Olivia’s POV


    I sat on the edge of the padded examination table with the faint smell of antiseptic clinging to the air. Healer Rosa gently tilted my chin up, examining the cut on my forehead.


    “Your temple region took the most damage,” she said, wiping the area with a damp cloth. “What happened?”


    I hesitated, not wanting to get into the messy details of the ident. “It’s nothing. Just some reckless driver and bad luck. Yve has already handled most of it. I just came to make sure it heals without a scar.”


    Rosa reached for a small jar on the counter, scooping a bit of herbal salve onto her fingers. “Hold still.”


    I closed my eyes, letting the coolness of the cream soothing the faint sting.


    The door burst open suddenly, crashing against the wall. Rosa flinched, her hands freezing mid-air.


    Ethan stormed in. He took a few quick steps toward us.


    Rosa’s eyes darted between us, her nervous fingers tightening around the jar. I offered her a reassuring nod. “It’s fine. That’s my… boss.”


    Ethan centered his focus entirely on me. “Is it serious?” he demanded.


    Rosa straightened, adjusting her sses. “It’s just a superficial wound. Nothing too serious. She’ll be fine.”


    He let out a breath. Rosa gave me theointment, then hurried out of the room.


    Ethan stepped aside, but the moment I reached the doorway, he grabbed the small bottle of ointment from my hand. I paused, raising an eyebrow at him.


    “I’ll handle this,” he muttered, tucking the bottle into his coat pocket as if it were some grand gesture of care.


    I didn’t bother stopping him. If he wanted to y the part of the attentive husband, I wasn’t going to waste my breath arguing.


    I pulled out my phone, intending to call a cab, but Ethan snatched the phone from my hand, his grip firm.


    “Let’s go,” he said, already steering me toward the hospital exit.


    “Hey-” I tried to pull my arm back, but his grip tightened.


    He led me to the parking lot, not releasing my wrist until we reached his car. He opened the passenger door, practical- ly shoving me inside before mming it shut behind me.


    He rounded the car quickly, slipping into the driver’s seat and shutting the door with a rough, final thud.


    0.0 %


    13:18


    The ride was silent. I didn’t wish to speak anything to him, either. But, Ethan was gripping the steering wheel way too tightly after we parked the car. I knew something was going toe from him.


    “Were you trying to punish me?” he asked. “First, you blocked my number and then you almost tried to take your life. Why did you do that?”


    I blinked at him, taken aback. Then, before I could stop myself, I burst outughing.


    His eyes narrowed. “What the hell is so funny?”


    “You think I’d try to punish you by crashing my own car? You clearly think of yourself a little too much, Ethan.”


    He flinched, his fingers twitching against the wheel.


    “Give me back my phone,” I said, holding out my hand.


    He ignored my outstretched hand, leaning back against his seat, his eyes narrowing. “Look, maybe I lied about the business trip. Fine. But that doesn’t mean you get to make things difficult for Chole. She ended up crying because of you. Don’t you feel guilty at all?”


    “Guilty? For what?”


    “Chole is alpha’s daughter… she’s sensitive, a bit spoiled” he said, his voice softening. “She’s not used to being treat- ed that way. Why can’t you be a bit more… generous?”


    For a moment, I just stared at him. The way he talked about her, the softness in his tone, the protectiveness. It made my skin crawl.


    I leaned back against the cool leather seat, closing my eyes for a second, feeling Yve stir inside me.


    “Fine,” I said quietly, opening my eyes to meet his. “I won’t make things difficult for her. But keep her in check. Make sure she stays out of my way.”


    Ethan’s brow furrowed. “Chole is like my sister. You’repletely misunderstanding this.”


    I felt my jaw clench, the urge to throw the evidence in his face nearly overpowering. Instead, I forced a tight, bitter smile. “Oh? Well, then congrattions. Must be nice to have a new sister.”


    He went quiet, his eyes darkening, but he didn’t say another word.


    I pulled the zer tighter around my shoulders, the warm, woody scent still clinging to the fabric. It felt out of ce, almostforting in a way that made me uneasy.


    Ethan’s eyes flicked over to me, his nose twitching slightly. He frowned, his jaw tightening as he stared at the jacket. This was the first time he noticed that I was wearing a high-quality light grey men’s suit, clearly custom-made.


    “Whose suit is that?” he asked, his tone sharp.


    I looked out the window, not bothering to meet his eyes. “My new brother’s.”


    33.0 %


    13:18


    Ethan went quiet for a moment. Then, without warning, he reached over and yanked the jacket off my shoulders. Be- fore I could grab it back, he rolled down the window and tossed it out into the rain-soaked street.


    I stared at him, shock turning quickly into anger. “What the hell, Ethan?” I reached for the door handle, my pulse rac- ing. I had promised the return the suit to that butler.


    He grabbed my arm, his grip tight, yanking me back into my seat. His face was close, his breath hot against my


    cheek.


    “Don’t test me, Olivia,” he said, his voice low and cold. “Don’t provoke me like this. I still am the Alpha here, and don’t you dare forget that.”


    I tried to pull my arm free, but his grip only tightened. He leaned in, his mouth crashing against mine, rough and forceful. I clenched my teeth, refusing to let him in, but he shoved his tongue past my lips, the kiss more of a warning than anything else.


    My mind went nk. I pushed against his chest, but he finally pulled back.


    I turned my head away, my breath shaky, my pulse still racing. I didn’t say a word. Neither did he.


    When we got home, I got out of the car without looking back. I headed straight to the bathroom, ripping off my clothes and stepping into the hot shower, letting the water drop against my skin. I scrubbed at my arms, my lips, try- ing to wash away the feeling of his hands, his mouth, his breath.


    Later, when I slipped into bed, I kept my back to him, my eyes closed, my body tense. I heard hime in, the soft creak of the mattress as he sat down beside me. He leaned over and kissed my forehead, before hey down, his back


    to me.


    I tried to clear my mind, to block out the day, the fight, the way he had kissed me like I was something he owned.


    Then his phone buzzed on the nightstand.


    My eyes snapped open. I turned my head slightly, just enough to catch the glowing screen.


    1:35 AM.


    The name on the screen was just three letters.


    Cho.


    My stomach twisted. What a cute couple, so intimate.