind your manners."
Cliff narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Who do you think you are? You dare to stop me?"
Beta Elliot immediately led a group of people in, blocking Vanya's way out.
Vanya frowned—this was Cliff's usual tactic. He was used to acting with impunity in Los Angeles; no one had ever dared to stand in his way.
"Vanya, stay. Don't force me." Cliff's tone was laced with threat.
Vanya turned around and let out a cold laugh. "And what if I don't?"
At that critical moment, the sound of a large group of footsteps came from outside the church.
Beta Elliot sensed something was wrong and walked over to Cliff, saying, "Alpha Cliff, I think those are Theodore's people."
Outside the church, Theodore's men were all dressed in black uniforms, with the Winston family crest pinned to their chests.
The Winston family hadn't been very prominent for years, but in Los Angeles, who would dare stand in their way?
Theodore, dressed in a white shirt, stood beside Vanya like a towering pillar.
Behind him were twenty Winston family enforcers, their presence instantly making the atmosphere in the church heavy and tense.
"Alpha Cliff, how could you pick a fight without inviting me?"
Theodore put on his gloves. "My brothers here are itching for a fight. It's been a while."
"Theodore?" Cliff looked at Theodore, then at Vanya, as if suddenly understanding something.
His eyes reddened. "You haven't come back all this time—have you been with Theodore?"
"Didn't you see it for yourself?"
Vanya raised her eyebrows. "I advise you to sign the divorce papers obediently. Don't force me to use extreme measures, or you'll definitely regret it."
Those were the very words Cliff had once said to her in a previous life.
Now, she finally had the chance to return them—what goes around comes around, and it was time for Cliff to taste this feeling.
Vanya's smile faded. "Let's go."
Theodore simply raised his hand, and his men began to withdraw.
Cliff, still unwilling to give up, tried to chase after them, but Beta Elliot stopped him. "Alpha Cliff! You can't go after them! That's Theodore!"
"In Los Angeles, I'm the one in charge! Who does Theodore think he is?"
"Old Mr. Winston has already handed the entire Winston family over to Theodore! We can't afford to cross them!"
"Get out of my way!" Cliff shoved Beta Elliot aside, his gaze immediately landing on Melinda.
"Cliff..." Melinda was so frightened by the ruthlessness in his eyes that she backed away, afraid he might kill her.
"Take these three back and interrogate them thoroughly!" Cliff ordered.
"And Miss Coleman...?"
"Take her back and lock her in the basement!" Cliff's eyes were cold. "If Veronica asks, just say I've arranged for her to stay elsewhere."
"...Yes, Alpha Cliff."
"Cliff! I'm carrying your child! You can't do this to me! Let me go! Let me go!" Melinda struggled desperately, but her arms were pinned as she was dragged out of the church.
Beta Elliot picked up the divorce agreement from the floor and hesitantly asked, "Alpha Cliff, about this agreement..."
Cliff shot him a cold look, snatched the agreement, and tore it in half. "As long as I don't agree, Vanya will always be my wife. No matter how overbearing Theodore is, he can't take her from me."
"But Alpha Cliff, we're already in a tough spot. We can't afford to get into a conflict with the Winston family."
Cliff snorted coldly. "I'll make Theodore see who the real king of Los Angeles is."
As long as Theodore fell, Vanya would eventually come back to him.
Meanwhile, Vanya got into Derek's car and frowned as she asked, "Why are you here?"
Theodore replied calmly, "I was worried you might be in danger alone."
"Nonsense, he's just afraid you'll go soft on Cliff!" Derek chimed in from the front seat.
Theodore shot a cold glance at Derek in the rearview mirror, and Derek immediately shut his mouth.
Seeing this, Vanya couldn't help but laugh. "So even the fearless Theodore has things he's afraid of."
"There are plenty of things I'm afraid of," Theodore said, pretending to be casual. "I'm afraid you can't let go of Cliff, afraid you'll regret the divorce, afraid you... won't like me."
At the last sentence, Vanya blushed and turned her head away.
In the front seat, Derek looked utterly aggrieved by the sour atmosphere.
Could it be that he's been holding it in for too long?
He glanced at the way Theodore looked at Vanya in the rearview mirror, then quietly looked away.
Yes! He must have been holding it in for too long.
At that moment, in the airport, a graceful woman stepped off the plane in high heels.
She looked up at the sky over Los Angeles and smiled slightly. "Theodore, I'm back."
The dim basement was airtight, and after only three hours, Melinda was already on the verge of breaking down.
"Let me out... let me out!"
She pounded desperately on the basement door, but her voice couldn't penetrate the thick walls.
After a while, the basement door opened, and a sliver of light shone in.
Before Melinda could feel any relief, she saw Belinda.