CHAPTER 158: CHAPTER 158: COOKIES

After a moment, she raised her head and said, "Even so, I still want to meet him. I need to know the truth."

Ivy opened her mouth to argue, but Talia raised her hand to stop her. "Wait. I think... You already have a theory, right?"

Ivy nodded slowly. "Yes. If I am not wrong, your fiancé is already working with the Black Vultures. And not only them. He also has a connection with someone high in the military who supports them."

Talia’s breath caught. Dante’s face darkened. Silas’s eyes sharpened like knives.

Talia gave a bitter laugh. "I thought so too. I just did not want to admit it. But since you said it, I cannot keep lying to myself."

Dante nodded firmly. "It makes sense. The timing is too suspicious. We just got this mission, and suddenly he wants to meet you outside the base. He wants you vulnerable."

Silas spoke coldly. "He dares to betray you like this? Then he is digging his own grave."

Talia wiped her eyes. She looked at Ivy and said with determination, "Alright. I will go meet him. But not to be fooled. This time, I will expose him. And I will take revenge on everyone who dares to plan against me."

Ivy clenched her fists. Her voice was sharp. "If that is the case, then I must go with you."

Dante shook his head immediately. "No. You cannot."

Silas also frowned. "Ivy, it is too dangerous."

But Ivy ignored them. She looked only at Talia. "This is important. I need to see it myself. Why didn’t you resist? What caused you to faint, and why did the Black Vulture not kill you and let your fiancé rescue you?"

Talia’s body stiffened. Her eyes widened. She realized Ivy was right.

’Yes... that part never made sense,’ she thought. ’If they captured me, why let me go so easily? There must be a reason.’

She nodded firmly. "You are right. If you are willing to come, then I will allow it."

Dante slapped the table. "Talia! Do not make decisions so fast!"

But Talia’s eyes stayed calm. "Dad, trust me. If Ivy says it is important, then it is."

Silas sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. He knew once Ivy decided something, she would never back down.

’She is too stubborn,’ he thought.

Dante cleared his throat loudly. He had been quiet for a while, but now his deep voice broke the silence.

"I also want to ask something," he said slowly.

At once, three pairs of eyes turned toward him. Ivy, Silas, and Talia all stared. Dante suddenly felt heat rush up his cheeks. His ears even turned a little red. He looked away, pretending to cough again.

’This is embarrassing,’ he thought. ’I told Ivy before that I didn’t need her help. I even acted so proud. But now look at me... asking her like this.’

Still, he pushed down the shame and forced himself to meet Ivy’s eyes.

"What will happen to me?" Dante asked in a calm tone, though his voice wavered slightly. "And... why will I be accused?"

Ivy did not answer right away. She looked down, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. She seemed deep in thought, as if trying to pull something out of a fog. The room grew quiet.

Finally, she lifted her head and spoke slowly. "Three years from now, General Dante, you will be accused of many crimes. Human trafficking. Molesting young girls. Hoarding military resources. And even... planting your son and daughter inside the military as spies."

The words hit like heavy stones.

Dante’s whole body froze. His eyes widened, and he felt his chest tighten. "What?" he whispered.

Silas clenched his fists and looked at his father. Talia’s lips parted in shock.

Ivy continued, her voice low. "There were more accusations too... but I cannot remember all of them clearly. What I do know is that most of these charges came from one of your most trusted subordinates. The betrayal was deep."

Dante sat back in his chair. For a moment, he could not speak at all. His mind was spinning.

’One of my trusted men? Someone I raised? Someone I gave responsibility to? Impossible. Could it really happen?’

His chest felt heavy. He rubbed his forehead and muttered, "Accused by my own people..."

Ivy pressed her lips together. In her heart, she recalled a memory from her last life. She remembered Henry, the young soldier, shouting angrily in the hallway.

He had said that General Dante was innocent, and it was all the work of that trusted subordinate. She had heard it clearly then. But back in those days, she had been drowning in her own pain and had ignored it.

So she looked at him calmly and said, "That was all I saw. Nothing more. I am sorry."

Dante let out a long breath. His shoulders slumped, but then he straightened. He looked at Ivy, his eyes deep and steady. "If that is the case, then I will not stop you from going with Talia. Do what you must."

Ivy blinked. Then she gave a small chuckle, the heaviness easing just a little. "Thank you."

She rose to her feet. "Then I should prepare for the trip."

She was about to leave when Talia suddenly stood as well. "Wait. I have something for you."

From her pocket, Talia pulled out a small paper bag. She held it out with both hands.

"Cookies. I made them for Stan, but I want to give them to you instead. Think of it as a thanks. You may not like them, but... they were made with my whole heart."

Ivy froze. Her eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, she did not move.

’Talia’s cookies?’ she thought. ’They are famous in the military. Everyone knows she can fight well, but even more, she cooks better than anyone. I tasted one once... only once. Silas saved it for me and secretly gave it to me. It was the best cookie I ever had. Later, my family forbade me from eating sweets. They lied, saying sweets caused harm to the family. But I know it was Isla who made that excuse because she wanted all the cookies for herself. I was powerless then. But now... now Talia is handing them to me.’