Divorced and Chased by My Alpha Billionaire Ex-Husband
Chapter 116: Unanimous Agreement

Chapter 116: Unanimous Agreement

The Elder regarded her thoughtfully, brow furrowed. "Hmm."

Hades finally broke his silence, voice trembling with a mix of anger and urgency. "There’s no need to consider such nonsense, Elder," he said, forcing an unconvincing laugh. "That video is clearly fabricated."

The Elder glanced back and forth between Hades and Atticus, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to gauge the truth.

But it was Atticus who stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding, addressing the room directly.

"If Hades is so certain the video is false," he said, a hint of challenge in his tone, "then let him swear upon the Moon Goddess that he never had any romantic affair with Sophia, the witch’s daughter."

Gasps rippled through the crowd, and a wave of murmurs filled the hall.

The intensity of the moment pulled everyone into it, binding them with the weight of Atticus’s challenge.

After a moment, nods of agreement spread across the crowd.

One of them, a Gamma from the Grey Pack, rose to his feet.

"We want an honest Alpha King," he declared, his voice resonating in the hall. "If Hades Grey insists that video is false, let him take the oath."

A chorus of agreement followed, voices rising as attendees voiced their approval.

"Yes!" "Let him swear!"

"An oath upon the Moon Goddess!"

A bead of sweat slid down Hades’s forehead.

His jaw clenched tightly, and his hands fisted at his sides.

Aurora felt a chill rush through her at the sight, understanding the danger of what Atticus was asking.

Aurora knew Hades and Sophia had once been involved.

The oath, if broken, would have catastrophic consequences.

Many Alphas in the past had sworn falsely, only to meet tragic fates in punishment for their deception.

Elizabeth’s glare intensified, her voice rising above the din of the crowd. "Enough! You all have been misled. My son—Hades is a loyal Alpha! He doesn’t deserve these baseless accusations."

Atticus watched Elizabeth’s defense of Hades with a faint smirk, then turned to the Elder, who was still visibly torn.

"Elder," Atticus said, his voice filled with certainty. "With respect, we all saw the footage. The truth is obvious. For the sake of transparency, let Hades answer with an oath."

All eyes fell on Hades.

He swallowed, glancing around the hall, his gaze flickering over the suspicious and questioning faces surrounding him.

He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, clearly struggling to decide his next move.

His gaze darted to his mother, who nodded vigorously, silently urging him to refute the accusations.

"Do it, Hades," Elizabeth whispered fiercely. "Just swear and put an end to this nonsense!"

But Hades’s resolve wavered.

He understood the risk of swearing falsely on the Moon Goddess—if he lied, he would bring down a wrath he could neither control nor survive.

And yet, to admit the truth would destroy him just as thoroughly, stripping him of his position, his status, and the future he’d spent his life pursuing.

The silence stretched out until it was almost unbearable.

Atticus turned to Hades, his gaze cold and firm. "So, Hades, are you going to take that oath or not?" he challenged, his voice sharp as steel.

Caught in the gaze of everyone in the hall, Hades found himself trapped. His eyes darted from Atticus to the faces in the crowd, then to his mother, whose confidence in him had now dissolved into unease.

Hades’s fists clenched and unclenched as he struggled for words.

Under his breath, Atticus muttered, just loud enough for Hades to hear, "This is the end of your charade, Hades. It’s over."

Hades’s face turned an angry red as he felt the pressure from every side.

Finally, he lifted his head, his eyes blazing. "This is all a farce," he spat, trying to reclaim his composure. "A pathetic attempt to disgrace me. And I won’t stand for it!"

But no one seemed convinced, least of all the Elder, who simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for Hades’s next words.

Realizing he had no choice, Hades hesitated before nodding. "Fine," he muttered, swallowing hard. "I swear upon the Moon Goddess that..."

But his voice trailed off, his eyes darting around the room as the weight of the oath sank in.

He couldn’t bring himself to finish.

Words escaped him as he faced the silent stares, his breath shallow and his face pale.

After a long moment, he closed his mouth, his shoulders sinking.

"I... I can’t do it," he finally admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "I can’t swear."

A gasp rippled through the hall.

Elizabeth’s face fell, disappointment etched in her expression.

She had expected him to swear, to shut down these accusations once and for all.

Yet, as she looked at him, something gnawed at her. The truth, an answer she hadn’t wanted to believe, now lay bare before her: Hades did have an affair with Sophia.

It all made sense, and she could no longer deny it.

Atticus’s smirk grew as he crossed his arms, his voice cutting through the whispers. "Well, there you have it. The evidence speaks for itself. There’s no reason to pretend otherwise."

The crowd erupted into murmurs and hushed discussions, the hall buzzing with the implications of Hades’s admission.

The elders exchanged looks of surprise and understanding, while the Alpha representatives murmured among themselves, nodding in grim agreement.

The Elder on the podium raised a hand, his face solemn. The murmurs slowly died down, and silence once again filled the room.

"At this point," the Elder announced, his voice heavy with finality, "Hades Grey has proven that the evidence presented against him is true."

Hades’s jaw clenched. He wanted to say something, to protest, to refute Atticus’s smirk and the Elder’s words, but his mind spun.

Each possible retort felt hollow, and he stood there, unable to speak, gripped by an anger and frustration he couldn’t release.

The Elder cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping the hall. "Therefore, Hades Grey will be withdrawn from the nominees."

Hades sneered, breaking his silence with a bitter laugh. "Of course," he spat, glancing over at Atticus. "The esteemed Atticus Grey... the man everyone wants to praise. I suppose it was your plan all along to stand there like a saint, letting others do your dirty work."

Atticus remained impassive, meeting Hades’s sneer with a look of quiet satisfaction. "No one forced you to act dishonorably, Hades," he said, his tone calm but hinted with confidence. "Your actions brought you to this moment."

Hades’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more, his fists clenched as his mother looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

The Elder composed himself and continued, "Therefore, by unanimous agreement, the position of Alpha King is assigned to Atticus Grey."