The official letter arrived two days later.
Thick. White. Heavy like guilt, embossed with gold-foiled legal insignias Krishna didn't bother to read.
She popped the envelope open with the nearest available weapon - a butterknife - while sitting cross-legged on her couch, munching through burnt toast.
One glance at the lawsuit papers.
Assault.
Public misconduct.
Defamation of character.
Krishna blinked… and then, with all the care of someone tossing a gum wrapper, she let the papers slide off her fingers and land in the ever-growing pile she mentally labeled: "Other People's Problems I Refuse to Care About."
Aaron's family.
Of course.
Old Alpha bloodline. Rich, powerful, disgustingly entitled.
The kind of people who thought money could rewrite reality.
The kind who thought being humiliated by a Beta was grounds for public litigation and family shame control.
Krishna stretched her arms overhead, yawning like this was just bad morning television drama, then grabbed her phone and scrolled through memes, already predicting the incoming storm.
By noon… the real headache arrived.
Her phone lit up with one name she couldn't mute:
Lorenzo.
Krishna answered on speaker, not bothering to pause mid-bite.
"Wow. Two family interventions in one week. Should I buy a lottery ticket or just get baptized?"
Lorenzo's voice came sharp, cold, and dry like cracked winter air.
"You've officially crossed the line this time."
Krishna chuckled, chewing slow. "Took me this long? Honestly… I'm disappointed in myself."
"You're not listening," he said, voice clipped. "The Aaron family's filing full civil charges. Assault. Public indecency. Defamation. This isn't some bar fight people will forget by next week. They're coming for you. And hard."
Krishna dragged the phone closer, staring at the call screen like it owed her money.
"Defamation?" she snorted. "For knocking sense into a guy halfway through sexually assaulting an Omega? Wow. Classy."
"That's not how their lawyers are spinning it," Lorenzo replied flatly.
"Well… their lawyers can eat glass."
Silence.
Lorenzo finally spoke again, voice dropping colder. "Don't expect Harlan to bail you out this time. Or Father. No calls. No lawyers. No interference. You're on your own. Handle it."
The call cut.
Krishna lowered her phone slowly, staring at the blank screen…
And smiled.
That electric little buzz of mischief coiled under her skin like caffeine and gasoline.
Good.
No safety nets this time.
That meant no leash.
She stood, dusted toast crumbs off her shirt, grabbed her jacket, and with dramatic flair, shoved the crumpled lawsuit into her bag like it was just grocery receipts.
If they wanted a legal war…
She'd drag them through it.
And maybe… just maybe…
She'd go pay Mr. Aaron Alpha a visit.
After all…
It had been way too long since she broke something twice.
---
Court Day
Krishna showed up looking like every sob story rolled into one.
Soft curls pinned back with shaky bobby pins.
Minimal makeup - just enough eyeliner to look like she wiped away tears on the cab ride over.
A pale blue dress with long sleeves… high neckline… subtle, frail, Beta energy.
If you didn't know better…
You'd think she was the one being sued for breathing.
Across the hallway outside the courtroom, Aaron stood tall in his custom-tailored arrogance.
Suit sharp.
Hair slicked.
Smile... cocky as hell.
Like he wasn't the guy who spent half a night curled on a bar floor gasping for breath.
Krishna clutched the edges of her paperwork, trembling just enough to make it believable as she approached him.
"Aaron…" she breathed, voice soft, shaky, like it hurt her to even say his name. "I… I don't want this to get worse… Please… I don't have the kind of money your family's asking for…"
His laugh came slow and low, dripping with condescension.
"Oh… now you wanna play nice?" He stepped closer, eyes dragging over her from head to toe like she was prey he'd caught limping. "Where was this sweet little Beta energy when you were stomping on my ribs in public, huh?"
Krishna bit her lip, let her eyes gloss over. Let the vulnerability drip from her shoulders like she was seconds from breaking down right there in front of him.
"I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking… I panicked… I… I'll do anything to make this go away…" Her voice dropped further, just above a whisper, trembling like cracked glass. "Anything…"
That… got him.
Aaron's gaze darkened.
Predatory.
He leaned in, voice curling against her ear like spoiled wine.
"Anything, huh?"
Krishna kept her head bowed, shoulders tight, like she was already surrendering.
"If you're really that desperate…" he said, drawing each word out like honey over poison, "…there's a way. Drop the attitude… pay me with that pretty little body of yours… and maybe… just maybe… I'll tell my lawyers to pull back."
There it was.
Hook.
Line.
Sinker.
Krishna sniffled for extra effect. Took a shaky breath.
Then… with trembling lashes and a bite-sized, perfectly timed pause…
"…When and where?"
Aaron's grin stretched slow and wicked, already drunk on the illusion of control.
Krishna?
Internally?
Already counting down the minutes to his downfall.