They Wanted My Mom to Take the Blame, but the Animals Told Me Everything Chapter 09

They Wanted My Mom to Take the Blame, but the Animals Told Me Everything Chapter 09

Mrs. Ashford walked over and took my hands, tears welling in her eyes. “Rina, if it weren’t for you and your mother, Leo would have…”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish. Instead, she pulled a check from her pocket and pressed it into my palm. “Take it. It’s a small token of appreciation from the Ashford family.”

I looked down at the number and nearly choked.

Seven figures.

“Mrs. Ashford, this is far too much…”

“Do you think my son’s life isn’t worth that much?” Orion had appeared behind me at some point, his voice still carrying that cool, detached tone.

I was speechless for a moment, but I took it. Figured I’d just donate most of it to the local stray animal shelter.

He also handed me a sleek black business card. “If you ever need anything, call this number. The Ashford family owes you a favor.”

I didn’t pass that up.

After all, you never know when you might run into trouble, and having a billionaire on speed dial is always a solid backup plan.

Dr. Harrison was fired the very next day. The new chief was a fair, reasonable middle-aged man, and my mother said the workplace culture improved drastically overnight.

Meanwhile, the Hanish Group was placed under investigation for multiple counts of corporate fraud. Within a week, their stock crashed, banks called in their loans, and suppliers filed lawsuits over unpaid contracts.

Mrs. Hanish’s properties were frozen, and Callie was formally indicted for assault and endangering public safety. On her court date, the news reported she had lost a shocking amount of weight and did nothing but sob at the defense table.

As for the man who released the snake, he took a plea deal after agreeing to testify against Callie.

I caught all of this from the news headlines.

Life quickly returned to normal.

Two months later, I officially graduated with my veterinary degree.

After blasting out my resume, I set my sights on the newly opened Eastwood Wildlife Park.

The park spanned over two thousand acres and housed dozens of rare, exotic animals. Rumor had it that the corporate giant backing the project had endless resources.

On the day of my interview, the HR assistant led me into a private conference room that was currently empty.

“Please wait for a moment, miss. The interviewer was held up for a moment, but he’ll be right in.”

I sat there, shifting boredly in my chair, until the door clicked open and Orion walked in.

He wasn’t wearing his heavy black trench coat today. Without the heavy black trench coat, he looked less untouchable than he had in the ER—still sharp, but easier to breathe around.

But his eyes were exactly the same.

Deep, quiet, and holding a look that felt like it could see right through you.

He flipped open my resume, his gaze lingering on my animal behavior coursework for a beat.

Then he looked up and smiled. “Miss Walsh, I have a question I’d like to ask you first.”

My heart skipped a violent beat.

Nobody warned me this man’s smile could be that devastating. As a sucker for a pretty face, I was struggling to keep it together.

“Go right ahead, Mr. Ashford.”

Before I could fully collect myself, he asked, “You seem to have a rather unusual way with animals.”

A long silence stretched between us before I finally offered a small smile. “What do you think, Mr. Ashford?”

The air in the interview room hung still for a few seconds, and then he closed my resume with a soft snap.

“I think you’re exactly what we’re looking for.”