《Watch Me Win, Alpha》


 Alpha Novel 1

    May 8, 2023, my Alpha Mate, Ethan Hawthorne brought his mistress to our pack, and I decided to deceive him into divoring me.


    Standing in front of his office, I took a deep breath, knocked on and stepped inside.


    The polished wood door swung closed behind me with a soft click.


    I clutched the file in my hands, forcing a mechanical smile to my lips as I approached his desk. Ethan didn¡¯t nce up. His focus remained on theptop screen.


    ¡°Are you busy?¡± I asked, my voice even, polite.


    He looked up, his gray eyes meeting mine without any flicker of warmth.


    ¡°A bit,¡± he said, voice low and rough. He leaned back in his chair. I ced the folder on his desk, already flipping to the marked pages where his signature was needed.


    ¡°Just a few spots to sign.¡±


    Without reading, he picked up the pen lying next to hisptop and began to sign, page after page, his hand moving automatically, his gaze asionally drifting back to his screen.


    I watched silently. Ethan looked¡­ worn out. His usually sharp grey eyes were dull, and there were deep shadows un- der them. He had juste back from London after two weeks at the Annual Alpha Conference ¨C a gathering of pack leaders across the globe.


    But he hadn¡¯te back alone.


    My wolf Yve stirred uneasily inside me. ¡®He reeks of her.¡¯ I pushed her down gently. There was no point in ring up.Not when the papers he had just signed held the ending we both needed.


    When he was finished, he clicked the pen closed and slid it across the table toward me.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, sliding the documents back into my folder.


    I paused, hesitated, then asked, ¡°Will you be home for dinner tonight?¡±


    Predictably, Ethan shook his head. ¡°Got some things to wrap up here. Don¡¯t wait.¡±


    I nodded, stering the same empty smile across my face. ¡°Got it. See you around, Alpha,¡± I said, forcing my voice to sound like any other obedient wolf under his rule-not like the Luna and fated mate he seemed to have regretted


    0.0%


    13:17


    iming.¡±


    I turned away, letting my smile fade once my back was to him.


    My heels clicked softly against the hardwood floor as I walked toward the door. The air shifted slightly when I passed the annex lounge, and Yve immediately bristled.


    ¡®Smell.¡¯Sweet vani perfume ¨C too sweet.I nced sideways without thinking, my enhanced senses sharpening the image beyond what human eyes would see.


    Half a box of artisanal pastries sat abandoned on the low ss table. A lipstick-smeared coffee cup beside it. And near the plush lounge chair, a ck high-heeled shoe.


    Yve snarled deep within me, the sound more a vibration across my bones than a true noise. He brought her here. Here. Not just to London. To our den. Our Pack. He stains our space.¡¯


    My throat tightened painfully.


    My chest felt heavy, like something was sitting right on top of it as I turned on my heel and head back, away from this awful ce that made me feel disgusted.


    By the time I got back to my office, exhaustion hit me hard. I dropped into my chair, not even bothering to turn on the lights.


    Slowly, I pulled out the divorce agreement from the lowest drawer-the very document Ethan had just unknowingly signed.


    My fingers brushed over his perfect signature.


    Firm. Bold. Unwavering.


    Just like the way he had pledged himself to me during the mating ceremony years ago. Back then, Ethan had been so firm, so sure. He looked at me like I was his whole world. I had believed it, like a fool.


    That familiar scent I sniffed earlier-I knew exactly who it belonged to. I¡¯m smarter than this. I should¡¯ve seen iting.


    I could still feel the phantom brush of his lips against the mark he ced on my neck.


    I leaned back in my chair, staring nkly at the ceiling. I could almost hear Ethan¡¯s mother Amelia¡¯s voice again- calm, cold, and cutting. ¡°Don¡¯t be naive, Olivia. Men¡ªeven Alphas-always want more. They don¡¯t stay faithful.¡±


    A bitterugh escaped my lips. ¡°You were always spot on, Amelia,¡± I muttered.


    I realized then that I had been wrong. So, so wrong.


    Not only had Ethan cheated, but he had taken his mistress to our office.


    ¡®We deserve better¡¯, Yve whispered.


    ¡®We do¡¯, I agreed.


    27.1 %


    13:17


    ¦Ô¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦É¦Ò


    Steeling myself, I picked up my phone, snapped a clear photo of the signed divorce agreement, and attached it to a


    new message.


    To: Amelia HawthroneSubject: Agreement CompleteMessage: Ethan has signed, as per our understanding.


    I hit send without hesitation.


    The previous week, Amelia had approached me in private. If I agreed to file for divorce quietly, without confronting Ethan or exposing the affair publicly, she would ensure a settlement of $150 million transferred discreetly to my per- sonal ounts.


    In the world of packs and politics, image was everything. An Alpha embroiled in a public scandal would weaken the Hawthrone Pack¡¯s standing ¨C something Amelia would never allow.


    Neither would I, truthfully. No matter how broken Ethan had left me, I would not humiliate myself by causing a spec-


    tacle.


    I had my dignity.


    After a month ¨C the grace period to finalize everything ¨C Ethan would be free. And so would I.


    I let out a slow breath, settling into my chair. That¡¯s when a knock came at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I said.


    Ethan¡¯s beta, Reed stepped inside, carrying a small, elegant box in both hands.


    17


    ¡°Luna Olivia,¡± he said formally, not quite meeting my eyes. ¡°Alpha Ethan asked me to deliver this to you. He bought it for you during his trip to London.¡±


    Reed ced the box on my desk and I flipped the lid open.


    Inside, nestled on deep blue velvet, was a gleaming diamond set ¨C ne, earrings, bracelet. The same set I had seen in a photo¡­on her.


    Disgust crawled up my throat.


    ¡°Alpha Ethan mentioned he¡­ he picked it out personally. Wanted something special for you.¡± Reed added quickly, like the words might make it hurt less.


    I forced a smile, tucking the box back into my desk drawer like it meant nothing.


    ¡°How thoughtful of him,¡± I said. ¡°Even with his busy schedule and all¡± I said lightly, my tone dripping with sarcasm.


    Reed flinched slightly. ¡°I should get back,¡± He was slipping out, leaving the door swinging shut behind him with a


    soft thud.


    My eyes dropped back to the jewelry sitting on my desk, gleaming under the harsh office lights. My stomach twisted in disgust.


    Without wasting another second, I snapped a photo of it and forwarded it to a second-hand luxury dealer.Me: Donate


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    13:17


    the full amount to the werewolf orphanage fund.


    I shut the box with a click, wiping my hands like I¡¯d just handled garbage. Because, honestly, that¡¯s what it felt like.


    By five in the evening. I was wrapping up, gathering my things, and heading to the parking lot. The day had drained me, but it was the kind of exhaustion that sat deeper than muscles or bones.


    As I stepped outside, the wind shifted, carrying a familiar scent Leather. Musk. Vani.


    My eyes narrowed instinctively.


    That¡¯s when I spotted Ethan¡¯s car, parked near the exit.


    Through the window, I caught a glimpse-Ethan, sitting in the back seat.


    And right beside him, a vibrant blonde,ughing like she didn¡¯t have a care in the world.


    Reed was behind the wheel.


    The second he saw me, he mmed on the brakes, hard enough that the car jolted.


    For a heartbeat, everything went still.


    My eyes locked with Ethan¡¯s through the ss.

 Alpha Novel 2

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡ª


    I recognized the blonde girl sitting close to Ethan it was Chole Windsor, the daughter of the Alpha of the second-rgest pack in the United States.


    She didn¡¯t even pretend to be subtle. Her eyes found mine across the lot, but she made no move to step away from Ethan. Instead, she draped her arms over his shoulders, leaned in, and whispered something in his ear. He didn¡¯t stop


    her.


    I looked away. Got into my car, turned the engine, and drove off without sparing them a second nce.


    I hadn¡¯t been home for long. After slipping off my shoes at the entrance, I made my way upstairs to the walk-in clos- et, the quiet of the pack house settling around me.


    I was standing in front of the wardrobe, picking out a ne- something simple to go with tomorrow¡¯s zer ¨C when I heard a car pull into the gravel driveway outside.


    I didn¡¯t need to look to know who it was.


    A momentter, I smelled someone behind me.Ethan.


    I didn¡¯t turn around. Just sped the ne and set it back in its ce.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± I said, still not looking at him. ¡°You should be careful next time.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away. I heard him exhale through his nose. ¡°The Windsor pack¡¯s Alpha wants to coborate with us. I¡¯ve been talking to Felix, their eldest Alpha-in-line. Chole is his sister.¡±


    I nodded slightly and turned to face him. ¡°So to secure the alliance, it¡¯s necessary to wrap your arms around his sister in public?¡±


    His jaw flexed. He didn¡¯t answer immediately. For a moment, he just looked at me like he didn¡¯t expect to be ques- tioned. Then his voice hardened.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to exin, Olivia. Watch your tone when speaking to your Alpha.¡±


    I stared at him for a second.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin anything to me,¡± I said. ¡°If you¡¯re tired of me and ready to name someone else as Luna, say so. I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    His face darkened. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


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    13:17


    I didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I said we can get a divorce and break the bond.¡±


    I stepped past him, but he grabbed my arm. His hand shot up to my chin, gripping it just enough to hold me still with- out bruising.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever say that again,¡± he said, voice low.


    I didn¡¯t respond. Just met his eyes for a beat too long before pulling away.


    ¨C


    But inside, I already knew I wasn¡¯t saying it for effect.


    I¡¯d been thinking about divorce for weeks. Preparing for it in quiet ways. I didn¡¯t want him anymore.


    Ethan stayed home that night. Sat in the Alpha¡¯s private office most of the evening, didn¡¯t eat dinner. It was well past midnight when he finally got a phone call that made him leave. I wasn¡¯t close enough to hear everything, but I caught a woman¡¯s voice on the other end- crying.


    The next morning, my phone lit up with a message from my friend Ava ¨C awyer. She had sent me a screenshot of Chole¡¯stest post.


    It was a photo taken at sunrise, from the top of some mountain trail. Two hands sped together, fingers inter- locked. The caption read: ¡°Enjoy the sunrise, feel your heartbeat.¡±


    I stared at the photo.


    One of those hands was Ethan¡¯s. I¡¯d know that scar near his thumb anywhere.


    I sat holding my mug for so long the water went cold. Only when I set it down did it make a sound.


    The following days, Ethan didn¡¯t return home.


    At work, we saw each other only during meetings. He sat at the head of the table, and I stayed on the side with the ex- ecutives. We barely made eye contact. I didn¡¯t go upstairs to his office, and he didn¡¯te down to mine.


    In the evenings, I started browsing house listings ¨C somewhere small, outside the city. I also started clearing out the closet. Anniversary gifts. Jewelry. Even the wedding ring. All of it went to resell tforms or donation. They didn¡¯t mean anything to me anymore.


    One evening around 11 p.m., Luna Kate from SilverFang pack texted me out of the blue, inviting me to join her at a club. We were not very familiar-I¡¯d only met her a few times when I attended the Pack Summit with Ethan. She was very good at greeting anyone with her fake smile. Her Alpha husband was frequently caught up in scandals, and now she started to be a social butterfly as well.


    I almost said no. But then I remembered


    ¡ª


    if I really left the Hawthorne Group, I¡¯d have to build something on my


    own. Might as well start moving.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I texted back.


    When I got to the Moonfell, Kate met me near the entrance. She linked her arm through mine like we were best


    friends.


    ¡°d to see you Olivia,¡± she kissed my face. No one but our inner circle knew Ethan and I were married. They al- ways called me Olivia and thought we were just a rumored couple with mate bond.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I tried to fake smile.


    She led me upstairs and into arge room that was divided by a decorative wooden screen.


    ¡ª


    ¡ª


    but Kate brought me to this side, quieter,


    There were people on the other sideughing, drinking, talking loud with just one woman sitting alone. I recognized her vaguely. Mate of someone in Ethan¡¯s circle. She smiled at me ¨C tight, awkward.


    I took off my coat, sat down, and Kate disappeared a momentter.


    I picked up a drink, sipped it once, and then I heard it.


    My name.


    From the other side of the screen.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been seen with Alpha Ethan muchtely, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course not. He takes Chole Windsor everywhere now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the second biggest Pack Alpha in the country. Obviously, she¡¯s a better fit. Makes the Pack look stronger.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Still, Olivia and Alpha Ethan were together what eight years? He¡¯s probably tired of her even though they are


    mates.¡±


    There was a pause. Then a chuckle.¡±Shame. She wasted her best years. I¡¯d still take a go at her, though.¡±


    The cup froze in my hand.


    I recognized the voices. Two of them belonged to the sons of the Gamma and Delta.


    The woman beside me shifted ufortably.


    I stood up. She looked startled, maybe thinking I was going to leave.


    Instead, I cleared my throat, picked up my drink, and stepped around the screen.


    Theughter faded when they saw me.


    I leaned casually against the edge of the divider, my drink in hand. I looked at the one who¡¯d spokenst.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit unfair?¡± I asked. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯ve been living off him.¡±


    They blinked.


    I took a sip.


    ¡°Ethan was a virgin before we got together. So if I¡¯ve been using him to satisfy my needs for eight years without pay- ing sounds like I got the better deal, doesn¡¯t it?


    ¨C


    Silence. The whole room had gone still.


    Most of them just stared- and then widened when they looked at someone behind me.

 Alpha Novel 3

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I smelled it. I turned around, and there he was.


    Alpha Ethan.


    I nced at him, then looked past him to the low velvet sofa behind. Chole Windsor sat there, legs crossed, ss in


    hand.


    Her smile was gone. The way she stared at me her eyes shing with the territorial aggression of a she-wolf ready to defend her im ¨C made it clear she would¡¯ve ripped my throat out if she could get away with it.


    ¡ª


    That¡¯s when it clicked.


    This wasn¡¯t some coincidence. They were here together. Chole, Ethan, and their usual circle ¨C people I once thought of as allies. This was their private little gathering. From the way they talked earlier, it clearly wasn¡¯t their first. They didn¡¯t even care to hide their rtionship. Maybe they never had.


    Ethan walked toward me.


    Behind him, the group scrambled back to life. One of them stepped forward quickly. ¡°Olivia, we were just messing around-none of it was serious. We were just talking nonsense.¡±


    Another added, ¡°Really sorry. We didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    Ethan reached for my wrist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, already trying to pull me out of the room.


    I didn¡¯t fight.


    Instead, I grabbed my drink and threw it in his face, a clear challenge in the presence of his pack.


    The room fell intoplete silence again. Someone gasped. I could hear the ice clink against his cheek as the liquid ran down his jawline.


    I smiled faintly, ¡°Please, Alpha, continue enjoying yourself with your beloved. I won¡¯t interrupt again.¡±


    Then I lowered my head, tried to pull my hand back from his.


    His grip only tightened.


    His face had gone dark. Without another word, he bent down, grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder like a


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    13:18


    |


    sack.


    I kicked instinctively. ¡°Ethan-put me down!¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond.


    We walked into the hallway, and I struggled on his back, but Ethan didn¡¯t loosen his grip. The elevator had just ar- rived on the floor. As he stepped inside and turned around, my upside-down view caught a pair of polished ck leather shoes. Then ck suit pants, long legs, and pale hands each finger slender, the joints sharp and defined.


    The air felt still. Quiet but awkward.


    ¨D


    ¡ª


    Ethan walked out of the elevator just as I looked up and met a pair of deep, steady eyes.


    Sharp and captivating.


    They held mine for a second too long. I looked away, suddenly embarrassed to be seen like that. Slung over Ethan¡¯s shoulder like some helpless object.


    Suddenly, Yve stirred inside me, her instincts sharpening, the primal awareness of another strong wolf nearby spark- ing her curiosity.


    I didn¡¯t know why I felt that way. But I didn¡¯t like it. It unsettled me.


    Ethan dragged me out of the club and down the steps to his car. He opened the back door, tossed me in, and climbed in himself.


    My head spun. Being carried upside down and then thrown like that.


    He grabbed a wet wipe from the glovepartment and began wiping his face silently.


    Then he finally spoke. ¡°Why were you there? You came to catch me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    As he wiped his cheek, I noticed something just behind the tissue box.


    A foil wrapper


    A condom.


    ¨C


    gold, neatly tucked behind the tissue box.


    The sight of it made my stomach turn. I looked away immediately and reached for the door handle.


    ¡°I¡¯m not staying in this car,¡± I said.


    He pulled me back roughly. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Home,¡± I said, my breathing uneven. ¡°I want to go home.¡±


    ¡°Stop making trouble, Olivia. My patience is running out.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. Just sat there, breathing hard.


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    13:18


    ¡°Harold!¡± Ethan called out toward the club. ¡°Drive.¡±


    Harold came out a minuteter, nodded, and got into the front seat.


    The ride was silent. I stayed pressed against the farthest side of the car, arms crossed, staring out the window.


    By the time we reached the house, I opened the door and got out before the engine had fully stopped.


    Inside, I went straight to the kitchen and poured a full ss of ice water. I drank all of it in one go.


    Only then did I feel something close to normal.


    When I walked back out, Ethan was sitting in the living room. I didn¡¯t ask why.


    I sat down across from him.


    It was quiet for a while. Then he said, ¡°I was there to talk business. A new project.¡±


    I said nothing.


    ¡°You showing up and making a scene like that ¨C it embarrassed me:¡±


    He kept going. ¡°You looked ridiculous. Screaming, throwing drinks. Like a jealous shrew.¡±


    I stared at him.


    He looked back at me, like he expected me to deny it.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± I asked.


    His brows drew together. ¡°If you want our rtionship to work, you need to stop being paranoid all the time. I don¡¯t have time for your insane suspicions.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Got it. Anything else?¡±


    He stared at me. ¡°Do you know how annoying you are right now?¡±


    I stood up slowly.


    He won¡¯t be annoyed much longer.


    I went upstairs, changed into pajamas, and got into bed without another word.


    He came up about an hourter and found me already asleep.


    After showering, he got into bed quietly. I turned my back to him and inched closer to the edge, making sure our bod- ies wouldn¡¯t touch.


    That didn¡¯t stop him.


    He hugged me from behind and yanked me back into his arms, rough and without a word. He was tall, his Alpha strength undeniable, the raw power of a pack leader. With barely any effort, he held me in ce, his grip unyielding,


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    13:18


    making it clear that resisting would be pointless.


    I spent the night stiffly, barely moving.


    By morning, I hadn¡¯t slept at all. I went downstairs and made breakfast for myself milk. I sat alone at the dining table and started eating in silence.


    ¨C toast, boiled eggs, a ss of


    Ethan came down a little whileter, dressed for work. He nced toward me but didn¡¯t say anything at first. He walked halfway to the door, then stopped. A few seconds passed before he turned around and walked over.


    He leaned in close to my car.


    ¡°This weekend,¡± he said gently, ¡°let¡¯s go out to sea. Just the two of us. Clear our heads a little.¡±


    I took a sip of milk and replied without looking at him. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    That was it.


    On Friday, he broke the promise.Said he had to fly to London for a project. An urgent meeting, supposedly.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised. I didn¡¯t feel anything- ¨C no disappointment, no anger. Just nothing.


    Maybe he hasn¡¯t noticed we haven¡¯t shared a meal in weeks. We don¡¯t talk. We don¡¯t go anywhere. We don¡¯t spend time like people in a marriage ¨C not even like people who live under the same roof.


    He


    says divorce is out of the question, but I already feel like someone who doesn¡¯t exist to him.


    If I disappeared tomorrow, I genuinely doubt he would even notice.


    Over the weekend, I started moving books out of the study. Stacked them into a suitcase and took them to my new apartment. The ce was smaller. Simpler. But it felt like mine.


    While I was organizing the shelf, my phone rang.


    Melina.


    I hesitated, then picked up. ¡°Hello, Luna Melina.¡± Ever since I married his son eight years ago, she still asks me to


    call her luna.


    She snorted arrogantly. ¡°Come over now. We need to put down in writing what we discussed earlier.¡±


    I paused. ¡°Is that really necessary?¡±


    She didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°If I say so.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go back this afternoon,¡± I answered.


    Yet, she wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Come back at noon.¡±


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    13:18


    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 4

    I arrived atHawthorne Manoraround 11 AM.


    As I approached the main entrance, a sweet, overly cheerful voice drifted out through the partially open windows.


    ¡°Yay! I won again!¡± The girl¡¯s tone was yful, but there was a flirtatious edge to it, the kind meant to tease a lover. ¡°Are you letting me win on purpose, Ethan?¡±


    I paused, my hand hovering over the door handle. I didn¡¯t need to see her to know who it was.


    Chole Windsor.


    I realized the real purpose of Melina, she wanted to humiliated me..


    I took a slow breath, letting Yve¡¯s quiet growl settle in my chest, then pushed open the door and stepped inside.


    Ethan was in the living room, his head turning sharply when he caught sight of me. For a moment, his eyes flickered with surprise, quickly masked by a sh of annoyance. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    I walked in, slipping my sunsses off and tucking them into the pocket of my loose white T-shirt. I hadn¡¯t bothered with makeup today, just jeans and afortable shirt. I met his eyes, ¡°Your mom didn¡¯t tel you? She called me.¡± I continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were back from London so soon. Or are you a magician now, managing to be in two ces at once?¡±


    His jaw tightened, a flicker of guilt shing in his eyes. He didn¡¯t respond.


    Before he could recover, Chole stood up from the plush velvet sofa. She brushed an invisible speck of dust off her thigh, showing off her perfectly manicured fingers.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she extened her hand, stepping closer with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯m Chole Windsor. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    I looked at her outstretched hand for a second, then deliberately ignored her.


    Melina entered the room. She wore a tailored ck dress, her hair swept back in a wless chignon, a perfect image of power and control. Her eyes moved over me briefly before settling on Chole.


    ¡°Chole, darling,¡± she said, taking Chole¡¯s hand in both of hers,¡±I hope you¡¯re having a good time today. Make your- self at home. This is your house too.¡±


    I felt a muscle in my jaw tighten, but I kept my face neutral.


    Melina¡¯s eyes flicked to me, her expression cooling instantly.¡± Ah, Olivia. You¡¯re here.¡±


    0.0 %


    13:18


    ?????????? ?


    She turned back to Chole, her tone still warm.¡± This is Ms. Hawthorne, the manager of the Hawthorne Group. She¡¯s here on business.¡±


    It took every ounce of self-control not to roll my eyes. She made it sound like I was just another employee, someone here to deliver a report, not the Luna of the pack or her son¡¯s wife. It was a subtle dismissal, a deliberate way to tell Chole that I was no threat.


    I ignored her, my eyes drifting back to Ethan. He didn¡¯t even try to defend my position.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we had business to discuss? Let¡¯s get it over with.¡±


    Melina¡¯s smile tightened slightly.¡± We can discuss it another day. You¡¯re here now, so why not join us for a meal?¡±


    I exhaled slowly, already tired of this charade.¡±I¡¯m not here for a meal, Melina. I have other things to do.¡± I turned to leave, my back already to them.


    Her voice sharpened, ¡°I am still the pack luna, Olivia, and I have asked you politely to stay. What is this attitude of yours? No manners at all.¡±


    I paused, my hand stilling on the back of a leather chair. I turned slowly, meeting her icy stare with one of my own. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stay for a meal.¡± I met her gaze without blinking.¡±Just make sure you don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Chole, sensing the tension, quickly tried to lighten the atmosphere, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect. I was just telling Ethan how much I enjoyed winning our little game of Silver Moon Toss earlier. I¡¯d love to keep ying.¡±


    I nced at the balcony where a polishedSilver Moon Tosstarget stood, several delicate gold rings stacked neatly be- side it. I hadn¡¯t even noticed it before. Clearly, it was something new- probably Chole¡¯s idea.


    Silver Moon Tosswas a light socialpetition often yed atwerewolf gatherings. The rules were simple ¡ª yers took turns tossing three golden rings, trying to encircle the movingMoon Pirfive meters away. It required precision and rhythm, often used to showcase coordination between couples.


    Chole¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw me looking at the ring toss setup.¡±Oh, Olivia, do you know how to ySilver Moon Toss?¡±


    I met her gaze, catching the hint of challenge behind her bright smile. ¡°Only a little,¡± I replied, letting my eyes linger on her for a beat.¡±Wanna y?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightening as he shot me a warning look.


    ¡°Of course. Shall I go first, or would you like the honor?¡± Chole adjusted one of the gold rings on the table, her confi- dence ring.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll watch.¡± I stepped back, casually folding my arms.


    Chole¡¯s smile widened, clearly pleased with herself. She stepped into position, her posture perfect, each movement precise. She took a steadying breath, then flicked her wrist. The golden ring sliced through the air, narrowly missing the Moon Pir,nding just a few centimeters off.


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    13:18


    She turned back to me,¡± Almost nailed it.¡±


    Behind her, Melina¡¯s eyes followed the ring,¡± Chole. So graceful.¡±


    Chole gave a appreciative nod, clearly loving the praise.


    288 Vouchers


    I didn¡¯t bother with any of the theatrics. I stepped forward, picked up a ring, and tossed it without much thought. The ring cut through the air cleanly, glinting in the sunlight before slipping perfectly around the Moon Pir with a clear, satisfying clink.


    Chole¡¯s smile froze for a second, her fingers tightening around the ring she still held. She forced a thin, strained smile. ¡°Lucky shot.¡±


    I let a careless smile spread across my lips, leaning back slightly.¡± Maybe.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Last time I yed this was at the Alpha Foundation dinner with Ethan.¡±


    The remark hit its mark. Chole¡¯s face tensed, her grip on the ring tightening as she prepared for the next throw.


    Melina stepped in quickly,¡± Dear, it¡¯s just a game. The important thing is to have fun.¡±


    I shrugged, stepping back.¡± Of course. But some people get carried away too easily.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the way Melina¡¯s eyes flicked to Ethan, a silent usation in them.


    In the next few rounds, I almost hit every ring, each one sliding smoothly around theMoon Pirwith a clear, satisfy- ing clink. Meanwhile, Chole¡¯s throws grew increasingly off-target, her rings ttering against the base or falling short entirely.


    I noticed the slight tremble in her fingers as she reached for another ring, her forced smile tightening with every miss, her eyes shing with barely concealed frustration.


    Melina¡¯s expression grew more strained with each missed attempt, her jaw clenching tighter every time I hit my mark. She nced at Ethan, as if hoping for some intervention, but he remained silent.


    I stepped back, dusted my hands lightly, then walked to the nearby sofa. I set my final ring down on the polished side table, folding my hands neatly in myp, my eyes meeting theirs without flinching.


    ¡°Want to keep ying?¡± I asked, my tone light, almost bored.


    Chole¡¯s hand curled tightly around thest ring, her knuckles turning pale, lips pressed into a thin, strained line.


    Melina shot me a sharp, furious look, her eyes narrowing into thin, dangerous slits.


    68.9 %


    13:18


    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 5

    ¡°Come on, one more,¡± Chole said, trying to hide the frustration in her eyes.¡± I¡¯m just getting warmed up.¡±


    ¡±


    I nced at her, then at Ethan, who still hadn¡¯t said a word. Melina watched from the side, clearly annoyed but not stepping in.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied, picking up another ring, my tone casual.¡± Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    We kept ying. I hit the pir again. And again. Chole¡¯s throws grew wilder, her aim less precise, her confidence visibly cracking. Melina¡¯s eyes darted between us, her polished exterior slipping as her face twisted into an increas- ingly sour expression. She nced at Ethan, clearly expecting him to intervene, but he just stood there.


    I picked up my final ring, tossed it with a casual flick of my wrist, and it spun neatly around theMoon Pironce


    more.


    Chole¡¯s forced smile finally shattered. Her eyes filled with tears, and a small, broken sound escaped her throat. She clutched thest ring tightly, her fingers shaking, then let it tter to the ground as she stumbled toward Ethan.


    Ethan stepped forward, his face hard, eyes cold. He snatched the gold ring from my hand, his jaw clenched.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he said, his voice low but sharp.


    Chole threw herself into his arms, her shoulders shaking as she buried her face in his chest: Ethan¡¯s expression soft- ened, his arming up to hold her gently, fingers stroking her back in slow,forting circles. Melina quickly stepped in, wrapping an arm around Chole, whispering something I couldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Really, Olivia?¡± Melina¡¯s eyes snapped to me, sharp and furious.¡±It¡¯s just a game. Was it necessary to take it so seri- ously?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, just slowly stepped back, setting myst ring down on the side table.


    Melina¡¯s eyes bored into me, ¡°Youe from an ordinary family. You think beingpetitive is the only way to gain respect?¡±


    Her words hit like a p.


    I nced at Ethan, expecting¡­ what? Defense? Support? But his eyes were distant, his face like a faded photograph, all the vibrance I once admired now washed out and cold.


    Forget it. There are only twenty days left. I shouldn¡¯t care.


    I stood up, ready to leave, my pulse still racing.


    0.0 %


    13:18


    ¡°Stop, you are hurting us,¡± Yve¡¯s voice echoed in my mind.


    I nced down at my hand, my fingers curled so tightly that my nails had broken the skin. I hadn¡¯t even noticed.


    Then, I turned on my heel and walked toward the door.


    ¡°Olivia-¡°Ethan¡¯s voice followed me, sharp and angry.


    I didn¡¯t stop.


    I pushed through the grand double doors of the Hawthorne Manor and got into my car, my chest heaving as I gripped the steering wheel.


    My phone buzzed beside me. Ethan. I ignored it and finally, I blocked his number.


    My hands still shook as I pulled out onto the road, the tires crunching against the gravel as I sped away from the man- sion.


    I reached for my phone, typing out a message to Melina with one hand.


    ¡°$250 million. Not a penny less. Or I¡¯ll make sure you and your family pay the price.¡±


    I hit send without hesitation, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat, my pulse still racing.


    The sky had grown darker, thick gray clouds rolling in, the first few drops of rain sttering against my windshield.


    Suddenly, a sh of yellow blurred past my peripheral vision, followed by the sharp, whining roar of a motorcycle engine.


    A red bike cut in front of my car, swerving wildly, its rider dressed in dark leather, helmet glinting with water droplets.


    I mmed on the brakes, my body jolting forward, the seatbelt cutting into my shoulder as my tires screeched against the wet asphalt.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Yve¡¯s voice snapped in my head.


    Before I could fully process what happened, a deafening crash shook my car. My head mmed into the steering wheel, a sharp, hot pain exploding behind my eyes.


    I groaned, blinking rapidly as my vision blurred, red and dark, the world spinning slightly.


    Immediately, I grabbed a tissue from the console, pressing it against my temple, wiping away the blood that blurred my vision.


    Through the cracked windshield, I saw the red motorcycle disappearing into the distance. Then I checked my rear view mirror to find a ck Maybach that had rear-ended me. Its front bumper was dented, the polished surface marred by the impact.


    Before I could gather my thoughts, a firm knock sounded against my window.


    28.6 %


    13:18


    288 ?Vouchers


    A man in his forties, dressed in a crisp ck suit, sses perched on his nose, stood beside my car, a ck umbre in one hand, his expression polite but concerned.


    I rolled down the window, wincing as the motion sent another wave of pain through my skull.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, his voice calm and steady.¡±I rear-ended your car. I¡¯ll take full responsibility.¡±


    ¨C


    I caught the faint scent of another wolf on him not a threat, but unfamiliar.


    ¡°My boss has some urgent matters to attend to,¡± he continued, nodding toward the back seat. I caught a glimpse of a tall, broad-shouldered figure in a dark suit, sunsses hiding his eyes, his posture rxed but radiating a quiet, dan- gerous energy.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mike,¡± the man added, adjusting his sses. ¡°Can we exchange numbers? I¡¯ll make sure all your expenses are covered.¡±


    I took a deep breath, still feeling the sting at my temple. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to leave this to the police,¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough surprises for one day.¡±


    I pushed open the car door and stepped out, my shoes sshing in the shallow puddles forming on the wet road. I walked to the back of my car, my heart sinking when I saw the dent. The rear bumper was crumpled, the paint scraped off, and the tail light cracked. I frowned, took a quick photo for the insurance, then pulled out my phone and called the police.


    A few minutester, I heard another car door open. I nced back, and the man in the back seat of the Maybach stepped out. Mike quickly moved to his side, holding a ck umbre over him, his posture respectful and hurried.


    The man straightened, his suit perfectly tailored, sharp creases running down his pant legs, his shoes polished enough to reflect the gray sky. His presence was striking ¡ª tall, broad-shouldered, and the kind of face thatmanded at-


    tention even in a crowd.


    He took off his sunsses, revealing deep-set eyes that met mine for a brief second. I felt my heart skip a beat. Some- thing about him seemed¡­ special, though I couldn¡¯t ce it.


    I turned to the approaching officer, quickly exining what had happened.


    When I turned back, Mike was standing beside me, holding out a dark suit jacket. ¡°Ma¡¯am, your shirt is soaked,¡± he said politely, eyes slightly averted. ¡°Please, put this on.¡±


    I nced down and felt my face heat up. My white shirt was clinging to my body, rainwater making the thin fabric al- most transparent. I nodded and took the jacket from his hands, slipping it on quickly.


    ¨C


    It was warm, the lining still carrying the faint heat of the man who had just worn it, along with a subtle, expensive cologne something woody, clean, with a hint of smoke. It made my pulse quicken, and Yve stirred within me, her curiosity ring.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mumbled, feeling awkward. ¡°I¡¯ll wash it and return it to your boss.¡±


    Mike gave a small smile, shaking his head. ¡°No need. My boss won¡¯t mind.¡±


    I looked up, but the man was already getting back into the Maybach. The door shut with a soft, expensive thud, and


    the car eased back onto the road, the engine barely making a sound as it disappeared into the rain.


    I stood there for a moment, clutching the warm jacket around my shoulders, the lingering scent still teasing my sens- es, making Yve restless.

 Alpha Novel 6

    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.

 Alpha Novel 7

    288 Vouchers


    The phone kept buzzing on the nightstand, the screen lighting up the dark room every few seconds. I stayed still, my back to Ethan, eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. But I could feel the tension radiating off him.


    The phone buzzed again. This time with the soft chime of a video call request. I felt him shift beside me. Still, he didn¡¯t pick it up.


    Finally, the sound of rapid, insistent text notifications cut through the darkness. One after another. It didn¡¯t stop.


    I let out a slow, steady breath. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something about that?¡±


    Ethan stiffened. He reached for the phone, and grabbed it off the table. For a second, he just held it, the screen glow- ing in his hand, before he hit the power button, shutting it offpletely.


    ¡°It¡¯s apany matter,¡± he muttered. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. Just turned over, facing the wall, and closed my eyes, letting the quiet stretch between us.


    About an hourter, I heard the faint rustle of bedsheets. Ethan sat up, his movements careful, trying not to wake me. I heard him reach for his phone, the soft click of it powering back on, followed by his footsteps.


    The door creaked as he slipped out into the hallway. Although, he spoke so lowly that no one other than him would be able to hear it, but he forgot that I have werewolf sense of hearing.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here. Are you okay? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    I opened my eyes, staring into the darkness. I didn¡¯t realize that expecting anything from him would go down in drain.


    The door creaked open around 5 a.m. Ethan had returned from keeping her lover thepany. I kept my eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep.


    He paused at the door, relieved that I still was asleep, and headed straight for the bathroom.


    A few minutester, he came back, andid down beside me. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close. I felt his warm breath against my neck, and the weight of his arm. He must¡¯ve been exhausted, because his breathing soon evened out, slipping into the deep, steady rhythm of sleep.


    I opened my eyes slowly.


    Carefully, I slipped his arm off my waist and sat up. I turned to look at him, his head tilted to the side, lips slightly parted. The early light hit his face, casting soft shadows over his jawline, his seductive Adam¡¯s apple, and the sharp dip of his corbone.


    0.0 %


    13:18


    And then I saw it.


    A faint, fresh hickey near his corbone. My hands tightened around the nket. For a split second, the urge to grab a pillow and press it down over his face nearly overwhelmed me. I could feel Yve bristling and growling, but I pushed her down, forcing myself to breathe.


    I got out of bed quietly, slipping out of the room before the rage bubbling in my chest could choke me.


    Downstairs, I put on an apron and started making breakfast. The steady sizzle of eggs in the pan, the warm, familiar smell of fresh toast ¨C all of it felt painfully normal, almost surreal after the night I¡¯d had.


    Footsteps on the stairs. I nced up as Ethan entered the kitchen, rubbing the back of his neck, looking more rxed than he had any right to be.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I said, my voice light. ¡°Come sit. Breakfast is almost ready.¡±


    He looked a bit surprised, maybe even relieved, as he pulled out a chair and sat down. I brought the tes over, set- ting one in front of him before pouring two sses of orange juice.


    I sat down across from him, taking a slow sip of my juice. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to tell you.¡±


    He paused, a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to resign from thepany.¡±


    He blinked, clearly caught off guard. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    I set my ss down, leaning back in my chair. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ exhausted. I think I¡¯d like to take a break. Enjoy the care- free life of a Luna for a while. Maybe take up a hobby or two.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    I met his eyes, smiling. ¡°Of course.¡±


    He set his fork down, leaning back in his chair, fingers tapping against the edge of the table. He looked thoughtful, maybe even a bit suspicious, but then his expression softened.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, leaning forward again, picking up his fork. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. You should rest. Stay at home. Maybe we can even try for a child.¡±


    I forced my smile to stay in ce, though my stomach turned. A child? With him? While he yed with his sweet- heart behind my back? Over my dead body.


    I just kept smiling, while not even looking at him. I clearly wouldn¡¯t want to express what I truly felt while taking an- other sip of juice to hide the bitterness in my tone.


    He smiled, clearly pleased, and continued eating.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll start the resignation process this week,¡± I added, setting my ss down. ¡°I¡¯m also nning a trip. Maybe the Maldives. Ava said she¡¯de with me.¡±


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    13:18


    76.6 %


    1


    He paused mid-bite, frowning slightly. ¡°Ava? Isn¡¯t herw firm busy?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s making time for me. I¡¯m lucky to have her.¡±


    He hesitated, then nodded slowly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have my assistant arrange the trip for you. Just rx and enjoy your- self.¡±


    I smiled, but my mind was already a thousand miles away.


    Over the next few days, I kept myself busy, moving my things to the new apartment, piece by piece. But he never no- ticed.


    One evening, while Ethan sat on the back porch, chuckling at his phone, I stood in the yard, a rusty iron barrel in front of me. I struck a match, the tiny me flickering in the wind, and tossed it into the barrel.


    A pile of old wedding photos burst into mes. I watched my own face burn, my eyes bright with the joy of a bride, his arm around me, his eyes filled with what I once thought was love.


    I looked up, catching Ethan¡¯s profile through the sliding ss door, his face still lit up by his phone screen, a small, private smile on his lips.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he called, finally noticing the smoke rising from the yard. ¡°What are you burning out there?¡±


    I nced at him, and forced a bitter smile.


    ¡°Nothing important,¡± I said, turning back to the barrel. ¡°Just some¡­ useless trash.¡±


    Ethan stood near the barrel, watching smoke curl up from the burned photo pieces. He looked at me like I was insane.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve just thrown it away,¡± he muttered.


    I didn¡¯t bother exining. ¡°Burning it would get rid of itpletely.¡±

 Alpha Novel 8

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Friday morning, I got a call from the garage. My car was ready.


    After I picked it up, I remembered something. The jacket. I had promised to dry clean it and mail it back. But now it wasn¡¯t with me anymore, thanks to `Ethan who threw it away from the window. I was nning to give him something simr to that jacket now.


    I sat in the car, holding my phone for a second. Then I called Mike.


    ¡°Hi, Mike. This is Olivia speaking. The car¡¯s fixed. I¡¯ll send over the bill in a bit.¡±


    He said okay, and we hung up.


    I sent him the repair list and the amount. Then I sent another message: ¡°Also, can I get your boss¡¯s height and mea- surements? I want to return the jacket with matching pants. It came from a set, right?¡±


    No reply.


    Maybe he needed to check.


    I didn¡¯t overthink it. I had errands.


    As I turned into the next intersection, my phone rang again. Finance manager.


    ¡°Ms. Olivia, do you have a minute? There are some numbers I need you to check.¡±


    I turned around and headed to the office.


    The moment I walked into the project department, my team surrounded me.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you okay now?¡±


    ¡°We heard about the ident. That guy in the Maybach didn¡¯t hurt you, right?¡±


    I smiled faintly. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. All fixed.¡±


    I didn¡¯t tell them I was leaving. I felt guilty. They¡¯d be handed to a new boss soon. Someone who didn¡¯t know how we did things and they would have to adjust to this new boss, again.


    446


    After talking to finance, I stayed in my office. Emails. Approvals. Budget sheets. I barely lifted my head until it was


    afternoon.


    Around 4:30, I opened a nk document and typed up my resignation letter. Printed it. Folded it.


    0.0 %


    13:18


    As I stood to stretch, I decided to get water. My head was buzzing a little from staring at the screen too long.


    At the pantry, I heard voices.


    ¡°Did you hear? Someone from secretariat said Chole Windsor started today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Alpha Ethan arranged it. She¡¯s working in his office now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, are the Hawthorne and Windsor packs merging?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Ms. Melton¡¯s still dating Mr. Harrison.¡±


    ¡°What about Olivia then?¡±


    Silence.


    1 froze outside the doorway, my ss still empty.


    Then the whispers came again.


    ¡°She¡¯s been with him for years. Still, he brings someone else in.¡±


    ¡°Chole¡¯s shameless.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But, Ethan¡¯s cold too.¡±


    ¡°And Olivia? Poor thing.¡±


    I turned and walked back, holding my empty ss like I¡¯d forgotten what I came for.


    In my office, I sat down, leaning on the chair, and let those whispers spiral I had just heard. Ethan had brought Chole into the office, officially now. There was no way people were going to calm their thoughts. Nobody would.


    I just knew at this point that I must leave this ce as soon as possible. The more I stay here, the more I fall prey to these thoughts.


    I grabbed the letter and headed upstairs. Every step felt louder than usual.


    Reed saw me and rushed over.


    ¡°Alpha¡¯s in a meeting. Can you give this to me instead?¡±


    I looked at him. He was nervous, almost panicking.


    I nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    I turned, pretending to leave. But my wolf sense told me something was off.


    There was another scenting from Ethan¡¯s office. Perfume. A female scent I was getting too familiar with since a while. It would not be a hard guess at all.


    28.6 %


    13:18


    I spun around fast and shoved the door open before Reed could react.


    A scream.


    There, standing inside, was Chole. Wearing nothing but a bathrobe, half-leaning on Ethan¡¯s back like she belonged


    there.


    The smile on Ethan¡¯s face died instantly.


    Reed turned away fast and covered his eyes like the scene burned him.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°Miss Chole was¡­ sweating. She said she felt sticky after moving some files, so she took a quick shower.¡±


    I blinked slowly at him.


    He then added quickly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to misunderstand, that¡¯s why I said Alpha Ethan was in a meeting.¡±


    I looked at him for a second, then sighed. ¡°Reed, with brains like yours, you¡¯re seriously wasting your potential on desk work.¡±


    I pushed past him.


    Chole stood straighter as I entered the office, pulling her bathrobe tighter. ¡°How dare you barge in here?¡± she snapped. ¡°You¡¯re just a manager, and you think you can storm into the CEO¡¯s office like this? You¡¯re fired.¡±


    Yve growled in the back of my mind, ready to rip her apart.


    Not yet, I told her.


    I walked calmly to Ethan¡¯s desk and ced the resignation letter down.


    ¡°I already told you I was resigning,¡± I said, keeping my voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ve got travel ns to prepare for. So, today¡¯s myst day. I¡¯ll drop byter to hand over the rest of my work.¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t meet my eyes. ¡°Fine,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll leave you two to your meeting, then.¡±


    I turned to walk out.


    But just as I reached the doorway, Chole¡¯s voice shrieked behind me.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve done it long ago. Ethan doesn¡¯t love you anymore-he loves me. We¡¯ve spent plenty of nights-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Ethan snapped.


    I turned around.


    ¡°No, let her speak,¡± I said, walking back inside. ¡°I want to hear exactly how shameless the Windsor pack¡¯s daughter


    can be.¡±


    56.1 %


    13:18


    600 190uchers


    I faced Chole. ¡°Do you know what kind of woman destroys a rtionship like this? You. The desperate kind.¡±


    I pointed to the door. ¡°The fact that I could walk in like that? That¡¯s proof. Proof of what the two of you really are.¡±


    Chole lunged at me.


    I didn¡¯t move back. My hand flew without a second thought-smack.


    Yve purred inside me. Good one.


    Chole screamed and tried to w at me again, but I grabbed the edge of her robe and yanked. She gasped as the fabric tore loose. I pushed her head down and mmed her to the floor.


    She shrieked, struggling under me.


    Then, someone grabbed me from behind and yanked me back hard.


    I lost my footing.


    My lower back mmed against the sharp corner of the table.


    A jolt of pain shot through me.

 Alpha Novel 9

    FERRON 1288 Vouchers


    Ethan didn¡¯t even look at me.


    He pulled off his suit jacket, crouched down, and covered Chole¡¯s naked body like I wasn¡¯t even there. She whim- pered against his shoulder. He brushed her hair back gently.


    ¡°Get out,¡± he said without ncing up.


    I stood frozen, lips slightly parted.


    ¡°Get out, Olivia.¡±


    My chest tightened.


    Reed hurried over and grabbed my arm just as my knees buckled. ¡°Luna, are you okay?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer right away. My jaw clenched so tight it ached. My eyes were burning, but I wasn¡¯t going to cry. Not in front of them.


    ¡°You make me sick, Ethan¡± I finally muttered, shaking Reed off.


    ¡°Wait-at least let me-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I pushed his hand away. Every step out of that room felt like my spine was being snapped from the inside. I didn¡¯t care. I¡¯d rather crawl than let Ethan think I needed help.


    I didn¡¯t look back, but I could feel Ethan watching. I captured a slight guilt in his eyes, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I drove to my new home. When the elevator was already open. I stepped inside and leaned back against the wall, the cold surface helping a little. I sucked in a sharp breath.


    Yve stirred inside me. ¡®You don¡¯t have to hold it in.¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see his face ever again,¡± I mumbled under my breath. ¡°I really want this to be over now.¡±


    ¡°We are over him already,¡± Yve said firmly.


    996


    Being so overwhelmed by everything, I finally decided to call Ava.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, trying to sound normal.


    There was a pause. ¡°Where are you?¡± Her voice was sharp. She knew something was off.


    0.0 %


    13:19


    288 iVouchers


    ¡°New home, I¡¯ll text you the address.¡±


    I hung up and let the phone slide out of my hand, leaning back against the elevator wall. My eyes closed on their own.


    I wasn¡¯t crying. I wasn¡¯t. I just¡­ couldn¡¯t think straight. Like my head was floating somewhere and my body was


    stuck here.


    Ava knows me too well. She¡¯s a well-known werewolf matrimonial attorney, but to me, she¡¯s my childhood friend. The one person who always sees through me.


    Since the day I found out about Ethan and Chole, I¡¯ve been miserable. Quietly miserable. But steady. I was focused. I had been preparing for the divorce, staying calm, acting like I had it together.


    I never cried. Not once.


    But this¡­ today¡­ this was different.


    I wouldn¡¯t be like this if I wasn¡¯t pushed to my limit.


    It felt like something inside me had finally snapped. Like my thoughts were being pulled into some deep, dark hole and I couldn¡¯t stop the fall.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I stood like that.


    Then a voice broke the silence.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I jerked up. A tall man stood beside me. Broad shoulders. Sharp jawline. His ck suit looked expen- sive and fit too well. His pale skin made the dark fabric stand out even more.


    My eyes moved up, and then stopped on his face.


    That face. Cold eyes. Familiar eyes. My mouth opened before I could stop it. ¡°Mr. Suit¡­ ¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. Then he leaned closer.


    I flinched. ¡°What are you-?¡±


    Then he reached past me and pressed the fingerprint scanner.


    I blinked. The elevator hadn¡¯t moved because I forgot to scan. And I was standing in front of the panel the whole time.


    God it was awkward.


    Yve startedughing. I told her to shut up.


    696


    I nced over and saw him standing calmly, checking his watch. I saw his floor, 66, the top floor. We were neigh-


    bors.


    His phone buzzed. I couldn¡¯t help it


    ¨C my werewolf hearing picked it up.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Mike said on the other end, ¡°Could you let me know your body measurements?¡±


    He looked at me and then replied. ¡°Is it Ms. Whitmore asking about my measurements?¡±


    My spine straightened like a stick. My neck turned slowly, painfully.


    Lukily, the elevator doors opened. I walked out fast, holding my lower back with one hand.


    Damn it.


    288 (Vouchers


    By the time I got home, my whole body was sore, and the pain in my back wasn¡¯t letting up. I barely made it to the bedroom and dropped straight onto the bed. Face up. Still in my clothes.


    A few minutester, Ava came in.


    She didn¡¯t knock. Just walked straight into the room, and saw me sprawled across the bed.


    She crouched beside me. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Her voice was low, but I could hear the edge in it.


    I told her eyerything. Ava¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°Wait-hold on. You¡¯re telling me¡­ that slut walked into Ethan¡¯s office in a bathrobe and during work hours-they were screwing around, and you walked in?¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°Yep.¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°They¡¯re provoking you. You sure you still just want the divorce and not burn their entire pack to the ground?¡±


    I turned my head slightly and winced.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± she said, walking around to the other side. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Lower back,¡± I muttered. ¡°Corner of the table. Hit me hard.¡±


    She pressed gently. ¡°This spot?¡±


    I sucked in air through my teeth. ¡°That one.¡±


    She sighed and started massaging the area softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to prove anything to him, Liv. You don¡¯t have to go out like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for him,¡± I said. ¡°I just want to leave clean. Quiet. I want to be the one who dumped him, not the other way around. He¡¯s garbage.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Then she reached out and rubbed my hair lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been strong. How¡¯d ite to this?¡±


    Iughed bitterly. ¡°Impulse. And I was fine. Honestly, I¡¯ve been holding it together. But today¡­ today just hit a


    nerve.¡±


    She looked at me, frowning. ¡°You¡¯ve got two weeks left. Don¡¯t let them break you.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t. But if I see them again, I might just throw up.¡±


    Ava chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t. Bad for your stomach.¡±


    I smiled, rxing a little. Her hands worked on my back and the pain started to dull.


    By the time it got dark, I felt like I could finally breathe.


    That¡¯s when Ava¡¯s phone buzzed again.


    She nced at the screen. ¡°It¡¯s Ethan. Tenth call.¡±


    She walked to the balcony to answer.


    1 288 (Vouchers


    ¡°Ethan,¡± she said, her voice cold, ¡°shouldn¡¯t you be celebrating? Olivia¡¯s finally missing. No one¡¯s stopping you now. Go screw around with that slut as much as you want.¡±


    Then I heard Ethan¡¯s voice on the line through my senses. Quiet. Raspy. ¡°Put her on. I need to talk to her.¡±


    Ava snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t. Don¡¯t know where she is. Maybe she was too upset and jumped in a river. Maybe you should


    too.¡±


    She hung up. A secondter, her phone rang again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± I said. I answered.


    Silence at first, then a slow breath. ¡°Olivia¡­ where are you? I¡¯lle pick you up. Is your back okay? Does it still


    hurt?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I just stared ahead, the phone still pressed to my ear.


    What a hypocrite. Now he pretends to care.


    It made me sick.

 Alpha Novel 10

    288


    Voucher


    There was a long pause on the line. Ethan finally spoke.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to push you. It¡¯s my fault,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°Just tell me where you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle back on my own.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± his tone shifted ¨C sharp,manding. ¡°You¡¯reing back tonight. Or I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do.¡±


    I stared at the phone in disbelief.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said tly. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in an hour.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want him to know where I¡¯d been staying anyway.


    Ava was already pacing. ¡°You¡¯re really going back to that prick?¡±


    ¡°He threatened me, Ava.¡±


    She sighed and grabbed her keys. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m not letting you drive.¡±


    We sat in silence for a few minutes until Ava said, ¡°How does he even have the nerve to act mad? He cheats, he lies, he pushes you and now he¡¯s acting like you¡¯re the problem?¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°He¡¯s a control freak,¡± I muttered.


    She looked over. ¡°I think he¡¯d strangle you if he found out you tricked him into signing the divorce papers.¡±


    I smirked, eyes fixed on the rows of houses glowing under streemps. ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve poisoned him instead.¡±


    Ava burst outughing. ¡°Too quick. He deserves a slower death.¡±


    We pulled into the driveway. Ava parked and put a hand on my arm.


    ¡°You good?¡±


    I nodded once.


    I walked into the foyer. Ethan was already there, looking like he¡¯d been pacing the whole time.


    He stepped forward. ¡°I am d you are back.¡±


    I said nothing, just started taking off my shoes. As I bent over, a sharp pain shot up my back and I hissed.


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    Ethan moved to help. ¡°Let me-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    He stopped and stepped back. I limped into the living room. He followed, holding out his phone.


    ¡°I installed cameras in the office. You can check the footage anytime,¡± he said quickly. ¡°What happened today¡­ won¡¯ t happen again.¡±


    I felt surprised. He really did something.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between me and Chole. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s just yful. Like a little sister.¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°Cute enough to spend nights with?¡±


    He flinched. ¡°Her father asked me to train her. Windsor Group is signing a deal next week. I had to let her in.¡±


    ¡°So you hurt your wife to please your future inws.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you find her funny and cute,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°Amazing.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I told you, Olivia. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡±


    There was a long silence.


    ¡°I think you should go on your trip,¡± he said. ¡°When you¡¯re back¡­ we can try for a baby. Then you won¡¯t have to


    worry.¡±


    I smiled. A small, quiet smile.


    He thought it meant I agreed. He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. His grip was tight. Like he didn¡¯t want to let me go.


    But I felt nothing. Nothing but disgust.


    He broke me. Then thought a baby could fix us.


    I said nothing and let him help me up the stairs. When we got to the bedroom, he made a quick call.


    ¡°Send the pack doctor,¡± he said.


    The doctor came within a few minutes and said the bone was fine. Just some muscle strain. Ethan let out a quiet sigh, like he¡¯d been holding his breath the whole time.


    When I got up to go to the bathroom, he followed right after me,


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± he said, hand already reaching out.


    I stopped at the doorway. ¡°No need.¡±


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    13:19


    I looked right at him. His hands had touched many naked women. If he touched me with those hands, I might have re- ally poisoned him.


    He blinked. Then nodded slowly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait outside. Just call me if you need anything.¡±


    I smiled.


    He was still outside the door when I came out in my nightgown. I saw the desire in his eyes when he looked at me. He wasn¡¯t even trying to hide it.


    ¡°My back still hurts,¡± I said, walking past him, ¡°so if you¡¯re nning to do anything tonight, just know I won¡¯t be able to ¡®satisfy¡¯ you.¡±


    He didn¡¯t move. Then he came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle,¡± he whispered, like that made everything okay.


    I didn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood. I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m sore.¡±


    He paused. His grip loosened.


    The next day, I didn¡¯t go to the office. Instead, I called my team from the project department and invited them to din- ner. I¡¯d already booked a private room.


    Everyone showed up on time. There was a buzz of small talk and light chatter when I walked in.


    We ordered food. After everyone had settled, I stood and raised my ss and told them I was leaving thepany.


    The room went silent.


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a personal decision.¡±


    Lily set her ss down. ¡°I still remember when you joined. Everyone said you were just the Alpha¡¯s girlfriend. Some of us believed it.¡±


    I smiled a little. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±


    ¡°But then you actually worked. You brought in deals. You stayedte with us. You made Ethan lookzy.¡±


    That got a fewughs.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re gone,¡± Lily added, her voice shaky, ¡°this department is going to feel hollow. You¡¯ve been our back- bone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll still be around,¡± I said. ¡°You can call me anytime, And if you ever want to hang out, I¡¯m game.¡±


    Lily wiped her eyes.


    Someone else at the table said, ¡°So what¡¯s next for you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Maybe travel. Maybe start over somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Green Group might be hiring,¡± one of the guys said. ¡°CEO just got back from London. Still looking for a chief secre- tary.¡±

 Alpha Novel 11

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Lily leaned forward, her eyes bright. ¡°Yes, Luna. That chief secretary position at Green Group would be amazing for


    you.¡±


    I gave a small smile. ¡°It sounds good.¡±


    Someone else spoke up. ¡°Do we even know what Alexander Green looks like? I wonder if he¡¯s good looking.¡±


    Lily shrugged. ¡°I heard the Green family has four kids, but only the two oldest have been seen in public. The youngest two are¡­ well, no one knows much.¡±


    The othersughed a little at that. But their curiosity made me sigh inside. They still had fantasies-like love was something you could chase. I wasn¡¯t there anymore. I didn¡¯t want it.


    I just wanted a fresh start. My own business. My own freedom.


    I knew once I divorced Ethan, I wouldn¡¯t have anyone backing me up. So I had to expand my ownwork. Build something from scratch. Even if it meant using every connection I had.


    That evening, I decided to call Rose Brown. She was one of those people who always knew what was happening in the city. If anyone could help, it was her.


    She picked up right away. ¡°Olivia! It¡¯s been ages. How are you?¡±


    I kept my voice casual. ¡°Hey, Rose. I¡¯m fine. Actually¡­ I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Ask right away.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about this mysterious CEO of the Green group?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± her tone shifted, teasing. ¡°Are you sure Ethan won¡¯t be jealous?¡±


    I let out a dryugh. ¡°He¡¯s too busy with someone else these days.¡±


    P


    Rose was silent for a beat, then she let out a soft ¡°Ah¡­ so it¡¯s really happening. I just heard rumors about your break up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not public yet,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ethan¡¯s such an asshole,¡± she said firmly.


    I smiled faintly. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m making some ns for myself.¡±


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    13:19


    She sounded curious. ¡°What kind of ns?¡±


    I told her about the Green Group. ¡°I heard their CEO is looking for a secretary. I thought¡­ maybe I could give it a


    shot.¡±


    Rose whistled. ¡°Ambitious. So¡­ are you hoping to get the man, or just the job?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°I¡¯m dedicating the rest of my life to making money, Rose. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Sheughed softly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get that interview. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. And I meant it:


    After the call ended, I sat down at myptop. I typed Alexander Green¡¯s name into the search bar, but there wasn¡¯t much. Barely any photos. A few business articles, all about Green Group¡¯s expansion.


    No personal details. No interviews. Nothing.


    I sat back and stared at the screen. So this was the man behind Green Group. Mysterious. Private.


    Suddenly, Ethan pushed the door open and walked in. I closed myptop.


    We each had our own den in the house now. We used to spend all our evenings together, but not anymore. Ever since the love faded, we barely shared a room once we were home.


    I looked up. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ʱ


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ethan paused, then raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do I need a reason toe in?¡±


    I gave a small shrug. ¡°Of course not. The Alpha can go wherever he wants, right?¡±


    He frowned slightly, his gaze shifting to theptop in front of me. ¡°What are you working on?¡±


    ¡°Nothing important,¡± I said, my tone t.


    He didn¡¯t push it. ¡°I came here to talk to you,¡± he said. ¡°About Chole.¡±


    I felt my whole face tighten. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°She wants to work in the program department,¡± Ethan said.


    I stared at him. ¡°Seriously? Out of all the departments, she wants to ruin that one? My department?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°She¡¯s not trying to ruin it. She wants to learn. She wants to contribute.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh, sure. She can contribute to any department she wants. Just not mine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your department anymore,¡± he said, his voice turning colder, more like an Alpha¡¯smand. ¡°You don¡¯t work there anymore. You don¡¯t own it.¡±


    I clenched my teeth, feeling a dull ache at the back of my throat. I couldn¡¯t argue with that. Hawthrone Group was his,


    26.3 %


    13:19


    not mine. My opinion didn¡¯t matter.


    Ethan went on, his tone softer. ¡°Don¡¯t think of her badly. She¡¯s not trying to harm anybody. I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t cause trouble. I¡¯ll keep an eye on her.¡±


    I looked down at my hands. ¡°Whatever you say,¡± I muttered.


    He exhaled, a trace of impatience in his eyes. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m telling you this because I don¡¯t want you to get angry again. I know how you feel about her, but I need you to understand.¡±


    ¡°Understand what?¡± I asked, my voice calm but cold.


    He gave me a look like I was missing something obvious. ¡°My pack and Windsor pack are business partners. I can¡¯t risk that partnership falling apart over something small.¡±


    I let out a short, humorlessugh. When people were really angry, they startedughing.


    Three dayster, I went back to the office for the job transition.


    I walked into what used to be my office, and there was Chole sitting in my chair like she owned it. She wore a new Chanel suit, looking so smug I wanted to p it off her face. The ce looked different too-she¡¯d thrown out every- thing that had been mine. Even the trophies I¡¯d won for the department were gone. All my small reminders of how hard I¡¯d worked, gone without a second thought.


    The people from the secretariat kept giving me sympathetic looks whenever they passed by. One of them whispered to me that Chole didn¡¯t even know how to work the printer. All she did was y video games on her phone andugh at stupid videos.


    I tried to keep my face nk as I went through the handover. I gathered up the important papers I needed to finish my exit paperwork.


    That¡¯s when Chole looked up from her phone and smirked at me. ¡°So, Olivia,¡± she said, her voice dripping fake sweetness, ¡°how do you feel?¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother to answer right away. I closed thest file and turned to her calmly. ¡°How do I feel?¡± I said. ¡°I lost my husband and my job. It took me years to get them, but you managed to take everything from me in a snap.¡¯


    Chole¡¯s lips curved up in a cold smile. ¡°Do you know why that is?¡± she asked.


    I said nothing. Just watched her, waiting for her to spit out her poison.


    ¡°1


    She leaned back in my chair like she belonged there. ¡°Because I¡¯m an Alpha¡¯s daughter,¡± she said inly. ¡°And you¡¯ re not.¡±


    She paused for a second, letting it sink in. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of women like you in my circle. So beautiful, so deter- mined, always trying to w their way up. But you know what? You¡¯re just something for men to y with. That¡¯s all you¡¯ll ever be.¡±


    Chole¡¯s smile widened as she tilted her head. ¡°Tell me, Olivia,¡± she said softly, ¡°what made you ever think the


    Hawthrone family would ept someone like you?¡±

 Alpha Novel 12

    I looked down at Chole, my eyes cold and sharp. She looked so smug in my chair, like she owned it all.


    ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re so special, Chole?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°Is it because you were too stupid to beat me at the Sil- ver Moon Toss? Or because you managed to pick up the man I dumped? Or maybe it¡¯s because you got the job I didn¡¯ t want anymore?¡±


    Her smile faded a little. I kept going, calm and slow. ¡°We¡¯re not the same and you don¡¯t know me,¡± I said. ¡°You and Ethan, you go well together. You can have each other.¡±


    My voice was even, but the bite in it was clear. I saw her eyes sh with fury. She pushed herself up from the chair and bared her teeth, her wolf showing in the sharpness of her gaze.


    ¡°Shut your mouth, Olivia,¡± she hissed as came closer. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you apart myself if I have to.¡±


    Yve stirred inside me, her own low growl echoing in my chest, but I didn¡¯t let it out. I picked up the stack of papers I¡¯ d been holding and threw them right in Chole¡¯s face. She flinched back, startled.


    ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± I said simply. ¡°Watch how you destroy the Hawthrone Group. I¡¯ll be watching too.¡± I turned and walked out the door, not bothering to look back.


    I could hear her behind me, her voice shaking with rage. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone, Olivia! You¡¯re going to pay for


    this!¡±


    Let her try. I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    A few minutes after I left the office, Lily caught up to me. She looked flustered, her eyes darting nervously around the hallway. ¡°Ms Olivia,¡± she said softly, holding out a small stack of things she¡¯d pulled from the wastebasket. ¡°I thought you¡¯d want these back.¡±


    My heart warmed a little. I took them from her hands and nodded. ¡°Thank you, Lily.¡±


    The project team walked me to the elevator. Lily stayed close, her hand brushing my elbow in quiet support.


    ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± I said as we waited. ¡°If the ¡®princess¡¯ screws up the project, let Alpha Ethan know. He can¡¯t af ford to lose billions of dors because of her.¡±


    Lily met my eyes and gave me a faint smile. ¡°I will. And, please don¡¯t worry about us. You have taught us enough.¡±


    I got a little emotional at Lily¡¯s statement. But I didn¡¯t want to say anything right now, and just nodded to her beauti- ful, warm remark.


    0.0 %


    13:19


    As the elevator doors opened, I turned to her. I stepped in close and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, hugging her tight. ¡°Stay in touch,¡± I said softly.


    Lily nodded and headed back to the office. I also left.


    As I drove away from the Hawthrone building, rain started to fall. It tapped against the windshield, steady and calm. Ten days left, I thought. Just ten days. After that, I would be free,pletely.


    By the time I got home, the rain was a light drizzle. I changed into something morefortable and was just about to sit down when my phone rang. It was Rose.


    ¡°Olivia. I¡¯ve got a little something for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I leaned back in my chair, smiling faintly. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Paul Thomas and Alexander Green from SilverFang Group are ying golf at Moonfell Club tomorrow afternoon,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a small group. Mr. Paul invited me along, and I told him I¡¯d bring someone with me.¡±


    My lips curved up. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Rose,¡± I said. ¡°I knew I could count on you.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°You¡¯d better thank me properlyter. But I trust you know what to do?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, making a kissing sound over the phone. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Rose. Truly.¡±


    Rose chuckled. ¡°See you tomorrow, darling.¡±


    I ended the call, setting my phone on the table. The thought of meeting Alexander Green, of seeing him in a ce where I could actually talk to him, made my stomach flutter in a way I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Not excitement, ex- actly. More like¡­ anticipation. Or maybe hope.


    It was a good feeling.


    I went into the kitchen and made myself dinner ¨C a simple pasta, with a little extra parmesan because I felt like it. I sat down at the table, fork in hand, and for the first time in a long time, I actually felt hungry. Really hungry. The rain outside, the warm lights in the kitchen, the promise of tomorrow¡­ it all felt like a small bit offort I hadn¡¯t had in weeks.


    So I ate. Bite after bite, letting the food warm me from the inside out.


    At midnight, I was in the gym. I¡¯d been there for a while, doing some light stretches and lifting a few weights.


    That¡¯s when my phone rang.


    It was Ethan. He didn¡¯te home again. I was used to that. But why was he calling me sote?


    I hesitated before picking up. ¡°Hello?¡±


    At first, I didn¡¯t hear anything. Then I heard it ¨C moans. A woman¡¯s voice, high-pitched, breathless. Then a man¡¯s low grunt. My stomach turned.


    36.5 %


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    ¦Ô¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦É¦Ò¦É 16


    205 Wouchers on


    A womanughed into the phone. ¡°Oh, Ethan,¡± she gasped, her voice slick with pleasure. ¡°You¡¯re so good¡­ I¡¯m get ting there, baby¡­ I love it.¡±


    I froze. My fingers went numb, and I couldn¡¯t breathe. I felt something w up my throat. I bent over and vomited right there, retching until my stomach was empty. My phone slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor, the screen shattering in the fall.


    I stood up slowly, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. My head spun. I didn¡¯t even bother to pick up the pieces of the phone.


    Somehow, I made it back to my room. I copsed onto the bed, too exhausted to think. I thought I would be a mess that I¡¯d cry myself to sleep.


    But I didn¡¯t.


    ¨C


    I justy there, staring at the ceiling in the dark. My heart beat slow and steady, not as emotional as I thought I would be. I felt hollow, but calm.


    After a while, my eyes closed, and I slept.


    When I woke up, the first light of dawn was peeking through the window. I pushed myself out of bed. My body was stiff, but I was steady. I took a long shower, washing the sweat and stink ofst night off me. Then I cleaned up the gym, put away the weights, wiped everything down.


    I made myself breakfast eggs and toast, nothing fancy. I needed something warm in my stomach. I didn¡¯t think about the phone call. I didn¡¯t think about Ethan. I didn¡¯t think about Chole.


    After I finished eating, I went out and got myself a new phone.


    In the afternoon, I drove to Moonfell Golf Club.

 Alpha Novel 13

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Rose was already at the driving range when I arrived. She looked like she always did: energetic and glowing in her pale yellow golf dress. Her long, curly hair fell around her shoulders.


    She eyed me from head to toe and let out a sigh. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re not dressed sexy enough,¡± she said, frowning a bit.


    I let out a smallugh. ¡°Rose, I¡¯m here to find a job.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with what I was wearing. Just in sportswear, light makeup, and my hair tied up in a ponytail. Nothing fancy. Nothing too eye-catching.


    Rose crossed her arms. ¡°Honey, men are visual creatures,¡± she said with a knowing look.


    I shook my head. ¡°If Alexander just wanted a pretty face for a secretary, that job wouldn¡¯t still be vacant.¡±


    She made a face at me. ¡°You¡¯re missing the point,¡± she teased. She reached out and poked my arm lightly. ¡°Pretty and capable- you can be both.¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°Fine, fine. I get it.¡±


    Rose grinned, clearly satisfied. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Lucky for you, I brought an extra set of clothes. We¡¯re about the same size. You¡¯re going to wear it.¡±


    Before I could argue, she grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the locker room.


    I followed her without fuss. After all, I was relying on Rose to introduce me to Alexander. I couldn¡¯t start off by ig- noring her advice.


    I changed into the clothes Rose gave me. The white sleeveless top hugged my chest, showing off more than I¡¯d usual- ly want. The short ck pleated skirt was snug on my hips, leaving my legs almostpletely bare. I looked in the mirror and hardly recognized myself.


    Rose let out a low whistle. ¡°Liv,¡± she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a curvy body. It¡¯s a crime you keep it hidden under those office clothes. It¡¯s Ethan¡¯s loss, you know. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s wasting his time on Chole.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t want to talk about Ethan or Chole right now.


    Instead, I focused on something else that was bothering me. I was afraid Alexander would think I was trying to hit on


    him.


    Before I wanted to ask, she just raised a finger to her lips and gave me a look. ¡°Shh,¡± she whispered. Her phone rang. at that moment and she quickly answered it. ¡°Mr. Thomas,¡± she said, her voice bright. ¡°Have you and Mr. Green ar- rived already? Okay, we¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


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    She hung up and turned to me with a big smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, looping her arm through mine.


    As we walked toward the golf carts, I hesitated again. ¡°Rose¡­ have you actually met Alexander before?¡± I asked her.


    Rose thought for a moment. ¡°Only once,¡± she said. ¡°When I was six, my parents and I went to the Green family¡¯s Christmas party. Alexander was there, but he was just a kid. Then he left the country when he was ten. I never saw him again.¡±


    I nodded slowly.


    The golf cart turned a corner and a wide greenwn came into view. Two men in tracksuits were talking near the edge of the course.


    My eyes immediately went to them. One of them was Paul. He was wearing a dark blue top and light brown pants. Next to him stood a taller man, dressed in all white. His build was athletic, broad shoulders filling out the simple. shirt. When he turned slightly, the sun hit his face, catching the sharp edge of his chin.


    I felt my breath catch in my throat. It was him. Alexander. The one who gave me his suit, the one who embarrassed me in the elevator.


    Rose followed my gaze and let out a sigh. ¡°Wow,¡± she said. ¡°Alexander¡¯spletely different now. Tall, handsome¡­ he¡¯s basically perfect.¡±


    I forced a small smile. My heart was beating a little too fast.


    Rose nudged me in the side. ¡°You¡¯re staring,¡± she teased. ¡°Did you fall in love with him at first sight?¡±


    I looked away quickly. I didn¡¯t know what to reply. But it was definitely not what Rose was thinking.


    The golf cart slowed to a stop and I felt my stomach twist. Paul smiled and waved at us. Alexander looked at me with a flicker of surprise, but his face quickly went back to neutral.


    Rose didn¡¯t waste a second. She looped her arm around mine and led me straight over. ¡°Paul!¡± she called out, beam- ing. ¡°And Alexander, good to see you both.¡±


    Paul grinned. ¡°Rose, you¡¯re as radiant as ever,¡± he said, then looked at me curiously.


    Rose nudged me forward. ¡°This is my good friend, Olivia Whitmore,¡± she said brightly. ¡°She came here to watch you y, Alexander.¡±


    I swallowed hard and forced a polite smile. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mr. Green,¡± I said, my voice steady even though my hands were a little sweaty.


    Alexander¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much. But he looked at me with a strange glint in his eyes and repeated, almost in a question, ¡°Pleased to meet me?¡±


    I tried to y it off, my smile stretching wider. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really d to see you,¡± I said quickly, hoping he wouldn¡¯t say anything to embarrass me.


    His lips twitched slightly like he was about tough. ¡°You do look happy,¡± he said, his tone even.


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    Rose shot me a quick nce and her eyes sparkled with amusement. She was clearly proud of dressing me up in that tight little outfit. I wanted to elbow her, but I kept my face calm.


    Alexander and Paul started the game. Alexander was good. He moved with such easy precision, every swing clean and strong. Paul wasn¡¯t bad either, but it was obvious Alexander had more skill.


    Rose and I yed too, but mostly we just watched. I pped when Alexander hit a perfect shot and he turned his head slightly, though he didn¡¯t smile.


    After the round, we moved to a shady area with benches and cool drinks. Rose pestered Paul to go with her to the store to look at new golf clubs. Paul gave in with augh, so it was just Alexander and me.


    I sat down and opened a bottle of water, offering it to him. ¡°Here, Mr. Green,¡± I said.


    Alexander took the bottle but didn¡¯t drink it. He set it on the table beside him and pulled out a wet wipe, slowly wip- ing the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Did you go through all this trouble to see me just for my size?¡± he asked, his tone qui- et but the sarcasm sharp.


    I flinched, taken aback. ¡°No-no, it wasn¡¯t like that,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I asked Paul for your size because I identally ruined your suit jacket. I wanted to get you a new one¡­ and because I heard you were hir- ing a secretary, I thought¡­¡±


    Alexander dropped the wipe in the bin and looked at me steadily. ¡°You¡¯re not suitable,¡± he said tly, then turned and started walking away, heading toward the trees lining the course.


    I stared at his back, stunned by how blunt he was. My heart thumped in my chest. No, I couldn¡¯t let it end like that. I jumped to my feet and hurried after him.

 Alpha Novel 14

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Alexander was standing under the shade of a big tree, talking on the phone. His face was calm, but his eyes flickered when he noticed me standing a few feet away.


    I pressed my fingers to my forehead, feeling like aplete fool. What was I even doing here?


    When he ended the call, I forced a smile and took a slow step forward. ¡°Mr. Green,¡± I said, my voice small, ¡°you¡¯re right. I underperformed in some situations, and I probably wasn¡¯t ready for this. I apologize for bothering you.¡±


    Alexander raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. ¡°Are you following me just to prove you don¡¯t fit in?¡± he asked, his tone calm but his words cutting.


    His words got me. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My face felt hot. I ended up giving him a weak, awk- ward smile and dropped the act. ¡°Honestly? I dide over to try and convince you,¡± I said. ¡°But I know I¡¯ve made a bad impression. Today was¡­ not my best. Since you¡¯ve already decided not to hire me, I¡¯ll leave early so I don¡¯t em- barrass myself again.¡±


    Alexander studied me for a long moment, his eyes cool. ¡°Do you really think I rejected you just because of what hap- pened today?¡± he asked.


    I blinked. ¡°What else could it be?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and said, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re wearing, Olivia. If I agreed to hire you now, everyone would think I¡¯m shallow.¡±


    He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, almost amused tone. ¡°And even if I am shallow,¡± he murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t want the whole world to know it.¡±


    I felt my face go red. My ears were burning. I didn¡¯t even bother defending myself. ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now. Goodbye.¡±


    Before he could say another word, I turned on my heel and all but ran out of those trees.


    When I got home, I stripped off the golf outfit and tossed it into theundry basket. My reflection in the mirror looked tired and hollow. Am I really nothing without the Hawthrone Group? Without Ethan? The question sat heavy in my chest.


    I let out a shaky breath, then sat down at my dresser. For a minute, I just sat there, staring at my reflection, then I picked up my phone, ready to text Rose an apology.


    That¡¯s when I saw the missed calls. A bunch from Ethan. A few from Rose. I ignored Ethan¡¯s calls and tapped on Rose¡¯s number instead,


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    When she picked up, I said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rose. I wasn¡¯t feeling well. My blood sugar crashed or something, and I had to leave without saying goodbye.¡±


    There was a pause on her end. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m the one who should be sorry. I dragged you into that. You didn¡¯t have to go through all this for me.¡±


    I shook my head even though she couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rose. You¡¯ve done so much for me.¡±


    Rose let out a soft sigh. ¡°I exined everything to Alexander,¡± she said. ¡°About the outfit, the job. But he didn¡¯t say anything in response.¡±


    She continued after a small pause, ¡°I asked Paul for Alexander¡¯s phone number. If you want to try again, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I interrupted gently. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s meant to be. Just forget it.¡±


    Rose didn¡¯t push back. ¡°Alright,¡± she said softly. ¡°I respect your decision.¡±


    After we hung up, I put the phone down and just sat in the quiet of my room. My head hurt from all the running around and pretending. My back still throbbed from the strain of the past few days.


    Finally, I crawled into bed, pulling the nket up to my chin. I didn¡¯t want to think about jobs or Ethan or Alexander or anything else.


    I just wanted to sleep.


    As I was half asleep, I heard the door open. I rolled over, half-opening my eyes, and caught the familiar scent of cedar and spice. Ethan was here. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at me.


    He spoke softly. ¡°Have you been home all day?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. Why was he pretending to care now? He¡¯d been gone for days, busy with Chole or his so-called work. Why did it matter to him where I¡¯d been?


    Ethan cleared his throat. ¡°I thought I saw you at the golf course earlier. A woman there¡­ her back looked like yours.¡±


    My eyes snapped open in surprise. I hadn¡¯t known Ethan was at the golf course. What was he doing there? For a mo- ment, I wanted to admit I¡¯d been there, just to see his reaction. But I didn¡¯t want to drag Rose into this mess.


    So I said nothing. Just stared at him, expressionless.


    Ethan leaned closer, pulling back the nket a little to look at my neck. His eyes searched for something¡ªmaybe a mark, maybe a clue. When he found nothing, he rxed slightly. ¡°So¡­ did you go out today?¡±


    I pulled the nket up to my chin. ¡°No,¡± I said tly. ¡°I cleaned up the yard this afternoon. Now I¡¯m tired, and I want to go to sleep. Please leave.¡±


    Being near him made my skin crawl. I wanted him out of my life. Out of my head. Out of my heart.


    He was convinced with my response and left soon after that. And even if he wasn¡¯t, I was done trying to convince him of anything. I¡¯d given up on that long ago.


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    I squeezed my eyes shut and willed myself to sleep. Let Ethan y his games with Chole. I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    I sat at the table, cutting into my steak while Mike poured the wine into my ss. Mike¡¯s always been more than a housekeeper-he¡¯s my beta and takes care of work with my Gamma, Gai.


    I looked at him. ¡°Any news?¡±


    Mike adjusted his tic. ¡°Gai just sent over a new list of candidates for the chief secretary position,¡± he said. ¡°I looked through it. Ms. Whitmore was on it: The one your car rear-ended.¡±


    I nodded, not surprised. I picked up my ss and took a slow sip. ¡°Show me the list.¡±


    Mike brought over his tablet and ced it in front of me. I flicked through the list. None of the other names meant anything to me.


    I¡¯ve been through dozens of these lists already. None of the candidates were what I needed. I need someone who¡¯s not justpetent on paper. I need someone who is good looking, can manage people, and knows how to handle things without me having to say it twice. Someone who won¡¯t crumble under pressure.


    I paused at Olivia¡¯s name.


    Mike spoke again, his voice calm. ¡°Ms. Whitmore is young, but she¡¯s got a solid track record. In four years, she went from an entry-level spot to Director of Programs. The Hawthrone Group¡¯s growth in recent years has a lot to do with


    her work.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, just kept reading.


    Mike went on, ¡°A lot ofpanies have tried to poach her, but she stayed with the Hawthrone Group. Because of Ethan.¡±


    I set the tablet down, my mind turning over the pieces. Ethan. The rumors about him and the Windsor pack¡¯s fourth child. That might exin why Olivia resigned.


    Mike added quietly, ¡°She¡¯s tough, Alpha Alexander. Not just smart-she knows how to survive in a tough environ-


    ment.¡±


    I thought back to that day at the golf course. She¡¯d been embarrassed. Frustrated. And yet she¡¯d still tried to keep her dignity. I¡¯d seen the fire in her eyes, even when she was trying to hide it.


    I wondered if I¡¯d been too hard on her.

 Alpha Novel 15

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I got a text from Mike in the evening. I¡¯d almost forgotten I¡¯d even asked him about Alexander¡¯s suit size weeks ago, and he never responded. But this time, he sent a couple of numbers: height, chest, waist, sleeve length.


    The text was short. ¡°Mr. Green asked me to pass this along so you could purchase a new suit to rece the one you damaged.¡±


    I stared at the message for a long moment. For a second, I wondered if Alexander had changed his mind-maybe he wanted to give me a chance at the job. But then I shook my head. That was a stupid hope.


    No. Alexander probably just wanted to close the loop, get the damn suit reced, and never see me again.


    I didn¡¯t want to look desperate or weak. So I texted back politely, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll buy the suit and send it to Mr. Green as soon as possible.¡±


    The next morning, I left the house early. I felt like I was on a mission-like I had to get this done quickly and proper- ly, so I wouldn¡¯t have to think about it anymore. As soon as I stepped out, I noticed a ck car idling across the street. I didn¡¯t recognize the driver, but I knew it wasn¡¯t a coincidence.


    I ignored it and went to the mall. I spent hours going from one shop to another, searching for a smoky gray suit that was even close to the one I¡¯d ruined. My legs started to ache, and my stomach growled. But nothing I found was quite right. The material felt cheap. The cut was wrong. Alexander¡¯s suit had been subtle but so well-made, it made me feel like I¡¯d never find anything close.


    I finally sat down on a bench in the middle of the mall, feeling like an idiot. What was I doing? Did it even matter if the suit matched exactly? Alexander probably wouldn¡¯t care-he¡¯d probably toss it out the minute it arrived. He didn¡¯t want to see me again.


    I pushed myself to my feet and went back to a store I¡¯d passed earlier. They had a decent smoky gray suit-good fab- ric, clean lines. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was the best I¡¯d found. I gave the clerk the measurements. She looked at them and raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°Your husband must have the build of a model,¡± she said with a little smile.


    I felt my chest tighten. ¡°He¡¯s not my husband,¡± I said quietly. Alexander would be so pissed if he heard this.


    The clerk didn¡¯t say anything else. She just rang it up and handed me the garment bag.


    I left the store with the suit in my hand. I was going to drop it off right away, but I didn¡¯t have an address for Mr. Green. I texted Mike asking for it, but he didn¡¯t reply. I waited for a while, checking my phone every minute. Still nothing.


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    Finally, I gave up and went home.


    I dropped the suit bag on the couch and went upstairs and took a shower.


    Afterward, I started packing up my things-boxes for the kitchen, the bedroom, the study. I¡¯d lived here for years. I¡¯d decorated it myself, even picked out the nursery furniture when I thought Ethan and I would start a family.


    Now it all felt like a lie.


    In my study, I found an old USB drive tucked in a drawer. I plugged it into myptop and saw pictures I hadn¡¯t looked at in years. Ethan and me, in college. We were so young-smiling, our arms around each other, like we¡¯d nev- er imagined things could fall apart.¡¯


    I felt something twist in my chest.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± I whispered. ¡°Goodbye to the girl who thought she¡¯d grow old with you.¡±


    I closed theptop, shut the box, and leaned back in my chair, feeling nostalgic and pissed at the same time.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    I¡¯ve juste back from a meeting, but my mind keeps going back to what I saw at the golf course yesterday. I couldn¡¯t stand it once I thought she left me.


    I can¡¯t ept it. She¡¯s my wife, my Luna. She can only have me in her eyes, in her heart. Even if she¡¯s angry, she¡¯s still mine.


    I sent someone to follow her. I wanted to know exactly what she was doing every day since she left the office. It¡¯s not about control-it¡¯s about making sure she doesn¡¯t make a fool of herself. Of us.


    My Delta, Fin, sent me a reportter in the afternoon. He said Olivia had spent three hours at the mall. Three hours, shopping for a man¡¯s suit.


    I felt a wave of something like relief. She was buying me a suit. That had to be it. She still understood her ce as my wife. She wanted to make up for everything by making sure I looked good. This was her way of apologizing to me.


    In the evening, I came home for dinner. Olivia was sitting in the living room, reading a book. She didn¡¯t even look up when I walked in.


    I walked over. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± I asked.


    She looked at me, calm as ever. ¡°Yes.¡±


    That¡¯s it? No ¡®wee home¡¯, no ¡®how was your day¡¯? I frowned and went into the kitchen. There was nothing-no dinner waiting, no smell of anything cooking. The refrigerator looked empty.


    I turned back to her. ¡°Where¡¯s dinner?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even bother to get up. She just tossed me a box of convenience food. ¡°It¡¯s all yours,¡± she said, her voice


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    t.


    I looked at it¡ªan instant meal, probably expired. My patience snapped. ¡°What is this? Do you think this is enough for me?¡± It was even tomato vored. I hate tomato most!


    She leaned back in her chair, not even blinking. ¡°You like ¡®going out¡¯ for food anyway,¡±


    The hint in her words was obvious.


    I stared at her for a moment. Her nk face gave nothing away. Then I turned and walked out of the kitchen.


    I couldn¡¯t figure her out anymore. She used to be so careful. Always remembering every detail about me-my moods, my preferences. She¡¯d never forget I don¡¯t eat tomatoes. She used to take pride in making everything perfect for me.


    But now? She didn¡¯t even blink when I came home without notice, didn¡¯t bother to cook or have food ready.


    It didn¡¯t make sense. Just hours ago, she¡¯d spent three hours buying me a suit. She did that for me, didn¡¯t she? Then what did change her so suddenly.


    I went upstairs. Maybe if I saw the suit, I¡¯d feel better. I opened the closet, expecting to see it hanging there. Maybe if I could just touch it, I¡¯d believe that she still thought of me.


    But the suit wasn¡¯t there.


    I looked around again, scanning the shelves and the corners. It was nowhere to be seen. I thought I¡¯d go downstairs and ask her directly-demand to know where she put it.


    Then I paused. My eyes fell on the empty space in the closet.


    A lot of her things were missing.

 Alpha Novel 16

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I sat curled up on the couch, staring at my phone. Still no address from Mike. Just those suit measurements, sent


    hours ago.


    What exactly was Alexander ying at? If he didn¡¯t want the suit, he could¡¯ve just ignored me. Was he testing me? Or trying to make a point?


    Maybe it was just his way of saying: ¡°Don¡¯te near me again.¡±


    Fine. That suit would be thest thing to ever cross between us anyways. I didn¡¯t pay much heed to his weird nature.


    Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. I tossed the phone aside after switching off the screen and straightened my back instinctively.


    Ethan stepped into the room and got straight to the point. ¡°Where are your clothes?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Shoes. Bags. Jewelry. All your stuff. Where is it?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. Did he find out?


    I kept my face neutral and forced a little frown. ¡°Dry cleaning,¡± I said casually. ¡°The clothes, and shoes.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°All of it?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I got bored being stuck at home alone. Decided to organize the house. Honestly couldn¡¯t remember what I worest week, so I just sent everything out to get cleaned.¡±


    ¡°And the bags? The jewelry?¡±


    ¡°Maintenance. The diamonds weren¡¯t shining like they used to. And most of those bags were getting scuffed. Figured it was time.¡±


    My tone sounded t but reasonable. He stared at me for a few more seconds, like he was trying to read between the lines. Then he gave a small nod.


    ¡°No need to rush,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time in the future. You can take it slow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m traveling in a few days,¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°Wanted to clear things before I left.¡±


    That seemed to settle it until his gaze shifted to the navy suit bag lying on the couch,


    ¡ª


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    He moved toward it. ¡°And this? Is this-¡±


    I jumped up instinctively and leaned forward, stopping him from opening it. My handnded on top of his. For a sec-


    ond, neither of us moved. His face turned cold.


    ¡°It¡¯s for my dad,¡± I said quickly, pulling the bag toward me.


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your husband.¡±


    I gave a bitterugh. ¡°Do you really need more suits? Or did you leave them all in Chole¡¯s closet?¡±


    That shut him up. His lips parted like he wanted to respond, but nothing came.


    I didn¡¯t wait. I grabbed the bag, slipped into my slippers, and walked upstairs without looking back.


    Only when I heard the front door close and the sound of his car pulling away did I finally let out the breath I¡¯d been holding.


    It could have been a close call today. I didn¡¯t think he would even notice the wardrobe-but today, he did. Well, it¡¯s just a matter of days now before I¡¯m gone from this ce. Forever.


    The next morning, the sky was clear and bright. It was the kind of weather that made everything look softer.


    It was Sunday.


    I got dressed, grabbed my keys, and drove to w High.


    That school held too many memories. Ethan and I had gone there together. Back then, everything felt simple. Honest.


    I parked near the back gate and walked in.


    The hallways were quiet ¨C the school was closed for the weekend. I walked along the paths we used to take, slowly, like I was walking through a memory. The ssroom where we sat side by side in the back row. The path lined with old trees where Ethan would wait for me after ss. The field where we¡¯d race until we fell over, breathless and


    It was strange how empty it felt now. Not just the campus. My chest too.


    Eventually, I made my way to the small grove behind the man-madeke. It was hidden enough that no one usually came here. Still quiet.


    I remembered the night we¡¯de here. It was the night we realized we were fated mates.


    Ethan brought me here, saying he had something important to do.


    It had been dark then. We used our phones for light, sitting on the damp grass. He pulled out a small box, and two pieces of paper. We each wrote something ¨C a secret wish, a promise, I don¡¯t remember what exactly. Then he told


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    me, ¡°In twenty years, we¡¯lle back and open it. No matter what.¡±


    His eyes were serious, glowing even in the weak light.


    We buried it together, right under a crooked tree near the water¡¯s edge.


    I found the tree casily. My hands were already dusty when the tip of the box appeared. I brushed the soil away care- fully and pulled it out.


    It was a little worn, but intact. I held it in myp, but I didn¡¯t open it.


    ¨C


    Some things are better left where they belong in the past.


    I stared at the box for a long minute, then gave a quiet smile.


    ¡°Goodbye, Ethan,¡± I whispered.


    Not just to the man. But to the memories. To the girl I was back then. To the life I thought I¡¯d have.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    I frowned as I flipped through the proposal in front of me. The formatting was off, the ideas scattered, and the tone felt like it was written by a high schooler. Eight days for this?


    Chole leaned over my shoulder, her perfume too strong for this early in the day. Her fingers brushed my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, baby. I was just getting started.¡±


    Her hand trailed lower, trying to distract me with her usual tricks. ¡°We could try something else now¡­ here?¡± she whispered, eyes yful.


    It wasn¡¯t that Chole was prettier than Olivia, but she knew how to seduce better. She knew all the tricks. But right now, her blunder was too much to be distracted by her touch.


    I snapped the file shut and stood up. ¡°Chole,¡± I said sharply, ¡°is this the trash you¡¯ve been working on for over a week?¡±


    She blinked, pout fading. ¡°I¡ªI was just waiting for the right inspiration¡ª¡±


    ¡°Use your brain this time,¡± I muttered and rubbed my forehead. I didn¡¯t expect her to be Olivia. But I also didn¡¯t ex- pect her to be this incapable. The project department was always in order when Olivia ran it. She knew what she was doing.


    I reached for my phone. Just then, a message from Fin popped up. ¡°Luna went out again. First to a high school. Stayed there a long time. Then she went Duskhollow Pines.¡±


    I looked up. That ce was for elites. Gated, strict, ridiculously priced. ¡°She knows someone there?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Only owners are let in.¡±


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    ¡°Send me the full address,¡± I said. ¡°Keep an eye on her.¡±


    I closed the phone and turned. Chole was still lingering near me, arms crossed.


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about her?¡± she said, voice sulky. ¡°Do you even love me anymore?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer that. I just peeled her arms off me and handed her the proposal. ¡°Do it again. Properly this time. This


    is a position of responsibility and I want you to start acting like it.¡±


    She opened her mouth to argue, but I was already out the door.


    Later, I parked just outside Duskhollow Pines. Olivia still wasn¡¯t replying to my calls or messages.


    Fin sent over the list of registered owners at Duskhollow Pines.


    I scanned through it, not expecting anything-until her name jumped out.


    Olivia Whitemore.


    She hadn¡¯t just visited. She owned an apartment there..


    But what hit harder was the name right above hers-Alpha Alexander Green. Top floor.


    Green Pack¡¯s alpha. I¡¯d heard he returned from abroad recently.


    She bought a ce right beneath him. Without telling me.


    She became his neighbor. Just like that.


    That¡¯s a coincidence?


    My jaw tightened.


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    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 17

    I ced the box on a shelf in my new apartment.


    I didn¡¯t open it again. Didn¡¯t even brush the dust from the corners. I wasn¡¯t going to throw it away or burn it either. That memory-what we buried-it wasn¡¯t just about Ethan. That paper held a version of me too. A girl who used to believe in something.


    My phone vibrated. Ethan.


    I stared at the screen. He¡¯d been calling more oftentely. Maybe he could feel it too-that we were done. That this thing between us was already dead. I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t hang up either. Just let it ring until it stopped.


    A few secondster, I got a new text. From Mike.


    ¡°Mr. Green will be attending a meeting at Ashmoon Hotel on Friday afternoon. You may deliver the suit at that time.¡±


    Ashmoon Hotel? That¡¯s¡­ secluded.


    My brows furrowed. Why would Alexander want to meet me at a hotel? And why now? I didn¡¯t want to read too much into it. I wasn¡¯t naive, and I sure as hell wasn¡¯t desperate. But it did feel strange.


    Still, I didn¡¯t reply. Not right away. I needed to think.


    Two hourster, I pulled out of the Duskhollow Pines gate, sunsses on and my hair pulled into a neat low bun. But my fingers mmed the brakes the moment I saw that familiar blood-red Ferrari parked down the road.


    My heart sank.


    Ethan.


    He was leaning against the side, smoking. His expression behind the curtain of smoke wasn¡¯t hard to read. He was pissed off and intentionally was parked in my way.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t avoid this. I parked behind him, grabbed my bag, walked over, and slid into the passenger seat with- out being invited.


    I spoke first. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    His


    eyes


    didn¡¯t move. ¡°You tell me, Olivia. What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    I frowned: ¡°You followed me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he picked up the phone from his dash and threw it into myp. ¡°Exin.¡±


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    13:29


    1


    I looked down. On the screen was a list of property owners in Duskhollow Pines.


    My name was there. I closed my eyes for half a second, then met his stare.


    ¡°I bought a condo,¡± I said, calmly. ¡°With my own money. From my own savings. It didn¡¯t cost you a single cent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking,¡± Ethan said, jaw tight. ¡°Why here? Why this building? Why hide it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hide it. I just didn¡¯t tell you. And I didn¡¯t think I needed to.¡± I turned toward him. ¡°Do I need your permis- sion to have something of my own?¡±


    His eyes sharpened. ¡°So that¡¯s what this is about? You buying your independence?¡±


    ¡°Would that be so bad?¡± I shot back. ¡°I¡¯ve been working for years. Building your projects. Following your orders. I just wanted one space that¡¯s mine.¡±


    He looked away and let out a shortugh-more like a scoff. ¡°You think I ever held you back? Every gift I gave you -each ne, bracelet, trip-you think that was control?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    Ethan continued, ¡°For your kind information, the nes you wear are all expensive than this piece of property you brought. All I did that was for you.¡±


    He then pulled his wallet from his back pocket, yanked out his ck card, and shoved it toward me. ¡°Take it. Go buy ten more houses.¡±


    I stared at the card for a second, then pushed it gently back into hisp. ¡°Alpha Ethan is very generous.¡±


    His lips thinned. ¡°You know I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±


    Maybe for the money, I could choose to continue to put up with his betrayal and be an emotionless gold-digger. But I didn¡¯t want to live like that. I had a self-esteem and a conscience, unlike him.


    ¡°Thanks, but I don¡¯t want to be bought.¡± I unzipped my purse and dropped his card inside. ¡°If I ever need your mon- ey, I¡¯ll ask. But not today.¡±


    I reached to close my bag, but he grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°Do you trust me at all, Olivia?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I paused. ¡°You live your life the way want to, anyways. You can keep living like that.¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak. I pulled my hand free.


    My phone buzzed.


    My spine stiffened. Could it be Mike? I didn¡¯t reply to his text earlier, maybe he was confirming via call.


    Ethan noticed.


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    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    I flipped the screen toward me. Amelia. Thank god.


    ¡°Luna Amelia,¡± I said, making sure he could hear the name. ¡°Want to say hi?¡±


    He hesitated.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± I said, already answering.


    I put the call on speaker. ¡°Hey, Amelia. I¡¯m with Ethan¡± I hoped she could get me and won¡¯t say something about our


    deal.


    Amelia¡¯s voice came through the line, slightly surprised. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you were with Ethan. Never mind, dear. Just calling about the bag. Still want it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°Sent all mine for cleaning. I need at least one.¡¯


    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll have it sent over.¡± She hung up.


    Ethan looked over at me, puzzled. ¡°Since when are you two close?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Would you rather we fight every day?¡±


    He had noeback for that. The best way to shut people like him would be to ask rhetorical questions.


    He started the engine. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off.¡±


    ¡°Okay. But I still have my car here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll have someone bring your car back.¡±


    I stayed quiet.


    The drive back was tense. I pretended to scroll through my phone just to avoid looking at him.


    Back at home, I watched from the porch as Ethan¡¯s car finally disappeared into the main road. I let out the breath I¡¯d been holding. That was too close.


    The next few days, I stayed indoors. Didn¡¯t step outside. Didn¡¯t want to risk Ethan seeing me again. I knew he¡¯d ex- plode the moment he found out about the divorce filing. And I didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near that mess.


    So, I nned a trip.


    Maldive. Somewhere far. Somewhere I could be unreachable for a while.


    Just enough time for Ethan to cool off.


    Ava called that afternoon. Her tone was more serious than usual.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re ready to deal with Amelia?¡± she asked.


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    #1 248 Nouchers


    Iy back on my bed. ¡°She won¡¯t touch me until I sign those divorce papers.¡±


    ¡°You trust her not to throw a wrench in this?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s more afraid than I am,¡± I said. ¡°She knows I¡¯ve filed. She¡¯s probably the one leaking the Hawthrone-Windsor engagement rumors.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d bet on it.¡±


    Ava sighed. ¡°Just be careful.¡±


    I nodded.


    On Friday, I was sitting at my desk, finalizing my ne tickets when my phone rang, Amelia.


    I picked up, wary.


    ¡°I need you toe in and sign something,¡± she said.


    ¡°What kind of something?¡±


    ¡°Just a revised agreement. It¡¯s nothing big.¡±


    I nced at my calendar. ¡°I¡¯ll have mywyer look at it.¡±


    ¡°Olivia,¡± she said, her voice crisp now. ¡°You¡¯re asking for $250 million. We¡¯re not sending documents to yourwyer¡¯s office. You¡¯re meeting me. In person. Today.¡±


    I stayed quiet.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the Ashmoon Hotel. It¡¯s private. Discreet. No reporters.¡±


    My eyes flickered.


    Ashmoon?


    Mike¡¯s text came rushing back.


    Alexander was supposed to be there today.


    My fingers tightened around the phone.


    Was this all a coincidence?

 Alpha Novel 18

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Amelia kept calling repeatedly. I let it ring, half-hoping she¡¯d give up. But when she called again and I still didn¡¯t an- swer, she sent a sharp text instead.


    ¡°Be at Ashmoon Hotel by 7:00 p.m. tonight. Or the original $150 million settlement stands. Don¡¯t test my patience.¡±


    It was the kind of message you¡¯d expect from someone who had the Hawthorne name tied around their neck like a sword. I stared at the phone for a second before putting it down on the coffee table.


    Ava¡¯s voice echoed in my head-¡°Be careful with Amelia.¡±


    Maybe tonight¡¯s meeting wasn¡¯t just about documents. Maybe she would try to downy me and trap me into some- thing.


    I didn¡¯t respond yet.


    Just then, a new message lit up my phone. This one was from Mike.


    ¡°Miss Whitmore, has Mr. Green¡¯s suit been scheduled for return? I can coordinate timing if needed.¡±


    Right. The suit. I could¡¯ve just handed it to the property staff and let them drop it off upstairs. After all, Alexander lived one floor above me now. But something about that felt¡­ too casual. Too cold. And frankly, I didn¡¯t want toe off as dismissive, not to someone like him.


    I sat back and thought it through. Deliver the suit personally. Keep it quick, professional, polite. And since I was al- ready heading out to meet Amelia, I might as well line it all up.


    I texted Mike back:


    ¡°8:00 p.m. tonight. I¡¯ll drop it off in person.¡±


    After that, I headed upstairs to get dressed. Light makeup. Neutral tones. A white blouse, clean ck cks. No per- fume. Nothing that could be mistaken for ¡°trying.¡±


    I packed the suit carefully in a garment bag and left the house. But I didn¡¯t head straight for Alexander.


    First, I drove to my parents¡¯ ce.


    I¡¯d caught a car idling outside Duskhollow Pines earlier. Nothing conclusive, but the way it kept its distance and didn¡¯ t pull away even after ten minutes-it was enough to make me cautious. That incident with Ethan outside theplex had already reminded me that privacy wasn¡¯t something I could rely on anymore. Especially not with a soon-to-be ex- husband who still acted like I was his Luna.


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    On the drive, Ethan called. I considered ignoring him, but that would only make him suspicious. I picked up.


    ¡°Are you napping?¡± he asked casually.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, keeping my voice even. ¡°I¡¯m dropping off the suit at my parents¡¯ ce.¡±


    A pause. He was testing me.


    ¡°Just that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just that.¡±


    He hung up without another word. But I knew better-he¡¯d have someone watching me before the end of the hour.


    By the time I pulled up to my childhood home, it was alreadyte afternoon. My mother, Polin, opened the door and looked surprised to see me.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at work?¡± she asked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, eyes scanning my face.


    ¡°I took a day off. Needed a break.¡±


    She stepped aside, letting me in. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight again. Is Ethan treating you poorly?¡±


    I gave her a softugh. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t, I¡¯d be getting a divorce.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Olivia¡­¡¯


    ¡°I


    I cut her off before she could go any further. ¡°Rx, Mom. I¡¯m just joking.¡± I changed the subject to her garden, hertest book club drama-anything that could steer the conversation away from Ethan.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to tell my parents yet. Not until everything was finalized. Not until I had papers in hand. Until then, I¡¯d keep it to myself. Onest responsibility before I closed this chapter for good.


    We had dinner together. Simple home food. Comfortable silence. I missed this.


    When I finished, I stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m meeting a friend tonight. Might stay over.¡±


    My parents nodded.


    I kissed my mother¡¯s cheek and said goodbye to dad. Then I went to the elevator.


    As soon as the doors closed, I pulled a mask from my purse and slid it on, then added a ck cap. Staying anonymous would be my greatest asset right now.


    The elevator reached the ground floor, and I slipped out through the back door. A secondter, a car turned down the block, but I was already gone-cutting through the alleyway to my parked sedan three streets over.


    I wasn¡¯t about to lead anyone to the Ashmoon Hotel.


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    I arrived at the destination just before seven.


    It was one of those quiet, upscale ces that looked like it existed for secret deals and discreet affairs. The kind of ce where people wore smiles like masks and silence cost money.


    I stepped inside and handed Alexander¡¯s suit to the concierge at the front desk. ¡°It¡¯s for Mr. Green,¡± I said softly. ¡°Please have someone deliver it to his suite.¡±


    The concierge gave a slight nod, no questions asked. That was the vibe of this ce. I checked my phone and mes- saged Amelia to say I¡¯d arrived. Within a minute, a hotel staff member approached and led me down a long hallway to a private tea room.


    When I walked in, Amelia was already seated. She wore a dark green dress, fitted to perfection, with her hair swept up neatly. The scent of rose and cardamom clung faintly to the air around her. She smiled, but there was no warmth in <ol><li></li></ol>


    ¡°Sit,¡± she said calmly, gesturing to the seat across from her.


    I sat down but didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries. ¡°Where¡¯s the agreement?¡± I asked, keeping my voice t. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to y games.¡±


    ¡°Have some tea first,¡± she replied smoothly, motioning to the pot between us. ¡°Let¡¯s talk slowly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± I said. My eyes narrowed as I stared at the cup. ¡°Unless this is poisoned?¡±


    Her smile sharpened. ¡°If you¡¯re that afraid, don¡¯t drink.¡±


    I pushed the cup aside without touching it. ¡°Then stop wasting time. Let¡¯s get to the point.¡±


    Her expression tightened. She pulled out a folder and slid it across the table to me.


    I opened it and began reading. It was mostly aboutpensation-like the previous version-but this one was much longer, ten pages or more. Buried between legalese and irrelevant filler were a few red gs that made me pause.


    I scanned each section, my jaw tightening the further I read. She was counting on me losing patience, maybe even skipping past important uses.


    I flipped back to one that stood out in bold:¡± Should either party engage in any intimate or inappropriate rtionship with another individual prior to the official registration of divorce, the settlement agreement shall be considered void.¡±


    My stomach tensed.


    I wasn¡¯t guilty of anything, but the wording gave too much room for interpretation. And it made me feel like someone was setting a trap.


    ¡°I need to show this to mywyer,¡± I said coolly, closing the folder. ¡°I¡¯ll respond by tomorrow noon.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Amelia said quickly, her tone suddenly sharp. ¡°It must be signed today.¡±


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    I looked at her, unimpressed. ¡°You just said it can be modified. So why this urgency? Why this version?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer the question. Instead, she leaned back and folded her arms. ¡°Because it must be this agreement.¡±


    I offered her a small, tired smile. ¡°Fine. Then I¡¯ll call mywyer. If they say it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll sign.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, I stood up, clutching the folder. ¡°Give me a minute,¡± I said, already turning for the door.


    She didn¡¯t stop me.


    The moment I stepped out of that tea room, I moved quickly. I didn¡¯t want to stay another second in that ce.


    In the elevator, I stared down at the folder in my hand. Ten pages.


    It was too long, too vague, and too dangerous.


    Especially that use.


    I had a bad feeling about it.

 Alpha Novel 19

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The hotel hallways felt different now.


    Too quiet.


    No distant footsteps, no chatter, not even the usual hum of soft music that most luxury ces yed to fill the si- lence. I walked with a steady pace, trying not to let my uneasiness show. The walls were polished, the carpets too clean, the lighting just dim enough to feel off.


    I reminded myself¡ª Amelia wouldn¡¯t do anything reckless now. The Hawthrone family had power, yes, but not enough reason. They had already won. Ethan would get his clean break. Amelia would get her headlines. And I¡­ would be gone.


    I took a deep breath and checked the time on my phone. 7:40 p.m.


    I typed out a message to Mike as I moved toward the main lobby: ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    A woman in a staff uniform turned the corner quickly and bumped right into me.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± she said, her, tone rushed and nervous. She looked like a hotel server-tight bun, tray tucked under one arm, ck cks and a crisp shirt.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said automatically, distracted by my phone.


    But the next second, I felt a sharp prick on the side of my neck.


    My hand flew up in reflex, but it was already toote.


    ¡°What the hell-¡± I tried to say, but my voice didn¡¯te out fully.


    The woman muttered, ¡°Careful, let me help you,¡± as she slipped one arm under mine, like she was assisting me. But her grip was too tight, too deliberate. I stumbled, my legs suddenly shaky.


    Yve, my wolf, howled in warning inside me. Something¡¯s wrong. Danger. Run.


    But my limbs weren¡¯t listening.


    My vision blurred, and my knees buckled slightly as I was led away, down a side corridor off the main hall. I knew this hotel had dozens of quiet exits, private rooms, hidden service routes.


    I wasn¡¯t being helped. I was being taken.


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    Panic set in fully now, but my body refused to cooperate. My breath hitched, heart pounding, and I felt myself sway- ing like I might pass out. My fingers twitched. I couldn¡¯t scream, but I remembered one thing-


    My phone.


    It was still in my pocket.


    I fumbled for it, my hands shaking, my fingers barely working. The screen was still open to the message for Mike.


    I couldn¡¯t see clearly anymore. My eyes weren¡¯t focusing, but I could feel the keyboard. I tapped blindly-maybe one or two more letters. Anything.


    My thumb hit send.


    The message went out.


    Then everything started to go ck.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    The meeting with Twilight Pack ran longer than expected. We closed with whiskey.


    I don¡¯t drink much. One ss-enough to rx, not enough to forget.


    I was in the lounge of my suite at the Ashmoon Hotel, sitting in silence, eyes half-shut. Mike entered without knock- ing. His footsteps were brisk.


    He never walks that fast unless something¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°Sir, I just got a message from Olivia Whitmore.¡±


    I looked up.


    ¡°She texted me, but¡­ something¡¯s off.¡±


    He handed me his phone.


    The screen disyed a partial message. ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± followed by a string of letters that didn¡¯t form any real word.


    ¡°athekp¡±


    I frowned. Read it twice.


    Not a typo. Not autocorrect. A random string under pressure. A warning.


    I stood. ¡°Call her.¡±


    925


    Mike tapped quickly. No answer. I took the phone from him and started a video call instead.


    It rang. Then connected.


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    The screen was ck, jittery. Some movement-walls shing by. There was faint, rapid breathing. Something scuffed against the floor. A sharp sound like a shoe catching on tile. Then-


    A muffled voice. Barely audible. But it was Olivia.


    She wasn¡¯t okay.


    I ended the call. ¡°Get to the front desk. Find out if she checked in. Now.¡±


    Mike was already moving.


    I grabbed my jacket and left the suite.


    The hallway was too quiet for this time of night.


    Mike called back within two minutes. ¡°They said a woman matching her description came in just after seven. Dropped off a package. Didn¡¯t leave. No record of her checking into a room. Just¡­ disappeared.¡±


    I was already moving.


    ¡°Where did they say she went?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know. One staff member said she was headed toward the tea room, but didn¡¯t see her return.¡±


    ¡°Send me the hotelyout. Call security. Quietly.¡±


    I turned the corner fast.


    Someone had moved her off the grid inside a hotel I was staying in.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    They threw me onto the bed like a rag doll.


    The room reeked of sweat and filth. There were five-no, six-men in towels standing around with disgusting smirks on their faces. Rogues. I could smell it through the chemical burn in my nostrils. My heart pounded against my ribs like a warning drum, but my limbs felt numb.


    On the bed,id out at the foot, were objects I refused to let my eyes linger on-restraints, sex toys, syringes filled with thick yellow liquid.


    Wolfsbane.


    ¡°Yve,¡± I whispered in my mind. ¡°Can you fight? Can you take over?¡±


    No response.


    ¡°Yve-please.¡±


    Still nothing.


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    The drug was working.


    ¡°Pretty little thing,¡± one of the rogues muttered as he circled the bed.


    ¡°She looks even better than the picture,¡± another added, licking his lips.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t scream. I tried to sit up, but one of them shoved me back down by the shoulder.


    ¡°She¡¯s already going under,¡± the first oneughed. ¡°Guess we better hurry.¡±


    Then came a voice-female. The waitress. She¡¯d shed her smile now. Her face was nk, cold.


    She pulled the agreement from my bag. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to mark this, sweetie.¡±


    I stared at her nkly as she forced the paper under my hand and pressed it against the inkpad, then onto the page. ¡°There. Legal and clean. Thanks for cooperating.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I rasped.


    Her eyes flickered with amusement. ¡°Your husband doesn¡¯t want to pay after the divorce. This just makes it easier.¡±


    Her words hit me like a p.


    My body went cold. ¡°Ethan¡­ ?¡±


    ¡°No need to look so surprised,¡± she said. ¡°He said you wouldn¡¯t take it well. But don¡¯t worry, once the footage is done, no one will be talking aboutpensation anymore.¡±


    I refused to believe it. Ethan was cruel. A liar. A cheater. But this?


    I fumbled for my phone with trembling hands. My fingers were slippery, weak, but I unlocked the screen and called him.


    It rang.


    Then-click. He cut the call.


    I called again. This time it didn¡¯t even ring fully.


    Third time-I got an answer.


    But it wasn¡¯t him.


    ¡°Hi, darling,¡± Chole¡¯s voice purred. ¡°Miss me?¡±


    I went still. My breath locked in my chest.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so shocked. Ethan¡¯s not picking up. He¡¯s with me now-getting ready for our engagement party to- morrow night. I just thought I¡¯d answer, since you¡¯re dying to know.¡±


    ¡°Chole¡­¡±


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    Sheughed. ¡°Oh, you poor thing. You still don¡¯t get it, do you? This? All of this? I arranged it.¡±


    ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°Yep. Those guys? My gift to you. They¡¯ll have some fun, and we¡¯ll make sure the world sees every second. By this time tomorrow, you¡¯ll be a trending disgrace. A slut who begged for it. You¡¯ll lose your family, your friends. Your name will mean nothing.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, cut the crap!¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re still so defiant once they start injecting that wolfsbane. You¡¯ll be too weak to cry.¡±


    ¡°Ethan wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, honey,¡± sheughed. ¡°He¡¯s the one who signed off on it. You cost him too much. This way, you cost nothing.¡±


    I stared at the screen, hearing her breath as she whispered. ¡°Die slowly, Olivia. It¡¯s all you deserve.¡±


    The phone slid from my hand. My arms were too heavy to move.


    The rage came after. White-hot. Blinding.


    She wanted to destroy me.


    No, she already had.


    The waitress gave a nod, and the camera light flicked on.


    The men closed in. My blouse was ripped open. My arms were yanked and tied to the bedposts. One of them sat on my legs, another groped my thighs.


    ¡°Hold her still,¡± the fat one said, stepping forward with the syringe.


    I clenched my eyes shut. I didn¡¯t want to see their faces.


    All I could think about was revenge.


    And then-


    The door was kicked open.


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    Alexander¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 20

    I kicked the door open.


    The wooden frame splintered against the force, the men inside scrambling like rats caught under sudden light. One of them screamed. Another dropped the syringe in his hand.


    ¡°Down!¡± I barked.


    My bodyguards charged in, dragging the rogues down and pinning them against the floor. No hesitation, no mercy. I wanted them all on the floor before they could blink. My eyes scanned the room-filthy, humid, reeking of sweat and wolfsbane. A low growl rattled in my chest.


    Then I saw her.


    Olivia.


    Unclothed. Hands tied to the bed. Pale, bleeding at the lip. Eyes clenched shut like she was waiting to die.


    ¡°Manager,¡± I snapped. ¡°Cover her. Now.¡±


    Without hesitation, he tore off his jacket and rushed to Olivia¡¯s side, draping it over her. She was still tied to the bed, motionless, her skin pale and bruised. He struggled briefly with the knots, then freed her wrists with shaking hands.


    I stood at the doorway, watching silently, jaw clenched. Her skin looked ice-cold from where I was. Her pulse-faint, but there.


    The manager stepped away from her and turned to me.


    ¡°She okay?¡± I asked, still not stepping forward.


    He nodded shakily. ¡°Y-yes, Alpha. We were just in time¡­ she¡¯s alive, but terrified.¡±


    I gave him a single nod. ¡°Go. Call a vehicle. Make sure there¡¯s hospital clearance.¡±


    He rushed out.


    I stayed there for a beat, staring at the floor, listening to the chaos fade in the hallway. Something tugged at me. A weight in my chest. I didn¡¯t like it.


    I turned back.


    She hadn¡¯t moved.


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    13:30


    Oliviay curled under the manager¡¯s jacket, trembling.


    Quietly, I stepped into the room.


    I crouched beside her and, without thinking, brushed her cheek with my fingertips.


    She flinched-not from me, but as if even touch now carried pain. Then, suddenly, she leaned into it. Her cheek press- ing lightly against my palm, as if my hand was the only warm thing in the world.


    My wolf Heath stirred.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one,¡± he rumbled inside me, tail wagging like a damn puppy.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time,¡± I said sharply. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    I started to pull my hand away, but her eyes blinked open-slow, confused, hollow.


    And then they locked on mine.


    Something shifted. I didn¡¯t know what, but it wasn¡¯t wee.


    She looked like she wanted to speak but couldn¡¯t. I said nothing. Just rested my other hand gently on her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe now,¡± I muttered. ¡°No one will hurt you again.¡±


    That was all I could offer. I wasn¡¯t good withfort. I didn¡¯t coddle. But the way her eyes welled up and her lips quivered-she didn¡¯t needfort. She needed a wall to fall against.


    And right now, I was the wall.


    She broke. Her tears came fast, messy, without a sound at first-then louder, choking, painful sobs. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯d fought packs with fewer nerves than this.


    I sat there for a second before scooping her up in my arms. Jacket still wrapped around her, I walked out through the service exit, ignoring the curious stares.


    In the car, she wouldn¡¯t stop crying.


    She cried into my shirt, soaking it until the fabric clung to my skin. I shifted her awkwardly onto myp, trying not to let her fall apart entirely. Tissues piled on the seat beside us. Mike didn¡¯t say a word. He just kept driving, fast and silent.


    She finally slumped, drained. Her head against my chest.


    I told Heath not to get excited.


    ¡°She smells like Lilies,¡± he said.


    ¡°Heath! Would you stop with that?¡± I shot back.


    But I didn¡¯t push her away.


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    Her face tilted and pressed into the side of my neck. My jaw tensed. I held my breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said to Heath again.


    He only chuckled inside my head, smug. ¡°Toote. You like it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Still, I adjusted her gently and pressed her head back to my shoulder.


    We pulled into the private hospital just past midnight. The nurses were waiting at the door. I stepped out and handed her over. One nurse held her steady while the others guided her toward a stretcher.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± I asked, not looking any of them in the eye.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the nurse replied.


    I gave a curt nod and stood by as they wheeled her inside.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    When I opened my eyes, the ceiling lights above me blurred into shapes. My limbs felt heavy, but not restrained. For a few seconds, I didn¡¯t know where I was. Then I turned my head.


    Alexander was sitting at the edge of the bed, his elbows on his knees, his shirt wrinkled, sleeves rolled up to the fore- arms. The top three buttons were undone. His head was tilted slightly forward like he¡¯d dozed off while waiting.


    Yve stirred inside me-weak but conscious-and her voice rang loud in my mind.He saved us.


    I cleared my throat, but it came out dry and hoarse.¡± Alpha Alex¡­¡±


    His head snapped up. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Alexander hesitated for a while. ¡°Do you remember anything what you are here for?¡±


    I nodded slowly, then whispered, ¡°I remember.¡±


    His gaze didn¡¯t soften. ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I said bitterly, looking away. ¡°I wasn¡¯tpletely unconscious. Just¡­ couldn¡¯t move. I heard them. Felt everything.¡±


    There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. ¡°There¡¯s good news and bad news. Which do you want first?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± I said, my voice t.


    He exhaled through his nose. ¡°The good news is¡­ they didn¡¯t touch you. You were sedated. No physical harm.¡±


    I nodded faintly, blinking at the ceiling.


    45.5 %


    13:30


    He went on, ¡°The bad news is¡­ the person who arranged it wasn¡¯t a stranger. It was your boyfriend.¡±


    My hand clenched the nket tightly. ¡°I know.¡±


    He looked at me then. Not with pity, but with something harder to read-maybe restraint. ¡°We have all of them in custody. You can press charges. Or handle it privately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped me enough already,¡± I said, trying to sit up straighter. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    He didn¡¯t argue. Just gave a soft, dry chuckle.


    Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the bedside table. I reached for it and saw Dad¡¯s name on the screen. It was nearly 1:00 a.m.


    I took a breath and answered, forcing cheer into my voice. ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± His voice was tight with concern.


    ¡°Still out with a friend at the club. I lost track of time,¡± I lied smoothly.


    He sighed, probably tired, but didn¡¯t press. ¡°Just get home safe.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    I hung up and stared at the ck screen, guilt settling like a stone in my chest.


    Alexander was still watching. ¡°You should stay here. Rest.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°If I don¡¯t go home, my mom won¡¯t sleep a wink.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what if they see¡­ all this?¡±


    I looked down at my wrists. Red marks circled them, faint but visible. I forced a smallugh. ¡°I¡¯ll say I passed out drunk. Cover it up with some makeup.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything.


    Suddenly, tears filled up my eyes and I tried hard to blink them back.


    ¡°Why do I want to cry again?¡± I muttered, trying to smile. ¡°This is embarrassing.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°Then cry.¡±


    I looked up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve cried all night already. A little more won¡¯t matter.¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply. There was nothing to say.


    Around 2:00 a.m., he arranged for someone to drive me home. Before leaving, I touched up my face, dabbing on con- cealer to hide the redness and swelling.


    69.9 %


    13:30


    Chapter cu


    When I stepped inside, the house was quiet. Mom poked her head out of the bedroom. I waved casually.


    ¡°Sorry, I drank a bit. Going to sleep now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t ask anything. Just nodded and shut the door.


    I closed mine too, bolted the lock, and leaned back against it for a second.


    Then I washed my face, wiped the makeup off, and called Ava.


    She picked up immediately. ¡°Liv? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t break up with Ethan peacefully,¡± I said, voice trembling. ¡°He¡¯s trying to destroy me.¡±


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    zoo woochers

 Alpha Novel 21

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    By six in the morning, I slipped out of my parents¡¯ house as quietly as I could. Dad usually went out early for patrol runs in the woods, and Mom would be in the kitchen making breakfast. But not today. Neither of them had stirred. They¡¯d stayed up past 2 a.m. waiting for me toe home-something they weren¡¯t used to.


    I left a handwritten note on the fridge door. ¡°Went to see a friend. Will callter.¡±


    I wore a hoodie, pulled the strings tight, and added a mask and cap before stepping out.


    Then, I hailed a cab and found Ava.


    She opened the door with messy hair and bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Those bitches,¡± she muttered the second she saw me. ¡°I swear to god, I¡¯m gonna kill Chole and Amelia both.¡±


    I stepped inside, brushing past her. ¡°Do you have eggs or anything in the fridge?¡±


    Ava blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to make breakfast.¡±


    She stared at me like I¡¯d just offered to host a tea party in a war zone. ¡°You wanna cook right now?¡±


    I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. ¡°Yeah. We need food before we deal with scumbags.¡±


    Ava followed me, fuming. ¡°You¡¯re seriously worrying about breakfast?¡±


    I grabbed a pan and shrugged. ¡°What, you want to go to war on an empty stomach?¡±


    Her eyes narrowed. She was about to argue again but stopped when she caught sight of my wrists. Deep red marks wrapped around the skin like cruel reminders of the night before.


    Her face twisted. ¡°Why would he do this to you if he didn¡¯t love you anymore?¡± Her voice cracked slightly. ¡°Why not just break up like a damn adult?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond. I flipped the burner on and cracked some eggs.


    ¡°It¡¯s been eight years, Liv.¡± Ava¡¯s voice got louder. ¡°Eight freaking years. You¡¯ve been with him longer than we¡¯ve been out of school. And this-¡± She gestured wildly. ¡°This Chole chick? What¡¯s it been, six months? And suddenly he¡¯s doingthisto you?¡±


    I stayed silent, whisking eggs in a bowl. My hands didn¡¯t shake.


    0.0%


    13:30


    ¡°He¡¯s getting engaged to her tonight,¡± I said quietly.


    ¡°What?¡± Ava was shocked.


    I nodded once. ¡°That¡¯s what Chole saidst night. The big announcement is tonight.¡±


    ¡°Wait-¡± Ava leaned forward, bracing herself against the counter. ¡°Does he know you filed the divorce papers? That you made him sign?¡±


    I pursed my lips. ¡°Maybe. He might¡¯ve found out. Maybe that¡¯s why¡­ all of this.¡±


    Ava started pacing the floor. ¡°So you think he was nning this from the start? That you¡¯d file for divorce, and then -bam-he¡¯d hit you with this mess so you couldn¡¯t im anything?¡±


    She kept going, barely pausing for breath. ¡°Amelia ys the soft card, makes you think she¡¯s trying to help. Mean- while, Chole¡¯s poking you, pushing your buttons. You file the papers, they get their clean break-and if you fight back, they¡¯ve got the video to destroy you. This was all nned.¡±


    Yve growled inside me. She was just as furious as Ava.


    I bit the inside of my cheek and thought back tost night. Ethan hadn¡¯t said a word. Chole had done all the talking. She knew details Ethan couldn¡¯t have known unless he was in on it. But something didn¡¯t sit right.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t on the call,¡± I murmured, thinking aloud. ¡°She said he didn¡¯t want to talk to me. But¡­ something was


    off.¡±


    Ava turned to me, eyes still zing. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    I took a breath. ¡°Ava, I need a favor.¡±


    Chole¡¯s POV


    I clung to Ethan¡¯s arm as we stepped into the grand ballroom of Moonlight Hotel. The chandeliers above gleamed like a sky full of stars, and every face in the room turned toward us.


    The charity dinner tonight was Amelia¡¯s brainchild, a political move more than anything else. Half the elite packs in the city were here, including my own-Windsor Pack. Everyone knew what this meant. A future alliance. A merger through marriage. Me and Ethan.


    I smiled for the cameras, rested my head on Ethan¡¯s shoulder when needed,ughed politely at the small talk. But in- side, I wasn¡¯t even here. My mind was spinning.


    Why weren¡¯t they answering?


    I nced at my phone again. Nothing. No messages. No calls. Just silence.


    I¡¯d told them everything-inject her, vite her, film the whole thing. Send the video. Simple instructions for a bunch. of rogues who¡¯d do anything for cash.


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    13:30


    :


    What the hell were they doing?


    Did they fail?


    No. I shook my head slightly. That¡¯s impossible. I made sure she went alone. I even told Amelia to lure her to that ho- tel under the pretext of a ¡°private signing.¡±


    Maybe¡­


    A chill crawled down my spine. Could they have killed her by ident?


    I pouted, annoyed at the thought. Ugh. That would be boring. No payoff. No scandal. No video. Just a lifeless little body and a bunch of rogues scattering like rats.


    Still, if she was dead, that meant one thing-I¡¯d won.


    Amelia floated over like a queen surveying her kingdom. She smiled at the guests, then leared close and whispered in my ear. ¡°Come, sweetheart. I want to introduce you to a few allies.¡±


    She looped her arm through mine and led me away, whispering as we walked.


    ¡°Did you get her signature?¡±


    C


    I hesitated for just a second too long. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, then smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Amelia said, squeezing my arm. ¡°You¡¯ll be my daughter-inw soon.¡±


    I kept my face smiling for the room, but inside, I felt smug.


    That stupid Olivia. She must be dead by now.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    The balcony doors shut behind me with a quiet thud as I stepped out into the cool night air. The ballroom buzzed be- hind me-clinking sses, soft music, voicesyered over voices. I felt like I needed a break right now.


    I lit a cigarette, dragged in the smoke, and tapped Fin¡¯s number.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Olivia?¡± I asked without greeting.


    ¡°Still at her parents¡¯ ce,¡± Fin said.


    I grunted. ¡°Alright.¡±


    I hung up, and headed back inside.


    Chole was waving a glossy auction catalog at me the moment I walked back in.


    ¡°Ethan,¡± she cooed,tching onto my arm, ¡°which do you think is better-this sapphire ring donated by Mrs. Donald or the blue diamond ne from Mrs. J? I can¡¯t decide which one I want you to get me.¡±


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    13:30


    I wasn¡¯t listening. My eyes hadnded on the page she pointed at.


    The blue diamond ne.


    A rare, ocean-deep shade. Delicate and striking.


    I bought that ne for Oliviast year on our anniversary. A one-of-a-kind set I had flown in from Europe.


    Why was it listed here under Mrs. J¡¯s name?


    My mind immediately shed to the empty drawers in Olivia¡¯s locker at the vi.


    I raised my phone and took a picture of the auction listing. My fingers hovered, then I hit send-to Olivia.


    Blocked.


    I stared at the screen.


    I tried calling.


    Also blocked.


    My gut twisted. This didn¡¯t seem normal to me. I had to figure this out by myself. Right now.


    I stepped back from Chole. ¡°Have fun on your own. I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She grabbed my wrist. ¡°You can¡¯t leave now. Tonight¡¯s important-for us.¡±


    I looked down at her, frowning. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Before she could answer, a hush fell over the ballroom.


    My mother had stepped up on stage, elegant in emerald silk, holding a mic like it was a scepter.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to make a special announcement before we begin the auction,¡± she said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her


    eyes.


    I took a step forward.


    What the hell was she doing?


    She nced at Luna Madeline-Chole¡¯s mother-and then said it:


    ¡°We are thrilled to announce the engagement of my son, Ethan Hawthrone, to Chole Windsor.¡±


    The crowd gasped. pped. Champagne sses clinked.¡±


    My feet turned cold.


    She wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°As a token of celebration, we will be auctioning off the finest item in tonight¡¯s collection, a priceless blue diamond


    78.1 %


    13:30


    ne, as a gift to my future daughter-inw-the soon-to-be Luna of Hawthrone Pack.¡±


    My ears rang.


    What?

 Alpha Novel 22

    1


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The ballroom erupted with apuse, clinking sses, and well-wishes. Smiles stretched across every face-except


    mine.


    I stood at the entrance, watching the celebration unfold like a grand lie draped in velvet and glitter. The chandeliers above cast a sharp shimmer across the marble floor, and every spotlight seemed fixed on Ethan and Chole. My dress -a deep red tulle that trailed behind like spilled wine-swished with each slow, deliberate step I took forward.


    The room noticed.


    Whispers spread like wildfire.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Olivia? Ethan¡¯s ex?¡±


    ¡°Oh God, she came. She really came.¡±


    Some murmured that I was here to cause a scene. Others whispered that I was the one wronged. A few brave ones said aloud,¡± She was just dating an alpha. Not her fault he traded her out.¡±


    I kept walking. My heels didn¡¯t falter. My face remained neutral, my makeup sculpted into cool, ruthless elegance. I wasn¡¯t here to scream.


    Chole turned pale. Her fingers trembled on Ethan¡¯s arm. Amelia¡¯s poised expression cracked for the first time, just slightly. And Ethan-Ethan looked like someone had punched the air out of him. His feet shifted instinctively toward me, but Chole tugged his sleeve like a drowning girl grasping at driftwood.


    ¡°We¡¯re engaged¡± Chole¡¯s voice cracked across the ballroom. ¡°We¡¯re getting married! You should just let it go, Olivia.¡±


    I stopped.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ethan muttered under his breath, yanking his arm away from her. ¡°Not now.¡±


    Chole¡¯s lip trembled as if she were about to cry. I had seen that performance before. It wasn¡¯t special anymore.


    As Ethan tried toe closer again, a voice sliced through the tension.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to embarrass Chole in front of everyone forher?¡± It was Felix Windsor, Chole¡¯s brother, stepping for- ward like a guard dog.


    Ethan¡¯s jaw flexed. ¡°Move, Felix.¡±


    0.0 %


    13:30


    Felix didn¡¯t.


    But I didn¡¯t need Ethan to clear the way. I was already standing in the center of the ballroom now, the silence growing heavy with each step I¡¯d taken. Eyes from every elite pack in the region were on me.


    Amelia¡¯s voice rang out, brittle andmanding. ¡°What do you want, Olivia? You¡¯ve made your entrance. You can


    leave now.¡±


    Ethan finally broke free from Felix and stood beside me. His face was stone. ¡°Olivia, this isn¡¯t the ce. Don¡¯t do this here. Let¡¯s go home. We¡¯ll talk.¡±


    I tilted my head slightly, my voice velvet-wrapped in mockery. ¡°Home?¡± I echoed slowly. ¡°Is that where you keep your mistresses now?¡±


    Gasps. Someone dropped a ss.


    Ethan¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Olivia-¡±


    Chole stepped forward, rage coloring her cheeks. ¡°I am not amistress. I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e! I¡¯m not someone hiding in the shadows-youare!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his fianc¨¦e?¡± I raised a brow. ¡°Since when?¡±


    Before Chole could respond, Ethan growled at her, ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Amelia ced a firm hand on Chole¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on someone like her,¡± she said with a false- ly gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s beneath you.¡±


    ¡°You are right,¡± I said coolly. ¡°But let Chole talk. She¡¯s finally getting her moment.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°You say one more word of nonsense, Olivia, and you won¡¯t see a dime.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s head snapped toward her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    For a moment, everything paused.


    The Windsor Pack¡¯s elders looked insulted. Chole¡¯s mother exchanged a frown with Felix. Murmurs started again.


    ¡°She was paid?¡±


    ¡°So shewasthe mistress?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s arrogant for someone who¡¯s getting paid to leave¡­ ¡±


    I felt Yve stir in me, growling softly.


    925


    Felix had enough. He stepped forward, his tone no longer polite. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point. You¡¯ve had your show. Leave peacefully now¡­ or we will have to use force.¡±


    I looked at Felix with a calm smile, as if his little threat had amused me.


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    Chapter §ã


    ¡°And who the hell are you,¡± I asked, tilting my head, ¡°to demand that I leave? I¡¯m the Lunaof the Hawthrone Pack. The only one who should be leaving is themistresspretending to be me.¡±


    Gasps broke out in the crowd.


    Chole blinked like she hadn¡¯t heard me right. ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± she snapped, her voice cracking. ¡°You¡¯re out of your goddamn mind-¡±


    I pulled the folded marriage license from my wallet and flicked it open with two fingers. I stepped forward and held it up right in front of her nose.


    ¡°Am I?¡± I said, cool and sharp. ¡°Is it enough for you to bow down before me?¡±


    Chole¡¯s words died on her tongue. She stared at the paper like it had pped her across the face.


    Silence spread like fire.


    The guests saw it. The seal. The date. The signatures. Ethan Hawthrone and Olivia Whitmore.


    I turned slightly, my voice rising just enough to address the room.


    ¡°Now you all understand,¡± I said. ¡°This man-¡± I gestured toward Ethan, who stood frozen in ce ¡°-is married. And she-¡± I pointed directly at Chole ¡°-isn¡¯t his fianc¨¦e. She¡¯s the other woman.¡±


    Murmurs turned into scowls. The Windsor elders looked like they wanted to disappear into the floor. Amelia¡¯s lips pressed into a hard line, her facade slipping inch by inch. Even Chole¡¯s mother looked like she was beginning to pan- ic.


    Ethan covered his eyes briefly with his hand, as if hoping the scene would vanish if he just stopped seeing it.


    I walked calmly to the nearest tray and picked up a ss of red wine. I carried it over to Ethan, each step slow and de- liberate. When I stood in front of him, I stared into his eyes.


    In that moment, I didn¡¯t feel rage. I felt a bitter, hollow ache. Memories of us as teenagers. Our first apartment. Our wedding vows in front of no one but the Moon Goddess and a state registrar. And now¡­ this.


    I raised the ss.


    And threw the wine straight over his head.


    A collective gasp exploded in the room.


    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightened. He grabbed my wrist with force, too hard. His hand crushed the crimson ribbon tied over my wound. Painnced up my arm. He leaned in, furious. ¡°Did you really have to make it into a circus?¡±


    I didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce,¡± I whispered.


    He tried to hold on, but I twisted out of his grip. The motion ripped through my tender wrist, and blood began to soak the fabric. I hurled the empty wine ss at the floor near his feet. It shattered, ss flying.


    56.7 %


    13:30


    He looked down-at the blood smeared across his palm.


    He followed it to my wrist.


    His eyes widened. ¡°Olivia¡­¡±


    A hush fell over the ballroom.


    Before anyone could react, Chole shrieked and lunged at me with ws out. I didn¡¯t have time to move.


    She shoved me to the ground.


    ¡°You filthyslut!¡± she screamed, her face twisted with hatred. ¡°You think you can stand here and y innocent? You were gang raped by roguesst night! You should be dead!¡±

 Alpha Novel 23

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I hit the floor hard.


    The gasps around me didn¡¯t bother me. It was Chole¡¯s words that echoed like a thunderp across the ballroom. She wasn¡¯t just attacking me-she was trying to poison everyone¡¯s image of me, make Ethan hate me beyond repair.


    But she had made one mistake,


    She knew too much.


    Iy there for only a second before I pushed myself up, ignoring the sharp pain in my elbow. The murmurs were al- ready spreading like wildfire.


    I met Chole¡¯s wild eyes and gave her a cold smile. ¡°Interesting,¡± I said, brushing imaginary dust from my dress. ¡°You seem awfully well-informed for someone who wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    Her lips parted. ¡°I-someone told me!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I stepped forward slowly. ¡°Who told you what happened to mest night, Chole? You said I wasgang raped by rogues-words only someone on the inside would use. Were you there?¡±


    Chole paled, but her pride refused to let her back down. ¡°Everyone knows you¡ª¡±


    I didn¡¯t let her finish. ¡°Everyone knows what? Because until you shouted it here in a ballroom full of people, no one knewanything.¡± I turned to the guests. ¡°Chole exposed herself before I could even press charges. That¡¯s not just cruel -that¡¯s stupid.¡±


    The crowd murmured louder. Shock was now folding into suspicion. I looked at Amelia next, who stood frozen be- side Madeline Windsor.


    ¡°This,¡± I said, gesturing to the hysterical girl in white, ¡°is your ideal Luna? This is your carefully chosen Alpha¡¯s daughter?¡± My voice was thick with sarcasm. ¡°She¡¯s ndering her fianc¨¦¡¯s wife in public, after orchestrating a trap to destroy her.¡±


    Amelia trembled. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.


    928


    Ethan¡¯s face was thunder. His fists clenched at his sides, I saw something shift in him. Rage, shame, and something darker. He didn¡¯t ask Chole to deny it. He didn¡¯t even look at her.


    Instead, he stepped forward and seized her by the throat.


    ¡°What the hell did you do to her?¡± he growled, his voice like steel breaking.


    0.0 %


    13:30


    Chole iled, panicking, trying to pry his fingers from her throat. ¡°Ethan-!¡±


    ¡®Answer me!¡± he shouted.


    Felix shot forward and grabbed Ethan¡¯s arm, forcing it down. ¡°She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e, Hawthrone,¡± he said with a strained calm. ¡°Maybe Chole¡¯s just upset and didn¡¯t mean it. She might¡¯ve just¡­ said something out of anger.¡±


    Chole crumpled behind Felix, coughing and red-faced. But it wasn¡¯t just her brother stepping in now.


    Be Windsor, third daughter of the Windsor Pack and always too eager to prove her diplomacy, walked into the cen- ter of the circle forming around us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions,¡± Be said, smoothing her silk sleeve with calcted calm. ¡°Even if what Chole said is truc-and that¡¯s still uncertain-it doesn¡¯t prove that she orchestrated anything.¡±


    She gave me a pointed look. ¡°Perhaps someone saw Olivia with rogues and reported it to Chole. That would exin how she found out.¡±


    The room tensed again. Some guests exchanged nces. The tide was shifting again.


    Be turned toward me, her voice cool. ¡°And if that¡¯s the case, then maybe you feared the scandal would spread, and acted first. Before Ethan could find out, you came here ying the victim.¡±


    I almostughed when I heard Be speak.


    Of course she¡¯de rushing in to y peacemaker, being the sister of Chole. Her subtle words coated in sweetness, but sharpened to cut. I could already see how the gears in Chole¡¯s brain turned. Sure enough, shetched onto Be¡¯s suggestion like a drowning woman to a raft.


    She staggered up from the floor, rubbing her throat, her expression shifting from hysterical rage to wounded inno-


    cence.


    ¡°I swear,¡± Chole said tearfully, clinging to Ethan¡¯s arm, ¡°I would never do something like that. Ethan, you know me!¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t react. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought he might shatter his own teeth.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± she cried louder. ¡°My friend told me she saw Olivia go into a hotel roomst night. And before that, she saw a bunch of men enter the same room-how would I know what happened unless someone told me?¡±


    I raised my eyebrows, amused. ¡°Your friend? How convenient.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything,¡± Chole sniffled, ignoring me. ¡°But the way she came barging in tonight, stirring up drama¡­ I just thought, maybe I had to defend myself.¡±


    Then she turned to the crowd, her voiceced with practiced desperation. ¡°Ethan and I¡ªwe¡¯re in love. Everyone knows that. Olivia and Ethan might be married on paper, but they don¡¯t love each other. She¡¯s the third party here! I¡¯ m the one who should be by his side. She should¡¯ve stepped aside long ago.¡±


    There it was. The narrative she wanted the world to believe.


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    13:30


    Ethan¡¯s eyes narrowed. His voice, when he spoke, was low and deadly calm. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re innocent.¡±


    Chole nodded rapidly. ¡°If I¡¯m lying, I¡¯ll die right here-¡±


    ¡°Be careful what you offer,¡± I said tly.


    She flinched.


    The Windsors stood in awkward silence. Madeline, ever the loyal mother, picked up where Chole faltered. ¡°This is the behavior of a desperate woman. You¡¯ve trying to be maniptive tonight, Olivia. That¡¯s how you must have se- duced Ethan in the first ce. Now you¡¯re acting like a martyr just because he moved on?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even blink. Her words couldn¡¯t reach me now.


    Amelia, on the other hand, was unusually quiet.


    That¡¯s when I moved.


    I walked calmly to the center of the ballroom, ignoring the stares that followed me like searchlights. My heels clicked against the polished floor, echoing in the heavy silence. I pulled out my phone and lifted it.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re talking about evidence,¡± I said quietly, ¡°why don¡¯t we listen to what Chole had to say¡­ in her own voice?¡±


    Then I pressed y.


    Her voice cut through the ballroom like a dagger.


    ¡°He won¡¯t answer you. You know why? Because he doesn¡¯t care. He¡¯s mine now.¡±


    ¡°I set this up perfectly. The rogues will y with you all night and we¡¯ll post it tomorrow. Let¡¯s see who still calls you Luna after that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother calling the police. Windsor runs this city and the Hawthrones will make sure you vanish without a trace.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, Ethan and I will announce our engagement. And you? You¡¯ll be a joke.¡±


    The room fell into a horrified hush.


    Every word mmed into the guests like a hammer. I let the silence stretch. I didn¡¯t need to add anything. I didn¡¯t need to shout or cry. Chole had done all the work for me.


    Chole¡¯s face turned ghostly pale. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air.


    Ethan¡¯s eyes were glowing red now. Rage radiated off him in waves. His wolf was barely contained.


    Chole took one terrified look at him and scrambled backward.


    ¡°Wait! Wait-!¡± she shrieked,tching onto Felix. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it! I didn¡¯t mean any of it!¡±


    66.1 %


    13:30


    She was hysterical now, trembling all over.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me-it wasn¡¯t just me¡ªI didn¡¯t n this alone!¡± she screamed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea!¡±


    Ethan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then whose was it?¡±


    Chole pointed a shaking finger toward Amelia.


    ¡°She¡­ she told me to do it!¡± she sobbed. ¡°Luna Amelia ordered me to do it!¡±

 Alpha Novel 24

    Amelia turned to Chole like she¡¯d been pped.


    ¡°You-what are you talking about?¡± Her voice trembled. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened!¡±


    2


    Chole¡¯s eyes were wild, rimmed red with tears that hadn¡¯t fallen. ¡°It is what happened!¡± she shouted. ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t pay Olivia that much! That she was milking the Hawthorne family for everything they had!¡±


    ¡°I never said-¡± Amelia faltered, her voice dropping as the crowd leaned in.


    I crossed my arms and said nothing. Watching them copse into finger-pointing and self-preservation was almost surreal. These were the people who had once controlled my life like I was just another pawn on their polished chess- board. Now look at them-turning on each other like cornered rats.


    ¡°She raised the amount from $150 million to $250 million,¡± Chole sobbed, her tone sharp and rehearsed. ¡°You said she was extorting the family! That if I really cared about Ethan, I would help fix it!¡±


    ¡°You approached me first,¡± Amelia snapped, face flushed. ¡°You said you knew how to get her signature! That she didn¡¯t deserve that money!¡±


    ¡°And then you said not to leave any evidence behind!¡± Chole cried. ¡°You said I could contact someone to make her ¡®understand¡¯ her ce!¡±


    Each word hit harder than thest. And with every usation, every pathetic denial, more heads turned. More whis- pers stirred the air.


    I nced at Ethan.


    He stood still, like stone, but I could tell by the sharpness of his jaw and the fire behind his eyes that he was unravel- ing inside. This was the reputation he¡¯d spent years building-crumbling under the weight of the very people he trust- ed most. His mother. His mistress.


    That¡¯s the price of betrayal, I thought. It always collects interest.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to go that far,¡± Chole whined. ¡°I just wanted to scare her-get her to sign, not¡­ not this!¡±


    Her voice cracked, and she looked straight at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for your hospital bills,¡± she said suddenly, the words blurted out like a bribe. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, I swear. I¡¯m sorry. Just¡­ don¡¯t press charges.¡±


    She dabbed at dry eyes with shaking fingers, trying to muster some sympathy from the crowd. A few of the guests looked away in difort. Others just stared.


    0.0 %


    13:30


    I tilted my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, voice calm. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you, Chole.¡±


    Her hand froze mid-dab.


    ¡°And you won¡¯t need to worry about hospital bills,¡± I added, eyes locked on hers. ¡°Because I¡¯ve already called the po-


    lice.¡±


    Gasps rippled through the ballroom.


    Her lips parted in shock. I saw it in her face-the hope dying out in real time.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing.¡± I straightened. ¡°I know this will disappoint you¡­ but I wasn¡¯t vited.¡±


    Chole blinked, confused.


    ¡°Someone got there in time,¡± I continued. ¡°A good Samaritan. They stopped everything. I¡¯m alive, untouched¡­ and you¡¯re still going to jail.¡±


    The silence that followed was ice-cold.


    Chole stood frozen, lips trembling. Ethan took a single step forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling the truth?¡± he asked, his voice strained, low. ¡°They didn¡¯t-?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even look at him. Just stepped back and folded my arms.


    He didn¡¯t deserve my answer.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Chole muttered, almost to herself. Then louder, as if disbelief alone would undo it, ¡°That hotel is in the middle of nowhere! It¡¯s private, locked, and no one even knew you were there-¡±


    She turned toward me sharply, her voice shrill with panic. ¡°Who could have saved you, huh? What, was it an angel or something?!¡±


    I stared at Chole, her face twisted in disbelief and contempt.


    ¡°If I had to call him an angel,¡± I said slowly, ¡°he did kind of look like one.¡±


    That night, when everything was copsing around me and my body wouldn¡¯t obey me anymore¡­ I remembered his scent before I could remember his face. It was clean, steady. The scent of someone who didn¡¯t panic. Who didn¡¯t wa- ver. When his hand touched my cheek, it wasn¡¯t rough or demanding¡ªit was warm and steady, as if anchoring me to life itself.


    Chole rolled her eyes, arms crossed, scoffing. ¡°Angels aren¡¯t real. You just don¡¯t want Ethan to think you¡¯re dirty


    now.¡±


    I didn¡¯t flinch.


    33.2 %


    13:31


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what Ethan thinks of me.¡± My voice was sharp, each word a clean slice through the growing tension. ¡°If Iwasraped, I¡¯d still be the victim. You and your hired men would still be the criminals.¡±


    Chole¡¯s face twisted further, and for a moment, I saw the ugliness she had been trying to hide behind her makeup and


    crocodile tears.


    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± she snapped. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna lie, at least make it believable. You say someone saved you? Then bring him out. Let¡¯s all see this ¡®angel¡¯ of yours.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    Not because I couldn¡¯t.


    Because I wouldn¡¯t.


    There was no way I was dragging Alexander into this cesspool. He wasn¡¯t part of this story-he was the only reason I was still breathing. I couldn¡¯t throw his name out just to prove something to these people. He didn¡¯t belong here, not in this circus of hypocrisy and power ys.


    My silence made Chole smirk with triumphant cruelty.


    ¡°See? No one. You¡¯re lying,¡± she hissed. ¡°You were caught with rogues, and now you¡¯re ying the sympathy card


    ¡°She¡¯s not lying.¡±


    The voice was calm. Deep. Unfazed.


    It came from somewhere near the back of the hall.


    My chest tightened. Slowly, I turned around, my eyesnding on the man leaning casually against one of the marble pirs near the ballroom entrance.


    Yve stirred immediately in my chest.


    ¡°Is that him?¡± she gasped.


    It was.


    Alpha Alexander Green.


    He stepped forward, his presence like a sudden shift in gravity. The air turned taut. A few murmurs erupted, and someone on the right side gasped audibly, ¡°That¡¯s Alpha Alexander!¡±


    I felt it ripple through the ballroom like a wave-shocked stares, gasps, whispers.


    ¡°Why is he here?¡± someone murmured.


    ¡°Did Hawthrone invite him?¡±


    ¡°No, impossible. They¡¯ve had no ties-¡±


    61.2 %


    13:31


    Chole¡¯s lips parted in stunned disbelief, and her face paled further. I could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she realized how royally she¡¯d messed up.


    Even I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise. Alexander looked calm as ever-suited, sharp-jawed, and cold-eyed. Like none of this could touch him.


    He didn¡¯t look at me right away. He kept his eyes on Chole.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an angel,¡± he said, voice still even, ¡°but I was there. And I did save her.¡±


    Another wave of gasps shot through the crowd.


    Ethan stood frozen, his face unreadable. Amelia clutched her wine ss tighter, and even Madeline stepped back slightly, her expression warping into uncertainty.


    Finally, Alexander turned his gaze to me.


    ¡°I was just dining nearby,¡± he said tly, like this was all some amusing detour. ¡°Heard some buzz. Decided to check


    it out.¡±


    87.5%


    13:31


    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 25

    Alexander tilted his head slightly, his voice low and calm, so that only I could hear.


    ¡°Did I make things worse by stepping in?¡± he asked. ¡°I should¡¯ve asked before speaking up, especially when they were questioning your¡­ innocence.¡±


    The word lingered between us.


    I looked up at him-at his cool, unreadable face, the sharp lines of his jaw, the quiet strength in his eyes. A man like him didn¡¯t have to apologize. And yet, here he was, worried that he might¡¯ve caused me trouble.


    My heart stuttered for half a beat.


    ¡°No, Alpha Alexander,¡± I said quietly, steadying my voice. ¡°I should be the one apologizing. I¡¯ve dragged you into something messy.¡±


    C


    ¡°You didn¡¯t drag me,¡± he replied, his eyes not leaving mine. ¡°But if it would help, I can make it clearer to them.¡±


    I hesitated for only a second. He was already standing beside me. Saying no now would make it look like I didn¡¯t trust him. Worse, it would seem ungrateful. And I wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°¡­ Yes,¡± I said softly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He stepped forward, unfazed by the hundreds of eyes that now stared at him with varying degrees of awe and intimi- dation. Chole¡¯s face was frozen, her lips parted in shock. Even Amelia, for once, had nothing to say.


    Alexander faced the crowd,posed as ever.


    ¡°I was at the Ashmoon Hotelst night,¡± he said evenly. ¡°Wrapping up a meeting with a client. As I was heading out, I saw this woman-¡± he nodded at me without hesitation, ¡°-stumbling in the hallway, clearly drugged. A man was dragging her. Something didn¡¯t sit right. I asked the staff to look into it immediately.¡±


    He paused. No theatrics. Just facts.


    ¡°They intervened in time,¡± he continued, ¡°and were able to stop what could¡¯ve been a serious assault. She was un- harmed. I only stayed long enough to ensure her safety and got her admitted to a private hospital.¡±


    Every word from him struck like iron on stone-solid, undeniable.


    I stood beside him, expression calm but heart rattling in my chest. How had he even walked into this mess? What cos- mic joke hadnded him at that hotel, at that moment?


    Was I so pitiful now that even someone like Alexander Green had to step in?


    0.0 %


    13:31


    I nced sideways at him. He didn¡¯t flinch under the weight of the moment. He looked like he belonged there-like he was used to storms and wasn¡¯t afraid to stand in the eye of one.


    The entire ballroom remained still. No one dared question him. Not even the Windsors. Be yanked Chole back when she tried to open her mouth again, whispering something harsh in her ear.


    Heads nodded slowly around us. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone had thought earlier. Even if a video had existed-of something far worse-Alexander¡¯s word would have buried it. And everyone in this room knew that disagreeing with him was choosing a losing war.


    And then Ethan-of all people-decided to move.


    He stepped up behind me and ced his hand on my shoulder like we were some loving couple in this chaos.


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Alexander,¡± he said. ¡°For saving my wife.¡±


    My wife.


    My entire body tensed.


    Before Alexander could respond, I turned toward Ethan.


    And I shoved his hand off.


    Not harshly. Just firmly. Coldly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your gratitude,¡± I said without looking at him.


    He froze, caught off-guard.


    I didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°You have no right to thank Alexander,¡± I went on, my voice sharp and unwavering. ¡°And since we¡¯re talking about rights-let me remind you I¡¯m serious about the divorce. You signed the papers.¡±


    His brows drew together. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You signed them,¡± I repeated. ¡°The deadline for your decision is tomorrow. Noon. After that, it¡¯s final.¡±


    Ethan stared at me like I¡¯d stabbed him. As if he genuinely couldn¡¯t believe I would go through with it. Maybe he thought I¡¯d beg to stay. Maybe he thought I still loved him enough to crawl back and pretend none of this happened.


    He didn¡¯t realize something had already died inside me.


    ¡°You¡­ you wouldn¡¯t,¡± he muttered. ¡°You loved me too much-¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± I cut him off. ¡°And you destroyed it. Now don¡¯t worry about our divorce. Worry about yourmistressand your- motherinstead.¡±


    I turned slightly, catching the wall clock near the ballroom entrance.


    30.8 %


    13:31


    ¡°The police will be here soon.¡±


    His mouth parted. ¡°Police?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± I said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°And by the way, you¡¯re not off the hook either. Chole saidst night thatyouwere involved in what happened to me.¡±


    He stumbled back a step. ¡°You think I¡¯d do that to you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I just looked at him. Long enough for the silence to say everything.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d ever hurt you?¡± he asked, voice cracking. ¡°Olivia, I would never-¡±


    Iughed. Just once. A dry, bitter sound that scraped my throat.


    ¡°Never hurt me?¡± I repeated. ¡°You cheated on me formonths, Ethan. Do you think I just found out?¡±


    His lips parted.


    ¡°I knew,¡± I whispered. ¡°Every date. Every hotel. Every lie you told. I knew all of it. I watched it happen while pre- tending not to care. Do you know what that feels like?¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak.


    SP


    ¡°It feels like a knife that never stops twisting in your chest. Like you¡¯re dying every day but you don¡¯t get the mercy of actually dying. Just¡­ rotting while the person you love makes a fool of you in silence.¡±


    His face twisted in pain.


    ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± I asked softly. ¡°Was it because I was too loyal? Too trusting? Or just¡­ too convenient?¡±


    He reached out, but I stepped back. Right then, the double doors swung open.


    A team of uniformed werewolf officers walked in.


    They moved quickly, presenting formal warrants, and the room filled with the buzz of shocked whispers again. The officers headed toward Amelia, Chole, and Ethan. Chole tried to hide behind her mother, and Amelia tried to reason with the captain. Ethan barely blinked as cuffs snapped around his wrists.


    The show was over.


    One by one, the guests slipped away, whispering behind their hands. The grand ballroom emptied, leaving behind nothing but dropped napkins, champagne stains, and the echo of shattered reputations.


    I waited. Waited until even Alexander had left-his tall, steady figure fading out the ss doors before I dared to


    move.


    Then, I walked out the back of the hotel and made my way to the small park that wrapped behind the building. The night was still. Trees swayed gently above. I found one and leaned against it, too drained to sit, too stubborn to col-pse.


    59.3 %


    13:31


    I knew the truth: Ethan wasn¡¯t involved in the attack. Not directly. It had been Amelia and Chole who conspired to get my signature.


    But I hadn¡¯t mentioned that to the police.


    He deserved to suffer a little as well.


    For the silence. For the betrayal. For every time I cried in the bathroom with the water running to hide the sound.


    I stared up at the trees, letting the night wind dry the tears.


    That¡¯s when I heard it-footsteps approaching on the grass.


    And a momentter, a scent drifted into the air.


    Warm. Clean. Deep and grounding, like freshly split cedar and smoke kissed by pine. It curled around me gently, calming.

 Alpha Novel 26

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I looked up.


    Alexander stood there quietly, hands in his pockets, the moonlight catching the sharp lines of his face. His beautiful eyes met mine.


    ¡°Why are you hiding here, brooding?¡± he asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happy? You got your revenge.¡±


    I paused. For a second, I wanted to smile, evenugh, but there was nothing left inside me to lift. ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± I muttered, looking away. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±


    I wanted to ask him-Why are you following me? Why are you always there when I break?


    But the words never came out. My throat tightened, and I just¡­ stayed quiet.


    Alexander didn¡¯t push. He stood there for a few seconds longer, silent. Then he spoke again.


    ¡°You should go home. Get some rest.¡±


    I straightened immediately, almost like I was being scolded. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said, brushing down my skirt and trying to fix my expression. ¡°I¡¯ll head back now.¡±


    I turned, took a few unsteady steps in my heels, then stopped and turned back halfway.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said softly. ¡°For today.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. Just nodded once.


    I gged down a cab and rode back to the apartment. The city felt quieter than usual, maybe because my own head had gone silent.


    By the time I reached my building and took the elevator up, I was just ready to copse. But the moment the elevator doors opened on my floor, I froze.


    Alexander was already inside.


    I blinked, not sure if I was hallucinating. But no-he was real. Standing like it was the most natural thing in the world, his arms folded, his expression unreadable as always.


    I stepped in with forced calm, hit the fingerprint lock for my apartment door, and nced up at him with a strained


    smile.


    ¡°Alpha Alexander must be tired too,¡± I said awkwardly. ¡°Long day.¡±


    0.0%


    13:31


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied simply, stepping out with me. ¡°Came back to bed.¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°Same here.¡±


    He walked close behind me, then suddenly asked, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So¡­.?¡± I echoed,pletely lost. My mind nked at his tone-calm, but expectant. His eyes never left mine.


    I had no answer.


    When I entered my room, I tossed my bag on the floor, shut the door behind me, and kicked off my heels.


    Then, I dropped onto the couch and closed my eyes.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    I stared at the photographs spread across the cold metal table. Seven pictures in total-six men, one woman.


    Rogues. Criminals. Monsters.


    My throat went dry.


    The officer across from me watched my reaction closely. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the images. I imagined Olivia in that hotel room, drugged, tied up, surrounded by these men. My stomach twisted, bile rising to my throat.


    ¡°What if they had touched her? What if they had-¡°I couldn¡¯t even say it out loud.


    I dropped my gaze and swallowed hard.


    The officer didn¡¯t flinch. He leaned forward. ¡°Mr. Hawthrone, your wife¡¯s statement says she attempted to call you three times after being sedated and locked in the hotel suite.¡±


    I nodded slowly, afraid of what wasing.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer the first two calls,¡± he continued. ¡°The third went unanswered for a while¡­ and when it finally connected, it wasn¡¯t you who picked up.¡±


    The cop reached for the file beside him, pulled out a USB stick, and slid it into theptop on the table.


    ¡°She recorded that call. We¡¯re going to y it for you.¡±


    A second officer pressed the y button.


    I braced myself.


    998


    There was Olivia¡¯s voice-weak, panicked, barely coherent. ¡°Ethan¡­ I need-¡±


    Then Chole¡¯s voice cut through, loud and smug. ¡°Oops. He¡¯s a little busy right now. Try againter,wife.¡±


    My jaw clenched. The memory clicked into ce like a knife in the gut. I had been at the office. Chole had walked in, uninvited. I remember herughing, picking up my phone,


    23.1 %


    13:31


    And I had let her.


    The recording stopped.


    The silence afterward was deafening.


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t your phone with you, Mr. Hawthrone?¡± the officer asked. ¡°Why was your mistress the one who picked up your wife¡¯s emergency call?¡±


    I buried my face in the crook of my arm. The pain in my chest pulsed like a heartbeat. I wanted to scream.


    When I lifted my head, my voice was hoarse. ¡°She came into my office uninvited. Took my phone. I didn¡¯t realize¡­ I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d-¡±


    I paused. That sounded pathetic.


    ¡°I was working,¡± I added. ¡°I didn¡¯t even look up when she grabbed it. She said she wanted to y a game. I assumed she¡¯d put it back. I never imagined¡­¡±


    ¡°You let someone else take your personal device,¡± the cop repeated.tly. ¡°And that person just so happened to inter- cept your wife¡¯s only plea for help-during an attempted assault.¡±


    I flinched. ¡°I know how it looks. But I didn¡¯t n this. I never wanted Olivia hurt.¡±


    The officer tapped his pen on the table, his face unreadable. ¡°We¡¯ll check the security footage from your office.¡±


    ¡°I have cameras,¡± I said quickly. ¡°You can pull all of it. I didn¡¯t know what Chole was doing. I swear it.¡±


    He nodded, but I could tell he didn¡¯t fully buy it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of it,¡± he said, closing the folder. ¡°Every word. Every second.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I woke up with a dry throat and aching limbs. The couch wasn¡¯t the mostfortable ce to pass out on, but it had done the job. My head was heavy with the kind of sleep that doesn¡¯t refresh-it only numbs.


    There was a message from Ava waiting on my phone.Everything¡¯s going the way it should. Except¡­ Alexander showed up. You didn¡¯t tell me that part.


    I sank deeper into the cushions, rereading her text. Everything else, I expected. Thewyers from both the Hawthrone and Windsor families were already preparing to fight for bail. Ava had anticipated it. She¡¯d personally driven to the police station, submitted more evidence-digital messages, audio files, transaction logs. She¡¯d even attached a formal document outlining my personal ims against Chole and her aplices. It was airtight. Chole wasn¡¯t walking free anytime soon.


    And Ethan¡­ he wouldn¡¯t see daylight until at least eight in the morning.


    Good.


    48.7 %


    13:31


    Chapon LU


    SUUTINUED


    It was nearing 2:00 a.m. when Ava arrived. She brought coffee, but I switched to beer. The two of us sat on my bal- cony, the silence between us soothing, not awkward. The night was cool, and the stars were surprisingly clear. This city rarely gave me stars.


    I ran my fingers along the edge of my ss and stared up at the sky. ¡°People always say revenge should feel satisfy- ing,¡± I muttered.


    Ava nced at me, then said nothing.


    I raised my ss and downed it in one gulp. It burned, but not enough.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel satisfied,¡± I said. ¡°I just feel¡­ empty.¡¯


    Ava didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Then she smiled-gently, painfully. ¡°You went through hell. Years of holding on to a marriage that gave you nothing but pain.¡±


    I blinked. She was right. I had tried so hard to be the perfect wife, the loving partner. Even when I knew about Chole. Even when Ethan came home with guilt on his breath. I still held on, hoping that if I gave it my all, I¡¯d get peace when I finally walked away.


    But he hadn¡¯t even let me have that.


    ¡°He took everything,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Even the way I wanted it to end.¡±


    Ava reached out and touched my arm. ¡°You still have a future, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± I turned my head and looked at her. ¡°What kind of future is that, Ava? I don¡¯t even know if I can trust again.¡±


    She gave me a pointed look. ¡°Not every man is Ethan.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I whispered, pulling the nket tighter over my shoulders. ¡°He taught me how to doubt everything.


    Even kindness.¡±


    My fingers tightened around the empty ss.


    Ava looked at me with soft eyes, and Yve also agreed with Ava. Not every man is like Ethan.


    But I was scared.

 Alpha Novel 27

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The morning air still clung to the quiet of dawn. I dragged my suitcase into the living room, the wheels humming low against the floorboards. Ava was already waiting there, barefoot, holding two mugs-one for each of us. She put hers down and wrapped me in a tight hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything, okay?¡± she murmured against my shoulder. ¡°Let me handle the rest. Just go, breathe,e back when you¡¯re ready. And by then, your divorce papers will be ready too.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I just nodded against her. There wasn¡¯t much left to say.


    I was doing it-I was finally leaving. Escaping, even if temporarily. After the disaster at the charity event and the emotional wreckage that followed, I needed to be anywhere else. A window seat, some cheap airport coffee, silence. I didn¡¯t care where the flightnded. The destination didn¡¯t matter. It was the leaving that I needed.


    Ava was supposed to drive me to the airport, but as I zipped up thest corner of my suitcase, she sighed and nced at her phone. ¡°Something urgent just came up,¡± she said. ¡°I have to handle it, but you can grab a cab, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, slinging my small backpack over my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯ve already done too much.¡±


    Ava gave me onest tight hug at the door. ¡°Have a safe flight. Text me when yound, alright?¡±


    I stepped out of the apartment building, tugging my luggage behind me. The streets were still quiet, the sunlight bare- ly stretching across the pavement. I stood at the curb outside the gated entrance, checking my phone for a cab. That¡¯s when it buzzed.


    A strange number.


    I stared at it, frowning. My instincts whispered-don¡¯t answer that. I didn¡¯t recognize the digits, but something about them felt¡­ strange. Cold.


    Just as I hit the decline button, a sleek silver Maybach turned the corner and rolled up slowly from within the neigh- borhood. I recognized the car almost instantly. The window rolled down halfway, and there he was-Mike.


    ¡°Miss Olivia?¡± His smile was polite, warm, like he¡¯d been expecting me. ¡°Where are you headed so early in the morn- ing?¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°Airport.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± he said, resting an elbow on the edge of the window. ¡°We¡¯re going the same way. Come on, let us give you a ride.¡±


    0.0 %


    13:31


    ¡°I actually just booked a cab¡­ ¡± I started, unsure.


    Before I could finish my sentence, Mike was already stepping out of the car. ¡°Nonsense. No need to wait for a taxi out here with luggage like that.¡±


    He reached for the handle of my suitcase before I could even protest, lifting it like it weighed nothing and popping it into the trunk. His movements were efficient, smooth, practiced. It was hard to refuse someone so direct and well-


    mannered.


    If he hadn¡¯t been wearing such a clean, high-end suit-or hadn¡¯t driven a Maybach-any passerby might¡¯ve mistaken this whole interaction for a snatching attempt.


    Mike opened the back door for me and gave a small bow. ¡°After you.¡±


    I blinked at him, a bit overwhelmed by the hospitality. But I was also exhausted. And it was hard to turn down some- one being this kind without sounding rude.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said softly, and slid into the backseat.


    The moment I sat down, my breath caught in my throat.


    Alexander was already there, sitting on the far side of the seat. In the driver¡¯s seat, Fin adjusted the rearview mirror and nced back briefly with a grin.


    Alexander was wearing casuals today- charcoal linen shirt, sleeves rolled up, a rxed fit. He smelled faintly of cedar and something colder. Yve was thrilled.


    I greeted him politely. ¡°Good morning, Alpha Alexander.¡±


    He gave me a short nod, nothing more. Not even a smile. Like a king responding to a distant pack member. The chill in his gaze could¡¯ve frozenva, and yet¡­ somehow, it didn¡¯t feel offensive. That was just how he was.


    I pursed my lips, silently epting the hierarchy. Charm and humility were his tools for dealing with outsiders. His real self-indifference wrapped in restraint-was saved for those who got closer. Not that I was close. I just happened to know he wasn¡¯t as warm as he pretended to be in public.


    But he was still the man who had saved me.


    Because of that, I could tolerate his coldness. Maybe even his arrogance. He had the right to carry both.


    Alexander finally spoke. ¡°Going on a trip?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Maldives.¡±


    His gaze didn¡¯t change. ¡°nned or spontaneous?¡±.


    35.6 %


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    I answered instinctively. ¡°nned¡­¡± But I hesitated halfway. My voice stalled.


    A sh of embarrassment hit me as a memory surfaced. Not that long ago, I had asked this very man for a job. I had been desperate, serious, and probably not very impressive.


    Now here I was, hopping on a ne for a beach vacation?


    It looked ridiculous in hindsight.


    Before I could exin myself, Alexander smiled faintly-too faint to be kind, too precise to be casual. I realized he had asked on purpose.


    Mike nced at me in the rearview mirror and chuckled. ¡°Thought you were job hunting, Miss Olivia. Gave up al- ready?¡±


    I tugged awkwardly at the hem of my sleeve. ¡°If my application had been epted,¡± I murmured, ¡°I would¡¯ve can- celed the trip. But Alpha Alexander said I wasn¡¯t hired.¡±


    Alexander leaned slightly against the door, resting an elbow near the ss. ¡°What if I change my mind?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Now?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Just looked at me.


    Mike grinned again. ¡°You¡¯re not going on a trip anymore?¡±


    ¡°I¡± I straightened up, trying to sound less desperate. ¡°If the position¡¯s still open, I¡¯d cancel immediately. I mean¡­ it would be stupid to pass that up.


    ¡±


    Alexander tilted his head. ¡°Immediately?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Immediately!¡±


    Fin¡¯s voice came from the driver¡¯s seat, calm and clear. ¡°Perfect. You can start today. We¡¯re flying for a short busi- ness trip. Once we board, I¡¯ll brief you on the schedule.¡±


    I stared at him. Then at Alexander. Then back at Mike.


    This had to be a joke.


    But no oneughed.


    I leaned back against the seat, stunned.


    Did I just¡­ get hired?


    I was on my way to the airport,pletely unprepared, riding in a luxury car I didn¡¯t call, next to a man I couldn¡¯t read, with a suitcase packed for swimming, not for business-and somehow, this was now my first day of work?


    I nced down at my hands, resting neatly in myp.


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    13:31


    How did I even end up here?


    I looked out the window, silently processing it all.


    I got a job while hitchhiking.

 Alpha Novel 28

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    A couple of calls came in from Ava while we were still in the car. I hesitated to answer at first, but eventually picked <ol><li></li></ol>


    ¡°Liv!¡± Her voice was frantic. ¡°Ethan-he¡¯s been acquitted. All charges.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He found out your flight information. He¡¯s on his way to the airport.¡±


    I sat there, phone pressed to my ear, too stunned to speak.


    ¡°Liv, that guy¡¯s lost it. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, but if you don¡¯t want to see him, you need to turn around right now. Find a hotel. I¡¯lle to you, we¡¯ll hide somewhere if we have to.¡±


    Her urgency jolted me, but instead of reacting, I nced out the window.


    ¡°I need to think,¡± I said quietly, and hung up.


    The car was quiet. I didn¡¯t even need to turn my head to know Alexander and Mike had heard everything. Of course they had. Ava hadn¡¯t exactly whispered the information to me.


    Still, neither of them said a word.


    After a moment, Mike broke the silence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Alpha Alexander has a private jet. We¡¯ll go straight to the tarmac. Ethan won¡¯t see you. He won¡¯t even find the ne.¡±


    I turned slightly in my seat, catching Mike¡¯s easy smile in the mirror. ¡°That would be great.¡±


    The relief I felt was instant but shallow. It couldn¡¯t shake the exhaustion behind my eyes.


    The cabin of the private jet was far more luxurious than I¡¯d imagined. Soft leather seats, clean modern interiors, and a calm that should¡¯ve made me feel at peace. I leaned against the window and pictured Ethan storming through airport security, only to realize he was toote.


    A small smile threatened my lips but didn¡¯t quite form.


    The flight attendants served a generous breakfast-fresh fruit, croissants, eggs, things I usually loved-but I barely touched any of it. My appetite had shrunk into the size of a stone.


    I ended up staring out the window again, watching clouds stretch across the sky like slow waves. Somewhere out


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    13:31


    there, my life was changing-but inside, I still felt stuck.


    ¡°Are you nning to work like this the whole time?¡± a cold voice said, slicing through the quiet.


    I turned my head. Alexander was looking at me from across the aisle, his face expressionless.


    ¡°I¡­ what?¡± I blinked, confused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to go through introduction if you¡¯re nning to spend the whole trip spacing out.¡±


    My checks flushed instantly. Heat crept up my neck. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to be distracted. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said, with the emotional temperature of a marble statue. ¡°You¡¯d better remember.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even nce back at me afterward, just returned to whatever document he¡¯d been reading.


    I lowered my gaze, biting the inside of my cheek.


    Okay, fair. I was zoning out. But did he have to talk to me like I was azy intern on her first day?


    I turned back toward the window and let out a slow breath. I¡¯d asked for a job. He gave it to me. Now I had to prove I


    deserved it.


    Alexander only rested for about ten minutes the whole flight. The rest of the time, he was glued to work-on video conferences, calls, typing notes, signing papers. It was like watching a machine in a man¡¯s body.


    I waited until I saw Fin unplug his tablet and lean back slightly.


    I got up, quietly moved toward the middle of the aisle, and stopped beside him. ¡°Fin,¡± I said gently, ¡°do you have a


    moment?¡±


    He looked up and smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you could walk me through the work schedule for this trip¡­ in detail. I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself


    Fin gestured for me to sit beside him, nodding. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get you caught up.¡±


    He then forwarded me the schedule and leaned in to exin it. ¡°Our main destination this trip is Washington,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll be inspecting the branch there.¡±


    I nodded and followed the itinerary on my tablet. It was tightly packed. No room for error.


    ¡°In addition,¡± he added in a lower voice, ¡°Mr. Green has meetings lined up with several local government officials and some important business partners.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°So it¡¯s not just a routine inspection.¡±


    Fin offered a small, knowing smile. ¡°This is just the first stop. For the next six months, Alpha Alexander will be visit-


    25.3 %


    13:31


    ing branches all over the world.¡±


    I gave a slight nod of understanding.


    He had only just returned to take over the presidency of the Green Group. It made sense-despite being the heir, au- thority was never handed over on a silver tter. There would be internal resistance, power struggles, and whispers of doubt behind his back. Especially in a dynasty like the Greens, where loyalty was tied to legacy but trust had to be


    earned.


    He had to show everyone-directors, shareholders, opponents-that he wasn¡¯t just a name, he was the future.


    Still, one thing puzzled me. I tilted my head and asked gently, ¡°Is there a particr reason we¡¯re starting with Wash- ington?¡±


    Fin hesitated for a beat before answering. ¡°No¡­ not really. Just the closest one, I guess.¡±


    That felt a little too convenient. I¡¯d done some homework on the Green Group before. It was a textbook example of a family empire that had grown exponentially through the generations. Originally a private banking institution, it had expanded into new energy, inte ventures, even film production and media acquisitions. Six of itspanies were publicly listed. And yet, among all the overseas branches, the Washington one wasn¡¯t thergest or most lucrative.


    So why start there?


    Still, I let it go.


    We spent the next thirty minutes going over the schedule, outlining meetings, responsibilities, and the expected deco- rum. Fin mentioned I¡¯d primarily be shadowing him and Mike for now, until I got the hang of things.


    He sighed mid-sentence and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Honestly, I used to handle everything solo when I was sta- tioned in the LA branch. But ever since I got transferred to HQ, the workload¡¯s been brutal. I mean, Alpha¡¯s not ex- actly easy to please¡­ even Beta Mike¡¯s doubling as his secretary.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°That bad, huh?¡±


    Fin nodded with mock solemnity. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, maybe I can breathe again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too soon,¡± I said with a half-smile. ¡°I might mess up and make things worse.¡±


    Before Fin could respond, a sharp voice cut through the quiet.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re having a lovely conversation.¡± Alexander¡¯s voice was low, but the sarcasm was razor-sharp. ¡°Per- haps dessert would go well with all that sweetness?¡±


    I nearly jumped.


    Fin immediately stood upright and stiffened like a soldier at inspection.


    I turned and saw Alexander standing behind us with that cool expression he wore like armor. His tone wasn¡¯t angry, but it wasn¡¯t warm either. It was hard to tell if he was joking-or if we were already pushing boundaries.


    55.0 %


    13:31


    Chapter zo


    ¡°Just going over the schedule.¡± I said quickly.


    Alexander gave me a once-over that I couldn¡¯t quite decipher, then walked past us without another word.


    An hourter, afternding and passing through a surprisingly smooth airport exit, we arrived at the Graymoon Hotel. It was sleek, modern, discreet-the kind of ce that screamed quiet luxury.


    After check-in, Fin and I apanied Alexander to his suite.


    He walked ahead of us and didn¡¯t say much on the way up.


    Once inside, he dropped his briefcase on the table and loosened his cor. The living room was expansive, the kind of space meant for high-level meetings or private conversations.


    Alexander sat down on the couch with a quiet exhale. He looked at me for a moment-not Cold this time, just unread- able.


    Then, as if it were the most casual thing in the world, he asked, ¡°My schedule for tonight?¡±


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    13:31


    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 29

    I cleared my throat and answered evenly, ¡°There¡¯s only one event tonight. Alpha Heath from Vasalin Technologies


    has invited you to a yacht reception. It¡¯s being held as a wee party in your honor.¡±


    Alexander gave a single nod, his expression unreadable. ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap,¡± he said. ¡°Wake me up at five.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± I said quickly.


    Fin and I left the suite together and went to our own rooms. I didn¡¯t even bother to unpack.


    There wasn¡¯t much time. I took a cab straight to the nearest shopping center and darted through the aisles like a wom- an on a mission. I needed everything-professional wear for business meetings, formal dresses for events, casuals for daily use. There wasn¡¯t room for mistakes. By the time I returned, it was already 4:30.


    I took the fastest shower of my life, towel-dried my hair, and slipped into a fresh set of professional clothes. My heart was pounding as I nced at the clock: 4:50.


    I quietly let myself back into Alexander¡¯s suite, careful not to make noise. I¡¯d noticed he hadn¡¯t picked an outfit for the yacht event, so I opened his suitcase, pulled out one of the suits he¡¯d packed, and hung it up neatly. Then I select- ed a navy dress shirt and matching cks-sharp, elegant, but understated-and quickly ironed them.


    By the time I was done, it was just past five.


    I hesitated briefly, then made my way toward the bedroom.


    The door creaked softly as I pushed it open.


    And there he was.


    Alexandery asleep in the center of the bed, a silver silk robe drapedzily across his frame. One side had fallen open, revealing the lean muscles of his chest, the slope of his corbone, and the soft rhythm of his breathing. His legs-long and perfectly proportioned-peeked out from under the robe, resting carelessly on the sheets.


    I stood frozen for a moment, struck by the sheer¡­ beauty of the man.


    Yve stirred inside me.¡± He¡¯s so handsome,¡± she whispered, sounding awestruck.¡± We should bite him and keep him forever.¡±


    I forced myself to look away. I couldn¡¯t afford to have thoughts like this.


    But then I made the mistake of checking the time again.


    It was already 5:30.


    0.0 %


    13:31


    I panicked.


    I stepped closer and gently called, ¡°Alpha Alexander¡­ it¡¯s time to get up.¡±


    No response.


    ¡°Alpha Alexander,¡± I said again, louder this time, but his breathing stayed even.


    My career might actually end here. If I let him miss this event-


    Desperate, I leaned in and yelled right into his ear, ¡°Wake up!¡±


    What happened next was a blur.


    In a sudden motion, his hand shot up and pressed firmly against the back of my head.


    Before I could pull away, my lips identally brushed against his chin. Warm skin. The faintest trace of his scent- clean, crisp, addictive.


    My eyes widened in horror.


    Alexander froze too.


    Time seemed to stretch.


    Then slowly, without letting gopletely, he tilted his head back, pulling his face away from mine.


    My body jolted back into motion. I pushed myself upright, muttered something incoherent, and practically stumbled out of the bedroom like it was on fire.


    My cheeks were burning. My pulse was racing.


    And I didn¡¯t stop until I was safely behind the door to my own room, heart hammering against my ribs.


    The second I shut the door behind me, I threw off my heels and stumbled into the bathroom. My hands went straight for the tap, sshing cold water on my face, trying to calm the blunder I had done.


    All I had wanted was to wake up my boss. That was the task. That was the entire workflow.


    How did that turn into me kissing him on the chin?


    The back of my hand pressed hard against my lips as I reyed the moment in my mind-the warmth of his skin, the weight of his hand behind my head, the way our breaths collided in that strange, frozen second. It was too much.


    I cursed softly and shook my head.


    By six o¡¯clock, I had reluctantly collected myself and returned to Alexander¡¯s suite. My hair was tied up, my skirt straightened, my expression carefully neutral. Fin was already there, standing by the couch with his usual cool-


    posure.


    Alexander hadn¡¯te out yet. Fin looked over his shoulder and smiled faintly when he saw me.


    27.3 %


    13:31


    Then Alexander walked out of the bedroom.


    I turned just slightly-just enough that my eyes met his for a second. His gaze was calm. My own dropped immedi- ately to the buttons of his crisp white shirt. I focused on the fabric, the stitching, anything but the memory.


    We followed him silently down to the car.


    The ride to Rotona was quiet. No one said a word. I sat in the back, legs crossed, hands folded tightly in myp. I tried to force my breathing to slow, but every time the image of his face came back to me-those sleepy, half-lidded eyes-I stiffened again.


    Alexander eventually broke the silence.


    ¡°Water.¡±


    I blinked, startled. I reached forward, grabbed a bottle from the console, unscrewed the cap, and passed it to him.


    But instead of taking it, he pushed it gently back toward me. ¡°Rx,¡± he said. ¡°Stop thinking about your work fail- ures. You¡¯re stiff as a board.¡±


    I blinked at him, mouth opening slightly, but I quickly closed it. I turned away and took a huge sip from the bottle.


    We arrived at the yacht.


    The lower deck was already bustling with Washington elites. The air was thick with perfume, champagne, and mon- ey. Fin and I followed Alexander aboard. I let my eyes travel upward¡ªthe vessel had three floors above us, including a pool, guest rooms, and a private view deck. All of it elegant. All of it out of ce for someone like me.


    Alpha Heath himself came down to greet us. Despite the years lining his face, there was a sharpness in his eyes and a smooth confidence in the way he patted Alexander¡¯s arm, like they were old allies reunited. His smile stretched wide across his wrinkled features-warm, political, and maybe a touch too eager.


    The yacht was filled with just over a dozen guests, all of them polished and powerful. You could tell from the brands they wore and the way they held their sses that none of them were ordinary. Washington¡¯s elite, no doubt. I adjust- ed my posture without thinking.


    Then she appeared.


    Adele Vasalin.


    Petite, beautiful, with a glowing wheat-coloredplexion and an easy, infectious smile. She looked barely twenty, and Heath introduced her with grandfatherly pride-¡°My granddaughter, Adele. Just returned from Moonscar Acade- my.¡± His tone made it sound like a royal debut.


    I blinked.Moonscar Academy?The same school Alexander went to.


    Figures.


    She stepped up beside Alexander, clearly briefed on who he was. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze fixed on him with shy admiration. And that smile-wide-eyed, rehearsed, hopeful. The kind of expression that hadn¡¯t


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    13:31


    288 Muchal


    yet been burned by disappointment.


    Fin and I exchanged a nce, and in that moment, we both knew.


    This wasn¡¯t just a reception. It was a setup.


    Alexander greeted her with his usual calm,posed manners. Not cold exactly, but not warm either. And yet-he didn¡¯t distance himself. He didn¡¯t shut it down.


    Adeleughed softly at something he said, tilting her head just enough to appear charmed. Alexander gave a faint smile. Maybe that was just his way-polite, detached, untouchable.


    Still, she hovered close.


    And he didn¡¯t move.


    Fin leaned over and muttered under his breath, ¡°If Alpha Alexander knew this was a matchmaking setup, he¡¯d never have shown up.¡±


    I crossed my arms and tilted my head. ¡°Why not? She¡¯s cute. If they like each other, maybe it¡¯ll work.¡±


    Fin scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s not his type.¡±


    I gave him a sideways nce. ¡°And you know that how?¡±


    He opened his mouth to answer, then paused.


    His eyes darted toward the dock, expression sharpening in an instant.


    Then, almost like a reflex, he muttered, ¡°Why isshehere?¡±


    I straightened. ¡°Who?¡±


    But Fin didn¡¯t respond. He just kept staring, lips slightly parted.


    I followed his gaze.


    85.3.9%


    13:31

 Alpha Novel 30

    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I saw a beautiful girl, following Fin¡¯s gaze. She had short, sleek shoulder-length hair and wore a fitted ck satin dress that shimmered under the soft yacht lighting. Her posture was confident-like someone used to being in control


    of a room.


    Before I could even wonder who she was, Fin had already started moving. ¡°That¡¯s Jess Wood,¡± he told me, his tone tightening just a little. ¡°General manager of the Washington branch.¡±


    Jess was halfway to the stairs when Fin called out to her. ¡°Ms. Wood!¡±


    She turned. ¡°Fin,¡± she replied, crisp but familiar. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    She was about to continue up when she caught sight of me.


    Her expression cooled further. The once-neutral look sharpened as her eyesnded on me like I was a detail out of ce.


    ¡°And this is?¡± she asked tly.


    I stepped forward, holding out my hand with a polite smile. ¡°Olivia Whitmore. Alpha Alexander¡¯s secretary.¡±


    She didn¡¯t shake my hand. She didn¡¯t even pretend to consider it. Her eyes stayed on mine a beat longer-long enough to make a point-then she turned and walked off like I didn¡¯t exist.


    I let my hand fall, not bothering to mask my awkward exhale. Fin watched Jess disappear inside, then rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh.


    ¡°She was raised in the Green household,¡± he muttered. ¡°Her mom and Alpha Alexander¡¯s mother were close. There¡¯s some¡­ emotional entanglement there.¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°So that¡¯s why Washington was the first stop.¡±


    Fin didn¡¯t answer, but his silence said enough. No wonder Alexander wanted toe here himself. You don¡¯t send assistants to handle ghosts from your past.


    Once the yacht set sail, Fin and I stepped back into the main cabin, Music hummed low, champagne flowed, and con- versations buzzed in moneyed tones. Alexander stood at the center of it all, surrounded by the familiar polished elite of Washington.


    Adele Vasalin, still clinging to his side,ughed at something he said. She was charming, confident¡ªprobably used to getting what she wanted. Alexander, to his credit, kept it professional. Polite. Controlled.


    Jess, meanwhile, lingered nearby. She didn¡¯t speak much, but her presence was solid, iming space that no one else


    0.0 %


    13:31


    Cared to tou. I


    feel something.


    It was hard not to feel out of ce.


    I stayed quiet, arms loosely crossed, watching the triangle from a distance. And then, as if he could sense the exact moment I started thinking too much, Alexander¡¯s eyes cut across the room andnded on me.


    Sharp. Steady.


    I looked away instantly and walked out.


    The wind outside was cooler than I expected. I made my way to a quiet spot on the upper deck where two chairs faced the ocean. I sat down and let myself exhale.


    Finally, alone.


    I reached into my purse and pulled out my old cell phone. I hadn¡¯t turned it on since getting my new number-too many ghosts. But something pulled at me now. Maybe curiosity.


    The screen flickered to life.


    A hundred missed calls. Dozens of messages. My stomach sank.


    Mom. Dad. Ava. Former colleagues. Even business contacts I hadn¡¯t spoken to in months.


    I opened WhatsApp.


    Ava¡¯s name lit up at the top of the unread pile.


    ¡°Liv, don¡¯t answer any calls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ethan.¡± ¡°He¡¯s calling everyone trying to find you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s panicking. Please tell me you¡¯re safe.¡±¡±Where are you?¡±


    My fingers hovered over the reply box, but I couldn¡¯t type anything.


    I scrolled through the rest-voice notes, missed calls, scattered panic from every corner of my old life.


    Ethan had set off rms everywhere.


    He had the whole world looking for me.


    I stared at the screen for a long while, numb, before finally logging out of WhatsApp. But the torment didn¡¯t end there.


    Dozens of texts and voice messages from Ethan popped up in the notification bar of my old phone. At first, his mes- sages were calm-too calm. He asked where I was, said he just wanted to talk. But as I scrolled, the tone shifted. He grew frantic. Desperate. Then angry.


    And then¡­ pathetic.


    I opened thetest voice message, sent barely five minutes ago. His voice was cracked, shaking. I couldn¡¯t make out


    27.8 %


    13:31


    most of it at first, just sniffling and a few broken phrases. Then came the words-slurred, rushed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia¡­ I¡¯m such an asshole. Please¡­ just one more chance. Just one. I¡¯ll take anything-punishment, shame, even death, if that¡¯s what you want. Just don¡¯t leave me like this. Please¡­ please take this trip. I¡¯ll wait for you toe home. I swear. I¡¯ll fix everything. One mistake¡­ just one¡­ do I deserve to die for that?¡±


    My thumb hovered over the screen.


    I didn¡¯t realize I was holding my breath until my chest hurt.


    No. I couldn¡¯t do this again.


    I powered off the phone, nearly threw it into the sea, but stopped myself. Not because of sentiment-just logic. I didn¡¯ t need any more drama.


    The breeze brushed against my skin. I stared out at the waves, letting the silence cool my nerves. A long while passed before Fin called. He asked me toe up to the second floor.


    Apparently, Alexander was calling everyone in.


    I walked into the entertainment lounge, and it was like entering a smoky casino. The lights were dim, the air smelled like expensive cigars and old money. Alexander sat near the center of a poker table, champagne ss beside him, a small stack of chips in front of him.


    From the looks of it, he was winning.


    Jess sat next to him, slouched slightly, her elbow resting on the table. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes hazy-drunk. And clearly irritated.


    Alexander, calm and detached as always, didn¡¯t seem fazed by her presence. Without even looking at her, he gave a small wave to someone nearby. ¡°Take her to rest,¡± he said tly.


    No drama. No warmth.


    Fin and I walked over. Jess leaned forward slightly but ducked when Fin tried to help her. She shook him off like a cat with too much pride.


    Fin sighed and looked at me.


    ¡°I think you should try. Maybe she¡¯ll ept your help.¡±


    I blinked at him. ¡°You wantmeto-¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a woman,¡± he said, lowering his voice.


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡±


    Still, I approached. Cautiously. I ced a hand around Jess¡¯s waist and whispered gently, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you to a quieter ce.¡±


    52.8 %


    13:31


    She spun on me in one quick jerk, eyes zing. Her palm shoved into my shoulder, hard.


    I stumbled back, but Fin grabbed my arm, steadying me.


    288 Vouchers


    Alexander¡¯s jaw tensed. Without saying another word, he got up and wrapped an arm around Jess¡¯s shoulders, guiding her away like a handler calming a wild horse. As he passed me, he nced at the poker table.


    ¡°Cover for me.¡±


    What?


    I blinked, unsure if I heard him right.


    Fin pped his hands and stepped forward. ¡°You heard the man. C¡¯mon, sit. You¡¯ve yed poker, right?¡±


    ¡°Not since college,¡± I muttered, sitting down reluctantly. ¡°And that was strip poker.¡±


    Fin chuckled. ¡°No stripping tonight. Just don¡¯t lose us all his winnings.¡±


    I yed along for a bit, clumsily.


    After a while, Fin leaned closer and whispered, ¡°You should go check on Mr. Green. I¡¯ll cover for you here.¡±


    His tone was casual, but the reasoning made me raise a brow. Alexander was with Jess-no one was going to question him disappearing for a bit. Still, I didn¡¯t argue. Fin seemed a little too eager to take over the table anyway.


    I left the boardroom with a quiet sigh, grabbing a chilled bottle of water from a nearby tray.


    As I stepped up to the third-floor deck, the breeze greeted me gently. It was quieter here, the kind of quiet that gives you a sense of serene for a while.


    I approached the round sofa beneath the ss canopy, ncing over my shoulder-just instinct, maybe. But that¡¯s when I saw them.


    Two figures, close.


    Jess was on her tiptoes, her arms wrapped around Alexander¡¯s neck.


    His back was to me. And it looked like they were kissing.


    I couldn¡¯t help but choke on the water, shocked by the unexpected sight.

 Alpha Novel 31

    Alexander¡¯s POV


    I pushed Jess¡¯s arms off me with little effort.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I muttered inwardly. My wolf¡¯s voice came


    low and clipped:¡°Someone¡¯s behind you.¡±


    I turned instinctively, but the deck was empty.


    Jess, slightly tipsy and not hiding it well, clung to me again. Her


    fingers curled around my wrist like a lifeline. ¡°Alex, don¡¯t be like


    this. We were-¡±


    I didn¡¯t let her finish. My hand locked around her elbow¨Cnot


    roughly, but with firm warning¨Cand I stepped back.


    ¡°If you ever try that again,¡± I said, voice cool as steel, ¡°I¡¯ll throw


    you overboard.¡±


    She blinked, stunned. ¡°No. You wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try me.¡±


    She wavered, mascara smudged just enough to ruin her poise.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault Rowan adores me! You broke up with me over


    that?¡±


    Chapter <b>31 </b>


    I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. She still didn¡¯t get it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about Rowan. Or you. It¡¯s about the fact that you can¡¯t take no for an answer. Greed doesn¡¯t suit anyone, Jess. I¡¯ve told you¨Crepeatedly¨Cthat rtionships aren¡¯t a contract. They¡¯re


    not forced.¡±


    Her lips trembled, and for a second, I wondered if she¡¯d copse


    into more tears or stage another outburst.


    Neither option interested me.


    ¡°You need help,¡± I added quietly. ¡°A therapist, maybe. Since the day I rejected you, something in you¡¯s twisted. This isn¡¯t love,


    Jess. It¡¯s obsession.¡°.


    With that, I turned and left her on the deck. Alone.


    When I returned to the card room, the air was lighter, buzzing


    with conversation and whiskey¨Ctingedughter. My gaze swept


    the table¨Cand there she was.


    Olivia.


    She sat beside Gai, calm and upright, a slight smile on her lips.


    Her presence wasposed, but there was a tension behind her


    eyes.


    Gai spotted me and raised his brows. ¡°Alpha, you¡¯ve got a sharp


    one here. She handled three rounds like a seasoned yer.¡±


    I nodded without breaking stride, walking straight to Olivia.


    She was already rising from her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Jess,¡± she


    said softly.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Stay¡±


    She paused, looking mildly confused but nodded. Gai discreetly


    shifted to make more room for her.


    I took the seat across from her, just as Alpha ck opened his


    mouth¨Cloud, drunk, and far too familiar.


    ¡°Nowthat¡¯sa secretary, heughed. ¡°Smart, graceful, and


    gorgeous to boot. Where¡¯d you find her, Green? And does she


    The men at the tableughed.


    I didn¡¯t.


    I tilted my head, locked eyes with him, and offered a faint smile.


    ¡°Alpha ck,¡± I said coolly, ¡°You must be drunk. I¡¯m giving you


    a pass this once. Choose your words more carefully.¡±


    Theughter around the table stilled.


    My gaze didn¡¯t waver. I didn¡¯t need to raise my voice. One look


    was enough.


    Charter at


    Alpha ck cleared his throat, murmured something, and picked up his cards again.


    No one said anything to Olivia after that.


    She nced at me. Briefly. But her eyes said it all¨Cthank you.


    I didn¡¯t respond. Not outwardly. But I saw it. And that was


    enough.


    The game went on for another twenty minutes before Gaiid


    down his winning hand and let out a low whistle. As the cards


    were gathered and conversation drifted to business, Adele


    leaned toward me with her signature sharine smile.


    ¡°Mr. Green,¡± she said, drawing out the sybles, ¡°do you mind if I


    get your number? I¡¯d love to stay in touch after tonight.¡±


    I didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°Gai has my number.¡±


    ¡°Oh, perfect,¡± she beamed.


    Gai nced at me and nodded the slightest bit. I didn¡¯t need to


    say it. He knew.


    Business only.


    He¡¯d obviously give her the wrong number.


    After a while, Jess stumbled toward me, propped up by a


    Chapte <b>31 </b>


    flustered waitress who looked like she¡¯d rather be anywhere


    else. Her heels cked uselessly against the deck, and her arms


    iled until one finallytched onto mine.


    ¡°Alex¡­¡± she slurred, half¨Ccopsing against me.


    I caught her, jaw tight.


    Damn it.


    The rational side of me wanted to leave her here. But I couldn¡¯t.


    She was the general manager of the Washington branch. Public


    embarrassment would do more damage than the tantrum she


    was throwing now. Not to mention the yacht was still crawling


    with people who¡¯d be happy to gossip.


    I wrapped an arm around her to steady her, scanning the dock


    below. ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡± I asked tly.


    She blinked slowly. ¡°I¡­ forgot¡­¡±


    Useless.


    As I turned my head, my eyesnded on Olivia and Gai standing


    a short distance away. They were whispering again. Close. Too


    close.


    Heath growled quietly in my head.¡°Olivia mentioned to Gai that


    you kissed Jess.¡±


    Chapter <b>31 </b>


    My eyes narrowed.


    I took a step forward and barked, ¡°What are you two waiting


    for? Get her a car.¡±


    Olivia jumped. She reached for her phone immediately, fingers


    moving fast.

 Alpha Novel 32

    Gai also stood up straight as well. ¡°I¡¯ll call her one right now.¡±


    ¡°Not safe.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was quieter this time, more cautious.


    ¡°She¡¯s not fully conscious. Maybe it¡¯s better if we book her a


    room nearby.¡±


    <i>I </i>stared at her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I said slowly. ¡°How thoughtful. You¡¯re really looking out


    for her, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She flinched at my tone, clearly unsure if I was serious or


    mocking her. I didn¡¯t rify.


    But she had a point. The hotel would at least keep Jess out of


    further trouble.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°You handle it.¡±


    Olivia blinked. ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You suggested it. You stay with her. I have no intention of


    ying nurse tonight.¡±


    She took a half¨Cstep back. ¡°Actually -I think a cab might still


    work¡­¡±


    But it was toote.


    Gai had already nudged Olivia gently toward the passenger


    door of my car. Before she could protest again, he opened the


    door and practically deposited her into the seat.


    ¡°Have a good night, Alpha,¡± he said quickly, slipping away like a


    coward.


    I closed the back door behind Jess and got in beside her.


    The car started. And silence fell like a weight.


    Olivia sat perfectly straight in the front seat, her hands folded in


    herp, eyes on the road.


    Jess mumbled something incoherent and slumped sideways.


    Then, as we drove past the bridge, she wentpletely limp


    and dropped into myp.


    Her hair spilled across my trousers. Her arm dangled uselessly


    off the seat edge.


    I didn¡¯t move.


    Olivia didn¡¯t say a word.


    But I could feel her watching, staring straight into the mirror.


    Her gaze pinned to us the entire time.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I peeked into the rearview mirror again. Jess had just ¡°lost her


    bnce,¡± slumping against Alexander like she had no control


    over her limbs.


    But Alexander didn¡¯t even flinch. He caught her with one hand,


    as effortlessly as if swatting away a leaf. His jaw was tight, the


    muscle twitching under his skin.


    ¡°Stop it,¡± he said sharply. ¡°You¡¯re not drunk.¡±


    His voice was like ice cracking.


    Jess froze for a moment before lifting her head, her lips


    trembling. ¡°Why are you being so cruel to me?¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t blink. ¡°I told you already¨Ceither sit down and


    behave or get out.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a hint of warmth in his tone. It sounded like he


    was one breath away from throwing her out of the moving car.


    I didn¡¯t dare say anything. I just sat there in the passenger seat,


    quiet, my fingers curled tightly in myp. But I kept watching


    through the mirror, Jess¡¯s eyes were shining. Not from the


    alcohol¨Cthere wasn¡¯t a drop of it in her. Those were tears. And


    she was trying hard not to let them fall.


    She pressed her palm against the window suddenly. ¡°I want to


    get out. Stop the car!¡±


    The driver tensed. His eyes darted to me, clearly unsure


    whether to follow hermand or wait for Alexander¡¯s.


    Alexander didn¡¯t say a word. He just stared straight ahead like she hadn¡¯t spoken.


    I leaned forward slightly. ¡°Lock the door,¡± I whispered to the


    driver.


    A soft click followed.


    And just in time. Jess¡¯s hand had already reached for the handle.


    When it didn¡¯t budge, she shook it, then slumped back with a


    choked noise.


    ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡± she whispered, curling into


    herself. ¡°I¡¯ve known you my whole life¡­¡±


    She hugged her knees and began crying quietly.


    I sighed internally. I didn¡¯t like Jess¨Cno woman would, under


    the circumstances¨Cbut watching her crumble like that still


    tugged at something inside me.


    I opened the center console and pulled out a packet of tissues,


    stretching one out toward her.


    But before Jess could take it, Alexander reached out and pushed


    433444641&


    my hand back without saying a word.


    That small gesture¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but it ticked me off. Not


    because he stopped me. But because just like Ethan¨Che could


    be so cold when he decided someone was no longer worth his


    time.


    Cheating, lying, stone¨Chearted. Men, I swear.


    The rest of the ride passed in silence. Tense, heavy silence.


    When we arrived at the hotel, Alexander opened the door on


    his side, got out without a nce back, and walked straight into


    the lobby like Jess didn¡¯t exist.


    I was left alone with her.


    I turned toward her and forced a small smile. ¡°Should I book you


    a room? There¡¯s a guest desk just inside.¡±


    Jess wiped under her eyes and shook her head. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just


    sleep in your room.¡°¡±


    My brows lifted slightly. ¡°Oh¡­ okay!¡± There was a spare bed in


    the suite. I wasn¡¯t about to start a fight over it.


    We got out together and walked through the hotel¡¯s rotating


    doors. As we entered the lobby, I noticed something that made


    me pause.

 Alpha Novel 33

    Jess was walking just fine.


    No staggering, no tripping, no leaning on walls for support. Her


    back was straight. Her heels clicked with confidence. She even


    nced at her reflection in a ss panel and fixed a stray hair.


    She wasn¡¯t drunk. Not even a little.


    She¡¯d been pretending the entire time.


    As soon as we entered the room, Jess said she wanted to take a


    shower.


    I nced at her warily. ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking,¡± I said, keeping


    my tone polite. ¡°Showering might not be a good idea right now.


    Let me get you some honey water instead.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She turned toward the bathroom like I hadn¡¯t said anything at


    all.


    I stepped forward, blocking her path. ¡°Seriously. I can¡¯t answer


    to Alpha Alexander if something happens to you. Please don¡¯t


    be difficult.¡±¡®


    Chapter <b>h </b>


    That made her stop. Her eyes darkened and then went ssy,


    reddening again like she might cry.


    But this time, I wasn¡¯t buying it.


    I gently guided her toward the couch instead. ¡°Sit. Just rest a bit, alright?¡±


    She did, wordlessly.


    I called the front desk and asked them to send up some warm honey water. As soon as I hung up, my phone buzzed again. I nced at the screen. Only two contacts existed in my phone-


    Alexander and Gai. This one was Alexander.


    I hesitated for a second, then answered. His voice was cool and


    simple: ¡°Come to my suite.¡±


    No exnation. No greeting.


    Just an order.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a moment,¡± I said.


    I turned to Jess. She was curled up on the couch, arms crossed,


    still acting like the world had betrayed her. ¡°I¡¯m going to check


    in with Alpha Alexander. You rest. Your honey water will be


    here soon.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. She just looked up at me with that frosty,


    unreadable stare¨Clike I¡¯d just told her I was taking her ce in line for something she believed was hers.


    I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped. Anything I added would only make it worse. I nodded and turned toward


    the door.


    A short walkter, I tapped my room card at Alexander¡¯s suite


    and stepped inside. The ce was dark, the lights dimmed to a


    soft amber glow.


    Alexander stood near the window, taking off his watch with


    slow, methodical movements. His posture was always elegant,


    deliberate¨Cnever a slouch or stumble to him.


    He didn¡¯t look at me when he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Sorry?¡±


    His tone didn¡¯t change. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    For a wild second, my brain short¨Ccircuited. Hungry as in-


    what kind of hungry? I hoped not ¡®sexually¡® hungry.


    I stared at his back,pletely unsure how to respond. Then he


    added, tly, ¡°To eat!¡±¡±


    I exhaled. Right. Of course.


    ¡°Okay¡± I said quickly, clearing my throat. ¡°What would you


    like? I can call the kitchen.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Anything.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t helpful at all. But I didn¡¯t push. I listed off a few items off the top of my head¨Cgrilled chicken, seafood pasta, mushroom soup, whatever I could remember from the menu-


    and ryed it to the housekeeper over the inte.


    Once I hung up, Alexander finally turned to me. He walked


    over slowly, stopping a few feet away.


    ¡°Gai used to handle all this,¡± he said.


    Just that. No warmth. No thanks. Just a casual reminder that I


    was still in the learning curve.


    I gave a short nod. ¡°Understood.¡°¡±


    He didn¡¯t ask me to stay. He just said, ¡°You can leave.¡±


    Dismissed. Like a server who had poured thest ss of wine.


    I turned toward the door without saying anything more.


    As I stepped into the hallway, I thought about the man behind <ol><li>me. One minute he was sharp,manding, and graceful. The </li></ol>


    next, cold and clipped, like I barely existed.


    I shook my head to myself.


    What <i>a </i>temperamental man.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I woke up to the quiet stillness of the room. Jess was still curled


    up in the extra bed, asleep like a statue¨Cface turned to the side, lips slightly parted. I didn¡¯t wake her.


    I changed quietly and slipped out. My stomach was growling. I


    hadn¡¯t eaten properly the night before on the yacht¨Ctoo many


    awkward encounters, too many things on my mind. Yve was


    grunting in my head, annoyed, ¡°How are you supposed to


    function on an empty stomach?¡±


    The hotel breakfast spread was gorgeous¨Cgran, fruit, eggs,


    smoked salmon, all arranged like artwork. I loaded my te, but


    ate slowly, savoring the deliciousness.


    After breakfast, I walked out into the hotel garden to clear my


    mind. The air was fresh. Birds chirped in the distance, and the


    faint scent of jasmine wafted on the breeze. I found a shaded


    bench beneath a tree and closed my eyes for a moment, just to


    take in the calm.

 Alpha Novel 34

    Then I felt it.


    That sharp jolt of awareness. A presence behind me¨Cwarm, dominant,ced with familiarity and power. My body tensed before I even opened my eyes.


    And when I did¡­


    Alexander.


    His shirt clung to his chest, damp from a run. His hair was


    pushed back, and every muscle looked cut and defined beneath


    the fabric. For a moment, I just blinked at him. The man


    could¡¯ve walked out of a fitness magazine, except there was


    something else to him¨Cstillness,mand.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said quickly, trying not to look like I¡¯d been


    staring. ¡°The sun¡¯s a bit harsh this morning. Made me dizzy for a


    second.¡°¡®


    He raised a brow. ¡°You might go blind if you keep staring


    directly into it.¡±


    I looked away, heat creeping up my neck. ¡°Right.¡±


    To recover, I asked, ¡°Morning run?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± he replied, wiping his temple with a towel draped around his neck. Then, without warning, he pivoted, his tone sharpening. ¡°I saw youst night.¡±


    My heart skipped. ¡°Saw me?¡±


    ¡°On the third floor of the yacht,¡± he said. ¡°You were watching!¡±¡±


    I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice neutral. ¡°It was just


    coincidence. I was going up for air and¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to see


    you two in the middle of¡­ that. I left right away¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°In the middle of what?¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°An¡­ intimate moment.¡±


    He tilted his head slightly. ¡°Define intimate.¡±¡±


    My cheeks flushed. I hated that he could corner me like this


    with just a few words. ¡°Kissing,¡± I said, barely above a whisper.


    ¡°You were kissing. It looked¡­ intense.¡±


    There was a long pause. Then he scoffed lightly. ¡°You


    misunderstood.¡°¡±


    ¡°Misunderstood?¡±


    a


    ¡°I don¡¯t like kissing,¡± he said tly. ¡°Especially not with women.¡±


    My eyes widened. That threw me. Not because of what he said-


    Chapter <b>24 </b>


    but how he said it. Like it was both a confession and a dismissal. My mind scrambled. Did he mean he was gay? Or that he just didn¡¯t enjoy that kind of intimacy? Was everything with Jess¡­ fake?


    He took one step closer, his gaze unreadable. ¡°As a secretary, you shouldn¡¯t be forming such personal interpretations of your boss¡¯s behavior.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t angry. But there was a warningced in every syble.


    I nodded immediately. ¡°Understood.¡±


    He looked at me for one more beat, then turned without


    another word.


    And walked away.


    By the time I returned to the room, Jess was awake and


    brushing her hair calmly in front of the mirror likest night¡¯s


    drama had never happened. Her eyes met mine through the


    reflection, and she gave aposed smile.


    ¡°Thanks for taking care of me,¡± she said in a clipped,


    professional tone.


    I nodded slightly, unsure how much of her ¡®drunkenness¡® was


    real and how much was just strategy. Without waiting for


    more, she gathered her things, straightened her jacket, and left


    like nothing happened.


    At 9:00 a.m. sharp, I apanied Alexander, Gai, and two senior executives to the Washington branch office for a routine inspection. Jess was already there waiting at the front entrance, dressed in a crisp white suit that fit her like it was tailored to perfection. Her heels clicked against the marble floor, her aura


    collected, sharp, andmanding.


    She weed Alexander with a bright smile. ¡°Alpha


    Alexander. Wee.¡±


    He gave a polite nod.


    No handshake. No warmth. Just a formal exchange before we


    all followed him into the conference room where the scheduled


    activities for the day began.


    It was a whirlwind. The hours slipped past in a blur of presentations, audits, project debriefings, financial reviews, and a deep dive into regional operations. Jess facilitated most of it efficiently, guiding every segment without missing a beat. Alexander, as usual, was quiet butmanding, listening more


    than he spoke¨Cuntil he did, and then everyone listened.


    For lunch, Jess had arranged a business meal at one of Washington¡¯s most prestigious local restaurants. I was too focused on my notes to taste anything. Gai looked as tired as I felt. I noticed him stifling a yawn, his fingers tightening around


    his tablet.


    When the dinner meeting finally rolled around, Jess was still fresh¨Cfaced. She hosted it in a private booth at an upscale hotel with several potential investment partners. Gai and I stepped outside mid¨Cmeal to catch our breath and review some numbers in peace.


    I leaned against the railing outside the booth, flipping through the reports on my tablet. Something wasn¡¯t adding up.


    ¡°Gai,¡± I said, my voice low, ¡°look at this.¡±


    He stepped over and peered at my screen.


    ¡°The factory¡¯s system logs 2,035 clock¨Cins daily¡­ but the


    attached employee roster shows only 2,026 active names,¡± I


    exined. ¡°It¡¯s been consistent across multiple weeks. That¡¯s not


    a fluke.¡±


    His brows furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s a nine¨Cperson gap.¡±

 Alpha Novel 35

    ¡°Exactly. Nine employees getting paid who don¡¯t exist. That¡¯s


    payroll fraud.¡±


    He whistled under his breath. ¡°If that¡¯s been happening for ten


    years-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a million¨Cdor bleed,¡± I finished. ¡°Someone¡¯s been


    syphoning money by inting the headcount.¡°¡®


    He began pacing. ¡°This means someone inside the system-


    maybe mid¨Clevel or even at the auditing stage¨Cknows how to


    manipte the checks. The list goes throughyers, but no one


    really verifies every name manually at the top.¡±


    ¡°Which is why it never triggered a red g until now,¡± I


    murmured. ¡°It¡¯s disguised just enough to look clean, but the


    numbers don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°We need to report this to Alpha Alexander,¡± Gai said


    immediately.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. But he¡¯s going to be swamped with the alpha


    summit tomorrow.¡±


    Gai rubbed his temple. ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the factory,¡± I said. ¡°In person. Quietly. If we can


    identify who¡¯s behind it before bringing it to Alexander, we¡¯ll


    have a stronger case.¡±


    Gai looked at me with something between concern and respect.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I just turned back to the screen and started


    scrolling for more anomalies.


    What neither Olivia nor Gai noticed was the man who had


    stepped out from a nearby booth just moments before. His


    cigarette dangled between his fingers, forgotten, as he stood


    frozen¨Conly partially hidden behind a ss panel. His eyes


    narrowed, face hardening with every word he overheard.


    What Olivia and Gai had stumbled upon¡­ wasn¡¯t just a minor payroll error. It was a thread tied directly to something he had


    worked hard to bury.


    And they were pulling it loose.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The dinner endedter than expected. The moment we stepped


    out of the restaurant, I caught a glimpse of Alexander walking


    ahead with a stiff, serious look etched across his face.


    ¡°Is he¡­ Drunk?¡± I muttered, half to myself.


    ¡°Yes. He is,¡± Gai said beside me. ¡°When he tapped his card to


    check out just now, he fumbled twice. That man only misses the


    mark when he¡¯s been drinking.¡±


    My eyebrows lifted. That didn¡¯t quite match the Alpha¡¯s usual control. But before I could reply, Jess suddenly surged forward.


    She looked radiant under the streetlights¨Cheels clicking, her


    pace brisk and focused. She reached Alexander quickly, her hand slipping through the crook of his arm with the familiarity


    of someone who had done it a hundred times before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my room,¡± she said in a light, persuasive tone. ¡°I


    saved the wine you like!¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°No.¡±


    It was sharp. Final. He pulled his arm free, stepping past her


    without even looking at her face.


    Jess faltered but tried to recover with a brittle smile.


    The hotel hallway carpet was slightly uneven, and Alexander¡¯s


    foot caught just a bit too long on the edge. I saw his weight shift,


    his posture dip slightly forward. Gai and I were just a step


    behind him. We both reached out instinctively¨Cbut Jess was


    faster.


    She stepped in with her arms out, body tilting just enough to


    receive him. I held my breath.


    But then, in a blur of movement, Alexander twisted away from


    her and turned toward me instead.


    His hand caught my wrist so tightly that I yelped. In the same


    motion, he pulled me toward him¨Cand straight into Jess¡¯s space.


    I stumbled forward, crashing awkwardly against her. My


    forehead nearly bumped hers, and for a terrifying second, I


    thought I was about to be forced into an idental kiss. Jess


    recoiled, furious, and shoved me aside with a loud huff.


    Alexander was already walking away like nothing had


    happened.


    I stood there, stunned, still tasting the tension in the air.


    Jess red at me as if I were the one who¡¯d nned it. Her heels


    pivoted and she stormed off, muttering something under her


    breath.


    I watched her retreating figure disappear into the parking lot.


    She looked somewhat envious.


    She could walk away whenever she wanted. I couldn¡¯t. I was


    still the new hire. Barely three days in. I didn¡¯t have the luxury


    of outbursts or exits. Not yet.


    We all got into the car. I slid into the seat beside Alexander, and


    Gai sat in the front with the driver. My knee throbbed faintly,


    reminding me of the moment I had collided with Alexander¡¯s


    shin as he jerked me forward.


    Beside me, Alexander leaned against the car window. One hand


    rested on his temple, his eyes closed. Calm. Untouchable. I


    couldn¡¯t tell if he was asleep or just disinterested.


    Neither would surprise me.


    When we reached the hotel, I tried shaking him gently.


    Nothing. I called his name. No response. Gai and I exchanged a


    look.


    With the help of a hotel attendant, we finally managed to lift


    him out of the car and into his suite. I let Gai take most of the


    weight while I limped slightly behind them.

 Alpha Novel 36

    Once we settled Alexander onto the bed, Gai turned to me, eyes


    narrowing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your walk?¡±


    I nced down, brushing a hand over my leg. ¡°Nothing serious. I


    just hit my knee earlier. I¡¯ll take care of it in my room.¡±


    He nodded but didn¡¯t look entirely convinced.


    As I was about to turn and leave, I paused in the doorway.


    ¡°Actually ¡­¡± I turned back. ¡°About tomorrow. You go with him


    to the summit. I¡¯ll head to the factory. It¡¯s further out, and I¡¯ll


    need more time if I¡¯m going to inspect the system properly.¡°¡±


    Gai studied me for a moment, then gave a single approving nod.


    ¡°Smart call.¡±


    There was something reassuring about his calm.


    ¡°Let me know if you find anything,¡± he said, already turning to


    adjust the room¡¯s curtains. ¡°And Olivia?¡±


    I looked back.


    ¡°Get in touch whenever you need to.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Will do.¡±


    And with that, I stepped into the hallway.


    Ava¡¯s POV


    Ethan walked in wearing a tailored charcoal suit, shoulders


    square, posture straight, every strand of his hair in ce. Not a


    wrinkle on him. No stubble. No slouch. If you hadn¡¯t known


    better, you¡¯d think he came to close a million¨Cdor business


    deal, not to beg for the remnants of a failed marriage.


    He sat across from me in thew firm¡¯s lounge like he owned


    the ce. Like the meltdown from a week ago¨Cthose choked- up voicemails, the incoherent sobbing¨Chad never happened. Maybe that¡¯s why I smirked before even saying a word.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve finally decided to stop ying the broken husband,¡± I


    said, coolly crossing one leg over the other. ¡°Took you long


    enough.¡±


    He didn¡¯t flinch. Just looked at me with those unreadable eyes,


    like he was trying to pretend he had any say left in this matter.


    I slid the documents toward him. ¡°The cooling¨Coff period¡¯s over.


    All that¡¯s left now is for Olivia to show up at the werewolf court


    and sign. You¡¯ll both be officially divorced.¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak. Just stared at the papers like they were some foreign object.


    I tapped the pen beside them. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take long. Unless


    you¡¯d like me to read it out loud like storytime.¡±


    Still no answer.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I continued, ¡°let¡¯s talk numbers. Olivia¡¯s settlement with


    your mother remains unchanged. And before you think of


    contesting anything, you might want to remember she has hard


    evidence of your affair!¡±¡±


    That got a twitch out of him. His jaw clenched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised. You weren¡¯t exactly subtle.¡±


    He finally spoke. ¡°When¡­ did she find out?¡±


    The question came out quietly. Almost like he was scared of the


    answer.


    I scoffed. ¡°Does it matter? You started betraying her long before


    Chole. Those fake business trips? We both know you were with


    her. The luxury hotels, the excuses, the emotional


    abandonment¨Cshould I go on?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°She gave up everything for you, Ethan.¡± My voice rose without


    warning. ¡°She dropped her therapist degree and switched to


    finance¨Cbecause you asked. She went against her own parents.


    Lied to the world about your marriage. She worked herself to


    the bone just to match you, just to prove she was worthy of


    being your wife.¡±


    His eyes dropped to the papers. I even saw some guilt crack that perfect face.


    ¡°She gave you four years. Four years of silence. Of putting herselfst. And how did you repay her?¡± I leaned forward, stabbing a finger toward the documents. ¡°You broke her.¡±


    Ethan closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. ¡°I know I hurt her.¡±¡±


    ¡°No, Ethan,¡± I snapped. ¡°You didn¡¯tjusthurt her. You crushed


    her. You took a girl who worshipped you and convinced her


    that she was receable. That loyalty meant nothing.¡±


    His knuckles whitened around the edge of the armrest.


    I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye andposed myself.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t leave out of weakness. She left because she had


    nothing left to fight for. She burned the wedding photos. Sold


    the house. Cut ties. That wasn¡¯t running away. That was


    closure.¡±


    His breath hitched, and for a second, I thought he¡¯d break again.


    ¡°Please,¡± I said quietly, ¡°just let her go. You¡¯ve already taken too


    much. At least give her thisst piece of peace. End it with


    dignity!¡±


    He stared at the divorce papers in front of him for a long time.


    Seconds passed. Then he reached out slowly, fingers grazing the


    corner of the document.


    And then he tore it in half.


    I blinked.


    ¡°Ethan¨Cwhat the hell are you-?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not signing it,¡± he said, his voice rough, trembling.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡±


    I stood up. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that.¡±


    He looked up at me, eyes bloodshot but determined. ¡°I don¡¯t care


    what anyone thinks. Not anymore. I just¡­ I just want her back.¡±

 Alpha Novel 37

    I stared at him, stunned.


    ¡°I love Olivia,¡± he whispered. ¡°I still love her. Very much.¡±


    Ava¡¯s POV


    I thought I had him figured out. The cold¨Chearted Alpha who


    tossed aside a loyal woman like Olivia for a bitch and a


    convenient affair. But today¡­ he surprised me.


    ¡°I love her,¡± he¡¯d said with those pathetic eyes, clinging to the


    leave him behind.


    I crossed my arms and scoffed. ¡°Then exin Chole. Was that


    love too? Or just a convenient way to pass time while Olivia


    worked her ass off to build your future?¡±


    Ethan stood up slowly, gripping the torn divorce papers like


    they were a badge of honor instead of proof of his failure. His


    voice had a strange calm to it now¨Calmost dangerous.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to buy back everything she sold. Every dress, every


    book, every stupid mug if I have to. I¡¯ll repaint the walls if she


    scratched them in anger. I¡¯ll find the photos she burned. And if I


    can¡¯t, I¡¯ll print them again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± I snapped. ¡°That¡¯s not love. That¡¯s delusion.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be my Luna again,¡± he said quietly, like it was already


    written in the stars. ¡°For the rest of her life¡±


    I followed him to the door. ¡°Those were just copies, you idiot!


    You think tearing them dys anything? We¡¯ll reprint them


    today. Hell, I¡¯ll send them digitally if I have to.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look back.


    It took everything in me not to m the door on his arrogant


    back. I stood in the hallway, heart racing, fingers twitching with


    frustration. It was toote. He was toote. All that love he


    imed to have¨Cwhere was it when Olivia was crying alone in


    their bed? When she had to lie to her parents about why she


    looked so worn?


    Too damnte.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    I sat on the stone steps outside the old cottage. The same one


    Olivia and I used to visit on full moon nights when we were


    younger, when everything still felt simple. Now, everything felt


    hollow.


    Rain slid down my face, cold and sharp. But the rain in my palms¨Cmy hands were burning. My insides, on fire.


    I yed the footage on loop.


    Olivia stood in the center of our old bedroom, calm but distant. The wedding album in her hands trembled for only a second before she dropped it into the metal barrel. The mes red instantly, swallowing years of memories. The photo where I kissed her cheek. The picture where she cried while holding our


    bond mark. Gone in seconds.


    Her hands didn¡¯t even shake.


    I reyed it again.


    My chest ached. I clutched my knees, trying to keep myself from shattering. My wolf hadn¡¯t spoken to me in days. Not a growl. Not a whisper. Nothing. It was like he¡¯d gone dormant, disgusted with the shell I¡¯d be after losing our mate.


    I deserved it.


    I should¡¯ve stopped Chole when she first crossed the line. I should¡¯ve pulled away the moment Olivia¡¯s scent stopped


    lingering on our sheets. But I didn¡¯t. I ignored every warning.


    And now, I was here¨Cwatching mes instead of her eyes.


    I called Reed.


    ¡°Get everything Olivia sold of her back,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°All of it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. Everything. Every book, every frame. Even if we need to track down collectors or dig through charity shops.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°And have a new wedding photo printed. Same size. Same


    frame. Hang it exactly where it used to be.¡±


    Reed didn¡¯t ask questions. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    I hung up.


    The only lead I had was a credit card transaction in Washington. No flight data, no hotel check¨Cin, but a purchase at the mall¨Chers. I knew her handwriting like I knew my own.


    Someone hid her well. Someone powerful.


    And I had a feeling I knew who.


    ¡°Find out if Alexander Green is in Washington,¡± I told my team.


    ¡°Track any recent private jetndings without listed owners. I


    want locations, details, movements¨Ceverything.¡±


    They nodded.


    Because Alexander was the only one who could¡¯ve taken Olivia.


    The only one who could guard her that fiercely and make her


    disappear from me.


    But I¡¯d find her.


    I¡¯d burn the world if I had to.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The next morning, I dressed simply¨Cgray blouse, ck trousers,


    t leather shoes. No perfume. No distractions. I tucked a small


    tape recorder into my shoulder bag and headed out after


    breakfast, catching a cab straight to the factory.


    The air smelled like iron and hot oil. As I stepped through the


    main gate, a cheerful woman greeted me and led me to the


    office area, where I was met by John Danie¨Cthe factory¡¯s


    director. Middle¨Caged, slightly balding, and energetic in a way


    that made me feel like I was intruding on someone¡¯s family¨Crun


    business, not a branch of one of the country¡¯srgest werewolf


    corporations. Well, he had been working here for 15 years now.


    Chorter 30

 Alpha Novel 38

    ¡°Miss Olivia!¡± he said with a wide grin, extending both hands.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard about you. You¡¯re the one working directly under


    Alpha Alexander, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I smiled politely. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to put it.¡°¡±


    He chuckled like he already considered me one of their own.


    ¡°We were all hoping Alpha Alexander would visit in person.¡±


    I yed along, waving one hand lightly. ¡°He¡¯s neck¨Cdeep in


    summit prep. You know how it is.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°Of course, of course. We¡¯re honored all the


    same.¡±


    He then introduced me to the heads of administration and


    finance. Everyone seemed eager to make a good impression,


    though a few eyes lingered on me a little too long¨Cnot with


    suspicion, more like nervous curiosity. Still, I kept my tone light


    and friendly as John led me on a tour of the facility. The office


    was neat. The workshop was noisy and smelled of metal


    shavings and sweat. The dining hall was surprisingly spacious.


    I asked innocent questions here and there about operations,


    staffing, and overtime pay. I asionally took pictures, telling


    them they were for Alexander¡¯s visual records.


    When lunch arrived, I chose to stand in line like everyone else and made my way to a long bench near the corner of the dining hall. I set my tray down beside three women in faded uniforms who were clearly startled at first but gradually warmed up to


    me as we ate.


    ¡°Been working here long?¡± I asked, stabbing my steamed vegetables with my fork.


    ¡°Six years,¡± said the one with a braid, maybe in her early thirties.


    ¡°This one¡¯s been here ten.¡± She pointed to a shorter woman


    across from her.


    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Ever run into any issues clocking in?¡±


    They exchanged a look.


    ¡°The machine¡¯s right at the shop entrance,¡± said the third


    woman. ¡°Sometimes it glitches.¡±


    ¡°No cameras?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± said the one with the braid. ¡°No one checks.¡±


    I leaned in a little. ¡°I heard something odd, actually. Some say


    the factory¡¯s haunted.¡°¡±


    They stiffened. The braid woman set her spoon down slowly.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± she asked, her voice low.


    1 shrugged. ¡°People talk¡±


    The shorter one whispered, ¡°There are two names that show up


    on the register every day. But no one¡¯s ever seen them. Not


    once.¡±


    ¡°Jennie Williams and n Fraco,¡± the third added, then quickly


    looked around.


    I stayed quiet, pretending to pick at my food, while the recorder


    in my bag captured everything. They said the shop supervisor


    had warned everyone not to bring it up again. That even the


    timekeepers looked the other way.


    That was all I needed.


    By afternoon, I had gathered everyone involved¨CJohn, the


    shop supervisor, the personnel lead, the statistician, and the


    ountant¨Cinto a medium¨Csized meeting room near the admin


    wing. I smiled as I set my notebook down.


    ¡°I appreciate your time,¡± I said cheerfully. ¡°There¡¯s just a small


    matter I¡¯d like to clear up before I submit my report to Alpha


    Alexander.¡±


    Everyone shifted in their seats.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet Jennie Williams and n Fraco,¡± I said, casually


    flipping a page in my notes.


    Cha


    Dead silence.


    No one moved. The room grew heavy.


    Then the shop supervisor stood, face unreadable, and walked to the door. I watched his hand reach for the knob as he turned the


    lock and quietly shut the door behind him.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I kept my tone calm as I looked at John. ¡°Why lock the door?¡±


    John smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°There are some things better discussed privately.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. Just waited.


    He folded his arms and leaned forward. ¡°Jennie Williams and


    n Fraco¡­ they¡¯re real. They were among the earliest


    employees here. Good people. Until the ident.¡±


    My brows knit. ¡°ident?¡±


    ¡°A safety issue¨Cyears ago,¡± he said quietly. ¡°It left them both


    with permanent injuries. They couldn¡¯t work after that.¡±


    I looked around the room. No one corrected him. No one met


    my eyes either.


    John continued. ¡°We offeredpensation. Kept it out of court.


    But they didn¡¯t want a one¨Ctime settlement. They insisted on


    monthly wages for the rest of their working years. We agreed¡­


    off the record.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°So for over a decade, they¡¯ve been receiving


    sries as if they were still working.¡±


    ¡°Theywereloyal,¡± John insisted. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to drag the


    really.¡±


    ¡°And Alpha Alexander doesn¡¯t know?¡±


    He hesitated, then gave me a pleading look. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to. He¡¯s got bigger things to worry about. This is internal. It¡¯s


    handled.¡±


    I nodded slowly, pretending to consider it. ¡°Fine. But I still want


    to meet them. Just for verification.¡±¡±


    John paused, then nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll have someone bring


    them in.¡±

 Alpha Novel 39

    About ten minutester, he returned with a bright smile.


    ¡°They¡¯re already at a nearby restaurant. It¡¯s quiet there, easier to


    talk.¡±


    I nodded and excused myself from the room. The moment I


    stepped outside, the cool ind breeze hit me. I followed the


    directions John had given, walking down a side street toward


    the restaurant. It wasn¡¯t far.


    But before I could turn the corner, I felt a sharp sting at the back


    of my neck.


    Something cold, something fast.


    My vision swam.


    I stumbled forward, disoriented.


    The world tilted.


    And everything went ck.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    The summit dinner had run longer than expected. It was nearly


    eight when I returned to the hotel, loosening my tie, preparing


    <b>Chapter </b>30


    for a video conference with the European board.


    Before I could even connect, Gai burst in.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t returned,¡± he said. His breathing was uneven, hisposure frayed¨Csomething I rarely saw from him.


    I turned from the window. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Olivia.¡±


    My expression hardened. ¡°Where was shest?¡±


    ¡°She left for the factory around one in the afternoon. Was


    scheduled to return by three.¡± He checked his phone. ¡°It¡¯s past


    eight now. Her number¡¯s not reachable.¡±


    The air in the room dropped ten degrees. I walked to my desk and shut theptop lid. ¡°Cancel the conference. I¡¯m going there.¡±¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the factory,¡± Gai added quickly. ¡°They¡¯re


    checking the security feeds and questioning the staff.¡°¡±


    Good. At least his instincts weren¡¯tpletely dulled.


    Just as we were stepping into the elevator, Jess appeared at the


    end of the corridor, clutching her coat. ¡°I heard what happened.


    I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t argue. Not now. Every second mattered.


    We exited the hotel into the cool Washington night. Just as I


    reached for the car door, a voice cut through the quiet.


    ¡°Alpha Alexander!¡±


    I paused.


    Across the street, a small group of men hurried toward us. In


    front was Alpha Ethan Hawthorne.


    He stopped a few feet from me, chest heaving, eyes zing.


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡±


    I regarded him with the same calm I always reserved for


    uninvited noise. ¡°She¡¯s missing.¡±


    His fists clenched. ¡°What the hell do you mean-


    Before he couldunch into his usual tantrum, Gai stepped


    forward. ¡°She was sent to inspect the factory. She hasn¡¯t been


    back since.¡±


    ¡°Olivia is my personal secretary,¡± I added tly. ¡°She was acting


    on my behalf.¡±


    The words hit Ethan visibly. His jaw tightened. My wolf Heath


    snarled <i>at </i>the sight of him¨Cthis man who had the audacity to


    call herhis.


    ¡°My team is searching now. We¡¯ll find her,¡± I finished.


    Ethan stared, unwilling to ept it. But I was already moving.


    My car pulled up and I got in without looking back.


    His headlights followed us.


    On the way to the factory, Gai exined Olivia¡¯s suspicions


    from the night before¨Cabout ghost employees, payroll


    mismatches, potential corruption.


    ¡°She believed it was internal fraud,¡± he added. ¡°She brought a


    recorder today. Said she¡¯d go investigate quietly.¡±


    I turned to him, cold fury simmering beneath my voice. ¡°Why


    wasn¡¯t I told sooner?¡±


    ¡°We thought it was just a petty matter, and didn¡¯t require your


    attention.¡± Gai hesitated. ¡°Also, she thought she could handle it.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not an auditor,¡± I snapped. ¡°She¡¯s my PS. If anything


    happens to her, you will answer to me first.¡±


    Gai said nothing. He understood.


    I looked out the window. The night blurred past, streetlights


    flickering like silent warnings.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t find her within the hour,¡± I said, my voice deadly


    even, ¡°fire every executive in that branch. Every name from the


    factory to the boardroom.¡±


    Gai blinked. ¡°On what grounds?¡±


    I turned to him, expression unchanged. ¡°No grounds. I don¡¯t need any


    I looked ahead again, the tension wrapping around me like steel.


    ¡°If they dare to touch what¡¯s mine, they no longer deserve to


    exist under my roof.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    My wrists were tied behind the chair so tightly that the


    cirction in my fingers had gone numb. A strip of rough duct


    tape sealed my mouth. I could barely breathe through my nose


    -the air was thick with the stench of damp wood, rot, and


    mildew.


    Somewhere beyond the walls, I could hear waves crashing. The


    sharp tang of salt in the air suggested we were close to the coast,


    maybe even in one of the old abandoned seaside houses I¡¯d


    passed on the way to the restaurant. My eyes hadn¡¯t adjusted to


    the dark, but I could make out the faint outlines of furniture¨Ca


    dusty couch, a crooked dining table, a moldy rug.


    The door creaked open, letting in a sliver of moonlight¨Cand in


    stepped Jimson Howard.


    I blinked. I had suspected someone from thepany might be involved, buthim? Assistant Branch Manager? He always


    seemed harmless, awkward even. Too polite. Too ordinary.

 Alpha Novel 40

    But now, lit by the moon and backlit by the ocean mist, his expression twisted into something grotesque. His eyes glimmered, his face split into a grin that made my stomach curl.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Jimson said, slowly stepping closer. ¡°You¡¯re prettier up close.¡±


    I froze as he crouched beside me, lifting a hand to stroke my


    cheek. His fingers were cold and greasy. I turned my head away, gagging under the tape. Heughed and sniffed the tips of his


    fingers, like a man savoring a meal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are hoping that someone¡¯s gonna save you,


    are you?¡± he whispered. ¡°Nobody knows where you are.¡°¡±


    I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears. Yve stirred inside


    me, frantic. I told her silently¨Cbreak the chair, do something,


    anything.


    But she was weak. My body was already aching from being


    bound for hours, maybe more. I didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been


    here.


    Then the chair creaked under me. I shifted just enough to make


    one leg wobble. Jimson turned his back briefly,ughing at his


    own joke. I leaned my weight hard against the weak leg.


    Crack.


    The old wooden leg snapped, and I fell hard onto the ground,


    coughing from the dust that rose around me. My arm burned


    from the angle, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Jimson turned, excited. He dropped to his knees beside me and


    grabbed my ankle. ¡°Trying to run? No, no, sweet girl,¡® he said,


    voice low and shaking. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere. You¡¯re


    mine now. I¡¯ll keep you right here, nice and quiet. My timepass.¡±


    He reached down and stroked my thigh with a slow, disgusting


    pass of his hand. My skin crawled. I tried to move, but the rope


    around my ankles held firm.


    My mind screamed. But my face stayed nk. If I screamed,


    he¡¯d enjoy it. If I struggled, he¡¯d tighten the ropes.


    So I did something else. I nodded. Slowly. Willingly.


    His eyes lit up. ¡°Oh? You want to behave now?¡±


    I nodded again, pretending to be afraid¡ªno, pretending to give <ol><li>in. I gestured toward the stairs behind him, then looked down at </li></ol>


    the dusty floor and made a face like I was disgusted. He looked


    down too<i>. </i>


    ¡°You don¡¯t want it here?¡± he said, mocking. ¡°Too dirty for you?¡±


    I forced another nod.


    His face twisted into something almost pleased. ¡°Fine. Upstairs,


    then. But don¡¯t try anything funny¡±


    He loosened the ropes around my wrists and ankles but kept the long end wrapped around my neck like a leash. ¡°One wrong move,¡± he warned, ¡°and I¡¯ll throw you into the sea. Nobody will


    ever find you.¡±


    But I wasn¡¯t thinking about the ocean. I was thinking about the phone in his back pocket. It had rung twice now¨Cshort buzzes. I recognized the distinct hum of Gai¡¯s encryption ringtone.


    They were calling him. Not because he was my captor. But maybe because they¡¯d figured it out.They must have checked the factory records. They must have realized who hadn¡¯t been


    ounted for during my disappearance.


    Upstairs, the air felt heavier, the walls narrower. Jimson¡¯s phone kept buzzing in his back pocket. He cursed under his


    breath and fumbled with it, using the dim glow of his screen to


    look for a light switch on the wall.


    That¡¯s when I saw it.


    A broken window. Its jagged edge gaped open just ahead,


    framed by the dusty hallway. Beyond it¨Cnothing but the ocean,


    ck and endless.


    My pulse surged. That was it. My only chance.


    ?


    I whispered to Yve in my head, checking in.


    ¡°Are you with me?¡±


    Yve¡¯s answer was sharp.¡°Better to fight than let scum like him


    win.¡±


    I nodded to myself, swallowed my fear, and let my knees go


    ck. I staggered forward slightly, pretending I could barely


    stand, like the struggle downstairs had drained every ounce of


    strength from me.


    Jimson, buying the act, grunted and turned his back to open the


    bedroom door. ¡°Move faster,¡± he muttered. ¡°Or I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    That¡¯s all he got out.


    I ripped the rope from around my neck, the burn on my skin forgotten. My legsunched forward with everything I had left.


    His head turned¨Cjust in time to see me throw myself toward


    the shattered ss.


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    But I was already gone.


    The wind roared in my ears as I crashed through the broken


    window. My skin stung as ss sliced my arms and shoulder.


    Then gravity took over.


    Chapter ap


    I shut my eyes. The salty air was gone¨Creced by the cold,


    violent embrace of the sea.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    The moment I stepped into the factory¡¯s main conference room,


    the chaos simmered down like oil hitting cold steel. Dozens of


    voices fell silent. All eyes turned to me¨Csome relieved, some


    terrified.

 Alpha Novel 41

    Gai was at my side, stone¨Cfaced. Ethan stormed in secondster,


    his presence radiating heat. My wolf, Heath, stirred inside me¨C


    impatient, ready to rip the truth out of someone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask once,¡± I said. My voice echoed off the bare walls. ¡°Has


    anyone found Olivia?¡±


    John, the factory manager, stepped forward. Sweat dotted his


    brow. ¡°N¨Cno, Alpha Alexander¡­ we¡¯re still looking. She left the


    building around one p.m.-¡±


    ¡°And you were the one assigned to show her around today,¡± I


    cut him off coldly. ¡°So you would know where she went.


    Correct?¡±


    He swallowed hard. ¡°I escorted her to the front gate¡­ after that,


    she said she had a personal errand¡­¡±


    ¡°What if I told you I had proof that¡¯s a lie?¡± I stepped forward.


    ¡°What then?¡±


    The blood drained from his face. He opened his mouth, but no


    words came out.


    Beside me, Ethan moved. He was on John in a second, fist


    twisting the cor of his shirt, dragging him forward like a rag


    Chapter <b>41 </b>


    doll. ¡°Where the hell is my wife?¡±


    The room erupted.


    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Ethan roared andnded a punch across


    John¡¯s jaw. John crumpled to his knees, coughing blood.


    ¡°Talk!¡± Ethan shouted again, fists clenched.


    ¡°Enough,¡± I ordered, but Ethan barely heard me.


    John stammered, ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t do anything! I just¡ªjust¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, the door burst open.


    Jess and Jimson strode in.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Jess demanded, clearly rmed.


    Ethan¡¯s eyes zed. ¡°You dare interrupt now?¡± He pointed to


    Jimson. ¡°Drag him out!¡±


    Gai stepped in, calm but firm. ¡°That¡¯s Jimson Howard, assistant


    branch manager.¡±


    Jess blinked. ¡°And who are you?¡±


    Gai turned to her. ¡°That¡¯s Ethan Hawthorne. Olivia¡¯s husband.¡±


    Jess was shocked.


    Before another word could be said, more men burst in¨CJohn¡¯s loyal staff, trying to pull him away. Ethan¡¯s men surged forward, shing in the doorway. The factory turned into a battlefield of shouting and shoving.


    I ignored the noise and focused on Jimson.


    He was too calm. His eyes shifted slightly when he saw me


    watching.


    I crossed the floor slowly, deliberately. ¡°Jimson,¡± I said. ¡°Where


    is Olivia?¡±


    He squared his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Whatever this is, it has


    nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± My tone dropped colder. ¡°Because right now, your


    name is the one I¡¯m hearing the most.¡±


    ¡°Alpha, I¡­ I really don¡¯t know,¡± His lips twitched. ¡°These


    usations are just defamatory.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    My palm mmed down against the metal conference table,


    echoing through the tense room like a gunshot. ¡°Where is


    Olivia?¡± I barked.


    The air crackled with energy, the pressure of my Alpha tone


    pushing most of the room into silence. John dropped to his


    knees, trembling.


    ¡°I swear, Alpha-¡± his voice cracked, ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is.


    If you im I took her, show me the proof!¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°You escorted her. She never came back.


    And now she¡¯s gone. You want to see proof, John? I¡¯ll give you


    something better¨Cthe end of your career if I don¡¯t get answers.¡±


    I turned to Jimson, who was still standing tall with his arms


    crossed like this was some petty HR matter. ¡°And you,¡± I said


    sharply. ¡°You¡¯re walking a very thin line.¡±


    Jimson lifted his brows in faux confusion. ¡°With all due respect,


    Alpha Alexander, are you threatening your own executive


    staff? For what? A missing secretary?¡±


    That made Heath stir again. My wolf growled from within,


    barely contained.


    ¡°Are you so sure I won¡¯t find her?¡± I asked.


    Jimson didn¡¯t flinch.


    Beside him, John gave a nervous chuckle¨Crelief, of all things.


    As if something had just been confirmed. That look sent a chill


    through my spine.


    Was Olivia truly not expected to return?


    ¡°You¡¯re angry,¡± Jimson said, voice full of feigned hurt. ¡°And you¡¯re ming John and me because she vanished. But is this really the behavior of an Alpha, threatening loyal employees


    over a woman?¡±


    He nced around the room like he was looking for allies, trying to nt seeds of doubt.


    ¡°Do you even hear yourself?¡± I said coldly. ¡°You think loyalty is just doing your job while helping bury my people?¡±


    Before I could press further, Gai¡¯s phone buzzed.


    He stepped outside to take the call, and when he returned, his


    expression had changed.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Gai said quickly, ¡°John confessed. He said Olivia was taken to an old mansion¨Chis family¡¯s, down by the cliffs near


    the sea.¡±


    My heart stilled for a beat. Heath growled louder.


    I turned to Ethan. ¡°Take your men. Go there now. Search the


    house from top to bottom.¡±


    Ethan gave a sharp nod and bolted out the door.


    ¡°Gai,¡± I said, ¡°expand the search to five kilometers around the


    mansion. I want aerial scans, sea patrols, everything. She`


    might¡¯ve been-¡± I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence.


    Thrown overboard.

 Alpha Novel 42

    Jimson had the gall to furrow his brows in concern. ¡°I hope she¡¯s all right¡­ that poor girl.¡±


    I watched him carefully and decided to test him.


    ¡°She is,¡± I said tly. ¡°She was found an hour ago.¡±


    A single blink. No twitch. No shift in weight. Just that same


    damned smug confidence.


    Jimson remained eerily calm.


    Too calm.


    And that told me everything I needed to know.


    Then, suddenly, Jess exploded.


    ¡°Why are you acting like Olivia¡¯s disappearance is the end of the


    world? Are you that scared? Or is it that you care too much?¡±


    Her voice was high¨Cpitched and hysterical, a mix of rage and


    confusion.


    I didn¡¯t raise my voice. ¡°Do you even know what she was doing


    here? What she found?¡±


    Jess scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s a secretary. She¡¯s been here forthree days.


    Why would anything she says matter?¡±


    I walked forward slowly, each word clipped and deliberate. ¡°That secretary uncovered something you¡¯ve failed to detect in two years. She was doingmyjob. She disappeared onmywatch.¡±


    Jess clenched her fists, her face crumpling with disbelief.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane. You¡¯re¨Cwhat, in love with that married woman


    now?¡±


    I looked at her, this woman I once thought might be useful. Now


    I only felt disappointment. ¡°If you¡¯d focused less on appearances


    and more on substance, maybe your brain wouldn¡¯t be so dull.¡±


    Her lips quivered. ¡°I¡¯m resigning.¡± Then, louder, ¡°I¡¯ve already


    called Neil. I¡¯m going to let him know how you¡¯re humiliating


    your own people over some outsider.¡±¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Of course she called my


    father. She always cried to him when she couldn¡¯t win on her


    own. ¡°Let me guess. You told him I¡¯m biased. That I¡¯ve lost my


    mind over Olivia.¡±


    She nodded defiantly. ¡°Yes. Because that¡¯s exactly what this is.


    Favoritism. Obsession.¡±


    Behind her, Jimson chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m resigning too. I¡¯ve given this


    I¡¯m done.¡±


    A few other executives nced at each other, looking uncertain


    -some ready to follow Jimson¡¯s lead just to survive the fallout.


    Right then, my phone vibrated. A message from Gai. My father had just called him to ask for my response.


    I took a slow breath, then turned on the speaker. ¡°Father,¡± I said calmly, ¡°the purpose of this inspection has been achieved. I¡¯ve


    seen what I came here to see. The ones who needed to expose themselves have done so. I have nothing more to add.¡±


    Jess looked stunned.


    Still, she wasn¡¯t done. ¡°You don¡¯t deny it, do you? That you¡¯re


    obsessed with her? A married woman, no less. What are you


    going to do¨Cfight Ethan for her?¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°The only reason I care about Olivia is


    because she came here on my behalf. She looked into financials


    thatyoushould¡¯ve been checking. She put herself in danger because this branch is rotten from the inside. You let it happen.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tellme,¡± Jimson shouted, his mask slipping. ¡°She


    didn¡¯t report it toanyoneofficial. She just wanted to show off in front of you!¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t trust you,¡± I snapped. ¡°And now I understand why!¡±


    Jimson stepped forward. ¡°Even if she found something¨Cthere¡¯s protocol. She should¡¯vee tome! Not go around acting like


    some damned investigator!¡±


    But before I could reply to Jimson, a weak female voice cut


    through the silence from the doorway, quiet but firm enough to


    freeze every movement in the room.


    ¡°The mole is¡­ Jimson.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The room fell into a stunned silence when I appeared at the


    doorway¨Csoaked, bruised, and barely able to stand. My clothes


    clung to me, dripping saltwater onto the marble floor. The blood


    from my thigh had soaked through the towel I¡¯d tied around it,


    staining it a deep rust¨Cred.


    I met dozens of eyes. Confused. rmed. Guilty.


    Then I saw him.


    Alexander moved first. His face twisted with disbelief, then


    tightened with concern as he strode toward me. ¡°Are you


    alright?¡± he asked, his voice low but sharp, like he wasn¡¯t sure if


    he believed what he was seeing.


    ¡°I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t die,¡± I answered, my voice hoarse. ¡°That¡¯s the


    best thing I can say right now!¡±


    His hand reached out to steady me, eyes catching the makeshift


    bandage on my thigh. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding. Let¡¯s get you to the


    hospital first.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Hospital can wait,¡± I muttered. ¡°I want to finish this


    first.¡±


    He didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he wrapped an arm around my waist


    and, without hesitation, lifted me off my feet. I wasn¡¯t expecting


    it¨Chis arms were warm and strong, his scent familiar in a way


    that made my chest ache. The room was dead quiet as he slowly


    helped me forward.

 Alpha Novel 43

    I nced around. People parted for us like waves, but my eyes stopped at Jess. She stood with a cell phone clutched in her hand, her eyes red from crying, yet ring at me as if I were a


    curse that wouldn¡¯t die. Her bottom lip trembled.


    I turned away.


    Jimson¡¯s face was nk, frozen in some twisted mix of horror


    and disbelief.


    I looked right at him. ¡°Still going to pretend you had nothing to


    do with it?¡±


    Jimson scoffed, trying to actposed. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong


    guy. Looks like you¡¯re just trying to ruin her reputation in front


    of Alexander.¡±


    That low blow hit Jess like a p. Her jaw clenched, and she


    stepped forward, eyes shining. ¡°You¡¯re such a liar,¡± she snapped,


    voice cracking. ¡°She¡¯s just acting¨Ctrying to win everyone¡¯s


    sympathy!¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Alexander said coldly, not even ncing at her. ¡°Jess,


    your jealousy is no longer excusable. You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±


    Jess opened her mouth again but closed it just as fast, stunned


    silent.


    I sighed. ¡°Jess isn¡¯t the problem right now¡± I looked back at Jimson. ¡°You really think you were alone in that house with


    me?¡±


    His confidence slipped, barely noticeable. Just a flicker in his


    eyes, a twitch in his lip. He straightened his spine.


    ¡°You¡¯re making things up.¡±


    ¡°I left a tape recorder,¡± I said, tone calm but firm. ¡°It¡¯s voice-


    activated and can record up to forty¨Ceight hours. It¡¯s been


    running since yesterday. Everything¨Cyour conversation with


    John, the threats, the entire disgusting mess¨Cis on it.¡±


    Yve, who was quiet until she whispered,¡°Are you bluffing.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am.It¡¯s the only way to break him.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll crack?¡±


    ¡°He has to.¡±


    Alexander tilted his head. ¡°Where is the recorder?¡±


    ¡°At the old seaside mansion. I can draw a map.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Alexander said, eyes locked on Jimson. ¡°John already


    confessed it¡¯s his property. Gai is retrieving the recorder now.¡±


    Chapin 35


    That was a twist I hadn¡¯t expected¨Cbut a wee one.


    Jimson¡¯s face visibly stiffened.


    The tension in the room spiked like a live wire. Several people exchanged nces. Whispers filled the background. I saw the


    panic starting to bloom on some faces. But Jimson¡­ Jimson still


    yed the calm card.


    ¡°You¡¯re grasping at straws,¡± he said. ¡°Even if you have


    something, it can be edited. Fake. Anyone can record voices these days!¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± I said, voice colder. ¡°Which is


    why the recorder uploads audio to the cloud every ten minutes.


    Nothing you say now can undo what¡¯s already on file.¡±


    That was lie number two.


    Alexander pulled out his phone and gestured to the others in


    the room. ¡°If Olivia¡¯s telling the truth¨Cand I believe she is this


    recording will make national headlines. You still want to stand


    by your story?¡±


    One by one, others in the room reached for their phones too,


    cameras aimed at Jimson.


    I turned slightly. ¡°Alpha, do you have aptop or aputer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have one brought in.¡±


    Popter 43


    He gave a shortmand. Within minutes, a sleek ckptop


    was ced on the table beside me.


    Jimson¡¯sposure fractured.


    He stared at theptop like it was a live bomb.


    ¡°I can give you the login,¡± I said sweetly. ¡°We can listen


    together.¡±


    ¡°I-¡± he started, but the words died in his throat. He nced at


    the door like he was calcting escape routes. Beads of sweat


    broke out on his forehead. His shoulders started to hunch as if


    his body was copsing under the weight of the lie.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that smart, Jimson,¡± I said, quiet and slow.


    ¡°But I think you¡¯re scared. And now you should be.¡±


    His hand shot out and grabbed theptop¨Cnot to destroy it, but


    to clutch it like a beggar clings to hisst meal.


    His lips trembled as he turned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ settle this


    privately.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow


    He was sweating, desperate, cornered.


    Perfect.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°You tried to rape me,¡± I said, my voice steady despite the


    ringing in my ears. ¡°You tied me up, held me captive, and if I


    hadn¡¯t jumped into the sea, I might not be standing here. So


    don¡¯t you dare tell me this can be talked out.¡±


    Gasps echoed across the room. Jimson¡¯s face twisted, but he


    tried to y it off. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch you,¡± he said quickly, voice


    cracking. ¡°I just¨Cmaybe I said something off. That¡¯s all. It was a


    joke, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°A joke?¡± I echoed. ¡°You call tying someone up and threatening


    them a joke? You think sniffing someone¡¯s cheek and touching


    their legs is funny?¡±


    He opened his mouth, clearly fumbling for a lie, but I didn¡¯t give


    him time.


    ¡°Why were you crouched beside me and caressing my leg?¡± I


    asked, raising my voice so everyone in the room could hear.

 Alpha Novel 44

    Jimson stammered, ¡°I was¨Cchecking for injuries. You were


    bleeding, and I thought-¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t trying to help,¡± I cut in. ¡°You were excited¡±


    The words hung in the air like poison. Jimson¡¯s lips mped


    shut. He looked around, as if begging someone¨Canyone¨Cto


    Neil Green¡¯s voice came through Gai¡¯s phone, crisp and


    The crowd instinctively straightened. Even Alexander¡¯s jaw


    tensed slightly as he turned toward the sound.


    ¡°Alexander,¡± Neil said, ¡°you know what to do. Handle it


    properly. Call the authorities if you must. But show no mercy to


    anyone who betrays our pack like this.¡±


    Jimson copsed to the floor like a broken puppet.


    ¡°Also,¡± Neil continued, his voice softer, ¡°Miss Olivia. You¡¯ve


    shown incredible bravery and wit in an impossible situation. Consider this your formal wee to the Green Group.¡±


    My mouth parted slightly. He knew. He had figured it out¨CI


    didn¡¯t have a recorder. It was all a bluff. But he yed along, not


    exposing me, not questioning me. Just like that, he pulled me


    into the circle. Into safety.


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± I whispered toward the phone.


    After hanging up the phone, the tension that had been holding


    my body together gave way. I couldn¡¯t stay upright any longer. My knees buckled, and before I hit the floor, I fell into someone¡¯s


    arms¨Cwarm, strong, safe. Sandalwood. Familiar.


    Alexander.


    I wanted to disappear into that scent, into the warmth of his


    chest. For once, I wanted to copse, take off the armor, stop


    fighting. Just cry. Just be small.


    But then I heard it¨Canother voice. Distant at first, but it cut


    through everything.


    ¡°Olivia?¡±


    Ethan? Was this Ethan¡¯s voice?


    No. It was impossible. Not here.


    I tried to convince myself it was a hallucination.


    And then, I cked out.


    ?? ?????


    When I opened my eyes again, morning light poured through tall windows and painted warm golden squares across the white hospital bedsheets. I was tucked into soft nkets, my


    injured thigh gently wrapped and propped up. For a moment, I


    stared at the ceiling, hoping that everything had just been a bad


    dream.


    But then I turned my head.


    And I saw him.


    Ethan.


    He was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his elbows on his


    knees, eyes fixed on me as if he¡¯d been watching me sleep all


    night. The moment our gazes met, he stood and stepped


    forward.


    ¡°Olivia-¡±


    I jerked back instinctively.


    He reached for my forehead. ¡°Let me check your fever-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I snapped.


    He froze, hand hovering mid¨Cair.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I demanded, my voice cold and


    clear. ¡°We¡¯re divorced. You have no right to be here.¡±


    ¡°I came as soon as I heard.¡± he said softly, dropping to his knees


    beside the bed. ¡°I know I was wrong, Olivia. I messed up. f


    should never have-¡±


    ¡°Stop¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear another word. ¡°You¡¯re thest


    person I want to see right now.


    ¡°But I came here because I want to make things right.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and looked away. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®making things


    right: Ethan. We¡¯re done. You were done the moment you


    chose her over me. The moment you broke every promise you


    made.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you,¡± he said, desperation creeping into his


    voice. ¡°You¡¯re my Luna. You¡¯ve always been.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that,¡± I hissed. ¡°You lost that right. You-¡±


    ¡°I tore up the divorce papers.¡±


    I paused.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ethan stood slowly, staring at me like a man ready to gamble


    everything. ¡°You heard me. I tore them up. I won¡¯t sign them.


    You can¡¯t leave me. Ever.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said what I needed to, I told Ethan tly. ¡°If we


    can¡¯te to an agreement, then I¡¯ll see you in werewolf court¡±


    My wolf, Yve nodded approvingly. ¡°Yes. He doesn¡¯t deserve any


    second chances.¡±


    Ethan looked stunned. His lips parted, but no sound came out


    for a second. Then, without warning, he lunged forward and


    tried to pull me into his arms.


    ¡°Olivia, please,¡± he muttered, his voice cracking as his arms


    came around my shoulders. ¡°Just¨Cjust let me exin, let me fix


    this. I¡¯ll do anything.¡±


    I pushed against his chest, hard. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    He stumbled back, hands open at his sides, eyes wide with a


    kind of pleading I¡¯d seen before.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just break something and expect to glue it back


    together because you feel badter,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not some toy


    you get to keep on a shelf until you miss me.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m your mate,¡± he said, stepping forward again. ¡°You¡¯re my


    Luna-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cut in. ¡°I was your Luna. You threw that away the second


    you let someone else into your bed.¡±¡±

 Alpha Novel 45

    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightened.


    And that¡¯s when I heard it¨Cmovement in the doorway.


    I turned sharply.


    Alexander was standing there, one arm crossed over the other,


    his expression unreadable. His gaze shifted briefly between us,


    then settled on me. I swallowed hard.


    How long had he been there?


    Ethan noticed him too and stepped back quickly, trying to y


    it cool. ¡°I, uh¡­ I made some chicken and rice soup for you,¡± he


    said, suddenly fumbling for casual. ¡°Would you like me to get


    it?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I was still trying to decode the look on


    Alexander¡¯s face.


    But he didn¡¯t say anything. Didn¡¯t walk in. Didn¡¯t give Ethan a


    reaction.


    He just looked at me for a moment longer, then turned and


    walked away.


    The click of the door closing behind him echoed louder than it


    should have.


    ¡°Here,¡± Ethan said after a moment, walking toward the table


    with a thermos in hand. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave it here.¡±


    ¡°Put it down,¡± I said quietly, already exhausted.


    He set it down on the bedside table, but he didn¡¯t back away.


    Instead, he crossed his arms and looked at me like I¡¯dmitted


    some kind of betrayal.


    ¡°Tell me something,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want Alexander to feed


    you instead?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is about? You want me gone so you can run


    into his arms?¡±


    I stared at him, speechless for a second. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± he snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll believe nothing¡¯s going on between


    you two if you resign ande home.¡±


    Iughed, ¡°You think this is about proving my innocence to


    you? You, of all people?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°I¡¯m still your husband.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re the man who slept with another woman while I was


    still healing from the wounds of our wedding night¡±


    ¡°That was¡­ just to maintain the diplomatic rtions between


    our n,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Oh! Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear any of your pathetic reasons,¡±


    I said. ¡°And, I¡¯m not resigning. I¡¯m not leaving. And I¡¯m definitely


    not going back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using him to get back at me,¡± he said, almost childishly.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me jealous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my job,¡± I replied coldly.


    Ethan took a deep breath, held it, then let it out through his


    nose. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay,¡± he said quietly. ¡°As your husband. I¡¯ll take


    care of you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to take care of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay anyway,¡± he insisted. ¡°Because you¡¯re still mine.¡±


    I turned away from him.


    I could only ignore him now. Expecting Ethan to understand or


    obey was harder than training a feral dog.


    An hourter, the door creaked open again.


    Alexander walked in with Gai and Jess. I sat upright. My thigh still ached, but I didn¡¯t want to seem fragile, especially not in


    front of her.


    Jess stood awkwardly by the foot of the bed. She looked much


    calmer than thest time I saw her, though her eyes still held


    that calcting glint.


    ¡°I want to apologize,¡± she began, ¡°Forst night. I misunderstood


    your intentions, Olivia.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow slightly but kept my tone neutral. ¡°Apology


    epted. I understand you were emotional.¡±


    I knew the apology wasn¡¯t for me. It was for Alexander.


    Everything about her was always for Alexander.


    Alexander didn¡¯t speak at first. He just looked at me, then at the


    IV line still taped to my hand.


    ¡°You should rest more,¡± he said. ¡°And no more risking your life


    again.¡±


    His tone was firm, protective. I felt a flutter in my chest, one I


    quickly silenced. Even Yve felt a hint of warmth in Alexander¡¯s


    words.


    Before I could respond, Ethan¨Cwho had been ring from the


    couch¨Cstood up.


    ¡°She¡¯s in no condition to be anyone¡¯s secretary,¡± he said sharply. ¡°Especially yours.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Jess took that moment to step forward, her voice lilting with eagerness. ¡°If it helps, I can return as your secretary, Alexander.¡±


    I almostughed. Was this a coordinated ambush?


    ¡°Thanks but it is not needed,¡± I said inly, turning to


    Alexander. ¡°and if this is a question of whether I want to resign


    -then no. I don¡¯t!¡±


    Alexander met my eyes. ¡°Good.¡±


    Jess stiffened. Ethan, meanwhile, looked like he was choking on


    his own breath.


    Alexander added, ¡°The doctors say you¡¯ll need at least a week to


    recover. I¡¯ll arrange for a private jet. You shouldn¡¯t travel


    I shook my head. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ll go back with the team. I


    don¡¯t want special treatment.¡±


    He gave a small nod. ¡°As you wish.¡± He nced at Jess. ¡°We¡¯ll


    head out. Gai, with me.¡±


    As they turned to leave, Jess lingered a moment, throwing a


    frosty nce my way. I held her stare, calm, unshaken. She


    followed Alexander out, her heels clicking hard against the


    floor.

 Alpha Novel 46

    Ethan mmed the chair behind him. ¡°So this is what we¡¯ve


    for him.¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice,¡± I snapped. ¡°And get out.¡±


    He froze.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± I said, pressing the nurse call button. ¡°Go cool your


    head somewhere else. You¡¯re not my husband anymore.¡±


    He opened his mouth but closed it again. Instead of leaving, he


    slumped back into the chair.


    Three long days passed. I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Ethan stayed through them all. I barely spoke to him. Ignored him. Pretended he wasn¡¯t there. But he made himself present. Brought food. Cleaned the table. Adjusted the nket when I


    fell asleep.


    It didn¡¯t mean anything.


    His phone rang constantly. I¡¯d catch him staring at the screen, answering some, declining most. He was irritated, restless.


    I think I knew what was going on. The Windsor family might


    have saved Chole already and she would be trying to contact Ethan impatiently.


    One morning, I asked for help to the restroom and used the


    moment to call Ava.


    She picked up on the first ring. ¡°Liv?¡±


    ¡°Hey. Can you talk?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to call you,¡± she said. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little stitched up. I¡¯ll survive.¡± I kept my voice light.


    ¡°Any word on Chole?¡±


    A pause.


    ¡°She¡¯s been bailed out.¡±


    ¡°On what grounds?¡±


    ¡°The Windsors provided medical records iming she has a


    long¨Cterm mental condition. The judge approved supervised


    bail.¡±


    I exhaled. Of course they¡¯d pull that card.


    Ava added, ¡°It¡¯s a temporary win. Don¡¯t let it get to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said quietly.


    Another pause.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Ava said, ¡°what are you thinking?¡±


    There was silence on my end for a beat.


    Then I said it.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a settlement.¡±


    Ava¡¯s sharp inhale echoed through the speaker. ¡°You what?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°I swear, it¡¯s like he¡¯s ying house,¡± I muttered.


    Ava¡¯s sigh crackled softly through the phone. ¡°Still pretending


    to be the perfect husband?¡±


    ¡°Every damn day!¡± I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn¡¯t


    see it. ¡°He brings me soup, tucks in the nkets like he actually


    cares, wipes my tray after I eat. Ava, the man used to forget my


    birthday and now he¡¯s folding napkins.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re describing a different person,¡± she said


    dryly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡¯s trying to be a different


    person. And it¡¯s exhausting watching him act.¡±


    I paused and added more seriously, ¡°I¡¯m worried that even if I


    threaten him, he won¡¯tpromise. He¡¯ll just¡­ keep trying¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you thinking?¡± Ava asked cautiously.


    I bit my lip, heart racing at the thought I¡¯d been turning over for hours. ¡°A crazy n.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± she said tly. ¡°And probably about to regret it.¡±


    I exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m going to ept the Windsor family¡¯s so¨Ccalled


    ¡®reconciliation¡® offer.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡±


    ¡°Just listen. I¡¯ll agree to talk things out¨Cpublicly, politely, all of


    that. But behind the scenes¡­ I¡¯ll leak it to Chole that Ethan¡¯s


    nning to start over with me.¡±


    Ava choked on augh. ¡°You¡¯re weaponizing Chole?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s obsessed with him. If she thinks he¡¯s choosing me


    again, she¡¯ll snap. She¡¯ll make a scene the Windsors can¡¯t ignore.


    And if she pushes hard enough, they¡¯ll want him to marry her-


    especially to avoid another scandal. Which means¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll have to divorce you.¡± Ava finished, catching on.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the price of his pleasure. He had his fun. Now he can


    pay for <i>it</i>.¡±


    There was silence. Then Ava asked, ¡°What if he really regrets it, Olivia? What if¡­ he actually loves you?¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Then he can cry about it on Chole¡¯s shoulder. I¡¯m not


    here to y therapist anymore!¡±


    Ava understood what she was supposed to do now. As long as I


    were here, she would handle the things with Chole smoothly. I


    then returned to me bed, hoping that this n would work.


    At exactly 7 p.m., there was a knock on the door, and a moment


    paper bag in his hand.


    I straightened a little in bed. ¡°Alpha.¡±


    Alexander gave me a slight nod, his usualposed expression


    softening just a bit. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Better enough to start working soon,¡± I smiled, just enough to


    be polite.


    Before he could respond, Ethan suddenly stood from the chair


    in the corner, tapping frantically on his phone. ¡°Sorry, I have to


    take this. Urgent call.¡±


    He left in a hurry. I didn¡¯t even bother to pretend I cared.


    ¡°Thanks Ava,¡± I muttered to myself.


    ??????


    Gai handed me the bag. ¡°We brought you some fruit and broth from the restaurant downstairs. Thought you might be sick of that hospital menu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I nced at the contents with real appreciation.

 Alpha Novel 47

    ¡°We¡¯re heading back to New York tomorrow,¡± Gai said casually. ¡°Everything¡¯s been handled. The mess at the factory¡¯s sorted.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I raised a brow. ¡°Was it John who finally cracked?¡±


    Gai blinked, then smiled. ¡°Wow! You really don¡¯t miss anything, do you?¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling,¡± I said, easing back into the pillows. ¡°John¡¯s the


    kind who folds under pressure. But I don¡¯t think he was the


    brains behind it.¡±


    Alexander tilted his head. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I think Jimson was the real puppet master,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°John¡¯s just the convenient fall guy. They had a deal¡ªif


    anything went wrong, John would take the fall so Jimson could


    protect whatever they were hiding.¡±


    Gai looked surprised. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ exactly what John confessed. He


    admitted Jimson nned it.¡±


    Alexander gave me a slow, thoughtful look, ¡°What else do you


    think it was?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± But then I stopped myself frompleting my


    Chapter 47.


    deduction. ¡°Never mind. I was just following my heart on what might have happened. It¡¯s not like I am that important to listen.¡±¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Alexander frowned suddenly.


    I looked up, startled.


    His voice didn¡¯t waver. ¡°If you disappeared again¡­ I wouldn¡¯t


    have peace until I found you.¡±


    His wordsnded heavier than I expected. My fingers tightened around the nket, and I lowered my eyes quickly.


    Was he serious?


    I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My face flushed- hot, ridiculous¨Cand I ducked my head slightly, clearing my throat. ¡°Thank you, Alpha.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Gai to have anything more to say, but he


    exchanged a strange look with Alexander before casually


    folding his arms. There was something smug in his expression,


    like he¡¯d been waiting for the right moment to drop a bomb.


    Alexander had just said, ¡°I care about every employee,¡± and Gai tilted his head with mock curiosity.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gai¡¯s tone wasced with amusement. ¡°Just


    L


    employees?¡±


    I nced between them, sensing something unspoken. Alexander gave him a warning look, but Gai just smiled wider,


    then turned to me.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, rubbing his palms together like a man about


    to tell a ghost story, ¡°Olivia, your analysis earlier? About John


    and Jimson? You were about 80% right.¡±


    ¡°Only 80?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes.


    ¡°Well,¡± he shrugged, ¡°you assumed the two ghost workers were


    real people hiding due to some long¨Ctermpensation scam,


    right?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I thought they were a disabled couple getting


    hush money!¡°¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re killed,¡± Gai said tly.


    I stared at him, confused. ¡°Wait¨Cwhat?¡°,


    ¡°Yes. Not injured. Not hidden. But killed.¡±


    I blinked, stunned. ¡°You¡¯re saying John and Jimson¡­mitted


    murder?¡±


    Alexander exhaled sharply, as if he¡¯d been holding it in. Gai


    nodded.


    ¡°It happened about fifteen years ago. That couple¨CJennie


    Williams and n Fraco¨Cwere among the nt¡¯s earliest hires. Something went wrong one day. John got into a violent fight with n. n ended up dead. Jennie saw it happen. She tried


    to run. John chased her. She didn¡¯t make it far¡±


    My stomach twisted. ¡°He killed both of them?¡±


    Gai looked grim now. ¡°That¡¯s what he eventually confessed. He imed it was manughter. Panic. Self¨Cdefense gone wrong¡±


    I covered my mouth, feeling sick. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he turn himself


    in?¡±


    ¡°Because Jimson found out,¡± Gai replied. ¡°And Jimson¡­ saw an


    opportunity.¡±


    I remained silent, absorbing every bit of the details, curiously.


    Gai continued.


    ¡°Jimson helped John cover it up. No police, no press. Just silence.


    In exchange, Jimson made John pretend the couple had only


    been injured in a factory ident. Then he spread the story that


    they were alive and just taking medical leave. Sick pay kept


    My voice came out hoarse. ¡°So the workers who were


    supposedly injured¡­ were never alive to begin with?¡±


    Gai nodded. ¡°And Jimson used the story to control everyone who got involved. He shared the paychecks with the workshop


    manager, the ountant, even a few security guards. All of them got a piece of the lie.


    ¡°But-¡°I paused. ¡°Why steal so much?¡±


    ¡°Because Jimson got greedy,¡± Gai said. ¡°About six years ago, he created a shellpany. A fake name, fake board members.


    Then he started smuggling raw materials, stealing data from the R&Db. John helped. The ountant forged entries. The


    whole factory slowly emptied out¨Cpeople who knew too much


    were transferred or silenced. He even hired distant rtives to


    fill fake roles.¡±


    It was more than corruption. It was rot. Deep, systemic rot that


    made me feel cold to my bones.


    I looked at Alexander, who had been listening quietly. ¡°I wonder


    how did he carry out this n for so many years without any


    exposure.¡±


    ¡°You are right to wonder,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°We should have


    known about it a long ago.¡±

 Alpha Novel 48

    There was a moment of silence. We were still trying to digest the fact that John and Jimson had carried out this n well under people¡¯s eyes for more than a decade.


    Finally, I drew in a breath and asked, ¡°So¡­ what now? Will you


    be recing the employees? I mean¡­ the nt is practically


    riddled with problems.¡±¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alexander said. His voice was calm, precise¨Clike he was


    discussing quarterly reports. ¡°I will reorganize the nt. These


    corrupt elements have given me no choice.¡±


    He meant it. After what happened at the nt, it was the bare


    minimum other workers would expect for a better faith in their


    Alpha.


    Then, as if summoned by a ghost, the door swung open and in


    came Ethan.


    He halted mid¨Cstep at the fork between Alexander¡¯s shoulder


    and my bedside. His eyes flickered¨Canger, pain, and something


    darker. His stance stiffened.


    Alexander looked up, his expression cool. Then Ethan¡¯s hands


    curled into fists at his sides, his jaw tightened.


    ¡°Why are you showing up here¡­ every, single, day?¡± Ethan¡¯s


    voice cracked. His lips curled back revealing ivory fangs. ¡°She¡¯s


    my woman,¡± he snarled, a low growl tearing through his throat.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll kill any man,¡± he gestured at Alexander, ¡°who tries to


    seduce her.¡±


    Even Yve growled in the back of my mind. ¡°Why can¡¯t Ethan


    just leave us alone?¡±


    Alexander offered a half¨Csmile. His cool gaze sharpened. ¡°She¡¯s


    my employee,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯vee because she was injured-


    on my watch.¡°¡±


    Ethan snarled louder, baring even more canine teeth. His eyes


    glowed amber beneath the fluorescent light.


    Alexander didn¡¯t flinch.


    Gai stepped in¨Csolid, calm¨Chis voice low but firm. ¡°Please don¡¯t


    get it wrong Ethan. Alpha Alexander isn¡¯t a yboy. He¡¯s


    showmanship, yes¨Cbut he¡¯s also the best Alpha I¡¯ve ever


    known.¡±


    Ethan whirled on Gai. Even Gai¡¯s face paled slightly. Ethan¡¯s lips


    curled as he hissed, ¡°Don¡¯t try to get any closer to her.¡±


    I held up a hand, a ridiculous gesture, but it worked. ¡°Stop,¡± I said


    bitterly, voice trembling with frustration. ¡°Alexander doesn¡¯t


    want me. He doesn¡¯t¨Clike¨Cwomen¡±


    The room blinked. Literally. The three men froze, and even the nurse peeking in stopped her typing.


    Silence.


    Then Alexander smirked, face turning amused¨Cand a little vindicated. He said softly, ¡°I appreciate the¡­ coverage.¡± He peered at me over his sses. ¡°Public awareness is useful.¡± Intrigue mixed with admiration in his tone. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then


    he turned on his heel and left.


    Before I could say, ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± the door clicked¨Cthe foolproof machine of hospital privacy imed its territory.


    Ethan stood there, fangs still visible, lips pulled tight. ¡°Gay?¡± He spat the word in disbelief. ¡°Is he really gay?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I scoffed, cheeks aching with anger. ¡°Our marriage is


    already over.¡±


    With a soft growl, Ethan stepped in close, almost touching me. ¡°No.¡± His tone was low, deadly. He bared his fangs again. ¡°We


    won¡¯t be over¡­ until the day I die.¡±


    The next morning, I was discharged from the hospital.


    My bandaged leg throbbed slightly as I was wheeled to the entrance. Gai was already waiting with a sleek ck SUV. A


    Green Group pilot stood beside him in a clean, pressed uniform, looking crisp and serious¨Cunlike the chaos of the man behind <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    ¡°Olivia, you don¡¯t need to fly back on Alexander¡¯s private jet,¡± Ethan said sharply, stepping forward. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged my


    own.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll go with the group.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he snapped, then softened immediately. ¡°You don¡¯t need


    them, Olivia. I can take care of you. You don¡¯t need to use his


    jet.¡±


    I turned to Gai. ¡°Can I get the wheelchair?¡±


    Before Gai could respond, Ethan lunged ahead and grabbed it


    first, practically yanking it from the orderly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he


    dered with that possessive smile he thought was charming.


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your husband,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a nightmare I haven¡¯t woken up from,¡± I replied.


    Ethan blinked. But for once, he said nothing. He helped me into


    the chair¨Ctoo gently, like he thought it would change


    something¨Cand followed us to the car.


    By the time we reached the airport lounge, I was already fed up. Gai had been walking ahead of us, pretending not to hear the nonsense Ethan was whispering behind me¨Capologies, empty


    promises, half¨Csincere derations.


    Then came Alexander. He stood by the jet¡¯s boarding gate, sharp


    in his ck coat, arms folded, the wind lifting a few strands of


    his hair.


    He nced over once, and his eyes went straight to Ethan.


    ¡°Did he hitch a ride?¡± Alexander asked casually, nodding toward


    him.


    Ethan huffed. ¡°I can pay for it.¡±¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Great. Then I¡¯ll send the invoice to


    the Hawthorne Group.¡±

 Alpha Novel 49

    The smug look on Ethan¡¯s face cracked. ¡°You¡¯re actually going to


    charge me?¡±


    Alexander smiled. ¡°You said you could pay¡±


    Gai coughed into his sleeve to hide augh. I didn¡¯t bother hiding


    mine.


    Ethan growled something low under his breath but signed the


    clearance document when it was handed to him. His pride was


    officially dragged across the tarmac.


    Watching it from the side? Therapeutic.


    Once we boarded and I was settled into the corner seat with a


    nket over my legs, I pulled out my phone. The lighting was


    perfect¨Cthe sun catching the top of Ethan¡¯s head in the


    background as he brooded near the cabin window. I tilted the


    camera just enough to catch his silhouette.


    I posted it on Instagram with a caption:


    ¡°Trying to enjoy my post¨Ctrauma vacation¡­ but some people just won¡¯t take a hint. Anyone know how to remove emotional


    parasites? Asking for a friend. #NotSoEx #StillObsessed


    #DramaFreePlease¡±


    It wasn¡¯t subtle. But it wasn¡¯t meant to be. Chole was definitely


    going to see it.


    Let her stew in it.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The ne ride was quiet on the surface¨Cbut underneath, it was


    a storm waiting to erupt.


    Ethan had turned into the world¡¯s most irritating cabin crew.


    ¡°Do you want the nket? This one¡¯s softer,¡± he asked, holding


    it out like we were on our honeymoon.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Fruit? The melon¡¯s sweet.¡± He held a fork toward my mouth


    like I was incapable of feeding myself. I turned away.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything since breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± I whispered, voice firm but low. Gai and


    Alexander were in the seats across from us. I didn¡¯t want a


    scene.


    Ethan leaned closer, smiling like a saint. ¡°Come on, Liv. Just a


    little. You¡¯ll get sick if you starve.¡±


    His persistence wore me down. I took the fruit from his hand


    just to shut him up. My jaw was clenched tight with every bite I


    chewed.


    From the corner of my eye, I caught Alexander watching.


    He wasn¡¯t even pretending to be subtle about it. His brows were slightly furrowed, arms crossed, and phone idle on hisp. But when he noticed I had caught him, he quickly looked away, flicking at the nk phone screen like it had just buzzed. I wasn¡¯t sure what it meant. Disapproval? Confusion?


    The rest of the flight was a blur. My body was still sore from the injury, and my mind was more exhausted than my muscles.


    When wended, the evening sky had already turned dark.


    At the airport, I turned to Alexander and said lightly, ¡°Alpha, you can go ahead. I¡¯ll be fine. My friend, Ava said she¡¯d pick me up. You must be tired too.¡±


    His expression didn¡¯t change, but something behind his eyes flickered. He gave a short nod and walked toward the exit. No


    goodbye. Noment. Just silence.


    Ethan wheeled me out of the terminal like he was the doting husband of the year. ¡°Careful, bump ahead,¡± he said like he hadn¡¯t said worse bumps to me in our entire marriage.


    And that¡¯s when I saw her.


    Chole.


    Standing just outside the exit. Pale. Thin. Hair messy. Bandage


    wrapped around her wrist like a pity ticket. She looked more


    like a ghost than a person.


    ¡°Ethan,¡± she gasped and took a hesitant step forward. ¡°Please


    don¡¯t walk away. I just want to talk.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s voice dropped several octaves. ¡°Get out of here, Chole.


    Don¡¯t embarrass yourself!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to break up your marriage,¡± she said through


    trembling lips. ¡°I just want us to stay friends. You mean


    something to me.¡±


    My jaw twitched.


    ¡°Friends?¡± I asked with a bitter smile.


    Chole turned to me and then did something absurd¨Cshe


    dropped to her knees.


    In front of the entire airport crowd.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± she said tearfully, ¡°I never meant to hurt you. Please


    don¡¯t leave him because of me. me me, not Ethan. It was all


    my fault. He didn¡¯t mean it. Please¡­ don¡¯t divorce him.¡±


    People had started to slow down around us, their phones


    We NE


    conveniently pulled out, pretending to scroll while really


    recording.


    ¡°Get up.¡± I said coldly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t until you forgive him,¡± she cried, shaking like a leaf. ¡°p me. Hit me. I deserve it.¡±


    I looked at Ethan, who for once seemed truly ashamed.


    So I said, ¡°Fine. p yourself. A hundred times.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You heard me. You want forgiveness? Earn it.¡±


    The first p was weak. The second even more pathetic.


    ¡°Harder,¡± I snapped.


    She winced and pped again, but it was more for show than


    punishment. I¡¯d had enough.


    I stood up¨Cdespite the soreness shooting up my leg¨Cand grabbed her by the cor. ¡°You think this is enough to make up


    for what you did?¡±


    Her eyes widened in fear. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    C

 Alpha Novel 50

    hapter 50


    I pped her. Once. Twice. A third time. Sharp, precise, and real.


    Ethan stepped in, grabbing my wrist. ¡°Olivia, stop! What the hell


    are you doing?!¡±


    I yanked my arm back. ¡°This is for lying. For sneaking around.


    For throwing yourself into a marriage that was never yours to


    begin with.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already on bail!¡± Ethan snapped. ¡°What more do you


    want?¡±


    ¡°To be treated like I¡¯m not disposable!¡± I yelled. ¡°You think I¡¯ll just


    sit and watch you two y victim while I take the fall for your


    damn choices?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not well,¡± he muttered.


    And like right on cue, Chole slumped to the side, unconscious


    from the stress and the p. Ethan caught her, arms trembling


    with rage.


    ¡°Yes. Be her savior. Maybe I should faint next so you¡¯ll


    remember I¡¯m your wife.¡±


    He looked at me like I was the monster now.


    He didn¡¯t say a word. Just picked her up and stormed off toward the crowd of people already parting like waves for his drama.


    I stood there in the wheelchair, surrounded by strangers,


    everyone whispering and staring.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    From the backseat of the car, I watched the chaos unfold at the


    airport entrance.


    Olivia stood alone in her wheelchair, surrounded by whispers,


    clicks of phone cameras, and that insufferable tension that only public drama could stir. Ethan had already disappeared into the


    crowd with Chole in his arms like some tragic hero in a bad


    stage y.


    I expected Olivia to look shaken, maybe even humiliated after


    causing such a scene.


    But she didn¡¯t.


    She brushed her hair off her face, adjusted her posture in the


    wheelchair, and nced around like a queen surveying her


    kingdom. Her chin was slightly lifted. Her eyes calm. Composed.


    There wasn¡¯t a single trace of panic in her bodynguage. In


    fact¡­ there was a faint trace of satisfaction on her lips.


    My brows furrowed.


    ¡°What is she¡­ smiling about?¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Gai sat beside me, equally stunned. ¡°She¡¯s not upset.¡±


    ¡°She should be,¡± Mike said from the passenger seat. ¡°That was


    brutal.¡±


    ¡°She looks like she knew exactly how this would go down,¡± Gai


    added, pulling out his phone. ¡°Also¡­ you should see hertest


    post. Here¨Clook.¡±


    He angled the screen toward me. Olivia¡¯s most recent upload was still fresh. A photo with Ethan¡¯s silhouette in the background and a cheeky caption that said:¡°Trying to enjoy my


    post¨Ctrauma vacation¡­ but some people just won¡¯t take a hint.


    Anyone know how to remove emotional parasites? Asking for a


    friend. #NotSoEx #StillObsessed #DramaFreePlease¡±


    My jaw tightened. So it wasn¡¯t just a coincidence. The timing, the setup, the performance in front of the crowd¨Cshe had


    baited Ethan and Chole perfectly. And made it public.


    ¡°She posted this on the ne?¡± I asked.


    Gai nodded. ¡°Right after Ethan followed her onboard like a lost


    mutt.¡±


    I sat back, connecting the dots. Her behavior, her restraint, her


    outburst at the airport¡­ Even Chole showing up now felt too


    convenient. I was beginning to understand what Olivia was


    really up to.


    ¡°Should we go help her?¡± Mike asked. ¡°She¡¯s still sitting there


    alone.¡±


    Gai agreed. ¡°We can¡¯t leave her like that. You should go.¡±


    I was about to open the door when someone else beat me to it.


    A woman in a tailored red dress¨Cheels clicking, stride confident


    -appeared at the curb and made her way straight to Olivia. She


    looked like she belonged in a boardroom, not an airport pickup


    zone. Her long hair was tied in a tight braid, and her expression


    screamedpetence and authority.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s Olivia¡¯s friend she talked about,¡± Mike pointed


    out.


    ¡°I think so too,¡± Gai murmured, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Olivia


    seems to know her quite well.¡±


    The woman bent down, said something quietly to Olivia, and


    Olivia chuckled before letting the woman help her into the back


    of a waiting car. No tension. No confusion. It was smooth.


    Effortless.


    nned.


    I turned my werewolf hearing toward the car as the engine started. Their conversation slipped into range just enough to


    catch it.


    ¡°-Chole will definitely go crazy now. Once she finds out Ethan


    was on the ne and you were the one posting, she¡¯ll lose it


    again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point,¡± Olivia replied, unbothered. ¡°They want


    drama. I¡¯ll give them one they can¡¯t swallow.¡±


    ¡°You are a genius, Liv.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about being a genius. But I will make sure to


    return the favor.¡±


    My jaw clenched as realization dawned.


    This wasn¡¯t Olivia acting out of emotion. She wasn¡¯tshing out


    like some wronged, impulsive ex¨Cwife.


    She was Strategic. Deliberate.


    And it turns out¡­ she was using Chole, on purpose.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°Ava, would you stop turning your head like we¡¯re being


    hunted by a rogue pack?¡± I said dryly as she checked the


    rearview mirror for the fifth time in two minutes.

 Alpha Novel 51

    ¡°There¡¯s a freaking Bentley behind us, Olivia! A Bentley! And it¡¯s


    been trailing us since the hospital. You seriously want me to just


    pretend it¡¯s normal?¡± Ava hissed.


    I sighed, resting my elbow against the car door. ¡°It¡¯s normal. It¡¯s


    mine.¡±


    Ava almost mmed the brakes. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°My new boss,¡± I said casually, scrolling through my phone. ¡°He


    also lives in the same building.¡±


    Ava stared at me like I had sprouted antlers. ¡°That¡¯s your boss¡¯s


    car? The Alpha billionaire? He¡¯s literally babysitting you now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being polite. Don¡¯t romanticize it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not romanticizing anything,¡± she muttered. ¡°But if my boss


    followed me home in a luxury car looking like a magazine


    spread, I¡¯d have questions.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not following me. He lives at the top story of my building.¡±


    I corrected Ava.


    ¡°Whatever. He could have gone earlier than you if did not want


    to follow you, you know!¡±


    I wanted to reply to Ava on her remark, but it did seem a little true to argue.


    After a while, we pulled into the housingplex, and sure enough, the Bentley parked a short distance away. Ava got out and helped me into the wheelchair, still casting suspicious nces over her shoulder.


    ¡°Okay, now that-¡± she nearly choked as Alexander stepped out of the car, suit sharp, eyes sharp, posture sharper. ¡°Oh my goddess. That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it? The guy who stood up for you at the charity dinner? The one everyone kept whispering about?¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh! Why are you acting like you don¡¯t know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°But I never knew


    you two had a thing. I am really happy for you!¡±


    ¡°Ava. Can you just focus on the wheelchair? Please.¡±


    Gai and the pilot walked up with my bags, and the six of us


    crammed into the elevator. The small space was not made for this many people and a wheelchair.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± Ava said, trying to maneuver the chair. She bumped


    into Gai, muttering another apology.


    ¡°Whoa¨Cwatch it-¡°I leaned forward suddenly as the chair


    caught on the elevator groove. In an instinctive move to stop


    myself from falling, I threw my hands up-


    And smacked right into Alexander¡¯s thigh.


    I froze. My palm was t on his leg. His thigh. The firm one.


    A full two seconds passed before I yanked my hand back like I¡¯d


    been burned. My eyes widened. His jaw twitched..


    The air turned painfully awkward.


    Alexander didn¡¯t say a word, but I saw the faintest pink dust his


    cheekbones. Gai looked away, stifling a grin. Ava bit her lip so


    hard I thought she might bleed.


    The elevator finally dinged open.


    ¡°Push!¡± I hissed to Ava.


    She wheeled me out, but I managed a half¨Csmile at Alexander.


    ¡°Thanks for the ride, Alpha Alexander. Have a good night.¡±


    His response was a stiff nod, his expression unreadable.


    The second the apartment door closed behind us, Ava let out a


    strangled sound and burst into augh. ¡°You touched his thigh!¡±


    ¡°It was an ident!¡± I hissed.


    ¡°ident or prophecy, I don¡¯t care¨Cthat was the most romance-


    novel moment I¡¯ve seen in real life. You literally grabbed his


    leg!¡±


    ¡°Because I was falling!¡±


    ¡°And he blushed!¡± Ava was now fanning herself dramatically.


    ¡°Olivia, are you sure this is just professional? How did you even


    meet him and became his secretary?¡±


    I rolled my eyes and began undoing the brace on my leg. ¡°Yes. I


    met him after he rear¨Cended my car during a storm, remember?


    He gave me his jacket to wear. I returned it. That was it.¡±


    ¡°Mmhm. And then he hired you as his secretary and flew you to


    a luxury resort.¡±


    ¡°To get away from Ethan. To rebuild my career. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Ava gave me a look. ¡°Liv, if I had a dor for every time you


    said, ¡®That¡¯s all, I¡¯d be the one driving the Bentley¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Alexander doesn¡¯t like being touched. He¡¯s


    very private. You saw how stiff he got. I probably just gave him


    aplex.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a romantic one,¡± she smirked. ¡°He didn¡¯t snap at you. You


    think if I facented into hisp he¡¯d be that polite?¡±


    I winced. ¡°Can we not?¡±


    We settled in after I cleaned my wound and showered with


    Ava¡¯s help. The day had been long, emotionally exhausting, and


    awkward as hell.


    Chaphy 51


    Just as I pulled on my hoodie and sat down on the couch, my


    phone buzzed.


    Unknown number.


    Ava looked over. ¡°Want me to answer and growl into it?¡±


    ¡°Very funny,¡± I said, declining the call.


    It rang again.


    ¡°Persistent, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ava muttered.


    ¡°Probably Ethan,¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Ugh. You should record a voicemail that says, ¡°The number


    you¡¯re calling is no longer impressed by your pathetic guilt trip.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea.¡±

 Alpha Novel 52

    It rang again.


    I stared at it for a second. My chest didn¡¯t twist with guilt or longing. Just¡­ irritation.


    I immediately hit ¡°Block Number¡± and tossed the phone onto the couch.


    ¡°There,¡± I said. ¡°Officially nuisance¨Cfree.¡±


    Ava grinned. ¡°That¡¯s my girl. Now, if only you could identally grope your boss again tomorrow.¡°¡±


    ¡°Ava!¡±


    ¡°What? Just one more time. For data.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    I was in the study, reading an old hardcover on post¨Cindustrial


    economics when Mike walked in.


    ¡°Alpha, I just realized something fascinating¡± he began.


    I didn¡¯t even nce up. ¡°If it¡¯s about werewolf economics again,


    spare me.¡±


    ¡°No, no. More local. You and Ms. Whitmore live on the same


    floor.¡±


    I set the book down on the desk and slid my silver¨Cframed sses to the edge of my nose. ¡°Mike. I¡¯ve known that since I leased the property!¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, already pacing, ¡°I just ran into her friend. Ava. Apparently her mom sprained her back or tailbone¨Ccan¡¯t


    remember which¨Cand she has to rush home immediately.


    Which leaves Ms. Whitmore alone. Injured. Wheelchair¨Cbound.


    Defenseless.¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°And?¡±


    Mike hesitated. ¡°Well¡­ I was thinking¡­ maybe we should help?¡±


    I leaned back in my chair. ¡°It takes three men to take care of one


    woman with a leg injury?¡±


    ¡°Not three,¡± Mike said quickly. ¡°Just¡­ maybe one. Or two. We¡¯re


    narrowing it down.¡±


    ¡°Have you spoken to Olivia about whether she even wants


    help?¡±


    Mike paused, like that thought had only just urred to him.


    ¡°No. But <i>I </i>can call her.¡±


    ¡°Do that,¡± I said, returning to my book. ¡°If she¡¯s ufortable,


    we¡¯re done here.¡±


    Mike tapped his phone a few times, then held it up. ¡°Speaker?¡±


    I gave him a nd look.


    He put it on speaker.


    It rang once before a familiar voice answered, faintly groggy.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Olivia! It¡¯s Mike,¡± he chirped. ¡°I heard Ava had to leave, and we


    were just wondering¨Cdo you need anything? Help? Company?


    Soup?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m okay,¡± she said after a beat. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Ava told you.¡±


    ¡°She had to as she is your dear friend. How could she leave you


    unattended?¡± Mike grinned. ¡°Anyway, would you mind us,


    taking care of you? Alpha Alexander also thought it would be


    better if maybe you coulde upstairs for dinner?¡±


    I shot him a look that could vaporize a tree. When did I say


    anything like that?


    ¡°-I mean, all of us. As a team.¡±


    Oliviaughed lightly. ¡°Thanks, Mike, but I ordered takeout


    already. Don¡¯t want to trouble anyone.¡±¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Takeout? You¡¯re injured. You need real food.


    Bone broth. Chicken soup. Something Alpha¨Cquality¡±


    I pinched the bridge of my nose.


    Mike beamed. ¡°It would refresh and heal you in no time.¡±


    Olivia hesitated. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all!¡± Mike said triumphantly. ¡°Consider it part of


    ourpany¡¯s unmatched employee care program.¡±


    He hung up and looked at me, full of purpose. ¡°You heard her.


    She¡¯s too polite to ask, but she needs it.¡±


    I nodded slightly and closed my book.


    He started pacing again. ¡°Alpha, I have got an small issue.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Actually, I am still cooking the soup and it might gette if I go


    and call Olivia myself. Can you go instead of me and apany


    her, here? Please?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    When I opened the door on my crutches, I expected to see


    Mike¡¯s sheepish grin or maybe even Gai¡¯sid¨Cback smirk.


    But instead, it washim.Alpha Alexander. Standing right there in


    his housecoat, like this was normal. Like I should¡¯ve been


    expecting him.


    My grip on the doorknob tightened. ¡°Alpha Alexander?¡±


    He nodded once, calm as ever. ¡°Mike¡¯s watching the soup. I was


    sent to escort you. Are you ready to go upstairs?¡±


    The way he said ¡°escort¡± made me feel like I was some fragile


    royal being wheeled around for public disy.


    I wanted to say no. But all that came out was a pathetic, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Before I could blink, Alexander had already stepped in and


    lifted me off the ground. I wasn¡¯t prepared. My hands


    instinctively grabbed his shoulders, and I nearly squeaked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to carry me,¡± I mumbled, heart thumping. ¡°I


    could¡¯ve¡­ I mean, I have crutches.¡±


    ¡°And take half an hour to climb one floor?¡± His voice was dry,


    but I caught a hint of amusement. ¡°I¡¯m not that patient, Olivia.¡±


    I shut my mouth.


    He settled me into the wheelchair with ease, his fingers


    brushing my side just a second too long. It made my skin burn.


    This wasn¡¯t supposed to feel this way. I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel


    anything.


    In the elevator, I stole a nce at his legs. Stupid. But the


    memory of my idental thigh¨Ctouch earlier still haunted me. I


    could feel my cheeks heat up.

 Alpha Novel 53

    Followed by the memory of him looking at me in ne, longingly. I just couldn¡¯t help with those memories returning.


    Unfortunately, Alexandernoticed.


    He looked down at me with an unreadable expression. ¡°Something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said way too fast. ¡°Just¡­ spacing out.¡±¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± he muttered, clearly not convinced. His lips curled slightly, but he turned his gaze away.


    When we reached the top floor, I expected him to take me


    straight to dinner. But no, he pushed me into the living room of


    his penthouse, which looked like something out of a luxury


    magazine¨Cclean lines, dark wood, and minimal furniture.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s still a few minutes away,¡± Alexander said. ¡°Thought


    we could get something done first.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, instinctively, but corrected my rudeness right


    away. ¡°I mean, what are we supposed to do?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Just pushed me toward a room. The den.


    And then¡­ he closed the door behind us. Why did he close the


    door like that? I hoped his intentions are not what I think they


    are.


    I swallowed. ¡°Um¡­ why¡¯d you close the door?¡±


    He raised a brow. ¡°Because it¡¯s a den, Olivia. Not a public waiting


    lounge.¡±


    Right. Totally normal.


    He wheeled me up to a desk¨Chis desk, apparently¨Cand pulled


    out a stack of neatly arranged papers.


    ¡°Gai is gone for a while,¡± he said, cing them in front of me.


    ¡°These are some simple contract adjustments. Tell me if this is


    too hard.¡±


    So, Gai was gone and I would serve as his recement for now.


    ¡°Oh, this is what you meant earlier!¡± I muttered to myself but


    forgot that werewolves can hear sharper. Alexander must have


    heard it.


    He tilted his head. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! I just said something about my mobility¡± I waved


    vaguely. ¡°You know, just some issues with certain


    movements¡­. That¡¯s all. Haha.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I think you can manage well,¡± he narrowed his eyes. ¡°If


    that¡¯s what you actually said.¡±


    ¡°Surely!¡± I said while looking down.


    But I noticed Alexader from the corner of my eyes. He didn¡¯t


    his mouth.


    I didn¡¯t wait any further and pulled the papers closer.


    For the next twenty minutes, we worked. Sometimes I would


    look at Alexander partially. He sat five feet away from me


    typing away on hisptop, legs crossed, expressionposed


    like always.


    Even casually dressed, and barefoot, he seemed too attractive to


    not look at. But I kept continuing my work.


    Then, suddenly, I felt the chair being pulled back gently.


    ¡°Enough for now,¡± Alexander said. ¡°Dinner must be ready. Let¡¯s


    go.¡±


    And then he wheeled me out of the study and into the dining


    area, where warm lights lit up the elegant yetfortable


    space. Before I could even process anything, Mike came out of


    the kitchen like a storm with oven mitts in hand.


    ¡°Olivia! You¡¯re right on time! Dinner¡¯s ready, piping hot, and


    smelling like heaven¨Cif I may say so myself, he beamed.


    I chuckled, trying to keep a straight face. ¡°Do you hype up your cooking before every meal, or is this special performance just


    today?¡±


    Mike ced a hand over his heart dramatically. ¡°I¡¯m offended.


    This isn¡¯t hype. It¡¯s confidence. Wait till you taste my chicken &


    spinach soup with fresh pesto. Alpha nearly licked the test


    time.¡±


    ¡°I did not,¡± Alexander said tly from behind me.


    Mike gave him a look. ¡°Oh, right. Sorry. You posedly wiped


    it clean with a fork and no expression. Much better.¡±


    I smothered augh with my hand.


    Alexander remained calm, his face unreadable as he pushed me


    to the table. ¡°Sit. Eat before he starts narrating the chicken¡¯s life


    story<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Mike pulled out a chair and set the dishes like he was hosting a


    royal dinner. There were grilled vegetables, seasoned rice, some


    chicken zed with something mouth¨Cwatering, and the special


    soup for me that made me salivate just from the aroma.


    ¡°Careful, Miss Olivia,¡± Mike warned. ¡°Everything¡¯s got vor


    today. Your taste buds might throw a party.¡±


    ¡°Amazing,¡± I murmured after the first bite. ¡°Mike¡­ this is


    amazing.¡±


    His eyes lit up. ¡°Right?! I told you! Alpha, did you hear that? She


    said it¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°I heard,¡± Alexander said mildly, sipping his soup.


    ¡°Eat more, Olivia,¡± Mike encouraged. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve barely had a meal all week. That hospital food is practically


    punishment.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I said while scooping another spoon of the soup.


    It just took me a moment to realize that I had already ate a lot. I


    didn¡¯t think I overate like this in a long time.


    ¡°I am so happy, Olivia, that you finished all the soup,¡± Mike


    I blinked. ¡°Wait¡­ what? All of it?¡±

 Alpha Novel 54

    Like it wasn¡¯t embarrassing enough, Alexander suddenly


    pushed his bowl towards me. ¡°Eat well. This is going to heal you


    soon!¡±¡®¡±


    ¡°No, Alpha. I have already ate more than I should have,.¡±


    ¡°This is what will heal your injuries sooner,¡± he replied simply.


    Mike grinned like a kid who just saw his favorite couple finally


    admit they liked each other. ¡°You know, sharing food is a love


    I nearly choked on my bite.


    Alexander didn¡¯t respond to that. Just poured himself some


    more tea like Mike hadn¡¯t said anything. His silence somehow


    made it worse.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Anyway¡­ the food really is good. You


    could open a restaurant!¡®


    Mike clutched his heart again. ¡°ttery andpliments?


    You¡¯re wee here anytime.¡±


    ¡°She needs to eat here more often,¡± Mike added. ¡°What do you


    think Alpha Alexander?¡±


    Chapter Sa


    I looked at Alexander from the corner of my eyes, waiting for


    his reply. But he didn¡¯t reply anything. As stoic as ever.


    ¡°Congrats Olivia,¡± Mike jumped in suddenly, ¡°You have got a yes


    from Alpha. That silence serves a yes!¡±


    I nodded but didn¡¯t show any emotions. But, inside, I felt


    warmth.


    After the meal, I thought of going back to my house downstairs


    but then I suddenly remembered the unfinished work given by


    Alpha just moments ago. So, I shuffled back into the study like a


    good little secretary.


    A few hourster, I closed thest folder and stood up groggily.


    My knee throbbed again, and I bumped into the coffee table


    with a wince.


    The next thing I knew, Alexander was beside me, eyes fixed on


    my leg. ¡°You hit it again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine-¡±


    ¡°Clearly not.¡±


    He bent down, checking my knee with a firm but gentle touch.


    His fingers lingered for a second too long before he stood,


    brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you down.¡±


    The elevator ride was quiet. Tension hung in the air, but neither


    of us addressed it. He wheeled me out and helped me to the


    door, and that¡¯s when the silence shattered.


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    It was Ethan. His voice was unmistakable¨Cslurred, loud, and


    angry.


    He staggered out from the stairwell, shirt untucked, reeking of


    whiskey. His eyesnded on Alexander, and something primal


    red in them.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Ethan snarled, staggering forward. ¡°Why the hell


    are you here?¡±


    I felt Alexander¡¯s hand tighten on the wheelchair handle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to barge in here like this-¡± I started.


    But Ethan was already grabbing Alexander¡¯s cor. ¡°Stay away


    from my wife!¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t flinch. He simply pried Ethan¡¯s hand off and


    shoved him back.


    ¡°Control yourself!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife¨Cmine-¡±


    ¡°No, Ethan.¡± I said coldly. ¡°Not anymore¡±


    Ethan¡¯s growl was low and wild, his fangs briefly visible.


    Alexander turned his gaze to me then, and his words cut


    through the tension like a de.


    ¡°Why do you need to perform these tricks in front of me¡­ if


    you¡¯re going to allow him into your home anyway?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The sarcasm in Alexander¡¯s tone lingered in the air like an insult


    I hadn¡¯t earned. I stared at him, my pride prickling. But what


    confused me even more was the fact the Ethan has made his


    way into my building.


    But how?


    I never gave him the password to this building. Neither did I


    discuss anything about my apartment to him.


    Disheveled, reeking of alcohol, Ethan couldn¡¯t keep up his upright stature. His bloodshot eyes locked on me. ¡°So this is it?¡±


    he slurred, pointing at Alexander like a jealous schoolboy. ¡°How


    long has it been going on, huh? You and him.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Ethan¡± I said, agitated. ¡°How much more are you going to embarrass me?¡±


    He blinked at me, disoriented for a moment, then his anger


    red back. ¡°Me?¡± he snapped, taking a shaky step forward. ¡°It¡¯s


    you, who¡¯s making it embarrassing for me. ying house with


    him behind my back!¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s riching from a man who


    crawled into bed with another woman before the ink on our


    vows was even dry.¡°¡±


    Ethan¡¯s lips parted to retort, but then something in his


    expression cracked. He faltered, dropped to his knees, and


    grabbed my wrist. ¡°Oliva, please don¡¯t leave me.¡±


    I jerked my arm back, but his grip tightened. His voice trembled.


    ¡°I was wrong, okay? I didn¡¯t mean for any of it to happen. You


    know I still love you tell me you feel something. Anything¡±


    His desperation made me nauseous. His tears didn¡¯t move me;


    they annoyed me.


    ¡°Get up,¡± I hissed. ¡°You¡¯re drunk and humiliating yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go again.¡± He held on tighter, now resting his


    forehead against my stomach. ¡°Please, baby¡­ just give me


    another chance.¡±

 Alpha Novel 55

    Alexander, who had been silent until now, finally moved.


    ¡°Ethan,¡± he said coolly, pulling out his phone, ¡°if you don¡¯t stand up this second, I¡¯ll have building security drag you back to the


    floor you came from.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s head whipped up. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± he snarled, then looked at me with betrayal, ¡°You¡¯re lettinghimdecide what


    happens to me now?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯tletanyone do anything,¡± I said icily. ¡°You showed up,


    uninvited. And just so we¡¯re clear¨Cyou¡¯re not my responsibility


    anymore.¡±


    Right on cue, the property manager and two guards arrived.


    ¡°Apologies, Alpha Alexander,¡± the manager said. ¡°We¡¯re


    investigating why Mr. Hawthorne¡¯s ess card worked for


    your floor. Now we have found that he lives in the same


    building.¡±


    My head snapped toward the manager. ¡°Wait. Ethan lives


    here?¡±


    The manager nodded politely. ¡°He purchased an apartment on


    the twentieth floor just two days ago.¡±


    The blood drained from my face. ¡°Two days ago? I wasn¡¯t told


    anyone else bought into this building.¡±


    Ethan, still on his knees, looked up at me with a faint smile. ¡°I


    just wanted to be closer to you.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You bought a ce under my nose


    and stalked me up here pretending it was an ident?¡±


    Alexander turned to the manager. ¡°Whether it¡¯s an ident or


    not, this man is creating a disturbance. Please escort him to his


    floor.¡±


    The guards moved forward, but Ethan lunged again¨Cthis time


    at me, grabbing the hem of my sweater. ¡°I¡¯m not going


    anywhere without my wife!¡±


    Before I could speak, Alexander yanked him back, forcefully


    but with precision. ¡°She said leave.¡±


    Ethan staggered, then snarled, his canines slightly elongating-


    his wolf reacting. ¡°You stay out of this, Alpha. This is between


    my mate and me!¡±


    ¡°Mate?¡± I snapped. ¡°That title was null the moment you crawled


    into another woman¡¯s arms.¡±


    He looked at me, face streaked with tears, a drunken mess of a


    man who used to be powerful. ¡°I¡¯m still your husband¡­ your


    luna¡­¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t¡± I said coldly, cutting him off as I stepped forward, the


    pain in my knee momentarily forgotten. I looked straight into


    his eyes as everyone watched the guards, the manager.


    Alexander. ¡°You¡¯re nothing to me now, Ethan Hawthorne.


    Nothing but a liar, a cheater, and a fool who couldn¡¯t hold on to


    what mattered¡±


    Gasps rippled through the hallway.


    ¡°I want him removed,¡± I added, facing the manager. ¡°Right now¡±


    After Ethan was finally dragged into the elevator¨Chowling.


    wing, practically fuming through his teeth¨CI stood there.


    breathless. My knees trembled, not from pain, but from the


    sheer chaos that had just unfolded in my own home.


    The security guards looked shaken. One of them rubbed his arm


    where Ethan had probably scratched him with those half-


    shifted ws. The other kept muttering something about


    needing backup next time.


    Alexander, meanwhile, wasposed as ever. Not a single


    crease out of ce in his shirt. He simply turned to the building


    manager and gave a curt nod. ¡°Make sure his ess to this floor


    is revoked. Immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the manager stammered and rushed off like a


    rabbit being chased.


    I finally exhaled, rubbing my temples. ¡°He¡¯s not going to stop, is


    he?¡±


    Alexander looked at me for a moment, then asked quietly,


    ¡°Have you really made up your mind about the divorce?¡±


    I met his gaze. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t care what tantrums he throws or how many times he cries. I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±


    There was a silence between us.


    Then he said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be staying here alone. Not while he¡¯s lurking few floors above like a feral dog. You should move to the penthouse for now. It¡¯s safer, and Mike can take care of


    your meals while you heal.¡±


    My first instinct was to say no. Pride, maybe. Or just the lingering habit of pushing everyone away. But then I looked at my bandaged leg, still throbbing fromst night¡¯s knock, and remembered the way Ethan had lunged at Alexander without


    warning.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, quieter than I intended.


    Alexander didn¡¯t push the conversation further. He simply called Mike and said, ¡°Prepare a guest room. She¡¯ll be staying


    with us until further notice.¡±


    Then he helped me pack up a few essentials and even carried me upstairs again. I didn¡¯t protest this time. I was too exhausted.


    That night, I slept better than I had in days. The penthouse was


    quiet, with thick walls and ckout curtains that made it feel


    like the outside world had been shut out. No ringing phone, no


    Ethan¡¯s voice in my ears, no drama.


    But peace is always temporary in my life.


    Just as the first light slipped through the curtains and I was still


    curled under a warm nket, my phone buzzed angrily on the


    nightstand. I groaned, blindly reaching for it.


    Chaptea 56

 Alpha Novel 56

    Rose¡¯s name shed on the screen.


    I answered with a sleepy, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Olivia!¡± Rose¡¯s voice was shrill. ¡°Get up. Now. Check your


    Twitter feed¨Cimmediately!¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    When I opened my feed on Twitter, I didn¡¯t expect to see my


    own face staring back at me-¡ªmid¨Cp.


    Well, more urately, my hand was in motion, Chole was on


    her knees, and the sound of that sharp contact echoed through


    the poorly edited video. Except Ethan waspletely gone


    from the frame. Cropped out like he didn¡¯t even exist. As if the


    entire airport incident had just been me and Chole¨Cno furious


    husband, no security chaos, no aftermath.


    The caption read:¡°Hawthrone Luna stands up to shameless


    mistress. #LunaRights #JusticeForWife¡°¡±


    There were hundreds of retweets, and bizarrely¡­ people were


    supporting me.


    ¡°What¡­ the hell?¡± I muttered, scrolling through thements.


    ¡°Finally a Luna who defends herself!¡±


    ¡°Chole deserves it. Homewreckers should stay in the ditch they


    came from.¡±


    ¡°Olivia Hawthrone is still the rightful Luna.¡±


    I blinked at the screen. Was I still half¨Casleep?


    I called Rose immediately.


    ¡°Rose, what is all this?¡± I asked as soon as she picked up.


    ¡°This is why I woke you up early. Even I wanted to know how


    this video came across social media.¡± She sounded like she had


    popcorn in hand.


    ¡°When was this uploaded?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. It¡¯s been making the rounds since 6 AM.


    My cousin sent it to me with a heart emoji.


    ¡°Who could have done this?¡±


    Rose hesitated. ¡°Do you think this was Alexander¡¯s doing? Or¡­


    you didn¡¯t post this, did you?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Rose, I don¡¯t have that kind of editing skill. And


    I know for a fact Alexander doesn¡¯t have time to meddle into


    this scenario. He already saw enoughst night.¡±


    ¡°Wait. What happenedst night?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ethan showed up at my floor, drunk. Alpha Alexander was dropping me by my apartment at that time and Ethan started


    ranting same old thing.¡± I told Rose, a little embarrassed.


    ¡°What? Ethan surely is a leech.¡± Rose said with a disgust. ¡°Actually, I thought it were you who uploaded it.¡±


    ¡°No way! I am not interested in such publicity,¡± I sighed. ¡°But who the hell could have posted it?¡±


    ¡°No idea. But it¡¯s working in your favor!¡±


    After that I hung up the call with Rose. She didn¡¯t know who did <ol><li>it. </li></ol>


    Still unsatisfied, I called Ava. She answered after three rings.


    ¡°Olivia, I was just gonna call you,¡± she asked, hurried. ¡°Are you


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t post the video,¡± I said tly. ¡°Neither did Rose.


    And apparently, not Alexander either.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know you that much.¡± Ava yawned. ¡°It looked like a


    work of a professional. They made it trending everywhere, and


    the editing was kind of¡­ convenient.¡±


    ¡°My point exactly.¡±


    Chapte


    ¡°You think Chole did it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I considered Amelia at first, trying to clean


    Ethan¡¯s name. But this paints Ethan as absent. If anything, it


    builds my public sympathy as the Luna and istes Chole as the


    viin.¡±


    Ava paused. ¡°You really think Chole would post a video of


    herself getting pped just to¡­ gain sympathy?¡±


    ¡°If it ends with her in a hospital bed, maybe. You know how she


    ys the victim. The more pathetic she looks, the more she


    clings to Ethan.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s insane if she did,¡± Ava muttered. ¡°Like, genuinely needs


    help!¡±


    ¡°No disagreement here.¡±


    There was a brief silence before I added, ¡°By the way, Ethan


    bought an apartment in my building. Two floors above.¡±¡®


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I found outst night. The property manager said it was


    recent. He¡¯s been hanging around. Got drunk and caused a


    scene.¡±


    Ava¡¯s voice went sharp. ¡°So now he¡¯s living two floors above


    you and pulling drunken tantrums? Has he lost it?¡±


    ¡°Looks like it.¡±


    Ava exhaled slowly, as if trying to keep her own temper in


    check. ¡°Olivia, what does he even want anymore? What are his


    true intentions?¡±


    Author¡¯s POV


    Ethan was in the backseat of his car when the call came


    through from Windsor House. The voice on the other end was


    frantic¨Cone of the maids, breathless and on the verge of


    sobbing.


    ¡°Alpha Ethan, it¡¯s Chole¡­ she¨Cshe tried to kill herself. Her


    wrists¨Cthere¡¯s blood everywhere. She has been sent to the


    hospital already. Pleasee immediately!¡±


    For a moment, Ethan couldn¡¯t move. He sat there in stunned


    silence, the phone trembling against his cheek.


    Chole?


    The words barely registered.


    He ended the call and checked his phone, which had several


    messages from his Beta to check the Twitter feed.


    The video was still everywhere. Olivia pping Chole. The


    caption spinning it as a dramatic, justified defense by a cheated


    wife. Thements vilifying Chole as a mistress, a snake, a


    homewrecker who got what she deserved. And nowhere-


    absolutely nowhere was Ethan mentioned.

 Alpha Novel 57

    Back at the Hawthrone Pack house, the atmosphere was


    charged with a different kind of chaos.


    Bob Hawthrone, Ethan¡¯s father and the true backbone of the


    family, had returned from an urgent business trip overseas


    after getting wind of the scandal. The moment he stepped into


    the drawing room, his face was like thunder.


    ¡°This is what you¡¯ve done with my name?¡± he growled, eyes


    zing at Ethan. ¡°You disgrace your Luna in public, humiliate


    your pack, and now I return to find your mistress sshed all


    over the inte like a failed soap opera?¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°I trusted you to lead with strength and intelligence, and


    instead, you¡¯ve let your emotions and bedroom y destroy


    everything.¡±


    Amelia, sitting on the edge of the leather sofa, spoke up quietly.


    ¡°Bob, don¡¯t be so hard on him. He just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Bob cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t defend this circus. Olivia stood by


    us through every winter, every harvest, every negotiation.


    She¡¯s ten times the Chole Windsor could ever be.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s lips lightened.


    ¡°She¡¯s cold¡± she said. ¡®Olivia has always been¡­ distant. Maybe


    it¡¯s not all Ethan¡¯s fault¡±


    Bob gave her a sharp nce. ¡°I¡¯m telling you¨Cif we still want to


    keep what we¡¯ve built, Ethan needs to fix this. End things with


    Chole. Go make peace with Olivia.¡±


    Amelia was about to argue further when her phone rang.


    Unknown number.


    She stepped away to take it.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    There was silence for a second. Then a voice¨Clow, hoarse, and


    disturbingly calm.


    ¡°Auntie Amelia,¡± Chole whispered on the other end.


    Amelia froze.


    ¡°Chole¡­? Are you¨Chow are you even-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alive. Isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± Amelia¡¯s voice dropped to a hush, as


    if someone might overhear.


    Chole let out a softugh. It sounded hollow. ¡°I know what you


    Chapter <b>57 </b>


    did¡­ at Eden Manor¡±


    Amelia¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°I knoweverything.¡±


    A cold sweat broke out on her back.


    ¡°Chole, listen. You¡¯re not well. This isn¡¯t the time-¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to thank you,¡± Chole interrupted, her voice


    syrupy sweet. ¡°Because now, I¡¯m going to marry your son. We¡¯ll


    be one big, happy family.¡±


    There was a pause.


    ¡°And you know what happens when a family keeps secrets,


    right? They rot from the inside.¡±


    The line disconnected.


    Amelia stood frozen. The phone still pressed to her ear, and her


    breath stuck in her throat. The everposed Luna of the


    Hawthrone Pack felt the creeping chill of fear spread down her


    spine.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The past five days had been oddly peaceful.


    My leg was healing fast¨Cthanks to werewolf genes, painkillers,


    and Mike¡¯s miraculous chicken soup¨Cand the swelling had gone


    down so much I could almost walk without crutches. Not that


    Mike let me. Every time I tried, he¡¯d wave a spat at me like I


    was breaking sacredws.


    ¡°You sit,¡± he¡¯d say, dragging over the wheelchair. ¡°Even queens


    get carried when injured.¡±


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t argue. His food was too good to risk being


    exiled from his kitchen.


    Ava called in the morning. ¡°Liv, Ethan¡¯s in shambles. Everyone¡¯s


    dragging him on the inte for turning a blind eye while his


    mistress got pped. He can¡¯t even show his face in public


    without being called a spineless golden retriever!¡±


    I nearly choked on my tea.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Ava asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I coughed. ¡°Just¨C¡®golden retriever¡®?¡±


    ¡°Well, the loyal kind. Except he didn¡¯t end up being loyal, so¡­


    mutt, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    Apparently, Ethan had been too busy doing damage control


    after the Chole incident to bother me again. Rose had confirmed


    that he hadn¡¯t shown up at my ce since that night. Good. The


    less drama, the better.


    ¡°I also told Dad to take Mom abroad for a while,¡± I told Ava. ¡°Just


    until this whole Windsor mess dies down. But they haven¡¯t


    booked the tickets yet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not worried because they know you¡¯re


    protected.¡±


    ¡°Protected?¡±


    ¡°Liv, do you think people didn¡¯t notice what Alexander did for


    you at the g? That wasn¡¯t just polite manners. That was a


    stand. The Windsors aren¡¯t idiots. They¡¯ll think twice before


    doing anything.¡±


    That did make sense, though I hadn¡¯t dwelled on it too much.


    Mostly because Alpha Alexander had beenpletely avoiding


    me since I moved into his penthouse.


    At first, I thought he was just busy. But then I realized¨Che was


    doing it for me. To avoid more gossip. To not make my recovery


    ufortable.


    Thoughtful. Too thoughtful. It was messing with my head.


    That evening, I offered to help Mike with dinner. He looked


    scandalized but handed me a pair of gloves and let me peel


    potatoes while he chopped vegetables.


    ¡°Have you seen Alexander today?¡± I asked, keeping my tone


    casual.


    Mike hesitated. ¡°He left this morning.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    ¡°Family,¡± he said. ¡°His parents called him in. For a blind date!¡±¡±


    I blinked. ¡°A what?¡±


    Mike chuckled. ¡°Yep. As the Green Pack¡¯s heir, his marriage is


    sort of¡­ a public interest. Apparently, his mom¡¯s worried he¡¯ll


    die alone in a suit and a frown.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he hate those kind of things?¡±


    ¡°He does. They tried once, two years ago. The girl cried halfway


    through and the waiter spilled wine on his coat. Never again.


    But now that he¡¯s back in China, they¡¯re insisting.¡±


    I looked down at the half¨Cpeeled potato in my hand. A blind


    date? Alexander?


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ actually going?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t get out of it,¡± Mike said. ¡°Apparently, they¡¯re trying to


    arrange an alliance through marriage. Very old¨Cschool.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why it bothered me. It wasn¡¯t like I had any say in


    who Alexander dated. He was calm, stoic,pletely


    unattached to people¨Cexcept when it came to defending me in


    public, cooking dinner, and picking me up like I weighed.


    nothing.


    C

 Alpha Novel 58

    hapter 58


    Maybe I just wasn¡¯t used to someone like him being so¡­ human.


    Not a mystery or a myth. Just a man with parents who arranged dates and a pack waiting for a Luna.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Hm? Oh. Yeah.¡± I smiled. ¡°I just thought someone like him


    would be immune to things like blind dates.¡°¡±


    ¡°Even the mighty Alexander can¡¯t dodge Mama¡¯s wrath.¡±


    ¡°I guess not.¡± Iughed. ¡°Anyways, I wish him a good luck. I hope he finds someone he can actually fall in love with!¡±


    Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to still be here,¡± came Alexander¡¯s voice from behind us, startling both me and Mike in the kitchen.


    I turned quickly, almost dropping the spoon in my hand. He had just walked in from the hallway, dressed in a crisp ck suit, his cufflinks catching the warm kitchen light. There was no coat, no briefcase, just his signature detached expression¨Cexcept, this time, there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, wee back,¡± I said, awkwardly wiping my hands on the kitchen towel. ¡°We were just¡­ talking about the weather.¡°¡±


    Alexander raised an eyebrow. ¡°The weather, huh?¡± His eyes shifted briefly to Mike, who looked like he was trying to


    disappear into the rice cooker.


    I didn¡¯t want him to know we were talking about his blind date.


    Toote.


    ¡°You two seem to be very invested in my romantic future.¡± he added, voice cool with a sarcastic edge. ¡°Maybe next time you can help my parents pick the girl too.¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond, but he waved his hand lightly.


    as if dismissing the entire situation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he continued, tugging slightly at his cuff. ¡°I


    wouldn¡¯t want to miss ¡®the one! Wouldn¡¯t want to let a once¨Cin-


    a¨Clifetime blind date pass me by.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked back down the hallway, his


    footsteps slow and deliberate. I stood frozen by the counter, a


    strange mix of irritation and embarrassment tightening in my


    chest.


    Mike, still hovering near the sink, gave me a look. ¡°That wasn¡¯t


    about you,¡± he said after a pause, ¡°even if it felt like it.¡±


    I sighed, finally sinking into the nearest kitchen chair. ¡°No?


    Because it definitely felt like it.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like being talked about when he¡¯s not there. That¡¯s


    all,¡± Mike offered gently. ¡°And if it makes you feel better¨Che never takes these dates seriously. Last time he walked out


    halfway through.¡±


    That actually did make me feel better, though I refused to let it


    show. I just nodded.


    Later that evening, my phone buzzed. Unknown number.


    I hesitated, then picked up.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± came a deep voice.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± I asked cautiously.


    ¡°I am Bob Hawthrone.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Alpha Bob. How are you?¡± He¡¯d never called me since he


    was always busy on his overseas business.


    ¡°I am good. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± I said, even though I kind of hoped he was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯d like you toe


    home tomorrow night. You and Ethan need to have a proper


    conversation.¡±


    My throat tightened, but I didn¡¯t speak. He was back?


    ¡°This situation between you two has gone on long enough.


    Whatever happened¡­ It needs to be settled face to face. You


    owe yourselves that much.¡±


    I bit down on my lip, unsure if I wanted tough or scream.


    ¡°Mr. Hawthrone, I don¡¯t owe Ethan anything. He-¡±


    Bob cut in, still calm. ¡°I¡¯m not defending him. I know exactly


    what he¡¯s done. And believe me, he¡¯s not in my good graces right


    now. But running from the mess doesn¡¯t clean it up.¡±


    He paused, letting his wordsnd. ¡°Avoidance never helps,


    Olivia. I would like it very much if youe here tomorrow


    night.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV

 Alpha Novel 59

    I stared at the phone long after the call ended, Bob¡¯s voice still


    ringing in my ears.


    ¡°You owe yourselves that much.¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Not anymore.


    But what I did owe myself was freedom. A clean te. And that


    meant ending things once and for all.


    The next morning, I called Bob back. My voice was calm, firm. ¡°I¡¯lle,¡± I said. ¡°Not for reconciliation¨Cjust to finalize the divorce. After that, I want nothing more to do with Ethan or the


    Hawthrone Pack.¡±


    There was a brief pause on the other end before Bob sighed.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    That was that.


    When I told Mike over breakfast, he nearly dropped the pan he was flipping pancakes in. ¡°You¡¯re going where?¡±


    ¡°To the Hawthrone/Pack. Onest time.¡±


    He turned to me, spat in hand, eyes narrowed. ¡°Olivia, are you sure? What if this is another one of Ethan¡¯s stunts<b>? </b>What <b>if </b>they guilt you again or pull something shady <b>with </b><b>the </b><b>divorce </b>


    terms<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not going alone,¡± I said, calmly biting into <b>toast</b><b>. </b>¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for a pair of bodyguards. Ava helped <b>me </b>with itst night. They¡¯ll stay close the whole time.¡±


    Mike didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°And your leg?¡±


    I gave him a look. ¡°I¡¯ll go in a wheelchair. Pretend the injury hasn¡¯t healed. If they think I¡¯m still weak, they¡¯ll drop their guard.¡±


    He dropped into the chair across from me, rubbing his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re really pulling out the spy tactics, huh?¡±


    ¡°Just precautions,¡± I said with a small shrug. ¡°I¡¯m done being


    surprised by these people.¡±¡±


    Truth was, I didn¡¯t trust a single soul in that house¨Cexcept


    maybe Bob. And even that was conditional.


    Ethan had crossed the line too many times. I had no doubt he¡¯d try to win me over again¨Cbeg, cry, maybe even fake copse-


    but I wasn¡¯t the same woman anymore.


    This time, I¡¯de prepared.


    The Hawthrone Pack house hadn¡¯t changed¨Cstill cold, <b>still </b>


    grand, still trying to convince everyone that what went on behind those perfect walls was just as polished.


    I stepped inside with two bodyguards nking me, the weight of the wheelchair adding false frailty to my posture. It wasn¡¯t real. My leg had healed. But the performance was necessary. In this house, you were either ying the game or being yed. I¡¯d learned that the hard way.


    Bob Hawthrone was seated alone at the far end of the dining table, arms folded over his tailored suit, gaze locked on me like I¡¯d arrivedte to a contract signing.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± he said, his voice neutral, but his eyes flicked to the tall bodyguard behind me. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re in danger


    here?¡±


    I gave him a polite smile. ¡°No offense, Alpha Bob. But your son


    has a history of doing things when he¡¯s angry. I¡¯d rather not take


    any chances.¡±


    His jaw ticked, just slightly. ¡°You think Ethan would harm


    you?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s already harmed me in every way that counts.¡±


    Bob exhaled and gestured toward the seat across from him. I nodded at the guard to roll me closer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk directly then,¡± I said, before he could begin. ¡°I want


    Ethan <b>to </b>file for divorce, I want the partnership <b>dissolved</b><b>. </b>


    cleanly<b>. </b>No drama, no press. Just signatures and silence¡±


    ¡°You came all this way just to demand that?¡± His tone was <b>even</b>,


    but I could see the restraint behind it.


    ¡°I came here because you asked. Now I¡¯m saying what I came <b>to </b>


    say.¡±


    He paused and studied me for a moment. Then he leaned


    forward.¡± Olivia, a man makes mistakes ¨C it¡¯s natural. We all


    must forgive sometimes, selflessly. And also, you¡¯re aware that


    Ethan still loves you.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not love, Bob. That¡¯s obsession. Control. Guilt.


    Regret. Call it anything but love.¡°¡±


    ¡°He made a mistake. One that he regrets deeply.¡±


    I blinked at him slowly. ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to spend the rest of my life with a man who would keepmitting mistakes? That¡¯s


    your pitch?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m offering you more than that. Stay with Ethan. Be the Luna you were meant to be. We¡¯ll make it official. You¡¯ll have full status, power, protection. And three


    hundred million in assets to your name.¡±


    The number didn¡¯t shake me. The man sitting across from me did¨Cbecause he truly thought that was a fair trade.


    <b>Chapter </b>59


    <b>I </b>smiled calmly. ¡°That¡¯s generous. But <b>no </b>


    He arched <i>a </i>brow. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be selling my soul for a title and <i>a </i>bank ount. Ethan <b>had </b>


    his chance. He didn¡¯t just cheat¨Che humiliated me. Publicly. Repeatedly. And now I¡¯m supposed to overlook that because you threw money on the table?¡±


    A


    Bob narrowed his eyes, voice a touch cooler now. ¡°I¡¯m giving you an option to retain power and security. Women in your position would kill for this.¡±


    k


    t

 Alpha Novel 60

    I tilted my head. ¡°Power isn¡¯t power if ites with <b>a </b>leash. <b>And </b>security isn¡¯t real if it means sleeping beside a man I don¡¯t trust.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer.


    I sat straighter. ¡°But since we¡¯re making offers¨Chow about this? I¡¯ll stay. I¡¯ll even wear the Luna crown, smile in photos, wave at pack events. But I want fifty percent of Hawthrone Group. No prenup. No strings. Then I won¡¯t care if Ethan sleeps with the


    entire western continent.¡±


    Bob¡¯s face reddened. ¡°You¡¯re being greedy.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, voice icy. ¡°I¡¯m being realistic. That¡¯s what I¡¯m worth


    you expect me to live with your son after what he¡¯s done.


    Otherwise, I want out.¡±


    He opened his mouth to argue again when the heavy doors of


    the dining room mmed open.


    Ethan.


    His shirt was wrinkled. His eyes bloodshot. His aura¨Cfurious.


    ¡°You can¡¯t divorce me,¡± he said, stomping toward us like a man possessed. ¡°Not unless I die.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b><b>60 </b>


    <b>Olivia¡¯s </b><b>POV </b>


    Ethan¡¯s face contorted with rage as he stalked forward<b>. </b>¡°I <b>won¡¯t </b>


    divorce you,¡± he growled. ¡°Not until I die.¡±


    I lowered my gaze, weighing my words carefully. ¡°So why did you hug Chole at the airport instead of me?¡± I asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you with her the whole time? Spending nights after nights


    together?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s jaw twitched. ¡°I was¡­ forced to be with her. She threatened suicide every day. She said she¡¯d kill herself if I didn¡¯t


    -So you stayed with her?¡± I echoed. ¡°Afraid she¡¯d kill herself


    over you. But who is she to you, even now, that you care so


    much about her life? Clearly, you still love her¨Cotherwise, you


    would have picked me instead of her. You wouldn¡¯t have just


    left me at the airport while I was in a wheelchair.¡±


    He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it.


    Bob looked between us, brow furrowed. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Ethan swallowed hard. ¡°She made me¡­ she kept calling¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop it. Why don¡¯t you tell the truth?¡± Ethan sudden)¨C


    changed his tone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you divorcing me to be with


    Alexander? Am I not <i>just </i>a pebble in your way?¡±


    Bob nced at me quickly<b>, </b>noticing the tension <b>in </b><b>my </b>shoulders. His eyes flickered, as if trying <b>to </b>discern <b>the </b><b>real </b>reason behind the divorce. Was I ying games <b>with </b><b>both </b>


    Alphas? Ethan looked at me sharply, clearly expecting <b>a </b>


    confession.


    So I rified, ¡°Alexander is my boss. How dare you raise such clouded suspicions about me? I¡¯m pushing for a divorce because of you¨Cand you alone. Because you cheated on me.¡±


    Bob¡¯s posture stiffened. Ethan looked flushed, caught between his father¡¯s expectations and his wife¡¯s revtions.


    I met Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°And do you really want to know the truth?¡±


    He nodded, tense as a beast in a cage.


    I said, ¡°I have nothing to gain from lying. I¡¯ve only ever interacted with Alexander professionally¨Cas my employer, nothing more. If you and your father spread rumors that I¡¯m using him, I¡¯ll make sure the Green family sues. You already know the power they hold. They won¡¯t hesitate. They do not tolerate rumors involving the Alpha¡¯s woman.¡±


    Bob shuffled a crisp document in his pocket. Ethan¡¯s face paled, but he opened his mouth to argue then closed it when!eld up


    two fingers.


    ¡°One: surveince shows Alexander came to see my leg. He


    <b>Chapter </b><b>60 </b>


    stayed less than <b>sixty </b>seconds. There¡¯s <b>a </b><b>timestamp</b><b>, </b>Camera footage. Want to check it<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    Ethan¡¯s breathing hitched. He took a shaky step forward, one hand searching for my phone.


    I raised mine. ¡°Second: I have recordings. Chole herself called <b>me </b>while she was with you. Talking to me in between¡­ intimate moments. If you decide to y that off as ¡®acting, then good luck¨Cbecause the recording device picks up a lot more than <b>you </b>


    expect. I can release it.¡±


    The silence stretched so long it became sharp.


    Ethan lurched forward and grabbed my wrist. ¡°You¨CYou


    can¡¯t¡­¡±


    I jerked away and pointed to the table. My voice was low, but


    every word sounded like a whip. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. What you did


    was wrong. And I¡¯m giving you one chance to make this clean.¡±


    I looked at Bob, whose jaw was clenched like steel.


    ¡°The thought of this spilling into court terrifies both of your families,¡± I said. ¡°You know it will be front page news¨CAlpha


    cheated, mistress rings, threats of suicide. Are you sure you


    want that?¡±


    Bob exchanged a pained look with Ethan before firming his


    shoulders. ¡°Ethan, file the divorce. Now!¡±


    Chapter <b>60 </b>


    Ethan¡¯s shoulders copsed. He stared at <b>me</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>his </b><b>eyes </b><b>were </b>


    wet. His voice shook when he spoke. ¡°I will<b>¡­ </b>cooperate <b>with </b>any legal action you take.¡±


    He turned toward Bob, eyes downcast, as if expecting


    punishment.


    Bob simply nodded and whispered something to the butler. Then he stood and slowly walked to the door.


    s

 Alpha Novel 61

    He paused in the doorway, nced at me again, and said quietly, ¡°This is better for all involved¨Cnow!¡± Then he turned


    and left.


    Ethan didn¡¯t say a word.


    He just sat there across the long dining table, still wearing that ridiculous entitled expression, and started eating. Fork in one hand, knife in the other, like we were having some civil dinner instead of me begging him¨Cagain¨Cfor freedom.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to ignore everything I just said?¡± I asked,


    eyebrows raised.


    He didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just sit and eat!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, Ethan. I¡¯m trying to end this marriage with a


    shred of dignity.¡±


    He swallowed and finally nced at me. ¡°Then stop ying with that Alexander/guy. You think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going


    on?¡±


    I mmed my hand on the table. ¡°There isnothinggoing on! And even if there was, you lost the right to have an opinion the moment you crawled into Chole¡¯s bed!¡±


    He pushed back his chair and stood up, slowly walking toward <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I instinctively stepped back. ¡°Don¡¯t try to intimidate me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he said, voice quiet. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ tired of hearing the same


    things.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Then do something new. Sign the divorce


    papers.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond. Instead, in one swift motion, he reached out and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Before I could shout again, I heard a scuffle at the entrance.


    ¡°What-?¡± I turned and saw my bodyguard being shoved to the ground by two of the Hawthrone security team. My heart leapt.


    ¡°Hey! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I yelled.


    One of them looked straight past me and gave Ethan a slight


    nod. He didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he scooped me up like I was a


    rely doll. I kicked, thrashed, and punched at his chest, but he


    flinched.


    ¡°Put me down! Are you insane?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand soon,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I swear to God, if you don¡¯t let go of me-


    He shoved open the front door, walked down the steps, and carried me straight to his car. I was screaming now<i>, </i>fully aware that every passing staff member in the Hawthrone estate saw


    this and didnothing.


    Once inside, he locked the doors and hit the elerator.


    I banged my fist on the passenger side window. ¡°This is kidnapping! Do you want me to press charges?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond. His jaw was clenched, his knuckles white on


    the wheel.


    The car lurched forward and sped through the estate¡¯s iron


    gates.


    And just then, it happened¨Cwe brushed past another car that had just pulled up <i>to </i>the gate.


    I turned my head and saw her.


    Chole.


    She wore a loose cardigan, bandaged wrist visible. Her face turned pale the second she spotted me in Ethan¡¯s passenger seat.


    ¡°Ethan!¡± she shouted.


    He didn¡¯t even nce back.


    ¡°ETHAN!¡± she screamed again, but he floored the elerator.


    I twisted toward him, livid. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he said without emotion.


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡± I slumped into my seat, trying to steady


    my breath. ¡°Where are you even taking me?¡±


    Still no answer.


    I turned to face him, fully. ¡°What are you up to, Ethan? What¡¯s your endgame here?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I gripped the car¡¯s door handle so hard my knuckles whitened. The headlights cut through the darkness as Ethan raced down a highway I didn¡¯t recognize. The speedometer read well over 100 kph. My heart pounded in time with the engine¡¯s furious pulse.


    ¡°Ethan¨Cplease¨Cslow down!¡± I shouted over the roar.


    He didn¡¯t nce at me. His jaw was tight, his eyes focuse n the road. ¡°What are you afraid of, Liv? You afraid to die?¡±


    My breath caught. ¡°No. I¨Cjust want to talk, to figure this out-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not talking anywhere!¡± He swerved off the highway. I


    felt the tires crunch over gravel.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked, voice shaking.


    He slowed enough to pull onto a narrow, wooded path. Rain had recently fallen; the air smelled of moss and pine resin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, voice calm, eerily gentle. ¡°But tonight,


    we¡¯re alone¨Cjust you and me.¡±


    rm buzhed in my ears. ¡°Ethan¨Cthis isn¡¯t right. Let me go. We


    can end this without¡­¡± I swallowed.


    Without violence. I didn¡¯t even let the thought finish.


    He nced at me then. ¡°You keep talking like we¡¯re over. Like it¡¯s done. But we¡¯re still married.¡± His grip tightened on the


    steering wheel.


    I swallowed hard. My pulse raced. ¡°Yes, we are. That¡¯s why I want you to sign the papers-¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. You don¡¯t want a divorce. You want a punishment.¡± Teeth clenched, he muttered, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll teach you a lesson tonight.¡±

 Alpha Novel 62

    What lesson was he talking about? Ethan was scaring me to


    beyond my nerves now. I knew I would need help now.


    My hand slid into my pocket. My spare phone was there. I


    waited till he didn¡¯t notice, thumb trembling. I tapped my screen


    and sent my location to Ava.¡°Pleasee. I¡¯m scared.¡±


    He nced over at me. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I swallowed the text. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He didn¡¯t press it.


    Dark trees loomed through the window as we climbed deeper


    into the forest. Each turn was more remote. Finally, the engine


    coughed and died. The headlights dimmed to ck. Night


    swallowed us.


    ¡°Out of gas,¡± he said, voice t. ¡°Cute location, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    I forced calm. ¡°We can call roadside¨Cthe light¡¯s on


    RedEmergency.¡± I pointed.


    He scoffed. ¡°No bars,¡± he muttered.


    He lit a cigarette. Smoke curled toward the ceiling. He stared at


    me with that inscrutable gaze, then said, ¡°So¡­ just us.¡±


    My pulse thundered in my ears. ¡°What are you doing, Ethan?¡±


    He took a hit off the cigarette and tapped ash off the window.


    ¡°Last few weeks¡­ you pushed for a divorce. You threatened to


    go public.¡±¡® He leaned in. ¡°Tonight is the only way I can show


    you who owns you.¡±


    My breath hitched.


    I stepped back. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    He grabbed my shoulders with one hand and yanked me down so his chest pressed into mine. His face loomed close¨Chis breath


    heavy with mint and regret.


    ¡°We¡¯re married,¡± he growled. ¡°Even the police can¡¯t stop me for


    what I am about to do now. My word means more than any


    number of phone calls, text messages, or cameras. You can¡¯t stop


    me.¡±


    Tears welled. My mind raced:He¡¯s trying to scare me into


    I pushed. Couldn¡¯t budge him. ¡°Ethan¡­ if you do this, it¡¯s rape. I¡­


    I¡¯ll press charges.¡±


    He leaned forward so his breath grazed my ear. ¡°You used to be all about work. You always insisted on condoms. But not


    Chapter <b>62 </b>


    tonight.¡± He straightened.


    I felt his alpha power¨Can aura of dominance, heat, control. My


    throat closed.


    He paused. Lowered voice, close enough to feel his lips near my hair. ¡°Maybe¡­ next month, you¡¯ll be pregnant with my pup.¡±


    The words slid across my skin like cold steel. My knees


    trembled.


    He smirked down at me¨Ctriumph, intent.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°Ethan, let me go!¡± I shouted, shoving at his chest, but it was like trying to move a wall. He didn¡¯t flinch. My voice trembled with panic. ¡°You¡¯re insane¨Cthis isn¡¯t you. What are you even doing?!¡±


    He leaned in, his mouth brushing against my ear as he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s make a wager, hmm? If I can¡¯t get you pregnant tonight, I¡¯ll let you go. But if I can¡­¡± His lips trailed down to my cheek, ¡°You¡¯lle home with me. Be my Luna again.¡±


    I jerked my head away and red <i>at </i>him, breathing hard. ¡°Who do you think you are? You don¡¯t get to decide what happens to me anymore, Ethan. You lost that right the second you


    me.¡±


    trayed


    He exhaled and dropped his cigarette out the cracked window.


    ¡°You say that, but I know you still feel it <i>too</i>. You and me¡­ all


    these times we had been together¡± Then, without warning, he


    surged forward. I screamed and tried to twist away, hitting at


    his shoulder, but his grip tightened around my wrists.


    ¡°No¨Cno! Get off me!¡± I gasped, my voice rising with fear. ¡°You¡¯re


    hurting me!¡±


    He held me pinned against the seat, his weight pressing down as if trying to suffocate me. ¡°You used to look at me like I was your whole world, Olivia,¡± he muttered against my neck. ¡°Now all I see in your eyes is hate. I miss the old you. The one who only


    saw me.¡±


    I tried to turn my head but he caught my chin. His kiss was rough, unwanted. I whimpered, disgusted and scared, tears sliding down my cheek. The scent of the forest around us was sharp, earthy¨Cand suddenly suffocating.


    ¡°This is rape, Ethan,¡± I said shakily. ¡°You force me, and that¡¯s


    what it is. Even if we¡¯re married.¡±


    He stopped just long enough to whisper against my jaw, ¡°The cops won¡¯t interven¨¦, not for an Alpha and his Luna. Especially not when we¡¯re still legally bound.¡±


    I kicked at him, my voice cracked from screaming, ¡°I¡¯m not your Luna. I don¡¯t belong to you!¡±


    His wolf stirred, I could feel it pulsing just under his skin- dominant, angry. Mine whimpered deep inside me, retreating in


    fear. The hug that once gave me warmth now felt like a cage. I wed at his arm, cried out again, but his fingers only dug


    harder into my waist.

 Alpha Novel 63

    A sob burst from my chest. I hated him. I hated that I once


    trusted him. I clenched my eyes shut, praying someone¨Canyone


    -would find me.


    And then¨CTap tap tap.A faint knock on the foggy window.


    ¡°Hey!¡± a male voice called from outside.


    Ethan stilled. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± he muttered, pulling back just


    slightly.


    The voice outside called again, louder this time, ¡°Can¡¯t you get a


    room or something? This is a public ce.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Ethan snapped, mming a palm on the ss. ¡°Mind


    your own damn business!¡±


    I was panting, my shirt stretched, my lips swollen, hair clinging to my face. I looked toward the window, pleading silently.


    The man frowned through the ss. ¡°Who are you guys by the


    way? Not from around?¡±


    ¡°Get out of here before I smack the shit outta you.¡± Ethan


    barked.


    <b>Chapter </b>63


    The man hesitated, clearly unsure. He <b>looked </b><b>between </b>Ethan


    and me, but finally turned and walked away. The <b>woods </b>


    swallowed his retreat.


    Silence. I pushed Ethan away with what strength I had left <b>and </b>


    scrambled to the other side of the car, hugging myself. ¡°Don¡¯t


    touch me,¡± I rasped. ¡°Don¡¯t even look at me.¡±


    Ethan sat back in the driver¡¯s seat, seething. ¡°We¡¯ll go


    somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°No, we won¡¯t!¡± I shouted. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting! You still think you


    have some twisted im on me?¡±


    He turned to me, his eyes bloodshot, jaw clenched. ¡°You¡¯re mine,


    Olivia. You always will be.¡±


    ¡°You cheated on me! You broke everything between us! And now¨Cwhat? You think forcing me into a pregnancy will fix


    that?!¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak. Just red.


    Tears burned behind my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough. I don¡¯t want your apologies. I don¡¯t want your exnations. I don¡¯t


    wantyou.¡±


    I reached for the door handle, but it was locked. I pounded on the window. ¡°Someone help me! Please¨C!¡±


    Ethan grabbed my wrist again. ¡°Stop it.¡±


    ¡°Let me go! I¡¯d rather die than be trapped in this with you!¡±


    That made him freeze.


    His entire body stilled, eyes wide, chest still rising from


    breathless anger. For a second, there was no Alpha, no arrogance, just a man suddenly realizing something had broken.


    I sat there for a moment, legs curled into my chest, my breath shaky as Ethan stared at me in stunned silence. My face was tear¨Cstreaked, my mouth dry. But I didn¡¯t look away. I had


    nothing else left to lose.


    He looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came


    out.


    I sniffled and turned my head away. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten anything since morning.¡± My voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Get me some food.¡±


    He looked at me strangely, but then nodded slowly. ¡°There¡¯s a supermarket about thirty minutes from here. I¡¯ll go get


    something.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of gas,¡± I reminded him coldly.


    Ethan ran a hand through his hair in frustration, ncing


    toward the dashboard. ¡°I¡¯ll walk!¡±


    ¡°Can you even walk with that wound?¡±


    He scowled at me, probably because I dared to bring up the gash he¡¯d gotten during one of his showy fights a few weeks back.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I muttered. ¡°Alpha genes and all.¡±


    He reached for the door but then turned back. ¡°Don¡¯t try


    anything stupid while I¡¯m gone. I¡¯m locking the car!¡±


    My heart jumped, but I only nodded and watched him hobble away, favoring his right leg. The moment he disappeared into the trees and the sound of his footsteps faded, I pulled myself


    into the backseat. The door gave way under my trembling


    fingers. Thank God.


    I crawled out the back, my injured leg scraping against the edge


    of the door. I winced but bit back a cry.


    Then I ran or limped, really¨Cpushing through the bushes in the opposite direction from where Ethan had gone. My breaths came in quick, shallow puffs as the pain shot up my thigh, but I


    didn¡¯t stop.


    There was a hill just beyond the tree line. It wasn¡¯t tall, but it was steep and full of wild shrubs. I dug my fingers into the


    Chapter <b>63 </b>


    ground and pulled myself up, branch by branch, twig by twig, until I found a patch of thick vegetation near the top. It was dry,


    but dense enough to hide me.


    I pulled out my second phone and texted Ava:¡°Location sent. He¡¯s gone for food. I¡¯m hiding near the hill, west of the road.


    Come fast.¡±


    She replied almost immediately:¡°Don¡¯t worry, just stay low. It would take around 35 mins minimum to reach you. And, don¡¯t


    go farther.¡±


    I curled up tighter, clutching the phone. My hands wouldn¡¯t stop shaking. My skin still felt invaded, my breath wouldn¡¯t steady. I rubbed at my arms even though the night air wasn¡¯t cold. My thoughts wouldn¡¯t quiet. I wanted to scream and rip off every trace of him that had touched me.


    Chapter <b>64 </b>

 Alpha Novel 64

    The sky was clearer here. I looked up at the stars, blinking back


    another wave of tears. I didn¡¯t cry this time. Just breathed.


    Ten minutes passed. Maybe fifteen.


    The sound came all at once.


    Crunch.


    Snap.


    Step. Step.


    I froze.


    That wasn¡¯t Ava.


    Ava couldn¡¯t have arrived so soon. No vehicle sounds, no


    shlight beam cutting through the trees, no familiar voice


    calling my name. Just the rustle of leaves, deliberate and slow,


    like someone trying to move quietly¡­ but not quite seeding.


    My heart dropped.


    I stayedpletely still, barely even breathing.


    Another twig snapped.


    Whoever it was¨Cwas close.


    I clenched the phone in my hand, trying not to panic, but every


    instinct in my body was screaming.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The crunch of leaves grew louder behind me.


    I froze.


    My body was already trembling from fatigue and cold, but now the air felt thinner. Every step I had taken up that hill felt wasted. I turned, heart pounding, and tried to peer into the dark,


    but I saw nothing.


    Then-


    A firm hand grabbed my arm from the side.


    I screamed.


    ¡°Olivia!¡± a deep voice hissed, grabbing my shoulders to steady <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    My scream died mid¨Cbreath.


    ¡°Alexander?¡±


    The moonlight spilled just enough light to confirm it. He was here. In person. Hair wind¨Ctossed, shirt rumpled, breath short-


    as if he¡¯d sprinted thest stretch.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he said sharply, scanning me from head


    to toe. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you respond to the call?¡±


    I blinked up at him, heart racing for an entirely different reason


    now. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t hear it,¡± I said weakly. ¡°Tinnitus. It¡¯s been acting


    up since earlier.¡±


    His jaw tightened. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding again. Do you even care


    about your injuries?¡±


    I looked down. I hadn¡¯t even noticed. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t


    stay in that car.¡±


    ¡°Why do you always find such troubles. Dammit, Olivia.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if I should feel ashamed or touched that he was


    this angry. Maybe both.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, lowering my eyes. ¡°I just wanted to get


    things done smoothly.¡±


    Alexander exhaled through his nose and looked away for a second, then bent down and swept me into his arms.


    I flinched. ¡°Wait, I can-¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± he snapped. ¡°Let me do this onest time. Because you got injured for mypany, not because you


    made another reckless choice!


    His words hit me harder than they should have. I looked up at


    him as he carried me back down the slope.


    The night air was cool, brushing against my cheeks as Iy


    quietly in his arms. I could feel the tension in his muscles¨Cnot


    from strain, but something else. His grip was firm, secure. There


    was no shaking in his steps. Only purpose.


    He carried me all the way down to where my own car had been


    parked.


    ¡°I¨Chow did you even get here?¡± I asked, the question slipping


    out without thought. ¡°Did¡­ did you know where I was all this


    time?¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t respond at first. He set me gently in the


    backseat and closed the door behind me. I watched him circle


    around and get in.


    ¡°Did you send someone to follow me?¡± I pressed.


    He just kept riding without replying me.


    I fumbled for my phone and quickly typed out a message to


    Ava.


    Me: I¡¯m safe. Alexander found me.Ava: OMG. I KNEW IT. He came himself?? See??? He totally has feelings for you!!!


    I stared at her reply, unsure whether tough or groan. Ava


    could never resist turning everything into romantic drama.


    Still, her words lingered.


    I swallowed, the silence around me feeling heavier. My fingers


    hovered over the keyboard before I typed again.


    Me: He probably just doesn¡¯t want awsuit.Ava: Or maybe¡­ hecares. And you¡¯re just blind to it.Me: He¡¯s not into me. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure he likes women.


    I slumped back into the seat, suddenly embarrassed by my own


    assumptions.


    ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t even like women¡­¡±


    Why had I typed that?


    I sighed, and closed my eyes.


    I regretted saying it. Not because I cared what Ava believed, but because deep down¡­ maybe I didn¡¯t want to be so wrong about


    him.


    Ethan¡¯s POV


    The second I returned and saw the backseat empty, my stomach


    dropped.


    <b>Chapter </b>64


    She <b>was </b><b>gone</b>.


    Gone, despite her injured leg. Gone, despite the locked <b>doors</b>.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I roared, mming the door shut so hard the <b>entire </b>car shook. I spun around and scanned the woods, breathing hard. She couldn¡¯t have gone far. Not in her condition.


    That thought knifed through my chest. I ran toward the road, my strides uneven as the sting of my own wound reminded me just how messed up this night had turned.

 Alpha Novel 65

    My headlights were still on. I jumped behind the wheel<b>, </b><b>cursed </b>again, and floored it, tires screeching as I tore out of the gravel


    lot.


    Then I saw the car.


    Just ahead,ing around the bend. Silverpact. My eyes


    narrowed. That car¡­ I recognized it.


    Without thinking, I swerved in front of it and mmed the


    brakes. The other driver jerked the wheel and honked in panic. I


    was out of my car in seconds, already stomping to the driver¡¯s


    side.


    17


    ¡°Ava!¡± I barked.


    The window rolled down, and sure enough, there she was,


    wide¨Ceyed and nervous as hell.


    ¡°Ethan?¡± she stammered, trying to stay calm. ¡°What¨Cwhat are


    you doing in the middle of the road?¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Who? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Ava said


    smoothly, but I saw her hand tremble near the steering wheel.


    I didn¡¯t wait. I marched around the car, yanked the passenger door open, and got in. She tried to lock it, but I was faster.


    ¡°What are you doing? Get out!¡± she snapped, voice rising now.


    I pulled the door shut. ¡°Not until you tell me where Olivia is.¡±


    ¡°I told you. I don¡¯t know¡±


    ¡°Drive¡± I ordered, eyes locked on hers. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until you


    do¡±


    ¡°Ethan, this is insane¡±


    ¡°Drive, Ava. Or I will.¡±


    Ava gritted her teeth, but started the engine again. We rolled


    forward slowly down the narrow road. Her fingers were


    clenched around the wheel, knuckles white.


    Then her phone buzzed on the dashboard.


    My hand darted before she could react. I snatched it up.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted. ¡°That¡¯s private!¡±


    ¡°Not tonight, it isn¡¯t.¡±


    I unlocked her phone easily, opened WhatsApp, and scroned to


    her most recent chat.


    It was Olivia<i>. </i>


    Herst message had a pin.


    ¡°I am at Spaghetti Bistro,¡± I read out loud, jaw tight. I scrolled


    further. My eyes scanned the chat rapidly, and then-


    Alexander.


    The name popped up over and over. Ava had been updating


    Olivia. But what made my blood boil was Ava¡¯sment just a


    few hours ago:


    ¡°He totally has feelings for you!!!¡±


    I stared at the line for a long moment, a bitter taste forming on


    my tongue.


    ¡°She¡¯s with him,¡± I said quietly, voice low and dangerous. ¡°That


    bastard took her.¡±


    Ava flinched.


    I opened Google Maps and punched in the address. ¡°Drive there.


    Now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this,¡± Ava said shakily. ¡°She left because she was scared of you. What are you even trying to prove?¡±


    ¡°I said drive, Ava.¡± My voice was steel now.


    She didn¡¯t move.


    I leaned in slowly, my eyes burning into her. ¡°If you don¡¯t drive me, I will just drag you out and take the wheel myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I tossed her phone back in herp. ¡°And you¡¯re a lousy friend if you keep helping her run when all I want is to fix


    things.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want you anymore, Ethan,¡± Ava snapped, eyes glossy. ¡°You humiliated her, you cheated on her, you hurt her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still my Luna,¡± I growled. ¡°My wife. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°You think threatening me is going to fix that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said coldly. ¡°But it might buy me time.¡±


    Ava¡¯s jaw clenched as she turned onto the main road again, the bistro¡¯s pin now blinking on the dashboard screen. Her silence


    said everything.


    She wasn¡¯t scared for herself. She was scared for Olivia.


    Good.


    Let her be scared.


    Because if Alexander really thought he could steal my Luna, he


    had another thinging.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Although Alexander and I were supposed to be waiting for our


    food at the burger joint, he ended up bringing me to a small,


    cozy pasta ce tucked between a pharmacy and a bookstore.


    ¡°I know you wanted a burger,¡± he said while holding the door


    open, ¡°but you looked like you¡¯d pass out if I didn¡¯t feed you


    right now!¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I muttered as I walked¨Climped¨Cthrough the


    door.


    The warm scent of basil, butter, and garlic hit me, and I realized


    just <i>how </i>hungry I was. He helped me settle into the cushioned


    booth by the window and gged the waiter down. As we


    waited, I sent a quick message to Ava:¡°Dropped by this pasta


    ce. You around? Come over if you¡¯re free. Ordered your fav


    with extra meat¡±


    Alexander nced at me, his eyes flicking to my phone.


    ¡°Texting yourwyer?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I said, surprised. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s Ava. She was around, so, I


    thought she coulde by.¡±


    ¡°Sure it¡¯s for Ava?¡± he asked, raising a brow. ¡°Because from what I¡¯ve seen, you just inhaled an appetizer portion meant for two.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I was just hungry.¡± I said, a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Clearly.¡± He looked at the table, then leaned back and teased,


    ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing the pasta with extra meat is mine now?¡±

 Alpha Novel 66

    My eyes widened. ¡°No¨CI mean¨Cyes! I mean, I ordered it for


    you.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡±


    I tried not to blush. ¡°Seriously. I thought you might be hungry


    too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he murmured, amused.


    I was saved from further embarrassment when the bell above


    the door jingled.


    I looked up and smiled¨Cuntil the passenger side of Ava¡¯s car


    opened and Ethan stepped out. My smile dropped like a stone in


    water.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± I breathed.


    Ava pushed the door open, looking apologetic. Ethan strode in right behind her like he owned the ce.


    He came straight toward me without a word and sat down beside me. Without asking, he picked up the bowl of meat pasta


    and started eating.


    Chapter <i>6 </i>


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know my wife started dining alone now,¡± he said


    casually, his eyes cold.


    I stiffened. ¡°I¡¯m not your-¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think to tell me?¡± he interrupted. ¡°Or are you just


    that cozy with him now?¡± He gestured at Alexander with his


    fork.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this here,¡± I whispered, furious.


    Alexander said nothing, watching Ethan with that same


    unreadable expression.


    Ethan turned his gaze to him. ¡°You always just hanging around


    other people¡¯s wives? Or is that a new hobby?¡±


    ¡°Watch it,¡± Ava snapped before I could say a word. ¡°Alexander


    was just being decent.¡±


    Ethan scoffed. ¡°Decent? You mean like when he dragged her


    away in the middle of the night? Or when he keeps showing up


    every time I¡¯m around? Yeah. Real decent.¡±¡®


    I tried to change the subject, but Ethan wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said louder, ¡°and maybe ask your bestie here why she


    thinks Mr. Stoic is secretly in love with you.¡±


    My stomach dropped.


    Ava froze. ¡°Ethan-¡±


    He pulled out his phone and held it up. ¡°Text messages. Cute


    ones too: Olivia: I¡¯m safe. Alexander found me.Ava: OMG. I


    KNEW IT. He came himself?? See??? He totally has feelings for


    you!!!¡±


    My throat tightened.


    Alexander didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Whether I like Olivia or not,¡± he said


    calmly, ¡°is not your business.¡°¡±


    Ethan clenched his jaw.


    Alexander leaned forward. ¡°But what is everyone¡¯s business


    now is the way you¡¯ve been forcing yourself on a woman who


    wants nothing to do with you. That is what¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s eyes shed amber for a second.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Alexander added, waving to the server. ¡°Let¡¯s get a fresh


    order. Hot pasta. One each. Extra meat for Ava.¡±


    The server nodded and rushed off.


    Ava nced at me, face pale. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­ I


    was just joking in texts-¡®


    ¡°I know,¡± I said quickly, giving her a small nod.


    Ethan crossed his arms and stared at his te like it had


    personally offended him. ¡°I lost my appetite¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Alexander said, picking up his fork and calmly starting


    on the new bowl of pasta.


    The table was quiet for a few awkward minutes.


    I couldn¡¯t eat. My hands were trembling under the table, and


    my throat was <i>too </i>tight.


    Ethan sat rigid, fuming silently.


    Alexander didn¡¯t even nce up, finishing his food withoutment. When he was done, he wiped his mouth with a napkin, ced his fork down with a soft clink, and looked


    around at us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste food,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Especially not when people


    are starving in front of you.¡±


    Ava blinked.


    Then she immediately picked up her fork and began eating like


    her life depended on it.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The night air bit as Ethan and I stepped out onto the sidewalk,


    the earlier noise of the restaurant dimming behind us.


    Chapter of


    ¡°Listen,¡± I said, ¡°the divorce is final. I want nothing more to do


    with you!¡±


    He exhaled sharply. ¡°No way. I am not interested in the divorce


    at all.¡±


    ¡°But I am,¡± I fired back. ¡°You cheated. You lied. You humiliated me publicly. You forfeited the right to decide anything¡±


    He took a step closer. ¡°It¡¯s not over. I¡¯m not giving up on our marriage just because you¡¯re scared.¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡± I spat. ¡°No. I¡¯m done. I refuse to stay with someone


    who doesn¡¯t respect me.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Respect? You think you have any idea what I¡¯ve done? You think I¡¯m some monster?¡±


    ¡°You did the monster job all by yourself!¡± I shot back. ¡°Did you think or care how I¡¯d feel, Ethan?¡±


    He stared at me for a long moment, jaw tight. Then he turned


    abruptly.


    Alexander, who had followed us outside, came forward. He put a hand firmly on Ethan¡¯s arm. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he said, calm yet heavy. ¡°Time for you to leave.¡±


    I watched their silent exchange with a knot tightening in my chest. Ava appeared at my side, steady and resolute.


    Alexander looked back at me. ¡°Ava will take you home. Ethan


    wille with me.¡±

 Alpha Novel 67

    Ava shot him a grateful smile. ¡°Alpha Alexander, you are so


    generous. Every girl should get a partner like you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try. I am not interested in women.¡± Alexander nced at


    Ava, then turned to Ethan.


    Ethan opened his mouth, his fangs faintly glinting in his parted


    lips¨Chis anger surfacing. He looked at Alexander, as though


    daring him.


    Avaid a hand on his arm. ¡°Ethan, this isn¡¯t your fight tonight.


    Let¡¯s go.¡±¡±


    He looked between them, rage simmering. ¡°I¡¯m not done here.¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°You are done. Come!¡±¡±


    Ethan glowered, but he didn¡¯t move. I felt Ava¡¯s eyes on me-


    warm yet hesitant.


    She squeezed my hand. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you home.¡±¡±


    I watched Ethan once more, torn, then strode past him. I


    climbed into Ava¡¯s car as Alexander pulled Ethan toward his


    waiting car.


    I didn¡¯t look back, but I heard the low rumble of their engines


    starting, then fading down the dark street.


    The Next Morning


    I woke to soft sunlight slipping through the blinds and the


    distant hum of a quiet street outside. My body ached¨Cespecially


    my leg¨Cbut the scent of warm scrambled eggs and toast drifted


    through the air, cutting through the fog of sleep. I blinked and


    sat up slowly, surprised by the calm.


    A tray sat on the nightstand with a neatly prepared breakfast- avocado toast, scrambled eggs, and a cup of ck coffee. Beside it, a small folded note with Ava¡¯s handwriting:Eat well. I had to step out. Lock the doors. Don¡¯t text back if you¡¯re tired¨Cjust rest.


    I smiled faintly. Of course, she would think of everything.


    I picked up the toast and took a bite, chewing slowly. It was warm,forting¨Cbut my thoughts were far from settled. The peace of the morning was deceptive.


    I thought about Amelia and Chole. The way Chole had spiraledtely, and how unpredictable Amelia had be ever since I started fighting back. Could the two of them be working


    together again?


    I frowned, chewing on the thought. Chole was too far go. emotionally¡ªon the verge of <i>a </i>full breakdown. Even Amelia


    wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to throw her lot in with someone


    that unstable. But still¡­ something felt off. The kind of off you


    feel in your chest before a storm.


    needed to stay sharp.


    I pushed the tray aside and reached for my phone, quickly


    dialing Miguel. My finger hesitated over the call button for a


    second, then pressed.


    He picked up before the first ring finished.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± he said, calm and clipped.


    ¡°I¡¯m safe,¡± I said. ¡°Just thought I should check in. I¡¯m at Ava¡¯s


    ce.¡±


    There was a small pause before he chuckled. ¡°I know.¡±¡®¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing hides away from me.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°You sure do.¡±


    ¡°Stay safe and heal fast.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Miguel,¡± I said softly and started sipping my remaining


    coffee.


    I was still clutching my half¨Cempty coffee cup when my phone


    buzzed again. This time, it was Rose.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I answered, my voice low.


    There was no preamble. ¡°You need to sit down for this.¡±


    I paused, feeling my chest tighten. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Rose exhaled through the line, the sound more tense than usual ¡°The Hawthrone family just held a press conference. It was


    Amelia¨Cshe¡¯s the one who spoke.¡±


    I stood, pacing toward the window. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°She imed you seduced Ethan,¡± Rose said bluntly. ¡°That you knew he was engaged to Chole and you still pushed your way into the family just to marry rich. Said you used ¡®improper


    means¡® to get him to the altar.¡°¡®


    I blinked. ¡°Improper means?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t stop there.¡± Rose¡¯s voice grew tighter. ¡°She said you were greedy, demanding money from Ethan throughout your marriage. imed that while he was on business trips, you were having an affair¨Cwith a stranger.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say. I stood frozen by the window, watching the clouds drift outside.


    ¡°And to back it all up,¡± Rose continued, ¡°they released


    ¡®evidence.¡±


    ¡°What evidence?¡±


    ¡°A screenshot of a text message from your number asking for a


    I stared at my reflection in the ss, hollow¨Ceyed.


    Rose sounded furious. ¡°They¡¯re trying to paint you as some scheming gold¨Cdigger who broke up two innocent lovebirds.


    ¡°I-¡°My throat felt dry. ¡°This is insane.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Rose snapped. ¡°I¡¯m shaking. I almost smashed myptop when I saw the news alert!¡±


    There was silence for a second before she added, ¡°They¡¯re trying to clear Chole¡¯s name by burying yours.¡±


    Chapter <b>68 </b>

 Alpha Novel 68

    I pressed my hand against the cool windowpane. ¡°The


    engagement document¡­ that¡¯s real. It¡¯s from before I even met


    him.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re twisting everything. And you know the worst part?¡±


    Rose¡¯s voice cracked with emotion. ¡°People are eating it up.


    Hashtags are trending. ¡®Poor Chole! ¡®Homewrecker Luna. I can¡¯t


    even read thements.¡±


    I bit my bottom lip, trying to suppress the emotions boiling


    inside me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the truth is, does it? If enough


    people believe a lie¡­ it bes the truth.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rose said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to start thinking like


    that. You¡¯ve been through hell and kept your dignity intact.


    You¡¯re not going to give that up now!¡±


    I sank onto the edge of the bed, fingers trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t even


    know how to defend myself against all of it. It¡¯s like they wrote


    the whole story in advance, and I¡¯m just ying the viin.¡±


    ¡°Then rewrite the script,¡± Rose shot back. ¡°Do what you did at


    the charity g. Hit back¨Cloud and clear. You have the real evidence, Olivia. The recordings. The bruises. The timelines.¡±


    I rubbed my forehead, heart heavy. ¡°What if everything Chole


    said¡­ what if people think it¡¯s true? The engagement was real.


    That photo¨Cmaybe it was staged, but I was really there. I did


    ask for fifty percent. The evidence is overwhelming.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    ¡°Olivia.¡± Her voice cracked with fury. ¡°I swear to god¨Cif I could


    teleport myself into that press room, I¡¯d have wed Amelia¡¯s


    smug face off¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t have the energy to.


    ¡°I mean, what the hell is this? A childhood engagement? When


    did they get married 10 years ago, when there was no existence


    of Chole in Ethan¡¯s life? What kind of sick logic-¡±


    ¡°Rose-<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°No. No, let me speak,¡± she said, her tone sharp but trembling. ¡°I


    need to say this. I need to get it out.¡°¡±


    ¡°I would put my entire damn life on the line for you, Olivia,¡±


    Rose said, her voice breaking. ¡°You arenotthat kind of person.


    I¡¯ve seen who you are. I¡¯velivedwho you are. The world is losing


    its damn mind if they¡¯re buying this trash.¡±


    I swallowed hard, but didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°And Chole? Don¡¯t even get me started on her maniptive little act. Suicide threats? Damsel in distress? She¡¯s ying


    people like a damn violin. And Ethan-¡± She made a sound like a scoff. ¡°If I had a dor for every man who confused guilt for


    love, I¡¯d be richer than the Hawthornes.¡±¡±


    My throat tightened. I forced myself to stay quiet.


    ¡°I remember when he was obsessed with you,¡± Rose continued, her voice softer now. ¡°Do you remember? You¡¯d be at work, he¡¯d send flowers. You¡¯d sneeze and he¡¯d panic like the apocalypse wasing. I thought,damn, this girl¡¯s found her fairy tale. And then-¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°You were there for me. When my dad passed and I couldn¡¯t get out of bed for weeks,youshowed up. You made me shower, you fed me, you pulled me through.¡±


    ¡°Rose¡­¡± I finally said..


    ¡°You saved me, Olivia. You don¡¯t deserve to be the viin in


    anyone¡¯s story.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be,¡± I said quietly.


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispered. ¡°Let me help. Let me go live or tweet or scream this from the rooftops-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cut her off gently. ¡°I appreciate it. But I can handle this


    myself.¡±


    There was silence on the line. Then, finally, Rose exhaled. hate this. I hate feeling helpless.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I love you,¡± she said firmly.


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    She hung up with a reluctant sigh.


    The moment the line went dead, the relief I¡¯d been holding


    together cracked like ss.


    I set the phone aside and let out a shaky breath.


    For the next hour, my phone didn¡¯t stop buzzing. Messages,


    mentions, missed calls. But not from my parents.


    That silence hurt more than anything.


    They must¡¯ve seen it. Or would see it soon.


    I gripped the edge of the couch cushion, pressing my fingers into


    the seams. My heart thudded against my ribs like it was trying


    to break out of my chest.


    Then I pounded the cushion hard, once, twice, again¨Clike that could shake off the ache inside.


    Why didn¡¯t I listen to them?


    Why didn¡¯t I trust what they saw before I did?


    I hated myself for being so na?ve. So blind.


    So in love with a fantasy that didn¡¯t love me back.


    Author¡¯s POV


    Meanwhile, Ethan woke up hungover in a hotel room. His head pounded like a drum as sunlight sshed across the hotel room. He cracked open one eye, greeted by the ceiling spinning inzy arcs. His phoney lifeless on the nightstand. No texts, no calls.

 Alpha Novel 69

    He sat up with a groan, body pulsing with the aftermath ofst


    night¡¯s spiral. Memories trickled back in shards: Thest night


    with Olivia. Her defiance, and how Alpha Alexander took away


    Olivia from him.


    His phone buzzed suddenly¨CReed¡¯s name shing through


    once the device finally powered up. He answered on the second


    ring.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Reed¡¯s voice crackled on the other end.


    ¡°Hotel room,¡± Ethan croaked.


    ¡°Get dressed. We¡¯re heading back to Hawthorne. Something


    happened.¡±


    Ethan sat up straight. ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just¡­ get your head straight.¡±


    Momentster, Reed/burst in, dragging him toward the door. Ethan¡¯s feet felt lead, words like acid churning in his stomach. He realized something had gone terribly wrong¨Cnot just


    personally, but publicly.


    Meanwhile, halfway between Wall Street offices, Alexander sat


    in his car next to Gai, reviewing a glossy tabloid spread.


    Headlines screamed:¡°Wild usations: Olivia Maniptes


    Romance for Wealth.¡°Photo captions implied outright scandal


    Alexander¡¯s face remained serene¨Calmost statuesque¨Cbut


    something cold flickered behind his eyes. He¡¯d seen media


    storms before, but this was ufortably close.


    Alexander closed the paper. ¡°Cancel the loans.¡±


    Gai nced over. ¡°What?¡±


    Alexander stiffened. ¡°Cancel the loans for both Windsor and


    Hawthorne¡±


    Gai nodded.


    ¡°Effective immediately. Risk profile¡¯s changed,¡± Alexander


    replied, voice t as steel.


    ¡°But those projects¨Cthe funding ties to Alpha Ethan and the


    Windsor family-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s business, Gai. Due diligence dictates reassessment.¡± He


    exhaled. ¡°We can revisit once they resolve their internal issues.


    Until then, no money flows.¡±


    Gai¡¯s concern etched deeper. ¡°That¡¯s hundreds of million, nd


    the Hawthorne¨CWindsor alliance¡­¡±


    Alexander nced at him. ¡°Their alliance is voluntary. My


    agreement is conditional.¡±


    At the Windsor estate, a long dining table stretched under a crystal chandelier. Wine sses glistened in the warm glow.


    The air was thick with indulgence and ego.


    Bob Hawthrone sat at the end of the table, his expression tight, jaw ticking slightly as he pushed his fork through a piece of seared salmon without taking a bite. Across from him, Amelia smiled brightly, but her eyes darted, calcting. To her left, Chole leaned close, giggling into her wine, lips stained red.


    ¡°Oh, Amelia,¡± Chole purred, ¡°you should¡¯ve seen the media today. They¡¯re tearing Olivia apart. I almost feel sorry for her.¡± She let out augh that made even Bob twitch.


    Amelia poured herself more wine, ignoring the growing frown on Bob¡¯s face. ¡°Feel sorry? Nonsense. That girl walked right into it. You know how long we waited for this moment? Years. Years of her ying the good girl while secretly scheming. And now?¡± She raised her ss. ¡°Justice.¡±


    Chole clinked it. ¡°She¡¯s nothing more than a maniptive tramp. Seduced Ethan just to get into our family, and now she cries victim?¡± She scoffed. ¡°I was his fianc¨¦e. Everyone knew it. I¡¯ve been beside him since we were teenagers.¡±


    Ameliaughed out loud on Chole¡¯s statement.


    ¡°And she certainly doesn¡¯t have the ss,¡± Chole added with a


    cruel smirk. ¡°Did you see that video from the hotel hallway? She


    looked like a gold¨Cdigging escort.¡±


    The Windsor matriarch, seated beside her daughter, chimed in,


    voice dripping with disdain. ¡°Our family gave her every


    courtesy. She turned around and humiliated us. Shameless girl.


    Hasn¡¯t her father worked at our estate for decades?¡±


    Someone else muttered, ¡°It¡¯s in the blood. Her kind always


    wants to climb up.¡±


    ¡°Now she¡¯s trying to cry foul and y victim,¡± another sneered. ¡°She seduced Ethan. She destroyed this family. And she¡¯ll pay.¡±


    Bob stared down at his wine ss, his grip tightening. He was clearly displeased by the disy, but surrounded by the gloating and malice, he held his tongue.


    Across the table, Chole sipped again and leaned closer to Amelia. ¡°When Ethan finally realizes she¡¯s poison, he¡¯lle back to me fully. I¡¯ll be his Luna. It¡¯s what was meant to be.¡±


    Amelia patted her hand as if in approval. ¡°Of course. You belong


    at the top. Not her. Never her.¡±


    Just then, a loud crash echoed from the grand entrancew~¡°.


    The dining room fell silent.


    Someone had kicked the double doors open.


    A servant screamed in surprise. Bob and Amelia stood abruptly,


    chairs scraping the floor.


    Chole gasped, hand flying to her mouth. ¡°What¨Cwho is that?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I rushed home as soon as Reed updated me about the current scenario of Olivia¡¯s framing. This was wrong. Not just wrong but evil. And I knew, I had to stop it. Now.


    I stormed into the Windsor estate¡¯s family room. I could hear it before I saw it¨CChole¡¯s high¨Cpitched screech in full vitriol. Her abuses at Olivia fueled me with disgust.


    ¡°Shameless!¡± she screamed, pacing forward as I opened the door. The family cluster¨CAmelia, Bob, Madeline¨Cfroze mid¨Csip. sses tilted, expressions drawn.

 Alpha Novel 70

    Chole charged at me, eyes wild, as if I were her prize. But I didn¡¯t


    meet her halfway. I raised a single hand, palm outward, and she


    halted about three meters off, confusion flickering in her


    flushed cheeks.


    ¡°You fucking stay back,¡± I hissed. It came out harsher than I


    intended.


    A tumble of words rushed around me¨Cmy parents whispering, aunts gasping¨Cbut I ignored them all. I stepped right past Chole into the heart of the room, illuminating the tension like a


    spotlight.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± I snapped, voice trembling yet anchored in controlled fury, ¡°what in God¡¯s name made you go public with those lies


    against Olivia?¡±


    Amelia, cool andposed in her tailored suit, brushed <i>a </i>lock of hair behind her ear. She raised a single eyebrow. ¡°Because Chole deserves her name cleared, and¡­ frankly, this was for the good


    of everyone.¡±


    ¡°For the good of who?¡± I spat. ¡°You drag Olivia¡¯s reputation through mud, manufacture evidence¨Cfabricated messag staged photos¨Cand you call it ¡®for the good¡°?¡±


    ¡°Ethan,¡± Bob intervened softly, stepping between us. ¡°Emotions


    are running high-


    I cut him off. ¡°They¡¯ve destroyedherlife, Dad¡±


    Madeline shot me a furious look. ¡°Then so be it! We lost


    everything¨Crespect, standing. There are whispers now. What are you going to tell your friends? What about family legacy?¡±


    I took a breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell them the truth. She¡¯s innocent. I married her, and I will not undo that because of your political


    theater!¡±


    Silence. Chole blinked and shrunk back, even as irritation red


    in her eyes.


    Madeline huffed. ¡°You¡¯re either with us or with her. We


    deserve loyalty.¡±


    I squared my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m with Olivia.¡±


    Felix¨CAmelia¡¯s younger brother¨Cstepped forward, expression taut with frustration. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re making things worse, man. She¡¯s your wife¡­ but you don¡¯t know what this is doing to us. It¡¯s toote. She¡¯s probably moved on. This may be bigger than we


    can repair!¡°¡®


    My breath hitched <i>at </i>his words. ¡°Moved on?¡± I echoed. ¡°Don you thinkIfeel that, too?¡±


    Felix pressed on, voice low. ¡°You¡¯re being irresponsible. You oweallof us an exnation. You¡¯re our blood, brother. But you


    run off with Olivia, leave us behind,thenlet her drag us into


    public scandal?¡±


    ¡°You thinkIdon¡¯t know what¡¯s on the line? You think I don¡¯t know how this looks? She¡¯s family¨CI married her; she¡¯s been there for me when¡­ when we needed each other most. You


    think I have blood on my hands?¡±


    I felt my voice crack. ¡°You think I wanted scandal? You think I¡¯d


    choose this?¡±


    Silence again. Even Amelia, the so¨Ccalled architect of the


    statement, looked uneasy.


    Felix¡¯s eyes softened a fraction, but his tone stayed clipped. ¡°Honesty, Ethan. You need to own what you¡¯ve done¨Cif it was a mistake, say so. But to just dig in? You¡¯re going to lose everyone. We can¡¯t just lose our reputation because of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about y¡¯all reputation,¡± I said quietly, voice firm despite everything. ¡°I promised her I loved her. I mean it.¡±


    I returned to the table, straightened my spine, and looked each


    of them in the eye,


    ¡°I¡¯m not marrying Chole,¡± I said coldly. ¡°But I¡¯m still open t continuing the business partnership, as long as it remains


    separate <b>from </b>personal matters<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    The room turned ice¨Ccold.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Amelia hissed, her wine ss trembling <b>in </b>


    her fingers.


    ¡°I said what I said,¡± I replied, voice sharp and calm. ¡°I¡¯ll honor the


    contract¨Cstrictly on a business level.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Madeline Windsor exploded, rising from her


    chair. ¡°You disgrace Chole, humiliate our family in public, and


    now have the audacity to act like you¡¯re doing us a favor?¡±


    ¡°Madeline, calm down-¡± Bob started, but she ignored him.


    ¡°No, Bob. This boy needs to hear it. His little whore dragged our


    name through the mud. And now, with this scandal, we¡¯ve lost face in the entire East Coast circle!¡±


    ¡°Your family will disappear from New York,¡± snapped another


    Windsor uncle. ¡°You think people will still want to partner with


    a name that¡¯s been dragged through social garbage?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the noise,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not selling my life for


    your appearances.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re untouchable?¡± Madeline seethed. ¡°You may have inherited the Alpha¡¯s name, Ethan, but you¡¯re still just a pawn in this alliance. If you don¡¯t marry Chole, there will be


    <b>consequences</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>My </b>mouth twitched, but I held myposure.


    ¡°I¡¯ve faced worse,¡± I said tly. ¡°And frankly, I¡¯ve been <b>more </b>


    threatened by mosquitoes.¡°¡±


    ¡°You arrogant-¡± Amelia started.


    Before she could finish, Felix¡¯s secretary burst into the room,


    sweating and breathless.


    ¡°Mr. Felix,¡± she said urgently. ¡°We¡¯ve just received a notice from


    Green Bank.¡±


    Felix stood up slowly. ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve frozen the second phase of the Hawthrone¨CWindsor project loan.¡±


    Everyone fell silent.

 Alpha Novel 71

    ¡°What do you mean, frozen?¡± Bob asked slowly.


    ¡°Their legal office cited a use on reputational damage from


    the partnerpanies¡­ they¡¯re initiating a reassessment.¡±


    ¡°What reputational damage?¡± Madeline snapped.


    ¡°The press conference,¡± I muttered. ¡°The smearing. The public


    disaster your side caused.¡±


    The room imploded into murmurs and panic.


    Amelia clenched the edge of the table. ¡°They can¡¯t do this


    without notice. We¡¯re halfway through the groundwork!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Alexander,¡± <b>I </b>said. ¡°He¡¯s behind this.¡±


    The silence that followed was thick and fearful. Even Felix


    looked troubled now.


    From behind the hallway, I heard heels clicking. Then Chole


    appeared, perfectly dressed, though her mascara was slightly


    smudged.


    She walked up to me with a cruel smile. ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh? You¡¯d


    rather destroy two families than be with me?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°You still think Olivia¡¯s worth it?¡± Her voice rose. ¡°After


    everything? After she spread her legs and had Alexander clean


    up her mess like some rich sugar daddy?¡±


    My hands curled into fists.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between them,¡± I muttered. ¡°He only defended her because he¡¯s not a scumbag!¡°¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Keep telling yourself that. He took her in. She left


    you and went straight to him. Do you think she¡¯s sitting at home


    crying over you?¡± She stepped closer. ¡°He¡¯s everything you¡¯re


    not¨Cpowerful, loyal, clean.¡±


    Her words hit harder than I expected. I did doubt it. Deep down,


    part of me wondered if Olivia had moved on. After what I did,


    she had every right. I remembered her eyes when I betrayed


    her. And maybe, she could be impressed by Alexander¡¯s recent


    activity. If not earlier, maybe now she could fall for him.


    Chole¡¯s voice pierced the moment. ¡°She deserves a man like


    Alexander. You? You destroyed her. And now you¡¯re trying to


    make it look like you care?¡±


    I looked away.


    Chole¡¯s voice softened, dangerously sweet. ¡°But if you walk


    away from me now¡­ I¡¯ll really have nothing left.¡±


    She reached for the knife on the dinner table. It wasn¡¯t sharp-


    but it was pointed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Felix warned from across the room.


    But she ignored him. With trembling hands, she held the de


    against her wrist and stared at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± she whispered. ¡°Right here. I¡¯ll end it.¡±


    Amelia gasped. Madeline screamed. Felix moved forward.


    But I stood there.


    Unmoved.


    I looked at her¨Cnot with fear, not with pity¨Cbut with a calm numbness that came from finally running out of energy.


    ¡°You¡¯ve pulled this card too many times,¡± I said, my voice t.


    ¡°Do what you want.¡±


    Her eyes widened, as if shocked that her trick no longer


    worked.


    I turned away.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I stared at my phone for a long time before finally tapping the


    call icon. My thumb hovered for a few seconds. I didn¡¯t want to


    ready to show my face at work yet. Not when my name was


    smeared all over the tabloids.


    When the call connected, Alexander¡¯s voice came through,


    sharp and low. ¡°Yes?¡±


    I cleared my throat, nerves tightening in my chest. ¡°Alpha


    Alexander. I¡ªI was wondering if I could speak to you for a


    minute.¡±


    Silence.


    Then, ¡°You already are.¡±


    Right. Breathe.


    ¡°I was scheduled to return to work the day after tomorrow,¡± I


    began, trying to sound professional. ¡°My injuries have mostly healed, but due to a family emergency¡­ I was hoping to request


    a short extension. Just another week.¡±


    There was a pause. I could almost see him, sitting somewhere


    calm, back straight, one brow raised in annoyance.


    ¡°You want another week?¡± he repeated slowly. ¡°Olivia, are you


    nning to milk that leg injury forever?¡±


    His voice cut through me. I flinched.


    ¡°No¨Cno, sir,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to ck off. It¡¯s just¡­ everything with the divorce is messier than I expected, and-


    ¡°I need people who show up when they¡¯re needed,¡± he said


    coldly. ¡°Not excuses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back after five days,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I just need a few more days to handle the fallout. If I rush back now, it might make things worse¨Cnot just for me, but for you too. You saw what¡¯s happening online.¡±


    Another long silence.


    ¡°Your mess is yours, not mine,¡± he said, but his voicecked the


    bite from earlier.


    ¡°I understand that,¡± I said, softer this time. ¡°But if I walk into Green Group headquarters with paparazzi still chasing me and rumors swirling, it¡¯ll be your mess too. You¡¯ll be seen as the boss defending his scandalous female assistant. And we both


    know how that¡¯ll be spun.¡±


    There was a long breath on the other end.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s your n?¡± he asked finally. ¡°How do you intend


    to clean this up?¡±


    I exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a scene,¡± I said tly. ¡°Go to the


    Windsor hous¨¦. Demand things. Negotiate.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b>

 Alpha Novel 72

    There was a pause.


    ¡°You do realize,¡± Alexander said slowly, ¡°that you¡¯re not just


    confronting Amelia now. You¡¯re challenging the Windsors. And


    the Hawthornes. You¡¯re standing alone against two of New


    York¡¯s oldest families.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said stubbornly. ¡°Small war or big war¨Cit¡¯s


    still war. I¡¯ve already been dragged through the mud. I¡¯ve got


    nothing else to lose.¡±


    There was another beat of silence before Alexander¡¯s voice


    dropped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless,¡± he warned. ¡°Thest thing I need is for you


    to get yourself killed.¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°I¨CI won¡¯t,¡± I stammered. ¡°Sorry. That came out harsher than I


    meant.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away. Then, unexpectedly, his voice


    softened. ¡°You¡¯re representing me now. You understand that, right? When people see you, they see Green Group. They see me. That means you don¡¯t get to go rogue.¡±


    Chapter <b>72 </b>


    My breath caught. Representing him.


    <b>¡°</b>Yes,¡± I murmured. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°You want five days?¡± he said. ¡°Fine. Take three. Be at the office


    on the fourth. Eight a.m.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Thank you,¡± I said, unsure whether to argue for the full five or just ept the win. ¡°<b>I¡¯ll </b>get it all sorted!¡±


    ¡°You better,¡± he said, but there was no real malice behind it.


    There was a pause.


    ¡°Olivia?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If it gets worse, tell me. I¡¯ll find <i>a </i>way to fix it.¡±


    I blinked at his words. ¡°I.. I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself.¡±


    ¡°Right, Sorry.¡± My voice cracked a little, and I quickly added, ¡°I¡¯ll


    handle it. Thank you again.¡±


    And then, I hung up abruptly.


    I stared at the screen for a few seconds, the silence on the other


    end suddenly louder than his voice.


    My heart was beating too fast. Why was my heart beating too


    fast?


    I tossed the phone onto the couch and pressed my palms to my


    cheeks. They were burning.


    ¡°Representing him,¡± I muttered to myself.


    I instantly regretted repeating that phrase.


    Ava¡¯s teasing voice fromst night echoed in my mind:¡°He¡¯s


    interested in you!!!¡±


    No, no. I couldn¡¯t afford to think like that. He was just¡­ being


    kind. Or strategic. Or both.


    Still, the way he said it. The way his tone dropped ever so


    slightly when he said he¡¯d fix it. I wasn¡¯t used to anyone offering


    to fix things for me¨Cdefinitely not someone like Alexander.


    I sat on the edge of the couch, fingers curling over my knees,


    trying to catch my breath.


    Why was he so kind to me?


    <b>I </b>wasn¡¯t special. I wasn¡¯t powerful.


    Even if I proved myself during that inspection, even if I kept


    showing up, even if I carried the burden of that position¨CI still


    didn¡¯t believe I belonged beside someone like him.


    Chapter <b>72 </b>


    My eyes dropped to the phone again.


    Did he even see me that way?


    No. Of course not. He said it himself¨CI don¡¯t like women.


    I exhaled sharply and leaned back, arms spread out over the


    cushions like a broken doll.


    I was spiraling.


    He was just being professional. Generous, maybe. But he didn¡¯t


    like women. It was right there in his own words.


    No matter how many butterflies I had, or how much I wanted


    to read between the lines, the truth remained: Alexander wasn¡¯t


    interested in women.


    And especially not in a walking tabloid headline like me.


    Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the


    door being flung open behind me.


    ¡°Ava,¡± I blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re back already?¡±


    Her heels clicked sharply across the floor as she threw her bag


    on the couch and marched straight toward the kitchen. Her face


    was flushed, hair frizzy around her temples, and her expression.


    Chapter


    ¡°Amelia haslosther damn mind!¡± she exploded, pulling out her phone and mming it on the counter. ¡°Have you seen what


    that woman said? No? Here¨Cread this!¡±


    I hesitated, grabbing her phone. A tabloid headline popped up with Amelia¡¯s smug face under it. The article started with her public statement¨Ccalm, polished, and brimming with venom.


    iming I seduced Ethan, sought money, tried to destroy the Windsor family¡¯s honor¡­ all dressed up as concern for her


    ¡°future daughter¨Cinw¡¯s safety.¡±


    I felt the heat crawl up my neck. ¡°She¡¯s actually insane.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯sunhinged,¡± Ava snapped. ¡°Do you know what the worst part is? She gave that statementwhile I was in court!I stepped out to grab coffee with a client and by the time I checked my


    phone¨Cboom. Full PR circus.¡±


    She was pacing now. ¡°I swear I will file a harassment case. Or


    defamation. Or both. She wants a war? I¡¯ll bring fire.¡±


    I stayed silent for a second, pressing my lips together. ¡°We


    should respond.¡±


    ¡°Damn right, we should!¡± Ava huffed. ¡°I have an entire


    statement ready. Want to know the title? ¡®Lady Windsor or


    Lady Viper?¡°¡±


    Despite everything, I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b><b>73 </b>

 Alpha Novel 73

    ¡°It¡¯sfactual,¡± she said, pulling out herptop and mming it


    open on the dining table. ¡°We¡¯ve got everything, Liv. Your


    marriage certificate. The footage of Ethan crashing your


    workce. His doctor¡¯s record when you had your miscarriage.


    Want me to pull the emotional damageswsuit too?¡±


    I hesitated again. ¡°If we do this¡­ Ethan and I won¡¯t be able to


    Ava froze. ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡±


    I looked away.


    ¡°No, Liv,¡± she said tly. ¡°Donotstart that. You think Ethan


    didn¡¯t know what was going on? You think he¡¯s some sad little


    puppet under Amelia¡¯s strings? That man stood silent while his


    mother dragged you in front of the whole damn city!¡±


    ¡°I know Ava,¡± I muttered. ¡°But-<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Butwhat?¡± Ava nearly shouted. ¡°You still think divorcing him


    would be as easy as walk into court and sign papers? Just that?¡±


    ¡°I know he won¡¯t let me that easy. If he were sane, things


    wouldn¡¯t have reached here already! My voice was low now,


    and cold. ¡°But I also have to see for the reputation of the Green


    group and my family¡±


    Ava stared at me, her jaw clenched.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I stepped forward, pushing the phone toward her. ¡°Let¡¯s


    do it. Full¨Con statement. Burn it all down if we have to.¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± she breathed. ¡°You¡¯ve got fire in your voice again.¡±


    We pulled out notebooks, our phones, scribbling talking points,


    arranging what evidence to present and in what order. Ava was already muttering lines like a war strategist ¨C¡°We¡¯ll open with


    the timeline. Then move to the receipts and record everything


    from now onwards.¡±


    My heart thudded fast with every bullet point.


    Just as I opened the photo album on my phone to start


    gathering screenshots, the doorbell rang.


    I froze.


    Ava stood, crossed the room to the door quietly, and peered


    through the peephole.


    She looked back at me, deadpan. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    My stomach dropped.


    Without <i>a </i>word, Ava flipped on her phone camera and pointed


    it at the door. ¡°Recording¡±


    She turned to me, calm but sharp¨Ceyed. ¡°Open it.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The moment I opened the door, Ethan barged in like a storm


    front. No apology. No hesitation.


    ¡°Olivia, I swear to God, I had no idea what my mom was going to


    say today,¡± he started breathlessly.


    I stepped back, crossing my arms. ¡°And yet you stood by and let


    her do it.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me! I woke up with a hangover, I didn¡¯t even


    have my phone¨CReed had toe drag me out of the hotel. By


    the time I saw it, it was already everywhere.¡±


    I stayed still. My voice didn¡¯t rise, but it didn¡¯t soften either. ¡°So,


    what are you nning to do? Hold a press conference?


    Apologize for the lies? Or maybe admit you cheated on your


    wife with Chole Windsor?¡±


    Ethan flinched. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I mean, it¡¯s not that simple.¡°¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s simple,¡± I snapped. ¡°Your mother lied. You let her lie. And you still sleepwalk through the fallout like it¡¯s not your


    mess to clean up.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>didn¡¯t let her <b>lie-</b>¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t stop her either.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, Olivia!¡± he shouted, dragging a hand through his hair. ¡°You think I want you being dragged like this? You think I liked hearing what she said about you on live television? My


    own damn mother!¡±


    ¡°You have a mouth, Ethan. Use it for something other than


    excuses!¡®


    Ava entered from the kitchen, holding her phone low at her


    side. ¡°Then tell the truth,¡± she said calmly. ¡°Go on. Say it. Say


    that your mother lied, and say Chole probably baited her into


    it.¡±


    Ethan hesitated. ¡°I¡ª¡± He looked between us, chest rising and


    falling. ¡°She¡¯s not well, Olivia. You know she¡¯s been off for


    months. And with the Windsors pressing her, and everything


    going to hell-<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°You¡¯re still doing it,¡± I said. ¡°Making her the victim. Like I¡¯m not


    the one with my name sshed across gossip columns as a


    whore and a thief.¡±


    Ethan took a step closer. ¡°We can fix this. I¡¯m serious. If we go


    back to how it was-<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I cut in. ¡°If you¡¯re about to suggest that we get back


    Chapter <b>73 </b>


    together to make the rumors die down, just don¡¯t<b>¡± </b>


    <b>¡°</b>I just meant¡­ if we¡¯re seen together, people might stop


    believing the story. I¡¯m trying to help.¡±


    ¡°Then help by telling the damn truth.¡± I looked him straight in


    the eye. ¡°Either clear my name or shut up. You made this mess


    when you cheated. Your mother poured gasoline on it. You


    don¡¯t get to offer me silence as charity.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I can¡¯t publicly say I cheated, Olivia.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Ava crossed her arms. ¡°But you can say the usations were fake. That your mother wasn¡¯t in her right mind. That


    Chole¡¯s influence was involved.¡±

 Alpha Novel 74

    ¡°She was,¡± Ethan muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not denying that Chole has¡­


    manipted things. My mom wouldn¡¯t have gone this far


    without someone pulling her strings.¡±


    ¡°You think Chole ckmailed her?¡± I asked. ¡°Or was it bait?¡±


    ¡°Probably both,¡± he admitted. ¡°And yeah, I know you¡¯re


    recording, Ava. I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    Ava lifted her phone slightly. ¡°Good. Because this goes to the


    press if anyone tries to spin this again.¡±


    I took a breath, steady but bitter. ¡°It¡¯s over, Ethan. Between us.


    And if you keep trying to hold on, you¡¯re just giving Chole more


    fuel to hurt me with. She¡¯ll only stop when you and I are


    Ethan didn¡¯t argue this time. For a long second, he just stood


    there.


    Finally, he exhaled. ¡°I get it.¡±


    I waited.


    He looked at Ava. Then at me. ¡°If <i>a </i>joint statement will help¡­ I¡¯ll ¡¢


    do it. I¡¯ll cooperate.¡±


    The quiet that followed our confrontation was unnerving.


    After Ethan left, Ava sat down beside me, but didn¡¯t say much.


    We didn¡¯t need to. The room still buzzed from the tension, and I


    needed to breathe.


    I opened myptop.


    There was no PR team behind me. No stylists. No grand


    production. Just me¨Cmy words, my evidence, and my


    trembling fingers.


    I logged into the backend of the Hawthrone Group website. I


    had admin ess through mystmunication team role.


    Maybe it was hical, maybe it wasn¡¯t, but they had tried to


    ruin me first. I was just fighting back now.


    The camera on myptop blinked to life. I took a moment,


    adjusting the angle. I didn¡¯t want to look too perfect. But I also


    didn¡¯t want to look broken. Just real.


    Then I hit record.


    ¡°My name is Olivia Whitmore,¡± I began. My voice sounded


    steadier than I felt. ¡°I am the legal wife of Ethan Hawthrone.¡±


    That alone would startle the inte.


    ¡°I¡¯ve remained silent these past weeks despite public usations


    and private threats. I was hoping reason would prevail. But


    after the Windsor family¡¯stest statement, I owe the truth¨Cto myself, and to everyone watching.¡±


    I paused, swallowing back a lump in my throat.


    ¡°I fell in love with Ethan five years ago. We met in college, felt a mate bond right away, and married in a celebrated ceremony


    attended by our families. I didn¡¯t marry him for status. I married


    him because I loved him. We were mates afterall.¡±


    I let that sit before continuing.


    ¡°I knew Chole Windsor was involved with Ethan after our


    marriage. Not in the early years, but a few yearster. Ethan


    and Chole had gone to several ¡®business¡® meetings and tours


    together. I stayed quiet, out of respect for the Hawthorne name


    and because I didn¡¯t want to hurt Ethan.¡±


    I clicked to insert screenshots. Chat logs from Chole. Time-


    stamped. Aggressive. Controlling.


    ¡°I never ¡®dressed provocatively¡® to seduce Ethan. These


    usations from Amelia Hawthrone¨Chis mother¨Care not only


    baseless, they¡¯re defamatory. The video clip shared on social


    media has been edited. Here is the original.¡±


    I uploaded the full¨Clength footage. In it, I was simply exiting a


    hotel conference room after a meeting, not entering a room


    with another man.


    ¡°I want to rify the financial settlement Amelia referenced. It


    was a mutual agreement¨Cnegotiated bywyers from both


    sides, not a result of ckmail or seduction.¡±


    More documents filled the screen. Dates. Emails. Official stamps.


    ¡°And finally,¡± I exhaled slowly, ¡°Ethan himself has admitted that


    the recent usations were untrue. I will not release those


    personal admissions, out of respect. But I hope this video makes


    my position clear.¡±


    I looked directly into the camera. ¡°I¡¯ve been painted as a viin


    because I dared to leave a man who betrayed me. But I will not


    let others destroy my name. I¡¯ve lost enough.¡±


    Then I ended the recording.


    Uploading the video took only minutes. My heart, however,


    stayed caught in my throat for much longer.


    Ava leaned in over my shoulder as we watched the views spike


    on the dashboard.


    ¡°Still want to go alone?¡± she asked softly.


    I nodded. ¡°I have to. I just need <i>a </i>break. A reset.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ava hesitated. ¡°Just promise me you wouldn¡¯t do


    anything stupid, okay?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°And yeah, if you find yourself in any trouble, I would be the


    first one to contact. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Rx Ava. I¡¯m just going to clear my head.¡± I said, smiling.


    Ava didn¡¯t seem convinced, but she didn¡¯t press.


    ¡°Okay. I promised I would contact you if needed. Fine?¡±


    Ava nodded and hugged me strongly.


    That night, I packed quietly. Just the essentials. Laptop, charger,


    a few changes of clothes. No perfumes, no makeup kits. Just


    clothes that feltfortable. Safe.


    It was already dark when I left the apartment.

 Alpha Novel 75

    Chapter <b>75 </b>


    I didn¡¯t tell anyone where I was going. Not even Ava. I just


    wanted solitude. No familiar faces. No expectations. No


    whispers behind my back.


    I merged onto the freeway, my ylist low in the background.


    For the first time in weeks, the silence felt like mine.


    Little did I know, I had left New York unaware that two cars


    were following me.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The sun in Jersey wasn¡¯t as harsh as in New York. Or maybe I


    just liked it better here. The wind carried the scent of tomatoes


    and old soil, and the rocking chair on my grandmother¡¯s porch


    creaked like it belonged to a gentler time.


    But my phone was a portal to hell.


    I stared at it as the screen refreshed¨Canother thread, another


    video, another faceless stranger dissecting my life.


    @citylegalbuzz: ¡°Olivia Whitmore¡¯s rebuttal seems rehearsed.


    Who even talks like that unless they¡¯re hiding something?¡±


    @sweetvengeance22: ¡°Not defending Chole but¡­ if Olivia was so


    innocent, why does she have hotel surveince to clear her name? Sounds prepared ¡±


    @truthhuntNY: ¡°Still remember how Ethan broke down


    captured on a video saying he loved his wife. Now it¡¯s all scandal and smoke. Who¡¯s lying?¡±


    @jadebw: ¡°As awyer, this is textbook gaslighting. Olivia¡¯s video held back way too much. She knows more than she¡¯s


    saying. Why?¡±


    @hearthawthorne: ¡°Let¡¯s not forget she pped a woman to unconsciousness at an airport. That¡¯s not the behavior of a


    victim.¡±


    I turned the screen off.


    Then turned it on again.


    Support still came in waves. There were people who remembered the charity g. People who remembered Chole¡¯s pathetic little performance. And those who had caught the inconsistencies in Amelia¡¯s press conference.


    But others¡­ others were far more ruthless.


    I closed my eyes and tossed the phone onto the small metal table beside me. It ttered too loud for the soft air around us.


    The sound of cicadas filled the silence. I leaned back in my yard


    chair, resting my forehead on the back of my wrist. I didn¡¯t


    want to go inside. Not yet. I didn¡¯t want to talk to anyone.


    Then I heard voices upstairs.


    I didn¡¯t mean to listen. The windows were open and the wind


    had carried their words to me.


    ¡°Linda, we¡¯ve talked about this,¡± Grandma Angelina said sternly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not bringing the Caters into this.¡±¡±


    My mother¡¯s voice was taut. ¡°She¡¯s not safe anymore, Ma. Look


    at her. She¡¯s barely sleeping. That girl¡¯s husband tried to force


    her into a car like a goddamn prisoner, and the press? The


    Windsors? They¡¯re ripping her apart.¡±


    ¡°Still not a reason to drag in demons from the past.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already being hunted,¡± Mom snapped. ¡°If not by ws,


    then by headlines. And this could get a lot worse. Don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    A beat of silence. The creak of floorboards.


    ¡°We are here to protect her no matter what,¡± Grandma said


    bitterly. ¡°And you know that.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m saying she needs the Cater name now more


    than ever.¡±


    <b>I </b>stiffened in my seat.


    Cater?


    Grandma¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°You want her to go back there?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to go back. Just let it be known that she


    belongs to them. Do you know what would happen if the Windsors realized they were ying games with one of theirs?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d start a war,¡± Grandma whispered.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Another pause. A softer voice now, but I could still hear.


    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter, Ma. You raised her like a Whitmore, I gave


    her my name, but she was born with more than that.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Grandma said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s where this ends. Olivia


    doesn¡¯t know, and we¡¯re not going to put that on her now. She¡¯s


    already fighting battles we can¡¯t win. We¡¯re not giving her new


    ones. We¡¯re not dragging her back to blood and dynasties and all


    that poison!¡±


    ¡°But-<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°No,¡± Grandma repeated. ¡°Don¡¯t bring this up in front of Olivia


    again!¡±


    I blinked hard, eyes stinging.


    The Cater family?


    Who¡­ who exactly am I?


    Is there more to my identity?


    After a short while, my mother descend the stairs¨Cher red- rimmed eyes surprisingly striking in the midday light.


    Something softened in me. I gestured toward the kitchen. ¡°Hey, Mom. Want to help me make lunch?¡±


    She paused, then gave a small nod. Grandma Angelina followed,


    eyes shadowed but her posture steady. The tension of the


    upstairs conversation seemed to linger, but something in the air


    had shifted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook your favorite,¡± I said, pulling out the ingredients.


    ¡°Penne arrabbiata.¡±


    ¡°You never used to like spice,¡± Mom teased, drying her eyes


    quickly.


    ¡°Past me didn¡¯t know good food,¡± I winked. I handed her the


    garlic for chopping, Grandma tied an apron around her waist-


    an evocative sh of nostalgia..

 Alpha Novel 76

    As Mom diced garlic with practiced ease, Grandma hummed <i>a </i>tune I recognized from my childhood. It was the same luby she used to sing when I scraped my knee after falling off my


    bike.


    I squeezed my chest. ¡°Remember when I insisted I could ride


    without training wheels?¡±


    Grandma chuckled. ¡°And promptly crashed into that hydrangea


    bush.¡±


    Momughed¨Cfirst genuineughter I¡¯d heard in days. ¡°You


    came inside, shrub in hand.¡±


    We set the pot on the burner, the spicy aroma filling the


    kitchen. The chemistry between us felt different¨Clike we¡¯d all


    stepped back into a version of home I hadn¡¯t realized I missed.


    Over the simmering sauce, I took a steadying breath. ¡°So¡­ I need


    to tell you both something.¡±


    Grandma nced at me, eyebrows knitting. Mom stopped


    stirring pasta water.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to finalize the divorce,¡± I said firmly, though my


    heart fluttered. ¡°I want it. I¡¯m done with the Hawthrone drama.¡±


    Mom set down her spoon, reaching out to grasp my hand. ¡°You¡¯re doing what¡¯s best for you, Liv.¡±


    Grandma, stirring sauce, murmured, ¡°Best for your head and


    heart.¡±


    I lifted a spoonful of sauce to taste it. It was perfect¨Cmy version


    of home. ¡°I¡¯ll leave for New York in three days.¡±


    Mom wrapped her free arm around me. ¡°We¡¯ll miss you,


    sweetheart. But you¡¯re strong.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered.


    Lunch was warm¨Cliteral and emotional. We shared memories:


    Grandma¡¯s funny stories about my childhood teeth¨Cbrushing


    rebellion, Mom¡¯s half¨Cremembered college adventures when


    she first dreamt of motherhood. My worry melted with each


    anecdote.


    Between bites, Mom sipped water thoughtfully. ¡°Are you sure,


    Liv?¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°This is small to me now. I¡¯ve lost more than I ever


    expected, but I¡¯m not losing myself.¡±


    Grandma hummed in agreement. ¡°The world may shake, but


    you stand steady.¡±


    After lunch, sunlight streamed through the windows. Ibed


    through my phone onest time¨Cnews still roiled online, but <b>I </b>


    recognized something: people were prizing, but lines had


    been drawn. And now, the other party had more to lose.


    My phone buzzed. It was Lily¨Cmy former subordinate. I


    stepped onto the porch, something in Lily¡¯s tone unusual.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± she whispered, voice loaded. ¡°I¡¯ve got an info.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Hawthrone¡¯s loan¨CEclipse Bank just froze the second


    phase. All funds blocked.¡±


    My heart sank. ¡°Blocked? Why?¡±


    ¡°Alpha Ethan ordered it. He said the negative publicity was


    wrong for the project. Told Windsor he loved only you¨Cand


    refused to marry Chole.¡±


    I closed my eyes. So even he¡­ My chest tightened. ¡°Lily, are they


    arguing with Windsor now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Windsor¡¯s n is unraveling. They¡¯re fighting hard-


    threats, pressure, usations. It¡¯s chaos.¡±


    ¡°During a dispute between the Windsor family and the


    Hawthrone family, Mr. Windsor learned that the loan had been


    frozen.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    It finally hit me¨CAlpha Alexander had stood up for me.Quietly, efficiently, without fanfare, he had taken action the moment the nderous press release dropped. I hadn¡¯t asked him. I hadn¡¯t even known he would. But he did. And not just for show.


    By freezing the loans tied to the Hawthrone and Windsor families, he¡¯d put them both in a corner. At a time when the world debated my worth<i>, </i>he¡¯d spoken through action. He made it known that I was not to be trampled. That I washis secretary.


    I didn¡¯t need to ask for a shield.He gave me one.


    That thought warmed something deep in my chest. It didn¡¯t solve everything, not yet, but it reminded me I had something to fall back on. A stable ce to rebuild. Not just physically, but


    mentally. I wasn¡¯t entirely alone anymore.


    The car ride back to New York felt lighter than it had in days.


    The wind through the cracked window, the soft hum of tires on


    asphalt, even the rhythm of my own breathing¨Cit all felt like a


    small victory.


    I pulled into a highway service area just past noon, near a


    wooded stretch that usually stayed quiet. I wanted to stretch my legs, maybe grab a snack.


    I was still gathering myself when Yve stirred.


    <b>Chapter </b><b>76 </b>


    ¡°Look left. That man¨Csame one from three nights ago.¡±


    My body didn¡¯t flinch, but my heart dropped. I kept my eyes trained on the mirror instead of turning outright. I saw him.


    Leaning against the side of a weathered gray sedan was a man, maybe in his forties. Brown leather jacket, beat¨Cup sneakers, a casual cigarette between his fingers, phone pressed to his ear. He was facing sideways, but his gaze flickered¨Calmost too often -in my direction.


    Three nights ago, at a convenience store just outside the city, I had seen that same man. He had stood behind the chip aisle pretending to browse, yet his reflection in the cooler doors gave


    him away. Now here he was again.


    I didn¡¯t panic. Icouldn¡¯tpanic.

 Alpha Novel 77

    Instead, I calmly stepped back into my car and shut the door


    gently. I pressed the lock button.Click.


    I pulled my blindfold from the glove box and leaned the seat back. Carefully, I draped the blindfold across my face but left a


    sliver <i>at </i>the bottom so I could watch.


    And I did.


    He was still there¨Csmoking, murmuring into the phone. His


    posture was rxed, but the tension in his eyes gave him away.


    They kept sliding toward me, as if checking whether I was still


    inside or had disappeared.


    I remained motionless. Breathing shallow. Observing.


    Eventually, he ended the call and walked to his car¨Can older


    model with tes I didn¡¯t recognize. He sat in the driver¡¯s seat,


    reclined casually, and sipped from a paper cup.


    And he didn¡¯t leave.


    He didn¡¯t drive away.


    He justsat there. In the vehicle directly across from mine. No


    rush. No urgency. Just lingering.


    ?????


    It wasn¡¯t the only thing bothering me.


    Three days ago, when I had left New York in the dead of night. I had noticed a car¨Csame make, same dull gray¨Cbehind me for longer than felt reasonable. I had chalked it up to paranoia.


    Stress.


    But now? Now I was certain.


    The fact that both of us had left the city at the same


    timeandwere now returning on the same day, on the same highway, stopping at the same service station?


    That was no coincidence.


    I stayed still for half an hour, barely breathing, muscles stiff


    with tension as Iy across the backseat. Through the thin slit


    between my fingers and the edge of the blindfold, I kept


    watching him. The man hadn¡¯t moved from his vehicle. He was


    just¡­ waiting. Still. Too still.


    I already knew now that something was off. People didn¡¯t linger


    at rest stops for that long without a reason. My instincts kept


    whispering that this wasn¡¯t random¨Cand Yve was alert too,


    coiled inside me like a spring. Her low growl echoed in my chest,


    silent to everyone else, but loud in my blood.


    But I had no proof.


    Even if I called the police, what would I say? That a man was


    Chapter


    parked legally at a rest stop and happened to nce in <b>my </b>direction more than once? They¡¯dugh me off. Or worse- report it. And thest thing I needed right now was to show up


    on the news again with another scandal.


    I sat up slowly, adjusted the blindfold to shield my eyes from the sun, and started the car with feigned casualness. My fingers


    trembled around the steering wheel.


    In the rearview mirror, I saw the man¡¯s car pull out moments


    after I did. Same distance. Same rhythm. Not tailgating, but


    keeping steady behind me, as if he¡¯d done this before.


    As if I was prey.


    I merged back onto the highway, heart thudding the whole


    time. Each mile felt longer than thest. Every time I nced in


    the rearview, he was there. Still. Always there.


    It wasn¡¯t until I passed the sign that weed me back into the city that I finally dared to exhale. Duskhollow Pines was close


    now. My home. My safe corner.


    I gripped the wheel tighter.


    No matter what happened next, I just needed to reach the


    garage.


    When the dusky gold light of the streemps started dotting the sky, I took a sharp right turn¨Ctoo sharp. Tires screeched.


    The car behind slowed, but didn¡¯t turn. I blew through a yellow


    light, then another intersection, ignoring the horn that red


    behind me. I nced into the mirror¨Che was gone.


    I zigzagged through the neighborhood until I reached the gate. Entering the code with jittery fingers, I finally rolled into the underground garage of Duskhollow Pines, pulled into my spot,


    and turned off the engine.


    Only when the silence closed in around me did I allow myself to


    slump over the steering wheel.


    Gone. He was gone.


    I whispered it aloud to reassure myself.


    ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡±


    But Yve didn¡¯t rx<b>. </b>


    I grabbed my bag, exited the car, and locked it three times just for good measure. The hallway back to my ce was empty, just the echo of my shoes clicking on the floor. I tapped Ava¡¯s number as I walked, lifting the phone to my ear.


    She answered after one ring.


    ¡°Liv? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Home,¡± I said, letting out <i>a </i>breath. ¡°Something weird happened.


    Chapter <i>77 </i>


    I think I was being followed all the way from Jersey!¡±


    Ava¡¯s voice sharpened. ¡°What? Are you inside?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m at the front door now. Unlocking it.¡±


    She swore under her breath. ¡°Don¡¯t hang up. Stay on the line.


    You want me toe over?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I kept my eyes flicking left and right. ¡°I lost him


    back at-¡±

 Alpha Novel 78

    That¡¯s when I felt it.


    A shift in the air. A sudden breeze where there should¡¯ve been


    none.


    And then-


    Pain.


    A sharp, electric surge bloomed at the base of my neck. My


    phone ttered to the floor, and Ava¡¯s voice shouted something


    from the speaker.


    I couldn¡¯t hear her anymore.


    The world spun sideways.


    My knees buckled.


    I fell.


    Darkness swallowed everything.


    And I didn¡¯t feel a thing.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    I stood before the long mahogany table in my parents¡® living room, staring at an array of glossy photographsid out like a carefully curated gallery of eligible women. Profiles, lineage, aplishments¨Ceach smiling face chosen for political


    advantage or business merger. I had barely nced at them


    when my phone buzzed on the side table.


    Unknown number.


    I debated ignoring it, but instinct made me reach for it anyway.


    ¡°Alexander speaking.¡±


    ¡°Alpha Alexander?¡± A breathless voice rushed through the line.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ava.¡±


    I straightened slightly, gaze flickering toward the doorway.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI think something¡¯s wrong. Olivia called me ten minutes ago.


    We were on a call. Then the call suddenly disconnected with a


    thud. It happened right outside her house. She said she lost a


    stalker earlier on the highway. She didn¡¯t seem too shaken, but I


    ¡°Slow down,¡± I said calmly, already walking toward the


    hallway. ¡°When exactly did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Just now. I tried calling her again¨Cno answer. Her phone¡¯s off.¡±¡±


    I stood before the long mahogany table in my parents¡® living room, staring at an array of glossy photographsid out like a carefully curated gallery of eligible women. Profiles, lineage, aplishments¨Ceach smiling face chosen for political advantage or business merger. I had barely nced at them when my phone buzzed on the side table.


    Unknown number.


    I debated ignoring it, but instinct made me reach for it anyway.


    ¡°Alexander speaking.¡±


    ¡°Alpha Alexander?¡± A breathless voice rushed through the line.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ava.¡±


    I straightened slightly, gaze flickering toward the doorway.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI think something¡¯s wrong. Olivia called me ten minutes ago.


    We were on a call. Then the call suddenly disconnected with a


    thud. It happened right outside her house. She said she lost a


    stalker earlier on the highway. She didn¡¯t seem too shaken, but I


    ¡°Slow down,¡± I said calmly, already walking toward the


    hallway. ¡°When exactly did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Just now. I tried calling her again¨Cno answer. Her phone¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°Where are you right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to Duskhollow Pines. I¡¯m ten minutes away<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll handle it.¡± I ended the call and turned back toward the table.


    My mother raised an expectant eyebrow. ¡°Leaving already?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an urgent matter to attend to.¡± I offered a faint smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll review the profilester.¡±


    Before she could object, I¡¯d already stepped outside, dialing property management as I moved. ¡°This is Alpha Alexander. I want ess to the security feeds at Duskhollow Pines- immediately. Last thirty minutes. Garage area and perimeter


    gates!¡±¡®


    While I waited, I called Gai.


    ¡°Did you locate Olivia?¡±


    Gai answered, his tone brisk. ¡°We tracked her phone entering Duskhollow Pines twenty¨Cfive minutes ago. She drove in alone, no sign of forced entry. Her car pulled into the underground


    garage¨Cthen nothing.¡±


    ¡°And the tail?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°We spotted a ck Chevrolet Malibu outside the convenience store three days ago¨Cthe same one was seen trailing her again


    today. But it didn¡¯t enter the neighborhood. It waited outside,


    then circled around.


    ¡°License te?¡±


    ¡°Fake. Swappedst night. Our guy¡¯s on it¡±


    I looked out the car window, fingers tapping against the steering wheel. ¡°If the stalker didn¡¯t enter, someone else inside


    the Pines may have done it. Or they had ess. Find out who¡¯s


    in that car. Pull property entry logs¨Cany pass holder who


    entered in thest two hours. g any with previous


    employment ties to the Windsors or Hawthorne¡°¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°And Gai.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯ve taken her, we don¡¯t call the police yet. Whoever did


    this is clean. <b>I </b>want names.¡±


    As I hung up, Ava called again.


    ¡°Anything?¡± she asked, this time moreposed.


    ¡°No response from the property office yet,¡± I said. ¡°But we


    caught movement. A suspicious vehicle left Olivia¡¯s garage


    within thest fifteen minutes. My team¡¯s tracking it now.¡±


    ¡°She told me about the stalker before she got home,¡± Ava said,


    voice low now, ¡°She said he¡¯d been following her since the


    service station. You think¡­ Ethan sent him?¡±


    I exhaled slowly. ¡°We can¡¯t be so sure yet. Although, I admit that


    he is the most suspicious guy right now!¡±


    There was silence on the line.


    ¡°Ava.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic yet. She may have just turned off her phone.¡±¡±


    ¡°She was mid¨Csentence.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sit well. I knew Olivia¡¯s tone. She wasn¡¯t easily


    shaken, and if she said she was being followed, she was


    probably right.


    ¡°Then we assume worst¨Ccase until proven otherwise,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll


    speak to security again once I reach. In the meantime, let me


    know the moment you arrive at the neighborhood. Don¡¯t


    approach the house alone.¡±


    Ava murmured her agreement, and the call ended.


    Back in my vehicle, I nced once more at the now¨Cdark screen


    of my phone. The women on the table, the matchmaking talks,


    the diplomatic smiles¨Cirrelevant. I had something else to <b>settle </b>


    now. Someone had followed Olivia across counties. And


    someone else had helped them get through the gates.


    This wasn¡¯t random.


    I knew that much.


    Ethan¡¯s name lingered in the air, but my instincts said it wasn¡¯t


    just him.


    This was messier than it seemed.


    And far more calcted.


    A whileter, I stepped out of my car. My phone tucked


    between my shoulder and ear. In one hand, I held Ava¡¯s frantic


    voice; in the other, the glow of my screen showed the GPS trail


    of <i>a </i>ck Chevrolet Malibu trailing Olivia¡¯s car earlier. Gai


    stood beside me,ptop open, scanning data.


    Chapter

 Alpha Novel 79

    ¡°The garage camera didn¡¯t record her car,¡± the property manager, Mr. Greene, reported, voice grim. ¡°But the gate


    footage¡­ it shows her Lexus¨Cregistration matches¨Centering at


    08:47 PM exactly.¡±


    ¡°Then the car¨Cher car¨Cvanished from every camera inside the


    He nodded. ¡°Yes. But thenst night, around 09:45 PM, we see a


    Chevy leave the garage. License te was obscured.¡±


    ¡°Someone tampered with the feed,¡± I said, turning to Gai. ¡°Cross- reference all cameras for past fifty hours. Find anomalies: blind


    frames, jump cuts, missing files.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Gai replied crisply, tapping keys. ¡°Also pulled the gate timestamp. Scanned for identical cars passing in and out other


    entry points.¡±


    ¨C


    I slid my phone to quit the call now there were police on site, sirens muted ¨C and spoke into silence. ¡°Signal staff to hold any


    technicians on standby. No firmware resets. We need original


    data<i>. </i>Freeze everything.¡±


    The officer in charge, Detective Marquez, nodded gravely. ¡°We¡¯re already logging chain of custody for all drives and


    DVRs¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said, forcing calm. ¡°The longer we wait, the more


    chance someone erases evidence¡±


    Rustling footsteps alerted me to Ava approaching. Her face was


    pale.


    ¡°Alexander,¡± she whispered, ¡°they found something.¡±


    ¡°What did they find?¡±


    A deer¨Cin¨Cheadlights fear made her eyes flicker. ¡°That same


    ck Malibu¡­ it shows it entering the gate here three days ago.


    At midnight. We examined the timestamp: April 25th, exactly


    at 0:03 hours.¡±


    ¡°Three nights ago. That¡¯s exactly when Olivia left for Jersey.


    She¡¯d been followed then too.¡± Ava swallowed.


    ¡°And it wasn¡¯t the same car,¡± Gai said, voice iron¨Cquiet. ¡°It¡¯s


    identical make, model and license te of the one that leftst


    night.¡±


    I took a step back. ¡°So anyone inside Duskhollow Pines could¡¯ve


    known about her movements, even before tonight.¡±


    My jaw clenched. This wasn¡¯t random. This had been nned


    long ago¨Csomeone had been tailing Olivia for days.


    Detective Marquez stepped forward, holding a portable drive


    and a notebook. ¡°This is the gate feed. I¡¯ve logged the Malibu


    night. Also, someone tried to delete the footage between entry


    and exit times. It¡¯s heavily redacted.¡±


    I pried open the back of my mind, chillingly aware: this wasn¡¯t


    just intimidation. Someone had been tracking Olivia¡¯s every


    movement¨Cknowing what time her car crossed each gate.


    This was personal. Dangerous. With the reach of two powerful


    families in motion, secrets I¡¯d hoped were personal were now


    lethal.


    Alexander¡¯s POV


    The screen glowed ominously as the surveince reyed the


    footage: a ck¨Cd figure, hat pulled low, entering the 18th-


    floor corridor carrying a suitcase. He appeared confident-


    unconcerned by onlookers. Secondster, he exited, suitcase still


    in tow, and vanished from view. That was the first time anyone


    saw him.


    I leaned closer. ¡°Freeze it on his face,¡± I muttered. Gai tapped the


    screen, erging the blurry image. His build was tall, athletic,


    the face obscured by shadow, but his hat seemed familiar. Too


    familiar.


    At my suggestion, the security techs reviewed earlier days. The


    man appeared again¨Cleaving the floor swiftly after dropping


    the food bag at one apartment. We tracked him to a sleek ck


    SUV parked in the basement. It pulled away nearly


    immediately. No license te visible.


    ¡°Ava.¡± I said, pressing record. ¡°You heard about that pantry that


    delivers to Be¡¯s apartment? I believe we may have our


    suspect.¡±


    Ava sat beside Detective Marquez, her voice trembling at first:


    ¡°Be Windsor ordered that tonight. Nova¡¯s friend told us the


    delivery guy insisted oning upstairs himself.¡± She looked <ol><li>up. ¡°That delivery man is the same mysterious guy from the </li></ol>


    footage.¡±


    A hush settled. Detective Marquez leaned forward. ¡°Be


    Windsor? Chole¡¯s sister?¡± He looked between Ava and me. ¡°That


    implies direct Windsor involvement in Olivia¡¯s disappearance.¡°¡±


    My jaw clenched. The implications were immediate¨Cmy mind


    raced.


    I had thought this was a random abduction tied to rumors or


    Ethan. But I never considered thatBeWindsor¨Cor someone


    acting on her¨Corchestrated the staged ¡°delivery¡± offered


    confession to a stranger living in Olivia¡¯s building. Now, I feared,


    the same logic could be used to snatch Olivia.


    I muted the phones and pressed my forehead into my hand.


    This wasn¡¯t about rumors anymore¨Cit was a premeditated


    invasion. Chole had imed Olivia ¡°seduced¡± Ethan; but for


    Be¡¯s involvement, someone at Windsor was already


    organizing hits on Olivia¡¯s safety and location.


    ¡°Detective, if the suspect is Windsor¨Cconnected,¡± I said firmly, ¡°it


    risks blowing this entire situation back into the public with


    greater explosive force. Wemusttreat Windsor Group as a


    hostile actor.¡±


    Detective Marquez nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll proceed¨Cdiscreetly. But we


    need a warrant. And fast.¡±


    I rose to my feet. ¡°Then we keep moving. Ava?¡± She nodded.

 Alpha Novel 80

    I stood before the camera again. ¡°For Olivia¡¯s sake, I urge Be Windsor, Chole Windsor, or anyone in the Windsor family responsible for this abduction to release her immediately. If harmes to her¨Cno excuses. Green Group will withdraw all cooperation with Windsor Group and pursue legal and


    financial consequences. This goes beyond rumor¨Cit¡¯s an open


    act of hostage taking.¡±


    The video was posted on all channels, Green Group social media,


    my personal ount, and with the sheriff¡¯s office. Within


    minutes, it spread. Netizens already med the Windsors;


    investors reacted with unease. Banks shifted overnight.


    I also sent direct messages to Windsor¡¯s executive board. ¡°This


    ends with Olivia¡¯s safe return. Anything else will cost you every


    donation, loan, and partnership.¡±


    Just then, I heard Mike¡¯s voice shaking over the radio. ¡°Sir!


    We¡¯re approaching¡­there¡¯s the ck SUV. Parked there in


    front of us.¡±


    I turned, voice low but steady. ¡°What¡¯s its position?¡±


    Mike leaned forward, lips tight. ¡°Front of neighborhood


    entrance. Appeared around the same time Olivia¡¯s car went in.


    Chaptered


    Stayed there.¡± He pointed out the tinted windshield of <b>a </b>Chevy


    Malibu parked across the street.


    My gaze narrowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s the suspicious vehicle that drove into the gated


    that.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I woke with a searing pain in my head. Every breath smelled of


    gasoline. Panic flooded as I realized I was lying in my own living


    room¨Cwhere I and Ethan once built a home. But it felt like a


    tomb.


    My limbs were bound with chemical¨Cgrade duct tape. They¡¯d


    silenced my hands and sealed my ankles. Gagged. I couldn¡¯t


    move. Stretching across the floor, the potent smell of petrol


    remained. I tried to call out, but only moist muffles escaped.


    Time lost shape. Seconds¡ªor hours¨Cpassed. Then footsteps: the


    soft rasp of heels against hardwood.


    Chole. She appeared in the doorway, silhouetted in the haze. No


    mercy in her gaze.


    ¡°My dear Olivia.¡± Her voice was winesweet, with poison


    underneath. ¡°d to see you finally woke up.¡±


    I clenched my jaw in silence. No tears. No pleading.


    She paced slow, the lighter¡¯s me flicking between her


    fingertips, illuminating her features. ¡°You know, I walked past


    this very couch when we were¡­ together. Sleeping next to my


    lover.¡±


    She clicked the lighter repeatedly, the small orange me


    shuddering. The smell hit me, made me gag. On instinct, I spat


    towards her feet.


    Choleughed¨Ca soft, vicious sound. ¡°You want him back so


    badly, don¡¯t you? And now you¡¯re here. Ground zero. I waited


    three days for you to wake.¡±¡±


    My lip curled. I remained silent. The me caught a glint in her


    eye.


    She took a slow step closer, lighter wicked with intent. ¡°He¡¯s going to hate you even more once he finds out you died


    tonight.¡± She blew a short stream of air from her mouth,


    watching the lighter¡¯s wick morph.


    My heart thudded. But I didn¡¯t plead.


    Chole arched an eyebrow. ¡°What a shame,¡± she said faintly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not begging. Not pleading¨Cjust like in marriage, huh?


    You me Ethan, call him cheater, then pretend you deserve


    forgiveness. But look at you now!¡®


    With wicked fluidity, she straddled the couch arm, looking


    down at me. She ripped the duct tape from my mouth with a quick downward rip.


    Pain. A sickening crack of skin and sound. Tears sprang behind


    my eyes¨Cbut I swallowed them.


    She leaned in, voice cold: ¡°You willget on your kneesandbegfor your life.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    The gasoline smell coated the air like poison. My nostrils


    burned. Every breath felt like inhaling threat. Duct tape dug


    into my wrists and ankles, sticky and rough, leaving a rash


    across my skin. I sat slumped in the living room of the house


    Ethan and I once shared¨Ca space that used to mean warmth,


    now drenched in kerosene and fear.


    Chole stood across from me, wild¨Ceyed, flicking a silver lighter


    open and closed.


    Click. me. Click. No me.


    ¡°Three days,¡± she said, voice lilting with mock patience. ¡°Three


    days I waited for this. I didn¡¯t even let myself shower because I


    wanted you to smell the gasoline before I lit it. Romantic, right?¡±


    My lips were dry, but I didn¡¯t dare respond. I knew better than to speak when she was performing.


    She circled me slowly, the hem of her coat brushing the floor like a predator pacing a trapped animal. ¡°I thought you¡¯d scream, Liv. Cry. Shout for your precious Ethan. Or maybe that ice¨Ccold boss of yours¨Cwhat¡¯s his name again?¡± She sneered.


    ¡°Alexander.¡±


    I looked up at her. nk. Silent. Unreadable. But inside, Yve


    stirred.


    ¡°Yve, are you there?¡°I asked mentally, desperate for


    reassurance.


    Her voice came, faint and trembling.¡± She injected me with wolfsbane. I can¡¯t shift. I¡¯m sorry, Olivia¡­ I¡¯m very weak.¡±


    ???

 Alpha Novel 81

    My stomach sank. That exined the heavy, sluggish pulse in


    my body. I was on my own.


    Chole crouched in front of me, resting her elbow on her knee


    and the lighter under my chin. ¡°You¡¯re brave. I¡¯ll give you that.


    But brave girls die too. Bravery makes you reckless.¡±


    I didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t flinch.


    Her face twisted. ¡°Say something, you whore.¡±


    Nothing.


    Stay calm. Stay quiet. Don¡¯t provoke her.


    She stood up abruptly and pped me hard across the face.


    My head jerked sideways with the blow. My jaw throbbed. A


    metallic tang flooded my mouth.


    ¡°Still quiet?¡± she spat. ¡°You think silence makes you strong? No,


    sweetheart. It makes you boring. I can¡¯t kill boring.¡±


    She paced again, her boots thudding against the hardwood. ¡°But


    I can maim boring. You want to see what I¡¯m capable of? I¡¯ll


    have my men take turns with you. Then I¡¯ll cut off your legs


    and feed them to dogs. And your arms? <b>I¡¯ll </b>hang them on the


    gates of the Windsor estate like art. Then I¡¯ll douse this pretty


    little house in kerosene and burn it down with you in it.¡±


    Another p. I didn¡¯t turn my head this time. My cheek red


    with pain.


    ¡°Why?¡± she snarled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you scream? Why don¡¯t you


    beg?¡±


    I swallowed blood and calmly said, ¡°Because you won¡¯t let me <ol><li>go. Begging won¡¯t change that.¡± </li></ol>


    Her nostrils red. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked


    my face toward hers. ¡°Ungrateful bitch. You don¡¯t even appreciate the mercy I¡¯m offering. I¡¯m giving you a chance to


    live, and you¡¯re pissing on it.¡±


    I winced but didn¡¯t speak. Every muscle in my body wanted to


    scream, but I held back.


    ¡°You think being quiet makes you some kind of martyr?¡± she


    hissed. ¡°You think it makes you holy?¡± Sheughed, high-


    pitched and shaking. ¡°You¡¯re just a maniptive slut who fooled Ethan, tricked the media, and probably spread your legs


    for that Alexander/creep.¡±


    I blinked. I couldn¡¯t react. I wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯re not beautiful. You¡¯re not smart. You¡¯re just lucky. But


    <b>Chapter </b>1


    that ends now.¡±


    She raised her hand again¨Canother p, harder than before.


    Then another.


    ¡°Say something, you dumb slut!¡±


    When I finally opened my mouth, my voice was low and steady. ¡°Murder is still a crime, Chole. You kill me, you¡¯ll spend


    your life in prison.¡±


    She stared at me, stunned for half a second.


    Then she screamed, ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are? You


    think thew matters to people like me? I am thew! I¡¯m the


    Windsor heir, you piece of trash!¡±


    She panted, sweating now, and pped me again. ¡°You¡¯ll rot for


    this. You¡¯ll wish I killed you faster.¡±


    My cheek throbbed. The coppery taste of blood coated the


    inside of my mouth as I slowly shifted my jaw, making sure


    nothing was broken. My lip was split, and the side of my face


    burned from the force of Chole¡¯s p. Still, I didn¡¯t react. I didn¡¯t


    give her that satisfaction.


    She stood in front of me, panting, her knuckles white around


    the lighter in her hand, her eyes wild. Her breathing was erratic,


    hair frizzed, face streaked with sweat and makeup.


    Charter 81


    <b>¡°</b>Say something!<b>¡± </b>she snapped, voice shaking<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Why won¡¯t <b>you </b>beg?! You should be down on your knees!¡±


    I tilted my head slightly, as far as the restraints would allow.


    ¡°And then what, Chole?¡± My voice was calm, low. ¡°You¡¯d let me


    go?¡±


    She scoffed, lips twitching into a cruel smirk. ¡°No. But I¡¯d enjoy


    it.¡±


    That was exactly what I wanted her to say.


    I exhaled slowly, ignoring the sting in my ribs. ¡°So either way, I


    die. You just want a show!¡±


    Chole¡¯s grin faltered.


    ¡°Then let me ask you something,¡± I continued, voice steady


    despite the pulse pounding in my ears, ¡°what do you think


    Ethan will do when he finds out what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Chole¡¯s expression twisted, but she stayed quiet.


    ¡°If you kill me, he¡¯ll never forgive you,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯ll me


    himself. He¡¯ll grieve. And you? You¡¯ll always be the one who


    ended his wife.¡±


    Her nostrils red. ¡°He¡¯s not grieving. He¡¯s already over you.¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not,¡± I said softly. ¡°You saw what happened at the


    Chajeer #1


    airport. If he were truly over me, would he have chased me like


    that? Would he have picked you up only after I left him lying


    there?¡±


    Chole¡¯s face went pale, and for a moment, her grip on the lighter


    loosened.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it my p that made him show you affection? Do you


    think it was love, or just guilt?¡± I leaned forward a fraction. ¡°If


    you kill me, thest image in his mind will be the woman he


    never got to apologize to. You won¡¯t win him that way, Chole.


    You¡¯ll lose him forever!¡±


    Th¨¢n

 Alpha Novel 82

    ¡°Shut up!¡± she screamed, voice cracking. ¡°You think you know


    everything! You¡¯re just a maniptive little bitch!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to know everything,¡± I said, ¡°I just have to know


    him.¡±


    She screamed again and pped me, hard enough to make my


    head whip sideways.


    Pain burst through my skull, but I forced myself not to cry out. I


    was shaking inside, but I couldn¡¯t afford to look weak.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re smart?¡± she hissed. ¡°You think that smug little


    mouth of yours will save you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply.


    Chole gritted her teeth. ¡°He told me¨Che said I was his peace.


    That he needed me. We¡¯ve been together so many times behind


    your back. He touched me the same way he touched you. More


    passionately, even.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I said tly.


    She blinked.


    <b>Chapter </b>82


    ¡°I believe he touched you,¡± I rified. ¡°But I also believe he


    would¡¯ve moved onpletely if you hadn¡¯t staged that press


    stunt. That hospital act. What was next, Chole? A wedding dress


    and a priest?¡±


    Her face flushed. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°but I do know that this¨Ctying me up, threatening to


    mutte me¨Cthat¡¯s not love. That¡¯s obsession. And obsession


    never ends well.¡±


    Chole¡¯s hands shook. Her eyes flickered toward the door.


    isn¡¯t


    I pressed the advantage. ¡°He¡¯s with the Green Group now,


    he? Do you really think Alexander¨CAlpha Alexander¨Cwill stay


    quiet if I go missing? You know his power. He won¡¯t stop. He¡¯ll


    trace this to the source. And you¡¯ll take the fall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be gone by then,¡± she snapped, though her voicecked its


    earlier fire. ¡°I¡¯ll disappear.¡±


    ¡°Disappear into what?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°You¡¯re not a ghost,


    Chole. You¡¯re a Windsor. You think Alexander or the police or


    Gai won¡¯t know where to find you?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll deal with it!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°No,¡± came a voice from behind the door. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±


    It was male. Rough. Older.


    Chole froze.


    ¡°Just end her already¡± the man said from the hallway. ¡°You¡¯ve


    dragged it too long. She¡¯s a liability. Do it.¡±


    Chole looked back at me. Her hands trembled, and for a second,


    I thought I saw fear in her eyes.


    Not for me.


    For herself.


    I stayed quiet. Blood trickled down my jaw, soaking the cor of


    my shirt. I didn¡¯t move. My wrists were raw from the duct tape.


    Yve was silent inside me, but I felt her stir faintly, as if


    struggling against the wolfsbane.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Chole¡¯s voice dripped with triumph as she raised the lighter, her


    eyes glittering in the dim light. ¡°I¡¯ve written your suicide note,¡±


    she hissed. ¡°It will look like you killed yourself because you


    were guilty of ruining Ethan and my marriage.¡± Her lips twisted


    into a malicious grin.


    I trembled, bound by the tape sapping my strength. Every


    breath burned from the bruises lining my torso. My head


    woozily nted to the side¨Cmy vision blurred. ¡°Why?¡± I


    croaked. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    Chapter <b>82 </b>


    Chole froze.


    ¡°Just end her already,¡± the man said from the hallway. ¡°You¡¯ve


    dragged it too long. She¡¯s a liability. Do it.¡±


    Chole looked back at me. Her hands trembled, and for a second,


    I thought I saw fear in her eyes.


    Not for me.


    For herself.


    I stayed quiet. Blood trickled down my jaw, soaking the cor of


    my shirt. I didn¡¯t move. My wrists were raw from the duct tape.


    Yve was silent inside me, but I felt her stir faintly, as if


    struggling against the wolfsbane.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Chole¡¯s voice dripped with triumph as she raised the lighter, her


    eyes glittering in the dim light. ¡°I¡¯ve written your suicide note,¡±


    she hissed. ¡°It will look like you killed yourself because you


    were guilty of ruining Ethan and my marriage.¡± Her lips twisted


    into a malicious grin.


    I trembled, bound by the tape sapping my strength. Every


    breath burned from the bruises lining my torso. My head woozily nted to the side¨Cmy vision blurred. ¡°Why?¡± I


    croaked. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    Her expression softened unnaturally. ¡°Because you took him away from me. You destroyed our life.¡± She flicked the lighter again, studying the me. ¡°This will end everything.¡±


    A sudden crackle as she flung the lighter at me. My heart


    lurched¨CI flinched, trying to push away, but the drugs coursing


    through me blurred my reflexes. I coughed, struggling to rise,


    but failed, slipping deeper into helplessness.


    The lighternded near my arm¨Cheat shed. I scrambled,


    desperate to roll away. But all I felt was a wave of dizziness.


    Then, out of nowhere, Alexander¡¯s hand shot in and snatched


    the lighter mid¨Cair. ¡°Stop!¡± he roared.


    Chole whirled around, fury snapping across her features. In her


    blind rage, she brandished the knife she¡¯d hidden up her sleeve


    and lunged.


    ¡°Olivia!¡± Alexander shoved me aside¨Crecklessly, instinctively.


    The de caught him in the back as he reflected Chole¡¯s blow.


    Blood blossomed on his shirt. But he didn¡¯t recoil. He tightened


    his grip and shoved Chole, forcing her back into a defensive


    crouch. With a single, fluid motion, he twisted her arm,


    knocked the knife away, and bound her wrists with electrical


    wire salvaged from amp. His face was calm¨Ccold, even-


    every inch the Alpha protecting his Luna.


    I pressed a trembling hand against his chest, breathing <b>him </b><b>in- </b>sweat, adrenaline, warmth. I¡¯d grabbed his shirt earlier in panic,


    and that haven of fabric was still soothing.


    Within seconds, the front door burst open. Ethan stormed in, eyes wild. Behind him: Ava, panting, phone in hand. Then shing lights¨Cred and blue¨Cflooded the entrance. Two police officers stood aghast at the mayhem¨Cgasoline¨Cslick floors, furniture charred, blood pooling on Alexander¡¯s back.


    One officer rushed to me. ¡°Ms. Hawthorne? Are you okay?¡±


    I shook my head against the drugs still in my veins. ¡°A bit¡­ but


    Alexander¨Che¡¯s hurt.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b>83

 Alpha Novel 83

    The other officer cuffed Chole and rolled her over to search for


    weapons. Ava rushed to Alexander, kneeling beside him. ¡°Alpha


    Alexander, are you alright?¡±


    He blinked, nced sideways at me, then back at the cop. ¡°I¡¯m


    fine. Just a scratch.¡±


    A third officer entered, inspecting the scene. ¡°We¡¯ll need


    statements from both of you.¡± He nodded at me first. Then at


    Alexander. ¡°And sir, did you recover any weapon¨Cthe lighter,


    or the knife?¡±


    Alexander produced the lighter and offered it. ¡°She tried to set


    her on fire.¡± He touched the me¨Csinge marks on the tip, then


    set it aside. ¡°I caught it in my hand to stop it.¡±


    The officer frowned. ¡°Your fingerprints will be on it¨Cyou aren¡¯t


    likely to be charged for that, but it mayplicate the chain of


    evidence. The knife is likely more admissible.¡±¡±


    Another matched officer tiptoed around the charred couch and


    noted the gasoline trails. ¡°Gasoline was poured across the room


    -intent to destroy evidence or kill.¡±


    Ava held the damp cloth pressed against Alexander¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I screamed. I don¡¯t know how long it took me to pull Ethan in


    here. He radioed the police.


    The first officer nodded. He strode over to the bound Chole,


    staring at her ck, defeated posture. ¡°Miss Windsor, you¡¯re under arrest for attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, and


    arson. Any aplices?¡±


    Chole sneered, but her gaze flicked toward the door. ¡°No¡­ no


    aplices.¡±


    A pause. Both officers exchanged nces. Then one spoke with


    t authority: ¡°If you had help¨Csomeone in ck clothes


    helping you then that person is also guilty and can¡¯t im


    ignorance. They were aiding and abetting.¡±


    Chole hesitated, ncing at Alexander and me. Her eyes flicked


    back to a corner of the room.


    The officer added: ¡°If your aplice is found, they won¡¯t be


    able to get off the hook. You understood the n¡ªthis was


    premeditated.¡± He clicked his cuffs.


    Chole gulped.


    I let out a shaky breath and kept my gaze on Alexander. He


    nodded <i>at </i>me¨Csteady, protective. My heart pounded in a mix of


    fear, gratitude, and a surge of something I couldn¡¯t name.


    The police asked Ethan to step aside for a moment, offering him


    a bottle of water. He stared at Alexander¡¯s bound figure, jaw


    clenched.


    Ava stood protectively near me. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Through the haze of pain, I managed a nod. ¡°I think so.¡±


    The officer guided Chole out. As the door closed behind the police, Alexander sat, leaning slightly on Ava¡¯s shoulder. Ethan, pale and silent, brushed past and knelt beside me instead. He


    reached for my hand, but I withdrew.


    I winced again, pain ring from my ribs.


    Alexander spoke softly, pulling the lighter into hisp. ¡°We¡¯re


    safe now. The police are handling it.¡±


    He caught my eyes and offered a slim, reassuring smile.


    I nodded.


    Ethan looked anguished, trying to rise to his feet and speak, but


    I shook my head and closed my eyes.


    Ava squeezed my shoulder. ¡°Let them deal with Chole.¡±


    The cop approached again. ¡°We¡¯ll need a full statementter,


    once you¡¯re medically cleared. And one more thing¨Cwhen we


    locate this ck¨Cd aplice, they¡¯ll face charges alongside


    Chole. No plea bargains.¡±


    Ava was pacing back and forth at the far end of the room, arms


    crossed tightly across her chest like she was holding herself


    together. Her voice trembled with fury. ¡°She¡¯s sick. Absolutely


    sick. That woman needs to be locked away for good. Do you


    even realize what she almost did to you?¡± Her eyes met mine,


    zing. ¡°That was attempted murder, Olivia. No poetic tragedy,


    no broken heart¨Cshe wanted toendyou.¡±


    On the other side of the room, restrained by some ghost of guilt,


    Chole sat on a stretcher in handcuffs, nked by two officers.


    Even now, evenafter everything, she was arguing¨Cloud,


    frantic, gasping for anyone to believe her.


    ¡°She tried to destroy my life! Olivia lied to everyone. She made


    Ethan hate me! I¡¯m the real victim! I was trying to stop her from


    ruining what¡¯s mine!¡±


    Ava snapped, ¡°You doused her in gasoline, you lunatic! She¡¯s


    lucky to be breathing!¡±


    But I didn¡¯t answer either of them. My throat was too dry, and


    my energy too thin. I simply looked away, eyes burning, limbs


    heavy. All I could hear was the subtle, awful scratch of the.


    monitors, and my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.


    Ethan stood frozen a few feet from the chaos, his expression


    pale and drawn. He hadn¡¯t said <i>a </i>word since he got here. Not


    one. Just watched the scene unravel like it was some slow-


    motion punishment. Maybe it was.


    Our eyes met, and for a flicker of a second, I saw <b>something </b>


    crack in him. The horror. The grief. The shame. But it was too <pte now. Even if he broke apart, I had no urge to put the pieces back together.

 Alpha Novel 84

    The cops finally escorted Chole out of the room, still screaming.


    Then, me and Alexander were brought into the hospital.


    Alexander was wheeled into a separate ward while in my ward, Ethan stayed with me, and Ava slept outside the room on a


    bench.


    I was left with Ethan, seated on the edge of my hospital bed, too


    close forfort, too far for forgiveness.


    The room settled into silence.


    I shifted slightly on the bed, feeling the IV tug at my arm. ¡°You


    don¡¯t have to stay,¡± I said quietly. It was the first thing I¡¯d said to


    him all night. My tone was t. Dry. Like the words belonged to


    someone else.


    Ethan didn¡¯t flinch. His voice was rough from disuse. ¡°I want to.


    I mean there¡¯s no one at home. And Ava¡¯s sleeping.¡± He


    shrugged, forcing a weak smile. ¡°You need someone to look


    after the small things.¡±


    I turned my face toward him, studying his features. There was


    no smugness, no pleading, no anger. Just fatigue. And maybe


    regret as well.


    ?? ??? ?


    But I didn¡¯t trust regret anymore.


    I stared at him for a few quiet seconds, searching for something


    I couldn¡¯t name¨Cand didn¡¯t find.


    Then I closed my eyes.


    And said nothing else.


    Author¡¯s POV


    Ethan sat by Olivia¡¯s hospital bed, unmoving. His head rested lightly beside her arm, close enough to feel the steady rise and fall of her breathing. Her hospital gown rustled faintly as she


    shifted slightly in her sleep, but her eyes didn¡¯t open.


    Tears had dried on his cheeks more than once tonight, only to


    be reced by new ones, warmer, heavier. His forehead leaned


    against her arm as if by staying close, he could dy the


    inevitable. As if the passing hours wouldn¡¯t steal this moment


    from him too.


    This wasn¡¯t the Ethan the world knew. Not the arrogant alpha,


    nor the poised heir to the Hawthrone family. Tonight, he was


    just a man who had failed. A man who¡¯d promised to protect the


    woman he loved¨Conly to be the very reason she ended up


    bruised and nearly burned alive.


    He didn¡¯t speak <i>a </i>word all night. There was no apology that


    could patch the wreckage between them. No grand exnation


    <b>Chapter </b>24


    that could erase the years of betrayal, of pain he¡¯d brought <b>into </b>


    her life. And Olivia¡­ Olivia had already said it all in silence.


    Earlier, when she told him tly that he could leave, she didn¡¯t


    raise her voice. She didn¡¯t cry. She didn¡¯t even look angry.


    That expressionless tone hurt more than all her past


    usationsbined.


    Ethan had watched her sleep, jaw clenched to stop it from


    trembling. He hadn¡¯t slept. Not even for a moment. Every time he blinked<i>, </i>a memory surfaced. Herughing in the rain, her brushing flour from her cheek while baking, her tugging his tie


    to kiss him goodbye before work.


    He had memorized her expressions over the years, but tonight


    he couldn¡¯t read her anymore.


    He turned his gaze to her hand, resting lightly atop the nket.


    There were faint red marks near her wrist¨Cremnants of the


    duct tape Chole had used. Rage welled up again, but there was


    no one to direct it at now. Chole was in custody, and Olivia¡­


    Olivia had already paid too much.


    His fingers twitched at his side. He wanted to hold her hand,


    just once. Just to feel the warmth again, just to remind himself


    that she was still here.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    Because he knew that this time, Olivia wouldn¡¯t hold it <b>back</b><b>. </b>


    He thought of the countless second chances she¡¯d given him. How many times she had swallowed her pride, softened her voice, made the first move. And what had he done in return?


    He hadn¡¯t just hurt her. He¡¯d left her defenseless.


    Ethan leaned back slowly in the chair, exhausted and hollow. His eyes scanned her face onest time. She was healing. There were bruises beneath her eyes, and her lips were dry, but she looked peaceful. Too peaceful to be disturbed by his selfish need


    for closure.


    The sun had begun to seep in through the blinds, casting soft


    gold across the bed sheets. Morning hade. The night was


    over.


    Ethan stood quietly, careful not to rouse Ava, who was still curled on the couch. He adjusted Olivia¡¯s nket gently, fingers


    lingering for just a moment before pulling back.


    He knew this was thest time he¡¯d be this close.


    He longed to bend down and kiss her forehead. To whisper that


    he was sorry. That he would carry this guilt to his grave.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    He just looked at her. Onest time.


    And left.


    The hallway outside was colder than he remembered. His


    footsteps echoed down the corridor, each one heavier than the <pst.

 Alpha Novel 85

    Chapter <b>85 </b>


    He kept his head down. Not because he was ashamed in front of


    the nurses or security. But because he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of ncing back.


    They were finished.


    And that truth would haunt him more than any punishment


    Chole or the world could ever deliver.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t sleep that night.


    I heard the quiet shift of fabric when Ethan stood. I felt the


    weight of his gaze¨Cheavy, sorrowful¨Cas he hovered near me,


    maybe wanting to speak, maybe waiting for a sign. But I gave


    him none. I justy there, still as stone, staring at the ceiling


    with eyes wide open, too numb to cry, too exhausted to feel


    anything else.


    That was how our story ended. Not with a fight, not with a kiss,


    not even with a word. Just silence.


    And that silence hurt more than any shouting match we ever


    had.


    In the morning, Ava checked me out of the hospital. She was


    quiet too, gently wheeling me out while the nurses processed the discharge papers. My bruises had faded into a deep purple


    mosaic across my body. I could walk again, but slowly. My


    mind, however, wasn¡¯t limping¨Cit was running. It had been


    running all night, retracing every step of thest eight years


    with Ethan.


    I wasn¡¯t joyful. I wasn¡¯t devastated. I just felt¡­ clean. Hollow.


    Like someone had taken a rag and wiped away every emotion


    that had once stained my chest. All that remained was the echo


    of too much happening too fast.


    Before we left, I told Ava I wanted to visit Alexander. He was in


    the same hospital, still recovering from the stab wound. He¡¯d


    saved my life, again. I felt I owed him something¡ªif not a thank


    you, then at least a moment,


    But when we passed his ward, I paused. His room was crowded


    -nursesing in and out, a doctor with a clipboard, a few


    suited men I assumed were from Green Group. His assistant


    Mike stood near the door, arms crossed, looking like he was


    guarding the Alpha himself.


    I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble. Rumors, whispers, unnecessary


    attention. So, I turned away.


    I would wait. I would thank himter¨Cproperly, privately.


    From the hospital, Ava and I drove straight to the police <b>station</b>.


    The statement was long. Exhausting. I recounted the


    kidnapping from the moment I noticed the tail, to the pain in


    my neck, to waking up tied and drenched in gasoline. They


    showed me photos of the man in ck¨Cthe same man I¡¯d seen


    loitering by the service stop.


    He had been caught. Arrestedtest night after a brief chase.


    ¡°He says he wasn¡¯t hired,¡± the officer told me, flipping through a


    report. ¡°ims he was ¡®doing a favor¡® for a friend. No money


    changed hands.¡±


    Of course. A dead¨Cend alibi.


    ¡°And Chole?¡± I asked, voice brittle.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ ying the victim,¡± he muttered. ¡°Feigning memory loss.


    The Windsors are trying to push a mental health narrative


    again. But this time, the stabbing chargeplicates things.¡±


    I signed the final page of my statement. ¡°She stabbed Alexander.


    She nned to burn me alive. Let¡¯s not pretend she just


    snapped.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We won¡¯t.¡±


    After that, I just wanted to go home. Not to rest. Not to cry. I just


    wanted stillness.


    <b>Chapter </b>


    And for a moment, I had it¨Cuntil Ava re¨Centered <b>my </b><b>room </b>


    holding her phone.


    ¡°Ethan,¡± she said simply, handing it <i>to </i>me. ¡°He sent word.¡±


    I stared at the screen for a long moment. My fingers hesitated,


    then tapped it open.


    Ethan wasn¡¯t calling. He had sent a message¨Cshort, formal.


    ¡°If it¡¯s really what you want¡­ I¡¯ll sign. I¡¯ve informed thewyers.


    You¡¯ll receive the settlement. 300 million. Let¡¯s do it tomorrow.


    10 a.m. Courthouse.¡±


    I read it twice. Then again.


    No apology. No long paragraph of regret. Just surrender.


    And that was what I¡¯d wanted, wasn¡¯t it?


    I turned to Ava and gave a small nod. ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    She looked at me carefully. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I smiled. Or something like a smile. ¡°It¡¯s done. Let it end where it


    should.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t say anything more. She just pulled me into a brief


    hug and left the room.


    As the sun dipped behind the buildings of New York, I stood by


    Chapter RS


    the window<b>, </b>staring out over the city I had once dreamed <b>about </b>building a future in¨Cwith him.


    Eight years.


    And tomorrow, I would sign his name away like it meant


    nothing.


    Except, of course, it had meant everything.


    I wrapped my arms around myself and whispered to the quiet,


    ¡°10:00. Tomorrow. Let it be done.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    Ava nced at me from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°You gave it your all.


    Eight years isn¡¯t nothing.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. What was there to say? Her sigh filled the


    silence between us.

 Alpha Novel 86

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a damn shame,¡± she added, tapping the steering wheel. ¡°If anyone had told the eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold me that Ethan Hawthrone¨Cthe ¡®golden alpha¡®¨Cwould end up ruining the only real thing he had, I would¡¯ve said they were out of their minds.¡±


    I gave her a small, tired smile. ¡°That¡¯s because fairy tales sound


    sweet¡­ until they start rotting from the inside.¡±


    She didn¡¯t argue. Neither did I.


    When we arrived at the Silvermoon courthouse, the skies were


    draped in a sheet of gray, the moonlight slipping in between


    clouds like pale silk. The entire building was sleek steel and


    stone¨Cmodernized to amodate our kind. Inside,


    everything was pristine. Gl¨¢ss walls. Echoing floors. Cold


    marble counters manned by expressionless werewolves in navy


    uniforms. The unbinding hall was bathed in a soft silver glow,


    light filtering down through the skylight above.


    Ethan was already there.


    He stood near the sensor tform, dressed in a dark wool coat,


    hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked up when he saw me.


    His eyes dropped instantly to the cut on the corner of my


    mouth¨Cthe fading bruise that no amount of makeup could


    quite cover. Guilt red in his expression, then vanished as quickly as it came. He didn¡¯t say anything. Neither did I.


    We walked up to the mate unbinding tform together.


    The technician in charge, a middle¨Caged wolf with streaks of


    gray in her hair and a matte ck uniform, gestured to the twin


    sensor tes. ¡°Palms on the tes, please. Blood and fingerprint


    required!¡±


    I rolled up my sleeve, exhaled, and ced my palm on the


    sensor. I felt a tiny prick as the system drew a drop of blood. A


    soft hum followed.


    ¡°Olivia Whitmore, Alpha¨Crank. Verified,¡± the system intoned in


    a neutral tone.


    Ethan did the same. His hand brushed mine briefly. It was


    warm. Familiar. It meant nothing.


    ¡°Ethan Hawthrone, Alpha¨Crank. Verified.¡±¡±


    On therge screen above the dais, a blue disy opened with


    the heading:Mate Contract: ActiveMatch Duration: 8 years, 3


    months, 14 daysStatus: Pending Unbinding


    ¡°Request number #230718 recorded,¡± the officer continued,


    flipping a page on her clipboard. ¡°Do both parties confirm their


    desire to voluntarily dissolve the mate contract?¡±


    <b>Chapter </b>86


    ¡°I confirm,¡± I said clearly, looking ahead, not at him.


    There was a pause.


    Then Ethan said, ¡°I confirm.¡±


    A second screen appeared, shing bright white:Mate Bond


    SeveredStatus: Complete


    Two printouts slid from the terminal slot. The officer picked


    them up, stapled them, and handed one to each of us. ¡°These are


    your official divorce and unbinding papers. You are no longer


    mated under werewolfw.¡±


    I took the document without hesitation.


    Ethan hesitated for a second longer¡­ but he took his too.


    But then I watched Ethan¡¯s hand extend the divorce papers


    toward me, the leather folder reflecting a faint sheen under the


    courthouse lights. My pulse ticked a little faster as I reached for <ol><li>it. He frowned¨Ccurious, unsettled. </li></ol>


    ¡°Keep them,¡± he urged softly. ¡°You never know when you might


    need them.¡±


    I paused. ¡°Use them,¡± I said slowly. ¡°If you ever¡­ I don¡¯t know,


    remarry.¡°¡®He stumbled slightly. ¡°I¡ªI won¡¯t remarry!¡± His voice


    trembled, as if he were testing himself.


    ¡°Then why do you need them?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone


    steady.


    ¡°I-¡°Ethan swallowed, nced away. <b>¡°</b>I just thought you should


    hold onto them. Safer that way!¡±


    I let it go. If he really wasn¡¯t going to remarry, it wasn¡¯t my


    concern. I nodded and tucked the folder into my bag.


    ¡°I hope you find happiness,¡± I offered quietly. ¡°Wishing well,


    right?¡±


    He blinked, confusion shing in his eyes. ¡°Who do you want


    that happiness with?¡±


    I kept my expression calm<b>, </bposed. ¡°With me,¡± I said simply.


    ¡°On my own terms.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s gaze softened. He straightened. ¡°You deserve that!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I found the much¨Cneeded courage to finish.


    ¡°Goodbye¡°¡±


    We parted ways¨Che lingered a moment, as if expecting more,


    but I did not hesitate. I walked out into the brisk evening air, the


    weight of eight years resting in that folder and in my posture. I


    breathed deeply, the crisp air bringing rity. The courthouse


    steps disappeared behind me, reced by theforting blur of city lights. I felt oddly lighter, as if a final cord had been severed.


    Walking home, I tried to summon gratitude¨Cbut my emotions felt neutral. Numb, not sad, just worn. At my door, I paused and closed my eyes, letting relief wash over me. No coteral damage. No lingering doubts. Just space to breathe again.


    Inside, Ava greeted me with a soft hug. She¡¯d waited, cautious, ready to support. ¡°How are you?¡±


    I touched the folder nestled inside my bag. ¡°Free,¡± I whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s just stay in tonight.¡±


    She nodded, offering tea and a cautious smile. We sat quietly,


    our shared stillnessfortable.


    ? ????),

 Alpha Novel 87

    hapter 87


    Later, a knock came. Two police detectives stood in my living room, their expressions serious but respectful.


    ¡°Ms. Whitmore,¡± one said gently. ¡°We need to inform you of an


    update regarding Chole Windsor.¡±


    My pulse tightened. ¡°What about her?¡±


    The detective swallowed. ¡°She copsed yesterday in custody,


    was taken to Central Medical Hospital. Her condition is stable


    but considered critical. Herwyer has just applied for medical


    parole pending further evaluation.¡±¡±


    My throat seized. Parole. Medical. In custody.


    ¡°Medical parole means she could be¡­ released temporarily¨Cfor


    treatment,¡± the other detective exined. ¡°We thought you


    should be told before it bes public.¡±


    I sat frozen for a moment, processing. Part of me whispered


    relief¨Ca sh of dread that she might be freed. Another part


    bristled with guilt, because in a way, this felt like vindication.


    But the stakes remained high.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± I managed. ¡°If anything changes¡­


    please let me know.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b><b>87 </b>


    They nodded, sliding me a business card. ¡°We will. Take care of


    yourself.¡±


    Once they left, Ava turned to me, eyebrows knitted with


    concern. ¡°Olivia¡­ are you okay?¡±


    I exhaled slowly. ¡°She¡­ Chole¡¯swyer applied for medical


    parole.¡± My voice was soft. ¡°That could bring her out of custody.


    Back into my life. Into the public.¡±


    Ava¡¯s hand found mine. ¡°We¡¯ll handle it,¡± she said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll


    fight it.¡±


    I nodded, appreciating her strength but feeling heavier than I


    cared to admit. This resolution of mine¨Cthis divorce¨Cwas


    meant to bring closure. But now a new threat lingered. And


    despite everything, I felt a flicker of old fear, old vulnerability.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, Ava,¡± I admitted. ¡°Tonight, I just want to rest.¡°¡®


    She nodded and poured me another cup of tea. Together, we sat


    in quiet solidarity, steeped inmplight and lingering


    uncertainty.


    I touched the divorce papers in my bag again. They felt familiar


    now¨Csymbols of a life untethered. But Chole¡¯s possible release


    stirred fresh tension. I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion


    weigh me down.


    For now¡­ I simply sat, letting the exhaustion and the relief


    coexist, settled by the muted hum of night.


    Author¡¯s POV


    Felix Windsor sat heavily in the hospital waiting room, his


    brow furrowed and palms clenched. His mind raced with the


    consequences of Chole¡¯s reckless behavior. The copse of the


    loan deal with Green Group had rippled beyond the Windsor


    family¡¯s pride: it threatened the long¨Cterm alliance between the


    Windsors and Hawthornes, alliances carefully woven for years.


    Now, at a time when unity mattered most, Chole¡¯s impulsive


    assault on Olivia and Alexander had shattered everything.


    Ethan¡¯s refusal to cooperate with the Windsor n only


    deepened the rift. For all his arrogance and entitlement, Ethan


    understood one thing: Chole had gone too far. She had tried to


    eliminate Olivia by any means, and that offended more than


    business¨Cit was a personal affront. The Windsor¡¯s position in


    New York was crumbling fast.


    Felix nced at the hospital corridor clock with mounting


    unease. He sighed.If Chole doesn¡¯t stabilize soon, our family


    name¨Cand our business¨Cwill be coteral damage.


    A nurse poked her head around the door. ¡°Ms. Windsor¡¯s


    family?¡±


    Felix rose. ¡°That¡¯s us.¡±


    She led him back to Chole¡¯s room, where Choley pale and


    hooked up to monitors. Her feverish eyes lit up when she saw


    him.


    ¡°Felix! You¡¯re here!¡± she breathed, voice trembling with excitement. ¡°Ethan¡¯s divorcing! He IS going to marry me.¡±


    Felix forced a gentle smile. ¡°Chole¡­ the divorce is just that-


    divorce. Me¡­ Ethan still has no intention to marry anyone.


    Especially not after everything. You hurt Olivia. That¡¯s not something¡­ that¡¯s not the path to reconciliation.¡± His voice


    softened. ¡°And besides, you¡¯re not well enough to go anywhere


    right now.¡±


    Chole¡¯s lips curved into a determined grin. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. He


    loves me. You¡¯ll see!¡±


    As she tried to sit up, her body gave way and she copsed back


    against the pillows. Monitors beeped softly, and the nurse


    stepped forward¨Cbut Chole waved her off.


    Felix hastened to support her. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself, Chole. Let


    the doctors do their work, and maybe think things through.¡±


    ¡°I DON¡¯T WANT tothink,¡± Chole insisted, voice crackling with


    fervor. ¡°I want him. This is the opportunity. I know he needs


    me.¡±


    Felix froze. He tried to soften his tone. ¡°He needs support, yes-


    but you¡¯ve crossed a line. You nearly killed Olivia. There¡¯s blood on your hands, sister. There¡¯s risk: criminal charges, media


    bacsh. Anyone with a brain can see it.¡±


    Chole¡¯sugh was hollow but intense. ¡°They¡¯ll all be silent when Ethan shows up, promising marriage. Then everything flips.¡±


    ¡°Buthe¡¯s not going to do that.He said so himself!¡± Felix shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re hallucinating. The world you¡¯re describing does


    not exist.¡±


    Chole¡¯s eyes gleamed, wide and unblinking. ¡°I saw his face when


    Ava recorded. He¡¯s torn. He loves me¡­ he¡¯ll do it.¡±

 Alpha Novel 88

    Felix pressed his fingers to his temples, a faint tremor running through his control. ¡°This is dangerous, Chole. You¡¯re not


    thinking straight. Do you realize what you¡¯re doing-


    endangering not only yourself, but us?¡±


    Chole¡¯s attention snapped back to him, intense and singr. ¡°<b>I </b>know exactly what I¡¯m doing¡±


    A hush fell across the room. Felix realized his attempts to reason with her were fracturing against something more dangerous than simple denial. This was obsession. Delusion. He watched, helpless, as a veneer of confidence cracked across her face.


    Felix called the nurse back in. ¡°She needs sedation. No more visitors for now!¡± His voice was steel.


    The nurse moved toward Chole with a deal¨Ccalm injections, rest. Chole fought her off, screaming about love, rights, destiny -to which Felix stood by helplessly.


    When the nurse left, Felix made eye contact with his sister onest time. He saw no trace of the sister he once knew¨Conly a


    raging storm of determination and denial.


    His voice pained. ¡°Chole¡­ let me help you. But not like this.¡±


    Chole sneered. ¡°You don¡¯t know what <b>you¡¯re talking </b><b>about </b>


    Felix swallowed and nodded. ¡°I do.¡±¡±


    He left the room before she woke again, closed the door softly.


    In the hallway, Felix¡¯s knees wavered for a moment, but he grounded himself with a slow breath. Then he walked to the waiting room.


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    A hectic day had turned into a restless evening. The police investigation had wrapped up the nursery in my mind. They


    traced the ck¨Cd man back to Chole¡¯s inner circle¨Cfriends


    of hers all along. Chat logs revealed nothing illegal: flirting,


    crushes, vague statements but no direct orders or payments.


    Legally, it would be difficult to prove she¡¯d hired him. Still, the


    intent was obvious.


    That worry lingered, refusing to leave me.


    Late that evening, after a drained but pointed meeting with Ethan¡¯s legal team, I decided to visit Alexander. He¡¯d been discharged earlier and was resting in his penthouse. My motivations were mixed¨Cgratitude, unresolved tension, and a silent need to finally be with someone who¡¯d proven to stand by <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I called Mike first.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the bedroom, reading¡± Mike said, his voice neutral enough. ¡°You can go up. I¡¯ll be in the kitchen¡±


    I thanked him and gripped the fruit basket¨Capples, grapes, a few peaches. He opened the door to the private hallway.


    I paused just outside the door, heart pounding. Something felt awkward. Yet the warmth from inside, the calm stillness Alexander exuded, urged me forward.


    I stepped in.


    Alexander sat in a plush leather armchair, his robe draped neatly, book in hand. Eyelids lowered. No surprise. He¡¯d always beenposed¨Ceven in the hospital, bandaged and bruised. He looked up slowly, unreadable for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯rete.¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°I¨CI wanted to give you space, You¡¯ve been surrounded by people for days. Reporters, doctors¡­ I thought


    you might want some quiet.¡±


    He closed his book and set it aside. ¡°I was fine.¡±


    I offered the fruit again. His jaw tightened, but he reached out


    and took the basket, cing it carefully on the bedside table.


    ¡°I-¡°I swallowed. ¡°I thought hospitals are weird ces to stir


    rumors. People assume things.¡±


    He nced down at the fruit, then looked back at me,


    expression unreadable. ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± My voice came out softer than I intended. ¡°I didn¡¯t want


    anyone saying you were feeding your secretary grapes in the middle of the night, or whatever.¡±


    He gave a quiet chuckle. Not warm, but not mocking either. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ considerate.¡±


    I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d been holding. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to embarrass you.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think me¨Ceasily embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± My shoulders loosened a fraction. ¡°But I didn¡¯t want to give people something to gossip about.¡°¡±


    He leaned back, folding his arms. ¡°Either you don¡¯t think they care¨Cor you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    I stared <i>at </i>him. ¡°You said¨CI mean, you said I shouldn¡¯t think my presence would give people impure ideas about our


    rtionship.¡±


    His mouth quirked, ¡°Yes. I said that. Because¨Cno¨Clook, Olivia,


    focus on me. Do you think sharing hospital space with me


    makes you special? Makes people assume¡­ what?¡±


    I swallowed, heart pounding. ¡°I¨Cdidn¡¯t want to distract you.¡±


    He sighed, softer. ¡°You¡¯re not a distraction.¡± He paused, as if choosing his next words. ¡°But your worry¨Cyour


    overconfidence¨Cis dangerous.¡±


    I flinched. ¡°Overconfidence?¡±


    He met my eyes. ¡°You assume you¡¯re important enough to


    matter that way. To be judged or wondered about. Most people


    don¡¯t even notice.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s POV


    I walked out of Alexander¡¯s room with my spine straight, but every step felt heavier than thest. My cheeks burned, not from anger but from the raw, familiar sting of humiliation.


    I had brought fruit. Thought it¡¯d be a small gesture. Thought maybe it mattered that I showed up at all.


    Apparently, it didn¡¯t.

 Alpha Novel 89

    The way he had looked at me¨Ccalm, unreadable, then cold¨Clike I¡¯d overstepped just by standing there. When he mocked me for being concerned about ¡°gossip,¡± I knew it wasn¡¯t just teasing. He was reminding me of where I stood. Of who he was. Of who I wasn¡¯t.


    I¡¯d heard that tone before. It was the same one I¡¯d heard from strangers at the golf club that day¨Cright before the headlines called me a gold¨Cdigger, before whispers imed I wore that dress just to seduce my boss. I thought I¡¯d survived that storm. But maybe I hadn¡¯t. Maybe I¡¯d just dressed the wounds prettier.


    The difference was, this time the voice was his.


    I had no words to offer him that wouldn¡¯t sound desperate. So


    I¡¯dughed awkwardly, pathetically¨Cand muttered that I¡¯d


    overthought it. Then I excused myself like the fool who walked


    into the wrong room and thought she belonged.


    When I passed Mike in the hallway, he looked up from his


    tablet and tried to smile. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. He¡¯s¡­ not


    great at expressing himself¡±


    I managed <i>a </i>stiff smile, clutching my bag tighter. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just


    remembered I left something on the stove.¡±


    He tilted his head. ¡°You don¡¯t cook¡±


    Iughed once under my breath and shrugged. ¡°Just


    sometimes.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for a reply. I just left.


    The elevator ride down was quiet. Still. And when I stepped out


    into the open air, I wasn¡¯t angry. I wasn¡¯t even sad. I was just¡­ embarrassed.


    Back at my apartment, I changed into thefiest sweatshirt I owned and sat cross¨Clegged on the couch, staring at the wall without really seeing it.


    It wasn¡¯t that I had feelings for Alexander. I wasn¡¯t that foolish. I


    knew he was the kind of man people respected from a distance,


    not someone you stood next to.


    But somewhere along the way¨Cbetween him pulling me out of


    that fire, between the way he stood in front of the cameras and


    silenced the Windsors¨CI¡¯d started to feel something dangerous.


    Like I could trust him, Like he might see me as more than just


    Ethan¡¯s ex¨Cwife or a temporary assistant trying to find her


    footing.


    I guess that was my mistake.


    Maybe I¡¯d confused gratitude for something else.


    He saved me. But that didn¡¯t make us equals.


    He stood on ground I wasn¡¯t allowed to touch. And I¨Cno matter how steady I looked¨Cwas still someone pulling herself together, still trying not to flinch every time someone raised their voice.


    He wasn¡¯t wrong. Peoplewouldgossip if they saw us too close.


    But what stung was how quickly he shut the door. Like even


    the possibility of it wasughable.


    I curled deeper into the couch, exhaling through my nose. No


    more illusions. No more lines blurred.


    He¡¯s my boss. And I¡¯m supposed to stay at a professional


    distance from Alexander.


    The Next Day


    I was halfway through picking at my lunch¨Csome lukewarm


    rice and saut¨¦ed greens I didn¡¯t really want¨Cwhen my phone


    rang.


    Mike.


    Just seeing his name made my stomach clench. I wiped my


    hands and picked up. ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Olivia,¡± he greeted, unusually polite. ¡°Are you busy this


    evening?¡±


    I nced at the barely touched te in front of me. ¡°Not


    particrly. Why?¡±


    There was a pause, long enough for me to sense that this wasn¡¯t just a friendly check¨Cin. With Mike, it never was.


    ¡°Well,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Alpha Alexander needs his dressings changed. Normally Gai handles it, but he¡¯s tied up out of town, and I have to visit my mother¨Cshe had a fall this morning, nothing serious, but I need to be there¡±


    I frowned, my fingers tightening around the edge of the table. ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Mike must¡¯ve caught the hesitation in my voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows his medication routine,¡± he


    added gently. ¡°And you¡¯re¡­ trusted.¡±


    The word hung there. Trusted.


    I exhaled quietly. ¡°You don¡¯t have a nurse on call?¡±


    A


    ¡°We do,¡± he admitted. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t like strangers fussing over


    him, especially with wounds. He didn¡¯t say it, but¡­ he¡¯d


    probably prefer it if it was you.¡±


    I swallowed, trying to ignore the memory of ourst encounter


    -the way he looked at me like I¡¯d imagined something that


    wasn¡¯t there, like I¡¯d embarrassed both of us by showing up


    with fruit and concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d want to see me,¡± I said quietly,


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say that,¡± Mike replied. ¡°Actually, he didn¡¯t say anything about it at all. But I know him. He won¡¯t ask directly¡±


    I pressed the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. ¡°This morning he barely looked at me.¡±¡±


    Mike¡¯s voice softened. ¡°That¡¯s his way of showing you¡¯re not just anyone.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what that meant, and I didn¡¯t want to ask.


    Finally, I sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯lle after dinner.¡±

 Alpha Novel 90

    ¡°Thanks, Olivia,¡± he said, relief in his tone. ¡°Just knock when you get there. I¡¯ll let him know¡±


    The call ended, but the unease didn¡¯t. I stared at my food, nowpletely cold, and pushed it aside.


    The rest of the afternoon crawled by. I kept trying to rehearse what I¡¯d say¨Chow to keep things polite, professional, how to ignore the knot in my chest that still hadn¡¯t gone away sincest night. By the time I stepped out of my apartment, night had fallen, and the penthouse lights glowed faintly overhead.


    I took the elevator up, carrying the small bag Mike had left with the fresh gauze, ointments, and pain relief meds.


    When the doors slid open, I stepped into the dim hallway, the familiar silence wrapping around me like fog.


    My feet stopped in front of his door.


    I raised a hand. Then hesitated.


    This was just a favor. A simple favor.


    That¡¯s what I told myself before I finally knocked Alpha


    Alexander¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Come in, Alexander¡¯s voice called from inside¨Ccool andposed as ever.


    I pushed the door open and stepped in. The lights in the bedroom were dim, shadows gathered in the corners, and Alexander sat on the edge of the bed in a in ck shirt and lounge pants. His back was straight, one arm braced lightly on the nightstand. He looked up as I entered, his expression


    unreadable.


    ¡°I heard¡­¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°I heard you needed your dressing changed.¡±


    He gave a small nod. ¡°Mike¡¯s busy<b>!¡± </b>


    So are a dozen nurses in this city, I thought, but kept it to myself.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the medicine cab?¡±


    He gestured to the locker room without looking.


    I found the first aid kit tucked neatly inside a shelf and carried it back, cing it quietly on the edge of the bed. The antiseptic, gauze, and ointment were all there, perfectlybeled,


    everything clinical and cold. Just like the room. Just like him.


    I sat down beside the kit and took a breath. ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡±


    He nodded again but didn¡¯t move.


    I opened the antiseptic bottle and fumbled for a cotton pad. His wound was on his lower back¡­ which meant¡­


    I paused.


    He hadn¡¯t taken off his shirt.


    Was he¡­ waiting?


    I looked up and found him watching me, calm, like he had all the time in the world. There wasn¡¯t a hint of embarrassment in his gaze¨Cjust patience. Or indifference. I couldn¡¯t tell which one made me feel more awkward.


    ¡°Well?¡± he asked coolly. ¡°Not nning to drug me, are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blinked.


    He tilted his head slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at my back for a


    while now!¡±


    I flushed. ¡°No¨CI¡¯m just¡­ I mean, I need to see the wound.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, still unmoving. ¡°Then take it off.¡±


    I froze. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My shirt.¡± He leaned back slightly, making no move to help. ¡°Unless you want me to do it myself and risk tearing the


    stitches.¡±


    Yve inside my head let out a dramatic sigh.¡°Just take it off


    already. He¡¯s injured, not inviting you to bed.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    ¡°What?¡± Alexander asked, amused.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I stared at his shoulder and refused to meet his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    His expression didn¡¯t change. He simply waited.


    I wiped my palms against my thighs to dry the sudden sweat. My fingers reached for the hem of his shirt, and I inhaled


    slowly, quietly.


    This was just medical care. Just help.


    That¡¯s all.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to undress you,¡± I said¨Cmore to myself than to him.


    Then, without waiting for his response, I slipped my fingers


    under the fabric and started to lift.


    *Olivia*


    My hands began to tremble as I tugged at the knot on his bathrobe. However, the moment my fingertips brushed against his chest to push the robe from his shoulders, an electric current


    shot up my body.


    It radiated through me, spreading through Yve and hitting me


    right down to my toes.


    Yes, I want more, Yve howled inside me. Touch him again.


    I bit down hard on my lower lip to keep her in check. That¡¯s not


    happening. Get it together.


    But even as I told her off, my hand moved of its own ord,


    reaching out to his chest again.


    ¡°What exactly are you trying to do, Olivia?¡±


    It felt like someone dumped arge bucket of ice water over my


    head. I jerked my hands back as if his skin had burned me, his


    robe dropping lower to reveal more of his muscled torso.


    ¡°I¡­ I was just¡­¡± I stammered. ¡°I¡¯m trying to change your


    dressings like you asked. I need to apply more salve, but your


    robe is in the way.¡±


    To my surprise, Alexander chuckled softly. ¡°Easy there. Keep


    your voice down. No need to get so worked up.¡±

 Alpha Novel 91

    His words had the opposite effect. I was sure my entire face was bright red in embarrassment.


    Desperate to retain some semnce of dignity andposure, I circled around behind him. Alexander didn¡¯t have to see the


    embarrassment written all over my face.


    I forced myself to focus on the task of taking off his robe rather than how his shouldersplemented a narrow waist. It¡¯s just a


    simple bandage. I¡¯ll be done in no time, I said to myself as Iid


    out all the medical supplies I needed.


    ¡°You know, I have to ask¡­¡± Alexander began. He twisted his


    head slightly so I could see the smile forming on his lips. ¡°Are


    you trying to pounce on me from the back there, Olivia?¡±


    I gritted my teeth, choosing to ignore him.


    My fingers found the neckline of his robe, and I carefully


    pushed the thick fabric down his arms until it pooled around his


    waist. It revealed arge muscr back, broad shoulders and <i>a </i>


    spectacr pelvic bone.


    What a feast for the eyes, Yve purred appreciatively.


    I had to agree, even though I¡¯d never admit it out loud. His


    physique was truly a sight to behold. But again, I couldn¡¯t entertain such thoughts.


    The bed dipped as I knelt beside him. I got to work immediately, unwrapping the old bandage around his waist. I cleared my


    throat every time I had to wrap my arms around him to get to the bandage, but thankfully Alexander didn¡¯t make any morements.


    He just let me work.


    The wound was already healing, but it still needed some care. I


    dipped a cotton swab into the ointment. ¡°This might sting.¡±


    Alexander nodded. I applied it carefully and watched as it


    dissolved into the wound. However, it was wet and sticky,


    stubbornly refusing to dry properly.


    Without thinking, I leaned closer and blew softly across the


    area. The moment my lips parted, Yve went absolutely wild.


    That was when I realized what I¡¯d done.


    Alexander¡¯s entire body went stiff. I watched as the muscles across his back followed suit, shifting into a tense posture. For a split second, I thought he was in pain, but when he said nothing,


    I continued.


    I reached for a fresh bandage and prepared to wrap the treated wound. I began leaning forward, about to ce the bandage over the wound, when Alexander spoke.


    <b>Chaptery </b>


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    I froze, bandage hanging loosely inches away from his skin.


    ¡°I can handle the rest myself¡± The initial amusement in his tone


    was gone. His voice was low, rough, cold even. ?ve sensed that


    his breathing had changed, growing sharper by every lift of his


    chest. ¡°You can go.¡°¡±


    I frowned. I was terribly confused. What did I do wrong? I¡¯d


    been so gentle with his wound. I reyed each moment, trying


    to figure out the misstep that caused this sudden change.


    However, the more I thought about it, the more irritated I felt.


    I came all the way here to help him at this hour, and he was


    treating me like I¡¯d done something wrong.


    Alexander seemed to sense my irritation because his posture


    softened slightly. He turned his head to look at me.


    ¡°Go to the kitchen.¡± He¡¯d also abandoned the edge in his voice.


    ¡°Get me something to eat.


    I slid off the bed as instructed, with more force than was


    necessary.


    But as I tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through my legs. My knees feltpletely numb, and the moment I put my full weight on my feet, they simply refused to hold me up.


    The floor met my knees with horrifying speed.


    *Olivia*


    ¡°Olivia?¡± Alexander asked. His voice went up an octave,


    indicating pure shock. ¡°Are you¡­ are you trying to ask for a raise?¡±


    Heat spread through my cheek once again as I realized that my current position looked like I¡¯d dropped to my knees to beg for something.


    all I


    ¡°My knees¡­ it¡¯spletely numb,¡± I said through gritted teeth. I didn¡¯t have to look at him to tell that he didn¡¯t believe me,


    wanted was to disappear from that room.


    I pressed my palms against the floor and pushed myself up. As I


    stood, I began massaging my knees, projecting the rage I felt


    onto the movements of my hands.


    Theugh that bubbled up behind me infuriated me even more,


    and I poured it out on my knees. Even as I stalked toward the


    kitchen, I could still hear himughing. I yanked the


    refrigerator door open with more force than was necessary.


    Another innocent thing I¡¯d transferred my aggression on.


    It was him. He managed to get under my skin at the most inopportune times. And it wasn¡¯t just the things he said, it was the way he said it. It drove me crazy. And because he was my

 Alpha Novel 92

    I eyed the contents of the refrigerator. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to


    prepare anything extravagant. My eyesnded on a can of


    tomato soup. That would have to do.


    I grabbed it, ripped it open and dumped it into a pot. Steam rose


    in an instant, and I stirred as the smell of tomatoes and herbs


    filled the air. The scent was so overwhelming, that I had to step


    out of the kitchen for a bit to get some fresh air.


    When I rounded the corner, I saw Alexandering through


    the living room, bringing the scent of the ointment with him.


    ¡°Oh¡­ you want to eat in here?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even look at me. We walked casually and settled into


    one of the chairs at the dining table. ¡°Kitchen, Olivia.¡±


    I turned on my heel and stomped back to the kitchen.


    Alexander just proved everything I¡¯d been thinking about


    earlier. Why did he always have to talk to me like that? I turned


    off the stove,dled the soup into a bowl and grabbed a spoon.


    I stomped back into the dining room and dumped the te right


    in front of him.


    He stared down at it for a long moment inplete silence. I¡®


    could hear the antique clock ticking as he studied the soup.


    I started bracing myself for another negative response from


    him, but then he said, ¡°Well done. It smells really good.¡±


    Yve wasn¡¯t buying it though. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, forcing a


    fake smile on my lips.


    ¡°You want some?¡±


    No way. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I still wasn¡¯t over how he¡¯d spoken to me earlier. I watched as he brought the spoon to his lips.


    Everything about Alexander¡¯s behavior tonight had gotten on my nerves intensely. My jaw clenched involuntarily as I reyed how he¡¯d been so sarcastic while I changed his dressing. Or how he just mocked the soup I made for him.


    Yes, it wasn¡¯t anything grand, but I made it. That¡¯s what


    mattered.


    He swallowed the soup and looked up at me instantly. His eyes


    widened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat it if you can¡¯t stand


    it.¡±


    He shook his head frantically. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± He looked up at me with a genuine expression. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the way I acted earlier. I was out of line.¡± Alexander turned his attention back to the spoon, lifting the spoon to his lips, again


    and again and again, until the bowl was empty.


    ¡°This is actually really good. Really. The vor is perfect¡±


    I tilted my head. Alexander was saying things I didn¡¯t understand and I didn¡¯t want to try. I shook the thought away and started to move to head back downstairs.


    ¡°Olivia, wait.¡±


    I turned to face him slowly. He was looking directly at me now.


    ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to deliberately avoid me. Wherever I am, whoever I¡¯m with¡­ if you want toe in, just


    This wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d expected him to say.


    ¡°Even if there¡¯s something between them and me,¡± he


    continued. ¡°I won¡¯t let it be gossip. You have my word on


    that!¡®


    I was frozen in ce. So that¡¯s what he was really apologizing


    for. It caught me by surprise. I thought he was referring to the


    things he¡¯d said when I first entered his bedroom to change his


    dressings. But now that he¡¯d exined I started to understand


    him, and the rage slowly began to slip away.


    His earlier anger now seemed somewhat justified to me. He¡¯d thought I was backing down from my duties as a secretary. In


    his mind, I¡¯d allowed personal difort to get the best of me and didn¡¯te in in time. And now he was making it clear to me that it was going to be okay.


    I wouldn¡¯t have to be subjected to any form of rumors. And as the anger finally slipped away, guilt quickly took its ce. ¡°I understand. Goodnight, boss.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Olivia.¡±


    We exchanged a look, and then I made my way downstairs.


    Alexander wasn¡¯t exactly easy to be around, but at least he was


    willing tomunicate and address misunderstandings. It was


    more than many Alpha¡¯s would do, and that put me in a much


    better mood.


    I was back in my apartment, cuddled between my sheets, in and


    out of sleep. But sometime in the hours before dawn, my phone


    buzzed. My eyes snapped open immediately.


    *Olivia*


    I was half asleep when I reached for my phone. It took a long moment for my eyes to focus enough so I could recognize the jumbled up letters disyed on my screen.


    Alexander: Need you toe in for tomorrow¡¯s shift. Can you


    make it?

 Alpha Novel 93

    I squinted at the words, my brain working overtime <b>to </b>understand. I slept off twice in that state. And after what <b>I </b>believed to be only a second, I woke up again and grabbed <b>my </b>phone without opening my eyes fully.


    Of course, I began typing with muscle memory. I¡¯ll be there, b<b>¨C</b><b>o- </b>


    <b>S</b>¨CS.


    But my exhausted brain and fingers betrayed me and I hit the wrong keys. I typed ¡®a¡® instead of ¡®o, the double ¡®s¡® became ¡®b¡® and ¡®y¡®


    Me: Of course, baby.


    I pressed send without reading what I typed. The phone slipped from my fingers and my eyes began to droop again, luring me into a deep, deep sleep.


    *Author*


    Back at Alexander¡¯s estate, Mike moved through the kitchen preparing the Alpha¡¯s usual breakfast of steak, oats and orange


    juice.


    <b>Mike¡¯s </b>ears twitched <b>at </b>the sound of the <b>grandfather </b>clock ticking. His eyes drifted to the antique <b>furniture </b><b>as </b><b>he </b>took in


    the time. 7:00 am. By now, he should have heard the <b>sound </b>of


    Alexander¡¯s morning run. After that he would usually <b>have </b>


    breakfast and get started on work.


    Instead, the Alpha was nowhere to be found.


    At seven¨Cthirty, Gai arrived as scheduled. ¡°Where is he?¡± he


    asked, looking around with as much confusion as Mike.


    Mike shrugged. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard a peep from upstairs. Usually,


    he¡¯s already finished his workout by now!¡®


    They exchanged nces. Alexander wasn¡¯t one to break his


    routine, and now they couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had


    happened.


    Eight o¡¯clock came and went. Then eight¨Cfifteen. The breakfast


    grew cold on the warming tray as they waited.


    ¡°What do you think is going on?¡± Gai asked.


    ¡°Hell if I know. Perhaps it¡¯s the injury. The doctor did say he


    needed more rest!¡±¡±


    Gai¡¯s lips quirked up in a mischievous grin. ¡°Or maybe our


    Alpha decided to paint the town redst night. Hit up some of


    the clubs.¡±


    ¡°Not with that wound on his lower¨Cback.¡±


    Finally at eight¨Cthirty, Alexander descended from the staircase.


    Both Mike and Gai turned, taking in his tired face and the dark


    circles in his eyes. It seemed the Alpha had barely slept. Gai


    briefly wondered if his theory was the most urate.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Alexander greeted with a surprising


    cheerfulness in his voice.


    Mike and Gai exchanged looks, and mumbled a quick, ¡°Morning,


    Alpha.¡±


    Alexander wasted no time and settled down at the head of the


    dining table to have his breakfast. He dived into the food


    immediately, moaning in satisfaction.


    ¡°This orange juice, it¡¯s exceptional this morning, Mike. Did you


    change brands?¡±


    Mike blinked. ¡°No, sir. Same as always!¡±


    ¡°Remarkable,¡± Alexander murmured as he took another sip.


    But before Mike could say anything, Gai¡¯s phone started ringing.


    He pulled out the device and answered, ¡°Morning, Olivia.


    What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Oh<i>, </i>hi, Gai. I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, but I need to report to the office today and I¡¯mpletely lost. I don¡¯t have an ess card,


    and honestly, I¡¯m not even sure where the building is exactly.


    Would you be able to help me out? Maybe give me a ride?¡±


    ¡°Tell you what, why don¡¯t you juste straight here to


    Alexander¡¯s ce? We can grab some breakfast together, and


    then I¡¯ll drive you to the office. No sense in you waiting around.¡±


    Olivia however, didn¡¯t agree. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really sweet of you, Gai,


    but I couldn¡¯t. That would bepletely inappropriate. I don¡¯t


    want to impose on¡­ on anyone¡¯s personal space. I¡¯ll just wait for


    you downstairs at the office building. That way I won¡¯t be a


    bother.¡±


    Gai turned to look at his Alpha, and sure enough he had been


    listening. In fact, from the look on his face, Gai could tell that


    Alexander had heard the entire conversation, word for word,


    and he wasn¡¯t pleased.


    Mike noted the way his Alpha¡¯s fingers tightened around his


    ss cup. Before either of them could blink, Alexander brought


    it down hard on the table, causing juice to spill over the rim.


    ¡°Gai, please inform Olivia that she can handle this matter


    herself. She¡¯s a capable adult who can contact HR directly to


    resolve her ess card issue. There¡¯s no need for you to


    chauffeur her around the city. She shouldn¡¯t be bothering you.¡±


    Both Mike and Gai jumped at the ice in his voice.


    On the other end, Olivia had also heard her boss clearly, <b>and </b>


    now, she was exasperated. ¡°Gai, could you just give me the HR


    department¡¯s contact information? I¡¯ll handle everything


    myself.¡±


    Gai quickly rattled off the numbers before his boss could stop


    him from doing that too.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll see you at the office,¡± Olivia muttered and then


    ended the call. She sank onto her couch, waiting for the


    number. She unlocked her phone and opened WhatsApp, expecting <i>to </i>see a message from Gai. But instead, she found Alexander¡¯s name at the top of her chat list.

 Alpha Novel 94

    Chapter <b>94 </b>


    With growing dread, she opened the conversation, and <b>the </b>message jumped out at her in mortifying splendor:


    Of course, baby.


    Sent at 2:48 AM.


    The phone nearly slipped from her fingers. ¡°Oh God.¡± Olivia could feel the blood draining from her face. ¡°Oh God, oh God, oh God.¡±


    She stared at the screen, willing the message to disappear, but it didn¡¯t. ¡°I must have been drunk. I was drunk and tired and


    Olivia buried her face in her hands. Her stomach churned in


    utter panic and mortification.


    What a start to her day.


    *Olivia*


    Heat crept up my cheek. The past few days had been hit after


    hit of embarrassing moments. But this definitely took the cake.


    What was I going to do?


    Maybe <b>we </b><b>could </b>rush <b>to </b><b>his </b><b>apartment </b><b>and </b>delete the from his phone, Yve offered.


    Would that work though? What if he has a password<b>? </b><b>And </b>what if he catches me?


    It¡¯s worth giving it a shot.


    I shook my head. That¡¯s tooplicated. I don¡¯t want to risk <b>it</b>.


    All I could do was delete the message from my end, and pray to the moon goddess that Alexander would be gracious enough to spare me the embarrassment.


    After dressing in a ck pencil skirt and a cream silk blouse, I found myself in Alexander¡¯s apartment, strawberry short cake in hand. It was a peace offering, and would hopefully serve as a distraction.


    I walked with my head held high, spine stiff, and followed the subtle sound of voices to the dining table. Three heads turned to face me as I entered. Alexander in particr fixed me with a meaningful smile.


    Oh, God. He knew.


    ¡°You look well¨Crested,¡± he said, taking a bite of his steak.


    Even with the smile on his face, I noticed how tired he looked.


    There were obvious dark circles under his eyes. ¡°I brought <b>you </b><b>a </b>


    strawberry shortcake.¡± I held out the paper bag.


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± he murmured, eyes never leaving mine. ¡°I have to say, Olivia, your messagest night was even sweeter¡±


    ¡°Alexander, I¡­¡± I rushed out, feeling hot panic flood through me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that message. I had way too much winest night and my vision waspletely blurred. My fingers just went haywire.¡± Iughed awkwardly. ¡°It was aplete


    ident.¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°Alcohol is no excuse, Olivia.¡±


    His voice was just as ice¨Ccold as his re. I was about to get a


    mean old lecture from my boss.


    ¡°If you¡¯re bold enough to make such a ¡®slip of the tongue¡® this


    time, then what¡¯s stopping you from talking back next time?


    From letting your tongue r¨²n away with you again?¡±


    My mouth fell open. He¡­ he thought I sent it on purpose?


    ¡°You should be more careful Olivia.¡± He shot me a warning gaze.


    ¡°Words have consequences. You shouldn¡¯t say things you can¡¯t


    back up with actions.¡±


    This was unfair. I didn¡¯t do anything, at least not intentionally.


    And my boss wouldn¡¯t even give me a chance to exin. He was


    still looking at me like I¡¯dmitted some sort of heinous crime.


    The distasteful look on his face made my stomach clench.


    Chapter <b>94 </b>


    He looked at me like I was some sort of maniptive woman


    who¡¯d tried to take advantage of him and then yed innocent


    when caught.


    Ugh¡­ How dare he look at me like that? I was being honest. I


    didn¡¯t deserve any of this. I couldn¡¯t understand why he


    wouldn¡¯t believe me. Why he was so convinced that the


    message was all part of some sinister n of mine. It drove me


    half mad with anger.


    Now that neither of us were speaking, Gai and Mike suddenly


    blinked, as if seeing me for the first time since I entered the


    room.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± Gai spoke first. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d go to the office


    on your own.¡±


    The three of them were staring at me now. I had to think fast. ¡°I


    changed my ns. I wanted to personally tell my boss a good


    morning.¡±


    Alexander wasn¡¯t buying that either. He wiped the corners of


    his mouth slowly, letting me sweat before he calmly said,


    ¡°Olivia, what did I just say about words having consequences?


    You didn¡¯t juste running here to say good morning to me.


    There must have been some kind of ident.¡±


    My heart began to race. He knows, Yve said. Of course he did.


    Well, I guess it¡¯s time to make my escape.


    I gripped the paper bag tightly and stepped forward. I deposited


    the cake on the dining table. ¡°I should go,¡± I murmured, already


    backing away toward the door. ¡°I have things to<i>¡­</i>¡±

 Alpha Novel 95

    ¡°Olivia.¡± I winced and stopped moving. I turned around slowly


    to find Alexander staring at me. ¡°Don¡¯t go just yet.¡± Then he


    turned to Mike. ¡°Mike, would you mind opening the cake? It


    looks delicious.¡±


    He nodded and unwrapped the paper bag. He pulled out the


    cake gently and ced it over Alexander¡¯s now empty te.


    Alexander ran his fork through the cake and brought it to his


    lips. He closed his eyes for a moment, then pulled out his phone.


    He started angling the device to capture the cake, but instead of


    taking the photo himself, he looked directly at me.


    ¡°Olivia,e here. Take the picture for me.¡±¡±


    The request caught me off¨Cguard. Alexander was definitely up


    to something. But what?


    Forget about that, Yve said. This is the perfect opportunity to


    delete the message from his phone. Do it now.


    She was right. I walked back to where he sat and took the phone


    from him. I pretended to fiddle with the camera settings, but


    instead, I went straight to WhatsApp.


    ¡°Careful, Olivia. We wouldn¡¯t want you to identally delete


    anything important again.¡±


    My body jerked. He knew exactly what I was nning to do, and yet he was letting me do it. I wasn¡¯t about to let this


    opportunity pass me by.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I mouthed. Then I proceeded to quickly search for my name. The mortifying message was still there. I deleted it


    without hesitation.


    And it was gone without a trace. I could finally breathe again.


    I navigated back to the camera app. Trying to appear casual, I angled the phone toward the strawberry shortcake and


    snapped several shots, capturing different angles.


    Satisfied, and with the evidence of my indiscretion gone, I


    handed the phone back to Alexander.


    *Author*


    The four of them were still gathered in the dining room. Mike


    and Gai were none the wiser. Olivia was still reeling from her


    sessful mission, while Alexander retrieved his phone


    without revealing his inner thoughts.


    He headed straight for instagram and selected his favorite


    photo of the strawberry cake. Alexander considered what an


    appropriate caption would be, but he decided to include an


    emoji with a shy smile and closed eyes.


    Satisfied with the post, he tilted the phone so Gai and Mike


    could see. Gai¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The emoji choice seemed


    so out of character for the Alpha that it left him stunned.


    Meanwhile, Mike simply nodded his approval. He didn¡¯t mind


    his Alpha showing a bit of character.


    In fact, he weed it.


    Watching the different reactions, Olivia pulled out of her phone


    and quickly began scrolling on instagram. And when she saw it, her reaction was perhaps the most dramatic of all. She stared at


    her phone screen,pletely speechless. She couldn¡¯t begin to


    But they all put the matter to rest, filing out of the house, into


    their respective cars as they drove to the office.


    Olivia was still in a state of utter confusion when they arrived


    at the building. Even as they rode the elevator, she couldn¡¯t stop


    thinking about that emoji.


    But then Gai couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity any longer and asked the question Olivia desperately wanted to ask. He leaned close to Alexander and whispered, ¡°Did you use the wrong emoji by


    mistake? What you used is typically associated with shy young


    girls.¡±


    The Alpha didn¡¯t like this line of questioning. He responded coldly, letting Gai know that he may have slipped and made a


    mistake.


    Olivia, however, had been listening intently. Her eyes widened


    as she realized that Alexander hadn¡¯t made any mistakes at all


    No¡­ he was doing this on purpose in an attempt to tease her.


    Alexander then proceeded to make it abundantly clear that nothing would be changed. He didn¡¯t care about whatever


    chaos he was causing.


    And chaos it certainly was.


    His Instagram update had caused such an uproar that hisment section exploded. His private messages were filled


    with concerned inquiry and some amused texts. Even his own siblings joined in, jokingly asking if their usually stiff brother


    had been kidnapped.


    Among all these were several flirtatious messages from friends. Alexander was not having it. He simply blocked each sender.


    Meanwhile, across town, at Green Pack, Neil was just about to make his usual drive to work when his wife, Helen pulled him


    right back out of his car. She announced that there was a


    situation that required his immediate attention.


    Neil was naturally worried. His mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion, and he asked his wife, ¡°Is this about our


    kids?¡±


    Helen gave him an easy smack and shoved her phone in his


    face, to show him the picture of Alexander eating a strawberry


    cake.

 Alpha Novel 96

    ¡°It¡¯s something girls like to eat,¡± she pointed out in concern. To Helen, it looked like someone, a girl in particr, had forced strawberry cake on her son. But then, when she considered Alexander¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t post something so


    ¡®scandalous¡® if he didn¡¯t like it.


    Neil was truly shocked by Helena¡¯s theory. He didn¡¯t think it was a girl. Even if it was, neither of them know who this girl could be, or perhaps if it was the same girl who had called


    Alexander thest time.


    That idea didn¡¯tst long. Neil realized that girl had been Olivia¡¯s


    friend. So there couldn¡¯t possibly be anything between her and


    Alexander.


    ¡°What girl?¡± Helen asked.


    Neil almost doubled over. If Helen had no idea about that, then


    she was also in the dark about the injury their son had


    sustained while trying to save Olivia.


    But Neil recognized that his wife was not a woman who


    typically concerned herself with gossip. She was used to a


    specifically instructed not to burden her with news of her son¡¯s


    recent injury, knowing how deeply she would worry about


    such matters.


    Helen was well aware of Olivia¡¯s existence, and her role as


    Alexander¡¯s new secretary. She was fully open¨Cminded about


    this, believing that hiring decisions should be based on


    3


    But that only begged a very important question for Neil. would


    his wife still remain so open minded if she knew how Olivia had


    impacted her son¡¯s life? First, he¡¯d blocked both Hawthorne and


    Windsor Group loan applications and then, he¡¯d rushed to


    Olivia¡¯s rescue.


    Neil studied the picture again. His son was clearly in his


    apartment, and he knew that Alexander was only ever


    apanied by one woman.


    Helen nudged her husband who had fallen into deep thought.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re overthinking this whole thing, and we shouldn¡¯t


    be jumping into conclusions, but the only woman I can think of


    is Olivia.¡±


    The moment the name left his lips, Helen¡¯s expression turned


    serious. Knowing secrets had no ce in their marriage, Neil


    decided to speak up.


    ¡°Are you okay with Alexander liking Olivia?¡±


    Helen remained silent for a long time and Neil could see the


    internal struggle on his wife¡¯s face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to agree against your will.¡±


    Neil¡¯s statement was met with an angry strike on his arm.


    ¡°What parent doesn¡¯t want their son to find a good one? Besides,


    Olivia is not Alexander¡¯s partner. She¡¯s divorced for crying out


    loud.¡±


    Almost immediately, Helen realized how her words might


    sound, and she quickly exined. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she¡¯s bad. I just


    heard Mike talk about how Olivia is very skilled at being in


    unlucky rtionships.¡±


    Neil looked at his wife with concern. ¡°But it can¡¯t be Alexander,


    can it?¡±


    Helena didn¡¯t know for certain if the man in question was


    indeed her son. However, she admitted that perhaps she


    (Helena) wasn¡¯t being forgiving enough, that her opinions might


    even seem hypocritical to others.


    But, the reality was that Alexander was the eldest son, the


    Alpha heir to the Green pack. Both positions came with a


    certain type of scrutiny that a normal man wouldn¡¯t be able to


    handle. And with every eye on the family on his, any minor


    Chaper 96


    mistakes would be blown out of <b>proportion</b>.


    Neil sighed heavily. ¡°Yes. Alexander represents the Green family, but he¡¯s not destined to be fickle.¡± Neile reassured his troubled wife after that, letting her know that everything <b>was </b>merely spection at this point. ¡°You¡¯re probably overthinking things,¡± he suggested gently. ¡°You¡¯ve already arranged a blind date for him. Just encourage him to go. Everything should go


    smoothly.¡±


    Helen nodded in agreement. But even as her husband kissed her forehead, she still felt far less optimistic than he did.

 Alpha Novel 97

    Chapter 76: First Day.


    *Author*


    Alexander had be an inte sensation. The picture spread through all forms of social media, spreading and spreading till itnded on the screen of Ethan Hawthorne.


    However, where others reacted with shock and disinterest,


    Ethan was furious. What the others didn¡¯t know was that


    delectable dessert was his ex¨Cwife, Olivia¡¯s favorite. Ethan knew that Olivia had not just taken that shot, but she had probably also joined Alexander in devouring the sweet treat.


    His anger bubbled up, even his wolf couldn¡¯t contain that much rage, growling at the picture on his phone screen. But Ethan,


    Chapter <b>96 </b>


    knew he had <b>to </b><b>do </b>something <b>about </b><b>this</b>. ording to him.


    <b>Olivia¡¯s </b>¡®closeness¡® with Alexander Green had <b>been </b><b>the </b>sole cause of their divorce the previous day.


    Yes, it was his fault. He couldn¡¯t believe that Olivia would <b>cheat </b>


    him, her mate in such a manner. How reckless of her.


    He wanted to tell her as such, but she wouldn¡¯t pick up his calls. So, he grabbed one of his many off his office desk and dialed. As


    expected, he picked up.


    Olivia was currently sitting in a car with Alexander and Gai,


    traveling to the Green group together. She was looking out the window, trying to avoid her boss¡¯s gaze when her phone rang.


    She didn¡¯t recognize the number, and she saw it as a wee


    distraction. So, she answered.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hypocrite, you know that? The ink hasn¡¯t even dried


    on our divorce papers yet, and you¡¯re already throwing yourself


    at Alexander.¡±


    Olivia recognized the angry voice instantly. She yelped and


    ended the call. His temporary insanity must have returned.


    That was the only exnation for whatever that was.


    She tried to just bury her phone in her bag and forget about the


    whole thing, but from the way Gai looked at her through the


    rearview mirror, and the way Alexander was eerily silent, it


    was clear they heard everything.


    ¡°You¡¯re divorced?¡± Gai asked from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Alexander rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, she is.¡±


    Olivia kept her eyes fixed on the car window, staring at


    anything but the two people in the vehicle with her.


    Thankfully, they arrived at thepany in record time. The


    moment they stepped in, Alexander was swarmed by five men


    in pristine suits. They grabbed his briefcase, following at a


    respectable distance behind him.


    Gai nudged Olivia. ¡°Come on.¡± She nodded and followed after


    him.


    He guided her through the onboarding process, pointing out the


    different departments. Olivia was in awe. The building was


    for long. Yve, Olivia¡¯s wolf, picked up on whispers from staff


    members as Gai led her through thepany.


    Yes, she expected rumors to swirl around her. But she didn¡¯t


    think they¡¯d be so tant about it.


    Olivia frowned when she heard one employee say, ¡°That¡¯s her.


    Hawtorne groups¡® Alpha¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Another one asked.


    ¡°Because they broke up, obviously. Alpha Alexander


    headhunted her and brought her here.¡±


    ¡°But why would he <i>do </i>that?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the spat online?¡±


    ¡°What spat?¡±


    ¡°Get this. There was a recent online dispute between the Windsor and Hawthrone family. Alpha Alexander joined in,


    and he made it pretty clear whose side he was on.¡±


    Olivia turned out after that. She tried to brush it off as mindless


    gossip, but it did bother her that these people already had a


    preconceived notion about her.


    The tour ended after that, and she followed Gai into the


    elevator up to the top floor of the building. They stepped out


    into arge hallway, and on the right side was arge office


    with ss doors.


    Olivia couldn¡¯t believe it when Gai confirmed that this was


    going to be her space. It made even less sense when he exined


    that this used to be Alexander¡¯s office. Then why did it go to


    her? And where was Alexander now?


    ¡°Right next to yours, Gai answered, pointing at an evenrger


    door down the hall. ¡°He had the secretarial department moved


    entirely to another floor due to the constant phone calls and


    interaction. But since you¡¯ll be the head of that department, and


    answer directly to him, you¡¯ll be on this floor.¡±


    Olivia barely had time to process what he <b>was </b><b>saying </b><b>when </b><b>Gai </b>pushed the ss doors open. The office wasrge, not <b>like </b>


    something a secretary would ordinarily upy. Apart <b>from </b><b>the </b>mahogany work desk, there was a lounge¨Clike seating area with


    a coffee table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on the other side of Alpha¡¯s office. If you need my help for anything, give me a call ore by. My door is always open.¡±


    Olivia nodded, still looking around the well¨Cdesigned space. It


    seemed the office had remained untouched since Alexander


    left, which would exin all the high¨Cend devices and


    furniture.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Gai announced before rushing out of the


    room.


    Olivia used the little alone time she had to check her


    surroundings. She wouldn¡¯t put it past Alexander to hide a camera here, so he could scold her for not using office hours efficiently. But to her surprise, there was nothing out of the


    ordinary.


    Just as she was checking underneath her desk, Gai returned. She quickly rose to her feet and dusted off her skirt.


    Gai gave her a skeptical look but said nothing. ¡°So, there are


    only three people on this floor. Alpha Alexander, myself and you. As you know, Alexander can be difficult to get along with,


    <b>which </b>means there are rules.<b>¡± </b>


    Olivia nodded. She expected as much.


    ¡°You can¡¯t walk into his office without permission. Trivial


    matters must be handled swiftly and without his involvement.


    Not everything needs to go through him unless it¡¯s a matter of


    great importance.¡±

 Alpha Novel 98

    Chapter <b>98 </b>


    Olivia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. But she couldn¡¯t stop


    herself from asking, ¡°So, would I have to seek permission before


    taking a vacuum cleaner to his office?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to clean, Olivia,¡± Gai said, but there was a guilty


    expression on his face. ¡°Well, you¡¯d have to get his coffee, make


    sure his suit is ironed and make wake¨Cup calls.¡±


    Olivia snorted. Wake¨Cup calls? ¡°My duties should only center


    around a regr nine¨Cto¨Cfive. I shouldn¡¯t be involved in


    Alexander¡¯s daily life.¡±


    ¡°Well, Alpha has a habit of sleeping in.¡±


    Gai was defending his Alpha. It was only natural, the man was


    fiercely loyal to Alexander. Still, Olivia couldn¡¯t agree to this. It


    wasn¡¯t in her job description.


    ¡°Gai, look. My job as a secretary centers aroundpany


    matters alone. I have nothing to do with Alexander¡¯s personal


    affairs. That¡¯s his assistant¡¯s job, not mine. You¡¯re his Gamma,


    Gai. It would make more sense if you handled that. It wouldn¡¯t look good if a secretary is calling her boss at odd hours.¡°¡±


    Chapter 77: Alpha¡¯s preferences.


    <b>Chapter </b>98


    <b>Author </b>


    Gai wanted to scream. In fact, his wolf howled inside <b>of </b>him<b>. </b>


    That was a task he didn¡¯t want to do. His Alpha was known <b>to </b>be a very grumpy morning person. He¡¯d dealt with it for years. It was only right that he be spared for the remainder of his


    lifetime.


    And so, he kept trying to convince Olivia to perform the wake-


    up calls. But for every argument he had, Olivia had a rebuttal.


    He was grasping at thin threads. But he had one more trick up


    his sleeve. He started moving around the office, heading toward


    the doors. If Olivia didn¡¯t have the time to protest, then he could


    just assume it was an agreement.


    ¡°We all work for Alpha Alexander, and it is important that we


    face these difficulties together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°So whoever has the time should make the wake¨Cup calls!¡±


    Before Olivia could even think to respond, Gai was running out


    of her office with the speed of a scared teenager.


    ¡°I¡¯m not making the calls, Gai,¡± she called after him, but he just


    kept running. Olivia shook her head. This conversation wasn¡¯t


    over. She would back him into a corner if she had to, but she


    would get her way.


    <b>Chapter </b>98


    With <b>a </b><b>soft </b><b>sigh</b>, <b>Olivia </b>shut her office <b>door </b><b>and </b><b>returned </b><b>to </b>he


    desk<b>. </b>There was still much to be done. She began <b>organizing </b><b>her </b>


    personal belongings. It wasn¡¯t much, a few framed photos from


    her childhood, her notepad, and her favorite mug.


    Then, Olivia saw to the matter of setting a password for her


    Olivia¡¯s#Desk.


    Just as she finished setting up herpany mail, she received a


    memo from Gai which contained her schedule for the day. She


    studied it for a short moment. There wasn¡¯t much apart from


    the many things she had to do for Alexander. It was more of


    Alexander¡¯s schedule rather than hers.


    Theputer chimed again, signifying another mail from Gai.


    there was an attachment titled: Alpha Alexander¡¯s Preference


    Manual.


    Olivia frowned, but opened the file to find a spreadsheet. At


    first, she wasn¡¯t certain what she was looking at. Words like


    vani, strawberry stuck out to her. It was only when she


    studied further that she understood.


    This was a detailed spreadsheet on all Alexander¡¯s preferences


    for his coffee and tea. Olivia almostughed. There was a step


    by step process on how to make the perfect beverage for him,


    including specific, unnegotiable requirements.


    The <b>shocker </b><b>was </b><b>not </b>only the fact <b>that </b><b>his </b><b>coffee </b><b>had </b><b>to </b><b>be </b>hand brewed, but the first cup was supposed to be handed <b>to </b><b>him </b><b>at </b>exactly 10:30 am, not a secondter. When Olivia checked <b>the </b>time on her watch, she yelped. It was 10:32 already.


    Olivia jumped out of her seat. It took her a moment to find the break room, but after retracing her steps from the tour with Gai, she found therge room in record time. She¡¯d never hand- brewed coffee before, but somehow she figured it out. After adding two sugars and cream just like the notes said, she dashed out of there and made her way to his office.


    For a split second, she almost pushed Alexander¡¯s door open.


    But Gai¡¯s warning rang in her head, so she stopped herself and


    knocked once.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    With a calming breath, Olivia pushed the door open. She tried not to gasp at the sheer size of his office. It was three times the size of hers with designer furniture and seating. But she


    couldn¡¯t spend so much time gawking.

 Alpha Novel 99

    Olivia made a beeline for his desk and dropped the coffee mug


    ceremoniously in front of him. Alexander didn¡¯t look up from


    the files he was reading or say anything to acknowledge her


    presence. So, she took it as a cue to leave.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Alexander called just as she turned to leave.


    She stopped moving and faced him, but Alexander didn¡¯t use


    words. Instead, he just pointed at his left cheek. Olivia didn¡¯t


    understand. Was he asking for a peck on the cheek? The


    spreadsheet didn¡¯t say anything about that.


    Olivia watched in horror as Alexander rose to his feet and


    walked over to her. Then, he leaned in and brushed her cheek


    with his thumb.


    When he brought the finger down, she noticed a brown stain


    on his skin. Olivia wanted to kick herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you to do the right thing. Stop being stupid.¡±


    Olivia felt her eyes begin to twitch. This man was going to send


    her to the psych ward one day. Alexander always seemed to


    overexaggerate every single thing. In fact, she was certain that


    he was only trying to get back at her for what had happened


    earlier.


    <b>Chapter </b>993


    The only thing she could do was to return <b>to </b>her office. <b>But </b>


    she¡¯d barely sat down when Gai pushed her door open. <b>¡°</b><b>We </b>


    have a meeting by 11:00.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s in five minutes. What am I going to do there?¡±


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s your first day, just take notes for now. We¡¯ll


    familiarize you with the process pretty soon!¡±


    Olivia nodded. She grabbed her notepad and headed into the


    conference room, doing just as Gai had suggested when the


    meeting began. But with so many employees, and judging by


    the fact that Olivia had no idea what they were discussing, even


    taking notes proved to be a difficult task.


    But after the meeting ended, when Olivia thought she could


    retreat to the privacy of her office, Alexander stopped her and


    Gai.


    ¡°I need the both of you to apany me to a luncheon,¡± he said,


    already moving, giving neither of them a choice.


    Gai frowned as he followed his Alpha. ¡°Is it the one with


    Jonah?¡±


    Alexander shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s with the real este mogul. What¡¯s


    his name again?¡±


    ¡°Ben Wilde.¡±


    Chapter 9)


    <b>¡°</b><b>Exactly</b><b>. </b><b>We </b><b>need </b><b>to </b><b>discuss </b>the joint <b>resort </b><b>project</b><b>. </b><b>It </b><b>was </b>


    <b>signed </b>before I took office. I think I¡¯d like to revise <b>the </b><b>contract </b>


    The men talked as they walked, but Olivia and her wolf<b>, </b><b>Yve</b><b>, </b>


    were sulking on the inside.


    They all filed into the SUV, and soon enough they arrived at


    Vre, the most exclusive and expensive restaurant in the city.


    The ma?tre d¡® led them into a private room, but when they


    walked in, three heads turned to face them.


    Korbin, the vice president of Green group, sat at the far right.


    Felix, Chole¡¯s big brother was by his side. Andst, but certainly


    not least, the man with thergest re in the room¡­ Ethan


    Hawthorne.


    Alexander was no fool. This meeting wasn¡¯t about the joint


    resort at all. Ben was only here as a lobbyist. Olivia on the other


    hand couldn¡¯t shake off the anxiety that hit her the moment her


    eyes locked with Ethan¡¯s.


    Chapter 78: The righteous are innocent.


    *Author*


    Olivia could feel the less than subtle nces that were thrown


    her way. She knew what they were all thinking. It was


    scandalous that she was here with Alexander when her ex-


    husband was on the other side of the table.


    <b>But </b><b>then </b><b>Alexander¡¯s </b><b>words </b><b>came </b><b>back </b><b>to </b>her: The righteous <b>always </b>innocent, and the upright are not <b>afraid </b><b>of </b><b>a </b><b>crooked </b>shadow.


    She recognized what was at stake. Whatever these people thought about her didn¡¯t matter. More importantly, she would not embarrass Alexander.


    Olivia and Gai took their ce at opposite ends of the table, and Alexander soon settled down beside her. Gai leaned in over the table and started whispering to Olivia. He needed to inform her that Ben Wilde had a reputation for pressing alcohol on his guests, and they would need each other¡¯s support in order to gracefully decline.


    As if summoned by their conversation, Ben Wilde, a tall man


    with a protruding belly, who looked to be about fifty years old


    entered the room. A young, slender woman followed behind


    him, looking like he¡¯d had to chase after Ben.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± Ben dered as he sat down next to Alexander.


    ¡°Looks like we have someters who need to be properly


    punished. And we all know there¡¯s only one suitable


    punishment¡­ a good drink to loosen everyone up!¡±


    He pped his hands, and his secretary rushed from forward


    from her position on the wall. She grabbed a bottle of wine from the table and quickly filled up her boss¡¯s ss before doing the


    same for Alexander.

 Alpha Novel 100

    <b>Chapter </b><b>100 </b>


    Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate before jumping to her feet. She fixed <b>a </b>smile on her face for effect and reached for the wine ss<b>. </b><b>¡°</b><b>Our </b>Alpha isn¡¯t feeling well today and really shouldn¡¯t be drinking<b>. </b>


    I¡¯ll be happy to take his ce.¡±


    Her heart hammered against her ribs as she lifted the ss to


    her lips. But before the contents could flow into her mouth, the


    ss was suddenly snatched from her grasp.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to drink. Sit down,¡± Alexander said, putting the


    ss back on the table.


    What was that about? Yve piped up.


    I don¡¯t know, Olivia responded. He seemed indifferent to me.


    No. He sounded concerned. Protective even. I don¡¯t understand


    why.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just Yve who¡¯d noticed Alexander¡¯s


    confusing tone. The entire room had gonepletely silent. No


    one said a single word. The only sound was that of Ethan¡¯s teeth


    clenching as he gripped the ss in his hand so tightly that


    Olivia feared it might shatter.


    Others wore varying facial expressions. Korbin and Felix


    frowned at them. Ben seemed thoughtful. And Gal, his eyes


    constantly darted around the room, as he pretended not to have


    seen the interaction.


    His behavior still wasn¡¯t clear to Olivia even as she sat down


    obediently beside him. She stole nces at his side profile,


    searching for some clue to decode what had transpired. But


    Xander wasn¡¯t revealing anything.


    Korbin finally broke the agonizing silence. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re


    quite thepassionate leader, Alpha Alexander,¡± he said with


    a casual, yful tone.


    The statement was far from innocent. Korbin was trying to


    create a reality that painted Alexander as a man who wouldn¡¯t spare Ben Wilde even five minutes of his time. Yet, here he was


    intervening on behalf of a woman.


    Alexander smiled faintly. He perfectly understood the game Korbin was ying. ¡°Perhaps you could assist me instead,¡± he said smoothly, gesturing toward the abandoned wine ss in front of him. ¡°I find myself¡­ indisposed.¡±


    As if to emphasize his point, Alexander turned slightly and released a series of weak coughs into his hand. Korbin¡¯s jaw tightened. It was a clearmand, and he couldn¡¯t think of <i>a </i>way to refuse without tantly disrespecting a powerful


    Alpha.


    He reached for the ss angrily and drained it in one swift motion. His face grew even redder as the liquid went down his throat. Once the ss was empty, he set it on the table with


    more force than necessary.


    Felix observed the interaction warily. He wasn¡¯t here to lock horns with Alpha Alexander, he was here because the Green


    group had rejected his proposals repeatedly.


    It was only a few days ago, at some forgettableworking event, that he¡¯d encountered Ben Wilde. Ben had been surprisingly receptive to Felix¡¯s situation. ¡°I know Alexander personally,¡± he¡¯d said after downing his fifth ss of whiskey. ¡°I can arrange a meeting. These things are all about knowing the


    right people, after all.¡±


    The truth was, Korbin had been brought along to ensure


    everything went smoothly. But things were going anything but.


    So far, it appeared to Felix that Alexander wasn¡¯t giving anyone


    the time of day. Instead, his attention seemed to be somewhere.


    Particrly, the dark¨Chaired secretary seated on his right side.


    It begged the question; Was the great Alpha Alexander truly


    smitten with this woman?


    Ben Wilde had musings of his own. This meeting wasn¡¯t going


    how he wanted it to. The people were too tense, wolf instincts


    were at high alert.


    To ease the tension, he burst intoughter and pped his


    hands loudly. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right of course. It really isn¡¯t


    advisable to drink when one isn¡¯t feeling well.¡± He then turned


    to his secretary who had remained standing at attention near


    the wine bottles. He waved his hand at the younger man.


    ¡°Please, stand down.¡±


    Despite Ben¡¯s eptance of Alexander¡¯s state of health, it was


    clear to everyone in the room that the Alpha¡¯s performance


    hadn¡¯t convinced a single soul.


    But Ben had to y his cards right. He was well aware that


    Green group was under Alexander¡¯s control. He couldn¡¯t risk


    offending him.


    It was toote for that.


    ¡°Mr Wilde.¡± Alexander fixed a polite smile on his face as he


    addressed Ben. However, there was a certain chill in his eyes


    that indicated he was in a far from pleasant mood. ¡°I do


    appreciate advance notice when additional parties will be


    joining our discussions.¡±


    To his credit, Ban maintained his cheerful demeanor. ¡°I


    apologize, Alpha. I was only concerned you won¡¯t show up.¡±


    Felix jumped in immediately. ¡°Alexander, I was hoping for another opportunity to discuss the loan for our project. I can promise you that it won¡¯t interfere with the project¡¯s progress in

 Alpha Novel 101

    Chapter <b>101 </b>


    Ethan remained in his seat, stiff with hostility. He threw the asional re at Olivia, which Alexander picked up on.


    Alexander didn¡¯t react immediately. He waited, listening to Felix patiently with a cold expression on his face. He was used to hearing desperate pitches, so he just let the man talk.


    Once Felix was done, Alexander lifted his teacup and took a sip as if he were truly considering the man¡¯s words. But then, he shifted his gaze to Ethan. And in a very casual tone he asked, ¡°Ethan, do you have anything to say?¡±


    Chapter 79: Man of the year.


    *Author*


    No one in the room moved as the two Alpha¡¯s went head to


    head. Their gazes were focused on Ethan, waiting to see how he


    could react.


    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightened as he struggled to maintain his


    pride¡­ the pride of an Alpha was a great thing. He couldn¡¯t just


    let that go.


    His gaze drifted Olivia who was still seated by Alexander¡¯s side.


    He resented her. How could she side with <b>him</b>? Did <b>he </b><b>mean </b>nothing to her? What about the loyalty that was <b>owed </b><b>to </b><b>him</b>? To his chagrin. Olivia paid no mind to him. He watched <b>as </b><b>she </b>gave the waiters clear instructions on how to serve Alexander¡¯s meal.


    It was obvious that she didn¡¯t give a hoot about his feelings.


    Regardless, Ethan needed Alexander. He had to put his ego aside and agree to apromise, no matter how degrading it felt to him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ethna began. He took a moment to swallow. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to Windsor¡¯s proposal.¡±


    But Alexander wasn¡¯t about to make it easy for the prideful Alpha. He tilted his head with mock confusion. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t quite recall the specifics. It¡¯s been such a busy week, you understand. Perhaps you could refresh my memory?¡±


    Ethan couldn¡¯t contain his rage any longer. How dare this man


    try to belittle him? He shot to his feet, pushing the chair back


    harshly. ¡°I don¡¯t have to listen to this.¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t blink as Ethan huffed and turned toward the


    door. But before he could take more than two steps, Felix¡¯s hand


    closed around his wrist.


    ¡°Ethan. Come on, let¡¯s go get some air.¡±


    Chapter <b>101 </b>


    Felix rose, escorting Ethan out of the room while the Alpha rambled on about how he felt disrespected.


    Once they left, Ben realized things weren¡¯t looking too good for him. Alexander was obviously in a foul mood, and probably won¡¯t look at him favorably. It was a difficult situation, and he couldn¡¯t think of a way to turn things around. Well, except for his blonde, doe¨Ceyed secretary that stood by the wall.


    He gestured and she came to stand by his side. He took her hand and held it out to Alexander. ¡°Alexander, perhaps we could discuss some¡­ alternative arrangements? I¡¯m sure Miranda here would be happy to assist with any personal matters you might need handled.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He understood Ben


    perfectly. ¡°I think you misunderstand the nature of this


    meeting, Ben. Your services, and those of your secretary, won¡¯t


    be necessary.¡±


    Ben¡¯s smile faltered as he realized his n had failed


    spectacrly. He was at a loss for words now.


    From her position at Alexander¡¯s side, Olivia smiled knowingly.


    This exchange only confirmed what she already expected;


    Alexander wasn¡¯t actually interested in women.


    Alexander caught Olivia smiling, and without turning to look at her directly, he nudged a small te of pastries in her direction.


    ¡°You should eat something. Your brain needs fuel if you¡¯re going to keep up¡±


    Olivia didn¡¯t second¨Cguess it. She reached for the te, throwing


    a thankful nce at her boss. But just as she did so, the door swung open and Ethan strode back into the room with Felix behind him.


    The first thing Ethan saw as he entered was Olivia¡¯s face, turned toward Alexander with an expression of pure adoration. One that he believed was reserved for him alone. Whateverposure he¡¯d managed to retrieve outside with Felix was


    gone.


    Jealousy spread through him like poison. Without thinking, heunched himself between Alexander and Olivia, forming a barrier between them.


    He looked at Olivia, pure rage and usation in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t


    look at him like that.¡°¡±


    The tension had returned. It thickened when Ethan turned


    away from Olivia and faced Alexander.


    Olivia¡¯s mind raced <i>as </i>she watched Ethan advance toward her


    boss. She noted the way he flexed his shoulders, the way his


    hands had curled into fists at his side.


    ¡°Ethan stop,¡± she blurted out, worried he was about to start a


    fight. Alexander wasn¡¯t one to back down from a fight, and Olivia already knew how it would end. ¡°Don¡¯t <i>do </i>something you¡¯ll regret.¡±

 Alpha Novel 102

    Her words had their intended effect. Ethan froze mid¨Cstep, but


    then turned back to face her with a bitter expression on his


    face.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re worried about him. It¡¯s always about him


    now, isn¡¯t it, Olivia? You don¡¯t care about me anymore.¡±¡±


    Olivia¡¯s face remained neutral. She said nothing, knowing that


    any response she gave would only fuel his anger.


    Then, out of the blue, Ethan shifted toward Xander. Instead of


    the confrontation everyone had been bracing for, Ethan


    lowered his head slightly.


    ¡°I owe you an apology. I haven¡¯t been sincere enough, and for


    that, I apologize.¡±


    Ethan leaned down and picked up the bottle of whiskey that


    had been sitting untouched. He poured himself a full ss and


    held it up. ¡°I need to punish myself for being so unprofessional.¡±


    He downed the first ss, the second followed quickly, and


    then the third.


    Everyone thought he would stop there. But Ethan was


    Most of the people in the room were ufortable with the


    direction this meeting was going. Ben cleared his throat


    nervously, while his secretary stared fixedly at her hands. Even


    Korbin and Felix weren¡¯t sure whether to intervene or not.


    They all knew Ethan wasn¡¯t really apologizing. Far from it,


    actually. He was silently using Alexander of stealing his wife


    by ying the depressed ex¨Chusband who drowned his sorrows


    with alcohol.


    Alexander, however, remained unmoved by the spectacle. He


    was aware of Ethan¡¯s tactics, and quite frankly, he couldn¡¯t care


    less. He just looked at him coldly. The man was ying hardball, and Alexander wouldn¡¯t engage in such low methods


    of maniption.


    After his tenth ss, Ethan suddenly pressed his hand to his stomach, face contorting in pain. ¡°I think I¡¯ve¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± He


    trailed off as he stumbled forward.


    And then, almost as if he¡¯d practiced the move, Ethan allowed himself to fall directly on Olivia¡¯sp. He wrapped his arms


    around her as he sagged against her body.


    Chapter 80: And¡­ scene!


    *Author*


    Olivia shrieked. ¡°Ethan!¡± She tried to shove him off her, but the


    man had fifty pounds on her. ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    But Ethan¡¯s eyes remained firmly shut. He didn¡¯t budge. He¡¯d


    alreadymitted to this final act and he was going to see it


    through no matter what.


    Alexander watched quietly, giving Ethan the opportunity to get


    up with his dignity intact. But after the third shove and n¨® improvement, Alexander rose to his feet. He grabbed Ethan¡¯s


    wrist, and with a firm pull, he pried his arm away from Olivia¡¯s


    waist.


    ¡°I believe she asked you to let go.¡± His own arm moved


    protectively toward Olivia, making it clear that if anyone had


    the right to touch her, it was him.


    Ethan¡¯s jaw tightened at the interference. With an irritated


    shrug, he wrenched his arm away from Alexander¡¯s grip. The


    stomach pain had apparently disappeared, leaving behind an


    obvious annoyance. ¡°Mind your own business.¡±


    Olivia noticed that the men were focused on each other now,


    stuck in a power struggle. She saw an opportunity and slipped


    from her seat and fled the room.


    The sound of the door drew the men¡¯s attention and they finally


    realized Olivia was no longer seated. Ethan immediately moved to follow her, but Alexander caught his arm again with even


    more force this time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said as he blocked Ethan¡¯s path.


    Ethan¡¯s ego was on the line. He wanted to attack, but he couldn¡¯t


    challenge the Alpha directly. So once again, he called on his


    acting skills.


    ¡°You think you can just¡­ just push me around?¡± Ethan slurred his words deliberately, allowing the alcohol he¡¯d consumed


    earlier to serve as his excuse.


    He stumbled backward, then lunged forward, and swung his


    fist wildly toward Alexander¡¯s face.


    Alexander didn¡¯t flinch. He just blinked at the man before him,


    clearly unimpressed.


    But before the situation could escte further, Felix rushed


    between Ethan and Alexander. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He pushed


    Ethan back, holding him firmly on the spot. ¡°Ethan, stop. You¡¯re clearly intoxicated.¡® Then to Alexander. ¡°I apologize on his


    behalf. We should probably end the meeting here.¡±


    Alexander straightened his jacket. His expression remained cool, revealing nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t believe intoxication is the real issue here, Felix. Ethan appears to be very sick¡­¡± He leaned in


    for effect. ¡°Mentally, I mean. He might benefit from


    professional help.¡±


    He nced at Ethan, offering him a pitiful look. ¡°I could


    rmend an excellent psychiatrist if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    Felix¡¯s eyebrows rose at this unexpected turn. He¡¯d been


    prepared for the Alpha¡¯s rage, or demands for apologies. But this seemed promising.


    He nced at Ethan who was still swaying slightly before he answered, ¡°That¡¯s quite generous. I appreciate it.¡±

 Alpha Novel 103

    Alexander reached into his pocket and withdrew a business


    card, extending it to Felix. ¡°Dr. Luke Davis is the head


    psychiatrist at Riverside Asylum. Highly regarded in his field, particrly with¡­ challenging cases.¡± He said thest part with


    a nce at Ethan.


    Felix epted the card and nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll certainly


    consider reaching out to him.¡± Then he wrapped an arm around


    Ethan¡¯s shoulders.


    Ethan leaned heavily against him, maintaining his facade of


    intoxication as they made their way through the main


    restaurant. Once they were outside, away from prying eyes and listening ears, particrly Olivia¡¯s and Alexander¡¯s Ethan


    straightened his posture.


    He released himself from Felix¡¯s grip and stepped away. By the


    time they reached Felix¡¯s car, he was back to normal. He didn¡¯t


    bother exining himself. Felix was a smart man, he could probably decode the reason for his actions by himself.


    And Felix knew. He wasn¡¯t stupid, and Ethan wasn¡¯t as good of


    an actor as he thought. But the problem now was that his sister,


    Chole was involved with this man. He pressed his finger against


    his temples, feeling a headache forming.


    Chole¡¯s fascination or rather obsession with Ethan was


    surprising to him. He couldn¡¯t understand it.


    Meanwhile, Olivia had taken refuge in the restroom in an


    attempt to avoid Ethan entirely. But through the thin door, she


    could hear the muffled sounding from the parking lot.


    Her wolf, Yve, concentrated intensely, filtered the restaurant


    noise, until they could hear clearly.


    It was the sound of a phone ringing repeatedly. And then, she


    heard Felix¡¯s voice.


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s missing? You were supposed to watch


    Chole. When was thest time¡­¡± His words were cut off by the


    sound of footsteps moving rapidly away.


    Olivia waited several more minutes, but when she didn¡¯t hear


    anything more, she finally ¨¦merged from her hiding ce and


    returned.


    When she returned to the private dining room, only Alexander,


    Gai, Korbin, Ben and his secretary remained. The mood seemed


    to have improved considerably since Ethan left. They were


    barely drinking, with most of the te already cleared.


    Olivia didn¡¯t bother taking her seat as the men were already


    rising from theirs.


    Ben approached Alexander with a warm smile. ¡°Alpha, I hope


    apter 109


    tonight¡¯splications won¡¯t affect our business rtionship.¡±


    He extended a hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to invite you to attend the eptance ceremony for the Aurora Resort project next Wednesday. It¡¯s going to be quite the celebration.¡±¡±


    Alexander shook Ben¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°I appreciate the invitation, Ben.¡± The older man was already smiling, but Alexander wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I¡¯ve already made arrangements to travel next week, so I¡¯m afraid the timing doesn¡¯t work.¡°¡±


    Ben¡¯s face fell. He¡¯d hoped to make things right with the Alpha


    at the event. Still, he wasn¡¯t deterred. He nodded, said his


    goodbyes and left with his secretary.


    As Alexander prepared to leave the restaurant, he shrugged off


    his jacket. Ethan had grabbed the fabric during their brief


    struggle. There was no way he would ever put that over his


    body again.


    ¡°Gai,¡± he held it out to his Gamma. ¡°Please dispose of this jacket. I


    won¡¯t be needing it anymore.¡±


    Gai nodded without question, collecting the expensive garment


    as if it were contaminated. He knew his Alpha had always been


    particr about such things. Ethan had clearly crossed a line.


    The three of them finally left the restaurant, jumping into the


    car. Gai and Alexander were back in business mode, almost


    forgetting about what had just transpired.


    Chance 183


    But all Olivia could think about was the phone call she overheard. The kidnapping and attempted murder charges levied against Chole should have guaranteed at least fifteen years behind bars.


    But the Windsor¡¯s family influence has proven to be stronger than justice even. They¡¯d fabricated medical records, painting Chole as someone who was mentally unstable.


    It frustrated her to no end. Now Chole was free to roam around,


    facing no consequences for her actions. It frustrated her that


    the system had failed once again.


    What made it worse for Olivia, was how Alexander seemed to


    have just epted the situation. He had to know the truth. He


    had resources and connections to stop such injustice from


    happening.


    But she couldn¡¯t really think that way. After all, she had no


    right to ask Alexander for anything.


    No right at all.


    *Author*


    The look on Olivia¡¯s face didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Alexander. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about it except talk about


    business.


    ¡°Which one of you would be avable to apany me on a


    business trip next Wednesday? It¡¯s going to be at a resort in the


    mountains of Linville.¡±


    After the disastrous lunch today, thest thing Olivia wanted


    was to apany Alexander to yet another business meeting.


    ¡°I can stay at the office and handle things here.¡±

 Alpha Novel 104

    From the driver¡¯s seat, Gai caught Alexander¡¯s eye in the rearview mirror. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Alexander considered this for a moment, drumming his fingers


    thoughtfully against his knee. ¡°Actually, no. Olivia, you¡¯lle


    with me instead.¡±


    Both Olivia and Gai were dumbfounded. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened


    slightly, while Gai¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened.


    ¡°The task is fairly straightforward,¡± Alexander continued, with


    a matter¨Cof¨Cfact tone as he looked at Olivia. ¡°It would be a good


    experience for you, given that you¡¯re still getting familiar with


    how we handle business operations.¡±


    Olivia wanted to decline. But he was her boss. She couldn¡¯t


    exactly contradict him without a valid reason or already


    scheduled engagement.


    So, she just nodded. ¡°Of course, if you think that¡¯s best.¡±


    But it was Gai¡¯s reaction that took the cake. From his position in


    the driver¡¯s seat, he slowly began connecting the dots.


    It appeared the truth had been staring at him all along, but he¡¯d been too blind to see it. The first time the thought urred to


    him, it¡¯d seemed terribly farfetched. However, when he put this


    current decision of Alexander¡¯s, coupled with his behavior at


    the luncheon, and how his Alpha had taken a knife in the back


    for Olivia, there was only one conclusion he coulde to.


    There had to be some form of special rtionship between the


    two.


    As it dawned on him, Gai¡¯s eyes widened. The realization was so


    staggering that his hands trembled on the steering wheel.


    Before he knew what was happening, the car veered toward


    the center line. Gai¡¯s heart pounded as he struggled to maintain


    control of both the vehicle and hisposure.


    After a brief scolding from his Alpha, Gai kept the car in steady


    motion up until they reached the safety of the office.


    The moment they came to a stop in front of Green group, Olivia


    rushed out of the car and made a beeline for the break room.


    ording to the spreadsheet she received earlier, Alexander


    was due for another cup of coffee.


    But just before she hit the elevator button, Gai caught up to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got this covered. You should focus on preparing for the


    trip.¡±


    Olivia agreed on the spot. Well, she was exhausted and Yve kept nagging at her subconscious to debrief on the entire luncheon.


    But Gai didn¡¯t just stop there. Throughout the day, Gai


    continued to intercept Olivia¡¯s tasks. Every time she went to do


    something for Alexander, Gai was there to ¡®help her out.


    He organized Alexander¡¯s schedule, prepared his afternoon tea


    with the exact amount of sugar Alexander preferred, and even


    took over the responsibility of sorting through Alexander¡¯s


    correspondence.


    It was shocking, but pleasant still. To her, Gai appeared to be


    stepping up as a supportive colleague, perhaps recognizing her


    need to concentrate on more pressing matters. It was nice to see


    that Gai had her back in such a high¨Cpaced environment. And


    since this was her first day, she greatly appreciated the gesture.


    But what she did not know was that wasn¡¯t Gai¡¯s motivation at


    all.


    The following week passed in a blur. Olivia was busy trying to


    understand thepany¡¯s operations. She spent her lunch


    breaks with colleagues from different departments, learning


    about their processes and building rtionships. Well, as the head of the secretarial department, she had to get to know


    them.


    It was easier than she thought, as most of the employees were weing and most of the rumors surrounding her had started


    to die down.


    The only thing that put a damper on her mood was the impending business trip with Alexander. However, her wolf, Yve and Ava did not agree with that sentiment. So much so that


    on the eve of the trip, as Olivia filled her luggage with suitable outfits for the trip, Ava started putting ideas in her head.


    She was sprawled across the couch painting her nails a vibrant


    red color when she began.


    ¡°So, let me get this straight, you¡¯re going on a business trip with


    your incredibly attractive boss, just the two of you, and that is


    what you¡¯re packing?¡± Ava pointed at the green turtle¨Cneck


    sweater Olivia had in her hands.


    Olivia looked up. ¡°It¡¯s a business trip, Ava. Not a romantic


    getaway!¡±


    ¡°Right, but you¡¯ll be alone together. Come on, Liv. When¡¯s the


    ¡°An opportunity for what?¡±


    Ava blew on her finger before answering. ¡°To see if there¡¯s


    something more between you two.¡±


    Oliviaughed at that, shaking her head. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t


    want something to happen between us. Alexander isn¡¯t the kind


    of guy who could be easily handled.¡± She didn¡¯t budge,


    effectively throwing Ava out of her apartment when her friend


    tried to coach her on subtle flirting techniques.

 Alpha Novel 105

    The next morning, however, Olivia jolted awake only to realize


    that she¡¯d overslept by nearly an hour. She was supposed to


    meet Alexander at his home at eight¨Cthirty, and it was already


    past eight.


    She rushed through her morning routine, throwing on her most


    professional.outfit (ck cks and a cream top). She barely had


    time to run a brush through her hair before she was out the


    door.


    When she finally met Alexander¡¯s dining room in hisrge


    home, breathless and dragging her luggage behind her, she


    found the Alpha what appeared to be the most exquisite


    breakfast she had ever seen.


    ¡°Good morning, Olivia. I trust you slept well?¡± he said smoothly,


    setting down his coffee cup.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯mte. I¡­¡± she trailed off as her gaze fell on his


    te.


    Perfectly poached eggs sat on his te,with vegetables and


    what looked like the most delicate pastries in the world. The


    aroma made her stomach growl audibly. Olivia swallowed hard,


    trying to suppress the hunger that bubbled up at the sight of


    COMNET TUS


    such incredible food.


    Alexander noticed the pure look of wonderment in her eyes.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ no, I was runningte and didn¡¯t have time¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, join me.¡±


    Before Olivia could protest, he had already signaled to Mike.


    Within seconds, Mike approached with a te that was every


    bit as mouthwatering as Alexander¡¯s.


    ¡°The eggs are from chickens raised on a small farm just outside


    the city,¡± Mike exined, as he set the te in front of her. ¡°The


    vegetables are sourced from our rooftop garden, harvested this


    morning. The pastries are made with French butter and filled


    with fruitpotes that we prepare daily in our own kitchen.¡±


    Olivia was spellbound, eyes widening at each detail. Once Mike


    left, she mused, ¡°I wish I had a butler like that.¡±¡±


    Alexander chuckled softly. ¡°That could be arranged.¡±


    *Author*


    Once Olivia hadpletely devoured the breakfast, Mike grabbed the duo¡¯s luggage and drove them to the airport. Even


    though she¡¯d initially been skeptical about this trip, she found herself feeling a swirl of excitement. She¡¯d never been to the


    mountains of Linville, much less <i>a </i>resort there.


    She¡¯d previously looked up the resort, only to discover that it


    was co¨Cfunded by Green group and the Wilde family. That only


    solidified that the resort promised luxury and breathtaking


    scenery.


    Her and Alexander went through the check¨Cin and boarding


    processes at the private terminal swiftly and easily. And once


    they were in the private jet, Oliviapletely zoned out.


    Alexander was too busy going through important documents


    that he paid her no mind.


    Even when they descended and hopped into the SUV that


    began the trip through the countryside and to where the resort


    was located. Olivia pressed her face against the car window,


    quietly studying thendscape. Without realizing it, her eyelids


    grew heavy and she drifted into sleep.


    Alexander¡¯s wolf noticed the moment Olivia¡¯s breathing slowed.


    He turned and gently guided her head to rest against his


    shoulder rather than the window. Her dark hair spilled over his


    shirt, but he didn¡¯t mind. He remained perfectly still, not


    wanting to disturb her.


    Olivia had no idea how much time had passed when she finally


    opened her eyes. When she did so, she realized she was leaning


    against what felt like the warm and flexible back of a chair.


    But something was very strange about this chair. It was


    moving.


    She turned her head slowly, eyes first meeting the crisp white


    fabric of Alexander¡¯s shirt and the movement of his throat as he


    swallowed.


    Olivia sat up straight immediately, putting enough distance between them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she mummured, heat already flooding her face. She couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d been sleeping on her boss¡¯s shoulder. How terribly unprofessional of her.


    She wracked her brain, trying toe up with an excuse as to


    why she¡¯d let herself go so easily. Then she finally came up with


    something. ¡°I watched a horror moviest night and didn¡¯t sleep


    well, so I must have been exhausted.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s lips curved into an amused smile. He knew what


    she was trying to do. ¡°Ah, so it was the horror movie that made


    you seekfort in my arms? How interesting that fear would


    drive you to find safety right here.¡± He tapped his shoulder,


    clearly enjoying the mortified expression on her face.


    Olivia¡¯s cheeks grew even hotter. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. I¡¯m just d I could keep you safe from your¡­


    nightmares.¡±


    Olivia was so shocked that she nced at the tall man driving


    the car, but he¡® quickly averted his gaze.


    Alexander kissed his teeth, catching Olivia¡¯s attention. The


    Alpha was shaking his head as if she¡¯d done something so


    terrible.

 Alpha Novel 106

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed of, Olivia. I mean, it was very obvious how bad you wanted toy on my shoulder. You


    even mumbled in your sleep. I believe your exact words were


    something along the lines of needing a fortable pillow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Olivia protested, sitting up abruptly and


    looking between Alexander and the driver for support.


    He caught her eye in the rearview mirror and nodded


    apologetically. ¡°Sorry, miss, but you did mumble something


    about beingfortable when the boss tried to adjust your


    position earlier.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of red. ¡°You should


    have pushed me away or woken me up!¡± She pointed an


    usatory finger at Alexander. ¡°This ispletely


    inappropriate!¡±


    Alexander gasped dramatically. ¡°I don¡¯t abuse my subordinates. And quite frankly, I¡¯m offended that you would suggest such a thing. What kind of boss would I be if I disturbed someone¡¯s


    much¨Cneeded rest?¡±


    Olivia waspletely speechless. She was convinced she had to


    have walked into an alternate reality, because there was no


    way this was happening right now. Her mouth opened and closed without making a single sound as she struggled to find aeback that wouldn¡¯t dig her deeper into a widening hole of


    embarrassment.


    But thankfully, the convoy eventually arrived at the resort


    nestled in the mountains of Linville. As Alexander and Olivia


    stepped out of the car, they were immediately greeted by a


    small group of professionals, including Steven Miller, the


    project manager (a tall man with gray hair and dark eyes), and


    Robert Evans, the chief engineer, (a well¨Cbuilt middle¨Caged man


    with a chiseled chin and green eyes).


    ¡°Wee to Pine Ridge Resort,¡± Steven said, pointing toward


    the impressive building that rose majestically against the


    mountain backdrop. ¡°We¡¯re excited to show you what we¡¯ve


    aplished here.¡±


    Alexander nodded enthusiastically, hispany managed this


    ce primarily, so he was particrly eager to see the progress


    they¡¯d made.


    And so, the group ventured into the main building of the resort.


    Alexander was pleased as he walked in. He assessed the


    grounds, which were filled with delicate flowers, vases, a


    courtyard with a sprawling water fountain and perfectly


    trimmed hedges. Beautiful white horses, ostriches and even


    swans were being led around by the staff.


    For Olivia, it was a sight to behold.


    The ballroom was nothing short of elegant. The marble floor


    was polished so thoroughly that Olivia could almost see her


    reflection in them. The space was expensive, with arge,


    crystal¨Clike chandelier towering over them.


    The room was filled with trays and trays of delicately arranged finger food, savory meals and mouth¨Cwatering desserts.


    After the meal, Steven guided Alexander and Olivia toward a


    sleek tour bus waiting outside. ¡°I thought you¡¯d appreciate


    seeing the vi area where you¡¯ll be staying tonight,¡± he


    exined as they settled into thefortable seats.


    Steven had ensured that Alexander was seated beside him. And


    once the bus started moving and the others were distracted by the picturesque views, his expression quickly turned serious.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to brief you on.¡°¡±


    Alexander frowned, his wolf senses were already alert. ¡°I hope


    everything is okay?¡±


    ¡°Mostly. Ben Wilde arrived at the resort yesterday with a group of fourteen people. Ten of them were¡­ well, attractive young women. He brought them here under the guise of conducting a ¡®test run¡® of the facilities. They threw an all¨Cnight party at Mr.


    Wilde¡¯s investor residence.¡±


    Alexander said nothing, so Steven continued. ¡°From what our staff reported, it was quite the spectacle. Music, drinking, and¡­ other activities continued well into the morning hours. But


    everyone is still asleep.¡±


    The Alpha¡¯s face immediately transformed. His jaw tightened,


    ?


    and a muscle in his face twitched as he processed the


    information.


    His reaction didn¡¯t appear to bode well for Ben Wilde.


    *Author*


    Alexander¡¯s mind was fixated on Ben Wilde. The man was


    known for his drinking, but he¡¯d expected that even Ben would


    know when to draw a line between business and pleasure. This


    was a new business venture, thest thing he needed was some


    form of spectacle.


    He was still thinking about what to do with the information


    presented to him even as the bus drove through the resort. And


    when he finally looked out the window, he realized that Steven


    had outdone himself.


    Not only were they/taking the scenic route to showcase all the


    resort had to offer, but Steven had selected possibly the best


    Vi for Alexander to take residence.


    The Green Group had approved the design, but seeing thate


    to life was breathtaking.


    It was a sprawling Mediterranean estate, which was nked by an olive garden and a pristine water fountain in front. As they pulled through the iron gates, Steven immediately began to brief Alexander on the afternoon¡¯s rest arrangements and the subsequent resort visits he had meticulously nned for theing days.

 Alpha Novel 107

    Alexander listened with half an ear, nodding whenever Steven


    paused for his approval. He didn¡¯t care about most of the events


    nned as long as he ensured the resort was running smoothly


    and efficiently. And when Steven finished his enthusiastic


    presentation, Alexander simply waved him off with a


    dismissive gesture.


    ¡°Make whatever arrangements you think are appropriate. You


    know this ce better than I do.¡±


    Steven was excited. His ultimate goal was to please his boss.


    And with everything he had nned, he was certain Alexander


    would be over the moon with barely restrained glee.


    He then turned his attention to Olivia, who had been staring out


    the window in awe throughout the entire drive. When the bus


    finally came to a stop and they all climbed down, Steven


    approached her.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Olivia. I was wondering¡­ would you


    mind if I added you to the ns as a friend? I¡¯d love to stay in


    touch and to get a neutral point of view of the resort.¡±


    Olivia smiled warmly. The trip was turning into an adventure


    after all. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±


    Steven could barely contain his excitement. His day just kept


    getting better and better.


    However, Alexander watched this exchange from the side with


    growing irritation. The way Steven smiled at Olivia grated on his nerves. And it didn¡¯t get better when Steven began tovish


    praise on Olivia, telling her how she looked so put¨Ctogether


    after what must have been a stressful trip.


    And then, Alexander¡¯s patience finally snapped.


    ¡°Are we going to keep standing here?,¡± Alexander asked loudly,


    interrupting Steven¡¯s annoyingpliments.


    Steven¡¯s face immediately flushed with embarrassment as he


    recognized the Alpha¡¯s displeasure. Years of working under


    Alexander had taught him to read his employer¡¯s mood


    perfectly, and he could clearly see the warning signs.


    ¡°I¡­ I should go check on the afternoon arrangements,¡± Steven


    stammered, quickly excusing himself before turning around


    and walking far away from the vi.


    Olivia wasn¡¯t exactly surprised by Alexander¡¯s sour mood. He


    was almost always grumpy, especially when given news that


    wasn¡¯t pleasant. Even though the two men had tried to be


    discreet, her wolf had picked up on their conversation. Yve had


    been kind enough to brief her properly on the escapades of Ben


    Wilde.


    Chapter 107.


    Which, judging by the specifics, was enough to have Alexander


    feeling murderous. She didn¡¯t want to get caught in the cross fire and have Alexander transfer his pent up aggression on her.


    So, she quietly began to gather the suitcases from the car,


    intending to carry them upstairs herself without bothering the


    obviously troubled man.


    As she bent to lift the heaviest bag, Alexander¡¯s hand suddenly


    covered hers on the handle. And when she looked up, she


    gasped at the sheer intensity in his gaze.


    ¡°I am not in the habit of mistreating my employees.¡± Without


    waiting for her response, he lifted the suitcase from her grasp


    effortlessly and began to move toward the vi.


    Olivia blinked in surprise at Alexander¡¯s unexpected behavior.


    The Alpha was an enigma. She couldn¡¯t understand him. But


    she knew better than to voice her opinions.


    Without a word, she fell into step behind him as he strode


    toward the grand staircase, her mind racing to understand the


    Olivia wanted to take her time to appreciate the decor of the


    vi, but Alexander¡¯s long legs were moving so quickly, that all


    she noticed was a sh of white before she followed him to the


    upper floor.


    However, she wasn¡¯t disappointed as they moved through the space. It was wide, with gleaming tiled floors, warm lighting, elegant vases and artwork lining the corner spaces.


    Olivia sucked in a breath as they first arrived at the master bedroom which had a view of the valley below. It housed a


    ?


    king¨Csized bed, with a balcony that opened to an infinity pool.


    The guest bedroom was smaller, but just as luxurious with its own private balcony overlooking the olive garden from outside.


    After Alexander deposited the suitcases in the hallway, Olivia


    quietly imed the guest bedroom for herself, grateful for the


    privacy it would afford her.


    Once she had arranged her few belongings in the walk¨Cin closet,


    Olivia made her way to the master bedroom to assist Alexander


    with organizing his clothes. It was a task she had not yet


    performed since she started working for him, but she assumed


    it was her responsibility.


    She found the room empty, and his suitcase open. Different


    clothing items spilled out as if he¡¯d started arranging them, but


    swiftly abandoned the mundane task.


    Her hands moved automatically, smoothing fabric and aligning


    cors. But as she did so, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu


    fell on her.

 Alpha Novel 108

    Olivia found her mind drifting to a time when she used to


    perform this same intimate task for her ex¨Chusband, how she


    had taken such pride in ensuring his shirts were perfectly


    pressed, his ties properly arranged. She had been so devoted


    then, so eager to please him, that she didn¡¯t notice when their


    mate bond began to fade.


    She was so lost in the memory, that her fingers tightened


    unconsciously around the fine cotton of Alexander¡¯s shirt, and


    when she finally came back to reality, she realized with horror


    that she had squeezed the fabric.


    The once neatly pressed shirt now had wrinkles spreading


    across the cor to the torso.


    ¡°Do you have some particr grudge against my clothes?¡±


    Olivia gasped and turned around to find Alexander standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the wrinkled shirt in her hands.


    *Author*


    Olivia didn¡¯t know what to say or how to react. So, she tried to


    smooth the shirt out as much as she could, folded it neatly and


    set it aside. Then, she moved on to one of the suit jackets he


    packed.


    Once again, her mind began to wander. She even forgot that


    Alexander was standing right behind her, watching her movements. From the way her shoulders moved, he could tell


    she was upset. About what, he couldn¡¯t tell.


    She continued working, until she folded thest piece of clothing and deposited everything into the closet. When she turned around, she was startled to see that Alexander was still


    standing there. It was apparent that he¡¯d watched her throughout, and now she wasn¡¯t just embarrassed, she was also


    nervous.


    And that was a dangerousbination. Olivia started


    searching for something to fill the awkward silence. Before she could stop the words, or think of something better, she blurted, ¡°Is there anything else you need me to take off?¡± She


    immediately froze as the unintended double meaning of her


    words hit her.


    Alexander smiled slowly. Olivia walked right into that one. The


    Alpha would never let such a golden opportunity to tease his


    secretary pass him by.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯d catch a cold if I took everything off!¡±¡®


    And without another word, Alexander turned and left the


    room, leaving behind a mortified Olivia.


    Alone now, Olivia sank onto the edge of the bed. The look on


    Alexander¡¯s face as he turned away was burned into her mind.


    No matter how she reyed the scene in her head, she didn¡¯t


    know what that look meant.


    She buried her face in her hands. Her biggest fear was that this


    interaction might have given Alexander the wrong impression


    of her.


    Olivia remained in that spot for some time, and when the


    embarrassment finally fizzled out, she rose to her feet and


    returned to her room. She pulled herptop and went to sit at


    the desk in the room. She was staring nkly at the screen,


    when her phone buzzed with an iing message from


    Steven.


    Steven Miller: Ben Wilde would like to postpone today¡¯s


    nned event¡¯s until tomorrow. He¡¯s extending an invitation


    for Alexander to attend a wine tasting at his private vi this


    evening by 7pm instead. Please inform Alpha Alexander about


    this.


    Olivia read the message twice. After that awkward interaction


    with her boss, she¡¯d hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to see him till


    muchter. But the universe had other ns.


    Rising from her chair, Olivia made her way down the hallway


    to Alexander¡¯s room. She stood before his door for a moment,


    gathering her courage, then raised her hand and knocked softly.


    ¡°Alexander? I have a message from Steven about Ben Wilde.¡±


    Silence.


    She knocked again, a bit louder this time. ¡°Alexander?¡±


    Still nothing. Perhaps he was in the shower, or maybe he had


    stepped out without her noticing. Or perhaps, and this thought


    made her stomach tighten, he was deliberately avoiding her


    after their ufortable encounter.


    Olivia pressed her ear closer to the door, listening for any sound.


    But there was nothing still. She finally backed away from the


    door. She would leave him alone for now, and respect his space.


    The only option was to return to her room.


    Nearly an hourter, her phone buzzed again. Steven¡¯s name


    appeared on the screen.


    Steven Miller: Ben Wilde has inquired again. He says if


    Alexander cannote to the estate, he would be happy to


    bring someone to Alexander instead. He seems quite eager to


    meet. What should I tell him?


    Olivia stared at the message with a low groan. It dawned on her


    that she couldn¡¯t just let Alexander be. She had to get a response


    from him.


    With a deep breath, Olivia gathered all her courage and walked


    back down the hallway. She knocked on Alexander¡¯s door again


    with more determination this time.

 Alpha Novel 109

    Chapter <b>109 </b>


    ¡°Alexander? I really need to speak with you about Ben Wilde.


    It¡¯s urgent.¡°¡®


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Olivia sighed then pushed the door open. She stepped into the


    room to find Alexander had changed from his business attire


    into a casual button¨Cdown shirt and dark jeans. It made him


    look more approachable, but Olivia was still wary..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you. But I received two messages from Steven regarding Ben Wilde. Ben suggested postponing today¡¯s


    scheduled events until tomorrow, and instead invited you to a


    wine tasting at his private vi by 7pm. I came to inform you


    earlier, but you didn¡¯t answer.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s cheeks grew warm as she continued. She didn¡¯t want it to appear like she was scolding her boss. But she needed him to


    properly understand the situation.


    ¡°So I took it upon myself to have Steven keep Ben waiting for a response. He seems quite eager to meet.¡±


    Alexander simply nodded. ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing. And you don¡¯t need to worry about it, Olivia. You handled the situation


    appropriately.¡±¡±


    Olivia instantly felt relieved. She¡¯d been apprehensive of his reaction. With her boss, you never really knew what you¡¯d get.


    Alexander moved toward his dresser, pulled out a watch and


    fastened it around his wrist. ¡°Please let Ben know that I¡¯ll be


    there on time.¡±


    Olivia hesitated for a beat. Alexander seemed to be in a m¨²ch


    better mood. He wasn¡¯t exactly smiling, but he wasn¡¯t ring at


    everything in sight either. Considering the fact that Ben¡¯s antic¡¯s


    had put him in a sour mood, earlier, she worried that being in


    the same room with Ben would bring him right back to that


    ce.


    But Alexander was an adult, and more importantly, he was


    skilled when it came to reading people and situations. She had


    learned to trust his judgment, and she would leave it at that.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll send the confirmation right away!¡± She reached


    for her phone and typed a quick message to Steven. And when


    her phone buzzed, she looked up at Alexander and said, ¡°Done.


    Steven will inform Ben.¡±


    Alexander nodded, then moved toward the window. ¡°Maybe a


    walk before dinner is a good idea. You could clear your head.¡±


    Olivia was shocked. The sun had disappeared, leaving behind


    the shadowy look of the evening. How could Alexander suggest


    that she go on a walk by herself? She didn¡¯t know the area well.


    She could get lost¡­ among other things.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m up for it. Besides, going alone is¡­¡±


    ¡°I meant for both of us to go, Olivia. Together.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she murmured, suddenly feeling foolish. ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± She didn¡¯t want that either. But after her previous rejection, she


    couldn¡¯t exactly say no again. ¡°Alright then. It¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Still, she dreaded the activity. Alexander¡¯s words were always


    so difficult to understand. Every interaction felt like a reading


    evening with him.


    *Author*


    Olivia had no choice but to head back to her room and change


    into morefortable clothing. She settled for simple dark


    jeans and the green sweater Ava didn¡¯t want her bringing on


    the trip. It was cashmere, it wasfortable, so it would just


    have to do.


    She joined Alexander by the door and together, they stepped


    out into the cool evening air. They walked in silence for a


    moment, with Olivia barely paying attention to the flowers that


    marked the path. Instead, she couldn¡¯t stop wishing for this


    stroll to end soon.


    ¡°You know,¡± Alexander began, breaking the silence. ¡°There¡¯s an


    old legend about this time of day. They say once dusk usually


    Olivia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she yed along, eyes widening as she moved a step closer to him.


    ¡°Demons? What do they want?¡±


    ¡°They call out people¡¯s names. They manipte their voices so they sound exactly like someone you know and trust. Perhaps a friend, a lover, a family member. But if you answer, they will


    devour your soul on the spot.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrifying. How do you know if it¡¯s really a demon


    calling your name or just¡­ well, the person you think it is?¡±


    Alexander seemed to appreciate how she seemed so engrossed


    in the tale he was telling. ¡°That¡¯s just it. You can never be


    certain. The only way to protect yourself is to never answer


    any call at dusk.¡± He paused dramatically. ¡°No matter how


    familiar the voice sounds.¡±


    Olivia nodded quietly. She wanted to keep him talking to see


    how far he could spin this tale. But she eventually gave up and


    they continued their walk infortable silence


    Eventually, they reached a small pavilion right beside the


    valley. They settled onto one of the benches, and for several


    minutes, all they did was watch the sun descend. It was an


    intimate moment, one neither of them intended to create.

 Alpha Novel 110

    Alexander turned to look at his secretary. She was staring


    intensely with such a passionate look on her face. The golden


    hues of the fading sunlight graced her profile,plementing


    her features.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± he murmured softly.


    Olivia¡¯s body jerked, she opened her lips to answer, but then she


    remembered the legend from earlier and recognized that


    Alexander was ying a game with her. She tightened her lips,


    remaining perfectly still as she kept her gaze fixed on the setting


    sun.


    No matter how many times Alexander called her name, in the


    varying tones and voices, she didn¡¯t waver. Olivia was determined to win this game and show Alexander that he


    couldn¡¯t wear her down.


    Minutes passed and she still hadn¡¯t budged. The Alpha too


    intended to win so much so that he started shifting closer on the


    bench when she didn¡¯t respond.


    And then, Olivia felt his hands on her face. He cupped her


    cheeks gently and turned her head so she was looking at him. When she finally came face to face with him and saw the look


    Chapter <b>110 </b>


    in his eyes, she let out a low breath.


    What Olivia had failed to realize was that Alexander¡¯s mind had


    long since drifted away from the tale he¡¯d told her. While she was truly just ying a game, the Alpha¡¯s thoughts had been


    consumed by¡­ her. He was attracted to her.


    Alexander couldn¡¯t help himself. As he gazed longingly at her,


    he found his eyes dropping to her lips. He licked his and then


    began to lean in ever so slightly.


    Olivia¡¯s heart almost beat out of her chest. She squeezed her


    eyes shut. What in God¡¯s name was happening. But her wolf


    was having a field day. Yve howled in excitement, trying to


    propel Olivia to the Alpha.


    Just when Olivia expected his lips to make contact with hers, they changed direction at thest second and brushed her face


    instead.


    Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said: ¡°I could devour


    you.¡±


    Unable to resist any longer, Olivia opened her eyes and found


    herself staring directly into Alexander¡¯s eyes, so close that any


    movement would bring their lips together. She considered


    herself trapped.


    Time seemed to slow as Alexander began to lean in again, lips


    mere inches from hers..


    And then, he straightened abruptly, and pulled back from her,


    looking sorely disappointed. ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s harder to fool


    you than I thought.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s heart practically dropped to her stomach. So, he was just


    ying a game after all? It appeared he yed dirty, and was


    one of those people that would do almost anything to win.


    Alexander checked his watch coolly. ¡°We should go. Ben will be


    expecting us.¡±


    There was nothing else Olivia could say. She decided to spare


    herself any further embarrassment and followed Alexander


    through the now¨Cdark path toward Ben¡¯s private vi. She


    walked slightly behind him<b>, </b>still processing what had just


    happened.


    They arrived at Ben¡¯s vi soon after. And before they could


    even approach the front door, it swung open to reveal the


    youngdy who¡¯d been present at the luncheon with Ben.


    ¡°Mr. Green, Ms. Olivia. I¡¯m Pris, Mr. Wilde¡¯s secretary. He¡¯s


    been expecting you!¡±


    Pris led them into the vi¡¯s main hall. But almost as soon as


    they stepped in, Olivia was quickly assaulted by the strong


    scents clouding the air. It reeked of heavy alcohol, expensive


    cigarettes, and an array of perfumes. It seemed that all¨Cnight party had never reallye to an end, judging by the overwhelming noise that traveled down the hall.


    They walked into the living room, to find Ben surrounded by women. Olivia tried to count, but there were too many. The moment he noticed them, he pped loudly and walked over.


    ¡°Alexander! I was beginning to think you¡¯d changed your mind abouting tonight.¡± He moved to p Alexander on the shoulder, but the Alpha smoothly ducked away from the


    unwanted contact.


    Ben¡¯s hand fell to his sides, but he quickly covered it with a


    But Alexander didn¡¯t smile. ¡°I heard you were too sick to get out


    of bed. You should really take better care of yourself, Ben.¡±


    Ben couldn¡¯t cover it up anymore. He was thoroughly


    embarrassed and the red patch on his cheeks was a clear


    indication of how humiliated he felt.


    By some miracle, he managed to recover quickly. He turned his


    attention to Olivia with a smile. ¡°And what do you say, friend?


    Is the Alpha allowed to have a drink tonight, or are you still


    watching over him?¡±


    Olivia fixed a professional smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s entirely up


    to Alpha Alexander to decide.¡±


    The response seemed to satisfy Ben, who nodded approvingly.


    ¡°Excellent! Well then, let me introduce you both to some friends


    of mine.¡± He gestured grandly toward the crowded room.


    ¡°There are some fascinating people here tonight.¡±


    All heads turned to Alexander, gazing at him reverently. But


    then Olivia became acutely aware of something very


    significant.


    The room was filled with mostly women. And not just ordinary


    women. Ben had gone out of his way to gather an array of


    beautiful women and had then presented before Alexander.

 Alpha Novel 111

    *Olivia*


    Y


    It was like an exhibition. There was barely any wine in sight. All


    I could see was long legs, short, tight fitted dresses, and men that


    lookedpletely stered.


    Everyone was still staring at Alexander and instantly I felt this


    insane urge to protect him from whatever it was Ben had


    nned. I had a good idea though, one look at the people in the


    room, and you would.


    As a result, I found myself staying behind Alexander as Ben


    attempted to lead him further into the room. There was alcohol


    everywhere, and Ben had tasked the women with serving


    drinks. It was my responsibility to ensure that no one tried to


    tamper with his drink.


    But as I looked around, I realized that was easier said than done.


    These women were beautiful. They were ten in total, each


    having a unique feature the other didn¡¯t possess or was severely


    I moved to position myself near the far wall as Ben led


    Alexander further into the room. The most important thing


    was to ensure Alexander was okay. From this spot, I could see


    Chapter <b>111 </b>


    every single thing. And if anyone attempted to touch his drink,


    or slip something into it, I would know.


    I watched as Ben pped Alexander on the shoulder, gesturing


    toward one of the women. But, my boss coolly stepped around


    him, creating a wide gap between them. The entire room


    appeared to have seen this whole interaction as everyone went


    oddly quiet.


    Ben was obviously embarrassed, if the way he kept smiling and


    scratching was any indication. But the man didn¡¯t give up.


    ¡°I promised you expensive wine, and I¡¯m going to deliver on that


    promise.¡± He beamed and gave a mock salute. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Ben wobbled away, his stomach leaving the room before he did.


    I turned my attention to one of the women serving drinks. She


    had long golden hair, and she wore a skimpy red dress, the same


    shade as the lipstick on her lips. Aleena, I think I heard someone


    call her.


    Alexander was standing a few inches from me, ring at


    virtually everything in sight. Nothing seemed to be happening,


    so I fully studied Aleena, or rather what was happening to her.


    I watched as the men would try to slip their hands under her


    dress even though she made it obvious she didn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°Come on, sweetheart,¡± Yve heard one of them slur, his hand


    reaching for her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy.¡±


    I could smell her fear, but she managed to brush him off.


    I almost pushed myself off the wall when she approached


    Alexander with a ss of whiskey.


    ¡°Would¡­ would you like something to drink sir?¡± She


    stammered.


    Alexander¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°No, but thank you very much for


    offering. You should get off your feet and let these men get


    their own drinks.¡±


    Aleena looked up in surprise. But then, a warm, genuine smile


    crossed her face. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nced at him onest time


    before moving on.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to make of their interaction. However, I was


    certain Alexander wasn¡¯t interested in her. I didn¡¯t even think


    he was interested in women at all. He probably just gave her


    basic respect she was entitled to. Something half the men in this


    room knew nothing about.


    ¡°Ahah!¡± Ben announced as we walked back into the room,


    carrying two bottles of expensive looking wine. ¡°You¡¯re going to love this.¡± He turned and gestured. ¡°Aleena, please be a darling


    and get me two sses.¡±


    She nodded and scurried away, returning with two crystal wine


    sses. Aleena held them as Ben opened the first bottle of wine and poured it in. Then, upon Ben¡¯s direction, she handed the ss to Alexander.


    My boss stared at the red liquid for a moment before taking a sip. Ben¡¯s eyes lit up, waiting for Alexander¡¯s reaction. But his face fell the moment Alexander¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line.


    He handed the ss back to Aleena and said, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Ben didn¡¯t look pleased at all. In fact, his entire face was red, and


    if not for the bottles of wine in his hand, I was certain he would


    have tried to hit something.


    Alexander however looked bored and disinterested. He turned


    away, gazing out the open doors, to the balcony, his eyesnding on the infinity pool. I knew what he was thinking. He


    wanted to leave.

 Alpha Novel 112

    I watched as Ben followed his gaze, but a dangerous knowing


    smile crossed his lips. ¡°Ah! I see what you like now. My mistake.¡±


    He held his hands out, calling the attention of the crowd. ¡°Our


    Alpha here appears to like them innocent. These vixens are too


    much for him.¡± Then he turned to Aleena. ¡°Aleena dear, get me


    E.¡±


    What was going on? My eyes followed after Aleena as she


    deposited the items in her hand on the nearest table and rushed


    out of the room. I¡¯d barely taken a breath when the doors


    opened again.


    The girl that walked in front of Aleena looked like a frightened


    cat. She wore a flowy white dress that entuated her figure.


    She looked to be in her early twenties, with long brown hair


    that fell down her back easily. Her eyes were wide, and green,


    with an innocent, untainted look in them.


    I almostughed. Ben was about to worsen the humiliation he¡¯d


    already endured tonight. It was obvious he¡¯d barely thought


    this ¡®trap¡® through. If he knew better, he would end this ruse


    right now. Alexander would see through it right away. But Ben¡®


    s best friend was the drink in his hand, and we all know alcohol


    never gives great advice.


    The girl walked forward, practically shaking like a leaf as she approached Alexander. ¡°Hi¡­¡± she began with a shaky voice.


    ¡°My name is E. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    To his credit, Alexander didn¡¯t re at her. Instead, he smiled


    politely, and then moved to sit on the one¨Cseater to my right. He didn¡¯t respond.


    J


    ¡°E, why don¡¯t you grab a seat? We¡¯ll join you soon,¡± Ben said.


    The girl nodded and settled into the couch opposite Alexander¡¯s.


    It was filled with men drinking andughing. But the moment


    she sat down, they turned their attention to her.


    ¡°Looking for a good time, are you?¡±


    ¡°I can take you up to my room. Make you scream all night.¡±


    ¡°Hungry? I have something you can put in your mouth.¡±


    E shrieked and jumped to her feet. She grabbed Aleena¡¯s


    shoulders, using her as a human shield against the vultures. But


    her eyes kept darting to Alexander, as if expecting him to


    reprimand the men.


    I didn¡¯t me her. Alexander was the only decent man in this


    entire room.


    ¡°Come one,¡± I heard Aleena say to E. ¡°Go. He¡¯s not going to


    bite. Just walk up to him and strike up a conversation.¡±


    E swallowed. She eyed Alexander again. And then she began


    to move.


    *Olivia*


    I could see the fear on E¡¯s face, Yve could smell it even. But it


    appeared Aleena¡¯s encouragement was enough for her to put all


    that aside.


    E staggered forward, almost stumbling on the white dress


    that was too long for her. She didn¡¯t seem the least bit confident,


    but she kept moving, and eventually she stopped in front of


    him.


    She wrung her hands together, shifting from foot to foot. Then,


    she cleared her throat and said, ¡°Um, Alpha Alexander? Could


    I¡­ could I maybe sit next to you?¡±


    I watched Ben¡¯s face light up with satisfaction from his position


    behind her, his matchmaking scheme ying out exactly as he¡®


    d nned. The others, including Aleena and every man in the


    room all turned to watch with obvious anticipation.


    I knew what they were expecting. Because of how he¡¯d treated


    Aleena earlier, they expected him to view E as a damsel in


    distress and ¡®save¡® her. But, they were about to be sorely


    disappointed.


    Alexander¡¯s cold, intense gaze suddenly met hers, forcing her to


    ?????????????


    shrink back. ¡°You can squat.¡±


    A hush fell over the room. The words weren¡¯t just cold, but


    they¡¯dnded exactly as he intended. E¡¯s face went through a


    whole spectrum of emotions; confusion, embarrassment, then a


    deep, mortified red blush crept up her neck and onto her


    cheeks.


    Ben¡¯s mouth fell open. Everything he nned was slowly


    crumbling around him. One would think this man would give <ol><li>up. Wasn¡¯t he sick of being publicly humiliated? ¡°Alexander, I¡­¡± </li></ol>


    ¡°She asked if she could sit.¡± He gestured at theck of space


    beside him. ¡°I gave her an option.¡±


    Everyone was staring into space awkwardly. No one looked at


    Alexander directly, or E for that matter. The poor girl looked


    like she was seconds away from bursting into tears.


    Something finally clicked into ce. Alexander had never been interested in this girl. Right from the beginning of this poorly nned show. He knew what was happening, and he wasn¡¯t


    having it.

 Alpha Novel 113

    Chapter <b>113 </b>


    Chapter <b>113 </b>


    288 Maurya


    Ben seemed to have a taste for embarrassment because he smiled and gestured to the girl. ¡°E,e here.¡± She moved to him with trembling lips. He grabbed her arm and started leading her back towards Alexander.


    J


    I watched in awe. This man was truly determined in forcing this on my boss. Maybe he thought he would finally wear him down and


    Alexander would just ept her. But if he did, then he¡¯d be falling into Ben¡¯s trap.


    Ben, however, wasn¡¯t one to ept defeat so easily. ¡°Come now, Alexander. There¡¯s plenty of room on that couch if you just shift over a bit.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s jaw tightened. He didn¡¯t say anything, but from the subtle shift in his eyes, I knew his wolf was growling in protest.


    Ben didn¡¯t pick up on this, or he just didn¡¯t care. He started to walk, hand moving to E¡¯s elbow and guiding her forward.


    She moved like she had no choice, shoulders¨Chunched, eyes downcast. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to be any trouble.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s eyes flickered toward Ben in warning. Any sensible person would have ceased all movement. But Ben had never been sensible. He pressed on, maneuvering E onto the far edge of the couch cushions, where she perched like a bird ready to take flight.


    E didn¡¯t even open her mouth. She stared straight ahead, folding herps tightly in herp.


    0.00%


    11:29


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Ben beamed as he studied the sight of the two of them next to each other. ¡°E¡¯s had quite a difficult timetely. Haven¡¯t you, sweetheart¡±


    E nodded obediently.


    ¡°Her father died justst year. Car ident. Terrible thing. Left the family in quite a bind, financially speaking. And her mother, poor woman is in the hospital right now. Cancer, you know. The doctors say she needs surgery, but¡­¡± He spread his hands sympathetically. ¡°Two hundred thousand dors. Where¡¯s a young woman like E supposed to find that kind of money?¡±


    I listened intently, wondering where exactly Ben was going with this.


    ¡°She¡¯s been working multiple jobs just to pay for her mother¡¯s treatments. Had to drop out of college, can you believe it? And her brother¡­¡± He shook his head in disgust. ¡°Worthless. Probably spending whatever money he gets on drugs or gambling. So it¡¯s all on E¡¯s shoulders.¡±


    I resisted the urge to snort. This story was obviously fabricated. Poor E even looked shocked. The story was such a cliche, and I had a strong suspicion I knew who helped Ben whip this tale together.


    It had to be Aleena. From how she¡¯d ¡®supported¡® E all evening, I was


    certain she was in on this.


    I turned to look at Alexander. His expression had barely shifted. The earlier warning signs were gone, leaving a stoic expression behind.


    Alexander suddenly let out a breath and leaned back in his chair. He drummed his fingers against the armrest to his left, studying Ben.


    ¡°You know, Ben, I can¡¯t help but notice we just finished a bottle of Roman¨¦e¨CConti from 1945. Fascinating vintage, really. Do you have


    30.41%


    11:290


    239 WEDDING


    any idea what something like that costs?¡±


    Ben¡¯s smile quickly faded. ¡°Well, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Three million dors.¡± Alexander shrugged. ¡°Give or take. Which means we just consumed enough money to save E¡¯s family not once, but fifteen times over.¡± He paused for effect. ¡°Funny how tragedy bes so much more manageable when you put it in perspective, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    You could cut the tension with a knife. E looked like she didn¡¯t know whether to run or stay put. And as for Aleena, she was suddenly very fascinated by her nails.


    But Alexander wasn¡¯t finished. He turned his attention to E, who had gone rigid beside him, her face as white as paper. ¡°Tell me, E, are you worried about your father¡¯s spirit? Because honestly, if I were a dead man watching someone exploit my daughter¡¯s grief for entertainment¡­ Well, I might be inclined to pay a visit. Perhaps Ben should invest in an exorcist instead of matchmaking services.¡±


    That did it. Aleena let out a snort ofughter that she quickly tried to cover with her hand. The other didn¡¯t even try to hide their amusement. The entire room erupted in a fit ofughter, all to Ben¡¯s obvious chagrin.


    E¡¯s head dropped so low her chin nearly touched her chest, causing her hair to hide the shame on her face.


    ¡°You think this is funny?¡±


    Theughter stopped abruptly. We all turned to face Ben who was shaking in anger.


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 Alpha Novel 114

    ¡°You think I¡¯m some kind of joke?¡±


    Alexander smiled at him.


    ¡°I was trying to do you a favor,¡± Ben continued. ¡°But if you¡¯re going to be stubborn about it, if you don¡¯t ept my arrangement, then maybe it¡¯s time to stop asking nicely.¡± He straightened his shoulders in a challenging stance.


    But Alexander didn¡¯t seem the least bit bothered by him. If anything, his smile widened. ¡°Oh, Ben. I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡±


    *Olivia*


    I remained where I was, watching the cold look in Alexander¡¯s eyes. Ben must have realized his mistake, because he quickly took a step back and held his hands up.


    ¡°Look, Alpha Alexander, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help E. The girl is as stubborn as a mule. She¡¯ll probably throw the money back in my face.¡±


    E looked up at the brazen usation. I almostughed. Ben needed to keep his mouth shut. He was digging himself into a much bigger hole without realizing it. And from the look on Alexander¡¯s face, he shared the same sentiment.


    Alexander chuckled. ¡°Stubborn, you say? How convenient for you. You have another excuse.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse¡­


    0.00%


    11:29


    Chante 114


    ¡°Then prove it. Pay for her mother¡¯s medical bills. Do it right now. Cover every single outstanding bill.¡±


    All eyes left Alexander and shifted to Ben now. His mouth opened and shut, but no words came through. I watched his throat work as he swallowed, clearly wondering whether to submit or fight. He looked like a trapped animal, and I bet he knew he couldn¡¯t win against Alexander. Best to give up now.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Alexander smiled widely. ¡°How generous of you.¡±


    As if propelled forward, E suddenly rushed to her feet and went to hide behind Aleena again. I didn¡¯t me her. We all knew Alexander wasn¡¯t done with Ben. He wouldn¡¯t let him off with just a flimsy promise.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re celebrating your newfound generosity, perhaps we should toast with something befitting the asion.¡± He gestured to the top shelf behind the bar, where bottles of aged whiskey sat. ¡°The Macan 25, I think. At eight hundred dors a bottle, it seems appropriate for someone so¡­ financially generous.¡±


    Ben smiled proudly. ¡°We have anything you want. Name it and I¡¯ll have it in a ss for you.¡±


    ¡°A ss? Not the whole bottle? Come on, Ben, I thought you were better than that.¡±


    His smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. ¡°Why not? Like I said, anything you want.¡±


    ¡°Well, what if I want your entire collection? How much would that be? Four¡­ five million?¡±


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    11:300


    Chapter <b>114 </b>


    11 286 Vouchers


    Ben¡¯s face went pale. I could smell the surge of fear clinging to him. ¡°Everything¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, forgive me,¡± Alexander waved his hands dismissively. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s beyond your means? I do forget that not everyone shares the same¡­ resources.¡±


    I shook my head. That was a verbal massacre. Ben had definitely been asking for it all night, but that was a low blow, even for Alexander. I was horrified that he would throw his wealth in Ben¡¯s face. It was like watching a cat y with a mouse. Every line was clearly delivered for Alexander¡¯s amusement.


    By 9:30, Alexander was done using Ben as a whipping boy. He nced at his expensive watch, and rose from his chair.


    ¡°Well this has been¡­¡± Alexander sighed withoutpleting the sentence. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must retire for the evening. Tomorrow is another day, and I have¡­ business to attend to.¡± he fixed Ben with a look that said, ¡°unlike you.¡±


    <i>¡°</i>1


    ¡°Wait!¡± Ben¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed Alexander¡¯s elbow, stopping him from moving. One menacing nce from him and Ben dropped his hand. ¡°How about we grab somete dinner? I know this great ce that¡¯s open till midnight.¡±


    And then, Ben did the oddest thing. Just as he said thest sentence, he turned to the men and winked at them.


    rm bells went off in my head. This was clearly a trap. Ben hadn¡¯t been able to get anything out of Alexander yet, and this was just a ploy to buy himself more time. It wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible,¡± I said, stepping between them. ¡°Alexander¡¯s dietitian has strict instructions. No eating nine¨Cthirty.


    58.53%


    11:30


    208 Vouchere


    Doctor¡¯s orders.¡± It was a lie, but they didn¡¯t have to know that. As long as it got him out of this mess.


    Ben frowned. ¡°His dietitian?¡± His gaze moved to Alexander. ¡°Since when do you have a dietitian?¡±


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 Alpha Novel 115

    I didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Since Mrs. Green specifically asked me to keep an eye on his eating habits.¡±


    Mentioning Alexander¡¯s mother was a risk, but it was worth it. Hopefully, Ben will drop this whole thing.


    But he wasn¡¯t buying it. His lips curved into a suspicious smile as he reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out his phone slowly,


    watching my reaction. ¡°Well, then. I suppose I should call Mrs. Green and confirm these¡­ special instructions.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. Neither did Alexander.


    He dangled the phone in my face as if it was some type of weapon. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be very interested to hear about your concern for her son¡¯s wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°Please, go ahead,¡± I said without blinking. ¡°Mrs. Green would love to hear from you. She¡¯s probably still awake.¡±


    Ben¡¯s thumb froze over his screen as he studied both of us.


    Alexander stepped forward. ¡°By all means, Ben. Call her.¡±


    He still didn¡¯t move to press the dial, so I doubled down.


    ¡°You do know that Mrs. Green would be furious to find out that someone has gone against her wishes. If I were you I wouldn¡¯t want to be out in the middle of the night with Alexander. The wrath of Mrs. Green isn¡¯t child¡¯s y.¡±


    0.00%


    11:30


    288 Vouchers


    His thumb moved away from his phone screen, and he was fidgeting. I had him where I wanted him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware how protective she is of her children. Well, she¡® s the opposite of Mr. Green. He¡¯s all about business and his reputation. But his wife? She would fight tooth and nail for her children.¡± I paused for dramatic effect. ¡°She won¡¯t hesitate to haunt down anyone who poses a threat to her family. Anyone.¡±


    Ben was sweating. He had deposited his phone back into his pocket. Heughed nervously, scratching his neck. ¡°Of course I know that! I only meant we just sit and talk. We don¡¯t have to eat. Just wanted to treat the Alpha to good conversation.¡±


    I smiled to myself. Ben didn¡¯t want to look stupid. But he¡¯d already splendidly achieved that.


    ¡°Well, you should have said that.¡± Alexander pped Ben on the back, ying along. ¡°My mother would have no issues with that, so we can go ahead and have this stimting conversation. Shall we?¡±


    I nced at Ben. His face was bright red. Alexander had yed him again.


    *Olivia*


    Nobody said anything for the next few minutes, apart from Ben and Alexander that is. Ben would propose things, trying to get Alexander to agree to the dinner,, but every single time, my boss would shut him down.


    And after what felt like an eternity of coaxing, and a few strategic statements from Ben, he finally relented.


    ¡°Fine. but only for an hour.¡±


    28.81%


    11:30


    Ben beamed like a kid in a candy store. ¡°Splendid.¡± He pped his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s be on our way.¡±


    It made me wonder why he was so intent on getting Alexander out of here and into that restaurant. What did he want with him?


    My suspicions grew even stronger when we stepped into the restaurant Ben had chosen. It wasn¡¯t even ten pm yet, but the restaurant was practically empty. And with therge crowd that apanied us from Ben¡¯s party, it looked like we were throwing a party of our own.


    Ben rushed forward to grab a table right at the center of the room for us. ¡°Alexander, my friend. Here, here, take this seat.¡± he gestured toward the seat at the head of the table, patting the chair excitedly.


    Alexander didn¡¯t say anything, but moved toward the chair. Just as he was about to descend, I noticed Ben had turned around and was waving someone over. When I strained my neck, I noticed E, still looking as pale as a ghost. But it couldn¡¯t be her. She wasn¡¯t even acknowledging Ben.


    Then my eyes shifted left and I saw her.


    The woman in question had obviously been a victim of poor stic surgery. It was obvious in the way her boobs almost touched her chin, how her cheekbones were so sharp she almost resembled a well constructed doll. She had blonde hair, but even though they were shiny, I could see dark roots peeking out.


    There was nothing real about this woman.


    The woman approached our table, swaying her hips in an exaggerated manner. ¡°Alpha Alexander. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Vivian. But you can call me Vee.¡±


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    Chupe <b>178 </b>

 Alpha Novel 116

    &# 281 > Gene


    ¡°Please, sit.¡± Ben urged again, practically shoving Alexander into the chair beside where Vivian had positioned herself. ¡°They make the most incredible congee here. Isn¡¯t that right, Vivian?¡±


    Vivian ced a manicured hand over her lips as sheughed. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely perfect. And it¡¯s my favorite. I¡¯d love to bring you a bowl.¡±


    She glided away before Alexander could protest.


    I watched as she moved to the restaurant¡¯s open kitchen, noting the way she nced back repeatedly. How her hands trembled slightly as shedled the congee into a white bowl. And as she lifted the bowl from the counter, Vivian¡¯s fingernails extended just a bit. Yve alerted me immediately, and I had a sinking feeling that she was up to something.


    Vivian returned with the bowl cradled in her hands and a radiant smile. ¡°Here you are.¡± She set it down in front of Alexander. ¡°I do hope you enjoy it. I added a little something special just for you.¡±


    Something special indeed.


    Alexander lifted the spoon politely. ¡°Thank you. It smells¡­ unique.¡±


    He held the spoon halfway to his lips for a long moment. Ben leaned forward expectantly, while Vivian watched him


    intensely.


    Then Alexander set the spoon down gently beside the bowl. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have no appetite. But I appreciate the gesture.¡±


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    Chapel <b>116 </b>


    Ben¡¯s face fell in disappointment. ¡°Come now, Alexander, just a taste.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Vivian tried next. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°I said, no.


    And then Ben again. They seemed to be taking turns. ¡°This is their signature dish. We can¡¯te all the way and¡­


    ¡°I did say I had no intention of eating out. And you appeared to be okay with that. Why are you making such a fuss about this?¡± Alexander shot Ben with a meaningful look.


    E appeared before Ben got the chance to defend his less than honorable actions. ¡°I can join you if that makes it better. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>1 </i>


    Alexander didn¡¯t even acknowledge her presence behind him. He turned and looked up at me. ¡°We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I nodded. Finally. At some point, I feared we wouldn¡¯t be able to escape this unnecessary dinner. After a quick call from Alexander, one of the resort¡¯s tour vans rolled to a stop outside of the restaurant to pick


    us up.


    It wasn¡¯t until we were back in the vi and I was about to head to my room that Alexander finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    I turned away from my room door and faced him. It wasn¡¯t surprising. We hadn¡¯t had anything to eat in hours. And I was certain that


    Alexander would have eaten at the restaurant if not for Ben¡¯s suspicious behavior.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the fridge.¡±


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    000


    11:30


    18 Nougaro


    Ben¡¯s face fell in disappointment. ¡°Come now, Alexander, just a taste.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Vivian tried next. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°I said, no.¡±


    And then Ben again. They seemed to be taking turns. ¡°This is their signature dish. We can¡¯te all the way and¡­


    ¡°I did say I had no intention of eating out. And you appeared to be okay with that. Why are you making such a fuss about this?¡± Alexander shot Ben with a meaningful look.


    E appeared before Ben got the chance to defend his less than honorable actions. ¡°I can join you if that makes it better. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±


    Alexander didn¡¯t even acknowledge her presence behind him. He turned and looked up at me. ¡°We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I nodded. Finally. At some point, I feared we wouldn¡¯t be able to escape this unnecessary dinner. After a quick call from Alexander, one of the resort¡¯s tour vans rolled to a stop outside of the restaurant to pick


    us up.


    It wasn¡¯t until we were back in the vi and I was about to head to my room that Alexander finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    I turned away from my room door and faced him. It wasn¡¯t surprising. We hadn¡¯t had anything to eat in hours. And I was certain that


    Alexander would have eaten at the restaurant if not for Ben¡¯s suspicious behavior.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the fridge.¡±


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    11:30


    228 170948


    Alexander pulled out his phone. ¡°Delivery it is, then. What sounds. good to you?¡±


    An hourter, bags of groceries sat scattered across the kitchen counter while I worked at the stove. Alexander han insisted on a home cooked meal, pasta specifically. Apparently, he didn¡¯t trust any restaurant closeby. And so, I put extra care while preparing the food.


    Alexander ate in silence as I cleaned up the kitchen and deposited the groceries into the fridge. I wasn¡¯t hungry, so I packed up what was left forter and wiped down the counter.


    By the time he finished eating, it was way past midnight. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed,¡± I announced. Exhausted was an understatement. I¡¯d barely gotten a single moment to myself since the flight down here.


    I headed to my room as Alexander finished his ss of water and trudged up the stairs. I sighed when I finally shut the door behind me. Finally.


    After a quick shower, I jumped into bed and soon drifted off to sleep.


    Until a low growl woke me.


    My eyes snapped open, and the sound came again. It vibrated through the floorboards above my head. I blinked at the digital clock beside me.


    2:06 AM.


    I desperately wanted to go back to sleep, but when the sound came again, I had no choice. I jumped out of bed and padded upstairs, only to find Alexander¡¯s door slightly ajar.


    I pushed it open and gasped at the sight in front of me.


    Alexander was standing by his nightstand, ws extended, eyes zing red with anger. His chest rose and fell, rumbling with every


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    violent growl that escaped his lips.


    And who was crying on the floor in front of him? E. She was dressed in light pink muslin pajamas, shoulders shaking as her tears soaked into the rug.

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    Chapter <b>117 </b>


    Damn it, Ben. Why couldn¡¯t he just give this a rest. Alexander had clearly expressed that he wasn¡¯t interested. Would it kill him to just leave things alone? No. he had to send E to sneak into Alexandra¡¯s room in the middle of the night.


    Even a fool would know that approach wouldn¡¯t end well. How else did he want Alexander to tell him no. In Spanish?


    The expression on Alexander¡¯s face finally eased, morphing into one of disgust. ¡°Throw her out.¡±


    That only made E cry even louder.


    *Olivia*


    Even though I didn¡¯t agree with what Ben was doing, I couldn¡¯t leave a crying E on the floor. I reached down and pulled her up. Her tears had soaked through my silk pajama top by the time I guided her trembling body down the staircase.


    Just before we reached the front door, E lifted her head up. ¡°Please, Olivia. You have to help me. I¡¯ll do anything. Anything at all. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡±


    I felt pity for her. She¡¯was only doing this because of Ben. He forced her toe here and the poor girl didn¡¯t have a say in the matter. But, maybe if I pressed her, she would slip up and tell me something useful.


    ¡°E, breathe.¡± I waited for her to stop shaking before speaking again. ¡°Tell me exactly what you need.¡±


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    She sniffled. ¡°I need to be Mr. Green¡¯s lover. Tonight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I began, then stopped. I was expecting that. That was the whole purpose of Ben¡¯s stunt.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped anyway. He already drank the water.¡±


    I frowned ¡°What water? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The water I gave him. It was drugged.¡±


    My mouth fell open. Ben had managed to slip something past us.


    ¡°See? You don¡¯t have to do much. The drug would kick in soon. Just help me get back up there and I can just¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I growled. I heard E gasp, but I didn¡¯t care. I was going to put an end to this right here and now. ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Olivia¡­ you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t listen to her. I yanked the door open and ced my hand on her back ready to shove. ¡°Tell Ben he¡¯s made an enemy of the Green family. He better watch his back.¡± Then I pushed her out and ran back upstairs to Alexander¡¯s room to check on him.


    I found Alexander slumped in the leather recliner by the window. His eyes looked bloodshot now,cking any of the earlier rage. His chest rose and fell slowly, almost as if he were struggling to breathe. And he hadn¡¯t even noticed me yet, which wasn¡¯t like him.


    When I looked down, I noticed an empty bottle of waterying at the foot of his massive four¨Cposter bed.


    ¡°Alexander?¡± I whispered, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me.


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    Chapter <b>117 </b>


    With great effort, he finally lifted his head to look at me. It took a moment for his eyes to focus, but when they did, he looked relieved. ¡°Olivia? What are you¡­ how did you¡­¡±


    Yve was howling in concern as I crossed the room to meet him. I settled onto the edge of the bed beside his chair. ¡°I know what happened. Are you feeling anything unusual? Pain? Dizziness?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± He started to speak, but gave up and just nodded.


    Yve whimpered again at his current state. Without thinking, I reached out to touch his forehead, checking for fever. And sure enough, his skin burned my palm.


    ¡°We need to get you to a hospital.¡± I instinctively reached for my phone, but realized I¡¯d left it in my room. I¡¯d also need to change. I began to rise, already thinking of next steps to make. ¡°This could be¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I ignored him and jumped to my feet and headed toward the door. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do. I need to go back to my room and get organized. Figure out how¡±


    ¡°Olivia, wait.¡±


    The need in his voice stopped me dead. When I turned back, Alexander was trying to rise from the chair, his movements unsteady but determined.


    And then, his hand was on my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. He felt even hotter than before, and he seemed even more disoriented. This wasn¡¯t looking good.


    ¡°Alexander, the drugs are starting to affect you.¡±


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    He began to sway on his feet and as I reached to steady him, he suddenly leaned closer, pressing half his weight on me. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


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    I swallowed. ¡°Stay right here. I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± I turned toward the door, desperate to put some distance between us. But I¡¯d barely taken three steps when I felt his hand close around my wrist.


    ¡°Olivia¡­¡±


    He spun me back toward him and I found myself pressed against his chest, trapped between his body and the leather recliner. Alexander¡¯s face was mere inches from mine.


    ¡°Alexander, you need to let me¡­


    ¡°1


    But my words were cut off as his mouth crashed down over mine. The first thing I felt was shock. However as his hot lips familiarized themselves with mine, my body began to react.


    For a second, I allowed myself to get lost in the kiss. Even Yve was excited at being touched.


    The kiss deepened, and I could feel myself melting into him, every nerve in my body responding to his touch. And when his hand slid from my cheek down to cup my breast through my silk blouse, my body betrayed me again.


    I felt wetness begin to pool between my thighs. But then, my body¡¯s response to him brought me back to reality.


    This wasn¡¯t Alexander. It was the drug.


    Yve whimpered in protest as I bit down hard on his lower lip. He loosened his grip instantly. I shoved his chest with both hands and jumped to my feet.


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    I swiped at my lips aggressively. ¡°You have to go to the hospital. You¡® re not okay.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look fazed at all. ¡°No, Olivia. It¡¯s too far. With the way I feel, I might just have a seizure in the car. Don¡¯t you think that would be problematic?¡±


    I blinked at him. The wordsing out of his mouth didn¡¯t match his tone or facial expression. But I didn¡¯t know what to do. So, I began searching for Alexander¡¯s phone, which I found on the nightstand. I quickly dialed Gai¡¯s number, but he didn¡¯t pick up.


    After the fourth try, I gave up.


    I wracked my brain. Alexander was hunched over, staring at the floor nkly. If I didn¡¯t do something soon, he might just have that seizure right in this room.


    And then a lightbulb lit up in my head.


    I rushed to the bathroom and began filling the tub with ice cold water. When I returned, Alexander was about to copse into his bed.


    ¡°Hey, you can go back to sleep in a minute. But first, you need to soak in the tub.¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    I blinked. Alexander was pouting and looking at me like a stubborn five¨Cyear¨Cold. I had to coax, cajole and make empty promises that involved more strawberry short cake. And finally, he followed me into


    the bathroom.


    I tried not to look as he stripped and climbed into the tub. Still, I caught a sh of perfectly shaped butt before she slipped in.


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    He sighed and leaned back. ¡°I bet you feel great right now. You saved me from impending doom.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. And it wasn¡¯t easy. I went to great lengths to make sure you were okay.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then I guess you deserve an award.¡±


    Oh, definitely.


    *Olivia*


    After an hour had passed and the water started growing warm, I ran downstairs to gather some ice cubes. I crouched beside the tub, and began dropping them into the water. Alexander didn¡¯t even move as I performed the task.


    ¡°Olivia¡­ I think¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking clearly. Less thinking and more soaking.¡±


    He groaned. ¡°The drug¡¯s wearing off.¡± He gripped the edge of the tub and made to climb out. ¡°My strength is returning, I can feel it.¡±


    I ced a firm hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. ¡°That¡¯s exactly when the rebound effect is strongest. You should listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you even know what you¡¯re doing? How is soaking myself in ice water supposed to help me?¡±


    ¡°Just sit still. You¡¯ll feel better in a second.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice, do I?¡±


    I smiled triumphantly. It was nice to be in charge for once. ¡°Exactly.¡±


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    But my victory was short¨Clived, as the world soon exploded into chaos.


    Alexander¡¯s hand shot out, and in a sh, he had locked his fingers around my wrist. He yanked me forward with so much force that I tumbled headfirst into the tub.


    ¡°ALEXANDER!¡± I shrieked, surfacing and gasping as my clothes instantly soaked through and clung to my skin. Damn it. This was one of my favorite pajamas. And the worst part? The water was so cold that my entire body went numb, sending me into temporary paralysis.


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    Azy smile spread across his lips as he held me down.


    ¡°Let me out!¡± I tried to scramble out, but his arm came up to clock my escape.


    ¡°Tell me something, Olivia. Do you actually feel cold right now?¡±


    I blinked. Here I was, teeth chattering, shoulders shaking and this man wanted to know if I was cold?


    <i>¡± </i>


    ¡°¡­or would you like to discuss the real reason you wanted me naked and vulnerable?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to help,¡± I managed to say through the ice cold. I


    desperately tried to scoot backward in the cramped tub, but there was no space. ¡°You were in a terrifying state. Would you have preferred if I left you that way? Look, if you can¡¯t stand the cold, you can just get up and¡­¡±


    My words died as Alexander¡¯s arms tightened around me, drawing me even closer. I was shocked at the heat that radiated from him even with literal ice cubes surrounding us.


    ¡°Alexander, this is ridiculous. Let me¡­ ah!¡± A sudden, vicious cramp seized my left leg. Instinctively, I shifted to relieve the pressure, my leg sliding between his as I tried to find a position that would ease the


    spasm.


    The movement brought us chest to chest, my thigh pressed intimately against him in a way that made heat flood my cheeks despite the ice water. The position was impossiblypromising. I was practically


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    straddling him in the narrow tub.


    ¡°Oh God,¡± I gasped. I was mortified. I didn¡¯t want Alexander to misinterpret things. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ it¡¯s just a cramp, I need to¡­


    <b>299 </b>Volsters


    I tried to pull back and extract myself from thepromising position, but Alexander¡¯s hands settled on my hips firmly to keep me exactly where I was. His eyes had gone dark.


    ¡°Stay.¡± It was a clearmand, and somehow, I remained pinned to the spot.


    ¡°Alexander¡­¡± I could see it in his eyes. Whatever rational thought that had been governing his actions hadpletely disappeared.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be this close to me and not feel anything, Olivia. And now I finally have you where I want you. Don¡¯t you think we can make great things happen in this tub?¡±


    ¡°Alexander¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you feel the heating from me? That¡¯s all for you. I¡¯m going to warm you up now.¡±


    Panic red in my chest. I didn¡¯t want to consider his words, because if I did, I might never leave this tub. I pressed my palm t against his chest and pushed.


    ¡°Alexander, stop. You need to calm down. Think about what you¡¯re doing. Think about your reputation, your position. You can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s thest thing I care about right now. All I care about is having you exactly as you are.


    <i>¡°</i><i>1 </i>


    Oh, God. This was getting really bad. ¡°Alexander, please.¡±


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    I pushed harder against his chest, trying to create distance between us, but the movement only made everything worse. My struggles caused our bodies to slide against each other in the confined space, my attempts to escape creating friction that made him inhale deeply.


    Still, I kept struggling. Even as his grip tightened on my hips, I squirmed and moved like a snake in the water. But Alexander was too big and too strong.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    ¡°No. Let me go.¡± I continued to struggle.


    ¡°STOP MOVING.¡± A loud growl burst out of him, shocking me into silence.


    We both wentpletely still. Our bodies were pressed together in the increasingly warm water, and we were both breathing hard for entirely different reasons. The ice cubes had mostly melted now, probably as a result of all the heat and movement.


    I couldn¡¯t look at him, couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t take a single breath. We just remained like that, neither of us moving.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how much time had passed, but then Alexander¡¯s body began to slowly rx. I looked up at him. He was blinking hard, and when he finally opened his eyes, they seemed toe into focus. Alexander was using every ounce of willpower to w his way back into control.


    ¡°Is there¡­¡± he stopped. His voice was so rough that he had to clear his throat before trying again. ¡°Is there any ice left?¡±


    The question felt so normal after what had just transpired, that it took me a moment to process it. When I did, relief flooded through me so powerfully I nearly sagged against him.


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    ¡°Yes. Yes, I think so. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll get more.¡±


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    Chapter <b>120 </b>


    He nodded and his hands finally released their hold on my hips. ¡°Go.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to be told twice. Scrambling backward, I climbed out of the tub on my hands and knees, water streaming from my soaked clothes and hair. My legs shook as I stood, whether from cold or adrenaline. I grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around myself.


    Without another word, I fled.


    I almost slipped on the hardwood as I rushed down the stairs. I was shivering when I got to the kitchen. I stood dripping, staring at the bag of ice I¡¯d left on the counter.


    Run, Yve urged. Go to your room before hees downstairs.


    I knew she had a point. I didn¡¯t know what version of him I¡¯d find if I returned upstairs. But, my traitorous feet kept me rooted to the spot.


    Damn it.


    After what felt like an eternity of internal debate, I grabbed the bag of ice and headed back upstairs. I took a deep breath before reaching for the bathroom door.


    It didn¡¯t turn.


    I tried again, but it still didn¡¯t turn. Alexander had locked himself inside. And I didn¡¯t know whether to be relieved or terrified.


    *Olivia*


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    I woke up the next morning thinking about Alexander with a distinct pit in my stomach. I feared the worst had happened. That he¡¯d hit his head and was lying unconscious on the bathroom floor.


    That singr thought had me springing out of bed and rushing out my room before I could think better of it. As I neared his bedroom door, I reduced my speed, walking on my toes instead, trying not to make a single sound.


    But as I leaned against his door and strained to hear any sound from within, I forgot the Alpha would have heard me jump out of bed.


    The door suddenly burst open, and with nothing to support my body, I stumbled forwards. His chest was mere inches from my face when I finally regained bnce and forced myself back. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I forced myself to look up at him.


    Alexander filled the doorframe, broad shoulders blocking my view of his room. He was fully dressed in dark jeans and a ck henley. He looked better than I did in my pajamas that were still rumpled from a haphazard night¡¯s rest.


    ¡°Olivia. What are you doing here.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I came to¡­¡± I wracked my brain, trying to think of something to say. ¡°To help you pack.¡± Yes, perfect. ¡°I came to wake you up and help you pack.¡±


    He eyed me for a second as if he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Go get breakfast. I can handle the packing myself.¡±


    I nodded quickly, desperate to escape the awkward moment ¡°Right. Of course. I¡¯ll go get that ready now.¡±


    ¡°Olivia.¡± Alexander was suddenly looking at me seriously. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t go into my room after I leave. You¡¯ll regret it.¡±


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    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Alexander stepped out of his room and shut the door behind him. I could feel his eyes on me as I hurried toward the kitchen.


    I didn¡¯t see him again as I worked to get breakfast ready, and I couldn¡¯t hear him either. So, I just assumed he¡¯d gone out. Once I¡¯d arranged the pancakes, bacon, eggs and a jar of juice on the dining table, I rushed back upstairs.


    Yve was yelling at me to head back down, but I ignored her and kept moving.


    His bedroom looked normal and clean. Nothing appeared to be amiss. But I soon ate my words when I pushed the bathroom door open.


    The smell hit me first. It was strong, making my stomach twist violently. I definitely should have listened to his warning. But every time he told me not to do something, it only made me want to do it


    even more.


    My cheeks burned with embarrassment. Alexander was right. I did regreting into his room.


    Without hesitation, I shut the bathroom door and rushed downstairs, only to find a smirking Alexander sitting at the dining table waiting for me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the entire thing had been a game to see what I would do.


    I hesitated for a moment. But after encouragement from Yve, my legs began to move and I settled into the chair adjacent to Alexander.


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    We didn¡¯t speak as we began to pile food onto our te. But as I watched Alexander devour his breakfast, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking aboutst night. He seemed so calm and collected now, just like his usual self. Meanwhile,st night had been a horrific experience.


    Whatever Ben had put in that whatever must have been strong enough to knock down an Alpha.


    Still, the image of him in that bathroom, vulnerable and alone, dealing with the after effects of the drug made my chest tighten.


    ¡°Olivia.¡± I jerked, realizing I¡¯d been staring at my barely touched eggs for several minutes. ¡°Are you all right? You seem¡­ unsettled.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied and forced myself to take a bite of eggs. They tasted like sand. But I forced it down my throat.


    He studied me for a moment, then set down his fork. ¡°I need to apologize.¡± His eyes met mine. There was guilt in them. ¡°Last night, when I kissed you¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have done that. It was wrong of me, and I take full responsibility.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I¡¯d been trying to forget that had happened at all. And now, he¡¯d brought the image to the forefront of my mind. ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology. It didn¡¯t happen, alright? It was the drugs, some kind of delusion. So just forget about it, okay? Pretend it never happened, because that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t read Alexander¡¯s expression. And I didn¡¯t have time to, because my phone buzzed against the table. Gai¡¯s name shed across the screen. Grateful for the distraction, I grabbed it immediately.


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    ¡°Yes?¡±


    17:288 <b>wouchers </b>


    ¡°I wanted to update you on the situation fromst night. Ben Wilde has left the resort, and he took his friends with him. He used food poisoning as an excuse, but we know better. Anyways, Alpha Alexander would have to attend the eptance ceremony alone.¡±


    My eyes shifted to Alexander. From the way his jaw was clenched tightly, I knew he¡¯d heard everything.


    He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re going to apany me now.¡±


    I groaned, but got up anyway.


    Thankfully, the eptance ceremony had onlysted for thirty minutes. And after heading back to the vi to grab our bags, we were on our way to the airport.


    When the car stopped in front of us, I¡¯d quickly imed the passenger seat: The move was petty and obvious, but I didn¡¯t care. I just didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Alexander.


    I could feel Alexander¡¯s eyes on me, burning into the back of my head, but I refused to turn around. Coward that I was, I couldn¡¯t face whatever I might see.


    Alexander¡¯s phone suddenly rang, breaking the depressing silence that had spread through the car. ¡°Tonight? Actually, that works perfectly. Send me the address.¡±


    I felt him lean forward. ¡°Change of ns,¡± he told the driver. ¡°We¡¯re not going to the airport. I¡¯ll give you the address in a moment.¡±


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    My stomach dropped. All I wanted was to get out of here and back to New York to my apartment, and even that was too much to ask for. I listened, trying to quiet down my rage as Alexander read out the address to a private club.


    I didn¡¯t want to be there.


    ¡°Olivia, is this okay with you?¡± I heard him ask, almost as if he could sense I didn¡¯t want to be here.


    But that didn¡¯t make me feel any better. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d listen to what I wanted anyways. I was certain he was just testing me. No, he was daring me to act in an unprofessional manner. He wanted me to lose my cool and yell at him. But I wouldn¡¯t take the bait.


    ¡°Yes, it is. We can head to the airport once you¡¯ve concluded your business.¡±


    Alexander smiled at me, but something in his eyes made me fear that I was on the verge of losing my job.


    *Olivia*


    What have I gotten myself into? I thought as the car made a sharp right, turning away from the airportpletely. It was only when I saw the bright LED sign of the private club up ahead, that I realized how badly I wanted to go back to New York.


    The moment the car rolled to the stop outside the club, I was already reaching for the door. I moved to the trunk and grabbed my luggage.


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    ¡°I¡¯m going back to New York,¡± I announced. I couldn¡¯t wait to put an end to this unpleasant trip.


    My fingers closed around my suitcase handle, but before I could lift it, his hand covered mine. ¡°Wait.¡±


    I shook my head and tried to pull away, but his grip on my bag tightened. ¡°Just let me go back. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    His eyes softened. He looked at me, really looked at me, and then his shoulders sagged as he lowered his head to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost control. I¡¯ve never¡­ I don¡¯t lose control, Olivia. Not with anyone.¡±


    Any anger I felt vanished. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    He looked up. ¡°I just¡­ I can¡¯t when I¡¯m around you. I can¡¯t.¡±


    Even though he was being very vague, I understood. Or at least, I thought I did. And if my guess was right, then things had gotten even moreplicated.


    I let the bag go and Alexander returned it to the trunk. I didn¡¯t protest as he led me into the club. But then I caught a glimpse of a tall, lean figure standing on the balcony. When our eyes met, I saw him smile mischievously.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    Alexander followed my gaze to the balcony. ¡°Duke Cater. An old friend. He¡¯s been waiting for us.¡±


    And watching us, Yve added. I felt him looking at you and Alexander.


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    I have a feeling he might have a lot of questions.


    I frowned, but followed Alexander into the club still.


    The interior wasn¡¯t anything like the exterior. Bright colors jumped out at me as we walked in. All the furniture was designed with velvet material, and there were nude art works everywhere.


    But it didn¡¯t hold a candle to the appearance of Duke Cater.


    He glided down the stairs, his Hawaiian¨Cstyle shirt hangingpletely open to reveal a skinny chest. Snake tattoos spiraled across his pale skin. His ck hair fell over his shoulder, bouncing as he moved. The man wore enough rings for three people. And he moved like a ballroom dancer with exaggerated movements.


    ¡°Alexander, darling!¡± He raised his hands, drawing my attention to the silver chains hanging across his throat. He spoke with a thick European ent. ¡°And you must be the famous Olivia I¡¯ve heard absolutely nothing about.¡±


    Just as his eyes began to rake over me, Alexander rushed and mped a hand over my eyes, causing darkness to envelope me.


    ¡°Sit.¡± I felt him pushing me into a chair. ¡°Duke, put on some clothes. Now.¡±


    I heard Dukeugh. ¡°Oh, but darling you know I hate confining myself. Besides, it¡¯s just us here.¡± I heard the sound of his rings clinking together. ¡°Surely, Olivia doesn¡¯t mind a bit of skin, do you, sweetheart?¡±


    Heat flooded my cheeks. The way Duke spoke to Alexander was awfully familiar.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking, Duke.¡±


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    ¡°Mmm, somanding.¡± Duke¡¯s voice dropped to a low purr. ¡°You know how that gets me all worked up, Alex.¡±


    My eyes widened even though they were mped shut. Alex?!


    ¡°Come here and give me a proper greeting, won¡¯t you? Just a little kiss for your old friend?¡±


    Oh God. They¡¯re together. I felt sick, and stupid. But also terribly confused.


    ¡°Stop being dramatic. Just fix your damn clothes,¡± I heard Alexander


    say.


    And then I heard Duke fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. ¡°There. Properly dressed just for you. Happy now?¡±


    Alexander¡¯s hand finally left my eyes and I blinked as my vision adjusted to see Duke now mostly buttoned up. He was watching me with amusement in his eyes. And that was when I realized my cheeks were hot with embarrassment.


    ¡°Shall we have a drink and get properly acquainted?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Duke raised one hand and snapped his fingers twice. Almost immediately, three servers appeared, carrying tes filled with steak, lobster, pasta, fruit, and probably every desert on the.


    My appetite suddenly returned and I devoured the delicious steak. It wasn¡¯t until most of the tes were cleared and Duke had poured himself a generous ss of expensive scotch that they spoke.


    ¡°So, the Windsor Group,¡± Duke began. ¡°Are you nning to leave them alone? Because Mrs. Windsor paid us a visit not too long ago about this same issue.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Mrs. Windsor came to the Cater


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    Dukeughed and dropped his napkin after wiping his lips. ¡°Well, she¡® is actually friends with Aunt Hana. You see, we have quite a colorful history. Would you like to hear the story, Olivia?¡±


    I found myself nodding.


    ¡°Once upon a time, my father had a brother named Stanley Cater. Stanley was what you might call¡­ impulsive. He fell in love with a woman named Hana. She was beautiful, ambitious, and utterly ruthless. Stanley, poor fool, was sopletely besotted that he didn¡¯t realize the woman he fell in love with nned a rogue attck, killing the former luna and her son. After a while, Hana became the luna of Cater Pack.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to think, and I didn¡¯t dare confirm what he was


    insinuating.


    ¡°Hana isn¡¯t just ruthless, she¡¯s patient. She¡¯s been pulling strings in the Cater family for over a decade now. She controls everything. And as the heir to the Cater pack, I¡¯ve be a liability. She might decide to cut me loose at any moment.¡±


    My chest tightened. The conversation had quickly taken a serious turn.


    ¡°What about Stanley?¡± Alexander asked.


    Duke sipped his scotch. ¡°Ah, dear Uncle Stanley. Guilt has been eating at him since the woman he helped put into power has turned into a monster. He¡¯s been showing signs of a conscience, but¡­¡±


    Alexander nodded in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


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    Chapter Tak


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    I listened without saying a word. I was sure the men had even forgotten about my presence as they continued with their conversation. Duke seemed like a different person as he talked about how his family was a huge name in Linville. And their Luna¡­ Jana wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with. From what he said, she sounded really dangerous.


    I had no idea pack politics ran so deep.


    ??


    ¡°Wait,¡± Alexander finally said once Duke stopped speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t make any moves yet. The oue of all this depends entirely on whether Mrs. Windsor can deliver what Hana wants.¡±


    ¡°And if she can?¡±


    Alexander lowered his voice. ¡°Then you¡¯d need to be very careful. Watch your back, Duke. Trust me. Hana wille.¡±


    Although I didn¡¯t know this woman, I didn¡¯t doubt Alexander¡¯s words.


    *Author*


    Alexander and Duke were engrossed in their heart clenching conversation, much to Olivia¡¯s dismay. Even though her divorce proceedings had been just as chaotic, it still came as a shock to her.


    ¡°There¡¯s something you should know, Duke. My sources suggest the Windsor and Hawtorne families are considering joining forces.¡±


    Duke listened seriously. He was already faced with a predicament of his own, and if the Hawthorne pack joined Windsor, his enemies would surely multiply. His jaw tightened at the thought. The burden of being the heir to the Cater pack was almost too much for him to bear.


    He rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling far older than his thirty years.


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    ¡°Christ, Alexander. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn¡¯t been born first. I never asked for this. Some days I wake up and wish I could just¡­ walk away from it all.¡±


    From her seat beside Alexander, Olivia had been absently pushing thest pieces of strawberry around her te, only half¨Clistening to the men¡¯s conversation. But Duke¡¯s heavy words drew her attention. She nced up to see the charismatic man she¡¯d met only moments before slumped in his chair, looking as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders.


    She set her napkin aside and rose from her chair. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said to no one in particr and made her way to the restroom.


    Duke watched her retreating figure for a moment before his attention shifted to Alexander, whose gaze lingered on Olivia¡¯s slender form with clear longing. A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Duke¡¯s mouth, providing a temporary distraction from his plight.


    ¡°Well, well. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say someone¡¯s been thoroughly captivated by his lovelypanion.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s cheeks flushed. He briefly considered denying the allegations. But he decided there was no point in doing so. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a secret.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e now. The great Alexander Green, rendered speechless by a woman? This is delicious. Have you told her?¡±


    Alexander considered the question for a moment. ording to him, he¡¯d expressed his feelings clearly. ¡°I have. And she made it abundantly clear that my feelings were not reciprocated.¡±


    Duke stared at him for a long moment, waiting for the punchline to the joke Alexander was so obviously telling. When none came, his eyebrows shot up in disbelief.


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    ¡°You¡¯re serious? She actually turned down Alexander Green?¡± A loud bark ofughter escaped him. ¡°My God, the woman has absolutely no taste whatsoever!¡±


    Alexander pouted in anger. Trust Duke to make fun of his predicament.


    ¡°I should keep a record of this historic moment,¡± Duke continued, wiping tears ofughter from his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old friend, my shoulder is avable for crying whenever you need it. Perhaps we should order you some tissues for dessert?¡±


    Alexander red at him. ¡°Duke.¡±


    But Duke was too amused to stop on Alexander¡¯s ount. ¡°I wonder what her type is, exactly? Clearly not wealthy, handsome, well- connected¡­¡±


    ¡°If you value our friendship, you¡¯ll shut your mouth right now.¡±


    Duke managed to stifle hisughter. He could tell the rejection had wounded his friend severely. And for that reason, he would stop the teasing¡­ for now.


    And then, the subject of their conversation walked back into the room. Duke instantly turned on his charm.


    ¡°Olivia! Perfect timing. Come sit next to me.¡± He patted the seat next to


    him.


    ¡°And please, none of this formal nonsense. Call me Duke.¡± And as she


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    began to protest, he ced a hand on her shoulder and added, ¡°I insist.¡±


    Olivia paused, studying his face carefully. She was caught off¨Cguard by the sudden change. She wanted to question him, but one look at Alexander had the words dying on her lips. Olivia sighed. She would do as Duke wanted, but only as a favor to Alexander.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Duke.¡± However, Olivia found herself gravitating toward the chair beside Alexander instead.


    Alexander, for his part, looked as though he might actually smile for the first time all day as she settled beside him.


    Duke watched Olivia¡¯s actions with amusement. ¡°Ah, I see how it is. She chooses her protector wisely. Olivia, my dear, I do believe I¡¯m going to im you as my honorary sister. You have such wonderful instincts. So affectionate, so loyal. Alexander is lucky to have such a devoted friend.¡±


    Duke made sure to add emphasis on the word ¡®friend¡® much to Alexander¡¯s chagrin whose jaw tightened dangerously.


    By nine o¡¯clock, the food had been cleared, and the conversation began to wind down, but Duke wanted more. It¡¯d been so long since he saw his good friend. He wasn¡¯t ready for him to leave just yet.


    Duke rose to his feet. ¡°Come on, you two. The night is young. My winery is just twenty minutes from here. I¡¯ve got a bottle of ¡¯98 Bordeaux that¡¯s been begging to be opened, and the terrace has the most spectacr view of the valley.¡±


    Alexander was already reaching for his jacket. ¡°I appreciate the offer, Duke, but we need to get back to New York tonight.¡±


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    Duke scoffed, and moved around to the table to ce an arm around his friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alexander, my friend, you¡¯re going to work yourself into an early grave. One night won¡¯t kill you.¡± His eyes lit


    up when a great idea struck him. ¡°In fact, I insist you both stay.¡±


    His grin widened further as another wicked idea urred to him. ¡°I could even arrange some¡­ romantic surprises. Champagne, rose petals, soft music. Whatever it takes to help my future brother¨Cinw seal the deal.¡±


    Olivia felt heat rise in her cheek as she watched the two men interact with each other. Duke leaned closer to Alexander, their heads nearly touching as he whispered something that made Alexander¡¯s expression darken further.


    There was something oddly intimate about the gesture. The way Duke¡® s hand lingered on Alexander¡¯s shoulder, how Alexander seemed


    They look like they belong together, Yve growled within her. The amount of anger Olivia felt surprised her.


    ¡°We¡¯re returning to New York tonight, and that¡¯s final,¡± Alexander said firmly, stepping away from Duke¡¯s touch.


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    Duke¡¯s face fell, but he quickly recovered with another mischievous smile. ¡°Fine. But promise me you¡¯ll bothe back soon.¡±


    After a lengthy goodbye, the Alpha and his secretary were finally on their way back to New York. Olivia was so exhausted that the moment she settled into her seat, she slipped into a dreamless sleep.


    Alexander, who had been watching her every move, saw the moment her eyes drifted shut. He rose quietly from his seat, careful not to disturb her. He retrieved a cashmere nket from the overhead


    As he gently draped the nket across her shoulders, his fingers identally brushed against her cheek. The contact was brief, but it was enough to remind him of the feel of her lips on his.


    And now, staring at her sleeping face with that tempting thought in his head, all he could think about was tasting her again.


    * Author*


    Alexander was conflicted. If he leaned down even by a fraction, his lips would make contact with hers. The desire to kiss her tugged at him, and he fought within himself for the next couple of minutes.


    It took all of his strength, and that of his wolf to restrain himself from closing that final distance. He clenched his jaw as he forced himself to retreat and go back to his chair. He immediately reached for the ss of ice water nearby to calm his nerves, and well¡­ desires.


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    What Alexander didn¡¯t know was that Olivia had been conscious


    through every agonizing second of his approach. She had managed to keep her body perfectly still, to keep her breathing steady enough to maintain the facade. But inside, she was anything but calm.


    The moment she sensed him near her, her heart had begun hammering against her ribs with such force she feared he might hear it.


    Just do it! Don¡¯t torture me like this!


    When Alexander finally retreated, a wave of relief washed over her, immediately followed by an unexpected sense of concern. The Alpha had been acting normal earlier that Olivia had forgotten he¡¯d been drugged.


    And now, with this repeat offense, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder when the effects of the drugs wouldpletely wear off.


    As she felt the aircraft begin to slow, she realized it was time for her performance to begin. With a deep breath, she opened her eyelids slowly, blinking as if she just emerged from a deep sleep.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± she murmured softly, stretching her arms above her head in what she hoped appeared to be a natural awakening. ¡°Are we in New York already? I must have beenpletely out. I¡¯m such a heavy sleeper once I getfortable.¡±


    The ne door opened, and Mike appeared at the entrance. His face broke into a grin at the sight of them. ¡°How was the flight?¡± he asked as they made their way down the stairs.


    ¡°Oh, it was fine. Quite peaceful, actually. I slept most of the way.¡± Olivia avoided making eye contact with Alexander.


    They soon jumped into the ck SUV as Mike drove them back home. When they finally arrived at Alexander¡¯s building, they found Ava


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    pacing anxiously near the entrance. Her face lit up the moment she spotted them.


    Ava rushed at her best friend, before she¡¯d even gotten a chance to climb down the vehicle. ¡°Olivia! Thank goodness you¡¯re back. I have something really important to tell you, something that couldn¡¯t wait.¡±


    Mike stepped forward at the moment and interrupted the reunion. ¡°Actually, perfect timing! I just ordered some of those expensive ravioli from Alexander¡¯s favorite restaurant. Why don¡¯t we all head upstairs and make it a proper wee¨Cback dinner?¡±


    Both women¡¯s expressions brightened at the suggestion. ¡°That sounds wonderful, Mike. Thank you.¡±


    Ava nodded eagerly. ¡°Count me in! But Olivia, we really do need to talk,¡± she added in a low voice, shooting a meaningful nce at her friend.


    The four of them made their way upstairs together and headed straight to the dining room for the promise of good food.


    Alexander surveyed his te for a moment, then began transferring several of his ravioli onto Olivia¡¯s te without a word.


    Ava immediately pointed her fork usingly at Alexander. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair!¡±


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    2 Vouchere


    ¡°Tortellini forter. Take these home and stick them in your fridges. They¡¯ll keep for a few days. They won¡¯t be quite as good as when they¡® re fresh from the kitchen, but they¡¯re still miles better than anything you¡¯d get at the supermarket.¡±


    Olivia looked down at her now over¨Cflowing te, then back at Ava. Without hesitation, she began scooping half of the transferred ravioli onto Ava¡¯s te. ¡°Better?¡±


    Ava beamed and nodded. ¡°Better.¡±


    As they finished their meal, Mike reached into a bag beside him and produced two takeout containers. ¡°Here.¡± He slid the boxes across to Olivia and Ava.


    Both women epted the containers gratefully. ¡°You¡¯re too generous, Mike. Thank you for all of this,¡± Olivia said.


    As they began gathering their things to leave, Alexander suddenly turned to Ava. ¡°Earlier, you mentioned having something important to tell Olivia. What was it?¡± It had gued him since, and he was awfully curious to know what it was about. ¡°If it¡¯s not too private, I¡¯d like to hear it as well.¡±


    Ava froze. She wasn¡¯t sure this was something her best friend would want the Alpha to know. But after a nod of approval from Olivia, she spoke. She nced nervously between Alexander and Olivia, clearly torn between her desire to share the news and her uncertainty about including Alexander in the conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Chloe.¡± She paused, allowing the words to sink in. ¡°I went


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    to the hospital today. I had this n, I dressed up like a nurse, with scrubs and everything. The idea was to get some kind of false evidence by having Chloe pretend to be sick.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t believe this was what her best friend had been up to. ¡°Ava, that was incredibly risky. What if you¡¯d been caught?¡±


    Ava waved her hand dismissively. She¡¯d perfectly calcted the risk before she ventured on the mission. ¡°That¡¯s not important. While I was there, waiting for the right moment to approach Chloe, I overheard one of the real nurses talking. She was discussing test results with another staff member, and I heard her say¡­¡±


    Ava paused for dramatic effect, then lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. ¡°She said that Chloe is pregnant.¡±


    Olivia snapped her head up so quickly she had whish. What?


    ¡°There¡¯s more. I did some additional digging after I left the hospital. The Hawthorne family has been making regr visits to see Chloe and her family over the past few days. They appear to be discussing marriage arrangements.¡±


    Olivia couldn¡¯t believe her ears, but Ava wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that when these two families join forces, Ethan willpletely reverse everything he said before. It would be bad for you.¡±


    Olivia was lost for words. Her mouth hung open as she considered Ava¡¯s words.


    Ava suddenly huffed in anger. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it when I found out. Just weeks ago, Ethan was going on and on about how much he regretted losing you, how deeply he loved you, how he¡¯d made the biggest mistake of his life. And now he¡¯s rushing into marriage with


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    her? The hypocrisy is unbelievable.¡±


    Olivia managed to keep her cool. She was shocked mostly, and


    worried about what that meant for her. ¡°His marriage has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°But it does. After they¡¯re married, Chole will have even more reason and resources to target you, and¡­¡± Ava trailed off as her eyes lit up with a brilliant idea. ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    She looked between Olivia and Alexander. Yes. That was the answer. ¡°Unless you marry Alexander. It would be the perfect way to spite those two.¡±


    Olivia was once again rendered speechless. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Alexander didn¡¯t immediately dismiss the idea.


    Instead, he nodded at Ava and said, ¡°It isn¡¯t entirely impossible.¡±


    Olivia stared at him in amazement,

 Alpha Novel 127

    *Olivia*


    Ava studied my wide, panicked eyes, and her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ava stuttered. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve put my foot in my mouth. I seem to always be doing that.¡± Her eyes bounced between Alexander and I like a tennis ball. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Ava¡¯s voice was too bright and cheery.


    Alexander turned to me like he was waiting for me to say something, but I averted my eyes. My stomach was full of butterflies, and my leg bounced.


    ¡°That was a great suggestion, Ava,¡± his deep voice rumbled from the side of me. ¡°But Olivia isn¡¯t brave enough to marry me.¡±


    My head shot up, and indignation flowed through me. He thought I wasn¡¯t brave?


    Our eyes met, and energy sparked to life between us. Alexander raised one of his eyebrows as if waiting for me to prove him wrong.


    But I couldn¡¯t. Because at the end of the day, did I have enough courage to marry Alexander after how poorly my first marriage turned out? Even if the marriage was only for show?


    Alexander¡¯s jaw clenched, and the awkward silence stretched among the three of us, turning more ufortable with each second that passed.


    ¡°Is that all it takes to get married¡­courage?¡± Ava asked, attempting to


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    break the silence.


    I swallowed nervously and peaked over at Alexander. His hands were clenched on top of the table. He gave me one more searching look, scowled, and then rose from his chair. Then Alexander left the room


    without another word.


    I cut my eyes to Ava and nodded in the direction of stairs. She understood, and we hurriedly collected our things.


    ¡°Goodnight, Mike!¡± I called as we rushed down the stairs. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡±


    Once Ava and I were alone downstairs, I gently whacked her arm.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± I hissed and gestured upstairs ¡°Why would you put me on the spot like that?¡±


    Ava flushed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You know that I always just say the first thing thates out of my mouth.¡±


    I sighed, dropped my bags on the floor, and rubbed my temples. But Ava¡¯s wide eyes were filled with remorse, and I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I said and gave her a small smile. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t have any ill intentions. Just next time, think before you speak.¡±


    Ava nodded and assured me she would.


    I did a quick load ofundry and took a shower. Since Ava was spending the night, she yed on her phone as I prepared for bed. I sighed in relief as I slipped into the cool sheets of my own soft bed.


    Ava came over to sit beside me. The uncertain expression on her face made me slightly nervous.


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    Right after I shut the bedroom light off, Ava cleared her throat.


    288 Vouchers


    ¡°How do you actually feel about Ethan getting married to Chloe? Now that it¡¯s just us two,¡± she asked, her words drifting through the dark


    room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way,¡± I replied in azy tone. ¡°I¡¯m thankful that you didn¡¯t tell me before I ate my ravioli because disgusting news like that would have ruined a delicious meal.¡±


    She let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯m scared that those two assholes are going to cause a lot of problems when they get married¡­I really don¡¯t want them to negatively affect you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thinking of me,¡± I said.


    We were quiet for a few moments, and my eyes fluttered closed.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Ava trailed off. ¡°You should give Alexander a chance. He¡¯s so charming and handsome. Honestly, that man looks delicious.¡±


    My eyes flew open, and my cheeks warmed. ¡°He looks delicious? Would he eat me or would I eat him?¡± I teased, trying to lighten the serious mood. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t fit together. It would be like a gazelle trying to eat a lion in the savannah. It just doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who eats who. Not when the feelinges over you guys. Then, animal instinct takes over.


    <i>¡± </i>


    I squinted. ¡°You should focus on your love life instead of mine. You giving me rtionship advice is like someone who¡¯s never driven before teaching a Driver¡¯s Education ss.¡±


    Even in the dark room, I saw Ava¡¯s cheeks go red.


    ***


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    In the morning, my rm went off, and I groaned. The flight had messed up my routine. I was used to going to bed at three in the morning and waking up at eight to go to work. I shouldn¡¯t feel this tired.


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    Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I put on a blush pink blouse, a ck skirt, and kitten heels.


    Even though I had ate start to the day when I got to the office, I realized I had some extra time to go to the coffee shop next door, Five minutester, I had a hot ck coffee in my hand that was more bitter than my life.


    When I entered the office, my heart skipped a beat when I saw that Gai¡® s office door was open. That had to mean that Alexander was here. I paused in the middle of the office. I hadn¡¯t expected him to be here so early. Wasn¡¯t he even more tired than I was? I hoped that there wasn¡¯t any leftover tension fromst night between us.


    I put my coffee down on my desk andforted myself with the knowledge that I didn¡¯t have to be avable twenty¨Cfour¨Cseven for this job. I didn¡¯t think I could do that.


    <i>¡± </i>


    As I was sitting in my chair, Gai came up to my desk. ¡°Good mor-


    She paused when she got a better look at me. ¡°Olivia! You look exhausted. You¡¯ve been working too hard these past few days.¡±


    I shifted ufortably in my seat. I had done my best to cover up the purple bruises under my eyes and puffy face, but there was only so much makeup could do.


    I opened my mouth toin about Ben, but I quickly shut it when I thought about it further. Could I be implicated in the drugging incident if I reported it? Honestly, I probably could be if it was investigated further. If I omitted that part, then it wouldn¡¯t be worth telling because it wouldn¡¯t showcase how horrible that old man had been.


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    It was better not to bring it up.


    Gai leaned against the edge of my desk and filled me in on what happened when I was gone. Apparently, she had to put out a few metaphorical fires around the office when I¡¯d been away.


    I took a sip of my coffee and listened to her as best I could. Honestly, I was trying my best to stay awake. But her next question made me perk right up.


    J


    She grew quiet and cleared her throat hesitantly. ¡°So¡­did the president give you a hard time during the trip?¡±


    My heart mmed against my chest, and a jittery feeling washed over me. And it wasn¡¯t because of the caffeine I had just consumed.


    How was I supposed to answer Gia¡¯s question without lying straight to her face?


    *Olivia*


    I cleared my throat and took another sip of my coffee. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± I answered Gai¡¯s question, hoping that my voice sounded steady to her. My eyes narrowed when I noticed that her shoulders seemed to rx slightly. Had she been nervous, I was going toin? ¡°Does he usually get into trouble when he goes on business trips?¡±


    Gai airily waved her hand. ¡°No, not Alexander. I never have to worry about him. It¡¯s some of the¡­other¡¯s I worry about.¡±


    ¡°Alexander was the perfect gentleman,¡± I told her honestly.


    He hadn¡¯t been the problem on the trip. It was Ben and the whole fiasco with him.


    ¡°Alexander really is a decent guy,¡± Gai said.


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    We looked at each other and grinned. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what aspect of our conversation we were connecting on¨Cand Gai didn¡¯t seem to know either¨Cbut it was still nice to connect.


    After she left my desk, my morning was hectic, especially since I was sleep deprived. After I got off the phone with an important client, it was time for lunch.


    I grabbed my purse and got up from my desk. Alexander and Gai were walking in front of me and talking about work.


    My cell phone began to ring, and when I looked at my phone screen, my stomach jolted.


    It was Breanna¨Cshe used to be my subordinate at the Zenith Group. We used to talk all the time, but after everything that happened with Ethan, we hadn¡¯t kept in touch.


    ¡°Hi, Breanna!¡± I said when I answered the phone.


    ¡°Olivia! Hi, how are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well. It¡¯s great to hear from you,¡± I said and smiled. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    As she chatted about her life, I thought about how great it was to hear from her.


    ¡°Listen¡­would you like to grab lunch with me at Myst Dining at noon?¡± Breanna asked, her voice sounding a little hesitant for some


    reason.


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    That was a spot everyone at my old workce used to go to a lot. It held a lot of memories for me with Ethan, but I wanted to see Breanna. I nced at Alexander and Gai. Neither had asked me if I wanted to have lunch with them.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°I would love to have lunch with you.¡±


    ¡°G¨Cgreat,¡± Breanna said, her voice much higher than usual. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, then.¡±


    I hung up and tilted my head to the side in confusion. Breanna was acting strange.


    Then, Alexander turned around, his dark eyes meeting mine. My heart skipped a beat, and my mouth dried as we stared at each other. His gaze was searching, yet expressionless.


    His jaw clenched, and his eyes sparked with anger for a moment, but in an instant, it was gone. Did he have a problem with me having lunch with my former subordinate? It wasn¡¯t like he and I had lunch ns.


    As Gai, Alexander, and I walked past one of the sales guys, I heard him say my name.


    ¡°Yes, Olivia works over at the Zenith Group,¡± the sales guy said.


    Alexander¡¯s whole body tensed, and he red at me as the three of us stepped onto the elevator.


    ¡°You need to make sure everyone in the office knows that you don¡¯t work there anymore,¡± he hissed.


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    I nodded, but I wanted to roll my eyes. Why was he such a control freak?


    Gai looked between us and tried to lower the tension. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can make an official announcement to the office,¡± she assured Alexander.


    ?


    But he didn¡¯t say anything in response and remained quiet. I wondered why he was in such a bad mood today. I couldn¡¯t help but feel it had something to do with me.


    When the elevator doors opened, Alexander stormed out. Then, Gai and I shared a look. When we both shrugged at the same time, we grinned.


    As I drove to Myst Dining, Breanna sent me a text. When I read her message, I frowned down at my phone. She said that she wanted to talk to me about something that was personal at lunch today. My stomach stiffened. I had no idea what she wanted to talk to me about. My instincts were telling me to turn back around and go back to work, but I really wanted to see Breanna, so I kept walking.


    The restaurant was crowded when I got there. As I took in the familiar smell of delicious Italian food and the luxurious decor, I shifted from foot to foot. Maybe it had been a mistake toe here. This ce just held too many memories.


    When I gave the hostess my name, she led me back to a private room with a red leather booth and a ck table filled with my favorite foods. There were even long white candles in the middle of the table. Why had Breanna gone to all this trouble?


    Then, thest person that I wanted to see walked into the room.


    Ethan¨Cmy ex¨Chusband.


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    My hands clenched with anger, and I automatically backed away from him.


    Breanna walked out, with her head hanging in shame.


    ¡°How could you trick me like that?¡± I asked her.


    It was much easier to speak to her than Ethan.


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry, Olivia. He made me do it.¡±


    I crossed my arms and red at her. Her betrayal felt like a knife to the back.


    ¡°You are dismissed,¡± Ethan told Breanna.


    She averted her eyes away from mine and left the room.


    Which just left Ethan and me.


    My ex¨Chusband calmly took a seat at the table andid a cloth napkin over hisp. He gestured to the seat directly across from him.


    ¡°Please, just hear what I have to say,¡± he said. ¡°I can exin everything.¡±


    I turned my icy re on him, and my anger increased tenfold as I took in his perfectly styled hair and expensive suit. All of the ways he had wronged me floated through my mind as I looked at him. Especially since he recently begged for my forgiveness, only to knock up his mistress¨CChloe¨Cbehind my back.


    ¡°The only thing that I feel for you is disgust,¡± I hissed at him.


    Ethan winced as my words hit him like a p in the face. But I knew better than to believe his impressive show of emotions. Ethan only acted sensitive and emotional to get what he wanted. The only person


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    that he truly cared about was himself. He didn¡¯t care about me or Chloe. His toxic behavior made my stomach churn.


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    ¡°Please sit down, Olivia,¡± he said, his eyes wide with fake sincerity. ¡°I ordered all of your favorites. I need you back in my life. Let¡¯s just talk things through.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to discuss,¡± I said coldly and narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re my enemy. I will never forget how you cheated on me with Chloe. Never.¡± I paused and made sure that he would truly listen to my next words. ¡°Because of your misdeeds, you are cursed to live a half life, Ethan. Karma will soone to bite you in the ass and I¡¯m going to celebrate when that dayes.¡±


    Before he could reply, I spun on my heel and walked to the door of the private room.


    *Olivia*


    I put my hand on the doorknob, and my stomach dropped to the floor.


    I turned around and red at Ethan. ¡°Let me out,¡± I demanded through gritted teeth. ¡°You can¡¯t keep me here against my will.¡±


    My pulse quickened, and my head whipped around as I searched for another exit. I hated feeling trapped.


    He stood and walked over to me with his arms raised. He had a look in his eyes like he was walking toward a corned animal.


    ¡°Can you please just listen to me, Olivia,¡± he said, his voice shaking slightly with agony. ¡°I only need a few moments of your time.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and turned away even though I hated putting my back to him. Anger tore through my body, and I kicked the door in


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    frustration.


    ¡°Let me out of here right now!¡± I demanded.


    Ethan came closer to me, and his familiar smell flooded my senses. I put my hands on my hips and scowled at him. If looks could kill, he would drop to the floor dead.


    ¡°Please, can you just write a letter to Chloe saying that you wish her no ill will and that she and I arepletely meless,¡± he said and put his hands together to beg. ¡°If you do that, I promise you that neither Chloe or I will ever bother you again.¡±


    A lightning bolt of shock went through me, and my blood boiled. That was why he had locked me in this room? How dare he? Fury made me see red, and before I even thought about it, my hand shot up, and I pped him across the face.


    Smack!


    Ethan¡¯s head whipped to the side, and when he looked back at me, there was hurt in his eyes, and he was rubbing his cheek.


    ¡°I would never write a letter like that!¡± I said. ¡°If it came down to it, I would let your mistress rot in jail.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s jaw clenched, and he changed tactics. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest and narrowed his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have the connections or money to fight us,¡± he threatened. ¡°Alexander only sees you as a ything. He won¡¯t help you fight me.¡±


    Ethan stepped even closer to me until his face was only inches away from mine.


    His nearness made my skin crawl.


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    ¡°You would do well to remember the kind of connections I have,¡± he said, his eyes hardening until they were tiny slits. ¡°Any member of your family could have a little¡­ident.¡±


    His threat made cold sweat drip down the back of my neck. Because I knew that he had the connections and he didn¡¯t have any morals.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± I said and raised my hands to push him away.


    But he caught my wrists in his hands and gripped them tightly.


    I tried to struggle out of his gasp, but I couldn¡¯t.


    The vile look in his eye chilled me to the bone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you alone with your thoughts,¡± Ethan said with a wicked glint in his eye. ¡°After a few hours of solitary confinement, I think that you will make the right decision.¡±


    Before I could stop him, my ex¨Chusband slipped out of the room, then locked the door behind him.


    ¡°Ethan! Come back here!¡± I yelled and mmed my hand against the


    door.


    I screamed for help, but I remembered a waitress telling me that their private rooms here were soundproof. When screaming for help didn¡¯t work, I searched the room for another exit, but I couldn¡¯t find one. My heart mmed against my chest, and sweat poured down my face. It seemed like there wasn¡¯t enough air in the room.


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    Chapter <b>131 </b>


    Just as I started to hyperventte, the door burst open, and Breanna led Alexander and Gai into the room.


    I cried out in relief when I saw them.


    ?


    ¡°I went right to your new workce to get help after I left<i>,</i><i>¡± </i>Breanna exined.


    Alexander studied my pale face and anxious expression. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that asshole locked you in here,¡± he said.


    Then, he wrapped his warm arm around my shoulders and brought me close to his side.


    ¡°You¡¯re shivering,¡± he muttered and soothingly rubbed my shoulder.


    My lower lip trembled as I looked up at him. ¡°Why can¡¯t something good happen to me?¡±


    ¡°Something will,¡± he assured me as he led me out of the private room.


    That was the final straw that shattered my grip on my emotions. My eyes burned with hot tears, and they flowed down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away so he wouldn¡¯t see, but more just kepting. Soon, I was silently sobbing into Alexander¡¯s side.


    Like a gentleman, he covered me with his suit jacket and led me quickly through the busy restaurant so that no one would see me crying. He gave Gai his keys and instructed her to drive back his car to the office.


    Then, he helped me into the passenger seat of my car and then got into


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    the driver¡¯s side.


    As he drove down the busy road, I copsed into his side and continued to cry. Eventually, my overwhelming emotions began to subside, and my salty tears finally stopped running down my cheeks.


    Once I fully calmed down, I realized that I actually felt a little bit better. Sometimes, you just need to cry to get all of your emotions out. It was cathartic in a way


    My stomach swooped with horror when I realized that my face was pressed up against Alexander¡¯s hard chest, and my arm was wrapped tightly around his waist. I¡¯d been using him as my own personal pillow.


    I froze, and with each second that passed, my embarrassment grew. Should I move my arm immediately or pretend to be asleep?


    But Alexander must have noticed that I had stopped crying because his low chuckle filled the car, and he gently patted my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to have dinner with me before you cuddle me like that,¡± he teased.


    My cheeks flushed, and I sat up straight and attempted to fix my unruly hair.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked in his deep voice.


    I nodded, not trusting my voice just yet.


    Alexander took us to a fancy upscale bistro. It wasn¡¯t crowded like the Myst Dining had been, and for that, I was grateful. The server brought us to a private table in the back. After everything that happened in a short amount of time, my nerves were shot, but I did my best to appear calm.


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    Alexander ordered for both of us, which I preferred since I didn¡¯t even know if I had the ability to speak right now.


    I took a sip of my cool water ss, and my teeth were chattering so much that they knocked against the ss.


    Alexander raised one of his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t think the ss is edible here,¡± he joked.


    His teasing made my cheeks go even more red. By now, I was pretty sure that they were an unattractive maroon color.


    Soon, our meals were served. My eyes widened as I took in therge seafood boil that Alexander had ordered for us. Since I didn¡¯t really feel like talking, I tried to focus on my food, but Alexander seemed determined to get me to speak because he kept serving me the lobster bisque from therge bowl and peeling my shrimp for me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I kept muttering out of nervousness.


    This was going to be a long meal.


    *Olivia*


    Since Alexander seemed determined to peel my shrimp for me, I returned the favor for him. Somehow, it turned into a game with who could peel the shrimp the fastest and then put it on the other¡¯s te. Soon, our dishes became piled high with seafood. I had no idea how we were even going to eat all this food.


    Once, Alexander flung a shrimp so fast that it slipped off my te and onto the floor. A giggle burst past my lips, and that made him smile.


    ¡°Yourughter is a wee sound,¡± he said.


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    That made my stomach swoop, and I averted my eyes and started to eat. The chilled seafood paired perfectly well with the hot salty soup. Alexander had ordered well. Our lunch was absolutely delicious.


    Throughout the meal, Alexander made small talk about work, the weather, and the meal. I appreciated his constant chatter. It helped calm my shaky nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuffed,¡± I said and put my napkin on my te. ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly eat another bite.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Alexander agreed. ¡°We ate so many shrimp, I won¡¯t be surprised if we both turn pink.¡±


    That image made meugh.


    When our server came with the check, she automatically handed it to him. When Alexander gave her his card, I handed over mine too and asked her to split the check 50/50.


    ¡°I could have paid for the whole meal,¡± Alexander grumbled and crossed his arms.


    I just gave a nonmittal shrug. But I was determined to pay for my share. After Alexander had seen me break down and I stained his expansive dress shirt with salty tears, I had to draw the line in the sand any way I could. Splitting the check was my way of keeping things professional between us. A big part of me was afraid that we had already crossed that line.


    Once the server returned with our cards, Alexander continued to re at me. ¡°You¡¯ve overstepped, Olivia.¡±


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    Then, he stood from the table and walked away without waiting for <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I sighed. We always seemed to take one step forward and two steps back.


    We drove back to the office in a stony silence. I fixed my makeup and smoothed my hair.


    When the elevator doors opened to our office floor, Gai was waiting for us. She gave Alexander back his keys, and he handed me mine, then Alexander walked away without another word.


    I stared at his retreating figure as confusion flowed through me.


    Gaiid a gentle hand on my shoulder. ¡°How are you?¡± she asked with


    concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m better,¡± I answered. ¡°Thank you foring to help me.¡±


    ¡°Anytime,¡± she said and smiled.


    The pressure in my shoulders rxed a little from having her on my side.


    The rest of my work day dragged on. I was even more exhausted than I was this morning after my breakdown. My eyes kept fluttering closed. I had to keep refilling my cup of coffee just to get through the day.


    Finally, the day was over. As I walked out of the office, I made a quick call to Ava asking if she could meet me to discuss something important. She said that she could.


    I was in the car garage rummaging in my bag for my keys when my phone rang. My stomach dropped because I had a bad feeling that it was Ethan calling me. But it was Alexander.


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    ¡°Hey, can you pleaseo back to the office? I need you for something,¡± he said.


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± I answered.


    My feet dragged as I returned. All I wanted to do was go to sleep in my own bed. I had no idea why he wanted me toe back.


    Alexander was in his office, and when I¡® walked in, he was sitting in his chair with a slightly sarcastic smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re still- technically on the clock, Olivia,¡± he said.


    Confusion washed through me. What was he talking about? My work day was over¡­


    To make matters even more confusing, he stood from his desk and put on his jacket.


    ¡°Are you in a hurry to leave?¡± he asked.


    I put my purse down on a chair. ¡°No, I¡¯ll always prioritize you.¡± I grinned.


    Even though I was smiling on the outside, I knew that this was a test. By now, I knew Alexander well enough to know that he liked to design certain tests for people to see how they would react.


    ¡°I just received a call that there is ast¨Cminute business function tonight,¡± he said, finally revealing the reason he had called me back into the office. ¡°Would you like to apany me? It would be a greatworking opportunity for you.¡±


    I paused. Since I¡¯d been gone, there were many household chores and errands that I needed to run. Besides, I was exhausted and was looking forward to getting off of my feet.


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    And even more pressing, I had that meeting with Ava that started soon. After that horrible situation with Ethan at lunch, I¡¯d decided that I¡¯d just write that stupid letter for him so I could get him out of my life and hopefully never see him or Chole again. But I wanted to consult Ava about it first and see what she thought about it.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Alexander no, though. He was my boss and he was right when he said that this would be a greatworking opportunity for me. It went deeper than that. Alexander had saved me from being stuck in that room today, thenforted me and stayed with me when I was having an emotional breakdown. It felt like I owed him this.


    ¡°I would be happy to go with you tonight,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± he said and then led the way out of his office.


    Near the elevator, we encountered Gai.


    ¡°I solved my problem,¡± he told her. ¡°Olivia is going toe with me to the function tonight.¡±


    Gai¡¯s eyes shot to mine, and she frowned as she studied the bags under my eyes. ¡°Alexander, Olivia looks exhausted. Why don¡¯t you just go to the party by yourself?¡±


    He shot Gai an angry look. ¡°I need a date at a function like this to apany me, you know that,¡± Alexander snapped in a cold voice.


    The outrage in his voice seemed to shock Gai into silence.


    She cut her eyes to me, and I gave her a small smile because I knew that she had tried her best to get me out of tonight. I tried to convey my


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    gratitude for her with a simple look.


    As Alexander and I rode the elevator to the parking garage, I sent a message to Ava postponing our meeting. I really needed to talk to her because I didn¡¯t want Ethan breathing over my shoulder for the rest of my life, but I couldn¡¯t say no to Alexander tonight. Not with the crappy mood he was in.


    At least I would be able to drive since I usually drove Alexander¡¯s car. I walked up to the driver¡¯s seat, but when I looked into the window, I stopped short.


    A jolt of surprise went down my spine.


    Someone was already in his car.


    *Olivia*


    A man in a ck chauffeur cap saw me and rolled down the window.


    ¡°Good evening, ma?am,¡± he said politely. ¡°I¡¯m Richard.¡±


    ¡°Hi, you can call me Olivia. No need to call me ma?am.¡± I squinted as I studied Richard¡¯s dark hair poking out of his hat and bright blue eyes. For some reason, he looked very familiar to me. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    I walked around the car to sit in the passenger seat, but Alexander stopped me halfway.


    ¡°You were going to sit in the passenger seat and leave me in the backseat to sit by myself?¡± he asked, his eyes shing with offense.


    ¡°Oh, right¡± I said and climbed into the backseat as Alexander held the door open for me.


    I had to be honest. It was nice to have a driver to navigate the busy New York traffic. The sun was setting creating a beautiful pink and


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    orangendscape on the tall buildings.


    Alexander was quiet and busy answering work emails on his phone. I looked down at my work clothes.


    ¡°Am I dressed appropriately for a work party?¡± I asked him.


    His eyes trailed slowly down my body, making my stomach swoop.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do,¡± he said in a teasing tone.


    ¡°Why do you want to attend tonight? Don¡¯t you usually skip these sort of things?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s a goodworking opportunity.¡±


    I remained quiet after that. I could tell that he had another reason for going. I just couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.


    Soon, Richard pulled up to a luxury hotel. At the entrance, there was paparazzi, and even a red carpet rolled out for the event.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dressed for this kind of g,¡± I hissed at Alexander as Richard opened our car door.


    But he ignored myment as he helped me out of the car.


    Cameras shed in every direction as we walked down the red carpet.


    ¡°That¡¯s Olivia!¡± I heard more than one photographer yell.


    My cheeks heated as all eyes turned to us as we walked through the doors into the grand entrance hall. With my connections to the Hawthorne and Windsor family, Alexander and I immediately became the center of attention. Whispers followed us as we made our way to the banquet hall where the event was being held.


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    In the ballroom, crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and a band yed quiet jazz music on an elevated stage. Servers walked around with trays of champagne flutes and mini appetizers. A group of businessmen made a beeline for Alexander, wanting to discuss potentially working for hispany.


    ¡°This is my date and colleague, Olivia,¡± Alexander said, introducing <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    The businessman eyed me, and I could tell that they knew of my past with Ethan. They all nodded at me in greeting but then turned back to Alexander to continue to talk to him.


    I scanned the crowd, hoping that I saw a familiar face. My heart lifted in relief when I saw my friend Rose smile and wave at me from across the room.


    ¡°I see someone I know,¡± I muttered to Alexander. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you here to talk business.¡±


    To my surprise, as soon as I began walking toward Rose, Alexander said goodbye to the man and started to follow me. He quickened his pace to keep up with me.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Alexander demanded in a loud voice, catching the attention of the other guests.


    They eyed us with interest since those words made it seem like we were much more than work colleagues. I even saw Rose¡¯s eyebrows raise much to my embarrassment.


    ¡°Ah, I see Felipe,¡± Alexander said, finally slowing down.


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    Felipe was another CEO of apany that ours did business with from time to time. He was grabbing two sses of champagne, and when he saw Alexander, he began to make his way over to us.


    I gestured to Rose as she walked up, looking pretty in a sleek ck dress. I envied her for fitting in with the other well¨Cdressed women at this event.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk with my friend, Rose,¡± I said.


    Alexander¡¯s body rxed when he saw that I had been walking toward a woman before. I wanted to roll my eyes.


    When he put his hand on the small of my back, my stomach jolted. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you with your friend while I talk to Felipe,¡± he said.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Hi, there,¡± Rose said.


    We chatted for a while. The band increased their volume, and guests kept piling into the hall. Even though it was a big space, since I¡¯d been trapped in the private room earlier today, I began to feel slightly ustrophobic. Rose seemed to notice and grabbed two champagne sses off of a passing tray and handed me the cool ss.


    ¡°Would you like to get some air outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered gratefully and followed her out onto a terrace that overlooked the dark night.


    Lights twinkled below us as I breathed in the cool air. I gripped the stone railing and allowed the sharp wind to clear my head.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s good that you came with Alexander,¡± Rose said as she sipped her champagne.


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    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Everyone automatically respects you because you¡¯re with one of the most respected businessmen in the country.¡±


    I leaned against the railing and took a small sip of the bubbly drink. ¡°We aren¡¯t a couple.¡±


    ¡°Could have fooled me,¡± she said


    My face flushed, and I averted my gaze.


    Below us, there were people milling around the beautiful garden that wasplete with a water fountain.


    ¡°Did you see who was on Alexander Green¡¯s arm tonight?¡± a woman¡¯s loud voice floated up to us.


    I froze, and Rose widened her eyes and looked at me.


    ¡°I know,¡± another woman¡¯s voice replied in a judgmental tone. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe he would waste his time with used goods like her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s only using her for one thing,¡± the loudmouthed woman said flippantly. ¡°Once he tires of her warming his bed every night, Alexander will move one. Men like that always do.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll never take a divorced woman seriously,¡± the other woman said nastily. ¡°The Green family would never allow a marriage that would stain their prestigious reputation.¡±


    The two womenughed, and they moved on to other guests to gossip about.


    Rose stared down at them with an outraged look on her face. She opened her mouth to yell at them, but Iid a hand on her arm to stop


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    ¡°Let them talk,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re only gossiping about me because they¡® re bored with their own pathetic lives.¡±


    We looked back down as another woman ran out to the garden to join her friends.


    ¡°Did you guys see who Alexander Green is here with?¡± the woman asked.


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    The other two women nodded.


    ¡°I heard that Olivia has bribed him with sex day and night in exchange for higher social status,¡± the woman said in a scandalous tone. ¡°My friend Kathy told me that she has it on good authority that Alexander¡¯s beente to work on numerous asions because he¡¯s too busy rolling around the sheets with her.¡±


    The other two women gasped, and they immediately began to gossip about me again.


    This untrue rumor made my blood boil, but¨Cto myplete shock- Rose giggled to the side of me.


    I wanted to yell at those three gossiping women, but I managed to control my temper.


    ¡°Are you and Alexander going to disappear into the bathroom for a quickie tonight?¡± Rose teased me, trying to lighten the mood.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Our rtionship is nothing but professional,¡± I replied dryly.


    ¡°Sure it is,¡± Rose said yfully.


    I turned away from her and looked out at the bright city lights.


    I had no idea that ever since I became Alexander¡¯s secretary, everyone thought that I only had the position because I was sleeping with him.


    No one seemed to believe me that our rtionship was innocent. Not even my friends.


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    *Olivia*


    My hands tightened on the railing as I stared down at the three women who continued to gossip about Alexander and me. Annoyance washed over me like a tidal wave, and I wanted to go


    down there and give thedies a piece of my mind.


    ¡°Come on, girl,¡± Rose said and tugged my arm to lead me away from the woman¡¯s voices. ¡°You don¡¯t have to listen to this nonsense.¡±


    We went back into the party, and whispers kept following me wherever I went.


    ¡°Ignore them,¡± Rose muttered under her breath.


    But that was hard when therge room seemed to fill with gossip about me. The rumors kept getting more extreme by the second. People seemed to think that I was trying to trap Alexander by bing pregnant with his baby. Or they thought that part of my job duties involved me being on my knees for the majority of the work day.


    I got so fed up with it that when I saw those three women who had been gossiping about me in the garden over in the corner pointing at me and whispering, I stormed over to them.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rose whispered as she followed after me.


    I red at the three women, who quieted down when I got close.


    ¡°You might not know that I¡¯m also a fortune teller on the side,¡± I said, put my hands on my hips, and red at all three of them. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to the fates, and they told me that gossips like you are in for a week full of pain and suffering,¡± I said in a low, dangerous voice.


    One of the women squeaked in fear, and the other two gripped each other as their eyes widened with anxiety.


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    I spun on my heel and left them to shake with fright. Rose followed after me, and she couldn¡¯t stopughing.


    ¡°That was hrious!¡± she said. ¡°You totally got them back! That will show them to spread rumors.¡±


    I became distracted as I watched Felipe talk with a pretty blonde woman who I assumed was his wife. I looked around the crowded ballroom, but I didn¡¯t see Alexander anywhere.


    J


    ¡°Are there any other important businessmen in attendance tonight?¡± I


    asked Rose.


    She shook her head no. ¡°Alexander is the most important one.¡±


    I crossed my arms as I thought about that. Hmm, that must mean that there was another VIP guest here who couldn¡¯t be seen in public that Alexander was in a meeting with. That person was probably the reason why Alexander wanted to attend tonight. My curiosity went into hyperdrive as I wondered why Alexander had to go through Felipe to meet with that person.


    Rose and I walked around the party for a while, and I tried towork, but no one would take me seriously because they thought I was just Alexander¡¯s ything. My stomach grumbled, but I didn¡¯t like any of the appetizers they offered.


    ¡°This party¡¯s boring,¡± Rose said as we stood in the corner.


    ¡°It is,¡± I agreed. ¡°When we came in, I saw a little restaurant in the hotel. Do you want to grab a bite to eat there? Who knows how much longer Alexander will be.¡±


    ¡°That sounds a lot better than this,¡± Rose said and gestured around the


    <b>room</b>.


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    We went back down to the lobby, and right before we entered the restaurant, I looked at my phone and frowned. Ava hadn¡¯t answered my message about needing to reschedule. I told Rose that I¡¯d meet her in the restaurant in a second and called Ava to make sure that she was alright.


    ¡°Hey, Olivia,¡± Ava said when she answered the phone.


    ¡°Hi, is everything alright?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah! I was actually just going to call you,¡± she said with excitement in her voice. ¡°I got a call from my good friend who¡¯s awyer¨CLucy. She told me that she found sufficient evidence that could actually bring down Chole for good this time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, shock seeping through my voice.


    ¡°Yes! I can¡¯t say more right now, I have to go,¡± Ava said hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯ll


    <b>_</b><b>¡± </b>


    Then, the line abruptly went dead.


    My stomach churned, and a bead of sweat rolled down my temple. That was so strange. I had a bad feeling about this sudden news and Ava¡¯s abrupt ending of our conversation. Especially since Ethan had threatened me today.


    I needed to find Ava. I had to talk to her face to face. Since I could track her location using my phone, I found out that she was at Espen Mall on the other side of town.


    I stood staring down at my phone for so long that Rose came back out


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    of the restaurant to make sure I was okay.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t have dinner with you,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s something I have to do.¡±


    Rose saw the determination in my eyes. ¡°Let me go with you,¡± she said.


    I opened my mouth to protest but remembered that there were safety in numbers. Which reminded me.


    ¡°Let me message Alexander to see if I can use his bodyguard, Richie, just in case,¡± I told Rose.


    Only thirty seconds after I sent the message, Alexander called me.


    ¡°I can protect you better than Richie can,¡± Alexander said. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you in the hotel lobby in five minutes.¡±


    Without waiting for me to reply, he hung up. But his response had made me smile despite how nervous I felt.


    Seven minutester, Alexander held the back door open for me as Richard held the passenger door and helped Rose get into the car.


    ¡°Step on it,¡± I told Alexander¡¯s new driver.


    ¡°You got it,¡± he said and began to drive through the dark night.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Alexander asked.


    Rose turned around in her seat and gave me a quizzical look.


    ¡°To find Ava,¡± I answered, not wanting to go into any more detail in front of Rose. ¡°I need to talk to her, and I was able to find where she was using my phone.¡±


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    ¡°How?¡± he asked and tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°About a month ago, Ava and I turned on the location for each other¡¯s phones for emergencies,¡± I answered.


    Alexander¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you turned on your location for me? Shouldn¡¯t I know where you are?¡± he asked, and a smile pulled on the corners of his mouth. ¡°Aren¡¯t I important enough to know where you are?¡±


    But I could see a serious look behind the joking mask he tried to cover it behind.


    I rolled my eyes. When did Alexander get so careful?


    He gave me a searching look and raised his eyebrows. It seemed like he was waiting for me to respond.


    I sighed and held my hand up for his phone. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°It would be a good idea for you to have my location¡­for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll only use it for emergencies only,¡± he said and winked.


    A smug smile crossed his face as he handed me his cell phone to install the tracking app.


    When our fingers grazed, I drew in a sharp breath, and Alexander¡¯s eyes darkened with desire.


    *Olivia*


    Quickly, I connected my phone to Alexander¡¯s app and did the same with his. When I gave him his phone back, he was still wearing that smug smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that I have tangible proof that I am important to you,¡±


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    Alexander said as he slid his phone back into his pocket.


    288 Vouchers


    I noticed that Richard and Rose exchanged a loaded look from upfront. It wasn¡¯t fair that they were already bonding. They only just met.


    Alexander leaned back in his seat and loosened his ck tie slightly. With his dark ruffled hair, loose tie, and slightly wrinkled shirt, he looked¡­sexy.


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    Chapter <b>137 </b>


    Immediately, I averted my eyes so that he didn¡¯t notice my ogling.


    Since I had told Richard to step on it, he followed my instructions perfectly. Maybe even a little too well. Richard was weaving through cars like a professional race car driver. He went twenty¨Cfive miles over the speed limit and almost ran two red lights.


    He turned what would usually be a forty¨Cfive minute drive into a fifteen minute one.


    When Richard pulled up to Espen Mall, my stomach was turning from his crazy driving, but I was grateful that he had gotten us here so quickly.


    I needed to find Ava.


    As the four of us walked up to therge building, I noted that there were cracks in the walls, windows boarded up with plywood, and barely any other cars in therge parking lot. I couldn¡¯t believe that this ce was still open.


    ¡°Does your phone say Ava¡¯s exact location?¡± Alexander asked as we walked into the eerie mall..


    ¡°No. It only says that she¡¯s here,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the security room and ask them to check the tapes?¡± Rose suggested.


    ¡°Great idea,¡± I said and followed the signs to the security office.


    A middle¨Caged man wearing a suit and tie stopped us before we could


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    go into the office.


    ¡°How can I help you all?¡± he asked and looked at us suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m the building superintendent.¡±


    I opened my mouth, trying to think of a lie about why we needed to see his video tapes, but Richard stepped forward and utilized his imposing figure to intimidate the man.


    To my shock, it worked. The superintendent opened the door and gestured us into the surveince room.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much footage I even have to show you,¡± the superintendent said as he eyed Richard warily. ¡°Most of my cameras had been broken earlier today.¡±


    My stomach swooped. What were the chances of that happening? Did this have something to do with Ava? Something to do with me?


    ¡°I only have about ten minutes of footage to show you,¡± the man said and sat in the front of a bunch of monitors. He typed on the keyboard in front of him, pulling up the view of the entrance to the mall.


    The superintendent allowed the video to y until I saw a woman walk into frame for a moment, but I immediately recognized that auburn hair.


    ¡°That¡¯s Ava!¡± I cried and pointed to the screen. ¡°This is proof that she had been here!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we spilt up to search the floors,¡± Richard suggested. ¡°This is a tall building with at least twenty floors.¡±


    ¡°Twenty¨Cone,¡± the superintendent corrected.


    ¡°No,¡± Alexander said and gazed at me with an intensity that caught me


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    off guard. ¡°We can¡¯t split up. That wouldn¡¯t be safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think we should stick together,¡± I said, and Rose nodded in agreement.


    Alexander turned to the superintendent and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a big reward if you tell me everything you know about this building,¡± he offered.


    The man¡¯s eyes glinted with excitement, and he immediately began to speak. ¡°This building hasn¡¯t been used as a shopping mall for a very long time. Right now, some of the floors have been converted into apartments¨Cnot very well, I may add, I would never want to live here. The conditions are pretty rough. We also have a few smallpanies that rent office space here, but none of them stay for a long time.¡±


    Alexander and I shared a frustrated look. That hadn¡¯t revealed anything useful.


    ¡°What are we even looking for?¡± Rose asked me. ¡°Just your friend?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°But I trust Ava. I just wish I knew why she was here in the first ce.¡±


    Alexander seemed lost in thought as he stared at the monitors that were showing nothing but static.


    ¡°You know, I bet a building as big as this one has private rooms that are hidden,¡± Alexander murmured. It seemed like he was talking to himself more than anything. ¡°I bet to enter. You would need to turn your phone off. It would have to be very underground and secretive.¡±


    With those words, the superintendent¡¯s head shot up.


    ¡°You know a ce like that?¡± Alexander asked.


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    ¡°Not a ce,¡± the man answered. ¡°But a person. She¡¯s a tenant who lives upstairs and always requires visitors to turn off all electronic devices when they enter her room.¡±

 Alpha Novel 138

    Chapter <b>138 </b>


    ¡°What¡¯s the tenant¡¯s name?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Celeste ir.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why, but her name made a shiver go up my spine.


    Then, the superintendent muttered something about a bracelet.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t catch that,¡± I said, my heart mming against my chest.


    The man¡¯s eyes nced down at my bracelet, and my stomach dropped.


    A couple of months ago, Ava and I had brought two gold bracelets with a tiny heart as the charm. They were identical..


    Had this man seen my friend?


    After Alexander gave the superintendent a wad of cash, the man gave us directions on how to get to Celeste¡¯s room, which was on the eighteenth floor.


    There was no time to waste, and we immediately took the stairs up the high floor. Even though the stairs took longer, it was worth it because I didn¡¯t trust any elevator in a building that was as old as this one.


    As we neared closer to Celeste¡¯s room, the lighting seemed to dim, and the hair on the back of my neck stood. It felt like someone was watching me. The four of us neared arge wooden door with a bronze door knocker that was shaped like an open eye. There were twinkling lights above the door, which was the only source of lighting in the dark hallway. What was this ce?


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    I had my answer when a young woman in a maroon¨Ccolored shawl and a bright yellow head scarf swept out of the room. She hadrge oval sses and ck pointy shoes. Just from the way she was dressed, I could tell that she was a fortune teller.


    She eyed us one by one. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± she asked in a low, mysterious voice.


    My mind shed back to the superintendent looking down at the bracelet on my wrist. Now, things were starting to make sense.


    I stepped forward and looked directly into the fortune teller¡¯s eyes. ¡°I was referred by a friend,¡± I said and shed my bracelet that was identical to Ava¡¯s. ¡°I had heard that you were very spiritual.¡±


    *Olivia*


    The fortune tellers¡® eyes shot down to my bracelet, and I noticed that her eyes widened with recognition.


    My pulse quickened as I waited for her response. Had Ava been here, too?


    Then, Celeste nodded. ¡°I know of the friend you speak of,¡± she said in that mystical tone of hers.


    My shoulders rxed slightly with relief. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Ava¡¯s,¡± I exined. ¡°I¡¯vee in person to ask about the bracelet because I couldn¡¯t reach her directly.¡±


    That seemed to spook her because she took a step back and shook her head. ¡°No, Ava isn¡¯t here. And I¡¯m fully booked with appointments for the day. You must go.¡± Her head whipped around, and she looked around the hallway with panic in her eyes.


    That only increased my determination. Because of her reaction, I was


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    certain that my friend was inside. Was she in trouble because of what she had discovered?


    I looked back at Rose, Alexander, and Richard, who were looking between Celeste and I with interest. Thinking that the girl would be morefortable if we spoke alone, I gestured to her to follow me a little bit away, and I lowered my voice.


    ¡°Listen, if you let us in, we can pay you. We can pay a lot,¡± I muttered.


    Celeste bit her lip and seemed to be thinking my deal over. Then, she sighed.


    ¡°Alright, you cane in,¡± she finally said.


    My heart lifted with hope. I was one step closer to finding Ava. I discreetly handed her a stack of cash from my purse, which she pocketed quickly. I didn¡¯t even think that my friends had noticed that I had paid her.


    Before the young woman opened the door, she turned to us and


    narrowed her eyes. ¡°Everyone must shut off any technological devices before they enter, or they can¡¯te in. That¡¯s the rule. The technology messes with my psychic abilities.¡±


    I wanted to roll my eyes. Yeah, right. She just didn¡¯t want us to record any evidence of their illegal behavior.


    Celeste watched us warily as all four of us powered down our cell phones.


    Once we were done, she nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°Good, now follow me,¡± she said and opened the big wooden door.


    She led us down a long, dark corridor that was lit by long white candles that had been fixed on the wall. I almost tripped twice from the


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    Chapter <b>139 </b>


    Alexander walked beside me. I could feel his body heat radiating off of him, and it gave me a small amount offort.


    He lowered his voice and leaned toward me. ¡°How did you get her to let us in?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I paid her,¡± I whispered in a low voice so that the woman wouldn¡¯t hear.


    Alexander leaned closer. ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I paid her,¡± I muttered.


    He shook his head in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you. You¡¯re barely moving your lips.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and repeated myself again, but he still couldn¡¯t hear <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I stopped walking, and he did too. Richard, Rose, and Celeste didn¡¯t notice that we had stopped walking and kept moving down the corridor.


    I leaned up on my tiptoes and moved close to Alexander¡¯s ear so that he would be able to hear me.


    Right as I began to talk, he suddenly turned his head until our faces were only inches away from each other. My heart skipped a beat when Alexander¡¯s dark eyes shot down to my lips, and his eyes sparked with


    desire.


    The room spun as his warm arm wrapped around my waist, and he


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    pressed me against his muscled body. He put his lips right beside my car, and his warm breath made me shiver.


    ¡°I heard you the first time, Olivia,¡± he whispered. ¡°That was smart of you to pay her. She wouldn¡¯t have let us in without a cash bribe.¡±


    My breath hitched from his closeness, but my anger spiked because I realized that he had tricked me since he had heard me the first time. He had just wanted me to get closer to him.


    I pushed him away roughly from me even though my body immediately became cold from the loss of his warm one. Why did my body crave his closeness? It wasn¡¯t fair.


    Richard and Rose looked back and snickered from our antics.


    My hands clenched at my sides as I briskly walked ahead of Alexander to catch up with the group.


    After a few more minutes of walking down the corridor, the fortune teller led us into a small room that only held five chairs and a wooden coffee table that was filled with magazines that had crystal balls on


    them.


    ¡°Wait here while I prepare the room,¡± Celeste said cryptically.


    Then, she disappeared in the other room. What did she have in store for us? What could she possibly be preparing?


    The four of us sat down, and Rose opened her mouth, but I shook my head and took out a small notebook and pen that I had in my purse. I began to write on the notebook as my friends looked on.


    ¡°This room is probably bugged, and they might even be listening to us right now.¡®


    I showed the note to everyone, and they nodded.


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    ¡°Good thinking,¡± Alexander mouthed.


    ¡®I think that Ava is.here because she believed that Mrs. Windsor was going toe tonight. She must have found out that Mrs. Windsor is a big believer in fortune tellers andes here weekly to get her fortune told. Ava must havee here to discover what kind of information she could dig up on her.¡®


    Alexander nodded, and Rose looked slightly confused because she didn¡¯t know the full story, but I didn¡¯t have the time right now t¨® exin it to her. Alexander grabbed the pad of paper from me and began to write.


    ¡®Do you think that Ava is safe right now?¡®


    After I read his message, I nodded.


    But Alexander still looked skeptical.


    ¡®I think that we should have someone check to make sure that she is


    alright.¡®


    Alexander and I stared at each other after I read what he wrote. My heart filled with an emotion I couldn¡¯t identify. It meant a lot to me that he was concerned for my friend.


    ¡®Richard, find someone to make sure that Ava is alright.¡®


    Alexander showed his note to his bodyguard.


    A look of determination crossed Richard¡¯s face, and he grabbed the notepad and began to write. When he was done, his message made me tilt my head in confusion.


    ¡®Leave it to me, Alpha.¡®


    But Alexander nodded and wrote a note telling him good luck.


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    Richard stood from his chair and left the room going back down the corridor. After he was gone, Alexander seemed to notice our expressions of confusion. He wrote down a new message and showed Rose and me.


    7


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    ¡®Richard grew up in Spain and has recently just learned English. He¡¯s still working on learning thenguage.¡®


    I nodded my head in understanding. But it didn¡¯t matter to me where he was from as long as he could make sure that my friend was safe.


    *Olivia*


    It only took Richard five minutes to make a call in the corridor where there weren¡¯t cameras.


    When he came back, his face was expressionless, and I wished that he would give something away, but his face remained stony. My heart mmed against my chest as I waited to find out what he had discovered.


    Richard took the pen and paper. By drawing pictures and using a few small words¨Csince he was still working on his English¨Che informed us that Ava was with Celeste, and that was what was keeping the fortune teller busy right now.


    My panic slightly increased. What was Celeste doing with my friend? My imagination went wild as I thought about all the possibilities. But then Richard wrote down that they were dressed simrly, which confused me. Why was Ava dressed like a fortune teller? But I didn¡¯t have a lot of time to think about that, because Richard told us that I had been right and there were cameras in this room, but there weren¡¯t any in the room next door.


    Alexander took the notepad from Richard and wrote a message to Richard and Rose.,


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    ¡®Stay here.¡®


    228 Vouchers


    Then, Alexander took my hand¨Chis warm touch made a jolt go through me¨Cand he took me to the room that Richard had pointed to that didn¡¯t have cameras.


    When we entered the room, Alexander immediately shut the door. I looked around the small space, and my stomach dropped to the floor. The only thing in this room was arge bed with a whiteforter.


    Alexander nced over at the bed, and his eyes shot to mine. Against my better judgment, I began to think about all the things that Alexander and I could do on that bed. I could practically feel his warm touch and muscr body against mine.


    ¡®No! You need to think about Ava right now.¡®


    I shook my head to clear it and took a giant step away from Alexander. I couldn¡¯t think clearly when he was too close to me.


    ¡°Hey, look at this,¡± Alexander whispered and pointed out two small holes in the wall.


    My pulse quickened as the two of us kneeled down to look through the holes.


    Once I saw what was in that room, my mouth dropped open in shock.


    In a small, dimly¨Clit room, three people sat around a wooden table. On top of the table sat a giant, swirling crystal ball. The room was filled to the brim with items of the ult. Books on magic, ss jars and bottles filled with dried nts and colorful liquids, white candles like we saw in the corridor, decks of tarot cards, many mirrors that reflected the rooms itself, and an ouija board.


    My stomach dropped to the floor when I noticed something over by the


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    corner. A space had been dedicated for a white stone altar. On top of the altar was a gold cup, a dagger, pentagrams, and a container of salt.


    That was when I realized that I had guessed wrong when I originally thought that Celeste was a fortune teller.


    No, Celeste ir was a full-blown witch.


    In a chair sat Celeste. She had her head down and her eyes closed. Ava sat next to her, and she was posing as a witch because she was wearing a satin robe the color of dark blood. My friend also had on a ck witches hat.


    Across from the them sat Mrs. Windsor. My teeth gritted as I stared at her. Chole¡¯s mother was dressed immactely in a light¨Cpink blouse and ck cks. Her look wasplete with her signature pearls.


    ¡°Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice,¡± Mrs. Windsor said, her voice slightly shaking. ¡°I¡¯vee for¡­help. My daughter, Chole, is having some problems and I need you to perform a ritual to help her.¡±


    Celeste slowly opened her eyes, and I wanted to gasp. Before, the witches¡® eyes had been blue, but now they were a dark color. I could barely see the whites of her eyes anymore. The effect chilled me to my bones.


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    The witch didn¡¯t say a word as she slowly stood from her chair. Celeste went to her altar, and as she made eye contact with Mrs. Windsor, she picked up the dagger and slowly cut the palm of her hand. Then, she allowed her blood to drip into the gold cup. As soon as the blood hit the cup, the witch copsed to the ground and began to convulse.


    Mrs. Windsor gasped and stood from her chair.


    ¡°Stay seated, or else you¡¯ll mess with the ceremony!¡± Ava yelled.


    For a full two minutes, Celeste convulsed on the floor. When she got to her feet, her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing ragged. She began to chant in anguage I didn¡¯t recognize. It sounded like Latin. She pointed at Mrs. Windsor and her eyes rolled back into her head. Celeste threw a circle of salt around her to end the ritual.


    When the ceremony was finished, the witch pointed an using finger at Mrs. Windsor.


    ¡°You lied to us!¡± she burst out, and rage filled her voice. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something! The magic won¡¯t work if you are dishonest!¡± Her voice grew until it seemed to shake the small room. ¡°Something has happened to your daughter, and you have hidden it from us!¡±


    Chole¡¯s mother¡¯s face paled, and she nced around the room as if looking for an exit.


    Celeste stalked toward Mrs. Windsor with rage burning in her ck eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing that witches hate above all, it is people who lie!¡±


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    Energy rolled off of the witch, and sweat rolled down the back of <b>my </b>neck. Even though her anger wasn¡¯t directed at me, I was d that I was in the next room over.


    I looked at Alexander, and I noticed a look of understanding cross his face. I wished that I could ask him what he had realized because I was still confused, but I didn¡¯t want to be caught cavesdropping.


    Madeline put her hands together and begged. ¡°Please, will you just save my daughter? I can pay you anything. Money isn¡¯t an object. I just need your help.¡±


    Celeste only red at Mrs. Windsor and slowly shook her head.


    Madeline cried out in agony and copsed to the ground just like the witch had a few moments before. Mrs. Windsor crawled to the witches¡® feet and grasped onto her robes.


    ¡°Please, I beg you!¡± she yelled. ¡°My daughter needs your help:¡±


    Ava stood from the table. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that Celeste can do if you don¡¯t tell us the truth,¡± she said in amanding voice. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t care about money. The ritual won¡¯t work if you¡¯re not honest.¡±


    Madeline¡¯s face grew even more white with fear, but her body copsed with defeat. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± she relented.


    Once the three women were sitting at the table again, Mrs. Windsor let out a loud sigh. ¡°When Chole was in high school, there was an¡­ ident. A friend of hers tragically passed away very young. A few people thought that Chole was involved somehow, but that¡¯s not true!¡± she cried vehemently. ¡°It was all just a big misunderstanding. My Chole was and is¨Cinnocent in that unfortunate incident.¡±


    The room was silent for a full minute.


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    Mrs. Windsor wiped a tear from her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not here to talk about that, though. I want to help my daughter, who is about to get married.¡±


    Alexander and I looked at each other at the same time.


    Here we go.


    *Olivia*


    Mrs. Windsor had to be lying about Chole not being involved in the ident. What if Chole had been involved in her friend¡¯s killing and the powerful Windsor family had covered it up with their money and connections? We¡¯re they afraid of iting out and ruining Chole¡¯s future?


    I let out a quiet gasp of realization. My hands shook with fear as I realized my mistake. Alexander red at me since my gasp could be the reason that we were discovered eavesdropping.


    I held my breath and waited to see if anyone had heard my gasp. Only Ava looked over in my direction for a fraction of a second, and I wondered if she could sense my presence. Thankfully, Celeste and Mrs. Windsor kept their eyes on each other.


    Ava seemed toe to the same realization as me because her eyes widened with understanding.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t the full story, and you know it!¡± Ava said in a powerful voice. ¡°You are still being dishonest, and you have displeased the spirits! You have angered the undead witches. You must go before they take out their wrath on you!¡±


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    Ava pointed to the altar, and it began to shake. The gold cup fell over, and Celeste¡¯s blood dripped onto the floor and stained it.


    ¡°No!¡± Mrs. Windsor cried. ¡°I can¡¯t leave until you help my daughter.¡± She turned to Celeste. ¡°Please, is there anything you can do that will protect her?¡±


    The witch was silent for a moment, then she pulled out a string of white beads from around her neck and took it off of her.


    ¡°These are nes that have been blessed by thirteen witches¨Cour most powerful and sacred number. They might help protect your daughter,¡± Celeste said in a grave tone. ¡°But there is little I can do if your daughter has secrets that she is trying to bury. Some day, those secrets wille up from the grave to haunt her until the day she dies.¡±


    Mrs. Windsor shuddered in fear, but she epted the nes.


    1


    Ava nodded, going along with the act, and picked up a small, clear vial that had purple liquid inside. ¡°This vial has been blessed by the same thirteen witches. But it has already been reserved by a more devout believer, Mrs. Allen. She has agreed to pay ten million dors for it.¡±


    Madeline took out her purse, and her eyes sparked with determination. ¡°I will give you twenty million dors for it. I will pay anything to protect my Chole.¡±


    Celeste pretended to ponder her offer. ¡°Hmm, it is true that Mrs. Allen has already reserved that vial of protection potion, but since your daughter¡¯s life is at stake, I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll understand. You can


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    write me a check for twenty¨Cfive million dors for the nes and the potion.¡±


    Once the purchase was made, Celeste warned Madeline that the ne must be worn at all times and she must keep the potion with her 24/7 or else Chole¡¯s life will be in danger in less than three days time.


    These words made Mrs. Windsor¡¯s face grow whiter than I¡¯d ever seen it. ¡°Could my life be in danger, too? Is there anything else I can buy that will help keep me safe?¡±


    Ava began to shake her head no, but Celeste stood in front of her and blocked her from sight. ¡°There is,¡± the witch said. ¡°We have many more protection jewelry and potions that are avable to purchase¡­for the right price.¡±


    Twenty minutester, Mrs. Windsor was loaded up with nes, bracelets, rings, and vials of liquid. And Celeste was a whole lot richer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again next week,¡± Celeste promised in a cryptic voice. ¡°Then you can purchase more protection items because these will lose their magic by then.¡±


    Mrs. Windsor nodded, collected her purchases, and left the room.


    After the two women were sure that she was gone, Celeste copsed in


    her chair.


    ¡°I hate these eye contacts,¡± she said and began to remove the contacts that made her eyes nearly ck. ¡°They always make my eyes water.¡±


    Ava was studying the white stone altar. ¡°How did you make this shake on its own, and how did the cup fall?¡±


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    Celeste waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s easy. Both are connected to a machine, and I hit this button under the table.¡± She pointed under the wooden table. ¡°It¡¯s a neat trick that gets everyone to purchase a lot more protection items.¡±


    My mouth dropped open in shock, and Alexander¡¯s expression mirrored mine.


    Of course, Celeste wasn¡¯t a real witch. She was a scam artist.


    ¡°You were great with that vial trick¡± Celeste said after she was done taking out her contacts. ¡°I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership.¡±


    Ava held out her hand for the other woman to shake. ¡°I agree. This will be a way for me to get justice for my friend.¡±


    My stomach jolted when I realized she was talking about me.


    ¡°And you will rake in even more money for me,¡± Celeste said and shook Ava¡¯s hand.


    I stood in shock as I witnessed my friend agreeing to help scam people out of their money to help me. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that.


    Alexander took me by the hand and pulled me back into the waiting room. ¡°I don¡¯t want Celeste to know that we had witnessed her scam,¡±


    he whispered.


    Thankfully, when the witch came to collect us, Alexander and I were sitting next to Rose and Richard like we had never left our seats.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready for you,¡± Celeste said in that cryptic tone of hers.


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    <b>Chapter </b>143


    It didn¡¯t make the hair on the back of my neck stand up anymore now that I knew she was a fraud.


    Celeste led the four of us back into the dimly¨Clit room. To my disappointment, Ava was no longer in the room. It was only Celeste.


    ¡°What questions would you like me to ask the undead witches who came before me?¡± Celeste asked as she swirled her hands above the crystal ball on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know who I¡¯m going to get married to,¡± Alexander said.


    I whipped my head around to gaze at him in surprise, but he wouldn¡¯t meet my eyes. He was only looking at Celeste.


    The ¡®witch¡® nodded and passed him a pencil and a piece of paper. As she lit the candle on the table, she instructed Alexander to write down


    his date of birth.


    ¡°You do it,¡± Alexander told m¨¦.


    Everyone looked at me, and I flushed under the scrutiny. With no choice, I just wrote down a random date.


    Celeste read the piece of paper, looked between Alexander and me, then dipped the paper into the fire until it curled and turned ck. As Celeste blew out the small fire, she closed her eyes and hummed.


    When she opened her eyes, she looked right at Alexander. ¡°The witches tell me that you need to cherish the person beside you.¡±


    I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Really? Celeste couldn¡¯t do any


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    better than that<b>? </b>


    But Alexander turned his head and looked at me with such burning intensity that it made my breath catch and my hands shake.


    ¡°What do you think that means, Olivia?¡± he asked, moving closer to me until the only thing I could focus on was his dark eyes, warm body, and delicious scent.


    But I wasn¡¯t ready for something like this, especially when we were surrounded by people.


    My heart mmed against my rib cage as I panicked about what Alexander would do next.


    *Olivia*


    Alexander¡¯s face was so close that I could see tiny flecks of gold in his dark eyes. At that point, my body was flushed, and my hands were trembling. I didn¡¯t know if Alexander actually had feelings for me or if he was just messing with me in front of all these people.


    I could barely hear Celeste when she began to talk because of how loud my heart was beating.


    ¡°I do have a magic bracelet that will make you lucky in love,¡± Celeste said in that mystical tone of hers as she rummaged around in a drawer beside her. ¡°It has special powers that will help you on your quest to find true love or to even romance the one you¡¯re interested in.¡±


    Her eyesnded on me, and I squirmed under her scrutiny.


    With flourish, Celeste pulled out a bracelet and showed it to Alexander.


    My mouth dropped open when I noticed that it was the same gold bracelet with a tiny heart charm that I was wearing. This bracelet was a


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    little bit thicker and more masculine in appearance, but it was still almost identical to mine. Embarrassment washed over me. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was wearing a fraud¡¯s bracelet.


    ¡°You can have this bracelet,¡± Celeste smiled slyly, ¡°for the right price.¡±


    ¡°When ites to love, money is no object for me,¡± Alexander said and nced at me.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes twinkled with greed, but she tried to keep a straight face.


    After Alexander bought the bracelet, he turned to me with a yful smile on his lips.


    ¡°Will you put it on me, please?¡± he murmured and looked at me like we were the only ones in the room.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be¡ª¡± I started to say, my tone very sarcastic, but Alexander widened his eyes at me to keep ying the part.


    I had no choice but to go along with the act. As I sped the bracelet onto hisrge wrist, my hands shook slightly from the close contact of his warm body.


    A smug smile crossed Alexander¡¯s face as if he knew the kind of effect that he was having on me.


    ¡°I could use some luck in love,¡± Richard said. ¡°I¡¯ll take the same bracelet as Alexander.¡±


    Celeste smiled, and I knew that she was picturing money signs at this point. ¡°I have some special rings that will bring good fortune for you and your girlfriend,¡± she gestured to Rose.


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    ¡°Nah, we¡¯re good,¡± Rose said, ying along and patting Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s just mad that I dumped him yesterday because he couldn¡¯t keep up with me,¡± she joked and winked at Celeste.


    The four of us got up from our chairs, and I could see Celeste frown because she wasn¡¯t able to swindle us out of all our money.


    Celeste showed us to the exit of the corridor. She didn¡¯t even ask us toe back. Probably because we didn¡¯t spend enough money.


    Ten minutester, we took a chance on the old, creaky elevator because we just wanted to get out of the building. When the doors opened, Ava stepped out.


    Her eyes widened as she stared at us. Weirdly, the first thing she noticed was the bracelet on Alexander¡¯s wrist.


    She narrowed her eyes and then looked at me. ¡°Hey, is there something you¡¯re not-¡±


    My stomach swooped, and I hurriedly covered her mouth with my hand and dragged her back into the elevator. Alexander, Richard, and Rose followed on after me.


    Slowly, I removed my hand and gave Ava a look not to run her mouth in a ce filled with cameras, and she nodded in understanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I ran into you guys here,¡± Ava said in an upbeat tone.


    I smiled encouragingly d that she had quickly caught on.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I treat you guys to ate dinner? I know of a fondue


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    restaurant around here that¡¯s open prettyte,¡± Ava continued as the elevator doors opened.


    Alexander scowled and walked out of the elevator. ¡°No, I have an early inorning meeting.¡± He turned to Rose and me. ¡°Ava can take you home, then?¡±


    you both


    I nodded as my mind spun, trying to process histest mood swing.


    We left the building, and Alexander left with Richard without a goodbye. Richard turned and waved at the three of us at least.


    ¡°Woah, why is he so angry?¡± Ava asked as Rose and I followed her to her car.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t been in the best of moodstely,¡± I answered as I sat in the passenger seat.


    ¡°Is he ever in a good mood?¡± Ava joked while starting the car..


    I couldn¡¯t help theugh that burst out of my lips. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong about that.¡±


    Fifteen minutester, the three of us girls were sitting at a booth dipping delicious bread, apples, crispy bacon, and meatballs in warm, gooey fondue.


    ¡°You were right,¡± I told Ava as I wiped the corner of my mouth with a cloth napkin. ¡°This restaurant is amazing.¡±


    While we ate, Ava and I told Rose the summarized version of what was going on with Chole. She was a good friend and I trusted her with the information. Ava and Rose immediately hit it off, and soon, they were talking like old friends.


    ¡°I admire your courage to join Celeste just to try to help Olivia,¡± Rose


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    told Ava. ¡°That¡¯s very admirable.¡±


    Ava¡¯s cheeks flushed, and 1 patted her knee.


    ¡°You really are a great friend,¡± I said, and we shared a smile.


    To my surprise, Ava sighed as she poured herself more red wine. ¡°Yeah, but even with all the work I¡¯ve been doing, I¡¯m still not any closer to getting Mrs. Windsor to reveal anything that could incriminate Chole.¡±


    Rose skewered a ripe strawberry with her wooden stick and dipped it under the melted chocte fountain. ¡°Honestly, that doesn¡¯t surprise me,¡± she said and shook her head with a rueful smile. ¡°I bet Mrs. Windsor and Chole don¡¯t even realize that they are the viins in life. The bad guy never thinks they are in the wrong.¡±


    Ava pointed at Rose in excitement. ¡°Exactly!¡±


    At the end of dinner, Ava and Rose exchanged business cards.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the coolest people I¡¯ve ever met,¡± Ava told Rose. ¡°If you ever need any legal advice, I¡¯ll give you a big discount.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so sweet!¡± Rose said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to send my clients your way if they need a goodwyer!¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t forget who introduced you guys,¡± I reminded them jokingly.


    Rose took a cab home, and Ava offered to drive me to her apartment so that we could discuss what she learned in more detail.


    After I entered Ava¡¯s cute apartment, she turned to me with excitement.


    ¡°I know you trust Rose¨Cand so do I¨Cbut the fewer people that know about this, the better,¡± she said and grabbed my hands.


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    ¡°Know about what?¡± I asked.


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    ¡°I was able to nt a listening device into one of the nes that Celeste sold to Mrs. Windsor!¡± she said.


    My mouth dropped open. ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Yes! You see, I thought ahead and knew that I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get any usable evidence from Mrs. Windsor, so I made sure that Celeste said that she had to bring the ne back for her to ¡®recharge it.¡® That way, we can listen to Mrs. Windsor and her daughter¡¯s conversations!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a genius!¡± I said and gave her a big hug.


    ¡°I know, right,¡± Ava joked and hugged me back.


    But when we pulled back, I remembered something that I had overheard.


    ¡°How did you find out that Chole had a private record?¡±


    Ava¡¯s face went slightly pink, and I knew that this story would be good.


    *Olivia*


    ¡°I used some of my more¡­underground connections to figure out that she had a criminal past,¡± Ava exined.


    ¡°Are your connections¡­legal?¡± I asked, my tone teasing.


    I sat down on herfortable pink couch, and Ava took a seat beside <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


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    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me questions you know I can¡¯t answer,¡± she said and grinned.


    Weughed, and then Ava became serious. ¡°While I was looking into Chole¡¯s criminal history, I discovered that she had two past


    exonerations from jail.¡±


    ¡°Two?¡± I asked, and my eyes widened.


    Ava nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t that crazy? I couldn¡¯t believe it when I found ?it out.¡±


    ¡°The things having a rich and well¨Cconnected family will get you out of,¡± I said with exasperation.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me. Anyway, I was talking to my psychologist friend, Angie, and I exined Chole¡¯s past and her unpredictable behavior.¡±


    I leaned forward, intrigued. ¡°What did Angie say?¡±


    ¡°Angie said that Chole might have borderline personality disorder since these criminal tendencies couldn¡¯t have developed overnight,¡±


    Ava said.


    ¡°Woah,¡± I said. ¡°That sounds serious.¡±


    ¡°It is if it¡¯s left untreated,¡± Ava told me. ¡°And I bet your Mrs. Windsor just swept her daughter¡¯s mental health issues under the rug because she didn¡¯t want to risk it getting out that her daughter needed to be treated for her mental health.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°So, while I was looking into Chole, I discovered something crazy about her past,¡± Ava continued. ¡°Chole was questioned by the police about five years ago in connection to the disappearance of one of her male ssmates.¡±


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    ¡°That was what Mrs. Windsor was vaguely referring to during the fake ritual with Celeste. She said that it was all a big misunderstanding,¡± I said.


    Ava leaned closer and gave me a loaded look. ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­I don¡¯t think it was a misunderstanding. I looked more into the case and found out that the male student had been a golden boy. You know the type. He was one of the top students involved in many extracurricrs, and he was beloved by all the students and staff.¡±


    I was afraid to ask my next question. ¡°Did¡­did someone kill him?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows,¡± Ava said. ¡°He¡¯s been missing for five years, and his whereabouts are still a mystery. His parents have been torn apart by his disappearance. They got a divorce and everything.¡±


    I paused as I thought over what she had just told me. ¡°So, you think that Chole had something to do with this student¡¯s disappearance.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said without hesitation.. ¡°Especially because the reason that Chole was being questioned by the police is because she had been with the missing boy the night he disappeared. She was thest to see him before he went missing.¡±


    Then, Ava told me everything that she knew while working with Celeste. Most of the information I already knew, but I was d to have someone on the inside to spy on Mrs. Windsor when she thought that she was in private and might say something incriminating about her daughter.


    ¡°Celeste is a good actress,¡± I said. ¡°Honestly, you guys would make a good crime fighting duo. With the way that you can read people and uncover hidden information. It¡¯s very impressive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in it for the money like Celeste,¡± Ava assured me. ¡°I just want to bring Chole and her mother to justice.¡±


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    ¡°So<b>, </b>you said that the missing boy¡¯s mom and dad got a divorce, is there anything else that you know about them?¡± I asked.


    Ava¡¯s mouth turned down in a frown, and she shivered slightly. ¡°Well, the boy¡¯s mother actually passed awayst year.¡±


    I sped my hand over my mouth in shock. ¡°How?¡±

 Alpha Novel 146

    ¡°This is where it gets stranger,¡± Ava said and crossed her legs. ¡°From what I found out, the mother got really obsessed with finding her son. She quit her job, cut off all her friends, and went into debt, hiring a bunch of private investigators. She barely ate or slept. The only thing she cared about was finding her son.¡±


    ¡°That poor woman.¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s awful,¡± Ava agreed. ¡°So, eye witnesses im to have seen the boy¡¯s mother make a few trips to the Windsor family home. Two weeks after that, she died from a gas explosion. Her ex¨Chusband had been in the house too, and they both died on impact from the explosion.¡±


    My blood turned to ice. ¡°Are you serious? That can¡¯t be a coincidence!¡±


    ¡°I agree, but I¡¯ll have a hell of a time proving that it wasn¡¯t,¡± she said and sighed.


    We were quiet for a moment, and then I told Ava about how Ethan asked me to write a letter of understanding for Chole. My friend¡¯s eyes widened as I detailed my ex¨Chusband¡¯s threats to my family and how he had locked me in that private room.


    ¡°He is such an asshole,¡± Ava muttered after I was finished.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± I said and grabbed a throw nket to cover me since this whole eerie situation was making me colder by the second.


    Ethan¡¯s threats today, along with the bizarre way that the boy¡¯s parents


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    had died after going over to the Windsor family home, made the hair on my arms stand. Fear wed up my throat as I thought about my family¡¯s safety and the fact that Ethan could go after Ava, too, since she was helping me.


    Ava put a reassuring arm around me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that Ethan did that to you,¡± she said with anger in her voice. ¡°He is such a bastard for threatening you and your family!¡±


    I leaned into herforting touch, and my heart rate lowered slightly.


    Then, the doorbell rang, making me jump about five feet into the air.


    Ava whipped her head to stare at me with panic in her eyes. ¡°The gas explosion,¡± she hissed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I automatically thought of, too,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Who would be at the door thiste at night? I don¡¯t think we should answer it.¡±


    ¡°At least I have an electric oven, not gas,¡± Ava joked, but her voice was shaking slightly.


    ¡°Maybe we should go stand in the hallway,¡± I suggested. ¡°So, they can¡® t hear us.¡±


    Ava nodded in agreement.


    But as soon as we went to another room, my stomach dropped to the ground, and I let out a squeak of fear.


    ¡°Be quiet, or whoever is at the door will hear us,¡± Ava muttered.


    ¡°Look!¡± I said and pointed in the direction of her balcony.


    That was when arge gust of cold wind blew through the room,


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    making my whole body shiver. Ava¡¯s white curtains were billowing because the ss doors of her balcony had been thrown open.


    ¡°Did you forget to close your doors before you left your apartment,¡± I asked hopefully as my stomach stiffened with fear.


    Ava met my eyes, and I could see the panic that was flowing through me mirrored in her wide eyes.


    ¡°No, Olivia. I clearly remember closing the doors and locking them,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°That means that someone is the house,¡± I murmured as my heart mmed against my rib cage.


    The doorbell rang once more. Then, someone began to pound on the door.


    *Olivia*


    The knocking became insistent and loud. With each second that passed, my certainty that there was an intruder in Ava¡¯s apartment increased. From where we were standing, I could see that her wooden front door was shaking from how hard the person was pounding on it.


    I looked at Ava, but she no longer seemed scared. Her face was no longer pale, and now she looked nothing but determined.


    ¡°How dare someone try to terrorize me in my own home,¡± she said as his hands clenched into tight fists. ¡°I¡¯m calling the police.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± I said as a shot of adrenaline pumped through me. Her courage was helping me not be as afraid.


    ¡°I left my phone by the couch,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°Me too.¡±


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    Together, we began to walk back to the living room, but we had only taken a few steps when all the lights in her apartment went out.


    ¡°No!¡± Ava yelled in frustration. ¡°They must have messed with the circuit breakers.¡±


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    In the dark, we stumbled toward the living room. I almost tripped over arge vase in the corner of the room, and Ava bumped into a side table, jostling amp, but she managed to catch it before it crashed to the floor.


    J


    Finally, we made it to our purses. Quickly, Ava made the call to the police and put her phone on speaker so that I could hear it.


    ¡°Yes, please send over someone as quickly as possible,¡± Ava said after she quickly exined the situation. ¡°The knocking on my door is bing so loud, I can barely even hear you and¡­¡± She paused and swallowed, but she rolled her shoulders back, trying to remain brave. ¡°And I think there might be someone in the house.¡±


    The pounding on the door was bing so loud that I could barely hear myself think. Whoever was trying to get in alternated between knocking and ranging the doorbell repeatedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sending someone over to your location right now,¡± the operator assured us. ¡°Go to a room that you can lock and stay there to wait for the officers to get to you. If you have any weapons to protect yourselves, bring them with you.¡±


    Herst sentence made a jolt go through me. The room spun. This whole thing was all happening too fast.


    After Ava hung up, she grabbed my hand and dragged me to her bedroom. She locked the door and used the light from her cell phone to look around the room. I shook my head to clear it. I couldn¡¯t afford to go into shock right now. I had to help Ava. As I got my phone out of my purse, we heard a noiseing from the other room.


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    It was the unmistakable sound of a door being unlocked.


    17208 Vouchere


    Ava¡¯s terrified gaze met mine. ¡°They¡¯re inside!¡± she whispered, her voice high with anxiety.


    This time, I was the one to act first. I grabbed onto her wrist and led her into her bathroom that was connected to the room. We shut the door and locked it. The fact that there were now two locked doors between us and the intruder made my shoulders rx slightly.


    After a moment of eerie silence, Ava quietly gasped.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°If someone has a key to open the door, that means that they can get into my bedroom and the bathroom,¡± she quickly exined. ¡°It¡¯s a master key that unlocks any room in my apartment!¡±


    My heart dropped. ¡°So, we¡¯re sitting ducks, then?¡±


    Ava nodded.


    At the same time, we sprang from the floor and ran out of the bathroom, through her bedroom, and back out into the hallway. It wasn¡¯t smart to be cornered by the intruder.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Ava whispered as we crept along the dark hallway.


    I stopped walking and listened closely.


    In the direction of the balcony doors, there was a small creaking sound. The door to the balcony was slowly being opened, and a man¡¯s face came into view.


    Ava and I held each other as we screamed at the top of our lungs. We were almost loud enough to crack the ss. The pounding on the door continued as the man came slowly into view.


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    Once I got a good look at him, I immediately stopped screaming.


    ¡°Ava!¡± I said and shook her because she was still yelling with fear. ¡°It¡¯s. Richard!¡±


    Alexander¡¯s new bodyguard was standing in the doorway with a sheepish expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,dies. I didn¡¯t mean to frighten you. That was the opposite of what I wanted. Mr. Green has put me in charge of protecting you two for the night, but to do it discreetly. So, I found the extra key to your balcony on your patio and have been watching over things. I¡¯m so sorry to scare you. I¡¯ve been making sure to lock it each time I leave.¡±


    My heart was still mming against my chest. ¡°Were you also pounding on the front door?¡± I asked Richard.


    His head tilted to the side. ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t me.¡± As if on cue, the knocking started again. Richard volunteered to see who it was. Turned out, it was just Ava¡¯sndlord who hade around to inform all the tenants about the power outage. It wasn¡¯t just Ava¡¯s apartment. It was the whole building. Thendlord had heard us screaming, and that was why he had been pounding on the door. He had decided toe in with his master key when she hadn¡¯t answered to make sure we were alright, but when he didn¡¯t find us, he left.


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    Shortly afterward, the police showed up. While she blushed, Ava told them that this was all just a big misunderstanding, but to be diligent, they checked every inch of the apartment and balcony. But they found nothing, which was afort to me.


    After the police and Ava¡¯sndlord left, Richard offered to sleep on the couch, and we dly took him up on his offer. We got ready for bed and even stayed in the same room because we were still so scared.


    As Ava sat down on a chair in the corner of her bedroom, I got into bed even though I wasn¡¯t the least bit tired.


    ¡°This whole thing with the Windsor¡¯s is getting out of hand,¡± Ava said and scrubbed a hand down her face. ¡°I¡¯m starting to be scared for our safety. Do you think that you could ask Alexander for help taking them down?¡±


    Her question made my palms sweat. I was scared to ask Alexander for any help because I was afraid of what kind of strings would be attached to any favor that he did for me. What would he ask for in return? Even if he didn¡¯t ask for a favor to pay him back, I would still be afraid of owing him. Then, I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse him anything in the future. It would be like making a deal with a very handsome


    devil.


    I sighed and organized my thoughts before I replied to Ava¡¯s question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± I finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose myself in this whole situation. That¡¯s exactly what happened with Ethan when we were married, and I can¡¯t let that happen again. If we make a deal with Alexander and his team, I¡¯m afraid that he¡¯ll ask for


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    something that will make me act like the kind of person I don¡¯t want to be anymore. Does that make sense?¡± I turned toward her, afraid of her


    reaction.


    *Olivia*


    To myplete shock, Ava didn¡¯t seem angry with me. She had a thoughtful expression.


    I sat up in bed and waited for her reply.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s probably for the best that we don¡¯t involve Alexander right now,¡± Ava said after a moment. ¡°I keep thinking about that missing boy¡¯s parents who passed away. The real reason that they died was because the mother kept getting involved and asking questions about the Windsor family. If we ask for Alexander¡¯s help, that would just paint an even bigger target on our backs since he is such a high- profile person.¡±


    I nodded in agreement. I hadn¡¯t even thought about that. But she did make a good point.


    ¡°So, should we just take a step back and allow Ethan and Chole to have their way for the time being?¡± I asked.


    Ava sat forward in her chair. ¡°Here¡¯s what I think we should do: You should write that letter of understanding that Ethan requested for Chole.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. That was going to be a difficult letter to write since I wouldn¡¯t mean a word of it. But it was important to get that powerful family off of our backs for now. Besides, I hade to the conclusion to write that letter earlier today, but I was d that Ava agreed it was the best course of action.


    ¡°While Ethan and Chole think that we have given up, I will quietly


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    gather evidence behind the scenes to pursue the Hawthrone¡¯s and the Windsor¡¯s on murder charges,¡± Ava continued. ¡°There¡¯s no way in hell that I¡¯m letting them get away with the crimes they¡¯vemitted.¡±


    I grinned at her. ¡°Sounds like a n to me,¡± I said, but my voice shook slightly, thinking about the possible danger that Ava would be in because she was helping me.


    ¡°Everything will work out for the better,¡± Ava said with confidence.


    I just hoped that she was right.


    **


    The next morning, Ava went with me to the police station. I had called ahead and told them that I wanted to write a letter of understanding for Chole Windsor. While we were walking up to the doors, Ava swore under her breath.


    I looked up and saw Ethan hurriedly walking toward us.


    ¡°The station called me and told me that you¡¯re going to write the letter!¡± Ethan said, his relief evident in his eyes. ¡°You really are doing the right thing, Olivia. You won¡¯t regret this.¡±


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    He reached his arm out to touch my shoulder, but Ava stepped in front of me and effectively blocked him.


    ¡°How much money would you like for writing the letter?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°I can have my assistant wire you any amount of money instantly. Or do you prefer cash?¡±


    Ava scoffed at my ex¨Chusbands audacity. But I was used to it. So, I just ignored him and walked away.


    My teeth gritted when I heard the sound of him following after us.


    I sped up to get away from him, but there was a car right next to us. The driver hit the gas pedal to elerate.


    They were headed right for me.


    My stomach stiffened in fear as I jumped back, bumping into Ethan. My ex tried to wrap his arms around me to steady me,


    but my momentum caused us both to fall to the ground.


    Right after we fell, I saw another car that was driven by Richard speed in front of the three of us, forcing the other car to stop before it could hit us.


    As I struggled to get myself out of Ethan¡¯s embrace, his familiar scent washed over me, causing my stomach to turn over.


    The door of the car that almost hit me flew open, and the driver rushed


    out.


    My blood boiled when I saw who it was.


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    Of course it was Chole.


    Ava¡¯s words fromst night of her having untreated mental health issues came back to me.


    My friend rushed over to help me off the ground and away from Ethan.


    Chole¡¯s face was maroon as she looked between Ethan and me. ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe that you were just trying to seduce my fianc¨¦! Of course, I would find you wrapped around him.¡±


    Her eyes sparked with anger, and she advanced toward me with a murderous expression.


    But Richard ran out of the other car and stood in front of me, protecting me.


    My heart thudded with relief from having him close by for my safety.


    To myplete shock, Ethan stood from the ground and stepped in front of me. If I didn¡¯t know any better, it seemed like he was


    protecting me from his future wife.


    But I didn¡¯t need his protection. Disgust flowed through me as I gestured for Richard and Ava to move over to the side with me to get away from Chole and Ethan.


    ¡°I told you to stay at home!¡± Ethan yelled at Chole. ¡°Why would you try to run her over? You know that you¡¯re not allowed to hurt Olivia. She came here today to write a letter to help you.¡±


    Chole¡¯s lower lip trembled, and tears filled her eyes. As they ran down her cheeks, she stepped toward Ethan and grabbed onto the front of his suit jacket.


    ¡°Why are you even within a mile of her!¡± Chole demanded and red


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    at me. ¡°You know that I forbid you from ever seeing your ex again! She might just sink her ws back into you and try to steal you <b>away </b>from me!¡±


    I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at her.


    Really? How hypocritical of her. She was the one who originally stole Ethan away from me, and I didn¡¯t even want him anymore. As far as I was concerned, Chole could have him. Maybe that was why she was worried, though. Once a cheater, always a cheater.


    ¡°Sweetheart, Olivia is here to help you,¡± Ethan said and rubbed her arms soothingly.


    But Chole didn¡¯t seem to even be listening to Ethan. She started to hyperventte, and her body started to shake as she sobbed.


    Ava and I shared a look. Even though Chole had just tried to run me over with her car, it was obvious that she wasn¡¯t mentally well. I couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly bad for her.


    ¡°You promised to only love me!¡± Chole cried and backed away from Ethan. ¡°Why would I find you here with her!¡±


    My ex¨Chusband threw his arms up in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this, Chole. I can¡¯t live like this anymore. I¡¯m putting my foot down. If you ever harm¨Cor attempt to hurt¨COlivia again, then I will never marry you,<i>¡± </i>he threatened, his jaw clenching. ¡°I don¡¯t care what the circumstances are. You are not allowed to try and hurt her ever again.¡±


    That made Chole immediately stop crying, and her face went pale. Her bright eyes widened with horror. She threw her arms around Ethan and pressed herself against him.


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    ¡°I promise to never mess with her again! I¡¯m so sorry, Ethan. I can¡¯t stand the thought of you not being my husband,¡± Chole said and buried her head into his chest, her shoulders shaking with sobs.


    *Olivia*


    After a moment, Chole seemed to calm down as Ethan wiped the tears from her eyes. Soon, she was breathing normally, and her mood seemed to regte before my eyes.


    Ava and I shared a loaded look. I didn¡¯t know much about borderline personality disorder¨Cthe affliction that Ava¡¯s psychologist friend seemed to think that Chole had¨Cbut I was pretty sure that rapid mood swings were a part of it. Watching Chole¡¯s erratic behavior made my blood chill. I thought about her ssmate, who was still missing. She had been thest person who was seen with him. Had Chole hurt that poor kid in some way? Honestly, after all the things that I¡¯ve witnessed her do, I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I became so emotional,¡± Chole said and stared up at Ethan with regret. ¡°You know that I only act this way because I just love you so much. It¡¯s also my pregnancy hormones.¡± Chole rubbed her belly. ¡°You can¡¯t leave me when I¡¯m carrying your child! You just can¡® t! How am I supposed to raise our child without you?¡±


    At this thought, Chole began to sob again and clutched on even tighter to Ethan.


    He gently patted her back, but I knew him well enough to know that he was still angry. He tried to mask it, though, as his expression turned into a cool, indifferent mask that I¡¯d seen many times.


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    ¡°You are never allowed to hurt her again,¡± Ethan repeated, then gently led Chole over to me. ¡°You need to apologize for trying to hurt her.¡±


    I wanted to ask him why he was talking to her, like she was a child, that he had caught doing something wrong. Why was he treating her with such kid gloves?


    I could still see hatred in Chole¡¯s eyes as she red at me. But she sighed and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for trying to run you over with my car,¡± Chole said with a sarcastic edge to her voice. ¡°As long as you stay away from Ethan, I won¡¯t hurt you again. Why should I even waste time with you? I¡¯m the one that Ethan had chosen in the end. I¡¯m the one that he wants to spend the rest of his life with.¡±


    Even though her apology was forced and not authentic at all, Ethan wrapped his arm around Chole¡¯s shoulders and smiled down at her with pride. My guess was that she didn¡¯t apologize very often.


    I red at Chole with disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t ept your apology,¡± I said. ¡°If you can even call it that.¡± I looked between my ex¨Chusband and his mistress. ¡°You two deserve each other. I hope that you two stay together forever to keep people like you off of the dating scene so that no one else has to deal with you.¡±


    Chole¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by another car pulling up to us. Relief shot down my spine as Alexander quickly got out of his car and nodded at Richard. I assumed that his bodyguard had texted him about the situation, and he came racing over here./


    Alexander walked up to us and stood close beside me. The heat from his body gave mefort, and I held onto that to get through this.


    ¡°You two have what you want,¡± he said to Ethan and Chole. ¡°You can


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    leave Olivia alone now. I¡¯ll take care of her and make sure that she has the life she deserves.¡±


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    Alexander then slid his arm around my shoulders, and I automatically rxed into his side. ¡°Don¡¯t contact her again,¡± he growled at Ethan, then turned to Chole. ¡°If I ever find out that you¡¯ve tried to hurt her again, there will be major consequences.¡±


    Alexander led me away, and I yed along. ¡°You came just in time,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m so happy that I have you. Being with Ethan was like being trapped in a horrible prison. When I¡¯m with you, every day is paradise.¡±


    Alexander smiled down at me, then helped me into the passenger seat of his car. We left Ethan and Chole standing there, staring after us with shock and anger evident on their faces.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Chole tried to run you over with her car,¡± Alexander muttered as he drove down the busy road. ¡°Why were you and Ava at the police station in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°I was writing a letter of understanding for Chole,¡± I said truthfully. ¡°Because of her increased erratic behavior, I thought that was the safest option to keep my family and Ava safe.¡±


    Alexander patted my thigh, making my stomach swoop. Then, he nodded in understanding. ¡°You made the right decision, Olivia. Choosing to bow out of a battle isn¡¯t a sign of weakness. It¡¯s a sign of intelligence. Karma will eventually bring those two down. Justice and truth always prevails.¡±


    His reassurance made me feel like I was making the right decision, and I rxed back into hisfortable seat.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± I told him as my heart warmed. ¡°It means


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    a lot to me. <b>I </b>really do trust you, Alexander.¡±


    A wide grin crossed his face, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he continued to drive.


    We were quiet for a few moments as he drove us to the office. As we neared work, I gently took his arm off of my shoulders even though I still desired his warmth.


    ¡°Can you drop me off at the curb a little ways away from the office?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to avoid gossip. I don¡¯t think it would be a good look for us to arrive together.¡±


    He frowned and shook his head no. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± he said as he drove into the parking garage.


    I sighed. I should have known that he wouldn¡¯t listen to me on this. He was far too stubborn.


    After he turned off the car, I grabbed my purse and climbed out.


    At the same time, a man was getting out of the car beside me. My face flushed when I saw who it was..


    Korbin, ourpany¡¯s vice president.


    Damn it!


    This was the kind of thing I was trying to avoid. Why couldn¡¯t Alexander just listen to me for once?


    Korbin¡¯s eyes widened when he saw that I had just exited Alexander¡¯s car. Thankfully, he didn¡¯tment on it.


    That was until the three of us stepped onto the elevator.


    ¡°So, are you guys carpooling to work now?¡± Korbin asked us as his lips


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    twitched <b>in </b>amusement.


    I took a step away from Alexander so that the vice president wouldn¡¯t get the wrong idea. I was just about to exin that we lived close by, and that was why he had driven me to work, but Alexander opened his mouth to reply before I could.


    ¡°Do we need to report living together to you, Korbin?¡± Alexander asked in a dry tone. ¡°Is there some paperwork that we need to sign?¡±


    My head whipped up to look at Alexander as shock washed over me.


    What kind of game was he ying?


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>152 </b>


    *Olivia*


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that Alexander was just being sarcastic,¡± I told Korbin, throwing Alexander an annoyed look. ¡°We just live close to each other. We¡¯re practically neighbors, so he periodically gives me rides to work,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense,¡± Korbin answered and nodded.


    The three of us were silent for the rest of the elevator ride. Korbin raised one of his eyebrows, and I knew that it was because I called my boss by his first name. But that was the least of my worries right now. Korbin was looking between Alexander and me with scrutiny. He took out his phone, and I could see the glowing screen from where I was standing. He hunched his shoulders and navigated to his email.


    My stomach plummeted when I realized he was typing out a message to report Alexander and me riding to work together.


    No! How could I exin to him that nothing was happening between Alexander and me? If he reported this, I could be fired.


    I raised my hand to tap on his shoulder¨Cunsure what I was going to say¨Cbut there was a small ding, and the elevator doors opened.


    Korbin hurried out of the elevator, and I tried to rush after him. But Alexander grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I watched the doors close as Korbin walked away.


    Frustration coursed through me, and I turned to Alexander. ¡°Why did you do that? Korbin¡¯s going to report us to the board of directors. I


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    could lose my job.¡±


    Alexander merely shrugged, seemingly unaffected. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about it, and you shouldn¡¯t be either.¡± He put his warm hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. My hands shook from the contact. ¡°If there¡¯s trouble with the board members, I promise to smooth things over. But I doubt there will be.¡± He paused. ¡°You worry too much. Don¡¯t forget¡­I am the chairman.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. It was easy for him not to worry about losing his job. I was much more easily receable than him.


    During my workday, I didn¡¯t have much time to worry about Korbin and what he had assumed he saw. I was swamped with phone calls, emails, and filing important documents. I even worked through lunch, and my stomach was growling in the afternoon. When I stood up to grab a gran bar from the breakroom, the phone on my desk rang again. I sighed and sat back down.


    ¡°Good afternoon, this is Olivia. How can I help you?¡± I said when I answered the phone.


    ¡°Hi, Olivia, this is Helen Green.¡±


    My eyes widened, and my grip tightened on the phone. Helen Green was the chairman¡¯s mother¨CAlexander¡¯s mom.


    ¡°O¨Coh, hello,¡± I said and cursed myself for stuttering. ¡°How are you, Mrs. Green?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well, thank you,¡± she said in a voice that reminded me of how a queen would speak. Her voice sounded royal. ¡°I was calling to see if you could do a favor for me.¡±


    I froze. What kind of favor would a woman from one of the most


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    respected and influential families need from me?


    ¡°Anything, Mrs. Green,¡± I promised, not really having any other choice.


    ¡°Would you please be a dear and remind my son that I set him up on a blind date tonight?¡± she asked, her voice overly sweet. ¡°It¡¯s with the daughter of a family friend. I would hate for him to forget about it.¡±


    I paused for a fraction of a second longer than I should have. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll remind him right now.¡±


    I swallowed thickly as Alexander¡¯s mom thanked me and hung up.


    With shaking legs, I stood up and let out a big sigh. I knew that Mrs. Green had only called me to warn me away from her son. Korbin must have contacted Alexander¡¯s parents about seeing us drive to work together. The Green¡¯s would do anything to avoid a scandal. And anything between Alexander and me would be exactly that¨Ca scandal.


    I went to Alexander¡¯s office and briskly knocked on the door. I would simply remind him of his blind date and then get back to work. I still had a lot to do. But he didn¡¯t answer. I waited for a full five minutes and even knocked again, but still no answer.


    I went to Gia¡¯s office but she wasn¡¯t there, so I called her cell phone.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m at lunch with a client,¡± she said in a whispered voice. ¡°I can¡¯t talk right now.¡±


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 Alpha Novel 153

    ¡°Is Alexander with you?¡± I hurriedly asked.


    Gai snorted. ¡°No, he was supposed toe, but I found him asleep in his office. Wake him up for me, will you?¡±


    My stomach jolted. ¡°Gai, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°He has a bunch of work to do today,¡± she said. ¡°I have to go. Wake him up, Olivia. That¡¯s an order, not a request.¡±


    Nervously, I tucked my hair behind my ears as I recalled thest time I had woken up Alexander in Washington. But I didn¡¯t really have a choice. I guess waking up my boss was a part of my job.


    Slowly, I turned the doorknob of his office and crept inside.


    Alexander¡¯s head was resting on his folded arms, propped up by his desk. He had giant ck headphones covering his ears, like he didn¡¯t want to be disturbed. That just made my stomach stiffen with anxiety, but I couldn¡¯t back out now.


    Gently, I moved one of his headphones to the side and exposed his ear.


    ¡°Alexander,¡± I said in a loud voice that rang throughout his office. ¡°You need to wake up. You¡¯re still at work.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even move an inch. I tried to wake him up by shaking his shoulder and practically shouting in his ear, but he just wouldn¡¯t wake <ol><li>up. </li></ol>


    I groaned and narrowed my eyes. Was he pretending to be asleep? Would Alexander purposely ignore me?


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    Honestly, he probably would.


    I nced over at a table in the corner of the room and saw the red tie Alexander had been wearing this morning strewn over it. He must have taken it off before his afternoon nap. The color gold glinted at me from the tie clip on the back of it. Maybe I could wake him up by poking him with the sharp pin¡­


    No, I could get fired for pulling a stunt like that.


    But if I allowed Alexander to sleep for the rest of the workday, I could also get in trouble with Gai or even him.


    I bit my lip as I considered my options.


    Oh, what the hell?


    With a shrug, I picked up the tie and detached the clip from it. As I stood there, I ruled out the areas covered by his clothing like his arms and legs. Finally, I decided on his hand. That shouldn¡¯t hurt him too much. It was just a little prick.


    I kneeled down and took his warm hand in mine. Gently, I lifted his pointer finger and picked up the needle with my other hand.


    Carefully, I brought the tip of the needle until it was almost touching his fingertip.


    Just when I was rethinking my decision to do this, Alexander¡¯s forehead twitched.


    A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead as Alexander¡¯s hand twitched in mine. Determination coursed through me. It was toote to back out now.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alexander,¡± I murmured soothingly, hoping that I wasn¡¯t lying to him. ¡°My grandma used to do this same thing to me to wake


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    me up from a nightmare. It¡¯s only a little prick. It¡¯s better than being trapped in a terrifying dream.¡±


    Just when the sharp point was a breath away from the tan skin of his finger, Alexander¡¯s eyes flew open, and his hand tightened around mine, interlocking our fingers together.


    My gaze locked onto his as cold shock flowed through me. Acting on instinct, I tried to pull my hand away from his, but he was too strong.


    With a simple jerk of his muscr arm, Alexander pulled me on top of him.


    With a shriek, I fell onto his hard body until I was in hisp. Ipletely forgot that I was holding a sharp pin. Not until my hand was on his sturdy chest.


    Alexander didn¡¯t even wince when I looked down in horror and realized that I had stabbed him in the chest.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± I gasped. ¡°Alexander, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Without a word, Alexander put his hand over mine and gripped onto me, trapping my hand over his chest.


    Our eyes met as I wondered what the hell he was up to.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I demanded and squirmed on top of him.


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    His eyes darkened, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. Alexander¡® s musky scent was surrounding me, making my head spin, making it so I couldn¡¯t think. His gaze flicked to my mouth, making my stomach flip and desire flutter inside of me.


    I continued to struggle against him, trying to break free of his strong grip, but it was useless. Because he wouldn¡¯t let go of my hand, the needle lowered further into his skin, but he didn¡¯t even flinch from the pain.


    ¡°You have a high pain tolerance,¡± I said with awe in my voice.


    I couldn¡¯t help the loud gasp that escaped me when Alexander wrapped my legs around his waist and stood up. My warm center pressed against his hard length, and I bit down on my lip so I wouldn¡¯t moan. Pleasure sizzled in my veins as his hot body pressed against me.


    He lowered me onto the top of his hard, cold desk, such a sharp contrast to his warm skin. Alexander pinned me down with his body, and the weight of him made me tighten my legs around his waist before I could think it through.


    ¡°Was your goal to draw blood?¡± he demanded in a rough, low voice, his eyes on mine. ¡°Because you seeded.¡±


    Hot embarrassment washed over me, and I shifted ufortably when I looked down out our bodies wrapped around each other. My heart mmed against my chest when I realized that if someone were to walk into Alexander¡¯s office right now, we would never be able to exin this intimate position. This wasn¡¯t like arriving for work in the same car. This was much worse.


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    Immediately, I dropped my, gaze. I couldn¡¯t think straight when I was looking into his dark, intense eyes. ¡°Alexander, let me go. Please. If someone walks in. I¡¯m going to got fired.¡±


    Alexander tightened his grip even more until my palm became wet and sticky.


    My stomach rolled when I realized what I was feeling.


    Alexander¡¯s blood. Guilt stabbed at my chest when I realized that I could have seriously hurt him.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry that I tried to stab you awake. I promise never to do it again. It was a stupid mistake,¡± I said in a small voice.


    Then, I winced as I slowly pulled the needle out of his chest and threw it across the room until it hit the wall and fell to the floor.


    Alexander¡¯s body rxed. He wrapped his strong arms around me and hugged my body close. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think that he was smelling my hair. I could hear Alexander¡¯s heart pound against his chest, and his hands shook slightly as they held me.


    My pulse quickened as the enormity of our situation dawned on me. Why had I tried to wake him up with a needle? What had I been thinking? My parents had always called Grandma crazy for doing that.


    As soon as he let me go, I rolled out from under his body and stood from the desk. My thighs were trembling, and my nerves were frayed from being pinned down by Alexander.


    I fixed my hair and straightened my clothes, trying to make it look like nothing had happened. All I wanted to do right now was get out of the room and have a moment alone to think. I spun around to leave, but Alexander caught my wrist just like he had down in the elevator. His touch burned right through me.


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    ¡°You¡¯ve hurt yourself,¡± he said and turned me back around.


    1240 Nouchers


    With one finger, he pulled back my shirt and revealed a small puncture wound from the other side of the needle that had stabbed my chest.


    Shock coursed through me. How strange. I hadn¡¯t even felt any pain because I had been so worried about Alexander. I guess it hadn¡¯t been Alexander¡¯s blood I had felt in my hand,


    It was mine.


    ¡°Oh¡­wow. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I told him, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding, and you¡¯re apologizing to me?¡± Alexander asked, and he shook his head incredulously. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you<i>,</i>¡± he said.


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    ¡°Well, that makes two of us because I don¡¯t understand you either,¡± I snapped and shifted my shirt back into ce.


    Alexander bent down and began to look around the room for


    something. My blood went cold when I realized that he was searching for the needle.


    I rushed out of the room because if he was going to get me back for identally stabbing him, I wouldn¡¯t make it any easier by hanging around his office.


    After I cleaned up and bandaged my small wound, I went into the break room and poured myself a cup of hot coffee, and grabbed a gran bar. After I sat down, I took small sips from my favorite chipped mug, and the hot drink slowly filled my body with much needed warmth. Finally, I could just sit here and think in peace.


    But my sce didn¡¯tst long. Soon, Alexander strolled in, making my hands grip the coffee cup so tightly I was surprised that it didn¡¯t shatter. I noticed that he had changed into a different white dress shirt since he had probably bled through the other one.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see that you¡¯re still here after the stunt you pulled,¡± he told me, his expression unreadable.


    I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. I refused to allow him to intimidate me. My n was just to pretend that the incident with the needle had never happened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about your blind date tonight,¡± I said in a steady voice.


    Alexander narrowed his gaze. ¡°You set me up on a blind date?¡± he


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    snapped.


    ¡°No. Your mother did. She called me and told me to remind you about it.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he said and took a seat across from me. Even though we were a few feet apart, I could still feel the heating off his body. I swallowed and shifted in my chair when I remembered how warm he had felt when his body was on top of mine. ¡°I am famous within my family for screwing up blind dates. I¡¯m d my mother called you to assist me tonight.¡±


    I mmed my coffee cup on the table, and some of the hot drink sshed onto the surface. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°My mother told you about my blind date so that you coulde with me. You¡¯ll be my wingwoman tonight, Olivia,¡± Alexander said, then winked.


    I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth to say that I would not be joining him on a blind date. Hell would have to freeze over in order for me to do that.


    But Alexander must have noticed my angry expression because he held up his hand.


    ¡°As my assistant, it¡¯s in your job description to aid me with whatever I need¡­including apany me to an asional dinner,¡± he said and smirked.


    I leaned forward and frowned. ¡°Joining you on a blind date is not in my job description.¡±


    He crossed his arms and stared at me down. It felt like we were in the middle of negotiating a big deal. We were far from discussing whether I joined my boss on a date because he twisted his mothers instructions


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    to fit his own agenda.


    ¡°Olivia, you owe me for sticking me with that needle carlier,¡± he said in a superior tone that reminded me of the way his mother spoke on the phone earlier.


    I sighed in defeat as all the light left my body. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I muttered, hating to admit it.


    But just because he was right didn¡¯t mean I had to sit here and stare at his smug face. I stood from the table and grabbed my coffee mug. With a sigh, I went back to my desk and sat down. Soon, I was immersed in my work again. But I didn¡¯t even have the end of the day to look forward to. Because after I left the office, I would still be on the clock joining Alexander¡¯s date. How weird was that going to be? Just the thought of going made my stomach queasy. Why was my boss so intent on torturing me?


    When it was almost quitting time, Ava called my cell.


    ¡°Hey, girl. How are you after that whole fiasco with Chloe and Ethan at the police station this morning?¡± my friend asked.


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    Honestly, I¡¯dpletely forgotten about Chloe attempting to run me over with her car this morning after the incident with Korbin, the call with Alexander¡¯s mother, and then identally stabbing my boss with a needle. What has my life turned into if the fact that my ex¨Chusband¡¯s mistress trying to kill me had been driven from my mind because the rest of my day had been even crazier?


    ¡°You okay, Olivia?¡± Ava asked tentatively when I didn¡¯t answer her question. ¡°Do you want to grab dinner and talk about what happened?¡±


    I rubbed my temples. ¡°I wish I could,¡± I replied. ¡°I actually have to workte tonight. Rain check?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to exin to my friend that I had to be Alexander¡¯s dating therapist. That was too embarrassing to admit that role was actually a part of my job. What made it even worse was the only reason that Alexander wanted me toe along was because he was rebelling against his parents for setting him up even though he was a grown


    man.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Ava replied.


    After we hung up, I sent a few more emails, then noticed that it was already six¨Cthirty in the evening. My stomach fell as I walked to Alexander¡¯s office. He was still hard at work, typing away at his


    I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe. ¡°We have an appointment with Ms. Wright in forty minutes,¡± I reminded him, refusing to say the word ¡®date¡® out loud.


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    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you looking forward to our¡­appointment?¡± he asked and <b>smirked</b><b>. </b>


    My hands clenched, and annoyance coursed through me. But I wouldn¡® t let him think that he had gotten under my skin. I kept my face and voice neutral as I replied.


    ¡°I looked up Ms. Wright, when I had a spare moment,¡± I said and raised my chin just slightly. ¡°ording to her social media profiles, she likes long walks on the beach, a few drinks, and sunsets. She seems¡­fascinating.¡± My voice dropped with sarcasm. ¡°I bet you two will have a happy marriage. You won¡¯t get bored of her at all.¡±


    Alexander frowned, and pleasure shot down my spine when I realized I might be getting under his skin, too.


    Good.


    It was only fair.


    But then a smile bloomed across his face, and his eyes danced mischievously.


    Uh¨Coh.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny that you¡¯re so interested in my date,¡± he taunted. ¡°I wonder why that is.¡±


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes because I didn¡¯t want him to know that I couldn¡¯t think of aeback.


    I spun on my heel and gathered my things as I waited for him to be ready to go.


    Alexander and I were silent as we rode the elevator down to the parking garage.


    Then, he let out a loud gasp and grasped his chest. He shot his arm out


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    and staggered to the side like a tree that had been cut almost falling to the ground.


    My heart mmed against my chest as I rushed to him. ¡°Alexander, what¡¯s wrong¡¯?¡±


    He leaned over, his face whiter than a ghost. ¡°Did you poison that needle?¡± he whispered in a weak voice.


    Cold fear shot through my body when I looked down to see that he was clutching his chest in the spot where I had identally stabbed him.


    ¡°I¨CI¡­¡± I stammered, but that was all I could get out. I was shocked beyond words.


    The next second, Alexander¡¯s face transformed. He straightened up, and a look of utter amusement came over his face. His shoulders shook withughter as he roared with mirth.


    It took me half of a second longer than it should to realize that he had been faking it.


    ¡°You should have seen your face, ¡°he said and pped his knee.


    1


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever scare me like that again!¡± I snapped and pushed him roughly.


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    My cheeks heated, and I spun away from him.


    I couldn¡¯t believe I had actually let that jerk scare me like that!


    ¡°I was just joking around,¡± he said withughter still in his voice. ¡°Come on. I¡¯m gonna need you to have a sense of humor tonight. I¡¯m going to need your help shaking things up on my blind date.¡±


    I turned back toward him and crossed my arms. ¡°Hell, no. Like I¡¯m going to help you after that stunt you just pulled.¡± I scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t want any involvement in your little games.¡±


    His demeanor changed in an instant, and anger sparked in his dark


    eyes.


    But I just narrowed my eyes back at him. I wouldn¡¯t allow him to intimidate me.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to take your appointment with Ms. Wright seriously, then I¡¯m not going,¡± I said.


    Alexander squinted and seemed like he was thinking things through. After a moment, he sighed.


    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re forcing me to go on this date, then I will.¡±


    My mouth dropped open in shock. I hadn¡¯t forced him on this date! His mother had been the one to set it up. I was just the one who was unfortunately caught in the crossfire of family drama.


    In the parking garage, Richard held open the door for me, and I was relieved to see a friendly face. I told him the address of the restaurant


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    Chapter <b>157 </b>


    that Alexander¡¯s mom had given me, and then we were off.


    As Richard drove through the crowded streets, Alexander rested his head back and closed his eyes. His face was grim, and his body tense.


    A hopeless feeling settled low in my stomach. I couldn¡¯t believe that I had to join Alexander on a blind date with another woman all because Korbin reported seeing us arrive to work together to Alexander¡¯s parents.


    Right before we arrived at our destination, my phone chimed with a message from Ava.


    My pulse quickened. What more could possibly go wrong today?


    I opened Ava¡¯s message, and a jolt of apprehension went down my spine when I read it.


    ¡®You have to listen to the voice recording I just sent! It¡¯s a conversation between Chloe and her mother!¡®


    I could barely contain my excitement as I fished around in my bag for my headphones. Once I was all set, I yed the recording. My hand was shaking slightly as I gripped my phone in my sweaty palm.


    ¡°Please, Chloe,¡± Mrs. Windsor¡¯s anxious voice said right into my ears from the headphones. I almost gasped out loud from the raw worry in her tone but managed to stay quiet. ¡°You have to wear this ne that has been blessed. It will aid in your marriage to the Hawthrone family.¡± Chloe¡¯s mom paused for a long time, and I wondered if the recording was over. Then, she spoke again. ¡°If you don¡¯t wear this ne¡­.I¡¯m terrified that Russell Lewis¡¯s ghost wille for you and destroy everything that our family has worked so hard for. Sometimes¡­.sometimes I can feel that boy¡¯s presence when I¡¯m around you. I can feel him watching you, biding his time.¡±


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>157 </b>


    283 Wouchers


    My heart mmed against my rib cage, and my hand tightened around my phone. Was Russell Lewis Chloe¡¯s ssmate whose death she had been mysteriously involved in?


    Chloe scoffed dismissively. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re being ridiculous. I¡¯m not scared of Russell. He was weak and dumber than rocks. Even if he dide back as a ghost, I would just kill him again. Russell doesn¡¯t scare me.¡±


    My stomach plummeted, and shock sizzled through my veins. Ava had done it! She had gotten proof of Chloe admitting to the fact that she had killed her ssmate. Was this enough evidence to go to the police? I wasn¡¯t sure. Ava would know whether a recording would hold up in a court ofw.


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    I shook my head in disgust at Chloe¡¯s cruelty. How could she be so evil and unremorseful? She had taken a human life, one of the worst sins that you couldmit. She was going to curse the Hawthrone family¡­ maybe she already had. Sadness for Russell Lewis and his family swirled in my stomach until I was queasy from it. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes as I thought about his life that had been cruelly taken from him.


    Richard was slowing down and parked in front of an upscale


    restaurant.


    We had arrived at the location for Alexander¡¯s blind date. Quickly, I pulled out my headphones and stuffed them back into my bag. I couldn¡¯t get the thought of Russell Lewis out of my head. He had just been a boy when he was murdered. I wiped a tear from my cheek and tried to pull myself together.


    ¡°Ms. Wright will be waiting for you at the hostess table at the front of the restaurant,¡± I told Alexander in a quiet voice.


    His grim face changed when he looked at me. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say that his eyes were full of concern. ¡°Are you alright, Olivia? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said briskly, brushing him off.


    He frowned and pulled/back from me. ¡°Fine. Well, you have toe with me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I crossed my arms in defiance.


    After what I just learned, something as trivial as joining my boss on a


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    ¡°Yes. You don¡¯t have to sit at the same table, but you will get a table near my date and watch.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°Robert will make sure that youe in.¡±


    I nced at the driver¡¯s seat, and Alexander¡¯s bodyguard gave me an apologetic look.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said and crossed my arms tightly across my chest. ¡°But I¡¯m ordering whatever I want using thepany card.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°I was actually going to suggest that.¡±


    Then, he put his warm hand on my thigh and squeezed it.


    My stomach jolted from the contact, and I watched him exit the car. Jealousy ate away at me as he entered the restaurant to meet another


    Woman.


    Five minutester, I went into the restaurant.


    ¡°How many in your party?¡± the young hostess asked.


    ¡°Just one,¡± I answered, my voice sounding glum even to my own ears.


    She showed me to a small table that wasn¡¯t far from Alexander and his date¨CNaomi Wright. His mom had set him up with a leggy blonde who smiled suggestively at him from across the table.


    I mmed my purse on the table and ordered a bottle of the most expensive wine on the menu. My server was a handsome man around the same age as me, and Iughed loudly when he made a joke about a dish¡¯s name that actually wasn¡¯t that funny. But my loud chucking made Alexander tear his eyes away from his date and frown when he saw me talking to the server.


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    ??


    Good.


    Let him watch me enjoy myself with another man when he was unting his date right in front of me. It was only fair.


    Soon. I tucked into my meal. I had ordered three delectable dishes and was nning to take the rest home for leftovers. As I sipped my red wine and cut into my Filet mignon, my phone rang. Usually, I wouldn¡¯t answer my phone inside a restaurant, but I didn¡¯t care about appearing rude tonight. The news of Chloe admitting to killing Russell Lewis and Alexander forcing me to watch his date had made social norms seem unimportant.


    My stomach flipped when I saw that Ava was the one calling me.


    ¡°Did you listen to the voice recording?¡± she said, bypassing a greeting.


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t believe that she confessed to killing her high school friend.¡± I said in a quiet voice. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s enough to go to the police with?¡± I took a bite of my steak and almost moaned at the taste.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Ava admitted. ¡°Chloe¡¯s fancywyers could argue that we had manipted the recording in some way. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s irrefutable evidence.¡±


    My shoulders sagged. I had been afraid of th¨¢t.


    11:45

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    ¡°Did you hear about Chloe going to the Hawthorne estate and causing a ruckus?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No.¡± I answered and shrugged as I focused on my meal. ¡°But, I¡¯m d that Chloe is causing trouble for Ethan. He doesn¡¯t deserve peace.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that.¡±


    I told her about how I was babysitting Alexander¡¯s blind date, and she gasped, saying that something like that was way above my job


    description. We gossiped about a few other trivial things, and the knot in my chest loosened slightly.


    It was nice to have a friend.


    *Alexander*


    My hand tightened around my fork as I nced over at Olivia. She seemed engrossed with her meal and was chatting on her phone and smiling. Annoyance washed over me. How could she seem so unaffected by the fact that I was on a date? I had even caught her flirting with her waiter earlier. When I saw that, I had almost shattered my winess.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    With effort, I tore my gaze away from Olivia and focused back on my blind date.


    Naomi was staring at me with an expectant smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you say?¡±


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    VAD MOME


    Disappointment shed in her eyes. ¡°What do you think abouting with me to an art show on Saturday?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have other ns,¡± I said and took a sip of my chilled wine.


    I seemed to be apologizing to this woman a lot.


    Instead of more disappointment, her eyes held determination. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t think this date has gone well. I want to give us another chance to get to know each other.¡±


    I sighed and swallowed another mouthful of wine. I needed something stronger to get through this night.


    ¡°Naomi¡­I think that you¡¯re a lovely woman, but we aren¡¯t right for each other. Going on another date wouldn¡¯t be fair to you. I couldn¡¯t put my all into a rtionship right now.


    <i>¡± </i>


    Her brow furrowed, and her bottom lip jutted out. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­personal.¡± I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat.


    ¡°What kind of women do you like then? Why wouldn¡¯t you be interested in someone like me?¡± she asked and gestured to her slim, toned figure.


    On their own ord, my eyes flitted to Olivia.


    Naomi followed my gaze and snorted. ¡°Ah, so you like women with healthy appetites?¡±


    After I had my fill, I asked my server to wrap up my leftovers. When I looked up to see how Alexander¡¯s date was going, my stomach dropped.


    Naomi and him were gone.


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    Wow. Had Alexander just left me here to find my own way home?


    Fine. I would order a few desserts to go and then take a cab home. Anger coursed through me from being ditched here when Alexander was the one who had wanted me toe in the first ce.


    Whatever.


    I took out my phone and wrote out a message to Alexander. I told him that I was leaving the restaurant and to have a fun night getting to know Ms. Wright. I even included a pun saying that I hoped she was the ¡®right¡® one for him.


    Right after I sent the message, I felt a warm presence above me.


    My pulse quickened as I looked up and my gaze locked with Alexander¡¯s.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your date?¡± I asked. I was hoping that he couldn¡¯t hear the jealousy in my voice.


    ¡°I sent her home.¡±


    His words rang through the air, and they sounded like music to my


    ears.


    Despite myself, my heart lifted at that, and a smile bloomed across my face.


    Alexander grinned, and he held out his hand to help me stand. As soon as I touched his warm palm, an electric current went up my arm from the contact. He helped me collect my takeout containers and escorted me back outside. The sun had gone down, and the night was dark and cold.


    His hand never left mine as we walked. Something that excited and scared me. I had to admit that it felt good to walk out of the restaurant


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    by his side rather than watching Alexander escort his date.


    When we were in the car, I wasn¡¯t in a talkative mood as I stared out


    the dark window.


    But Alexander had other ns.


    ¡°So, what did you think about my date?¡±


    Even hearing her name on his lips made a spark of jealousy re inside of me. But on the outside, I made sure to keep my expression cool and neutral.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± I admitted. ¡°She seems poised and elegant. No wonder your mother set you up with a woman like that.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Yes, but what did you think of her?¡±


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    His serious tone made my anger spike. Why did he have to torture me like this? Thest thing I wanted to talk about was his blind date.


    ¡°I think that you should pursue things with her further,¡± I snapped, telling him what I thought he wanted to hear so that this conversation could end.


    But as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished that I could take them back. I didn¡¯t mean them. I was onlyshing out at him in a bizarre, masochistic sort of way.


    Alexander¡¯s gaze narrowed, and his mouth became a thin line.


    The car became deadly quiet, and the mood around us twisted into something ufortable that made me crave a gulp of fresh air.


    ¡°Listen, I-¡±


    I had no idea what I was about to say, but Alexander cut me off by holding up his hand and turning to the window. The space between us felt like a million miles apart. I wasn¡¯t sure how to bridge the gap. The rest of the car ride was filled with this awkward mood that I couldn¡¯t think of any way to fix.


    When we got to the apartment building, we said goodnight to Richard and left the car. In the elevator, I tried to think of something to say to break the tension, but my mind was nk. As soon as the doors opened, I made a beeline for the exit, but Alexander¡¯srge body blocked me.


    I gasped as I slowly looked up at him. Anger and body heat seemed to be rolling off him in waves. He allowed the elevator doors to close


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    •þ


    behind him. Then, he reached out and grabbed my hips, spinning me around until my back was pressed to his hard front. My legs trembled from his scaring touch.


    He lowered his mouth until it was inches away from my car. His warm breath made me shiver, and I wondered how it would feel if he bit my carlobe and sucked on the sensitive skin of my neck.


    ¡°I would like to give you feedback on your job performance tonight,¡± he whispered in my ear and trailed his hand slowly down my arm.


    A shiver went up my spine, and I couldn¡¯t help but press myself closer to his hard body. Our breathing hitched as my bottom pressed against his hard length. Pleasure shot through me, and my hands grasped at his dress pants, pulling him closer to me.


    Before anything else could happen, the elevator chimed, the doors opened, and cool air swept into the small space, clearing my head so that I could think straight again.


    I spun around to see Ava standing there, her mouth open in shock. Immediately, I stepped away from Alexander, but the damage was already done. Ava had already witnessed our inappropriate position.


    I swallowed nervously and grabbed Ava¡¯s hand, dragging her away from Alexander and into my apartment. Once I was safely inside, I leaned against the door and tried to catch my breath.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Ava asked and raised her eyebrows suggestively.


    ¡°Alexander is crazy,¡± I said and crossed my arms. ¡°He spends his days thinking of new ways to mess with my head.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ava said and shot me a knowing grin.


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    I rolled my eyes as I listened at the door. Had Alexander left?


    ¡°You know that Alexander is totally infatuated with you, right?¡± Ava said in a loud voice.


    I pped my hands and gave her a loaded look. ¡°Shh! He could still be outside.¡± I waited a full two minutes and only slightly rxed when the hallway remained quiet. ¡°He is gone. Besides, there is no way that we could be together. His family would never allow a scandal like mine to stain their precious reputation.¡±


    Ava crossed her arms and looked at me with a skeptical expression.


    ¡°If Alexander was interested in me, why would he make me go on a blind date with him?¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Duh, because he wants to make you jealous,¡± my friend said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s preposterous,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Girl, from the jealous look in your eyes, I can tell it worked,¡± she said, and a knowing smile formed on her face.


    !


    I gasped in outrage and turned away from her. I hated that she could read me so well..


    ¡°Even if Alexander did have feelings for me¨Cwhich he does not¡ªit wouldn¡¯t matter,¡± I said in a firm tone.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because Alexander and I are only destined for heartbreak,¡± I said and swallowed past the lump in my throat. ¡°Everything is tooplicated between us. I can¡¯t bear to go through another rtionship that doesn¡¯t end well¡­especially not with Alexander. I don¡¯t think I could survive a


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    heartbreak like that.¡±

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    *Olivia*


    ¡°Come on,¡± Ava said and raised her eyebrows. ¡°Alexander was totally undressing you with his eyes back in the elevator. You guys have undeniable chemistry. It would be a shame to waste it because you¡¯re afraid of getting your heart broken.¡±


    I slumped against the front door and sighed. ¡°Ava, you don¡¯t-¡±


    But I paused when I heard shuffling outside the door. My stomach swooped. That noise sounded like footsteps. Was Alexander still outside the door? Or was it someone else?


    ¡°What were you saying?¡± Ava asked and looked at me with confusion since I¡¯d paused in the middle of a sentence.


    I put a finger to my lips and made a shushing motion and widening my eyes at my friend. Ava got the hint and immediately stopped speaking. With my heart mming against my chest, I put my ear to the door and listened closely. The footsteps sounded like they were growing fainter until they werepletely gone. The leftover silence seemed almost too loud to me.


    I scrubbed a hand down my face and sighed. After the day I had, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I had hallucinated the footsteps.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Ava asked and tilted her head as she took in my defeated expression.


    ¡°Just a long day,¡± I said.


    ¡°I know just what will cheer you up.¡± She turned and headed to the


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    kitchen.


    I sat on the couch and tried to calm my racing heart. Ava came back with two ice¨Ccold beers and handed me one. It wouldn¡¯t be my first choice for a drink to unwind after a hard day, but it would have to do. I took a long drink from the cool ss and tried not to wince at the slight bitterness. After two sips of the bubbly drink, my shoulders loosened slightly, so at least that was something.


    Ava folded her legs under her to get morefortable. ¡°Why won¡¯t you give Alexander a chance?¡± she asked and took a sip of her beer. ¡°I think you would make a great couple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about giving him a chance.¡± I ran a hand through my hair and tried to organize the swirling thoughts in my head so that I could get my point across. ¡°If things were different, of course I would want to be with him. He¡¯s handsome, smart, sessful, and most importantly, a good, honest man. But Alexander will always be a part of the Green family. He can¡¯t escape his duty. Ultimately, he has to marry someone of high status. Not his assistant. I¡¯m the one whose job it is to n his dates. Not go on them with him.¡±


    I winced at how bitter my voice sounded even to my own ears.


    ¡°Do you still think that Alexander could be gay?¡± she asked. ¡°Maybe his family wouldn¡¯t be epting, and he has to hide who he truly is from them.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered Alexander¡¯s warm body pressed against mine earlier today. I swear I had seen lust explode in those dark eyes of his.


    I bit my lip and shifted in my seat. My pulse quickened from just thinking about how close his lips had been inches away from mine and his warm breath in my ear.


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    ¡°Honestly, I think that whole situation had been a misunderstanding,¡± I told her. ¡°But who knows.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Alexander might be bisexual. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gay. Especially because of the way he looks at¡­ women.¡±


    My cheeks heated. I had been about to say that because of the way he looked at me, but that sounded too arrogant. But I had noticed the way his eyes darkened when he studied my face, thighs, or any of my exposed skin. Alexander definitely wasn¡¯t unaffected by my presence. I knew that to be true.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve seen the way that man looks at you. He definitely isn¡¯t fully gay,¡± Ava said and winked suggestively at me.


    That made us burst intoughter, and I enjoyed the moment of lightness thanks to my beer and just being in the moment with my friend.


    When we finished our drinks, Ava¡¯s expression turned serious. She put her empty bottle on the table, and her grim expression made my stomach stiffen.


    ¡°I have another recording to show you that I captured from Chloe¡¯s ne,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s very¡­strange.¡±


    I nodded cautiously. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    Ava picked up her phone and tapped a few buttons. She put it on speaker, and it began to y.


    Chloe¡¯s loud voice red through the speakers, making my hands tighten into fists.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s just make out a little while your mom is overseeing dinner,<i>¡± </i>Chloe said on the recording.


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    ¡°No. get off of me.¡± Ethan replied, his voice filled with repulsion


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    1 locked eyes with Ava, and her surprise mirrored mine.


    The recording ended abruptly with the sound of stomping feet.


    ¡°Is that Ethan storming away from Chloe?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I assume so. Isn¡¯t it strange how rude and disgusted he seems towards his former mistress and future bride?¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else the device caught too,¡± Ava said as her thumbs moved over her phone screen. ¡°It¡¯s from a conversation that Chloe had with her future mother¨Cinw, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°Ethan¡¯s mother,¡± I said in a low voice. ¡°My former mother¨Cinw.¡±


    Ava squeezed my shoulder. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s from after a dinner at the Hawthorne estate. Amelia and Chloe seem to be having a conversation in the garden.¡±


    I nodded for her to y the recording.


    ¡°Please, can you just speak to your son,¡± Chloe¡¯s voice said through the phone speakers. Her tone was full of anguish. ¡°He¡¯s been so cruel to metely. I just love him so much. Why can¡¯t he be kind to me?¡±


    ¡°I will not speak to him,¡± Amelia replied. Her cold voice sent a shiver through my body. It was an indifferent tone I knew all too well. ¡°You don¡¯t have to marry my son if you don¡¯t like the way he treats you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell people what I know if you push me too far, Amelia,¡± Chloe


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    Thanum 155


    said. Her voice had changed from one of sadness to threatening. It made me gasp. How could her mood change so fast? ¡°I know about all the shady things that go on in the Hawthorne family. I know that your husband has a mistress overseas and that he has an illegitimate neen¨Cyear¨Cold child who will jump at the chance to move here andpete with Ethan to inherit the Hawthorne fortune. If that happens, your ce in this family will be jeopardized. Your luxurious life will go down the drain with just one phone call. Are you willing to risk that?¡±


    My mouth dropped open in shock.


    On the recording, Amelia is sputtering in indignation. ¡°You nasty girl! How dare you threaten me like that! I knew that you were an evil bitch when you stole my son away from Olivia. You will be the downfall of my son. I just know it!¡°¡±


    Woah. I couldn¡¯t believe that Amelia was sticking up for me. I always thought she had disliked me.


    ¡°No, you will be the downfall of your son if you don¡¯t help me!¡± Chloe


    countered.


    ¡°If you continue with these threats, I will have no choice but to expose that your pregnancy is fake! I know that you are only using it to trap my son so that he will marry you!¡± Amelia¡¯s loud voice shouted through the phone and seemed to echo through the room.


    *Olivia*


    ¡°You don¡¯t scare me,¡± Chloe¡¯s voice said from the recording. Her tone was full of malice and made the hair on the back of my neck raise. ¡°You can¡¯t expose my secrets, especially since I know certain things about you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What other things do you think you know about me, little


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    200 Pocetate


    girl?¡± Ame asked.


    I could tell that she was trying to be tough, but I could hear a slight tremor in her voice. Ethan¡¯s mom was terrified of what else Chloe knew about the Hawthrone family.


    ¡°I have some pictures of you that are¡­unttering to say the least,¡± Chloe said, and even though I couldn¡¯t see her face, I knew that she was smirking.


    J


    Amelia gasped. ¡°What kind of pictures?¡±


    But Chloe wouldn¡¯t answer the older woman¡¯s question. She simplyughed.


    ¡°Chloe, what kind of pictures! Answer me right this instant!¡±


    But she refused. All Chloe did was let out another cruel chuckle. ¡°You


    should be careful with who you threaten. You might have a little¡­ ident.¡±


    Then, the recording abruptly ended.


    Ava and I were silent for a long time, our thoughts upied with what we had just heard.


    ¡°Woah, that was a lot,¡± I finally said and crossed my legs, turning toward her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Hawthrone family had so many secrets,¡± Ava said with wide eyes.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, I knew that they weren¡¯t squeaky clean by any means, but I had no idea that Ethan¡¯s dad had a mistress overseas and an illegitimate child. I wonder if Ethan knows about any of this?¡±


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    Chapter Th


    280 voucher


    Ava snorted and crossed her arms. ¡°Honestly, Chloe doesn¡¯t even have to do anything to destroy the Hawthrone family. Soon, they will burn themselves down from the inside with all of their lies and drama.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that,¡± I agreed and picked up my empty beer bottle. I started to rip off the sticker on the front as I thought about Chloe¡¯s fake pregnancy. ¡°I wonder if Ethan knows that Chloe is faking her pregnancy?¡±

 Alpha Novel 163

    Ava¡¯s eyes squinted as she mulled this over. Then, she slowly shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. Ethan pissed off a lot of people when he messed with the Windsor family and didn¡¯t marry Chloe.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I think that was more of a business strategy,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Ethan knew that the Windsor family had much more to lose than him.¡±


    Even as I said those words, I knew that things were different now. Chloe¡¯s unstable moods were just growing more out of control. She was like a tornado, and she would destroy anything that dared get into her path. Soon, she would expose that Ethan¡¯s dad had a ¡®bastard¡® child who could threaten the Hawthrone way of life. That information would set off a chain reaction to ruin the whole family. I wondered if Ethan was going to marry Chloe just to appease her and ensure she didn¡¯t expose his family¡¯s dirtyundry.


    When I brought this up to Ava, I also pointed out that she might be right. ¡°Ethan may just simply believe that Chloe is pregnant,¡± I allowed. ¡°He¡¯s always wanted to have a big family.¡±


    My heart panged just a little bit with my words, but I ignored the emotion until it went away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how deceitful the Hawthrone family is,¡± Ava said, and her nose crinkled in disgust. ¡°You dodged a bullet by getting out of that marriage.¡±


    I stood up and grabbed two more beers from the fridge. But I didn¡¯t sit back down when I got back to the living room. As I sipped on my beer,


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    I paced the carpet, as I created a new n on how to find evidence of all of Chloe¡¯s wrongdoings.


    Who would help me? I needed a person who was well¨Cconnected and who also wanted Chloe to ultimately be put behind bars like I did.


    Then, it came to me.


    Amelia Hawthrone.


    *Author*


    The next morning, Amelia Hawthrone was in her mansion alone. This was highly unusual since there was usually her cook, assistant, or a number of maids to oversee, but Ame had sent them away as soon as she opened the package that had been sitting by her front door when she woke up this morning.


    The package had been light. At first, Ame had thought that it was a prank and that there was nothing within the package. But when she opened it, she gasped at what she discovered.


    Now, she had all of the paper spread across her white marble kitchen ind. As Amelia gripped her hot coffee mug, she stared at a picture of a boy who looked to be around seventeen years old. Another document was a police report of when the boy, Russell Lewis, had gone missing.


    When Amelia had read the name of thest person Russell had been seen with, she dropped her coffee mug in shock. The cup shattered onto the floor, making a mess of porcin and hot liquid all over her shiny kitchen floor.


    Ignoring the mess, Amelia leaned down and stared at the name, Chloe Windsor.


    Amelia¡¯s face went white as she considered the thought that Chloe- the girl that her son was engaged to¨Cmight have killed one of her


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    ssmates when she was in high school. The older woman put a shaking hand to her mouth. Her heart was mming against her chest as she considered the fact that her son might be engaged to not only a liar but a murderer.


    That thought made the room spin around her, and she grabbed onto the cool kitchen counter so that she couldn¡¯t fall over in shock. Then, Chloe¡¯s words fromst night ran through her mind. ¡®You should be careful with who you threaten. You might have a little¡­ident.¡®


    Was that Chloe threatening to kill her like she had killed that boy?


    It was all too much for Ame. Her whole body shook as she fell to her knees. She cried out in pain when a shard from her smashed coffee cup sliced her leg. Her stomach turned as she watched her blood tickle onto the floor.


    Her housekeeper ran into the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mrs. Windsor. I know that you said to leave, but I was gathering my things when I just heard you cry out in pain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mary,¡± Amelia snapped at the other woman and rose to her feet, although her legs were trembling. ¡°Leave me alone!¡±


    Mary¡¯s cheeks went pink, and she rushed out of the room.


    Once Amelia was sure she was alone, she studied the papers,


    theorizing that they had been sent to her from an old friend of Russell Lewis who was seeking revenge against Chloe.


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    With that thought, a vindictive smile crossed Amelia¡¯s face. These papers would help her get rid of Chloe. And she must act fast, or the Hawthrone reputation will be in jeopardy. Chloe was unstable and dangerous.


    Knowing that she needed help. Amelia had Marye back. First, she ordered the maid to clean up the mess on the ground. Then, she tasked her with finding the address and phone number on the package.


    Amelia was going to get in contact with the sender. She was going to take down Chloe Windsor once and for all before she could sink her sharp ws any further into her son and ruin the Hawthrone name that Amelia had spent her entire married life protecting.


    *Olivia*


    As I waited for the elevator in front of my apartment, I studied my reflection on the steel surface.


    There were bags under my eyes, and my white silk top was untucked from my ck skirt. I had barely gotten any sleepst night since Ava and I were up until three in the morning gathering the paperwork to send to Amelia. Hopefully, she will contact me soon.


    When the elevator dinged and the door smoothly slid open, my pulse quickened when I saw Alexander standing there, looking handsome in a ck suit and tie. His eyes darkened as they studied my body. I flushed as I remembered Alexander¡¯s hard body against mine in this elevator. Goosebumps raised across my skin when I recalled his warm breath as he whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I muttered.


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    11.47


    I hurried into the elevator, clutching my phone in my sweaty palm. waiting for Amelia to message or call me. It took me longer than it should have to notice that Gai was in the clevator, too, since I was so caught up in Alexander¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°I came here to ride with Alexander to work since we have a big meeting today.¡± Gai exined. Her eyes lowered to my phone, which I was gripping to my chest. ¡°New phone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, um, I just got it. My screen broke on my old one.¡±


    Gai nodded and adjusted her grip on her purse. ¡°Do you want to ride to the office with us?¡± she asked.


    A lump developed in my throat as I thought about yesterday morning and the drama that followed because Korbin had seen Alexander and I


    arrive at work in the same car. Besides, I didn¡¯t want to be around other people when Amelia contacted me.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I said smoothly. Thankfully, I was getting better at lying. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab a bite to eat on my walk over.


    <i>31 </i>


    Gai nodded, seemingly buying my excuse, but Alexander narrowed his eyes and studied my face.


    I shifted my feet, not wanting to be caught in a lie. I could feel the heat radiating off of his body, and his good looks were making my heart rate spike.


    Thankfully, the elevator doors opened, and I rushed out of the building ahead of them, not caring if I seemed odd at that moment.


    Gratefully, I inhaled the fresh air¨Cwell, as fresh as the air in New York could be, I started to trek down the busy sidewalk. My stomach was grumbling, so I stopped for a breakfast sandwich and arge hot coffee with two extra shots of espresso. I needed the extra caffeine.


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    Right before I arrived at work, my cell phone rang. My stomach flipped as I stared at the unknown number on my disy screen. This must be Amelia!


    ¡°Hello,¡± I answered cautiously, trying to disguise my voice in case Ethan¡¯s mom recognized it.


    ¡°I received a package from you this morning,¡± Amelia said, her voice clipped. ¡°I want to know why you sent it.¡±


    ¡°I want justice for my old ssmate, Russell Lewis,¡± I exined, sticking with the cover story that Ava and I hade up withst night.


    I heard Amelia quietly sigh in relief. ¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping you were going to say. I want to help. As you probably know, I have a lot of resources and money at my disposal. What do you need me to do?¡±


    I gripped my phone even tighter as my heart raced with excitement. ¡°I need help with locating the boy¡¯s body. We need a way to prove that Chloe had killed him and we can¡¯t do that without a body. No body, no crime, as the old saying goes. You should have all the information you need toplete this task in the paperwork I¡¯ve entrusted you with.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Amelia promised. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I have any information to share.¡±


    Without a goodbye, Ethan¡¯s mother hung up.


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    I looked down at my phone in surprise. During our whole conversation, she hadn¡¯t even asked me for my name. When I thought about it further, that made sense. Amelia only wanted to be rid of Chloe. If Amelia Hawthorne had her mind set on something, she wasser focused and didn¡¯t rest until she achieved it.


    That was why she was the perfect person to find where Chloe and her corrupt family had hidden Russell Lewis¡¯s body.


    I put my phone in my purse, then hurried into work, not wanting to bete.


    After a busy morning of answering emails, I took my tablet to Gai¡¯s office when I began to organize Alexander¡¯s schedule for next week.


    ¡°Hey, do you know why there¡¯s a block in Alexander¡¯s schedule on Saturday?¡± I asked.


    She looked away from herputer and sighed. ¡°He has decided to take ast¨Cminute trip to Ld this Saturday,¡± she exined.


    Strangely, my heart lowered with disappointment because I wasn¡¯t the first to know about his trip. Why hadn¡¯t he told me?


    ¡°Oh, do you know what for?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.


    Gai rubbed her temples and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t. I also don¡¯t know if he is taking you or me with him.¡±


    ¡°Why would he take a¡­¡± The rest of my question caught in my throat.


    This spur of the moment trip reminded me of thest¨Cminute party that


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    11:47


    Chor the


    ???? ??


    Alexander had dragged me to. The one that took ce in the hotel where Alexander had met with someone mysterious that he couldn¡¯t talk to in public. Was he going to Ld to meet with this same mysterious person?


    ¡°Alexander¡¯s in another mood today,¡± Gai said and rolled her eyes. ¡°I think that the fewer questions we ask about his uing trip, the better.¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    ??


    The rest of the morning was filled with meetings in which Alexander needed me to take detailed notes.


    After a particrly grueling one with a needy client, Korbin leaned back in his chair and sighed.


    ¡°Is this day over yet?¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s ten in the morning,¡± Alexander said dryly.


    ¡°That client gave me a headache. I need some Tylenol,¡± he said and rubbed his forehead.


    I kept some in my purse for this reason and fished the little white bottle out of there and handed it to Korbin. ¡°Here you are.


    ¡°Thanks, Olivia,¡± he said kindly.


    ¡°1


    My shoulder loosened a little. Hopefully, that small act would get him back on my good side.


    Our office was so packed with meetings that we even had to work through lunch. Alexander ordered a delicious buffet of sd and soup, but Korbin seemed to be really dragging.


    I was already on my fifth coffee by noon, and I envied how energized


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    Alexander seemed. It was because he napped in his office. He could only get away with something like that because he was the president.


    After lunch. Alexander gave me a bunch of papers to organize and file. so I had to go downstairs to the secretarial department.


    Right before I pushed open the wooden door. I heard hushed voices.


    ¡°Did you hear about how the president had a blind date with Naomi Wrightst night?¡± I heard a woman whisper.


    ¡°What!¡± a louder voice said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the daughter of the CEO of the Wright Group?¡±


    ¡°Yep. My best friend works for Ms. Wright,¡± the first girl said. ¡°And she just sent me a post from Naomi¡¯s social media page. It is a picture of Alexander from their date, and she wrote that they were going on a trip to Ld together on Saturday.¡±


    *Olivia*


    My heart was beating so loud that I had to focus hard, so I didn¡¯t miss the rest of the secretary¡¯s conversation.


    I just couldn¡¯t believe that Alexander was going to spend more time with Naomi. He had sent her homest night¨Cafter a quick dinner¡­ what had changed? How had their rtionship escted so quickly?


    ¡°They are going on a trip together!¡± one of the women said with excitement in her voice. ¡°That must mean that their blind date had gone well.<i>¡± </i>


    ¡°I bet they will be engaged within a year,<i>¡± </i>the firstdy said.


    I almost dropped the papers I was holding.


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    240 sy <b>hard </b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± a third woman joined the conversation.


    How many employees were interested in Alexander¡¯s love life? Couldn¡® 1 they just do their jobs? Why did they have to gossip?


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Alexander is secretly dating Mr. Carter and that the two men have been in a rtionship for years, but Alexander has to hide it because his family wouldn¡¯t approve of that kind of rtionship.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that, too,¡± a fourth woman added.

 Alpha Novel 166

    ¡°Well, what about that new young assistant in the short skirt that¡¯s always hanging around him?¡± one of them said in a conspiratorial tone. ¡°I heard that they live together already.¡±


    ¡°I heard that most of her job duties involve lying on her back on the mattress if you catch my drift.¡±


    Thedies burst outughing, and a hot flush spread across my cheeks.


    ¡°What¡¯s the assistant¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s like Ophelia or something like that,¡± one said offhandly like my identity didn¡¯t matter to them.


    My hands clenched around the papers I was holding as anger surged through me. That was the final straw. I wasn¡¯t going to stand here and listen to their immature gossip anymore.


    I burst into the room, and all four of the women¡¯s heads turned to me. Their eyes widened, and their cheeks grew red in embarrassment.


    ¡°My name is Olivia,¡± I snapped and made eye contact with each one of them. ¡°If you¡¯re going to spread gossip about someone, you better at least have your facts straight. And I bet Alexander would be interested to know that his secretarial staff is usingpany time to sit around and gossip.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and looked around the room. My fury lessened when I noticed genuine fear and remorse in their expressions. I sighed, and my shoulders slumped as my indignation drained out of me like someone had pulled the plug on my anger.


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    260 Wall Bers


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell Alexander.¡± I muttered, already feeling guilty for saying that. I wouldn¡¯t like it if someone threatened me with something like that. ¡°It¡¯s understandable and natural to gossip during downtime at work. I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡±


    The four let out a collective sigh of relief.


    When the adrenaline fully left my body, all that was left was a hollow feeling and exhaustion. I went over to the corner of the room to begin filing the paperwork for Alexander. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the trip he had nned with Naomi on Saturday. What if he began to date her seriously? Just that thought made my stomach twist.


    As I was sorting through the papers, one of the secretaries came up to me with a sheepish expression. She had kind brown eyes and auburn hair.


    ¡°Listen, Olivia, I¡¯m really sorry for talking about you behind your back. That wasn¡¯t kind of us to do,¡± she said.


    I shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t mind gossip. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never spected about someone¡¯s personal life before. But next time someone brings my name up when talking about Alexander¡¯s potential lovers, can you please set them straight and tell them that I¡¯m not involved with my boss. I¡¯m just his assistant. Nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she assured me and smiled.


    But I noticed the small hint of doubt in her eyes. No matter what, people were always going to think that there was something between Alexander and me.


    Quietly, I sighed as I headed back upstairs. Well, at least now I knew the real reason Alexander was going to Ld.


    It was to spend more quality time with Naomi Wright.


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    11:47


    Chapter for


    My hands balled into tight, fists, and I walked into the break room for another cup of coffee. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have any more caffeine since I was already jittery, but myte night sleuthing with Ava was catching up to me.


    In the break room, Gai was pouring herself another cup of coffee, too.


    ¡°How many more meetings today?¡± I asked as she handed me the coffee pot.


    J


    ¡°Five.¡± she answered glumly. ¡°I need to get this caffeine inserted into my veins through an IV.¡±


    I giggled.


    ¡°Alexander doesn¡¯t even have time for his afternoon nap today,¡± she continued. ¡°He is taking care of everything for his trip on Saturday.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Right, about that. I think that you should definitely be the one to go with him on that trip.¡±


    She tilted her head as she poured creamer into her coffee. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, Alexander is going to go on a date while he¡¯s in Ld. I don¡¯t think it would be¡­appropriate for me to join him on this trip,¡± I exined.


    ¡°He¡¯s going on a date?¡± Gai asked and turned to me with wide eyes.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I tried my best to keep my displeasure out of my voice. ¡°I saw a post on social media from Naomi Wright¨Cthe woman that he went on a date withst night. She made a post saying that Alexander and her were going to Ld on Saturday.¡±


    Gai¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Hm.¡±


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    I waited for her to say more as she slowly stirred her coffee, but that


    was it.


    I crossed my arms. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just think that it¡¯s interesting that you think I should go on this trip instead of you.¡± she said without looking at me.


    11:47

 Alpha Novel 167

    ¡°Why do you think that¡¯s interesting?¡± I raised one eyebrow


    She smirked, grabbed her coffee cup, and walked by me. ¡°No reason.¡±


    Then, she left the break room, leaving me with unanswered questions and the faint whiff of her strawberry scented perfume.


    At the end of the day, Alexander called Gai and me into his office. My feet dragged as I walked toward his corner office. I already knew what this meeting was going to be about.


    Gai and I sat down, and Alexander stood, leaning against the back of his desk, and crossed his arms. My throat dried when I noticed the fabric of his shirt straining against hisrge muscles.


    I shifted in my seat and scolded myself. I needed to get a grip.


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you both have seen in my schedule, I will be traveling to Ld on Saturday,¡± Alexander said briskly. ¡°Gai, you will apany me to Ld and Olivia, you will handle any work emails thate through. Understood?¡±


    Gai and I nodded.


    I ignored the way my heart fell. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that Alexander didn¡¯t want me to join him for this trip. Why would he want to bring me along for his second date?


    I had already witnessed his first.


    0.00%


    *Olivia*


    ¡°Good, now that Saturday is squared away, let¡¯s talk about tonight.¡± Alexander said and pped his hands once.


    The sharp sound made me jump. What did he mean tonight? Did he have another date with Naomi? Was he going to force me toe along tonight to rub it in my face? I crossed my arms, raised my chin. and met his dark eyes. I wouldn¡¯t babysit him on another date. I would refuse this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need both of you to workte tonight,¡± Alexander announced. ¡°We have a few deadlines that we need to meet for some of our VIP clients. Gai, will you please order dinner for the three of us? Whatever you two would like is fine with me. Olivia, bring yourputer to my office, we have a lot of work to get done before we can leave tonight.¡± We nodded and stood up. Despite my exhaustion, I was surprisingly alright with workingte. Sometimes, I prefer it. I liked it when the office was dark and quiet and there was no one to disturb me as I concentrated. There was no one to gossip about me either.


    When Gai and I were out of earshot of Alexander¡¯s office, she let out a low groan. ¡°Depending on what kind of mood he¡¯s in, Alexander will probably keep us here until midnight. Maybe eventer,¡± she warned me. ¡°One time when we were working on a big project, he had me here until three in the morning. I just slept on the couch in the waiting room and wore the same clothes to work the next morning.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s alright. Nothing another cup of coffee can¡¯t fix.¡±


    Gai and I shared a smile. In the break room, I poured myself a jumbo- sized cup of coffee. My stomach was fluttering with nerves. A small part of me was anxious about being alone with Alexander in the office. What if he asked me for tips for his date on Saturday? I couldn¡¯t handle that. At least Gai would be with us tonight.


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    Charter 187


    24 out


    As I researched something for Alexander in the copy room, I finished my coffee. But that turned out to be a mistake. My stomach rumbled, something it did when I drank my coffee too quickly. When I came back upstairs, I found Alexander and Gai in one of the big conference rooms. Takeout Chinese food containers were spread across the sleek ss table. Usually, I loved Chinese food, but the sight of the congealed noodles and zed chicken made my stomach even queasier.


    ¡°Come sit and eat,¡± Alexander said. ¡°You have to keep your strength up. It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±


    ¡°Told you,¡® Gai mouthed behind his back.


    But I couldn¡¯t even find humor in her joke because my stomach was so upset.


    With no choice, I sat next to Gai and pulled a container of white rice to me. After a few small bites, I had to push the dish away. I couldn¡¯t even


    handle rice.


    ¡°Are you alright, Olivia?¡± Alexander asked as he twirled noodles around his chopsticks. ¡°You¡¯ve barely eaten anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I had a few cookies that someone left in the break room when I was in there refilling my coffee,¡± I lied.


    Just the word ¡®coffee¡® made my stomach jolt in protest.


    To make sure that Alexander or Gai didn¡¯t think that I was sick, I forced myself to eat a couple more bites of rice. But this made bile rise to my throat and sweat bead down my face. I was terrified that if I moved even an inch, I was

 Alpha Novel 168

    Why was I making myself sick to appease these people? I roughly set down my chopsticks and pushed the rice away from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± I announced. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back to work.¡±


    Then, I left the room, gripping my stomach as I walked away.


    In Alexander¡¯s office, I grabbed myptop and logged into my work email. Even though I was sitting down and barely moving, my nausea just got worse. Part of me wished that I could throw up to feel better, but I couldn¡¯t force myself to.


    When Alexander returned to his office, his cheeks were red, and he seemed refreshed after a hearty meal. I stared up at him as my stomach rolled. He looked like the opposite of how I was feeling. But I tried not to let my sickness show.


    ¡°You can getfortable on my couch and start reviewing one of Harris¡¯s financial statements,¡± he instructed and handed me a piece of paper with a bunch of numbers on it. ¡°Make sure that you review it carefully. I want to make sure that there are no mistakes. Harris is one of our most important clients.¡±


    I nodded and straightened my shoulders, getting straight to work. For a few hours, I worked quickly, but diligently. I didn¡¯t want to make any mistakes, but I also wanted to get out of here with enough time to get a decent night¡¯s sleep.


    When the clock struck eleven¨Cthirty at night, we weren¡¯t even close to finishing work. My eyes were starting to water from staring at a screen for too long. I excused myself and grabbed my purse from my desk. In the quiet bathroom, I put in my eyedrops to help my stinging eyes.


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    286 078ucliers


    Even though my eyes were still watery, I left the room because I knew that they would dry by the time I got back to Alexander¡¯s office.


    But when I walked out of the door, Alexander was standing right in front of it with his fist raised like he was about to knock.


    His cheeks reddened when he looked down at me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry to intrude on you in the bathroom, I just wanted to check on you because you seemed unwell¡­¡± He trailed off when he got a closer look at me. ¡°Olivia, are you crying because we¡¯re workingte? You¡¯re free to go home if you¡¯re upset.¡±


    Embarrassment washed over me like a tidal wave. ¡°No, of course I¡¯m not crying,¡± I rushed out. ¡°My eyes just became sore from staring at a screen for too long. I just put some eye drops in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, that makes sense,¡± he said, and his face flushed further.


    It wasn¡¯t fair that when Alexander blushed, he was even more


    attractive.


    Back in his office, Alexander handed me another financial statement to review, but when I grabbed the paper, he didn¡¯t let go of it. Our eyes locked together, and the serious expression on his face made my pulse quicken. Alexander used my grip on the paper to pull me closer to him until our bodies were just a breath away. I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat as my legs trembled.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry for losing controlst night in the elevator,¡± Alexander murmured, his dark eyes boring into mine. ¡°I hope that I didn¡¯t scare you. That¡¯s thest thing I ever want to do.¡±


    I was about to reply, but then his gaze shed down to my lips for a fraction of a second, and my stomach swooped.


    *Olivia*


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    11:47 L


    Chap 168


    My heart raced as Alexander looked back into my eyes. Had he actually nced at my lips, or had I imagined that? Had it been wishful thinking on my part?


    I swallowed thickly as I tried to remember what he had just said. It took me longer than it should to reply. Finally, I remembered that he had apologized for cornering me in the elevatorst night.


    ¡°I¨CI ept your apology,¡± I said and licked my suddenly dry lips.


    This action didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Alexander. His eyes darkened with an emotion that looked pretty close to lust. But was I deluding myself into thinking that?


    Alexander stepped even closer to me until his warm body was almost pressing up against mine. My whole body was flushed and begging me to close the distance between us. I was terrified that my heart was beating so loudly that he would be able to hear it. I couldn¡¯t help but lower my gaze down to his lips. They were full and looked softer than velvet, but they still somehow appeared masculine.


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 Alpha Novel 169

    ¡°I promise never to cause you unneeded stress again,¡± Alexander continued in that rough, low voice of his. ¡°I know that your life is already stressful enough without me adding to it.¡± He swallowed, and I watched his throat bob up and down, mesmerized by that simple action. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the reason you worry, Olivia. I want to bring you peace.¡±


    A quiet gasp escaped my lips, and my legs trembled. His words sent a shiver up my spine. What was he saying? Why did this sound like the beginning of a confession?


    Alexander let out a long, slow breath and tore his eyes away from me as he looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I want you to know that I will never force you to do anything.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Alexander,¡± I assured him in an unsteady voice, wondering where he was going with this.


    He looked back down at me when I said his name. Then, he took a step away from me, and my body protested at the loss of the heat that always radiated off of him. His expression changed until it was unreadable.


    ¡°What do you say that we put all the previous¡­unpleasantness behind us and pretend like it never happened?¡± he suggested, and a tight- lipped smile crossed his face.


    ¡°That sounds good,¡± I said quickly.


    When I sat back on the couch, I couldn¡¯t help but think that Alexander had that conversation with me because he was going on a trip with


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    11:47


    another woman. Had he asked me to workte just so he could set clear boundaries in our rtionship? Because if we were being honest with ourselves, we had both blurred those lines before.


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I reviewed another financial report. Alexander was giving me busy work. He had only asked me to workte just so he could talk to me alone. Whatever. At least I would make more money on my paycheck this week with overtime.


    An hour passed, and if I was being honest, I barely focused on the numbers in front of me. I was thinking about Naomi Wright. Maybe her sudden appearance in Alexander¡¯s life was a blessing in disguise. With her taking on the romantic role in his life, then I could focus on my true role as Alexander¡¯s assistant. Once Alexander and Naomi¡¯s rtionship went public, then the gossip about him and I would die down. Maybe I was looking at this all wrong.


    But then I imagined Naomi¡¯s perfect face, long legs, and that suggestive white smile that she kept shing at Alexander. Without meaning to, I crumpled the corner of an important document. My stomach swooped when I looked at the damage, and I nced up at Alexander. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t paying attention to me. He was looking down at his phone, typing out a message.


    My hands clenched in myp. Was he texting Naomi?


    At midnight, Alexander said that it was time to go home. Thankfully, Gai offered to drive me home because I didn¡¯t want to ept a ride from Alexander. He didn¡¯t even look up as he wished me good night. Something that bothered me even though I wished it didn¡¯t.


    When I got home, I hopped in the shower, then dressed in my mostfortable pair of ck sweatpants and an oversized pink shirt. My stomach was still upset, so I searched my medicine cab for stomach pills, but I didn¡¯t have any. I tried to just go to sleep, but it felt like my stomach was on a roller coaster ride with the way it twisted and


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    Ajeem tub


    turned


    When the clock struck one at night, I groaned. It was no use. I needed stomach pills in order to sleep. My eyelids dropped as I grabbed my car keys off the counter and drove to the store.


    After driving around for twenty minutes, I sighed in relief when I spotted a pharmacy that was open at thiste hour. But as I flipped on my turn signal, the hair on the back of my neck rose. It felt like


    someone was watching me¡­


    *Author*


    ¡°I wonder where she¡¯s headed?¡± Alexander asked his bodyguard.


    Alexander and Richard were in the car watching Olivia. They had been following her from a distance ever since she left work with Gai.


    In response to his boss¡¯s question, Richard merely shook his head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go up to her and see if she¡¯s alright?¡± Richard suggested and rubbed his eyes. He had gotten very little sleep ever since he started working for Alexander. It was a good thing he paid well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare her. She¡¯s been on edge all night,¡± Alexander exined. ¡°I can tell that something is wrong.¡±


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    Chapter <b>170 </b>


    Alexander sighed and noticed the bright lights of a twenty¨Cfour hour pharmacy up ahead. Was Olivia that unwell that she needed medicine? His pulse quickened at that thought. Then, he took out his phone in order to make arrangements.


    *Olivia*


    Because I was so creeped out, I ended up not stopping at the pharmacy. When I parked near my apartment building, I ran to the front door, but my heart dropped when I saw a dark figure waiting there. I opened my mouth to scream, but froze when I saw that the man was Richard.


    ¡°What are you doing here sote?¡± I asked and clutched my heart from the scare.


    ¡°A little birdie told me that you might need some medicine,¡± he said. He smiled kindly and gestured to therge cardboard box he was holding. ¡°And I have Mike¡¯s Medicine right here.¡±


    How did he figure out that I was sick¡­but my thought process was interrupted by a painful jerk in my stomach. At the end of the day, it didn¡¯t matter how he knew.


    ¡°Huh, I appreciate it, but I¡¯m sorry you had toe all the way here at two in the morning,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± He followed me into the building, and we rode the elevator up my floor. ¡°Why are you out sote?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± I exined. ¡°Upset stomach. I wanted to buy some medicine to help with digestion, but I didn¡¯t have any luck.¡±


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    1731


    17 213 WAN


    ¡°Well, your luck is about to change,¡± he said and nodded at the box <b>in </b>his hands. ¡°I have everything you need in here.¡±


    My shoulders slumped in relief. Honestly, I didn¡¯t care if the two men had followed me as long as they had some stomach pills for me to take.


    *Olivia*


    I unlocked my apartment, and Richard followed me through the door. Another sharp pain hit me like a punch in the gut as Richard organized his medicines on my kitchen counter.


    My eyes widened as I took in all the medications that he had brought with him. There were bottles of liquid cold medicine and small white pills for allergies. But there were even bottles of pills that had pictures of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. I tilted my head as I picked up one of the bottles. Would these medications actually help with a medical emergency?


    Richard piled all the bottles of pills and stic containers of liquid medicine on my counter until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a bottle of bright pink liquid and a box of digestive aid and handed them to me with a smile.


    !


    I took them gratefully and reached for my purse that was on the counter. ¡°Thank you, Richard. Let me pay you for these.¡±


    He waved my offer away.


    It seemed wrong to ept the medications for free, but I silently nned to buy a couple of boxes of stomach medications and return it to Mike.


    After I took the medicine, Richard left my apartment, and my stomach ache quickly disappeared like it had never been there in the first ce. Exhausted, I quickly fell asleep with a relieved smile on my face.


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    My rm on my phone went off, and when I reached for it, my stomach swooped with anticipation. There was a message from Amelia waiting for me. My heart mmed against my chest as I pulled up her message. What had she discovered about Russell Lewis?


    My eyes widened as I read her message:


    ¡®I found out that the missing boy¡¯s body may be buried in a rural area or even in the mountains of Ld. The body could be in an und knoll covered with flowers near a pond and a cabin.¡®


    Cold shock made a shiver go down my spine. I had to read Amelia¡¯s message three times before I fully processed it. It was crazy to me that she could find all of this information out in only a day. But when you had unlimited money and resources, you could get just about anything done.


    Also, Ld was the ce where Alexander was going with Naomi. Was that merely a coincidence or something more to explore?


    I copied Amelia¡¯s message and sent it to Ava. A minuteter, she called me.


    !


    ¡°Ld was where Chloe and Russell lived!¡± she said in lieu of a


    greeting.


    My mouth dropped open. ¡°What??¡±


    ¡°Yes! Remember in that police report, Russell went missing in Ld?¡±


    I sat up in bed and clutched at my racing heart. ¡°I thought that name sounded familiar! Can youe here so we can discuss-¡±


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    :


    Ava cut me off. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in five minutes.¡±


    Then, she hung up.

 Alpha Novel 171

    I grinned as I threw my nket off of me and jumped out of bed. I loved how my best friend and I always seemed to be on the same wavelength.


    Quickly, I put on a plum dress, ck high heels, and put my hair in a low slicked back bun. The coffee had just finished brewing when Ava knocked on my door.


    I ushered her inside, poured a cup of coffee for my friend, and offered her a chocte chip muffin I had picked up from the store the other day.


    As she took a sip of her coffee, she gave me a questioning look. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you having any coffee?¡±


    I rubbed my still sensitive stomach. ¡°I¡¯m a little queasy,¡± I admitted. ¡°But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important. Have you learned anything else?¡±


    Ava¡¯s eyes shed with excitement, and she put her coffee mug down and leaned toward me. ¡°Last night, Amelia managed to get Chloe drunk and seemed to learn a lot of information from her.¡±


    My hands gripped my water bottle. ¡°Woah! That was smart.¡±


    Ava nodded in agreement and pulled up the voice recording on her phone. As I waited for it to y, anticipation coursed through me. Would this finally be the evidence we needed to put Chloe behind bars? Also, I was impressed that Amelia hadn¡¯t used her money or resources to find out more about Russell¡¯s murder. She had been cunning, and for that, I had to respect her.


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    Chloe¡¯s slurred voice boomed through the speaker on Ava¡¯s phone. It was obvious that she was drunk from the loud and erratic way she was speaking.


    ¡°Russell was always a wimp¡­B¨Cbut I wasn¡¯t cruel when I buried him. I felt bad for w¨Cwhat happened and his¡­final resting ce was beautiful.¡± Chloe sniffed, and I wondered if there were tears in her bright eyes. ¡°He would have liked it, I think. I found a small hill and t- there were vibrant, beautiful flowers of every color and a small pond. H¨Che has a view of a log cabin, too.¡±


    Ava and I shared a surprised look. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say there was remorse in Chloe¡¯s voice.


    The recording ended there, and we were silent for a few minutes as we processed what we¡¯ve just heard. I knew that we couldn¡¯t turn this recording over to the police as evidence, especially because Chloe sounded drunk, but Amelia had found out where Russell¡¯s body was and that was the task I had given her yesterday.


    Ava pulled out a piece of paper from the research we had done the other night. ¡°Russell was born in Ld, and Chloe¡¯s family transferred there her senior year because she had been expelled from her old school for assaulting a ssmate in New York.¡±


    I gasped. ¡°It¡¯s alling together!¡±


    Ava nodded, but the excited smile slipped off of her face like someone had wiped it off. ¡°But the location of Russell¡¯s body is too vague. I¡¯m sure that there are many ponds surrounded by flowers that are next to a cabin in the country.¡±


    ¡°That description could fit thousands of areas,¡± I said, my voice glum. ¡°It would be impossible to look through them all.¡±


    Wepsed into a thoughtful silence. Ava finished her coffee, and I


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    made myself a hot tea to help settle my stomach.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that Russell¡¯s body is by a mountain,¡± I said. ¡°Chloe had said ¡®small hill¡® in the recording. No one would refer to a mountain as a small hill.¡±


    Ava poured herself another cup of coffee and nodded. ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°I feel like we are at a dead end. Why don¡¯t I try and get in contact with one of Russell¡¯s old friends?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s a great idea. I remember in the police report that there was a girl who was really good friends with Russell. She dropped out of school right after he disappeared. She will definitely help us.¡±


    ¡°Since she lives in Ld too, I bet she could help us find the ce where Chloe buried Russell,¡± I added.


    ¡°Well, we know what our next step should be¡­nning a trip to Ld,¡± she said.


    I hesitated. What if I ran into Alexander and Naomi there? Would he think I was following him? But my hesitancy was gone in the next second. Finding Russell¡¯s body and making sure that Chloe could never hurt someone again was much more important than what Alexander thought of me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± I said with determination in my voice.


    *Olivia*


    Ava finished her second cup of coffee, then put her hands behind her back and started to pace my kitchen. ¡°What if Russell¡¯s old friend doesn¡¯t know where his body is buried?¡± she asked.


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    My shoulder¡¯s sagged. ¡°You¡¯re right. If that were the case, we would be going to Ld for no reason. It would be aplete waste of time.¡±


    Ava tapped one finger against her mouth, seemingly lost in thought. Then, her eyes brightened with excitement.


    My heart lifted with hope. ¡°I know that look,¡± I said. ¡°You have an idea.¡±


    A proud smile crossed her face. ¡°I do.¡± She paused for dramatic effect.


    I rushed to her and grabbed her hands. ¡°Well, don¡¯t leave me hanging here. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°We trick Chloe into telling us where his body is buried,¡± she said proudly. ¡°Or even showing us.¡±


    I paused as I thought it over. ¡°That¡¯s so crazy it just might work.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± I told Ava as we parted ways outside my apartment building.


    We hugged and then went in opposite directions. Ava was headed to Celeste to finalize our ns, and I still had to go to work today. On the walk over, I tilted my face up to the morning sun, and I felt lighter than I¡¯ve had for a long time. I knew that my improved mood had something to do with having an actual n to follow. I was a detailed oriented person, and I always felt better when there was a n.


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    But as I got closer to work, my anxiety spiked. After the weird mood and conversation with Alexanderst night, I wasn¡¯t looking forward to spending the whole work day with him. But I was lucky. Alexander didn¡¯te into the office all morning. I spent the day catching up on replying to emails and filing. For lunch, I had a piece of dry toast and an apple, afraid that anything more would upset my stomach.


    Alexander didn¡¯te into the office until one in the afternoon. He seemed distracted and nodded at me when he walked past my desk. Then, he spent the rest of the day in his office with Gai. He didn¡¯t give me any instructions, so I figured that I pretty much had a free day. Besides, I had stayedtest night, so I had earned an easy work day.


    At five, Alexander told me that I could go home. I jumped up and gathered my things. It was the first time in a long time that I was leaving work at a reasonable hour. I walked home, and on the way, I passed by the same twenty¨Cfour hour pharmacy that I had almost gone tost night. Richard had said that the medicine he had given was from Mike, so I wanted to rece it.


    Fifteen minutester, I walked out of the drugstore with stic bags full of stomach medicine. I bought even more than Richard had given me since I wanted to thank Mike for thinking ahead and having all that medicine on standby.


    Back at my apartment, I whipped up a quick dinner of chicken noodle soup and freshly baked buttered bread. After I ate and cleaned the kitchen, I went upstairs and knocked on Mike¡¯s door.


    He opened it and when he saw me, his face broke into a kind smile. ¡°Hi, Olivia. What¡¯s up?¡±


    I handed him the shopping bags full of stomach pills. ¡°I wanted to give you these.<i>¡± </i>


    Mike opened the bag, and a look of confusion came over his face when


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    he saw the contents. ¡°Um, why are you giving me a bunch of medicine?¡±


    ¡°Richard had given me some of your stomach pillsst night because I felt sick,¡± I exined. ¡°I felt horrible. I couldn¡¯t sleep. But your medicine saved me. I bought more to rece the medicine I had used.¡±


    Mike was still staring at me with confusion, but then realization came over his features, and he nodded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I remember Richarding herest night. You¡¯ll have to excuse my poor memory. That¡¯s what happens when you get old, you start forgetting things.¡± He chuckled good¨Cnaturedly and winked.


    ¡°You¡¯re not old,¡± I assured him.


    In the back of my mind, I was thinking how working for Alexander was physically and mentally exhausting. That was probably why Mike had forgotten about Richarding to himst night to ask for medicine. He had probably been half asleep at the time.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Mike said, gesturing to me in his apartment. ¡°Would you like a drink?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°I actually just finished¡­¡±


    But I trailed off. Alexander came out of one of the bedrooms, and the sight of him made my head spin. He was wearing a maroon colored robe, reading sses, and he had a ck,rge book in his hand. My boss¡¯s dark hair was tousled, but that just made him even more attractive. What had Mike and Alexander been doing before I got here?


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    Alexander studied me, and the look in his eyes made me shift my feet ufortably. I crossed my arms over my white shirt, wishing that I had put on a bra before I hade here.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. President,¡± I said, using his official title just to mess with him a little bit.


    Alexander¡¯s eyebrows rose, but he simply nodded at me in greeting.


    Annoyance coursed through me, and my hands tightened into fists at my sides. Even though I had liked being left alone at work, I didn¡¯t appreciate his silent treatment outside the office. Our conversation fromtest night shed through my mind. When he had talked about boundaries, did that mean that he didn¡¯t even want to speak to me about anything outside of work? Was that how things were going to be from now on?


    Alexander walked over to Mike, who was by his kitchen counter, pulling out the medicine that I had brought him.


    I thought he wouldment on my purchases, but he didn¡¯t. Alexander sat down on Mike¡¯s couch and began to read his book.


    I didn¡¯t know why his indifference toward me was grating on my nerves, but my jaw clenched. Suddenly, I just wanted to leave and go back to my quiet apartment. I haven¡¯t had a lot of alone time recently, and I craved solitude away from Alexander and his too¨Cquietpany.


    ¡°Thanks again, Mike,¡± I said and turned around, heading for the door, purposely not saying goodbye to Alexander because I was feeling petty.


    ¡°Oh, Olivia¡­¡±


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    De Vouchers


    Alexander¡¯s deep voice made me stop in my tracks, and I turned around to face him. Our eyes locked together, and my legs trembled. His expression was unreadable.


    ¡°How¡¯s your stomach feeling? he asked.


    How did he¡­? Wait. Richard must have told him afterst night. Damn it. Was there anyone in this city who wasn¡¯t employed by Alexander Green?


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better,¡± I replied stiffly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Alexander paused and gave me a searching look. ¡°Make sure to stay home this weekend and have ess to aputer at all times in case I need you for work.¡±


    I made sure that my smile didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Sure thing,¡± I replied brightly. ¡°Have a good weekend, Mr. President.¡±


    As I walked out of Mike¡¯s apartment, I grinned.


    There was no way I was staying home this weekend.


    *Olivia*


    The next morning at seven sharp, Ava showed up at my door with a duffel bag and three takeout coffee cups. Thankfully, my stomach waspletely fine now, and I took the cup full of caffeine gratefully.


    ¡°Is this ck?¡± I asked her before I took a sip.


    Ava smirked. ¡°Like our souls,¡± she joked.


    I giggled and took a sip of the hot, bitter coffee. Even though it had only been a day without it, that first sip tasted like liquid gold. I closed my eyes and sighed in contentment.


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    ¡°Aiden is going to meet us in the parking garage across the street in ten minutes,¡± Ava said and adjusted the grip on her bag. ¡°The third coffee is for him.¡±


    I locked my apartment door, then looked back at her. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s safe to invite him along?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put him in danger. Chloe isn¡¯t someone that we should mess with.¡±


    This was the same point that I had brought upst night when Ava and I were on the phone. She had suggested bringing her younger brother, who was on summer vacation, along for our road trip to Ld.


    ¡°Honestly, I think that it would be dangerous not to bring him,¡± Ava said as we walked to the elevator.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I pressed the elevator button and turned to her as we waited.


    ¡°Girl, it¡¯s not going to be safe for two women to be driving through the country looking for a dead body alone,¡± Ava pointed out as we stepped into the elevator. ¡°We need to bring a guy along with us in case we run into trouble.¡±


    I absorbed her words for a few moments.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your brother only neen?¡± I grumbled and picked up my bag to


    exit the elevator.


    ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s a body builder. He spends like eight days a week at the gym.¡±


    We rushed across the busy crosswalk. ¡°There¡¯s only seven days in a week,¡± I reminded her andughed.


    ¡°Details.¡± She waved her hand and chuckled.


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    In the dark parking garage, Aiden was leaning against Ava¡¯s car. He was tall and blonde, exactly like his sister. But that was where the simrities stopped. Ava was petite, but Aiden had bulging muscles that were straining against his tight ck shirt. Even though his face seemed young¨Cwoth his rosy red cheeks and one dimple¨Chis strong frame lessened my worries of the potential danger of this weekend.


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    ¡°Aiden, this is my best friend Olivia,¡± Ava said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be taking her car.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to-¡±


    My greeting was cut off when Aiden swept me into a tight hug, making me chuckle.


    ¡°Sorry, our family is full of huggers,¡± Aiden said once he let go of me.


    He reminded me of a friendly dog with his kind eyes and excited expression. I was d that Ava had invited him along.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± I said and handed Aiden my car keys. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a gift when wee back to thank you for tagging along.¡±


    That made Aiden grin even wider.


    ¡°Be a good little brother and put our bags in the trunk, please,¡± Ava said.


    Aiden stuck his tongue out at her but did as she asked.


    I got into the car and smiled. Maybe this weekend won¡¯t be so bad after all.


    *Author*


    Mike was sitting in his car in the same parking garage as Ava, Olivia, and Aiden. He was hidden in the shadows, but he had a perfect vantage point to watch them. His mouth dropped open when he saw Aiden hugging Olivia close. Since he had no idea that the young man


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    768 <b>Wanchers </b>


    ¡°Aiden, this is my best friend Olivia,¡± Ava said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be taking her car.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to-¡±


    My greeting was cut off when Aiden swept me into a tight hug, making me chuckle.


    ¡°Sorry, our family is full of huggers,¡± Aiden said once he let go of me.


    He reminded me of a friendly dog with his kind eyes and excited expression. I was d that Ava had invited him along.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± I said and handed Aiden my car keys. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a gift when wee back to thank you for tagging along.¡±


    That made Aiden grin even wider.


    ¡°Be a good little brother and put our bags in the trunk, please,¡± Ava said.


    Aiden stuck his tongue out at her but did as she asked.


    I got into the car and smiled. Maybe this weekend won¡¯t be so bad after all.


    *Author*


    Mike was sitting in his car in the same parking garage as Ava, Olivia, and Aiden. He was hidden in the shadows, but he had a perfect vantage point to watch them. His mouth dropped open when he saw Aiden hugging Olivia close. Since he had no idea that the young man


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    1200 ouchere


    was Ava¡¯s brother, he assumed that the handsome guy was a college student that Olivia was dating.


    Mike hurried out of his car and went back into his apartment. There, Gai was sitting at his dining room table, typing on theptop in front of her.


    Quickly, Mike told her what he had just witnessed in the parking


    garage.


    Gai¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But I thought that there was something going on between Olivia and Alexander¡­¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Mike agreed. ¡°They were both herest night. You should have seen them. You could cut the tension between them with a knife.¡±


    Gai shook her head slowly. ¡°Maybe Olivia is into younger guys.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡±


    They were silent for a minute.


    ¡°Should we tell Alexander about what I saw?¡± Mike asked nervously.


    Gai¡¯s foot jiggled as she thought it over. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be beneficial to anyone.¡±


    Mike sighed with relief. ¡°I was hoping that you¡¯d say that.¡±


    In the middle of his sentence, Alexander pushed open the front door and walked into the room.


    Gai and Mike¡¯s faces paled as they looked at their boss.


    Alexander¡¯s gaze turned suspicious as he nced between them. ¡°What were you guys talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± the two answered in unison.


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    Alexander didn¡¯t like that he saw pity in their eyes.


    79) Vouchers


    Gai and Mike couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Alexander that Olivia had picked a younger man over him.


    But Alexander let the subject drop since he needed to finish packing for his trip to Ld.


    An hourter, Alexander was sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Richard was driving, and Gai was in the back, a ck tablet in her hands.


    When they were stopped at a light, Gai looked at Alexander with uncertainty.


    ¡°Um, shouldn¡¯t I make a reservation for you and Ms. Wright for dinner tonight?¡± Gai asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t the purpose of this trip for you to spend more time with her?¡±


    Shock went down Alexander¡¯s spine, and he froze. Slowly, he turned around in his seat and narrowed his eyes at Gai.


    ¡°Who said anything about this trip being about spending time with Ms. Wright?¡± he demanded in a cold voice.


    Gai¡¯s face paled, and her hands trembled around her tablet. ¡°I-¡±


    Realization dawned over Alexander. ¡°Olivia told you that I was going to Ld to spend time with Naomi, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t really feelfortable saying¡­¡± Gai said, her cheeks now flushed.


    ¡°Gai, I¡¯m your boss,¡± Alexander reminded her. ¡°Not Olivia.¡±


    Gai¡¯s shoulders slumped in defeat. ¡°Alright, Olivia told me that Ms. Wright had posted on social media about going to Ld this


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    weekend right after you told us about your trip there,¡± she admitted in a quiet voice. ¡°I guess everyone just assumed that you were going to meet Ms. Wright, since you both nned trips on the same weekend.¡±


    Shame made her stomach queasy, and it felt like she was betraying Olivia, but she had no choice. She had never been a good liar.


    Alexander¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock, but that soon turned into anger. His teeth gritted together until it was almost painful.


    Richard cleared his throat. ¡°Alexander is not romantically interested in Ms. Wright,¡± he rified in a steady voice to get the pressure of his boss. ¡°His trip this weekend is not to spend time with Ms. Wright. Alexander is going to Ld for apletely separate reason. A very important reason, actually. It¡¯s just a coincidence that Ms. Wright will be in the same area at the same time.¡±


    *Author*


    11:49


    ¡°Aiden, this is my best friend Olivia,¡± Ava said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be taking her car.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to-¡±


    My greeting was cut off when Aiden swept me into a tight hug, making me chuckle.


    ¡°Sorry, our family is full of huggers,¡± Aiden said once he let go of me.


    He reminded me of a friendly dog with his kind eyes and excited expression. I was d that Ava had invited him along.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± I said and handed Aiden my car keys. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a gift when wee back to thank you for tagging along.¡±


    That made Aiden grin even wider.


    ¡°Be a good little brother and put our bags in the trunk, please,¡± Ava said.


    Aiden stuck his tongue out at her but did as she asked.


    I got into the car and smiled. Maybe this weekend won¡¯t be so bad after all.


    *Author*


    Mike was sitting in his car in the same parking garage as Ava, Olivia, and Aiden. He was hidden in the shadows, but he had a perfect vantage point to watch them. His mouth dropped open when he saw Aiden hugging Olivia close. Since he had no idea that the young man


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    ¡°I understand,¡± Gai said meekly and then sat back in her seat to avoid the two men¡¯s eyes.


    An ufortable silence filled the car, and Richard tried to engage Alexander in conversation, but his attempts were futile.


    Alexander was stewing with silent rage in his seat. He crossed his arms and stared out the window. He couldn¡¯t believe that Olivia was spreading rumors about his dating life to his other employees. How unprofessional was that?


    After five minutes of getting worked up about Olivia gossiping behind his back, Alexander couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He had to act. His jaw clenched with anger as he took his phone out of his pocket and jabbed Olivia¡¯s name on his screen. As the phone rang, the car remained silent until he forgot that there were two other people in the car. Right now, this was between him and Olivia.


    Olivia was at a rest stop with Ava and Aiden. They had stopped for a quick lunch in the middle of their road trip. Her heart mmed against her chest as she looked down at her phone. It was Alexander. Hopefully, he wasn¡¯t calling about checking his work emails. She had brought herptop, but she wasn¡¯t sure she would have reception here.


    ¡°Hi, Alexander, how¡¯s your trip going?¡± Olivia said when she answered her phone.


    She moved away from Ava and Aiden and shielded her eyes from the re of the sun. Cars passed her by on the busy highway, blowing her long hair behind her.


    ¡°Hi, there, Olivia,¡±


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    His cold tone made her freeze. Immediately, Olivia knew that something was wrong.


    ¡°Is everything alright, Alexander?¡± she asked and swallowed nervously.


    ¡°No, everything is not alright,¡± he replied in a clipped voice. ¡°I¡¯m calling to ask if untrue rumors amuse you?¡±


    J


    Olivia¡¯s eyebrows drew together in confusion. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she admitted honestly.


    This just made Alexander even more angry. ¡°I want to know if you find pleasure in spreading rumors about your boss.¡±


    ¡°Alexander, honestly, I have-¡±


    Olivia was interrupted by Aiden¡¯s loud voice.


    ¡°Hey, Olivia! Come over here so I can feed you some watermelon.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s stomach swooped with panic. She tried to cover the phone speaker so that Alexander couldn¡¯t hear Aiden, but she hung up the call by ident.


    Apprehension coursed through her body. ¡°Guys, we should get back on the road,¡± Olivia told the other two.


    Anger flooded through Alexander. He couldn¡¯t believe that she had the audacity to hang up on him. Did she have a guy at her house and didn¡¯t. want him to know?


    Richard hesitantly looked at Alexander. ¡°Was that a¡­guy¡¯s voice?¡±


    Gai let out a gasp, and Alexander turned to her. ¡°What do you know?¡± he asked. ¡°Is she with a guy?¡±


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    Gai bit her lip and shook her head.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Alexander said in a rough,manding tone.


    ¡°Mike saw Olivia in the parking garage across from her apartment building hugging a young man and then getting in a car and leaving with him,¡± Gai rushed out, then pped a hand over her mouth, regret shining in her eyes.


    Guilt settled low in her stomach for selling out her friend. But Gai had never done well under pressure.


    ¡°What did this guy look like?¡± Richard asked calmly. He wanted to take over the questioning because Alexander¡¯s face was turning red with rage.


    ¡°Mike said that he was, um, muscr and that he looked between the ages of eighteen and twenty¨Cone.¡±


    Alexander scoffed at his age.


    ¡°So, Olivia must like young guys then,¡± Richard said as he flipped his signal to mergenes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions,¡± Gai snapped. ¡°Maybe that guy was just a friend.¡± She didn¡¯t actually believe the words that she was saying, but after everything she had revealed about Olivia, she wanted to stick up for the girl she had grown quite close to.


    Richard nced at Gai in the rearview mirror, and they narrowed their eyes at each other. Their rift just added to the chilly mood in the car.


    The three drove for a few minutes in an ufortable silence, and Richard shifted in his seat. ¡°Well, it seems like Olivia has found a younger man to warm her bed,¡± he joked, trying to break the tension.


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    But this only added to the uncase in the car.


    Alexander wanted to scold his bodyguard for daring to crack a joke like that. But he knew that Richard wasn¡¯t the one that he was actually


    mad at.


    ¡°I wonder where she is going with him,¡± Alexander muttered quietly to himself.


    His stomach swooped when he remembered that he had the ability to track Olivia¡¯s location using his phone. Quickly, he pulled up the app and leaned in closer to see where she was. His hand tightened around his phone when he saw that she was ahead of their car on the same highway as them.


    On route to Ld, just like him.


    ¡°Olivia, is right up ahead,¡± Alexander growled and pointed out her car to Richard. ¡°Follow after her.¡±


    Richard nodded and sped up. Gai shook her head and worried about what Alexander would say to Olivia when he saw her. She didn¡¯t want to be the reason they fought. Maybe she should have tried harder not to reveal the man Mike had seen with Olivia.


    ¡°I bet that Olivia thought you were going to go to Ld with Ms. Wright, so she invited this college guy along to make you jealous,¡± Richard theorized as he sped up.


    ¡°Do me a favor, Richard,¡± Alexander said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Yeah, boss?¡±


    ¡°Keep your opinions to yourself.¡±


    *Olivia*


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    11:49


    1288 Vouchers


    I sat in the backseat of my car as Aiden drove, and Ava chatted happily to her brother. Crossing my arms, I stared nervously out the window. Guilt ate away at me for identally hanging up on Alexander and for- not telling him that I was headed to Ld this weekend, too. My stomach stiffened with fear as I thought about how he would react if he knew I had copied his travel ns.


    Ava straightened in her seat, startling me out of my thoughts. ¡°Hey¡­is that Alexander¡¯s car?¡± she asked.


    My heart raced as I looked behind us, and sure enough, I spotted Alexander¡¯s, although Richard was the one driving. They were only a few cars behind us.


    This wasn¡¯t good.


    Ava turned around and looked at me with confusion. ¡°Why is Alexander following us?¡±


    I sighed and decided toe clean. ¡°He isn¡¯t. Alexander nned a trip to Ld for a different reason before we nned ours.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the bitterness in my voice when I pictured Naomi¡¯s perfect face.


    But I had bigger problems right now. I¡¯d managed to get a quick peak at Alexander¡¯s face, and he had been frowning, his dark eyes in angry slits. Quickly, I took my phone out to message Gai and asked why Alexander looked so mad.


    I waited for a full five minutes, but she didn¡¯t reply.


    Pretty soon, Alexander¡¯s car was right behind us, and my stomach rolled with anxiety.


    I didn¡¯t want to find out what would happen if he caught up to us.


    79.08%

 Alpha Novel 176

    *Olivia*


    I sat in the backseat of my car as Aiden drove, and Ava chatted happily to her brother. Crossing my arms, I stared nervously out the window. Guilt ate away at me for identally hanging up on Alexander and for not telling him that I was headed to Ld this weekend, too. My stomach stiffened with fear as I thought about how he would react if he knew I had copied his travel ns.


    Ava straightened in her seat, startling me out of my thoughts. ¡°Hey¡­is that Alexander¡¯s car?¡± she asked.


    My heart raced as I looked behind us, and sure enough, I spotted Alexander¡¯s, although Richard was the one driving. They were only a few cars behind us.


    This wasn¡¯t good.


    Ava turned around and looked at me with confusion. ¡°Why is Alexander following us?¡±


    I sighed and decided toe clean. ¡°He isn¡¯t. Alexander nned a trip to Ld for a different reason before we nned ours.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the bitterness in my voice whe¦É. pictured Naomi¡¯s perfect face.


    But I had bigger problems right now. I¡¯d managed to get a quick peak at Alexander¡¯s face, and he had been frowning, his dark eyes in angry slits. Quickly, I took my phone out to message Gai


    and asked why Alexander looked so mad.


    I waited for a full five minutes, but she didn¡¯t reply.


    Pretty soon, Alexander¡¯s car was right behind us, and my stomach rolled with anxiety.


    I didn¡¯t want to find out what would happen if he caught up to <ol><li>us. </li></ol>


    Alexander and I locked eyes. My stomach knotted with worry when I saw his jaw clench. His gaze shot to Aiden in the driver¡¯s seat, and his eyes sparked with rage.


    Why was he so angry that there was a guy with us? He was the one who was going to Ld to meet a woman. And it wasn¡¯t even like I was romantically interested in Aiden. He was Ava¡¯s brother and not even old enough to legally drink. Did he really think I¡¯d be interested in a college student?¡±


    ¡°Olivia, why is Alexander going to Ld, too?¡± Ava asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t we decide not to tell him about our n for now?¡±


    ¡°What n?¡± Aiden questioned.


    ¡°Mind your business and focus on the road,¡± Ava snapped.


    Which made the two siblings quip back and forth for a few minutes.


    I turned away from the window so I wouldn¡¯t have to look at Alexander anymore.


    Because of their sibling banter, I thought I had gotten out of answering Ava¡¯s question, but when she had finished bickering with Aiden, she turned and raised her eyebrows at me.


    ¡°Why is he going to the same ce as us?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here to meet¡­.a woman. The same one he went on a blind date with that he made me join. Her name¡¯s Naomi Wright.¡±


    I had to force myself to say the name of the woman Alexander was meeting out loud. It just made it even more real.


    My friend spun around, and she lifted her chin. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I muttered, wishing it was all a joke.


    ¡°What an asshole!¡± she raged ¡°How dare Alexander y with your feelings. I¡¯ve seen the way he acts around you! No man who has tonic feelings for a woman stares at her the way Alexander looks at you.¡±


    A lump developed in my throat. ¡°He¡­he looks at me a certain way?¡±


    Ava¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed? Alexander¡¯s always looking at you no matter who¡¯s in the room. He looks at you with such burning intensity, I can¡¯t believe a fire hasn¡¯t started between you guys.¡±


    That made a smallugh burst past my lips despite everything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ditch this loser,¡± Ava said, ring at Alexander¡¯s car. ¡°Take this exit.¡±


    She pointed at the exit before our stop, and Aiden s


    car.


    ved the


    My stomach jolted, but Ava¡¯s brother seemed to know what he was doing as he smoothly drove down the exit ramp.


    1514


    288 Vou


    I turned around, and my shoulders slumped when I didn¡¯t see Alexander¡¯s car anymore.


    As Aiden navigated through the busy traffic, my phone chimed with a text message from Gai. My head tilted when I read the message. It only consisted of five words: ¡®Everything is fine with Alexander.¡®


    I looked out the window, lost in thought. After a few moments, I shrugged. I guess I had just overreacted, and Alexander hadn¡¯t been following us. Maybe I had misinterpreted his facial expressions, too. Maybe he wasn¡¯t pissed. He had simply just been on the same highway.


    Twenty minutester, Aiden pulled into the parking garage across the Ld Hotel. Ava bribed him with five dors to carry most of our luggage.


    ¡°Gotta love how broke college kids are,<i>¡± </i>she joked as we walked into the fancy hotel.


    Ava took care of the check¨Cin process, and we quickly got our room keys. As we walked to the elevators, my eyes widened when I saw the woman who was already in the elevator.


    The woman who Alexander had traveled all this way to meet.


    Naomi Wright, heiress of the Wright Group.


    Aiden


    Ava and Aiden were already in the elevator, so I had no choice but to step on. As the doors slid closed, I stood bel and Ava, hoping that I wouldn¡¯t have to talk to her.


    Thankfully, Naomi was already engaged in a conversation with her friend.


    65714


    1514


    ¡°You know that your whole thing with Alexander ispletely backward, right?¡± Naomi¡¯s friend said. ¡°Since he¡¯s the oldest of the Green¡¯s sons, he¡¯s supposed to be courting you. Not the other way around.¡±


    Naomi smiled and shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t mind. Alexander is worth chasing after.¡±


    The backs of my eyes pricked with emotion.


    Wow.


    Naomi actually cared about Alexander. Hot guilt shot through me from the uncharitable things I¡¯ve been thinking about her. Silently, I wished her well, and I hoped she would find happiness. Even if it was with Alexander.

 Alpha Novel 177

    Naomi and her friend exited the elevator one floor before ours, and I watched her walk away, hypnotized by her perfect blonde ponytail swinging back and forth.


    As soon as the doors were closed, Ava turned to me.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s the woman Alexander hase all the way here to meet?¡± Ava asked.


    ¡°Yeah, she seems to be dating him for the right reasons.¡±


    My friend opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it. ¡°She actually does. But Alexander is still scum for the way he has been tantly flirting with you.¡±


    My cheeks heated as we walked out of the elevator. ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± I hissed. ¡°There is nothing between Alexander and me. He¡¯s my boss and he can date whoever he wants.¡±


    !


    Ava crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. ¡°Alexander is a two- timer. I don¡¯t care what you tell me about him not having feelings for you. Anyone can see that he does. I bet you that if you called Alexander right now and asked him to meet you in a hotel room for a quickie, he would drop everything even though he is here to meet another woman.¡±


    ¡°Ava¡­ stop,¡± I said, ncing at her brother walking down the hallway in front of us.


    She blushed and immediately dropped it. It was true that Ava sometimes didn¡¯t think before she spoke, but she could always,


    0.00%


    15:14


    recognize when she had gone too far


    When we walked into therge suite, Arden whiested appreciatively. ¡°Wow,¡±


    That one word pretty much summed up this massive room,plete with three bedrooms, a fully stocked cap a t won TV, and a stunning view of the city below vs.


    Ava instructed Aiden where to put down the bags


    For some reason, a dark cloud seemed to side over me as ! walked to the window. The view of the busting cty was breathtaking, but I couldn¡¯t appreciate the beauty


    My stomach lurched when I spotted Alexander¡¯s car pulling up to the hotel. Of course, he would splurge on wallet.


    Ava came up next to me to look out the window.


    ¡°Um, maybe we should switch hotels. This one feels <b>too</b><b>¡­ </b>crowded,¡± I said.


    Ava gave me a look and put one hand on her hip. ¡°Girl, you are not hiding from him. I refuse to let you.¡± She nodded at Alexander as he got out of the car way down below. ¡°You have just as much of a right to be here as <b>him</b><b>. </b>We actually have a better reason to be here than <b>him</b><b>.</b>¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°We are trying to solve an old murder case, unlike <b>him</b><b>, </b>who is just here for a date.¡±


    I nodded along, her words reminding me of <b>why </b>we


    way.


    ne alll this


    ¡°You¡¯re so right,¡± I said and straightened my shoulders. ¡°Now,


    let¡¯s go over the n.¡±


    Chapter 127: Haunting


    *Olivia*


    ¡°What n?¡± Aiden asked as he walked into the room.


    Ava rolled her eyes¨Csomerhing she seemed to do a lot of when her brother was around. ¡°You are only here for our protection, Aiden.¡± She pushed him toward his room. ¡°Everything else is on a need¨Cto¨Cknow¨Cbasis, and you don¡¯t need to know this.¡±


    ¡°Trust your sister,¡± I added. ¡°The less you know about this, the safer you are.¡±


    Aiden Jooked between his sister and me. ¡°What kind of shady stuff are you guys involved in?¡±


    ¡°Ask me no questions, I¡¯ll tell you no lies, brother,¡± Ava answered.


    Once he was in his room, Ava shut the door with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Fine, but I want another five dors!¡± he shouted through the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten!¡± Ava yelled as she walked back to me near the window.


    Aiden¡¯s reply was muffled from behind the door. ¡°Sweet!¡±


    I giggled.


    ¡°So, were you able to find the address of Russell¡¯s old friend


    $1400


    who might have more information about where his remains <b>are </b>buried?¡± I whispered in case Aiden was still listening.


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± she said. ¡°With my connections, it was a piece of cake, I¡¯m hoping to meet her after we have dinner.¡±


    I nodded, <i>¡°</i>Good idea. If she doesn¡¯t know about where Russell is buried, then we should see if she knows anything about Chloe,¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree, Celeste told me that in a session that I had missed with Chloe¡¯s mom she had revealed that she thinks she needed to head east in order to find the remains and burn them,


    releasing the boy¡¯s spirit so he would quit haunting their family,¡± Ava said,


    <b>Chapter </b>178

 Alpha Novel 178

    I put my hands behind my back as I paced back and forth. ¡°Right, so that confirms that we are in the right ce. Ld is east of New York. Chloe¡¯s drunken confession to Ethan¡¯s mom has to be urate.¡±


    When Ava nodded, I continued. ¡°So, the way I see it, we have two options here. We can either find Russell¡¯s old friend named in the police report and somehow convince her to team up against Chloe. The only problem is that she might not want to because she might have been friends with Chloe in the past, just like she was with Russell. It¡¯s a good chance that they were all in the same friend group.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Ava said and shook her head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even thought of that.¡±


    ¡°Right, but it¡¯s definitely worth a try,¡± I said. ¡°Hopefully Russell¡¯s old friend could give us some clue as to where his body is buried.¡±


    ¡°Well, our second n is all thanks to Celeste,¡± Ava said with a wicked glint in her eye. ¡°Yesterday, she and I convinced Mrs. Windsor to bring Chloe to the spot where they had buried Russell to burn his remains and release the spirit. Then, we can follow them and wait for them to reveal evidence that we can use against Chloe. We will record them digging up that poor boy¡® s body, then call the police. While we wait for the cops toe, we will immediately upload the video to the inte so that there isn¡¯t any way that the Windsor family can use their money or connections to get Chloe out of trouble this time. The public


    Chapter <b>176 </b>


    will be demanding for Chloe to be arrested.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°I like that n, but we don¡¯t know when Mrs. Windsor is going to bring Chloe. We only have this weekend, and then we both have to be back at work,¡± 1 pointed


    out.


    Ava sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°But I think both ns are worth a shot. We are just going to have to see what works out better at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± she agreed.


    We shared a warm smile, and I couldn¡¯t believe how lucky I was to have my best friend with me on this investigation.


    Once we were done finalizing n A and n B, we told Aiden he coulde out and told him the basics of the n. It was the bare minimum for him to know. Ava and I didn¡¯t want to take any more risks with his safety than we already were by simply bringing him along.


    When the sun began to set, our stomachs were growling, so we headed down to the hotel¡¯s restaurant for dinner. But right before we walked into the elevator, Ava clutched her stomach.


    ¡°Ow, damn it,<i>¡± </i>she groaned as her face turned white. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have chugged that iced coffee we had gotten from that sketchy drive¨Cthru<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>She waved Aiden and me into the elevator. ¡°You guys go to dinner without me. I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±


    Having gone through the same sickness myself just recently, I put my hand on her shoulder. ¡°Ava, I can stay with you. Aiden


    <b>15.15 </b>


    and I can order room service.¡±


    But Ava shook her head, ¡°No, I want to be alone right now.<i>¡± </i>


    Then, she ran back down the hallway,


    I stepped forward to go after her, but once I thought about it


    more, I paused. It was better to respect her wishes and give her space.


    ¡°I hope Ava will be alright,¡± I said as Aiden and I rode the elevator down.


    ¡°Me too,¡± he agreed, ¡°She actually doesn¡¯t get sick very often.¡±


    That just made me worry even more about my best friend.


    In the fancy restaurant, we were sat at a candle¨Clit table. Before I even opened my menu, I used my phone to order medicine for Ava to be delivered to the hotel. After that was done, I felt a little bit better about eating without her.


    Aiden¡¯s eyes widened when he looked down at his sleek ck menu. ¡°Woah! One hundred dors for a steak? I can¡¯t afford to eat here.¡± He nced at me. ¡°I was just being my sister¡¯s bag boy for ten dors.¡±


    A giggle burst out of me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aiden. This dinner is my treat because you dropped everything toe with us.¡± I


    reached over and touched his hand, smiling at him with gratitude.


    Of course, at that moment, Alexander, Richard, and Gai walked by our table.

 Alpha Novel 179

    When Richard saw me, his eyes brightened, and he stepped forward to say hello, but Gai grabbed his arm to stop him.


    Alexander¡¯s gaze zeroed in on my hand on Aiden¡¯s. His eyes darkened as he met my gaze, andrge veins in his neck started to bulge.


    The same hostess that showed us to our table sat them in the table directly behind us.


    Great.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice Alexander ring at Aiden as he handed me a cool ss of water.


    Swallowing, I shifted in my seat and tried to tear my eyes away from Alexander.


    ¡°The college boy seems to be making Olivia very happy,¡± Richard whispered to Gai, but it was still loud enough that I could hear.


    A warm flush spread across my body.


    ¡°He¡¯s very cute, isn¡¯t he?¡± Gai whispered.


    Alexander could hear them too, and his frown deepened. He tapped Richard with his menu and nodded at the server standing at their table. ¡°Order your drink, Richard.¡±


    At this point, I was over the drama, and I just wanted to have a nice dinner.


    I grabbed my water ss, but then almost dropped it when I saw who was walking with purpose across the restaurant.


    Naomi Wright looked like a model in a red dress and ck heels as she made a beeline for Alexander¡¯s table. Her same friend from the elevator was trailing after her looking like she had just sucked on a lemon.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Green,¡± Naomi said when she was standing right in front of Alexander.


    Chapter 128: Interchangeable


    *Olivia*


    I averted my eyes away from Naomi and told myself that this was none of my business. All I wanted to do was enjoy my dinner and be goodpany for Ava¡¯s brother, who had given up part of his spring break to help keep us safe on this trip.


    But even though I wasn¡¯t watching Alexander and Naomi, that didn¡¯t mean I still couldn¡¯t hear them.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Wright,¡± Alexander said so coldly that I couldn¡¯t help but look up. ¡°I¡¯ll have a bottle of your 1995 Chardonnay, please.¡±


    I let out a quiet gasp. Thest part Alexander had said to the waiter. I couldn¡¯t believe how dismissive Alexander was to a woman who had been kind and gentle during their first date. And hadn¡¯t he traveled all this way to spend time with Naomi? It didn¡¯t make sense that he was treating her with such cold indifference.


    Naomi and her friend shared a surprised nce and shifted uneasily on their high heels. I couldn¡¯t help but watch the


    15.14


    awkward scene unfold before me. It was like how you <b>couldn¡¯t </b>help looking at a car crash.


    Naomi seemed to want to retreat. She tightly gripped her friend¡¯s arm and began to pull her away from Alexander¡¯s table. But her friend shook her off. She lifted her chin and looked right at Alexander.


    ¡°Could we please sit down, Mr. Green?¡± she asked.


    Alexander didn¡¯t even look up from his menu to answer her. ¡°That would be hard to do since there aren¡¯t any seats left at our table.¡±


    My mouth dropped open at his audacity. Then, he did something that sent an electric shock down my spine.


    Alexander turned around and locked eyes with me.


    For a moment, it was like we were the only two people in the restaurant. Something passed between us, and I would have given anything to know what he was thinking. But then the moment passed, and my heart lowered when I noticed that Alexander was looking at me with the same cruel indifference in his eyes as when he looked at Naomi.


    Maybe all of us girls were just interchangeable to him.


    I wouldn¡¯t allow him <i>to </i>intimidate me, though. As my hand tightened around my cool water ss, I returned his cold stare with one of my own.


    ¡°If you need a ce to sit, you could share a table with my secretary,¡± Alexander said and waved his hand at me like I didn¡¯t matter.


    Chapter <b>179 </b>


    These cruel words froze everyone in <b>ce </b>for <b>a </b>moment.


    At this point, my rage toward my boss was boiling inside me<b>, </b>and I was about to erupt like a volcano. How dare he treat me with such callousness? For a moment, I honestly considered standing up and sshing my cold water in his face.


    But after a moment of stewing in my burning rage, I managed to reel in my anger. If I reacted, then he would know that he had gotten to me.

 Alpha Novel 180

    Chapter <b>180 </b>


    And above all, I wouldn¡¯t give him that kind of satisfaction.


    Meanwhile, Naomi and her friend seemed to be stunned speechless by Alexander¡¯s rude suggestion. The seconds ticked by, and Aiden raised his eyebrows and gave me a questioning look. All I could do was shrug. There was no way I could exin why this situation was so awkward out loud. That would only make everything even more ufortable.


    Then, Naomi did something even more surprising than Alexander¡¯s rude proposal. She actually took him up on it and sat down in the chair beside mine and gestured for her friend to sit next to Aiden.


    When the two women were seated, I gestured for Aiden to get up. There was no way I was going to suffer through a whole dinner with Alexander five feet away to witness this awkward exchange. But when I started to get up, Naomi grabbed my arm and widened her eyes, silently pleading with me to stay.


    I sighed and sat back down, knowing that if the situation was reversed, I would want someone to stay and help smooth over this strange turn of events.


    Aiden got the attention of <i>our </i>server and asked him for two more menus for Naomi and her friend.


    ¡°Thank you for allowing us to intrude on your dinner,¡± Naomi whispered. ¡°The bill is on me.¡±


    15:1500


    Aiden grinned. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m getting the steak,<i>¡± </i>he said,


    The four of us chuckled. Maybe tonight wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.


    Then, Alexander¡¯s phone rang, and when he answered it, my stomach jolted.


    ¡°Hello, Mother,¡± he said in a voice just loud enough for everyone at our table to hear.


    Oh, this night just kept getting better and better.


    Alexander¡¯s mother, Helen, spoke so loudly that her voice rang clear through the phone¡¯s speakers.


    ¡°Good evening, darling,¡± she said. ¡°I heard that your date with Naomi went well. I¡¯m so happy to hear that my attempt at matchmaking worked! I heard through the grapevine that Naomi was a ¡®foodie¡® like you kids are calling it these days and that Naomi has a good appetite.¡±


    At this, Naomi turned red and slid down in her seat.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Alexander replied with a sarcastic edge to his voice. ¡°I like girls who can eat a whole pig in one sitting.¡± Then, his tone became serious. Alexander¡¯s voice became so grim that it sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°Honestly, Mother, you need to stop setting me up on blind dates. Your meddling in my dating life caused a big misunderstanding between one of my more imaginative subordinates and me.¡±


    My eyes widened when I figured out that he was referring to me. What misunderstanding was he talking about? With a jolt, I realized that he might not be in Ld to see Naomi. Had I


    15150


    gotten it all wrong? I had heard the information by listening to the secretaries gossip,


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to pursue anything with Naomi. When I¡¯m ready, I¡¯ll find my own girlfriend,¡± Alexander said, ¡°Goodnight, Mother.¡±


    After Alexander hung up, our two tables were silent for a full minute. I looked over at Naomi with sympathy for the poor girl churning in my stomach. Her face had gone white, and her friend was rubbing her back soothingly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how delusional I¡¯ve been,<i>¡± </i>she whispered as embarrassed tears filled her eyes. ¡°I had begged my mother to arrange a second meeting between Alexander and me. I


    thought that we had hit it off on our first date.<i>¡± </i>She sucked in a sharp breath. ¡°I¡¯m such a fool.¡± Naomi paused and wiped a tear off of her cheek. ¡°I never thought that he would be so heartless and reject me by allowing me to overhear a call with his mother.<i>¡± </i>


    I crossed my arms and shook my head at Alexander¡¯s cruelty.


    ¡°Honestly, I can believe that he would do something that cold,¡± I told Naomi in a voice loud enough for Alexander to overhear. ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of man he is.¡±


    This made him whip around his seat, and we stared at each other, unblinking, not wanting to be the first one to speak.


    I hardened my gaze and refused to look away.


    I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to be a pawn in his game.


    Chapter 129: The Grapevine


    Charte 180


    <b>*</b>Author*


    To the surprise of everyone, it was Alexander who looked <b>away </b>first. A smug smile spread across Olivia¡¯s face from her small victory, but Alexander turned his back on her and picked up his menu, winning this round with his continued fake indifference toward her.

 Alpha Novel 181

    Olivia¡¯s back straightened as anger ran up her spine, but she tried to seem unaffected by Alexander¡¯s treatment on the outside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pay Alexander any mind. You¡¯re better off,<i>¡± </i>Olivia said loudly to Naomi.


    This made Alexander¡¯s hands grip onto his menu, and he spun back around to face Olivia again. He ignored the way his stomach jolted when he looked at her long, silky auburn hair. He wasn¡¯t going to allow her to distract him with her stunning looks or charming personality.


    Tonight, Alexander wanted Olivia to know that she shouldn¡¯t spread rumors about him. That was why he had made her sit next to Naomi.


    There was a small pang of regret inside of him for being cruel to Naomi with that phone call, but he had researched her social media in the car earlier and discovered she had posted a picture of him and his location without his consent. That wasn¡¯t okay. Alexander was an important man, and every high¨Cstatus business owner had enemies, Alexander didn¡¯t want his location to be leaked, especially for the ns he had for this weekend.


    ¡°Would you like to inform Naomi that none of us would be in this situation if you just learned to mind your own business?¡± Alexander asked Olivia in a teasing, light tone.


    But everyone could sense that there was an edge to it.


    15:150


    Naomi¡¯s eyes shed to Olivia, who she had thought <b>was </b><b>on </b><b>her </b>side.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Olivia told the other woman, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.


    Olivia red at her boss as a tightness formed in her chest. She could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on her. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple, and soon, it seemed like everyone in the restaurant was looking at her. And maybe they were. She was near Alexander Green and Naomi Wright.


    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t believe everything you hear,<i>¡± </i>Alexander told Olivia, his voice still yful, but it was more like how a lion yed with its food before they ate it. ¡°If you discover something about me from someone else, maybe you should ask me if it¡¯s true before you spread it around the whole office.¡±


    Alexander and Olivia¡¯s eyes were locked together. Their tempers were rising to a dangerous level.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t spread any rumors about you,¡± Olivia said through gritted teeth.


    Unconsciously, they were leaning closer to each other until their faces were only inches apart.


    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Alexander snapped. ¡°Now, turn around. I¡¯ve had enough back and forth tonight. I¡¯d like to enjoy my dinner in peace.¡±


    Olivia reared back like he had pped her. She had never felt so disrespected. He had spoken to her like she was a child. With a sinking feeling in her gut, Olivia realized that she had be her boss¡¯s punching bag.


    She looked to Richard and Gai for backup, but their eyes were glued to their menus. Olivia turned back around, a sense of defeat washing over her like a tidal wave.


    Olivia stared unseeingly at the menu, just wanting this horrible dinner to be over with.


    Then, Ava walked into the crowded restaurant. She spotted Olivia and her brother but froze in shock when she noticed that Alexander was sitting at the table behind them.


    Alexander saw Ava before Olivia spotted her, and he didn¡¯t know what came over him, but he lifted his hand and smiled at Olivia¡¯s friend.


    ¡°Ava!¡± he greeted her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± He gestured to his table. ¡°I can have our server get another chair.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s eyes widened, and her lower lip trembled. She looked down at her red dress that she had spent hours choosing for tonight. As jealousy flowed through her, Naomi watched as Alexander flirted with a woman who was dressed in jeans and a in white shirt. It felt like her heart was cracking down the middle as a server brought over a chair, and Alexander engaged the neer in conversation.


    Avapletely ignored Alexander and instead turned to Richard. ¡°Hi, there. I just puked my guts out from drive¨Cthru coffee. But I¡¯m feeling much better now. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s mouth dropped open. She couldn¡¯t believe a woman as crass as this had caught Alexander¡¯s attention.


    Alexander chuckled at Ava¡¯s bluntness. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re feeling better now.<i>¡± </i>


    15 16


    <b>Chapter </b>181.


    <b>She </b>turned to Alexander and narrowed her <b>eyes </b><b>at </b><b>him</b><b>. </b>¡°<b>I </b><b>don¡¯t </b><b>care </b>about your opinion. You¡¯re the one here on <b>a </b><b>date </b><b>with </b>someone else.¡± Her eyes cut meaningfully to Olivia and then back to Alexander.


    Chapter <b>182 </b>


    <b>Chapter </b>182

 Alpha Novel 182

    <b>Chapter </b>182


    ¡°No, I am not,¡± Alexander said calmly.


    Ava gave him a skeptical look, but she seemed willing to hear him out. Alexander quickly exined how Olivia had heard from the grapevine that he wasing to Ld to meet a woman when that was simply not true.


    Ava nodded her head as she listened and seemed to understand. Her cool demeanor immediately thawed, and she leaned in to whisper in Alexander¡¯s ear.


    <i>¡°</i><i>So</i>, you¡¯re messing with Olivia tonight for her believing that you would go on a date with another girl?¡± Ava asked.


    Alexander smirked and winked.


    Over at the next table, Naomi¡¯s despair was growing like a well watered flower. Her eyes filled with tears once again as she watched Alexander and this neer whisper andugh with each other. She wished that they would just get a room and put her out of her misery.


    The final straw was Alexander winking at the woman. Naomi burst into tears and ran out of the restaurant as sadness and hot shame made her heart ache. Her friend, Tanya, immediately stood up and went after her.


    Tanya caught up with Naomi, who had made it outside and was crying on a bench in the hotel¡¯s small garden. One streetlight illuminated Naomi¡¯s beautiful face.


    15:16<b>) </b>


    Tanya put her arm around Naomi, whose shoulders were shaking as she cried. She rubbed her armfortingly, and <b>for </b>a while, the only sounds were Naomi¡¯s sniffles and Tanya muttering soothing words. Then, Tanya took out her phone.


    ¡°I think I might know something that will cheer you up,¡± Tanya said with a mysterious smile.


    She showed her friend an online gossip blog about Alexander Green sleeping with his secretary, Olivia.


    Naomi¡¯s eyes widened. She had juste back from living in Ennd for a year and didn¡¯t know much about all the drama surrounding Alexander and Olivia that this blog wrote about.


    As she dried her tears using a tissue that Tanya had given her, she handed the phone back to her friend. Tanya had been wrong. That blog hadn¡¯t cheered her up at all.


    ¡°Olivia and Alexander really seemed to have a connection,¡± Naomi admitted. ¡°It seemed like everything that he had done tonight was just to get Olivia¡¯s attention because it seemed like she had been on a date with that younger guy she was with. Did you see the way Alexander and Olivia looked at each other? They have actual chemistry.<i>¡± </i>Naomi sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. ¡°I never even had a chance with Alexander Green in the first ce.¡±


    Tanya snorted as she looked down at the gossip blog that had posted a ttering picture of Olivia. ¡°All this skank is to Alexander is a body to keep his bed warm at night. Olivia is a vixen who uses her looks to con rich men into buying her thing. They don¡¯t have a deep connection. Those two are surface


    level.¡±


    <b>15</b><b>:</b>160


    Chapter 130: Alexander¡¯s Assumption


    *Author*


    Back inside the restaurant, Ava and Alexander were still in the middle of a conversation.


    Alexander picked up his wine and red at the young man that Olivia was eating dinner with. He couldn¡¯t ignore the way his insides burned with jealousy when he looked at them.


    ¡°What is Olivia¡¯s rtionship to that boy?¡± he asked Ava, then took a sip of wine.


    Ava¡¯s eyes widened with realization. She looked away from Alexander on the fake pretext that she was thinking his question over. Ava secretly smiled to herself at how hard Alexander was gripping the stem of his winess. She was surprised that it didn¡¯t shatter. Ava immediately understood that Alexander was extremely jealous and was misinterpreting Olivia¡¯s friendly dinner with her brother for a romantic date.


    In only a matter of seconds, Ava decided to y into Alexander¡® s wrong assumption. Maybe then Alexander and Olivia would admit their true feelings for each other. Ava knew that there was nothing like a healthy dose of jealousy to help move a


    rtionship along.


    Ava leaned in like she was telling Alexander a secret. ¡°It¡¯s Olivia¡® s first date with this guy,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯vee along to supervise and make sure that the college boy is the perfect gentleman to my <i>friend</i>.¡±


    When Alexander¡¯s face turned the color of a tomato, Ava had to bite her lip to keep fromughing. Thankfully, she managed to


    1516


    <b>keep </b>a serious expression on her <b>face</b>.

 Alpha Novel 183

    Chapter <b>183 </b>


    After a brief moment, when Alexander allowed his anger to show, he arranged his expression to one of cold indifference. Tampering down his emotions was the only way that he was going to get through this night.


    ¡°How did Olivia meet the boy?¡± Alexander asked and took another sip of his wine. Next, he was nning on ordering a shot of straight whiskey.


    up a good story. ¡°He


    pparently, he has been waiting for the reamy far away look


    Ava¡¯s eyes shed. She had always loved t is the younger brother of one of Olivia¡¯s In had a crush on Olivia for the longest time and perfect opportunity to ask Olivia out.¡± Ava had a in her eye as she reached for a piece of freshly baked bread in the middle of the table. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just the most romantic thing that you¡¯ve ever heard? Don¡¯t you long for a sweet love story like that?¡±


    Alexander scoffed. ¡°If this is their first date, I don¡¯t think that the two are in love.¡± His jaw clenched. ¡°I would wait until at least their second date before you offer to n their wedding.¡± There was a sarcastic edge to his voice.


    But even just the thought of Olivia marrying someone else made his whole body tense up, like he was preparing himself to be punched in the gut.


    ¡°Are you guys whispering about Olivia¡¯s new boyfriend?¡± Richard muttered.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Ava answered confidently, loving how affected Alexander seemed to be by the very thought of Olivia dating anyone else


    0.00%


    Even though Alexander could be a jerk sometimes, she still thought Olivia and Alexander were meant to be together. It was just a matter <b>of </b>time.


    At the other table, Olivia heard Richard say her name. She turned around and gestured for Ava to join them, but her eyes found Alexander¡¯s as if by a maic force.


    Olivia¡¯s stomach jolted when her eyes met Alexander¡¯s cold, hard gaze


    ¡°I need to speak with you, Olivia,¡± Alexander said in a firm voice and stood from the table. ¡°Alone.¡±


    Olivia thought about refusing his order after the appalling way he had treated her tonight, but sighed and told A back. She knew that Alexander would n


    that she would be right


    cene if she refused


    ¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± Aiden assed and stood to follow after Olivia.


    But after an intimidating stare from Alexander, the younger man¡¯s face paled, and he immediately sat back down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare him like that!¡± Olivia scolded Alexander


    This only enraged Alexander further. Anger surged through him, and he was so mad that he could flip a table.


    As Olivia followed Alexander out of the restaurant, she noticed the way his body was tense.


    Alexander turned around to make sure that Olivia was still following after him. At the door, he gestured for her to exit first, and as she walked through the doorway, she shivered from his intense gaze.


    Back at the table, anxiety coursed through Aiden as he watched Ava leave the restaurant with the intimidating, angry man. He turned to <b>his </b>


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    <b>Chapter </b>183


    sister.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go after your friend?¡± he asked Ava. ¡°It seems like she could use some backup with that crazy guy.¡±


    Ava reached for another piece of bread. ¡°Olivia can handle herself. This is an adult situation. Aiden. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Aiden crossed his arms. ¡°Damn, you really are heartless.¡±


    ¡°You know that I was voted Most Cold¨Chearted in high school.¡± Ava joked and took another bite of her bread.


    When she looked up, Ava noticed that Gai and Richard were s her with wide eyes. ¡°This is Aiden. He¡¯s my brother,¡± she ex


    at


    But that didn¡¯t clear things up for them. ¡°But you just said that Aiden was Olivia¡¯s friend¡¯s brother,¡± Richard pointed out.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a lie,¡± Ava said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m Olivia¡¯s friend, and Aiden is my brother.¡±


    Gai and Richard shared a look at Ava¡¯s logic.


    By the elevator bank, Alexander put a firm hand on the small of Olivia¡¯s back and guided her onto the elevator. Olivia wished that his warm hand didn¡¯t send a pleasurable shiver up her spine.


    They rode the elevator to the top floor in silence. Once the door slid open, Alexander grabbed her hand and led her to his room. As they neared the penthouse suite, Olivia¡¯s heart mmed against her ribcage, and her hand shook even though it was enclosed in his firm grip.


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 Alpha Novel 184

    When Olivia walked into hisrge room, her mouth dropped open at the fancy suite. But she couldn¡¯t even begin to appreciate the sheer size of the room. Her stomach swooped with anticipation when she felt Alexander¡¯s warm body press up against her back.


    right.¡±


    A gasp escaped her lips, and it echoed in the spacious room. ¡°Alexander¡­I¡¯m sorry for believing the gossip I heard about the reason you came to Ld and then telling Gai about it. That was Olivia¡¯s checks grew hot when she realized her voice came breathless, and a warm flush was spreading across her bod


    Alexander remained silent, and she wished that she could see his face to interpret his facial expression.


    ¡°Are you still angry with me even after I apologized?¡± Olivia asked after a moment.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked and wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her flush against his warm body.


    She let out another gasp. This one was even louder. Anticipation curled in her stomach as she felt every hard line of Alexander¡¯s muscled body press into her soft one. But she couldn¡¯t allow herself to be distracted.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just sit down on the couch and talk things through?¡± Olivia suggested.


    He leaned down and put his lips right up against her ear. His breath and closeness made her shiver. ¡°I¡¯d rather stay standing,¡± he whispered, then spun her around until they were face¨Cto¨Cface, their lips only


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    <b>11:43 </b>26


    <b>Chapter </b><b>184 </b>


    inches away.


    18 230 Vouchers


    Olivia ced her hands on his sturdy chest and bit her lip as she stared into his dark, unreadable eyes. Her thighs began to tremble.


    Now that they were alone in the dimly¨Clit hotel room, what was about to happen next?


    Chapter 131: The Lesson


    *Olivia*


    B


    The tension between us was enough to light the entire room on fire.


    Alexander¡¯s eyes shot down to my lips, and I shocked myse the first to lean toward him. My eyshes fluttered close, and could practically feel his mouth against mine¡­


    eing


    But then I realized what I had actually been about to do. It was like someone had sshed cold water over me, and I stepped away from Alexander¡¯s strong embrace so that I could actually form a coherent thought.


    I shook my head to clear it. I couldn¡¯t believe that I¡¯d almost kissed my boss! Why had I allowed my attraction for him to blind me? Especially when he had been such a jerk to me tonight and used me as his emotional punching bag.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that you¡¯re going to keep things professional between us from now on,¡± I pointed out and looked down at his arms that were still encircled around me.


    But he simply just tightened his hold, pressing me close against his strong body again. My stomach flipped even though I wished I didn¡¯t react to him.


    ¡°I just witnessed you about to make a bad decision,¡± Alexander said.


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    <b>17:43 </b>


    <b>Chapter </b>184


    ¡°And as your superior, it¡¯s my job to help guide you down the <b>right </b>path.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, sick of his riddles. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    There was indecision in his eyes, but when he nced down at my lips again, his expression changed to one of steely determination. ¡°Well, let me give you a clue.¡±


    My legs shook as he gently cupped my face with his warm hands. He stared deep into my eyes and pressed his lower body against mine. A low moan escaped my lips when his hard length pressed against my


    warm center.


    Alexander swooped down and swallowed my moan by kissing me long and hard. My body automatically took over, and I threaded my fingers through his hair and opened my mouth, touching my tongue to his.


    My pulse raced as his hands possessively tightened around my hips, and he kissed me like I was his. This didn¡¯t seem like just a kiss. It felt more like a warning. It seemed like Alexander was iming me as his.


    This thought tore me out of my lustful fog, and I managed to pull myself away from him. Our eyes locked together just like our lips had been a second ago. To the side of Alexander was a mirror, and when I saw what I looked like, my stomach plummeted.


    My auburn hair was tousled, and my lips were swollen and red from kissing Alexander. I didn¡¯t look even remotely like myself.


    I nced back at Alexander and stared at him usingly. ¡°What the hell?¡±

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>185 </b>


    Alexander crossed his arms. ¡°That kiss was merely to teach you a lesson. Rtionships should be between adults, not that college boy that you¡¯re wasting your time with. If you want to be in a rtionship, you can always ask me for advice.¡±


    My eyes widened as I finally realized why Alexander was acting so strange. It was like a lightbulb turning on over my head. ¡°You think that I¡¯m dating Aiden? Listen, Alexander-¡±


    But he cut me off by holding up his hand. ¡°It¡¯s toote exnation.¡±


    I stepped toward him and ignored the way my stomach flipped when I felt the body heat radiating off of him.


    ¡°No, listen to me. I¡¯m not dating Aiden. I just met him today, actually,¡± I exined. ¡°Aiden is Ava¡¯s brother.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s eyes widened, and his face paled as the news fully sunk <ol><li>in. </li></ol>


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alexander rubbed the back of his neck, and if I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think that he was embarrassed. ¡°Thatplicates things, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sorry for¡­¡± he gestured between us. ¡°For acting irrationally. That kiss was reckless.¡±


    The seconds ticked by, and I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. My mind was still spinning from his kiss and his apology.


    ¡°Would you like to kiss me back to even things out?¡± Alexander offered, and a sheepish grin crossed his face.


    0.00%


    ¨C Chaplet 185)


    <b>I </b><b>rolled </b><b>my </b>eyes and scoffed at his suggestion. But <b>as </b>I <b>thought </b><b>more </b>about it, an amusing idea came to mind.


    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t want to take you up on a kiss,¡± I said and slowly grinned as I stalked closer to him. ¡°But I would like to bite your neck.¡±


    Quick as a sh, I sprang at him, my mouth headed for the warm skin of his neck.


    But he stopped me in time, cing his strong hands on my shoulders. ¡°On second thought, I rescind my offer.¡±


    Iughed at the formal way he was speaking after that passionate kiss we just shared. But my humor disappeared when I caught myself in the mirror again. There was a passionate glint


    t of


    ves that


    I didn¡¯t recognize. That unfamiliar emotion made my heart.p a beat with fear.


    I backed away from him. ¡°Alexander, I want to leave now.¡± My voice shook slightly.


    ¡°Why are you all of a sudden acting so coy?¡± he questioned, his tone serious as he stared at me with hooded eyes. ¡°Why are you acting like you didn¡¯t just feel what I did when we kissed?¡±


    My pulse quickened. I wasn¡¯t ready to talk about my feelings for him. I didn¡¯t even understand them.


    ¡°Thank you for your little lesson on adult rtionships,¡± I said sarcastically and put my hands on my hips. ¡°But maybe you should learn a thing or two about them before our next lesson.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth to reply.


    But I didn¡¯t give him the chance as I stalked past him and left the room.


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    Chapter <b>185 </b>


    ¡°I have to go. I have ns tonight,¡± I said, then shut the door before <b>he </b>could say anything.


    I breathed a sigh of relief as I quickly walked down the hallway. Since I was away from Alexander, I could think clearly again.


    Of course, I was attracted to him. His scaring kiss had burned a mark on my lips, and I knew that I would remember the feeling of his body pressed against mine and his insistent tongue in my mouth for the rest of my life.


    But I knew that anything between us would just end in disaster. It wasn¡¯t worth the risk to be romantically involved with


    my boss. The most eligible bachelor in New York. Maybe even in the


    As I waited for the elevator, I vowed to myself that I was men for a long time.


    *Author*


    try.


    earing off


    After Olivia left Alexander¡¯s room, she returned to the restaurant. She walked back to the table, her mind a million miles away as she rejoined her friends.


    Once Ava spotted her, she turned around a smirk ying on her lips as Olivia sat down.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m surprised to see you back so soon,¡± Ava said. ¡°That was only twenty minutes. I guess Alexander doesn¡¯tst very long.¡±


    Olivia froze and choked on the sip of water she had just taken.


    Aiden couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his sister¡¯s joke.


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    Chapter <b>186 </b>


    ¡°Richard and I had taken bets,¡± Gai said. ¡°I owe him twenty bucks. I thought for sure you guys would have been gone for the whole night.¡±


    Olivia rolled her eyes, ignoring their teasing, knowing they were just trying to ease the tension of tonight.


    The five of them ate their delicious dinners. But Olivia had lost her appetite. She was waiting for Alexander to show up. Toward the end of the meal, Richard¡¯s phone began to ring.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alexander<i>,</i><i>¡± </i>he announced to the group. Richards


    from the table and answered the call in a quiet part of the restaurant away from everyone else.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to assist me for the rest of the day,¡± Alexander said. ¡°Your job is to join Olivia¡¯s group today and watch over them, especially Olivia.¡±


    ¡°I understand, sir,¡± Richard replied, then paused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell Olivia that you¡¯re here for the same reason as her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Olivia to think that she¡¯s in my debt,¡± Alexander answered, his voice low. ¡°I¡¯d rather allow her to make her own


    decisions and watch from afar to ensure that she¡¯s safe. I don¡¯t want to


    interfere with her life.¡±


    Richard looked back at Olivia, who seemed to be lost in thought. He knew that Alexander cared for her much more than she would ever


    know.


    Chapter 132: Hot and Cold


    0.00%


    000


    11.43D


    *Olivia*


    As Aiden ate hisst bite of steak, I continued to push around my pasta, not really eating even though lobster ravioli was one of my favorite meals.


    I turned to Gai as my mind continued to buzz with unanswered questions. ¡°Come on, Gai. Will you please tell me the real reason why Alexander came to Ld if it wasn¡¯t for Naomi.¡±


    Gai set down her winess. ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. I only helped him with travel arrangements. He won¡¯t tell me why he¡¯s really here.¡±


    ost full


    and Aiden


    With a sigh, I set down my fork. Once the server came to check if we wanted dessert, I shook my head and had him box t te, nning on giving my leftovers to Aidenter. started talking about how good their meals were, and Richard was still on the phone with Alexander.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gai asked me after the server left. ¡°Why did you bring Ava and her brother to a ce where you thought Alexander would be meeting another woman? If you and Aiden aren¡¯t on a date, howe Mike saw you two hugging in the parking garage this morning?¡±


    I shifted in my seat at the thought of Mike spying on me. Was Alexander having me followed?


    ¡°I was just greeting Ava¡¯s brother warmly,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s giving up a weekend of his spring break toe with Ava and me on this trip.¡±


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t exin why you¡¯re in Ld,¡± Gai pointed out.


    The back of my neck/prickled, and I bit my lip. ¡°The reason that I¡¯m here needs to be kept a secret. Honestly, it¡¯s for your own safety.¡±


    31.96%


    Gai¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I understand. But you must be careful.¡±


    ¡°I will be.¡±


    After our early dinner, Aiden, Ava, and I walked out of the hotel, ready to execute our n.


    ¡°Wait!¡± someone called as I stepped through the door that Aiden was holding open for me.


    My heart lifted with hope, but when I turned around, it wasn¡¯t Alexander running toward me. It was Richard. Mentally, I scolded myself for wishing that Alexander would want to talk to me. I had already had enough of his antics for one day.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to join you today,¡± Richard said to the three ¡°Alexander has ordered me to protect you.¡± <ol><li>us. </li></ol>


    Aiden stepped in front of Ava and me. ¡°No need. That¡¯s my job.¡±


    Richard raised his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to step on anyone¡¯s toes here. But I¡¯m a trained bodyguard who is highly skilled in many areas. I don¡¯t know what you guys are doing today, but I can tell that it¡¯s secretive. And in my business, that means it¡¯s dangerous, too. So, having me join you is just an extra precaution.¡±


    Although my heart had soared when Richard had said that Alexander had sent them, I narrowed my eyes in suspicion at the bodyguard.


    ¡°Does Alexander know about our ns?¡± I questioned. ¡°Does he know why I¡¯m in Ld?¡±


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>187 </b>


    Richard hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I really believed that. ¡°All Alexander told me was to protect you and your friends today and help you in any way that I can. I¡¯m not going to persuade you to do anything. My only goal is to keep you and your friends safe.¡±


    I processed his words, and when they truly hit me, I stood there for a moment as my heart warmed. The backs of my eyes pricked with emotion. I couldn¡¯t believe Alexander was extending this kind of ol branch to me. The fact that he wasn¡¯t trying to control me but just wanted to keep me safe made a lump develop in my throat. But how could he be cruel one minute and then turn around and do something sweet like this? Why did he have to be so hot and cold?


    ¡°Wow, that was really nice of Alexander,¡± Ava said and looked at me pointedly.


    I ignored her, ¡°Wee to the team, Richard. You¡¯re on a need¨Cto- know¨Cbasis, just like Aiden.¡± <i>/ </i>


    ¡°Can I know more than him?¡± Aiden asked as we began to walk to the parking garage.


    I just rolled my eyes in answer.


    ***


    Ava gave her brother directions as he navigated through the quiet countryside town of Ld. As we drove, Ava told us that we were meeting with a woman named Kelly Scott, but didn¡¯t reveal any more since Richard and Aiden were in the car.


    0.00<b>% </b>


    <b>11:43 </b>


    <b>Chapter </b>187


    It didn¡¯t take us very long until we pulled up to an apartmentplex that had seen better days. The grass was overgrown, the sidewalk in front was cracked, and most of the white door¡¯s paint was peeling off.


    Ava led the three of us to apartment 1603 on the 16th floor. She knocked, and we waited for several minutes for someone to open the door. Just when I considered turning around to leave, the door swung open. A girl around Chloe¡¯s age stood uncertainly in the doorframe. The first thing I noticed about her was her bright blue eyes. The second thing was her deeply scarred face.


    As soon as I saw her face, my stomach jolted with realization. A few days ago¡ªwhen Ava and I were researching Chloe¡¯s past¡ªwe discovered that Chloe had been kicked out of school for assault girl by viciously scratching her face. Kelly Scott was probably th Although my heart broke for Kelly for having to go through that, this did help our case. Now we knew that Kelly had a reason to want to get revenge on Chloe.


    ¡°Um, hi, can I help you?¡± Kelly asked as she took the four of us in.


    ¡°Did¡­did Chloe Windsor do that to you?¡± Ava asked bluntly, bypassing all formalities.


    I shot her a look, but to myplete shock Kelly¡¯s lower lip trembled, and she nodded.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Ava. Russell Lewis¡¯s cousin,¡± Ava said since this was the cover we had agreed on. I didn¡¯t like that we were lying, but it was for a greater good. ¡°I was wondering if you could tell me more about his disappearance-¡±


    Ava was cut off by Kelly, who had burst into tears and folded over, her shoulders shaking with sobs. ¡°No! Don¡¯t ask me about him. I don¡¯t know anything! Why can¡¯t people just leave me alone? I just want to live a quiet life.¡±


    <b>32.19</b><b>% </b>


    11:43


    As tears streamed down her face and her checks turned red, Ava opened her mouth to continue questioning her, but I shook my head. This wasn¡¯t the time for her bad cop approach. What Kelly Scott needed was a good cop.


    Ava seemed to catch on, and she put her arm around Kelly and gently rubbed her shoulder. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. I promise that we aren¡¯t here to cause any trouble. All we want to do is talk, okay? Do you see those two strong men?¡± She pointed to Aiden and Richard. ¡°They are here for all of our protection. Even yours. No one will be able to get through them. Can we please juste inside for a little bit just to talk about Russell.¡±


    Kelly looked between Richard and Aiden. The petite womar


    d to


    beforted by their muscr builds. It took her a few mon slow down her breathing and wipe the tears from her cheeks. But then she gave a slight nod.


    After we quickly introduced ourselves, the four of us followed her into her apartment. When I stepped through the doorway, my heart lifted with hope.


    12:43

 Alpha Novel 188

    Step one of the n wasplete.


    Chapter 133: Survivor


    *Olivia*


    o off


    The moment I entered the house, a strange smell of rotting meat hit me like a p in the face. It took all of my restraint not to gag out loud or put a hand over my mouth. One time, I walked past a factory where they packed meat. Their garbage cans had the worst smell, w of them. Morbid curiosity made me look into the garbage on it was full of expired meat that they couldn¡¯t sell. The horrible Kelly¡¯s apartment reminded me of the meat factory garbage cans.


    ¡°What is that-¡±


    and


    I cut off Aiden by hitting him on the arm and shaking my head. I knew that he was about to ask what the awful smell was. Thankfully, Robert had enough sense to keep quiet. Kelly¡¯s apartment looked like it belonged to an eighty¨Cyear¨Cold woman, not a girl in her twenties. The small apartment had orange shag carpet, cat themed knickknacks, and an old¨Clooking floral couch that Kelly gestured the four of us should sit <ol><li>on. </li></ol>


    She sat in a shabby¨Clooking rocking chair in the corner of the room. ¡°Sorry for all the¡­old furniture,¡± Kelly said, her cheeks turning red. ¡°My grandma¡­left me this apartment. It used to be hers.¡±


    My stomach dropped


    I made eye contact with Ava, and she widened her eyes. I knew that the same thought was running through her head as mine. Did Kelly¡¯s


    <b>Chapter </b><b>188 </b>


    208 Vothers


    grandma pass away? Was her body still here? Was that why it smelled like rotting meat in her apartment?


    ¡°Kelly, what happened to your grandmother?¡± Ava asked hesitantly.


    The young woman hesitated, and my stomach rolled from the stench as I waited for her to answer the question. The longer her silence went on, the more eerie her apartment seemed.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not dead or anything,¡± Kelly


    assured us after seeing our uneasy looks. ¡°Gran just went to live with my uncle because she needs twenty¨Cfour¨Chour care. My uncle is a home health nurse and wanted to take care of his mom.¡±


    My shoulders slumped, and Aiden, Ava, Robert, and I breathed a collective sigh of relief.


    Usually, Ava would take over the conversation and questioning, but when I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, she seemed like she was at a loss for words. The smell seemed to be getting to her.


    Thinking on my feet, I said the first thing that popped into my head. ¡°You know, Kelly. That¡¯s really unfair what Chloe did to you.¡± I gestured to her face. She frowned and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m really good at raising money. Maybe I can help you put together an online ad campaign to help raise money for surgery to help smooth out your scars¡­if that¡¯s something you wanted to do.¡±


    She immediately brightened at my offer. A smile spread across her face, making her jagged scars less pronounced.


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t need the surgery to feel beautiful,¡± I added. ¡°You¡¯re already beautiful even with your scars.¡± I paused. ¡°Well, you¡¯re gorgeous because of your scars because it shows people that you are a


    survivor.¡±


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    Tears formed in Kelly¡¯s eyes, but this time, they were tears of joy. She beamed at me. ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    ¡°So, you knew Chloe in high school?¡± I asked gently, trying to steer the conversation in the right direction.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t friends or anything,¡± she answered and crossed her arms. After I had brought up Chloe, Kelly¡¯s bodynguage waspletely closed off.


    ¡°Were you friends with Russell?¡± Ava asked.


    I shot her a look. I knew that it was too early to bring Rusell into the conversation, and sure enough, Kelly¡¯s face grew red, and she narrowed her eyes at Ava.


    ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t want to talk about Russell!¡± Kelly snapped.


    The room was silent for a moment. Honestly, I was unsure of how to proceed.


    ¡°Please, we really just want to find out the truth about what happened to him,¡± Ava said soothingly. ¡°We are here to find out a way to punish Chloe for her past crimes. We think that she is a danger to herself and others. You could really help us make her get the mental help that she needs.¡±


    Kelly bit her lip, but it seemed like she was really considering telling us what we wanted to know.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Kelly finally said.


    Yes! I wanted to jump for joy.


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    ¡°But on one condition,¡± she continued.


    ¡°Anything,¡± Ava promised. ¡°I just want to know what happened to my cousin. People don¡¯t just disappear without a trace.¡±


    Kelly looked around and leaned forward, taking care to lower her voice. ¡°Whatever I say stays in this room, understood?¡±


    The four of us nodded.


    Kelly blew out a long, shaky breath and rubbed her hands on her jeans After a while, she was ready to tell us her story. ¡°In my junior year of high school, the day that our final exams ended, I ran into Chloe behind the mall. She had heard that Russell and I were dating and wanted him for herself.¡± Kelly¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°She wasn¡¯t even actually interested in him. Chloe just wanted Russell because I had him.¡±


    Wow, that sounded familiar.


    ¡°Chloe had two guys from the football team with her. They were dumb as rocks and always did her bidding,¡± Kelly continued. ¡°They forced me toe to Chloe¡¯s house with them. There, Chloe wanted me to call Russell, and when I refused, the two guys¡­they took off my clothes.¡± Kelly¡¯s voice was full of shame, and she dropped her gaze.


    Ava gasped, and Richard¡¯s hands clenched.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± I muttered.


    Kelly nodded. ¡°After I was naked, I knew that Chloe wouldn¡¯t stop, so I


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    called Russell. Kelly snatched the phone from my hands and


    1793 Nouchers


    demanded that Russell go on a date with her. Chloe told him that she would let me go if he agreed. Rusell thought that this was all just a big practical joke. So he said he would never in a million years go out with Chloe and then hung up.¡±


    Kelly paused, and a dark look crossed her face.


    ¡°Can I get you a ss of water?¡± Aiden asked.


    Kelly shook her head. ¡°No¡­I just need to get through this. After Russell¡¯s rejection, Kelly was humiliated. She took her anger out on me. She took a pocketknife out and slowly cut up my face. She tortured me for hours. Then, she let the guys bring me to the other room and¡­and hurt me.


    <i>¡°</i><i>1 </i>


    My stomach clenched, and my head spun. Kelly¡¯s story of Chloe¡¯s cruelty made me even more nauseous than the smell of her apartment did.


    ¡°I lost consciousness, and the next thing I knew, I wasying in a gutter twenty miles away from Chloe¡¯s house,¡± Kelly said in a quiet voice. ¡°A jogger found me and brought me to the hospital. When I was admitted, I found out that Russell went missing the same night of my attack.¡±


    I pped a hand over my mouth in surprise. Chloe was more dangerous than I¡¯d ever imagined.


    ¡°Afterward, I was too afraid to report Chloe to the police because I knew of her family¡¯s connections,¡± Kelly continued. ¡°Chloe threatened my friends and family if I ever told anyone.¡± Kelly looked up at the ceiling, and I could see that there were more tears in her eyes. ¡°Every single day, I regret not reporting Chloe to the police. Maybe if I did, I could have saved Russell. I could have at least gotten justice for his death.¡±


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    ¡°I know that was really hard for you to tell us,¡± I said to Kelly. ¡°<b>Thank </b>you for trusting us with that.¡± I turned to Ava. ¡°Chloe must have murdered Russell for humiliating her.¡±


    ¡°Or she got someone to murder him,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°So, now you know my pathetic story,¡± Kelly said and pped her hands, the sound echoing throughout the room.


    ¡°Kelly, you can seek justice for yourself and Russell,¡± I told her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to live with this burden anymore.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin,¡± she said, but I could see a look of hope in her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Ava assured her. ¡°We have a n, and w promise to take the consequences if things go wrong.¡±


    We had to spend ten more minutes convincing Kelly to help us, but finally, she agreed.


    ¡°So, how are we going to get revenge on that bitch?¡± she asked.


    A surprisedugh burst past my lips. I was relieved to see that Kelly still had some fight left in her.


    Chapter 134: Curiosity Kills


    *Author*


    While Kelly told her the tragic story from her past, Richard used his phone to secretly call Alexander. A stab of guilt hit him in the stomach for going against Kelly¡¯s wishes about her story not to leave this room, but he had promised Alexander to share anything he learned today with him. At the end of the day, Alexander was his boss.


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    In his hotel room, Alexander listened to Kelly¡¯s story. After she had finished, a sick realization came over him. From the research he had done, Alexander knew that Kelly wasn¡¯t telling the whole truth. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how she was lying. He was just certain that she was being dishonest in some way.


    When there was a lull in the conversation, Richard excused himself under the guise of going to the bathroom, but really, he just wanted to read the message that Alexander had sent him. Richard had to read the message twice to process it fully. His head spun with confusion could Kelly be lying? Her story and emotions had seemed so re Either she was an amazing actress, or Alexander must have the wrong information.


    Alexander sent another message to Richard, telling him to proceed carefully around Kelly because she could be dangerous and maniptive.


    Richard typed back a quick message and then put his phone back in his pocket. He started to head back to the living room, trying to ignore his instincts to help the scarred girl whose story had put a big lump in his


    throat.


    But before he made it to the living room, he passed by a room where the awful smell was the worst it had been. Richard turned to the door and reached out of hand¡­


    *Olivia*


    ¡°Were you born in Ld?¡± I asked Kelly and took out my notebook


    to record her answers.


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    Throughout Ava and my investigation, I¡¯d recorded everything <b>that </b><b>we </b>have learned so far. This included Chloe¡¯s drunk confession, and I added a quick summary of the traumatic events that Chloe had put Kelly through.


    ¡°Yes, I was born here,¡± she said.


    ¡°So, that must mean that you know the area pretty well?¡± Ava asked with excitement. She was bouncing in her seat.


    Kelly shrugged. ¡°I suppose so.


    ¡°1


    I exined to her that Chloe had drunkenly confessed to the general spot where she had hidden Russell¡¯s body. I told her that it was near a hill or mountain, by a field of flowers, a pond, and a cabin.


    ¡°Do you know a ce like that?¡± Ava questioned, hope dripping through her tone.


    Tears filled her eyes again, and she sped her hands tightly together, but Kelly managed to tamper down her emotions enough to answer us. ¡°Yes, I might know of a spot like that. My uncle lives in the country, actually.¡±


    My heart mmed against my ribcage, and Ava squirmed in her seat with excitement. I tried not to allow myself to get too excited just yet. We still had a lot of work to do in order to get justice for Kelly and Russell.


    ¡°I could take you guys there if you want,¡± Kelly offered. ¡°We could ask if my uncle knows of a ce like that or even ask around the vige if they know.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect¡± Ava said.


    I nodded in agreement.


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    ¡°Just give me five minutes to get some things together to get ready.¡± Kelly said and stood up, disappearing into one of the back rooms.


    ¡°I have to get some fresh air, or I¡¯m going to die,¡± Aiden muttered as soon as Kelly was out of hearing range.


    He pped a hand over his mouth and plugged his noise. Then he ran out of the apartment, making Ava and meugh at his dramatics.


    ¡°Honestly, he does have a point,¡± Ava said, following after her brother.


    <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯m </b>going to look around,¡± I told Richard.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± <b>he </b>warned.


    I nodded.


    <b>As </b>I walked down the short hallway, my stomach rolled from the smell that became even stronger the farther I went. Curiosity got the better of me. I plugged my nose like I was about to go for a dip in the pool and crept to the door where the stench was practically overpowering. My pulse quickened as I reached out my hand and grasped the door handle. What the hell could Kelly be hiding behind here?


    Just before I could swing the door open, a warm hand touched my shoulder.


    I jumped about ten feet in the air and spun around. ¡°Richard!¡± I hissed and put a hand on my rapidly beating heart. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but I had to stop you from going in there,¡± he exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually go to the bathroom a few minutes ago. I was really investigating the scent.¡±


    I gasped. ¡°What did you find out?¡±


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    Richard shuddered and gagged. ¡°It¡¯s disgusting. I can¡¯t get the image out of my head. Kelly has a¡­dead cat in that room. And by the looks of it, she¡¯s had it for a long time.¡±


    I curled my lip in disgust. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Dead serious. The cat was slowly decaying. I¡¯ve seen a lot of things in my life, and I can say with full confidence that this was one of the grossest things I¡¯ve ever seen and smelled. Kelly doesn¡¯t have AC, and the heat is making the smell worse.¡±


    I clutched my stomach as it jolted. ¡°Are you sure that it¡¯s an animal?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a cat.¡±


    I shook my head in bewilderment but tried not to judge Kelly too harshly. Sometimes, going through a violent trauma made people do odd things. Like keeping their pets long after they died.


    Richard and I hurried back into the living room and just in time, too. Kelly came back into the room dressed in all ck clothing, a hat, sunsses, and had tied a ck handkerchief around her face.


    I wanted toment on her disguised appearance, but thought better of it. Maybe she was just scared that Chloe would find out that she was helping us.


    Soon, the five of us were on the road. Richard offered to drive, and Aiden relented but called shotgun. The three of us girls sat in the back.


    Kelly gave the address of her uncle¡¯s house, and Richard put it into his phone.


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    ¡°GPS says it will take an hour,¡± he informed us, and I settled in for the drive. ¡°Then we will be at Osten Vige.¡±


    As we drove through the winding roads, we passed by high mountains and beautiful bright greenndscapes. When we were halfway there, I texted Amelia and asked her to investigate if Mrs. Windsor or any of her rtives owned any property in the countryside of Ld.


    Amelia texted me back in less than a minute. She said that she would be happy to do that for me and was thrilled to know that we were getting somewhere with our investigation.


    I showed Ava our messages, and she nodded approvingly. Maybe the cabin that Chloe had been talking about was owned by someone in her family, and she had used the property to find a safe ce to


    Russell.


    The closer we got to the countryside, the closer we were to finding out a way to bring down Chloe.


    Chapter 135: Osten Vige


    *Olivia*


    A twinge of guilt made my heart ache as I remembered Amelia¡¯s past unfair treatment of Chloe. Was it wrong to enlist her help to bring Chloe down?


    I stared at my messages with Amelia. A sense of unease settled over me like a heavy nket that I couldn¡¯t easily throw off. I sighed as I slid my phone back into my purse.


    My stomach twisted with knots, and I looked out the window, wondering if I was doing the right thing. How was I supposed to know if I was on the right track? Sure, I wanted to stop Chloe before she could seriously injure anyone else, but was I sacrificing my own beliefs


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    in order to get justice for her victims? To be fair, I was one of the people that she had wronged. She had even tried to run me over with


    her car.


    ¡°Hey, stop thinking so much,¡± Ava whispered and gently bumped my shoulder with hers.


    I met her, knowing gaze, and grinned. She knew me too well.


    Soon, I could tell that we were close to our destination because the road turned to dirt and gravel, and there was hardly any civilization around. Wherever I looked, I either sawrge snow¨Ccapped mountains, cows munching on grass, or fields of flowers in a riot of bright colors.


    If I were being honest, the view got old quickly as we passed by felt like the millionth cow, and I was anxious to get to our desti


    But as we drove through little viges, my stomach filled with dread.


    Ava turned to me, and I saw the same fear that was threatening to overwhelm me, reflected in my friends eyes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± I whispered.


    Ava nodded in agreement.


    I looked back out the window and watched as we drove past the exact area that Chloe had described in her drunken confession. There was a small hill, a field full of colorful wildflowers, a still pond, and a log cabin.


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    But not even three minutester, we drove by an identical area down to a simr looking log cabin and the same colored flowers in the field.


    ¡°I


    guess ponds, hills, and flowers aren¡¯t that unique in the country,¡± I muttered as a feeling of defeat settled low into my stomach.


    ¡°We should have known that it wouldn¡¯t be as easy as driving through the countryside,¡± Ava said and crossed her arms with a sullen look on her face.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get discouraged now,¡± I told Ava, even though I wasn¡¯t exactly in the mood to give a pep talk. ¡°At least we know that we are in the right general vicinity.¡±


    Ava sighed, but then she straightened her shoulders and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t allow a little setback to throw a wrench in our ns.¡±


    After another twenty minutes of driving, Kelly pointed out a weathered¨Clooking wooden sign that read ¡®Osten Vige¡®.


    ¡°You can park in this clearing near the front of the vige,¡± Kelly told Richard and gestured to the wide open field in front of us. ¡°My uncle¡¯s vige is too narrow to fit a car through.¡±


    As I climbed out of the car, I spotted at least three sleek luxury cars parked in the distance. /Their perfect paint jobs and hard edges stood out in the rustic vige. Were most vigers living here rich? Had they chosen the countryside because of the quiet and the privacy? Or an entirely different reason altogether?


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    Kelly led the way to the main square of the vige.


    ¡°Osten Vige is divided into two sections,¡± Kelly exined as she led us down the cobblestone road past charming little shops and even ? wishing well. ¡°North and south. The two areas are separated by a river, and the two are connected by a stone bridge.¡±


    She pointed to a narrow white bridge that had been built over a running blue river. The weather was so humid that a small part of me wanted to take a dip in the flowing water.


    The four of us followed Kelly to the north bank of the river. As we walked along the grassy, overgrown path, we passedrge houses that had also been made from white stone. I was just admiring a house th a front door that had been painted a bright pink, when arge  dog the size of a wolf came running from the backyard and leapt o us, barking and snarling.


    My stomach plummeted, and I screamed in surprise and terror. Quickly, I backed away from the animal, Ava and Kelly following my lead.


    Richard stood in front of us and put his arms out to protect us. But Aiden¡¯s eyes widened, and he fan behind Ava. He crouched down behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, almost pushing her into the rapid river.


    ¡°Aiden!¡± Ava hissed. ¡°You almost just made me go for a swim.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sis. But you know how scared I am of dogs,¡± he uttered back in a shaking voice.


    ¡°He was bit by one when he was five,¡± Ava exined as we continued to back away from the growling dog.


    I grabbed Ava¡¯s hand and pulled her in the direction of a bent tree that


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    was easy to climb up.


    Without his sister to hide behind, Aiden jumped off the grassy bank and onto the muddy surface below.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Ava called down to her brother. ¡°If you get caught by the current, you could be swept away. Don¡¯t underestimate how strong the rapids are.¡±


    There was real fear in her voice, and despite how Ava teased her brother, I knew that she genuinely did care for him and would be absolutely devastated if he were injured.


    Kelly didn¡¯t heed Ava¡¯s warning and immediately followed Aiden hv jumping off the bank, spraying mud all over the ce.


    I looked around at the chaotic scene and shook my head. How had everything gone downhill so fast?


    Unsurprisingly, Richard was the only one to hold his ground. He was standing motionless in the same spot we left him. His hands were raised, and he didn¡¯t break eye contact with the snarling dog.


    Just as the ck hound was preparing himself to pounce on Richard, I couldn¡¯t stay quiet anymore.


    ¡°Richard, run!¡± I yelled. ¡°He¡¯s about to attack you!¡±


    He didn¡¯t even turn around to reply but kept his eyes on the angry dog. ¡°No, he will not.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand how his voice could be so calm while he was standing so close to a beast that seemed intent on attacking him. It was like we were having a conversation about the weather.


    ¡°Sit and be quiet,¡± Richard told the dog in a loud andmanding


    voice.


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    <b>But </b><b>the </b>wolfhound didn¡¯t listen. <b>Instead</b><b>, </b>he barked even louder.


    <b>I </b>cringed <b>as </b>Richard walked even closer to the dog. Slowly, he lifted his head and gently patted the dog on the head,


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to work,¡± Ava whispered, her warm breath right next to my car. ¡°Richard¡¯s going to get his hand bitten off.¡±


    But to myplete shock, the dog seemed to be starved for affection because it immediately stopped barking and leaned into Richard¡¯s gentle touch.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so scary, are you, buddy?¡± Richard said in a soothing voice as he scratched behind the dog¡¯s ears.

 Alpha Novel 193

    *Olivia*


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, big boy.¡± Richard said in a calming voice that I¡¯d never heard him use before. He continued to pat the wolfdog¡¯s head, and eventually, the dog allowed its eyes to flutter close, and itsrge tongue was even hanging out of his mouth.


    Even though the dog seemed docile for now, my heart was still mming against my chest. Animals were unpredictable, and I was terrified that the wolfhound could flip a switch in a second and att Richard. I¡¯d gotten a peak at the animal¡¯s sharp teeth, and it wou take him half of a second to rip out Richard¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Come on, guys,¡± Richard yelled to Kelly, Ava, Aiden, and me. ¡°Stop hiding. This sweet dog isn¡¯t going to hurt anyone.¡± He turned to Ava and me, gesturing for us to get down from the tree.


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back on the beast!¡± Ava warned, her voice full of anxiety. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her legs were shaking, making the branch that we were standing on unsteady. ¡°¡°It¡¯s just pretending to be tame, then it¡¯s going to attack you!¡±


    ¡°No he won¡¯t.¡± Richard¡¯s voice was full of confidence. ¡°He¡¯s my friend now.¡± He looked at Kelly and Aiden, who were still hiding in the ditch. ¡°Come on, you two. You¡¯re getting all muddy. This sweet boy isn¡¯t going to hurt anyone. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Did he just call that beast who was snarling and growling at us not even a minute ago a ¡®sweet boy¡°?¡± I whispered to Ava incredulously.


    Because of all the noise andmotion we made from screaming in


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    terror, climbing up the tree, and jumping into the muddy riverbank, our group had attracted the attention of the people living in the surrounding houses.


    A couple who were holding hands and strolling down the river were looking at us with their eyebrows raised, and they were whispering to each other. A son and father who had been throwing a ball back and forth in the front yard a few houses down had stopped their game and were staring at us curiously.


    The attention made a warm blush spread across my cheeks, and I turned to Ava. ¡°Maybe we should get down from¡­¡±


    But I trailed off when the pink front door of the house the dog had been so hellbent on protecting, swung open, and three guys wall


    out.


    I squinted as I studied the man in the middle. He was the tallest man out of the three, and there was something about the set of his shoulders and the confident way he walked that made my legs tremble.


    As he got closer, my stomach jolted with


    I knew the man in the middle.


    I knew him all too well.


    It was Alexander.


    What the hell was he doing here?


    recognition.


    As soon as Alexander stepped down the porch steps of the house, his eyes locked onto mine


    My throat became dry, and I had to grip harder onto the bark of the tree so I wouldn¡¯t fall out of it.


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    Alexander¡¯s eyes narrowed as he walked to Richard, taking in the odd scene in front of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he demanded as he stood in front of Richard. ¡°Why is Olivia in a tree?¡±


    Quickly, Richard exined the events of the past five minutes. How the dog had scared the three of us, and we all screamed in terror and sprinted to the first hiding spot we could find.


    Alexander looked up at me, and there was humor shing in his eyes.


    An amused smile yed on the corners of his mouth, making me redden even more. I couldn¡¯t believe Alexander had caught me in one


    the of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I should have just dog eat me.


    ¡°Bring the dog back inside,¡± Alexander instructed the other two men he was with.


    The hulking man on the right nodded and whistled once, immediately calling the dog to him. Once the wolfhound was behind the closed front door, my shoulders slumped in relief, and it felt like I could actually take a breath again.!


    Alexander ambled over to the tree and offered me a hand. ¡°Come on down,¡± he said, his voice full of amusement. ¡°If you grip that tree any harder you¡¯re going to snap the branch, then the whole tree will fall.¡±


    My embarrassment increased tenfold, and I considered denying his helping hand, but I actually did need help navigating safely down the


    tree.


    When I gripped into his strong, warm hand, my stomach swooped, but I tried to ignore it.


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    ¡°Put your hand on my shoulders,¡± Alexander instructed as he wrapped his arms around my waist.


    I tried to focus on not getting hurt as he helped me down. But his hard, muscled body pressed against mine, made my head spin.


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    Thankfully¨Cwith Alexander¡¯s help¨Cmy feet touched the grass.


    ¡°Richard, would you help Ava from the tree, please?¡± Alexander asked as he led me slightly away.


    ¡°Maybe you should put tree¨Cclimbing skills on your resume,¡± Alexander joked. ¡°I never would have guessed that would be an ability of yours.¡±


    Despite my earlier embarrassment, his good mood was cont


    Weughed together, and the earlier tension between us felt like it had never happened. It was always so strange to me how up and down my rtionship was with Alexander. I never knew what kind of mood this man would be in.


    To my surprise, Gai came out of the house, too, and Alexander asked her to help Kelly and Aiden out of the riverbank.


    Soon, Kelly and Aiden were cleaning their muddy shoes off with a hose in the front yard, and I walked over to Gai, who was wiping her hands on her jeans.


    ¡°Did you see Alexander help me out of the tree?¡± I whispered to her.


    ¡°Yeah, I was watching through the window.¡±


    ¡°Did I look as stupid as I felt?¡± I asked, even though I was afraid of what she would say.


    It took her longer than it should to formte her answer, and my stomach clenched with nerves.


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    ¡°You looked¡­cute,¡± Gai finally said diplomatically.


    Damn it. I knew that was code, for I had made a fool out of myself. <b>Gai </b>was just trying to break it to me nicely.


    Alexander and Ava were standing a few feet away from us. They seemed to be facing off. Their postures were stiff, and they had their arms crossed.


    ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Alexander asked. ¡°You¡¯re pretty far away from the hotel,¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here for an outing,¡± Ava answered evasively and lifted her chin. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m visiting a friend,¡± Alexander answered a little too quich


    ¡°Well, thanks for your help with the dog,¡± Ava said ¡°But we must get going. Things to do, people to see and all that.¡±


    ¡°Are we ready to go to my uncle¡¯s house?¡± Kelly asked.


    Ava nodded and led her brother in the direction that Kelly had started to walk in.


    I began to follow after them, but a deep voice called my name. The sound made my heart m against my chest.


    Alexander still had something to say to me.


    *Olivia*


    Alexander gestured for me to follow him under the shade of the tree that Ava and I had just climbed.


    For a moment, we stared at each other. I tried to read the expression on his face and the deep emotion in his eyes, but like usual, he was good


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    at hiding his inner thoughts and feelings from me.


    ¡°Despite my joking around, it was very dangerous of you to climb that tree,¡± Alexander murmured, his eyes scanning my face and my body as if he were looking for injuries. <i>¡°</i>You could have fallen and broken your neck.<i>¡± </i>


    His words made my eyes widen with shock. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think that he was worried about me. But he had treated my so cruelly at the restaurant, then took me to his hotel room and gave me the best kiss of my life. Now, he was speaking to me in a soft and gentle voice, and I could see that he had been genuinely worried for <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I couldn¡¯t keep up with this man¡¯s mood swings It seeme either wanted to kiss me or have nothing to do with <b>me</b><b>. </b>In in between with <b>him</b><b>. </b>


    was no


    With the sound of the <b>flowing </b><b>river </b>in the background and the scent of wildflowers swirling around us, the atmosphere was too romantic for my liking. Especially since Alexander had decided to be sweet and caring at this moment in time. I <b>bit </b><b>my </b>lip as panic made my stomach clench, and I was unsure how to react.


    The impulsive side of me was screaming at me to wrap my arms around Alexander¡¯s strong body, press him close to me, and finish what we started in the hotel room. But the rational side reminded me that I hade to Osten Vige for a good reason. And I couldn¡¯t just ditch my friends because the guy that I hadplicated feelings for was being kind to me for now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful,¡± I muttered and averted my eyes to the ground. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    Then I turned and I ran to catch up with my friends before I did anything I could regret.


    1745


    My body was screaming in protest the farther away <b>I </b><b>got </b><b>from </b>Alexander¡¯s mysterious dark eyes and inviting body heat.


    Once I caught up with Ava, I grabbed her hand and pulled her faster away. ¡°Hurry,¡± I urged her.


    ??

 Alpha Novel 195

    But just before I stepped off the yard, I heard the thud of footsteps running after us and my stomach sank.


    Alexander wasn¡¯t done with his mind games yet.


    ¡°Wait, Olivia! I need to talk to you,¡± he called.


    N


    I turned around because I knew that running away from him would seem childish.


    He gazed at me with an expression that made me shift fro another. Alexander was staring at me with such intensity u seemed like he was trying to read my mind.


    il


    foot to


    ¡°You¡¯re going to her uncle¡¯s house?¡± he asked and nodded, and Kelly, who was slowly edging away from the group, her eyes on Alexander. She seemed weary of him.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I answered, having a bad feeling about what wasing next.


    ¡°I¡¯m free for the rest of the day, so why don¡¯t I join you,¡± Alexander said in a casual tone, but his eyes were calcting.


    He stood next to me and gestured for us to keep walking.


    I wanted to argue that he hadn¡¯t been invited along, but I knew that the sun would go down soon, and we really didn¡¯t have time for Alexander and me to fight right now. We needed to get going.


    ¡°Wait here and tell everyone that I¡¯ll be back for ate dinner,¡± Alexander told Gai./


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    She nodded, wished us luck, and then went inside.


    As the six of us continued along the riverbank, Kelly gestured for <b>Ava </b>and me to walk beside her.


    ¡°Does this new guy know about¡­what happened to me, Chloe and Russell?¡± she whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯mfortable with himing along. I think the fewer people that know about what happened to me, the safer it is for everyone.¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t know anything,¡± Ava assured her. ¡°And if he gets a little too curious, we can tell him to get lost.¡±


    This seemed tofort Kelly for now.


    I turned back and noticed that Alexander had a secret smi as if he knew we were talking about him.


    s face


    Kelly took the lead again as we walked down the damp grass next to the river.


    Somehow, Alexander managed to walk beside me, making it hard for me to form a coherent thought. He kept his arm right next to mine, and every so often, our skin would brush and send an electric shock throughout my body.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to squeeze in here,¡± Aiden said, trying to get in between Alexander and me.


    But Ava roughly pulled her brother back by his wrist. ¡°You failed to protect us from that dog even though it was your one job,¡± she scolded. ¡°As your punishment, you have to walk beside your annoying big sister and not my pretty best friend.¡±


    I turned around and noticed that Ava was smiling at her brother with amusement.


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    1145D


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>, kid. You want to stay out of what¡¯s ever going on between those two,¡± Richard whispered, his deep voice carrying along the riverbank ¡°You would never win in a fight against Alexander <b>I¡¯m </b>trained in five different martial arts, and I don¡¯t <b>think </b>I could,¡±


    Aiden and Robert started bickering about who would <b>win </b><b>in </b>a fight: Alexander or Aiden.


    It was obvious that they thought we <b>couldn¡¯t </b>hear them, but we all could.


    Alexander leaned down and put his lips right beside <b>my </b>ear. <b>When </b><b>his </b>warm breath hit my cheek, I couldn¡¯t help the <b>shiver </b>that went <b>up </b><b>my </b>spine.


    ¡°Who would you want to win in a fight?¡± He <b>murmured</b>,


    teasing, but there was an edge of anger. ¡°Me or the kid?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to fall for a trap like that. I just pretended <b>not </b>to hear his


    question and sped up to walk beside Kelly.


    It took us fifteen minutes to make it to Kelly¡¯s uncle¡¯s house. The closer that we got to our destination, the more spaced out the houses were


    After we walked over a small wooden bridge, Kelly <i>led </i>us to an ancient¨Clooking two¨Cstory house. Her uncle¡¯s house was just as dpidated as Kelly¡¯s apartmentplex had been. The windows were missing shutters, there was junk all over thewn, and the dark wood the house was made of had seen better days.


    An older woman who Kelly resembled walked down the pathway with the help of a cane.


    ¡°Kelly! I didn¡¯t know you wereing by today,¡± she said and brought the younger girl into a tight hug.


    Chamer <b>195 </b>


    ¡°I was in the vige with some¡­friends. And I wanted to stop <b>by </b><b>and </b>say hi,¡± Kelly exined. ¡°Hope that¡¯s alright, Gran.¡±


    ¡°Of course,e in,¡± Kelly¡¯s grandmother said and smiled at us warmly.


    The inside was just as cluttered as the outside, but at least the living room had enough seats for the seven of us.

 Alpha Novel 196

    How was I supposed to concentrate on the reason Ava and I came to Ld when Alexander was either fighting with me or making my thighs tremble with need?


    *Olivia*


    It seemed like everyone in the room was sneaking nces at Alexander and me. Some were filled with curiosity, Ava seemed to be smug like she had predicted this, and Aiden had jealousy in his eyes.


    That just put me more on edge. I hope that Ava¡¯s brother wasn¡¯t developing an unrequited crush. Something like that would just make my life even moreplicated.


    After Kelly made introductions¨Can awkward moment happened when I had to supply Alexander¡¯s name even though Kelly had said we were all her friends¨Cher grandma stood unsteadily from her chair.


    ¡°I just baked a batch of chocte chip cookies,¡± Kelly¡¯s grandma said. ¡°Let me go te them and get some drinks for you lovely folks.¡±


    Arge smile spread across her wrinkled face, and it was apparent that she was delighted to have guests.


    ¡°Let me help you, Gran,¡± Kelly said and stood up.


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    288 Vischers


    A few minutester, Kelly walked in, holding a tray of freshly baked cookies, a mouthwatering smell wafting of them. Once she set those down on the coffee table, she went back to the kitchen to help her grandma with arge picture of ice cold milk and seven sses.


    With an excited grin, Ava reached for a cookie, but I shook my head at her.


    Everyone was staring at me, so I quickly exined. ¡°The cookies might upset your stomach again.¡±


    ¡°Dang it. You¡¯re right,¡± Ava muttered and crossed her arms.


    I grabbed a cookie to be polite, but I just set it on the little te that Kelly had passed around. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat, I just wante see what kind of information we could find out here. Everyone d into the cookies and milk. Aiden had at least five, and Ava made a joke about how the youth could eat anything they wanted without gaining weight.


    ¡°Where is the rest of the family, Gran?¡± Kelly asked when everyone was settled in their seats with a cookie or two.


    ¡°Your uncle took everyone to a party one vige over,¡± she answered and set her cup of milk on a coaster on the coffee table. ¡°He told me not to expect him back untilte.¡±


    My shoulders slumped, and Ava¡¯s eyes widened with disappointment.


    Crap. What should we do next? We hade all this way to talk to Ava¡¯s uncle.


    ¡°Um, how do you want to continue?¡± Kelly asked Ava.


    My friend¡¯s moment of disappointment didn¡¯tst long. She threw her shoulders back confidently.


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    11:45


    28


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Kelly,¡± Ava answered. ¡°Olivia and I have a n B.¡± Then, she winked at me.


    Realization washed over me like a tidal wave. Of course. Mrs.


    Windsor and Chloe were already on their way here to burn Russell¡¯s remains. We just wanted to find the target location so that it would be casier to catch them destroying evidence.


    Ava, Kelly, and I decided to ask Kelly¡¯s grandmother if she knew any locations that matched the description from Chloe¡¯s confession. I recorded her answers in my notebook. During this, Richard excused himself and went to the restroom.


    Twenty minutester, thanks to Kelly¡¯s grandma, we had a few locations that were simr to the area Chloe had described. I didn¡¯t know how helpful they would be because there were a lot of ces around here that matched the same description.


    In the end, we had three locations to search, all within ten miles of here. Kelly¡¯s grandma was very knowledgeable and even provided us with specific vige names and the broad ocation of each spot.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ava said and stood up. ¡°We should search these locations immediately.¡±


    ¡°Wait, can I talk to you both outside real quick?¡± Kelly asked Ava and me. I didn¡¯t miss the way that she quickly nced over at Alexander.


    Ava and I followed Kelly outside.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that Alexander shoulde with us,¡± Kelly said and bit her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t think he blends in well with the group. As part of the green family, he is recognizable, and he attracts attention easily.¡±


    I wanted to deny this, but I stopped myself before I could speak. Kelly did have a point.


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    11:45


    <b>Chapter </b>196


    Ava seemed to agree because she was nodding along. ¡°You¡¯re


    absolutely right,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask him to get lost.¡±


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 Alpha Novel 197

    She spun around, and I rushed behind her, hoping that she was going to have more tact when she asked Alexander to leave our group.


    But it turned out that I had been worried for nothing. When we got back into the house, Alexander was shaking Kelly¡¯s grandma¡¯s hand and thanking her for the hospitality.


    ¡°I must get back to my friends,¡± he told the room. ¡°Thank you for letting mee along.¡±


    I crossed my arms and eyed him suspiciously. This seemed almost too


    easy.


    Alexander came over to me, and when he grabbed one of my hands in his warm grip, my heart skipped a beat.


    Slowly, he leaned down and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Remember your promise to be careful,¡± he murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if anything happened to you.¡±


    When he pulled away, I flushed from his words and the fact that everyone was staring at us.


    My cheeks were still burning even after Alexander walked out of the house.


    Once he was gone, Ava turned to Aiden and Richard, who had been gone a suspiciously long time in the bathroom. In the back of my mind, <i>I </i>wondered if he had searched this house like he had done to Kelly¡¯s apartment


    After Ava exined the n, we set off after thanking Kelly¡¯s grandma.


    We navigated through the busy vige quickly since we knew where we were going now.


    As Richard drove to the first location with Ava giving him directions from her phone, Kelly turned to me.


    ¡°What had Alexander said to you before he left?¡± she asked.


    A warm blush spread across my cheeks, and I squirmed in my seat, unsure how to answer her question.


    Ava smirked. ¡°I¡¯m sure he told her he loved her and to be careful,¡± she


    teased.


    I looked down at my hands in myp. She wasn¡¯t that far off.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I asked,¡± Kelly said, and her eyes widened. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it had been a private moment.¡±


    Thankfully, we made it to the first location, and we explored the area quickly. Although the area was beautiful, with a quiet pond with lilies and flowers and a charming log cabin, there was nothing suspicious about it.


    It was the same in the second area.


    The mood was somber as Richard drove to the third location. There was a silent understanding between the group that this was ourst chance. As we drove, the sky turned ck, and thunder shook the car. Soon, we were caught in a torrential downpour. It was hard to see five feet in front of our faces.


    ¡°How will we search the area in all of this?¡± Kelly asked.


    en


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    <b>1440 </b>


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    But her question was met with silence. Nobody wanted to <b>say </b><b>the </b>answer out loud: We couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Please pull over,¡± I told Richard since he had slowed the car down until we were only going about five miles an hour.


    We waited for ten minutes, but the rain didn¡¯t let up. It only poured harder.


    A pair of headlights drove past us and were illuminated by a streetlight.


    I got a good look at the sleek red Corvette for a moment, and my stomach jolted.


    That was the car that had tried to run me over.


    Ava turned to me with wide eyes. ¡°Is that¡­¡± She trailed off like she was afraid to be hopeful.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered as my heart raced and the rain pounded on top of the roof of the car. ¡°That¡¯s Chloe¡¯s car.<i>¡± </i>


    *Olivia*


    Kelly sharply turned her head and stared at us with usation in her eyes. ¡°How do you two recognize Chloe¡¯s car?¡± she demanded. ¡°Do you know her?¡± Then she looked at Ava. ¡°I thought you had said that you were Russell¡¯s cousin. What¡¯s going on?¡± She raised her eyebrows and impatiently waited for us to answer.


    My mouth dried, and Ava shifted in her seat next to me.


    Damn it.


    We had given ourselves away.


    <b>14:40 </b>


    <b>Chapter </b>197


    Ava faced me, and from the way her face was set, I could tell <b>that </b><b>she </b>wanted to tell Kelly the truth.


    I nodded, silently agreeing to it. For us to proceed with the n, <b>we </b>needed toe clean.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t entirely truthful earlier,¡± Ava admitted and blew out a long breath.


    Kelly scowled and crossed her arms but gestured for Ava to continue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Russell¡¯s cousin,¡± Ava said with shame in her eyes. ¡°Olivia and I want to take down Chloe because, like you, we are also victims of her. She¡¯s been horrible to both of us, and she needs to be put in a mental hospital and receive care. There is something seriously wrong with her. She¡¯s a danger to herself and others. Olivia and I came to Ld to find evidence of Chloe¡¯s crimes and turn her into the police.


    ¡°1


    14:40

 Alpha Novel 198

    There was an unreadable expression on Kelly¡¯s face as she processed this new development. I help my breath. If she wanted us to take her home because she was mad that we lied to her, we would have no choice. Then, the entire n would be ruined, and we would miss the chance of getting the evidence we needed.


    I waited with bated breath. In fact, no one in the car seemed to be breathing as we all waited to see how Kelly would react.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kelly said, and her face rxed. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not happy that you guys lied to me, but I won¡¯t make a big deal about it. In the end, we have the same goal.¡± Her eyes shed with determination and vengeance. ¡°All of us want to make Chloe pay for her crimes.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ava said and sighed with relief.


    Thankfully, the rain eventually subsided. Chloe had seemed to slow down because of the downpour, too, but as soon as it was safe, the red Corvette began to speed away. /


    ¡°Follow that car!¡± I yelled and pointed out Chloe¡¯s car to Richard.


    The bodyguard stepped on the gas, and our car skidded slightly on the wet road.


    Aiden reached out to steady himself on the dashboard. ¡°Woah, careful there,¡± he said.


    Richard ignored him as he looked down at the GPS on his phone. ¡°I think Chloe is headed in the same direction as we were before.¡±


    Ava and I shared a look of excitement. ¡°That means the third location


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    14.40


    is right!¡± I said.


    ¡°The n ising together,¡± Ava squealed


    My phone vibrated with a text as Richard continued to speed after Chloe. It was Ethan¡¯s mom.


    Amelia: My contacts found out that Mrs. Windsor¡¯s mother¨CChloe¡¯s grandma¨Cowns an ancestral home in the Ld countryside. The property was renovated and converted into an orchard by Mrs. Windsor when Chloe was a kid.


    Then, she sent me a pinned location of the orchard.


    My heart lifted with hope and anticipation coursed through me.


    The location Amelia had sent was exactly where we were headed.


    This had to be the right ce. We were so close I could taste it.


    *Author*


    About forty¨Cfive minutes away, Amelia was riding in a car with her son. Ethan was driving, his hands clutched around the steering wheel.


    Amelia put her phone in her purse after she sent the text message to Olivia. Her son¡¯s ex¨Cwife had no idea that they were on their way to Ld, too.


    ¡°Why are we going to this random countryside town, Mom?¡± Ethan asked as he mergednes. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of Ld before.¡±


    ¡°This trip is vital,¡± Amelia answered as she smoothed her sleek blonde hair that was in a slick bun. ¡°It is the only way to get our family back on track.¡±


    ¡°How very vague of you, Mother,¡± Ethan muttered.


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    Earlier that day. Amelia had been having lunch with Mrs. Windsor and Chloe. When they said goodbye, Mrs. Windsor mentioned that <b>she </b>and her daughter were taking a trip to Ld today


    Amelia had frozen when she had heard that name because she knew that was the location where Olivia and her friend were headed.


    After some thinking, Amelia had decided to go to Ld, too. She was sick of being told what to do and being used for her connections. She didn¡¯t want to be just a bystander in this situation anymore. She wanted to be a yer.


    It seemed like Ld was the ce to be tonight, and she wanted to be where the action was.


    She had taken her son along for her own protection and the hope that she would witness how crazy his future bride was so that he could rethink his decision to marry her.


    ¡°Step on it, Son,¡± Amelia said as she settled back in her seat and crossed her arms. ¡°We have somewhere to be.¡±


    Ethan looked at his mother questionably but decided not to ask and hit the gas pedal.


    *Olivia*


    Richard followed the red Corvette for about fifteen minutes, and the farther north we went, the more the rain slowed down until it stoppedpletely. The sky was a beautiful mix of pink, orange, and blue, swirled around the sky like a painter had taken a brush to it.


    Eventually, we made it into a small vige, and Chloe parked her car in the driveway of a small, three¨Cstory house.


    ¡°Park behind those bushes,¡± Ava instructed Richard.


    14:40


    Chapter Ton


    He slid the car behind the green hedges. It was the perfect spot to observe Chloe, but we were still hidden anzeigh where the wonddat spot tis


    In


    Chloe and Mrs. Windsor exited the car, in the diner¡¯s sea, a dung bulking man got out.


    ¡°I bet that guy doubles as their bodyguard,¡± I muttered, and Poa nodded in agreement.

 Alpha Novel 199

    Chloe had an unreadable expression on her face, while her mother nced around and her hands clutched around her designer bag. I even watched her gulp with anxiety.


    The three of them entered the house.


    ¡°Well, now we wait,¡± Ava said.


    And she didn¡¯t know how right she was.. They were in the house for at least an hour. Aiden became restless and suggested that he should try and look in the windows to see if he could figure out what was going on. But the rest of us decided that was too risky.


    ¡°Do you guys want some mints?¡± Kelly asked.


    The rest of us nodded, and we popped them into our mouths.


    Just when I was considering taking up Aiden on his suggestion of looking through the windows and offering to go with him, there was movement at the front door of the house.


    Chloe walked out, and from the way she was yelling and gesturing at her mother, it seemed like they were fighting.


    But the question was, what were they arguing about?


    *Olivia*


    ¡°Everyone roll down their windows so we can hear what they¡¯re saying!¡± I said hurriedly.


    As everyone followed my instructions, the buzz of the au


    atic


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    <b>hopberrog </b>


    windows filled the car. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t raining anymore, so <b>we </b>stayed dry.


    Mrs. Windsor turned away from her daughter, who was still gesturing and frowning.


    ¡°Please, will you take out the ck cloth bag and the white suitcase from the trunk,¡± she told their bodyguard in a calm voice, but I could see her jaw clench with anger as Chloe continued to rant.


    As her driver opened the trunk, Mrs. Windsor leaned down and continued talking to him, effectively turning her back on her daughter. Because Mrs. Windsor was speaking in a low voice. We couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying, but it seemed like she was just giving her bodyguard more instructions.


    Once that was done, Mrs. Windsor forced a smile and turned to her daughter. ¡°Come, Chloe,¡± she said in a soothing voice. ¡°We can continue this conversation in the orchard. I want to show you how much the apple trees have blossomed, especially the ones by the pond.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Ava said.


    The five of us quietly got out of the car, taking care to close our doors silently. Then, we crept along, following after Chloe and her mother, hiding behind trees, bushes, and signs, but always keeping them in sight.


    The five of us stepped onto the muddy grass and followed the two women through a row of trees that surrounded us with the scent of sweet apples. When we got close enough to hear what they were saying, Ava took out her phone and pressed record.


    The mother and daughter came to a stop in front of arge pond with water lilies on top of the still water. Our group crouche ehind arge apple tree, and the low hanging brunches hid us.


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    On the side of the pond was a log cabin with a lovely little garden in the front.


    ¡°This is the ce,¡± Ava whispered to me, her breath warm on the side of my cheek. ¡°This is where Russell¡¯s body is buried.¡±


    My skin tingled with excitement, but my stomach filled with dread. I couldn¡¯t believe how close we were to the remains of the boy that Chloe had killed.


    Footsteps came from the side of us, making my heart jump into my throat. But it was just the Windsor¡¯s bodyguard. He had brought more men with him. They must have just shown up in a separate car.


    My stomach rolled with nausea when I saw that the men were carrying shovels.


    ¡°They are here to dig him up,¡± I whispered, my disgust evident in my


    voice.


    Aiden shook his head, Richard¡¯s hands clenched on the tree that he was using to hold himself up, and Kelly¡¯s face paled.


    Ava¡¯s expression just grew more determined.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we are here,¡± she said and zoomed in on the video of her phone so she could get a better angle of Chloe. ¡°We are going to make her pay for her sins.¡±


    Mrs. Windsor¡¯s hand was shaking when she pointed to arge peach tree on the side of the log cabin. Even though her voice was quiet, it rang throughout the orchard like a church bell.


    ¡°Start digging,¡± she said, her face as white as a ghost.


    Right when the bodyguard¡¯s shovel broke through the unit, my head


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    began to spin. I thought that it was just because I was <b>disgusted </b>with the scene in front of me, but my vision didn¡¯t clear after a moment


    It started to get worse.


    My eyshes fluttered close, and I fell to the side.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± Ava whispered, her anxious face growing close as she knelt


    to check on me.

 Alpha Novel 200

    ¡°Make sure to get the¡­.evidence,¡± I said in a weak voice.


    But at that moment, Ava clutched her head, dropped her phone, and crashed to the ground. Richard fainted a second after her, and Aiden fell right on top of him as he bent to help him up.


    We were dropping like flies.


    As my heart mmed against my chest, I felt the darkness consuming me. Just before I went underpletely, Kelly stood above me with remorse in her eyes.


    Thest thing I thought before I became unconscious was that Kelly was the only one who seemed perfectly fine.


    *Author*


    ¡°Are they all passed out?¡± Chloe asked as she looked down at Aiden, Ava, Olivia, and Richard.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kelly confirmed quietly.


    ¡°Nice job,¡± Chloe said, and a wicked grin spread across her face. ¡°Knocking them out with the mints was a nice touch.¡±


    Kelly crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    Chloe shrugged as if she could care less what Kelly wanted or didn¡¯t want. ¡°I have your cash in a suitcase.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your money,¡± Kelly said. ¡°All I want is foou to tell me where you¡¯ve been keeping Russell all these years. You promised me


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    he was still alive.¡±


    Chloe scoffed. ¡°I only told you that so you would help me,¡± she said with a mocking glint in her eyes. ¡°Honey, Russell has been dead for a long time. He is nothing but bones at this point.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Kelly said and clutched a sharp knife behind her back that she had brought with her just in case.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Chloe said in an almost bored voice. ¡°You¡¯re not an important enough person for me to lie to.¡±


    Kelly ran a hand through her hair and let out a squeak of horror.


    Chloe put her hands on her hips. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t act all innocent with me,¡± she snapped. ¡°In high school, you¡¯re the one who reached out to me wanting my help to seduce Russell.¡±


    Kelly stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°But afterward, you made me choose between being publicly humiliated or breaking up with Russell.<i>¡± </i>


    ¡°Yeah, well, if you truly loved Russell, you would have chosen to run through the school naked, ¡± Chloe said and examined her nails.


    Kelly began to cry, hot tears gushing down h¨¦r pale cheeks. ¡°Then, you made me choose something far worse. You made me pick between saving my life or Russell¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°And you chose yourself, Kelly. So, why are you all of a sudden acting like a victim? The only person that is responsible for Russell¡¯s death is you,¡± Chloe stepped closer to Kelly and jabbed her chest with her finger to emphasize her point. ¡°You know right before I killed him, Russell was calling out your name, wanting to be with you.¡±


    These words seemed to break Kelly. She pulled out her kime, but


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>200 </b>


    instead of using it on Chloe, she ran the de across the palm of her hand, staining the


    seemed to give <i>he</i>, nite skin with ¨¤ deep red color. Cutting herself


    seemed to give her a twisted sense of peace. Kelly¡¯s eyes fluttered close, and a small smile formed on her face.


    ¡°Can you please just take me to see Russell onest time?¡± Kelly asked and slowly opened her eyes. ¡°I just want to say goodbye to him. I never had the chance in the past. You owe me for helping you.¡±


    A bemused grin spread across Chloe¡¯s face, but she shrugged and gestured for her to follow.


    As the two girls walked across the grass, Kelly¡¯s blood dripped periodically, creating a horrific trail behind them.


    ¡°Tie up the four of them by the big apple tree,¡± Chloe instructed one of the guards. ¡°When they wake up, they will be executed as punishment. I will have that honor myself.¡±


    Mrs. Windsor overheard her daughter, and her bottom lip trembled. The older woman took the bodyguard aside and spoke to him in a low, urgent voice.


    ¡°Do not allow my daughter to kill anyone,¡± she said.


    She wanted to salvage what was left of Chloe¡¯s soul, but she also didn¡¯t want Olivia to die and for Ethan or Alexander to seek revenge on the Windsor family. Also, four deaths would be impossible to cover up.


    How had her lifee to this?


    *Author*


    As the bodyguards continued to dig up the dirt around the peach tree, Mrs. Windsor nervously nced back at the four unconscious bodies that were on her property.


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    ¡°I¡¯m, um, going to go check on them,¡± Chloe¡¯s mom <b>said </b><b>with </b><b>anxiety </b>in her voice. ¡°I want to make sure they are all <b>still </b>breathing.¡±


    Chloe rolled her eyes and crossed her arms tightly. ¡°You¡¯re <b>wasting </b>your time, Mom. They won¡¯t be breathing for much longer.¡±


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 Alpha Novel 201

    Mrs. Windsor¡¯s blood turned to ice. She shook her head as she walked away from the group. She couldn¡¯t believe how cruel her own flesh and blood had turned out to be. As she walked across the damp grass, she wondered if she made the right decision in helping her daughter bury Russell Lewis all those years ago. If she had turned her daughter in and gotten her the help she so obviously needed, she wouldn¡¯t be in this living nightmare right now.


    As her heart mmed against her chest, Mrs. Windsor knelt down and checked to make sure that Richard was still breathing.


    But her heart stopped breathing altogether when the man opened his


    eyes.


    A scream formed on Mrs. Windsor¡¯s lips, but Richard sat up and managed to quiet her down before she could give them away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want this all to end? Don¡¯t you want your daughter to get the help she needs?¡± Richard whispered, afraid if he took her down by force, he would attract the attention of the others.


    Mrs. Windsor stayed frozen, her face pale and her expression one of surprise, but she didn¡¯t say anything or even move a muscle.


    Under the protection of the apple tree, Olivia, Ava, and Aiden sat up, clearly not unconscious. Olivia brushed off the dirt on her shirt, and Ava shook her head, dispelling a few leaves that had gotten caught in her hair.


    ¡°How¡­how are you not all unconscious?¡± Mrs. Windsor whispered, her eyes wide.


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    1441)


    <b>Chapter </b><b>201 </b>


    Olivia and <b>Ava </b>looked at each other and shared a small smile.


    ¡°Kelly thought that she was ying us,¡± Ava said, and a mischievous grin crossed her face. ¡°But we were actually ying her.¡±


    ¡°You see, Kelly had reacted too calmly after hearing that Ava and I had lied to her when we first met her<i>,</i>¡± Olivia exined. ¡°<b>This </b>made Awa and I suspicious. We began to text back and forth when we were sitting and waiting for you and Chloe to exit the house.¡±


    ¡°My sister had included Richard and I in a group message to let us <b>in </b>on their suspiciousness,¡± Aiden exined.


    ¡°When Kelly offered us all mints, we knew that she had tampered <b>with </b>them. It was too random,¡± Ava said. ¡°So, we only pretended to eat <b>the </b>mints, and Olivia texted the group to follow her lead when the time came. When she began to pass out, we all knew it was just an act.<i>¡± </i>She turned to her friend. ¡°Great performance, by the way.¡±


    Olivia blushed but smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Richard took rope out of the backpack he had been carrying and began to tie Mrs. Windsor¡¯s hands behind her back just in case. But the older woman wasn¡¯t even putting up a fight. ¡°I had my suspicions from the beginning, actually. Before we left Kelly¡¯s apartment, I noticed that a knife was missing from the wooden block in the kitchen that was there when we first got to her apartment. I knew that Kelly was nning something nefarious as soon as she agreed to take us to her uncle¡¯s vige.¡± Olivia, Ava, and Aiden looked at him with respect.


    ¡°Wait¡­if Kelly took a knife, and she knew that she was going to see Chloe. Do you think Kelly agreed to help out Chloe just so she would get a chance to kill her for revenge?¡± Olivia theorized.


    Ava¡¯s eyes widened with realization, and she nodded. ¡°I bet you¡¯re


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    right¡±


    This new information seemed to jolt Mrs. Windsor out of her shock ¡°No! You must save my daughter, please! I know she¡¯s done some horrible things, but she¡¯s my baby. You have to save her.


    Olivia looked down at the woman with hatred. ¡°Are you kidding? After everything that Chloe has put me through, why would I try to save her? If you had gotten the help your daughter needs, you could have spared a lot of death and destruction. But you were too protective over your family¡¯s status. You make me sick.¡±


    After shaking her head in disgust, Olivia took Richard to the side. ¡°Do you remember the n I texted you about?¡± she whispered


    Immediately, Richard understood and quietly crept towards the pond.


    Meanwhile, at the pond, Kelly had be even more calm, but there was something brewing in her eyes. Her right palm was caked with dried blood. She looked toward the center of the pond, and excitement shed across her face. ¡°Do you hear that? I think Rusell is calling for me! I think he¡¯s alive in the water.¡± Her eyes filled with tears. ¡°He¡¯s telling me how cold he is<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>


    ¡°You¡¯re even crazier than me,¡± Chloe muttered. She picked up a peach and held it out to Kelly. ¡°Here, maybe you should eat something. I can¡¯t have you fainting. Then, I¡¯d have to deal with another unconscious body.¡±


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    As Kelly reached for the fruit, her eyes shed with mania. She shot out her pale arm and grabbed onto Chloe¡¯s wrist. She pulled out her knife, and there was a sh of silver as she pressed the knife against Chloe¡¯s neck.


    ¡°You wille down with me to save Russell,¡± Kelly shouted as she pressed the knife even closer to Chloe¡¯s smooth skin. ¡°You and I are going to go for a little swim.¡±


    Chloe struggled to break free and began to scream. ¡°You crazy bitch!¡±


    Just then, Amelia and Ethan arrived to witness Kelly threatening Chloe. But instead of helping his bride¨Cto¨Cbe, Ethan mped a hand over his mother¡¯s mouth and they ducked behind a tall apple tree. Because of themotion Chloe was making, no one noticed their arrival.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t help me save Russell, then you are of no use to me!¡± Kelly shouted and pressed the sharp de against Chloe¡¯s neck until beads of dark blood began to drip down.


    Chloe managed to break from the other girl¡¯s embrace. But Kelly still was able to sink her knife in the other girl¡¯s shoulder.


    Chloe¡¯s eyes widened in shock and pain. She opened her mouth and a loud, guttural scream ripped out of her throat.


    ¡°I won¡¯t rest until you¡¯re dead,¡± Kelly said with determination and raised her knife to stab Chloe again.


    ¡°No!¡± Chloe screamed and raised her hand to block the weapon.


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    12:09


    The tip of the sharp knife pierced through Chloe¡¯s palm.


    Chloe¡¯s head spun from the pain and she screamed even louder.


    Being driven mad from her daughter¡¯s screams of terror, Mrs. Windsor got down on her knees and looked up at Olivia with panic. ¡°Please, you have to try to save my daughter. I promise that if you do, I¡¯ll make sure she goes into a mental hospital.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Olivia said coldly and crossed her arms. ¡°Chloe¡¯s getting the retribution that she deserves.¡±


    Kelly took out the knife from Chloe¡¯s hand and prepared to stab her again.


    As she put her hand over the wound on her shoulder to try to stop the bleeding, Chloe began to cry. ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me,¡± she begged and backed away. ¡°I can give you any amount of money you want. Just please don¡¯t murder me.¡±


    Kelly advanced toward her prey with a wicked smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want your money. I want revenge for Russell.¡±


    Then, she leapt toward Chloe once more.


    *Author*


    Kelly¡¯s eyes were crazed, and a war cry came from her throat as she raised the knife a third time, preparing herself to take the life of the woman who took away the love of her life.


    Her hand that wasn¡¯t holding the knife wrapped around Chloe¡¯s throat, and she tightened her grip until she was choking the other woman.


    Chloe gasped for air and tried to struggle out of Kelly¡¯s strong grip, but it was like she had been possessed by the spirit of Russell that wanted


    30.36%


    <b>12:09 </b>


    to seek revenge. A strong wind had started up and was whipping Kelly¡¯s blonde hair around her face, and her electric blue eyes were wide as she stared at Chloe with hatred.


    Just before Kelly could stab Chloe through the heart, a peach was hurled from somewhere in the shadows. It had been thrown in a perfect arch, and time seemed to stop as it made a perfect arch through the air. The peach managed to hit Kelly¡¯s hand, knocking the knife out of her grip right before she could stab Chloc.


    The two girls gasped, but Chloe recovered first. She managed to push Kelly off of her, and once the other woman¡¯s fingers were no longer cutting off her air supply, she pulled in much needed air. Thankfully, her head stopped spinning.


    Then Chloe turned and tried to run away. But she was still disoriented from being choked, so she identally fell into the pond with a big ssh. She had fallen into a deep part and tried to keep her head above water, but it was hard after being stabbed and then choked.


    With a manic grin, Kelly picked up the knife and dove in after Chloe, intent on finishing the job that she had started. Feeling like she had nothing to live for, Kelly went underwater and grabbed onto Chloe¡¯s slippery leg, trying to pull her underwater so that they could drown together and finally end this for good.


    Chloe let out a high¨Cpitched scream and tried to grab onto the muddy riverbank, but her body was too weak to fight the other woman. She tried to dig her hands into the grass, but it was too wet for her to hold on. Eventually, her head went below the surface, and Kelly and Chloe began to sink down, their hair floating around them like wet string.

 Alpha Novel 203

    As both of their visions went ck, they saw a man swimming next to them, pulling them back up to the surface.


    Using his brute strength, Richard hauled Chloe and Kelly out of the water. Chloe gasped for breath and spit out the water that had been clogging her lungs. Richard began to give mouth¨Cto¨Cmouth to Kelly. putting his mouth against hers and pumping her chest.


    Once Kelly¡¯s eyes were open and she was drawing in ragged breaths, Olivia, Aiden, and Ava walked from behind the apple tree they were hiding behind.


    This sight shocked Ethan, who was still concealed behind another tree with his mom. He had no idea that Olivia and Ava would be here.


    Because of Olivia¡¯s sudden appearance, Ethan took a step forward, but Amelia grabbed his hand to stop him.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t get involved,¡± she hissed at her son. ¡°Let¡¯s see how this ys out.¡±


    Back near the pond, Olivia was staring down at Chloe with hatred. Mrs. Windsor¨Cwho had been untied by Aiden¨Ccame over and hugged her daughter close to her, sobbing and thanking Richard for saving her daughter.


    The scene was pure chaos as Kelly¡¯s coughing mixed with Mrs. Windsor¡¯s sobs and Chloe¡¯s confusion after everything that she had endured the past five minutes.


    Soon, everything became even more crazy when the loud sound of sirens filled the air. Everyone looked at each other with confusion.


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    12:09


    Chapter <b>203 </b>


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call the police.¡± Olivia said, and her brow furrowed. <b>She </b>turned to Ava. ¡°Did you?¡±


    Before Ava could answer, Chloe spoke her first words after almost drowning. ¡°Mom? What¡¯s going on?¡± Her voice was weak and perplexed. ¡°Why are there sirens? They aren¡¯ting for me, are they?¡±


    A feeling of justification flowed through Olivia when she saw the obvious fear in Chloe¡¯s face. Richard¡¯s phone started ringing, and he stepped away to take the call.


    Mrs. Windsor cried out in relief and pulled her daughter tight against her chest. ¡°Oh, Olivia, I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re alright.¡± Then, her face changed to one of steely determination. ¡°The police areing to arrest Olivia and her friends.¡±


    The group was silent for a moment as they processed Mrs. Windsor¡¯s words.


    Ava put her hands on her hips, and her eyes shed with anger. ¡°Now hang on just a moment. We aren¡¯t the ones who were just digging up a body. And not to mention the fact that the body was of a boy that Chloe murdered.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we are definitely not the ones who are going to jail in this scenario,¡± Aiden said and crossed his arms, hisrge muscles bulging.


    <i>¡± </i>


    But dread was settling low into Olivia¡¯s stomach as she quickly thought the situation through. ¡°Guys, this doesn¡¯t look good for us, she whispered to Aiden, Ava, and Richard. ¡°A viger could have seen us following Chloe and her mom and called the police. It also doesn¡¯t look good how injured Chloe is. She has multiple stab wounds. She doesn¡¯t look like the aggressor in this situation. She looks like the victim.¡±


    30.24%


    12:09 D


    <b>Chapter </b><b>203 </b>


    Mrs. Windsor was listening to Olivia and decided to take matters <b>into </b>her own hands. ¡°We could make a deal that would benefit both <b>of </b><b>us</b><b>, </b>she said quickly as she rubbed her daughter¡¯s back, who still seemed <b>to </b>be in shock. ¡°Why don¡¯t I pay you guys off, and you forget what you¡¯ve seen today. Then, you won¡¯t be involved in these crimes, and you can leave right now without having any trouble with the police and a lot more money in your pocket.¡±


    Ava was shaking her head before Mrs. Windsor even stopped speaking. ¡°Hell no! I have a video recording of you guys ordering Russell¡¯s body to be dug up.¡± She took out her phone. ¡°This is all the evidence that we need.¡±


    Olivia stepped closer to her best friend and crossed her arms, lifting her chin in defiance. ¡°Yeah, your vicious cycle stops here. We refuse to be just another person that you pay off. We are going to hand over all the evidence we have against you to the authorities.¡± She paused, and a slow smile spread across her face. ¡°You and your daughter are finally going to be punished for your crimes.¡±


    Richard came back, and he slid his phone from his pocket after his phone call. ¡°That was Alexander,¡± he informed everyone. ¡°He has instructed us to tell the truth about everything to the police. He¡¯s going to meet us at the station and help us smooth things over. We will not be the ones in trouble.¡± He pointed at Chloe and Mrs. Windsor. ¡°They will.¡±


    As soon as he said this, a group of police officers arrived with their guns pointed at everyone in the group.


    ¡°Put your hands up!¡± the one in the front yelled.


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    <b>Chapter </b>204


    Olivia¡¯s stomach swooped when she saw who was leading the cops to


    them.


    It was Ethan.


    *Olivia*


    As soon as I saw Ethan, I spotted Amelia, slightly hidden behind an apple tree. She was watching the scene unfold as a pleased smirk crossed her face. When we made eye contact, her smile widened even


    more.


    My hands clenched into tight fists when I realized that Amelia had brought Ethan here because she wanted to cause even more chaos. Ethan¡¯s mother had double¨Ccrossed us. I should have known that she would only look out for herself and her family.


    As soon as Mrs. Windsor saw Ethan, her face crumpled with relief. Of course Chloe¡¯s mom would think that Ethan¡¯s presence meant that her and her daughter were in the clear.


    ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m so happy to see you<i>.</i>¡± Mrs. Windsor said. ¡°You have to help me. Olivia tried to murder my poor, sweet daughter. She went mad with jealousy and kept saying that if she couldn¡¯t have you, then no one could.<i>¡± </i>


    My blood boiled with rage. So, that was the angle that she wanted to y? I had to give it to her. When it came to protecting her daughter, Mrs. Windsor was quick on her feet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ava whispered to me. ¡°The police aren¡¯t going to believe Mrs. Windsor¡¯s tall tales. It took so long for them to arrive. And now


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    Chapter <b>204 </b>


    I¡¯m pretty sure that Ethan was the one to call them. That <b>means </b><b>that </b><b>he </b>witnessed Kelly attacking Chloe, and he stood by and didn¡¯t <b>protect </b><b>his </b>future wife. That means that he knows Chloe is guilty since he <b>didn¡¯t </b>try to save her.¡±


    I nodded. She did have a good point, but that didn¡¯t make my unease lessen. Being used of attempted murder was always nerve- wracking. It didn¡¯t matter how unfounded the usations were.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what happened, and you know it, Mrs. Windsor,¡± Ethan said coldly. ¡°I witnessed the entire thing.¡±


    Chloe¡¯s moms face paled.


    The police assessed the situation and after they made sure that Kelly¡¯s knife had been lost in the bottom of the pond¨Cwhich was the only weapon¨Cthey lowered their guns and called the EMT¡¯s to transport Chloe to the hospital because of her multiple stab wounds.


    Mrs. Windsor stood up on shaking legs and staggered to Ethan, cing her hands on his chest. ¡°Please, as Chloe¡¯s future husband, will you go with her to the hospital?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s face was a mask of indifference as he stepped away from Mrs. Windsor. ¡°No, I will not. I have to go to the station so that I can give my statement.¡±


    Mrs. Windsor¡¯s eyes widened with horror. ¡°Your statement for what?¡± she whispered, but it seemed like she already knew the answer.


    ¡°My statement about hearing a confession to murder,¡± Ethan said.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Mrs. Windsor snapped. ¡°Chloe is carrying your child.¡±


    ¡°I will not lie for her,¡± Ethan said, and his eyes hardened. ¡°I will not


    28.59%


    sacrifice my morals for her. I¡¯m not you, Mrs. Windsor ¡±


    I sort of understood where Ethan wasing from after everything that he had witnessed today, but it was still shocking to see how he could change his allegiance to someone so quickly. I couldn¡¯t believe that he had watched his future bride fight for her life, and he didn¡¯t even lift one finger to help her. Ethan was selfish, and he wouldn¡¯t dare help anyone if it meant that he could somehow be negatively impacted


    This realization made bile rise to my throat.


    Ethan¡¯s dark eyes locked onto mine, and if he could read my thoughts, he mouthed something that made my stomach swoop. ¡°I¡¯d never throw you under the bus.¡±


    I scoffed and looked away. He had already thrown me under a metaphorical bus. And then he had watched me be run over multiple times.


    Soon, Chloe was being loaded into a stretcher, and the police were gathering everyone to take them to the station.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Ava yelled. ¡°Before we leave, and Mrs. Windsor has the chance to tamper with evidence, I have to report a crime.¡± She made sure that all eyes were on her before she cont¨ªnued. ¡°I have a video of Chloe and her mother instructing their bodyguards to dig up a body that they had buried here many years ago.¡± She pointed to the peach tree. Then, she took out her video and showed the evidence.


    Mrs. Windsor¡¯s eyes widened with panic. ¡°No! She must have altered that video! That¡¯s not true! My daughter and I are good people. We would never do something like that.¡±


    The head police officer¡¯s face was grim after Ava¡¯s video finished. ¡°Let¡¯s investigate before we take them to the station. We can¡¯t just leave


    62.31%


    here to tamper with the evidence¡±


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 Alpha Novel 205

    Mrs. Windsor burst into tears as Chloe was wheeled away in a stretcher, still dazed after losing a lot of blood and almost drowning.


    As the police took the shovels from the Windsor¡¯s bodyguards, Chloe¡¯s mom begged them not to destroy her property.


    ¡°You will find nothing there!¡± Mrs. Windsor screamed. ¡°That crazy woman is lying to you¡± she pointed to Ava, her finger shaking with rage. ¡°You are ruining my perfectly nted garden for no reason.¡±


    It turned out that Mrs. Windsor was right.


    After thirty minutes of digging, the police were sweaty and had smudges of dirt on their uniforms and faces, but they didn¡¯t find any trace of human remains.


    My stomach stiffened with surprise. How could this be?


    ¡°I told you!¡± Mrs. Windsor gloated. ¡°I told you that you would find nothing.¡±


    But behind her bravado, I could see that she was genuinely surprised that there wasn¡¯t a body buried there.


    After that bombshell, the police escorted all of us to the police station. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t put us in handcuffs, but riding in the back of a cop car still made me uneasy.


    The Ld police station was small and dingy. It smelled like burnt coffee and sweat. The floors were scuffed, and the interrogation room that they had ced me in, the white paint peeling on the walls, and the fluorescent light kept flickering above me.


    0.00%


    <b>12:10 </b>


    <b>I </b>was alone in the room with a ck cup of <b>Styrofoam </b><b>coffee </b><b>in </b><b>front </b>of me. I knew that they would put us in different rooms <b>to </b><b>question </b><b>us </b>and see if our stories aligned.


    To a heavyset officer with a shining bald head. I gave a detailed ount of every detail I had about Chloe¡¯s crimes and what had happened today. Using my notebook and phone, I provided audio and visual evidence to back up my story.


    When I was finished, the officer clicked his pen and closed his spiraled notebook. ¡°This is concrete evidence, Olivia. But the only problem is, there was no evidence found to give credence to the fact that Chloe killed someone, and her mother helped bury the body on their property.¡±


    I opened my mouth to argue, but he lifted his hand. ¡°Mrs. Windsor has denied everything. All that she will say is that her daughter is mentally ill and a pathological liar. She said that Chloe never hurt Russell Lewis, and that is just a story that Chloe tells people to shock them. Mrs. Windsor ims that she and her daughter were at their property today to get away from the city and they had instructed their


    bodyguards to dig up some fertile soil so that they could take it home for her garden in the city.¡±


    I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. ¡°Well, she¡¯s obviously lying,¡± I said.


    The police officer raised his eyebrows. ¡°Mrs. Windsor also ims that you and your friends illegally entered her property after brainwashing Kelly, who is another mentally challenged girl into attacking her daughter. She says that you fed her some story about Chloe killing her high school boyfriend/¡±


    My mouth dropped open in shock. I couldn¡¯t believe how much <i>Mrs. </i>Windsor had twisted the narrative.


    30.08%


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    Chapter <b>205 </b>


    *Author*


    Meanwhile, Ethan, who was in a separate interrogation room from Olivia, was very vague with his statements. The police officer who <b>was </b>interviewing him was bing increasingly frustrated because he wasn¡¯t giving him any useful information.


    ¡°So, why were you at the Windsor¡¯s orchard today?¡± the police officer asked and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.


    ¡°Well, as you know, Chloe and I are engaged. My mother, Ame, had lunch with Chloe and her mother earlier today, and they told her that they were going to their property in Ld to go apple picking. I wanted to surprise my bride¨Cto¨Cbe,¡± Ethan exined, then took a sip of


    water.


    ¡°When you saw that Chloe, the woman who is carrying your child and your future bride, was being attacked, why didn¡¯t you step in to help?¡± the officer asked and raised a skeptical eyebrow.


    ¡°I was trying to figure out a way to protect her that wouldn¡¯t make the situation worse,¡± Ethan exined. ¡°Since Kelly seemed so unhinged, I figured that if I came running out from my hiding spot, she would slice Chloe¡¯s throat before I could save her.


    <i>¡± </i>


    In another interrogation room, the Windsor¡¯s bodyguards were stuffed inside one room.


    ¡°So, none of you know anything about this supposed dead body that was buried in the property?¡± a police officer asked. ¡°We have several witnesses and a video saying that you were instructed to dig up the remains of a boy named Russell Lewis.¡±


    <b>12:10 </b>


    Chapter <b>206 </b>

 Alpha Novel 206

    All of the bodyguards shook their heads, and the Windsor¡¯s head bodyguard that had been working for them all his adult life stepped forward. ¡°No, that¡¯s a ridiculous im. Mrs. Windsor and Chloe wanted to take dirt from the orchard and put it in their New York garden to help their rose bushes grow.¡± The bodyguard paused, and his face softened. ¡°Chloe is a troubled girl. She likes to tell crazy stories to get people¡¯s attention.¡±


    Back in Olivia¡¯s interrogation room, she cocked her head curiously. ¡°Who called you guys to the Windsor¡¯s orchard? It wasn¡¯t anyone on my team.<i>¡± </i>


    ¡°We had gotten an anonymous call,¡± the officer answered quickly, then changed the subject. ¡°Listen, Olivia, I¡¯m on your side here,¡± he said and straightened his red tie.


    Olivia frowned and skepticism flowed through her. In her experience, every time that an officer had said that they were on her side, they actually weren¡¯t.


    ¡°All the evidence that you and your friend Ava have collected is great,¡± the officer continued. ¡°You guys have provided us with audio and video proof that Mrs. Windsor and Chloe were involved in¡­ something. But the most crucial piece of evidence is missing.¡±


    Olivia pulled in a sharp breath when she realized what he was saying. ¡°The body,¡± she whispered.


    He pointed at her. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°The only concrete evidence we have of a crime beingmitted is by


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    you and your friends,¡± the officer said.


    Olivia froze, and a ripple of shock went down her spine.


    ¡°You trespassed onto the Windsor¡¯s property,¡± the officer said matter- of¨Cfactly. ¡°And you were in the presence of Kelly, who is being charged for attempted murder on Chloe.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Olivia whispered, her voice shaking. She wasn¡¯t worried about herself. She was worried about her friend¡¯s freedom. Especially Aiden, who <i>had </i>been dragged into this and had his whole life ahead of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying <b>that </b>my colleagues <i>and </i>I don¡¯t know what to think about this situation,¡± the officer admitted and sighed.


    After Ethan was finished giving his statement, he walked out into the waiting room, seemingly calm and collected.


    Meanwhile, Alexander was sitting in the police chief¡¯s office with Gai by his side. After Alexander said what he came to say, he stood up and shook hands with the chief. Gai¡¯s eyes were weary, but there was a tired smile on her face.


    Five minutester, the chief¡¯s secretary entered the interrogation room that Olivia was in and whispered something in the officer¡¯s ear.


    Frustration flowed through Olivia, who rolled her eyes, but she stayed silent.


    After the secretary walked out, the officer looked at Olivia with a furrowed brow. ¡°You and your friends have been released on bail.


    After signing a mountain of paperwork, Olivia, Ava, Aiden Richard walked into the waiting room of the police station. A four of them walked with slumped shoulders and fatigued expressions.


    Chapter <b>206 </b>


    Olivia wanted to turn back around when she <b>saw </b><b>that </b>Alexander wan waiting for them, looking refreshed and smiling


    ¡°Did you have a good day?¡± Alexander asked Olivia, his lips twitching


    ¡°Spare me,¡± Olivia snapped,


    Alexander put a hand to his heart and gasped in mock offense. ¡°Is that any way to talk to the man who bailed you out of jail?¡±


    Olivia ignored him and turned to Ava. ¡°How in the hell was there nothing under that tree?¡± she asked her friend.


    Ava shook her head in disbelief. For the first time, it seemed that Ava was at a loss for words. This, more than anything, made Olivia anxious for the situation that they were in.


    Alexander stepped closer to Olivia. The humor was gone from his <i>face</i>, reced with genuine concern. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he whispered soothingly, and his warm finger wiped off the dirt from her face. ¡°Tommorrow <b>is </b>a new day.<i>¡± </i>


    Their eyes locked together, and Olivia¡¯s heart stuttered until she wasn¡¯t sure if it was beating anymore. When Alexander¡¯s eyes nced down to her lips, her stomach swooped, and she forgot where they were for a moment and leaned in slightly.


    When someone cleared their throat behind them, the two jumped away like they had been electrocuted.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°Me, too,¡± Aiden agreed and rubbed his stomach.


    ¡°Being arrested will do that to you,<i>¡± </i>Ava said dryly.


    Chapter <b>207 </b>

 Alpha Novel 207

    Even though she didn¡¯t have an appetite, Olivia agreed to go to dinner


    Before they left the station, Ava, Aiden, and Richard all went to the bathroom. Alexander was on the phone arranging for one of his men to drive Olivia¡¯s car to the police station because they all couldn¡¯t fit in his.


    Olivia wandered outside to get some fresh air. After a moment of breathing in the cool air, she heard footsteps from behind and turned around with a smile, thinking that it was Alexander.


    ¡°Where would you like to go eat?¡± she asked as she spun around to


    face him.


    Her stomach stiffened when she saw that her assumption was wrong


    Instead, Ethan was standing behind her. He let out a loudugh that echoed. ¡°I¡¯ll eat wherever you want, babe,¡± he answered.


    Before Olivia could even think of a response, Alexander came striding out of the door and quickly assessed the situation. He rushed over to Olivia and slid aforting arm over her shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯re not invited to dinner,<i>¡± </i>Alexander told Ethan and narrowed his eyes at the other man.


    Ethan¡¯s gaze shot down to Alexander¡¯s arm that was around Olivia. <i>His </i>fists clenched at his sides. ¡°Get your hands off of her,¡± he snapped.


    Alexander smirked, seemingly assumed by Ethan¡¯s anger, an tightened his arm around Olivia, pressing her closer against his side.


    <b>Chapter </b><b>207 </b>


    ¡°No,¡± he said simply.


    Olivia snuggled closer to Alexander¡¯s warmth and couldn¡¯t help <b>the </b>smile that bloomed across her face.


    *Olivia*


    Alexander and Ethan stared each other down. Their hostility for each other was obvious as hatred flowed between them so much that I could almost see it.


    When Ethan took a step forward, headlights shined on him, and he had to put a hand in front of his face so that he wouldn¡¯t be blinded by the bright lights.


    I stepped away from Alexander¡¯s warm embrace and turned to see who was in the car idling next to us. Relief flooded through me when I recognized my car and the man who was driving it as someone who worked for Alexander. Gai quickly got into the driver¡¯s seat, and the other man went into a car with another one of Alexander workers.


    Grateful to have an excuse to get away from these two alpha men, I quickly got into the passenger seat of my car.


    I groaned when Ethan tried to get into the backseat of my car. Could this guy not take a hint? Before he could open the door, Alexander put a hand on Ethan¡¯s shoulder to stop him.


    ¡°You¡¯re delusional if you think you¡¯reing with us,<i>¡± </i>Alexander snapped through gritted teeth. His voice was loud enough that I could hear him through the closed window.


    Ethan stepped closer to Alexander until the two men were facing off again.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,<i>¡± </i>Gai warned.


    ¡°I bet you just love swooping in to save Olivia, don¡¯t <b>you</b>?¡± <b>Ethan </b>said with a sarcastic smile.


    ¡°Not as much as you do,¡± Alexander shot back. ¡°Since you¡¯re <b>engaged </b>to Chloe, shouldn¡¯t you wait for her mother¡¯s questioning to be over before you leave? Shouldn¡¯t you still be here when she gets out?<b>¡± </b>


    Ava, Richard, and Aiden exited the station and heard what Alexander had said. My friend scoffed as she looked Ethan up and down with a judgmental expression. ¡°Don¡¯t give Ethan too much credit, Alexander,¡± she said. ¡°He never does anything unless there is something in it for him.¡±


    Before Ethan could reply, Ava climbed into my car.


    ¡°See you around,¡± Alexander told Ethan and grasped his shoulder a little too hard. Ethan winced. ¡°Or not!¡±


    Then, he got into my car, too. Aiden and Richard quickly hopped in, and Gai sped away from the curb, leaving Ethan on the sidewalk staring after us with his mouth open in shock. It was a tight fit for the people in the back, but no oneined.


    ¡°I wanted to get away from Ethan before he could do something crazy like key the side of Olivia¡¯s car or jump in front of it to stop us from going,¡± Gai said, exining why she had sped away.


    Ava who was partially sitting on Richard¡¯sp to squeeze into the backseat didn¡¯t have time to put her seatbelt on and when Gai came to a sudden stop, she flew forward and mmed into the backrest of the passenger seat.


    ¡°Holy crap, Ava!¡± I said, turning around and searching her face for blood. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    12.1000

 Alpha Novel 208

    Ava put her hand on the armrest of one of the seats. ¡°I¡¯m all good,¡± she assured us.


    After that, we decided to split up, and we dropped off Alexander and Richard so they could ride back to the hotel together. Since <b>four </b>out of five of us were muddy and sweaty, we decided to go back to the hotel to shower and change before we went to dinner.


    My legs felt heavy when I walked into the hotel and entered the elevator with Ava, Alexander, Richard, Gai, and Aiden. It had been a long day, and all I wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for two days straight.


    ¡°Hey, Aiden, do you mind showering in Richard¡¯s room?¡± Ava asked. ¡°We only have one shower in our room, and it would take forever to wait for the three of us to shower. And thest person wouldn¡¯t get any hot water.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s head whipped around, and he red at Aiden. ¡°You¡¯re staying in the same room as Olivia?¡±


    The younger man¡¯s face flushed. ¡°It¡¯s a suite.¡±


    ¡°We are all separated by doors,¡± Ava exined impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s not like Aiden and Olivia are sleeping in the same bed. Calm down, Alexander.<i>¡± </i>


    ¡°Book Aiden, another room. Now,¡± Alexander instructed Gia and his jaw clenched.


    ¡°The kid can stay in my room,¡± Richard offered. ¡°I have two beds in the


    12:1000


    Chapter <i>209 </i>


    room <b>I¡¯m </b>staying in,¡±


    Aiden shifted his feet and nced at me. I could tell that he didn¡¯t want to leave the same space as me. Alexander caught on to this too and narrowed his eyes at Aiden.


    ¡°Yes, Aiden can stay in your room, Richard,¡± he said with finality in his tone. ¡°That way, you can keep your eye on him.¡±


    Aiden opened his mouth to argue, but Ava shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡± she muttered to her brother.


    The elevator doors slid open. Despite Ava¡¯s instructions, Aiden tried to follow Ava and me down the hallway to our room, but Richard grabbed his shoulder and steered him in the other direction.


    ¡°You¡¯reing with me, buddy,¡± Richard said.


    Avaughed as she watched Richard strong¨Carm her brother down the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m d that someone like Richard is here to keep my brother in line,¡± she said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to shower,¡± I said as Ava opened the door to our hotel room with the key card.


    ¡°You can go first,<i>¡± </i>Ava said as we entered the suite, and she headed for the mini fridge. ¡°I¡¯m so thirsty. I¡¯m going to drink all the water bottles in here, and I don¡¯t care how much I have to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Save me one,¡± I said as I headed for therge bathroom.


    I took my time in the shower, turning the water as hot as it would go andthering myself invender scented soap.


    Wrapping myself in a fluffy white robe and putting my hair in a towel,


    12100


    I left <b>the </b>bathroom <b>in </b><b>a </b>cloud of steam.


    ¡°The bathroom is all yours,¡± I told Ava and went to my <b>room </b><b>to </b><b>change </b>


    I put on a pair of my mostfortable jeans and a light blue shirt. As I was blow drying my hair, my phone lit up with a text.


    Alexander: I¡¯ve just ordered room service. Why don¡¯t youe up and join me?


    My heart mmed against my ribcage, and my mouth dried as I read his text at least three times. I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I didn¡¯t want to ditch my friends, but after the crazy day we have had, it would be better just to get room service and go to bed. And a part of me wanted some alone time with Alexander. Today had been so hard, and when he wasn¡¯t being a jerk, he brought me a lot offort.


    As I finished with my hair, I was still unsure what to do. I left my room just as Ava came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Quickly, I told her about Alexander¡¯s invitation.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about Aiden and me. I¡¯ll invite him and Richard over and we can eat room service together. Go get your man,¡± she said and winked.


    My stomach swooped. ¡°He¡¯s not my man,¡± I muttered, then left the


    room.


    On the elevator ride up to Alexander¡¯s penthouse, my mind kept going back and forth whether I was making the right decision or not. As I walked down the long hallway, my pulse quickened with each step I took.


    Right after I knocked on the door, I began to regret my decision toe here. But it was toote.


    The door swung open, and I swallowed nervously.


    63.72%


    <b>12</b>:100


    <b>Chapter </b>201

 Alpha Novel 209

    *Olivia*


    As Alexander and I stared at each other, an electric current passed between us. The intense expression in his dark eyes made my legs shake.


    For a long time, we just stood there and stared at each other. Memories from ourplicated past ran through my mind, and I was still unsure whether I made the right decision ining to knock on his door by myself.


    To my surprise, his lips curled into a smile. ¡°It seemed like you were contemting whether or not you wanted toe in for a long time,¡± he said in a teasing tone.


    I blushed and lowered my gaze. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    He turned around and nodded at the peephole on his hotel room door. ¡°I was watching you.¡±


    My skin tingled at the way his eyes swept down my body when he said that. Why did he have to be my boss? Why did he sometimes treat me like I was the most precious thing in the world, but at other times, he acted like I was nothing more to him than a subordinate that he enjoyed pushing around?


    Alexander stepped to the side and gestured for me to enter his room.


    My heart mmed against my chest as I did. When Alexander shut the door, my pulse quickened even more. Immediately, my eyesont to the table in the middle of the room that was set for two. He ordered all of my favorites: steak, mashed potatoes, macaroni and


    000%


    <b>12:11 </b>


    cheese, buttered dinner rolls, and bacon wrapped <b>asparagus</b><b>. </b><b>The </b><b>sight </b>of the home cooked meal made my mouth water. The <b>fact </b><b>that </b><b>he </b><b>had </b>ordered <b>all </b>of my favorite dishes made a lump develop in my <b>throat</b><b>. </b>


    I spun around to thank him, but before I could, his warm, hard body pressed against my back. My hands shook as he rested his chin on <b>my </b>shoulder so that his lips were right beside my ear. His warm breath against my skin made me want to moan out loud.


    ¡°I got all of your favorite foods,¡± he murmured, his lips only inches away from my exposed skin. ¡°I didn¡¯t want the kitchen¡¯s delicious cooking to go to waste.¡±


    ¡°No, uh, we can¡¯t have that,¡± I said, my voice shaking. I was too nervous to be embarrassed of how high¨Cpitched my voice sounded.


    Quick as a sh, Alexander spun my body around until I was pressed against his front, and we were staring at each other. A moment that seemed tost forever passed as we gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, waiting for the other to make the first move. I could feel his heart beating against mine, and a shiver of pleasure ran through me when I noticed that it was beating just as fast as mine was.


    Alexander cupped my face with his warm hands, closed his eyes, and leaned down to kiss me.


    Every thought flew out of my head as I allowed my eyes to flutter close. All I could think about was having his soft yet strong lips back on mine. But just before his mouth could meet mine, I came to my senses. It was like a bucket of cold water had been sshed over me.


    ¡°Alexander, you¡¯re my boss,¡± I murmured and pulled out of his overwhelming embrace so that I could think clearly again.


    le


    Both of us were breathing hard as we locked gazes. The mo silence stretched on, the more the awkward feeling between us grew.


    <b>Chapter </b>209


    ¡°We need to eat before the food grows cold,¡± I said <b>and </b>cleared my


    throat.


    Without looking at him, I sat and started to <b>load </b>my te. Even though I wasn¡¯t remotely hungry, I dug into my food so that I would have an excuse not to look at him. My leg bounced under the table became 1 could feel his searing gaze on me. I heard the scrap of the chair on the floor as he sat down and the sounds of him serving himself food


    When I reached for my cold ss of water, I chanced a nce at <b>him</b><b>. </b>His brow was furrowed, and when he met my gaze, he sighed.


    Chapter <b>210 </b>

 Alpha Novel 210

    His reaction made my head tilt. I put my water ss back down.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I immediately regretted my question as soon as it was out of my mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m frustrated with myself,¡± he admitted and put down his fork and knife. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have tried to kiss you. I know that it was wrong, but I did it anyway. I¡¯m selfish.¡±


    My eyes widened. I couldn¡¯t believe that he was being so candid with me. ¡°You¡¯re not selfish, Alexander. I mean, it¡¯s not entirely your fault because I¡¯m sure that¡­I¡¯ve been giving you mixed signals.¡± My cheeks heated, ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re a much more decent person than 99% of the male poption.¡±


    I was hoping that my joking would snap him out of his bad mood, but it didn¡¯t do the trick.


    Alexander shrugged. ¡°I think that the person I¡¯m interested in doesn¡¯t share the same interest in me.¡± He sighed again. ¡°And I think that¡¯s because they think I¡¯m selfish.¡±


    I opened my mouth, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. I had no idea who he was talking about. Also, he had used the gender neutral term ¡®they¡® so he could even be talking about a guy, and I would never know.


    For the rest of the dinner, we ate in silence. Mostly, I pushed around the food on my te because my stomach was too full of nerves to eat.


    ¡°I should go,¡± I said after we finished our strange dinner. ¡°A¡­ will be lonely.


    <i>¡± </i>


    12:11 U


    <b>I </b>didn¡¯t mention the fact that she had nned to order room service with her brother <i>and </i>Richard


    ¡°What about me?¡± Alexander asked, looking up at me from his eyshes, something that would usually make any girl putty in his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that I¡¯ll get bored without you here<i>? </i>


    I crossed my arms, beyond annoyed by his <b>mind </b>games.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get Gai to keep youpany<i>?</i><i>¡± </i>I snapped.


    Alexander¡¯s lips twitch. ¡°You¡¯re feisty tonight. I like <b>it</b>.¡±


    We stood from the table and he came to my side. ¡°Why <b>don¡¯t </b>I walk you back to your room?<i>¡± </i>he suggested and put his warm hand on the small of my back.


    I ignored the way my stomach swooped and stepped away from him. ¡°T m perfectly capable of finding my room all by myself, thank <b>you</b><b>. </b>Goodnight, Alexander.¡±


    Then, without looking at him, I rushed away from him before he could lure me back using his deep voice and charms.


    But just as I reached for the doorknob, someone knocked on the door. <i>I </i>looked back at Alexander, who strode forward and grabbed my <i>hand</i>.


    He pulled me into the living room where I would be out of sight from the door.


    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± he whispered to me with a serious expression.


    Cold fear went through me. Who was at his door?


    But then I saw a wicked glint in his eyes. ¡°I bet you that it¡¯s ! the door,¡± he said. ¡°How much money do you want to wager about


    an at


    whether or not it¡¯s your <b>ex</b>¨Chusband?¡±


    *Olivia<b>* </b>


    I hesitated. Not sure how best to respond. Was it smart to make a <b>silly </b>bet when it came to my ex¨Chusband? Would it appear rude even though there wasn¡¯t anyone around to judge me?


    But then I remembered how many times he had wronged me, and my doubts went out the window. Ethan didn¡¯t deserve my kindness.


    Alexander seemed to sense that I was all for his game because he leaned toward me with an excited grin. ¡°If you win the bet, I¡¯ll tell you where Kelly¡¯s grandma actually is.¡±


    I sucked in a sharp breath, our silly betpletely forgotten. ¡°You mean that old woman that Kelly introduced us to who served us milk and cookies wasn¡¯t her real grandma?¡±


    Alexander merely shrugged, and his smile widened.


    A swoop of surprise went through me. I guessed I shouldn¡¯t be so shocked because Kelly had turned out to be a disturbed young woman just like Chloe and Kelly ended up turning against us, even attempting to drug us. But I hadn¡¯t expected her to lie to us about something so personal.

 Alpha Novel 211

    Then, anger sparked in my chest. Why hadn¡¯t Alexander told me about this before now? We had just spent a whole dinner in silence? Now, he wanted to reveal what he knew as a form of game.


    I was about to scold him for keeping secrets, but ultimately thought better of it. He still had information that I really needed to hear


    ¡°What do you get if you win?¡± I asked suspiciously and crossed my


    arms.


    There was another knock on Alexander¡¯s door. This one sounded more impatient than the first, but we both ignored it.


    ¡°I get to walk you back to your room,¡± he said, his gaze shooting down to my lips. ¡°It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    Agreeing to the bet was a no¨Cbrainer. I needed to find out what else Alexander knew about Kelly and her mysterious family. The terms were simple: If Ethan was at the door, Alexander won. If it was anyone else, I won.


    He took my hand again and walked me to the door. I leaned up on my toes to look through the peephole that Alexander had been watching me through earlier.


    My stomach rolled with nerves as I looked through. I really needed to win this bet in order to advance in Ava and I¡¯s investigation. As soon as I saw the man standing outside the door, my heart leaped with excitement.


    I spun around and stuck¨Cmy tongue out at Alexander. ¡°I won. gloated. ¡°It¡¯s not my ex. Just a hotel attendant.¡±


    12<b>:</b>117


    Instead of being a sore loser, Alexander beamed at me and <b>opened </b><b>the </b>door


    The waiter stood in the hallway, holding out an expensive¨Clooking bottle of red wine. ¡°Good evening. Mr. Green,¡± he said. ¡°Your friend had asked me to bring you a bottle of our finest wine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Alexander replied and took the wine.


    After he slid a generous tip into the waiter¡¯s hands, Alexander closed the door.


    I squinted my eyes and cocked my hip as I looked at him. ¡°What friend do you have at this hotel? Do you know anyone in Ld?¡±


    Alexander shrugged. ¡°Maybe it was Gai or Richard.¡±


    I pursed my lips. That was unlikely. Why would they order their boss <i>a </i>bottle of wine at nine at night? But then I thought about how I was in my bosses room at night, having just shared a meal with him, so I let the subject drop.


    ¡°Let¡¯s open this bottle. Red wine is always delicious after a good meal,¡± Alexander went into the kitchen nook in search of a bottle opener.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said and grabbed his warm hand. ¡°You can¡¯t just drink something that you received from a stranger.¡±


    Alexander raised his eyebrows. ¡°You think that this bottle of wine has been tampered with in some way?¡± he asked with skepticism dripping through his tone.


    I crossed my arms and lifted my chin. ¡°Yes, I do. Remember thest time you were drugged from something that you had received seemingly by chance? This is the same kind of situation.¡±


    Alexander grinned and gently bumped my shoulder <b>with </b><b>his</b><b>, </b><b>causing </b>my mouth to dry. ¡°With a feisty <bdy </b>like you around, <b>I¡¯m </b>not <b>scared </b>of anything,¡± he joked.


    ¡°But. I¡¯m scared.¡± I blurted out before I could think about <b>what </b>I <b>was </b>saying.


    There was genuine fear in my voice, and I was terrified that Alexander would hear it and realize how much I really cared about him.


    Alexander¡¯s expression softened, and he put his arm around me and pulled me close. ¡°It¡¯s sweet how much you¡¯re worried about me,¡± he murmured.


    His gentle voice made my pulse quicken, and a hot blush spread across my cheeks.


    He noticed and leaned close to study my face. ¡°Chloe, are you alright? Do you have a fever?¡± He put the back of his hand against my forehead.


    His woodsy, masculine scent surrounded me, making my head spin. His lips were so close to mine, and my body was begging for me to lean forward and press my mouth against his. Before I met Alexander, I prided myself as a person who had a lot of self¨Ccontrol. But now that I was faced with his proximity when he was showing such concern for me, my morals were about to go down the drain.


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 Alpha Novel 212

    When it came to Alexander, it seemed like I didn¡¯t have any self- control. Especially since I hadn¡¯t been pleasured by a man in such a long time. And the sizzling chemistry that Alexander and I had was hot enough to burn this hotel down to the ground.


    When I didn¡¯t respond to his question, Alexander put his hand on my shoulder, and an electric shock went down my spine, making my knees buckle.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he murmured.


    Finally, I came to my senses and backed away from him.


    His hand went down to his side, and surprise crossed his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I muttered breathlessly. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired after the crazy day I¡¯ve had.<i>¡± </i>


    Just from the cocky look on his face, I could tell Alexander didn¡¯t believe my lie. Hurriedly, I changed the subject.


    ¡°Since I won the best, you have to uphold your promise,¡± I said and straightened my posture. ¡°Tell me where Kelly¡¯s grandmother is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he promised and strode across the room, taking a seat on the plush white couch.


    So that I could keep a clear head, I sat on one of the wooden stools at the kitchen ind and gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to bite, you know,¡± he teased and nodded at. empty space of the rest of the couch.


    12110


    I sighed, and since I didn¡¯t want to waste any more fome backer <b>stood </b>and sunk down at the end of the couch, still keeping my


    distance


    As soon as I was seated. Alexander¡¯s expression turned serios


    My heart pounded, and my hands clenched


    What was he about to reveal?


    Alexander drew in a long breath, and he let it out slowly


    Annoyance came over me, and I wished that he would just tell me what he knew.


    Finally, his eyes met mine, and he started talking


    *Olivia*


    ¡°Kelly doesn¡¯t have an uncle,¡± Alexander said.


    His words hung in the air, swirling around me as I tried to make sense of them. His big reveal threw me for a loop because I had been expecting information about Kelly¡¯s grandma, not her uncle


    ¡°The old woman that we met with earlier today was a neighbordy that Kelly paid to act as her grandmother,¡± Alexander continued when it became obvious that I wasn¡¯t going to say anything right now in my stunned silence. ¡°My sources tell me that Kelly coughed up five hundred dors to a woman named Dorothy who used to be on Broadway. That¡¯s why she was so good at acting as Kelly¡¯s grandma.¡±


    My mind whirled like an out of control tornado. It spun through my head, creating destruction until I could no longer think straight. The more that Alexander told me, the more confused that I bec


    ¡°But¡­you said that you knew where Kelly¡¯s real grandmother was.<i>¡± </i>I


    <b>Chapter </b>212


    pointed out in an awed voice when I regained the ability to talk.


    ???


    Alexander paused and eyed me like he was deciding whether or not I could handle the news that he was about to tell me. ¡°Kelly¡¯s grandmother is dead.¡±


    The room around me spun, and I had to put my hands down on the soft couch and grip the cool fabric so that I wouldn¡¯t faint. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Kelly¡¯s grandmother passed awayst week,¡± Alexander said.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I questioned and eyed him. A small part of me thought that this was all some big joke.


    But I knew Alexander better than that. He would never joke about something as serious as this.


    ¡°Even though Kelly is so young, she¡¯s had a very tragic life,¡± Alexander said, a troubled look crossing his handsome features. ¡°After I left Kelly¡¯s fake grandma house, I had my tech guy look into her, and what I found was¡­sad.¡±


    I swallowed around therge lump in my throat and gestured for him to continue.


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 Alpha Novel 213

    ¡°Kelly¡¯s parents divorced when she was very young,¡± he said and sped his hands together. ¡°Her mother remarried and moved away with her new husband, leaving Kelly in the care of her father. Then, her father passed away in a car ident two years after the divorce. After that, Kelly¡¯s grandmother took care of her. She was like a mother to her. When her grandmother fell illst year, Kelly helped take care of her, along with her aunt, until her grandma¡¯s deathst week.¡±


    I didn¡¯t talk for a long time after Alexander¡¯s bombshell. My brain was buzzing because now I knew the reason that Kelly had gone off the deep end.


    Because of her grandmother¡¯s deathst week¨Cthe only true parent that she had ever known¨CKelly snapped. She was already a mentally unstable person, but the death of her closest loved one had driven her to be dangerous to herself and others. She reverted back to her high school self, and that was why she had be so obsessed with Russell. It was so that she didn¡¯t have to think about the loss of her grandmother.


    Sympathy for Kelly flowed through me. Maybe the young girl had even paid this Dorothy woman to be her grandmother so that Kelly could act like she was still alive. That thought made the hairs on the back of my neck stand.


    ¡°I bet that Kelly had nned on using us to kill Chloe from the beginning,¡± I said more to myself than to Alexander. I had always done my best thinking out loud. ¡°Kelly wanted to get revenge against Chloe for killing Russell. And because Chloe is so arrogant, she was able to fall for Kelly¡¯s innocent act, and that was how Kelly tricked her into thinking she was on her side.¡± I paused for a few moments. ¡°Thank you


    000%


    32:11


    <b>Chapter </b>213


    so much for telling me that, Alexander,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°It¡¯s <b>really </b>helpful to understand Chloe¡¯s motivations.¡±


    Alexander waved his hand nonchntly and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, I heard all of this information through vige gossip. I thought that I should tell you to help with your investigation.¡±


    A small smile crossed my face, and I leaned toward him. ¡°I thought that you just said that you had your tech guy look into Kelly¡¯s life after we met with her fake grandma,¡® I said with a slightly teasing tone.


    Alexander went red and averted his gaze from mine. It was nice to see him embarrassed for caring about me. For a moment, the shoe was on the other foot.


    ¡°I have more information if you¡¯re interested,¡± Alexander said, quickly changing the subject.


    I nodded frantically, anxious to hear anything that would help. In a situation asyered as Chloe¡¯s life and the number of people she has wronged, even the smallest detail mattered.


    ¡°Russell Lewis was a childhood friend of Kelly¡¯s,¡± Alexander revealed. ¡°Ever since they were born, the two were inseparable.¡± He paused for a fraction of a second before he continued. ¡°The man that I had visited today was Russell¡¯s uncle.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I leaned toward him, intrigued.


    ¡°Russell¡¯s uncle was hoping to meet with you,<i>¡± </i>Alexander continued. ¡°I have his contact information.<i>¡± </i>His dark eyes locked onto mine, and his expression grew somber. ¡°I really think that through this meeting, you will find the answers that you¡¯re seeking.¡±


    Ipsed into silence as all the information he just told me ran through my head.


    42.98


    12:11


    My throat became slightly choked up as I thought about how much Alexander had done for me today. There was no possible <b>way </b><b>that </b><b>it </b>was a coincidence that he had been meeting with Russell¡¯s uncle today. Alexander hade to Ld to quietly help me with my


    investigation. But he kept it a secret because he didn¡¯t want me <b>to </b><b>feel </b>like I owed him anything.


    I stared into his eyes as my heart burst with a deep emotion that I didn¡¯t want to examine too closely.


    As I gazed at him, I tried to think of something¨Canyrhing¨Cto say in order to express my gratitude, but I couldn¡¯t figure out the words to say in order to express my gratitude.


    12110

 Alpha Novel 214

    Alexander leaned toward me, and the closer he got, the harder my heart mmed against my ribcage. His eyes nced down at my lips, and my mouth dried.


    I had no idea what was about to happen.


    When our lips were right next to each other, Alexander abruptly pulled away from me.


    ¡°You should go,¡± he murmured in a deep voice. ¡°Or you won¡¯t be able to leave.¡±


    I blinked at him in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked.


    He smiled at me, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t really lose our bet, Olivia. Soon, someone is going to knock on my door again, and you need to leave before they do.¡±


    My stomach swooped when I realized what he meant. I shot to my feet. ¡°You think that Ethan is the one who sent you that bottle of wine?¡±


    As I waited for Alexander¡¯s answer, my pulse quickened just like it had a few moments ago, but now it was for an entirely different reason.


    *Olivia*


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I can¡¯t think of anyone else who would send up alcohol as a present other than Ethan,<i>¡± </i>Alexander said and frowned. ¡°Can you? I mean, you know him better than I do.¡±


    My back straightened, and my stomach jolted. I didn¡¯t like his tone or his insinuation that I knew Ethan better. I mean, it was true since he


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    <b>had </b>been my husband, but I didn¡¯t like the reminder


    Alexander looked up at me as he waited for a response. The expression in his eyes made me pause. If I didn¡¯t know any better. I would think that there was jealousy in his gaze.


    My shoulders slumped, and my anger left me as quick as it came. I blew out a long breath, then thought of something and a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of my lips.


    ¡°Well, maybe Naomi sent you that bottle of wine,¡± I suggested <b>in </b><b>a </b>teasing tone. ¡°I bet she hasn¡¯t left the hotel yet and wants to try her luck with you again, and the bottle of wine is a sort of olive branch.¡±


    I crossed my arms and stared at him. If he wanted to mention my ex, then two could y that game. He had a potential love interest that I could bring into the conversation, too.


    ¡°You always seem to be the one bringing up Naomi,¡± Alexander pointed out and leaned back on the couch, his posture rxed. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re the one who is interested in her. Go ahead and ask her out. Since I¡¯m not the least bit interested in her.¡±


    I blushed and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I wanted to tell him that if it weren¡¯t for him, Naomi would be thest thing on my mind, but I didn¡¯t want to reveal that he had any control ¨®ver my thoughts.


    *Author*


    Meanwhile, a few rooms over from Alexander and Olivia, Ethan was standing in a room across from the waiter who delivered Alexander the wine. There was an impatient frown on Ethan¡¯s face, and he crossed


    his arms.


    ¡°Well, was she there?¡± Ethan asked.


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    The waiter nodded. ¡°Yes, the woman whose picture <b>you </b><b>showed </b><b>me </b>was in Mr. Green¡¯s room.¡±


    As soon as the words were out of the waiter¡¯s mouth, Ethan swore under his breath. His face turned red with rage, and he began to <b>pace </b>the room with his hands behind his back and his body tense.


    Of course, Ethan had already suspected that Olivia and Alexander were seeing each other in some capacity. But it was different when the proof was staring him in the face. The fact that Olivia was in Alexander¡¯s room made his hands shake with anger. How could Olivia do this to him? How could she move on so quickly? Sure, Ethan had, but he was a man, and he had needs.


    After the waiter left, Ethan waited fifteen minutes before he went to Alexander¡¯s door. He knocked and waited with his arms crossed and his foot tapping an impatient rhythm.


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    But after five minutes and knocking two more times, Ethan was still staring at the white door. Why wasn¡¯t Alexander answering? Images of Olivia and Alexander passionately intertwined together popped into his head, and Ehra ¡®s hands clenched into tight fists. He decided to wait it out and began to pace in the doorway and shake his head in disgust.


    Unknown to Ethan, Olivia and Alexander weren¡¯t even in the hotel


    room.


    No one was.


    *Olivia*


    ¡°I¡¯m d we decided to get some fresh air,¡± I said to Alexander as we walked down the sidewalk of Lakeside Park.


    He smiled down at me and put his hands in his pockets. ¡°Me too.¡±


    We had the park to ourselves thanks to thete hour, and streetlights illuminated the way as we walked past benches, a yground, and a water fountain.


    We walked in silence for a few moments, then he paused and took out his phone. What he saw on the screen made him bark out augh.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    He showed me his phone screen, and with a jolt, I realized that it was a video surveince of Alexander¡¯s hotel door. And, of course, Alexander had been right. Ethan was pacing in front of his door with grim expression.


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    I stopped walking and stared down at the image in shock. Why <b>was </b><b>my </b>ex<b>¨C</b>husband at Alexander¡¯s hotel door at thiste hour? Was he <b>that </b>crazy? He should be worried about his wife¨Cto¨Cbe in the hospital, not camping out in front of Alexander¡¯s door. How strange.


    Did he think that he would avoid Chloe¡¯s crazy reactions if he didn¡¯t visit her in the hospital? That way of thinking would yield the opposite effect. Chloe¡¯s rage would just grow the longer that Ethan didn¡¯t visit her.


    I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I got you dragged into my rtionship drama,¡± I told him and looked down at my shoes, avoiding his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± he said gently and ran his hand lightly down my shoulder, making me shiver. ¡°Come on,¡± he said after a moment and gripped my hand with his warm one, pulling me along behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our walk.¡±


    After we strolled around for about twenty minutes and looked at the dark pond that was in the middle of the park¨Csomething that made my stomach roll with anxiety because of what happened with Chloe and Kelly earlier today¨Cwe walked out of the park and passed by an empty twenty¨Cfour hour convenience store.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to grab a bottle of water. Do you want anything?¡± he asked.


    Sensing my chance, I jumped at this opportunity. ¡°Actually, let me go get you a water,¡± I said. ¡°To thank you for dinner.¡±


    Alexander gave me a strange look but thankfully didn¡¯t argue.


    ¡°Be right back,¡± I said and rushed into the store.


    The fluorescent lights were too bright after the dark night, and I had blink until my eyes adjusted. Then, I hurried to the back of the store


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    and took <b>my </b>phone out of my pocket.


    <b>Ava </b>answered after the second ring.


    ¡°Hey, girl. How¡¯s it going with Alexander?¡± she asked in a teasing


    voice.


    I blushed but ignored her question because I didn¡¯t have much time. I looked behind me, scared that Alexander was going to follow in after me to see what was taking so long.


    ¡°Listen, can you do me a favor and call security. Ethan is posted up in front of Alexander¡¯s room. Can you have them remove him?¡±


    For a moment, Ava seemed to be too stunned to speak. Then she scoffed sarcastically. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that crazy asshole. He¡¯s the one who cheated on you, and now he has the audacity to try and meddle with your love life? He¡¯s actually insane. Why don¡¯t I just contact the nearest hospital, and I¡¯ll even pay for his treatment.¡±


    Even though this whole situation with Ethan was really stressing me out, a giggle escaped me. My best friend always knew how to make meugh in the most serious situations.


    *Olivia*


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    But quickly, myughter stopped, and my humor disappeared. I remembered the reason that I had called my friend in the first ce. What if Ethan was waiting at Alexander¡¯s door so that he could fight him?


    Just the thought of something happening to Alexander made cold fear shoot down my spine. And to make matters worse, he could get hurt because of his involvement with me. I didn¡¯t have any doubt that Alexander could hold his own against Ethan, but I knew my ex- husband. He never fought fair and wasn¡¯t afraid to fight dirty. I wasn¡¯t sure if he even knew the word honorable.


    ¡°Please, Ava, just find a way to get rid of Ethan by whatever means necessary,¡± I said and opened the cooler¡¯s door and grabbed Alexander a water bottle. Then, I walked around the store and just put random stuff in my basket to exin my long absence. I wasn¡¯t even looking at the things I was buying.


    ¡°I will,¡± my friend replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. You can count on me.¡±


    After we hung up, I bought my items. The total was a lot higher than I was expecting, but I handed over my credit card withoutint. Then, I walked back outside. Ethan was leaning against the side of the building with his hands in his pockets. I tried to act normal as I walked toward him, but the smile on my face felt forced.


    Distracted, I handed Alexander the grocery bag so he could get his bottle of water. I didn¡¯t even consider the fact that I had just put a bunch of random stuff in my basket. My mouth dropped open in shock when Alexander started to pull out my purchases. The first few things


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    weren¡¯t so bad. There was his bottle of water, a loaf of whole wheat bread, a bar of chocte, and a bag of chips.


    But then, he pulled out a bottle of cheap whiskey and three boxes of jumbo¨Csized condoms.


    I squeaked, and a hot blush spread throughout my whole body. How had I not noticed that I grabbed those things? Sure, I had been distracted on my call with Ava, but still. I couldn¡¯t believe I did that.


    Alexander¡¯s face was unreadable when he held the boxes of condoms in his hands. ¡°Care to exin?¡±


    Frantically, I searched my mind for an exnation. ¡°Um, well, I wanted a box of a certain type of candy, and I guess I just grabbed the Wrong box.¡±


    Inwardly, I cringed. My excuse sounded weak even to my own ears.


    ¡°But you couldn¡¯t have grabbed three boxes in a row by ident,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Besides, the condoms and candy aren¡¯t even in the same aisle.¡±


    I blew out a long breath, and then my shoulders slumped in defeat. ¡°Fine, I¡¯d been distracted because I was on the phone in the store, and I was just grabbing things at random,¡± I admitted.


    Realization sparked in Alexander¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you offered to get my water from the store? It wasn¡¯t because you wanted to thank me for dinner.


    I bit my lip as guilt made my stomach churn. When he put it that way, it sounded way more deceitful than I thought it would be when I did it.


    ¡°So, who did you call that you needed to speak with alone? Why couldn¡¯t you call this person around me?¡± Alexander asked.


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    ¡°Ava,¡± I answered, knowing that the truth was best in this situation.


    I knew that he wasn¡¯t too happy with me for talking behind his back. Tonight, back at his hotel, it felt like we had been the most honest that we had been with each other ever. But now that he caught me being secretive, it seemed like all the progress we had made had been wiped clean, and now we were back at square one.


    We began to walk down the street again, and the mood between us was ice cold. I tried to think of a way to lighten things up again. I pulled out the bar of chocte from the bag and offered it to him.


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    ¡°Do you want a piece?¡± I asked, my voice soft, hoping that he would ept my peace offering.


    But his face remained expressionless. ¡°Are the condoms that you purchased strawberry vored so that it can be like a chocte covered strawberry?¡± he asked dryly.


    I swallowed thickly. Did he think that I was nning to use the condoms with someone else? Was that why he was so mad?


    ¡°Do you want a sip of the water?¡± I asked, trying a new approach.


    But Alexander just frowned down at me. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take a swig of that whiskey since I hadn¡¯t gotten to drink any of the wine that Naomi had gotten me.¡±


    Thatment felt like a p in the face. Why was he bringing up Naomi right now? I thought that we had decided that Ethan had bought him the wine, not her.


    ¡°Here,¡± I said in a clipped tone and handed him the liquor. ¡°You can keep it. I hate whiskey.¡±


    Alexander stopped and met my gaze. He studied my face like he was trying to figure out a hard math problem. For what felt like the millionth time, I wished that his moods weren¡¯t so up and down.


    To myplete surprise, Alexander smiled. Honestly, that was thest thing I thought that he was going to do.


    ¡°Are you trying to poison me?¡± he asked, referring to the fact that I had warned him against drinking the wine because I thought it had been


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    I kept his gaze, and just to prove a point, I opened the bottle of whiskey. Even though the smell of gasoline hit me and I wanted to gag. I put the bottle to my lips.


    Alexander¡¯s face changed. ¡°Wait, Olivia, you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    But I was already tipping up the bottle and allowing the liquor to flow down my throat. Immediately. I regretted my decision as the intense whiskey made my throat <b>burn</b>. I choked and started to cough violently. As I struggled to take in a breath. I bent down and put my hands on my knees.


    Alexander patted me on the back, but I could hear himughing. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s nice to know that you still have a conscience,¡± he teased.


    We were back at the entrance of the park and when I looked back up at him to scold him for making fun of me when I was choking on that disgusting liquor, I was shocked to see any trace of humor had vanished from his face.


    He was staring into the distance, near the pond in the middle of the park, and his entire body was tense. Before I could look at what had made him react like that, Alexander¡¯s hand gripped mine, and he tugged me back.


    He started to run so fast that I stumbled. I hadn¡¯t expected him to make an escape so quickly.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± Alexander called as he continued to tug me along after him.


    The anxiety in his voice made my heart sink, and my hands became slick with sweat.


    Had Alexander seen Ethaning after us with a weapon? Were we


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    in grave danger?


    *Olivia*


    Alexander pulled me through a beautiful flower bed that had a riot of bright colors.


    I winced as we trampled through the vibrant pink, blue, and purple flowers. Usually, I would refuse to ruin the park¡¯sndscapers¡® hard work, but this wasn¡¯t the time to worry about the shrubby. My heart pounded against my chest as my mind created terrifying images of what we could be running from. What if Ethan had hired a team of guards to chase us down with guns?


    We ran through the flowers and entered an area filled with tall bamboo. Because of the gentle sound the bamboo made when it swayed in the wind, this was a calming space people could sit inplete with benches and a bubbling water fountain that had coins glittering on the bottom from past wishes. Under different


    circumstances, I would love to explore this ce, but I¡¯d never felt less calm in my life.


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    Alexander led me to a tall oak tree in the back of the bamboo. He crouched behind it and pulled me down. My stomach jolted as I lost my bnce and fell into his arms. The only reason I didn¡¯t fall t on my face was because I wrapped my arms around his neck. He caught me by cing his warm hands on my hips. Our bodies were pressed together, my soft one against his muscr body. I could feel his heart beating, and my mouth became dry as I stared into his dark eyes.


    Alexander¡¯s tongue shot out, and he licked his lips. His neck flushed, and my face was right against his exposed, hot skin. The strangest urge came over me as I studied the tan skin of his neck. I wanted to lean down and bite him. I wanted to kiss and suck his pulse point and smell his manly scent that reminded me of campfires.


    As if in a trance, I tilted my head and leaned toward his skin, but the spell was broken when I heard footsteps in the distance. Alexander and I turned as one and saw two men board a boat that had been docked in theke. They were too far away for me to see their faces. Originally, I thought the body of water in the park was a pond, but it actually connected to a biggerke in the distance. After the men prepared the boat, they sailed off.


    I turned my head prepared toment on how strange that was, but my stomach swooped when I saw how close Alexander¡¯s face was to mine. If I leaned forward only a fraction of an inch, I would be able to kiss him. That thought and the shot of whiskey I had downed made my head spin.


    ¡°Woah, you feeling alright?¡± Alexander murmured and stroked my hair back with his warm hand.


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    I leaned into his touch. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk,¡± I protested as my eyes closed under his gentle caresses.


    Alexander chuckled under his breath. ¡°I never said you were.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long we stayed like that for. But my eyes sprang open when I realized Alexander¡¯s hard length was pressing against my warm center. Our eyes met, and his darkened with desire, and he tightened his hands around my hips.


    I became dizzy again, so Iid my head on his warm chest, and he started to rub my back. My body melted into his touch, and soon I was letting out small moans as his warm hand snuck under my shirt, and he began to scratch my lower back.


    The whisky flowing through my system made me brave, and I leaned forward, cing my lips against the hot skin of his neck and started to kiss, bite, and suck him. As my teeth gently bit down, I explored his chiseled chest, secretly impressed by how strong he was.


    For a moment, Alexander froze, surprised by my uncharacteristic actions. But he recovered quickly and cupped my cheeks, dragging my face up to his. Our lips met, and we kissed each other with a burning desire that I¡¯d never felt before. I pressed my clit against his hard length, needing the friction to cool down the fire that had started in my belly. As our tongues danced together, Alexander¡¯s hands cupped my breasts and his thumbs rubbed my hard nipples.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moaned as he continued kneading the soft flesh of my chest.


    The moonlight broke through the branches of the oak tree above us and illuminated Alexander in a gentle light. He had never been more handsome.


    His tongue was insistent as he explored my hot mouth. One of his hands threaded through my hair and the other pinched my nipple.


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    Throwing all caution out the window, I reached between us and gripped his hard length, rubbing the tip of the head with my thumb.


    Instead of urging me on, which I had thought was how he would react, Alexander stopped abruptly and pulled away from me.


    His lips were swollen and red from our kissing and his hair was full of leaves from the ground.

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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked in a raspy voice that didn¡¯t sound like my


    own.


    ¡°We need to talk about a few things before we go further,¡± Alexander said and cupped my face, gently stroking my skin with his thumb.


    For some reason, I thought he was talking about money. ¡°Well, how much money are we talking about?¡±


    This made his expression close off and he pulled his warm hand away from my face. ¡°Forget it,¡± he said in a stiff voice and gently moved me aside so that he could get off the ground. As he stood, he brushed leaves and twigs off his body. ¡°It¡¯ste. We should get back to the hotel.¡±


    Clumsily, I got to my feet and staggered to the side. As I stumbled after him, confusion washed over me. What had I done wrong? From the way he was walking twenty feet ahead of me and his tense posture, I knew that I had offended him in some way, but I wasn¡¯t sure how.


    Back at the hotel, I followed him onto the elevator, as if I was in a trance. My skin was tingling and my head felt fuzzy as if someone had stuffed it with cotton balls.


    When the elevator doors opened on my floor, Alexander handed me my shopping bag filled with the random items I had bought. Silently, I took the bag without a word, and walked out of the elevator. I had to trail my hand against the wall of the hallway so I wouldn¡¯t fall over as I walked back to my room.


    I struggled to get the keycard into the slot for about ten minutes before


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    I finally got the door opened. As I walked in, the room around me spun, the shopping bag fell out of my hand, and I experienced the strangest out¨Cof¨Cbody experience. It was like I was floating above my body and watching myself.


    I managed to stagger over onto the couch and copse onto it. In the back of my mind, I heard footsteps and I recognized them as Ava¡¯s.


    My friend¡¯s face was above me, but I could barely focus on her. She said something that I couldn¡¯t understand and she gently shook my shoulders, but all I could do was stare at the ceiling and try not to let the overwhelming darkness in my head pull me under.


    *Olivia*


    My head roared with a static noise, and I tried to fight it off so that I could focus on what Ava was saying. Finally, I managed to sit up. Ava ran to get me a bottle of water from the mini fridge, and after I took a couple of sips, I felt a little bit better.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ava asked, her eyes wide with worry. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    In a shaking voice, I told her everything that had happened between Alexander and me tonight. Even how we had made out under an oak tree after we ran through a bamboo forest. As I said it out loud, it sounded like I had made the whole thing up.


    After I was done with my story, Ava¡¯s shoulders slumped, and her face rxed. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± she scolded and gently swatted my thigh. ¡°I thought that you robbed a bank or something from the way you were acting.¡±


    ¡°But I kissed and fondled my boss!¡± I protested and put the empty water bottle on the coffee table. ¡°And¡­and I want to do a lot more with him than that.¡± My face flushed. ¡°Honestly, if Alexander hadn¡¯t


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    stopped things, I would have slept with him in a public park!¡± I shook my head at my own audacity.


    ¡°Of course you want to sleep with him,¡± my friend said as a smug smile crossed her face. ¡°I¡¯ve known that since the first time I saw you two interact.¡± She paused, and her expression turned thoughtful. ¡°I wonder why he stopped things, though? From the hungry way he looks at you, anyone would be able to see how much he is dying to get into your pants.¡±


    Her boldness made augh burst from my lips. Then I remembered what I said that had made Alexander pull away. When I told Ava, her mouth dropped open in shock.

 Alpha Novel 220

    ¡°Why would you bring up the exchange of money? Neither of you are prostitutes!¡± she said in outrage. ¡°Of course, Alexander stopped things. I¡¯m sure that had humiliated him.¡±


    ¡°But he was the one who first brought up money,¡± I argued. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who introduced it into the conversation.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you sure? What are the exact words that Alexander had said?¡±


    I searched my memory, but trying to recall what Alexander had said in that moment was like trying to catch fog with my hands. It kept slipping away from me right before I could grasp onto his words.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure,¡± I admitted. ¡°I had taken a shot of whiskey before we kissed.¡± I wrung my hands in myp.


    My friend¡¯s nose crinkled. ¡°But you hate whiskey.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Tonight was just¡­very weird.¡±


    Wepsed into silence, and thankfully, Ava let me be alone with my thoughts, something that I knew was hard for her. As I reyed our kiss, I fidgeted in my seat. Now that the initial shock had worn off, remorse was flowing through me. What had I been thinking? Did it really only take me one shot and the thrill of running away from danger to kiss my boss? And it wasn¡¯t like I just kissed him. If I had it my way, Alexander and I would probably be making passionate love under the moonlight right now.


    Hot shame made my stomach hurt as I fretted over how I was going to


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    face Alexander again. It was probably for the best that I had misunderstood Alexander about the exchange of money. Even though the fact that our time was cut short made my heart lower in a way that it had never done before.


    Ava could sense my depressed mood, and she put her arm around me. As she was rubbing my arm gently, she noticed the shopping bag on the floor in the ce that I had dropped it when I came in. The contents had spilled out of it. Bread, whiskey, and condoms were spilling out of it. My face flushed. Would my embarrassment ever end?


    ¡°Wow, you definitely prepared to spend the night with Alexander,¡± she said and nodded her head approvingly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± I sighed, too tired to exin the strange assortment of items.


    My friend squeezed my shoulder, and I got a whiff of her strawberry lemon scented shampoo. The smell was reassuringly familiar. ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad. Alexander is obsessed with you. You will get many more chances with him,¡± she said.


    I didn¡¯t say anything as a wave of exhaustion overwhelmed me.


    Ava seemed to sense that I was too tired to walk to my bedroom, so she brought out a pillow and nket and tucked me in on the couch. I mumbled a quiet thanks and immediately drifted off to sleep.


    The next morning, I woke up with my head pounding like someone had hit me with a hammer repeatedly as I slept. I looked at my phone and saw that it was still pretty early, so I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep. But when I closed my eyes, images fromst night flooded into my head. Having dinner with Alexander, the mysterious bottle of wine, and our confusion at the convenience store.


    But the thing that I remembered the most clearly was our kiss under


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    the moonlight. I shivered as I recalled his warm touch, his searing kisses, and his strong hands as they roamed all over my body. Just thinking about our time under the moonlightst night made my body hungry for more.


    My rational mind had apletely different reaction than my body. Panic and regret was spreading throughout my body like a disease, infecting my heart so it began to pound against my chest and making my stomach sick as I thought about how it would be impossible to look Alexander in the face again.


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    How was I supposed to work for a man that I had rolled around on the ground with? What hade over mest night? I could hardly me it on the alcohol. I¡¯d only had one shot. It was like Alexander himself had drugged me with his dark eyes, muscr body, and sultry voice. But it went even deeper than his good looks. The sizzling chemistry between us made my legs tremble from just thinking about it.


    A knock on the door distracted me from my thoughts. Unsteadily, I stood, walked to the door, and opened it without looking through the peephole.


    That had been a mistake.


    Standing in the hallway was my ex¨Chusband.


    His hair was tousled, and there were dark, purplish bruises under his eyes like he hadn¡¯t slept at allst night. The wild look on his eyes made my stomach stiffen with fear.


    Before he could say anything, I tried to shut the door on him, but Ethan must have known I would try to close it. His hand shot out, and he thrust the door wide open. With his eyes boring into mine, he leaned forward until our faces were inches apart.


    My pulse quickened, and I froze with terror.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to speak with me, Olivia,¡± he murmured in a low, dangerous voice.


    *Olivia*


    A jolt of anxiety went down my spine, and I immediately went into


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    flight or fight mode. I put my hands on his bulky chest and tried to push him out of the doorway so that I would be able to close the door, but I would have had more sess with a brick wall.


    Ethan huffed out an annoyed breath like my terror was an inconvenience to him.


    I narrowed my eyes and hatred for my ex¨Chusband flowed through me. My anger toward him was so strong that my hands shook and my teeth gritted.


    Ethan forced the door open and came into my hotel room like he owned the ce.


    My hands clenched into my fists, and I had to resist the urge to punch him. I didn¡¯t want to give him an excuse to call the cops. But if he tried anything, all bets were off, and I was going to knee him in the balls and then scratch his eyes out. Because of my splitting headache, I wasn¡¯t in the mood for his bullshit today.


    My throat became dry, so I went into the kitchen to get something to drink, but Ethan grabbed my hand and yanked me back to him.


    As my skin tingled with fear, I tried to rip my hand out of his strong gasp, but he was too strong. My anxiety increased as he tightened his hand. One of my biggest fears was being trapped, and Ehran was well aware of this. He was using this knowledge against me. ¡°What the hell is your problem?¡± I demanded. ¡°Why are you being so pushy?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s expression softened, and he let go of my wrist. When he let go, my blood pulsed painfully back up my arm because he had cut off the blood flow to my hand


    I red at him as I rubbed my wrist.


    There was a tiny amount of regret in his eyes as he looked at me, but I


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    didn¡¯t care. He shouldn¡¯t have tried to restrain me in the first ce.


    Then, Ethan¡¯s expression changed as he looked at my corbone. A suspicious frown crossed his face.


    My cheeks heated as I guessed what had caught his attention.


    A hickey I¡¯d gotten as a souvenir fromst night.


    Even though I hadn¡¯t been able to look in a mirror this morning yet, Alexander had been kissing my neck when we were lying under that oak treest night. I didn¡¯t remember the exact moment when he could have left a mark on me, but it was definitely a possibility.


    Especially because of the way Ethan was seething with jealousy. His face was turning red, and I could practically see steaming out of his nose. But how could he have the audacity to be jealous? He was the one who had a mistress during our marriage.


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    With an animalistic grunt, Ethan reached for my cor.


    My pulse quickened, and I backed away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me again!¡± I yelled. If you do, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    Hepletely ignored my threat as if he hadn¡¯t even heard me. Ethan reached forward and tugged the cor of my shirt down. His eyes widened with rage at the three red hickeys prominent against my pale skin.


    ¡°You whore,¡± he snapped and gripped my arms so hard that I gasped out in pain.


    But my distress just seemed to spur him on as he squeezed my skin as hard as he could. The room started to spin and I was convinced that he was about to rip my arms out of their sockets.


    ¡°Get off of me!¡± I screamed and my hand shot up and I smacked him across the face.


    This made him let go, but then he pulled me close against his chest. His familiar sharp cologne made me gag and I tried to struggle away from him.


    ¡°Did you fuck another manst night?¡± he demanded as he looked down at me with rage.


    I scoffed and tried to put on a brave face even though my heart was pounding with anxiety. ¡°That¡¯s really none of your business, is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°When we got divorced, you promised never to be with another man.¡±


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    My hands shook with anger and I attempted to push him away again, but he was too strong. ¡°Oh, get over yourself, Ethan. You think that you¡¯re this big, strong man. But inside you¡¯re just an insecure little boy.¡± I was no longer scared of him. I was beyond pissed that Ethan had forced himself in my hotel room just to push me around. ¡°I¡¯m at free woman. Just because I had once made the mistake of marrying you doesn¡¯t mean that I have to be a nun for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°I know that you were with that asshole Alexanderst night,¡± he growled, changing his tactic. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were such a gold digger.¡±


    I didn¡¯t take his bait. ¡°Yeah and? Alexander and I are both single. I spent the night with him and it was the best night I¡¯ve ever had. Way better than any night I had to endure with you.¡±


    Instead of angering him further¨Cwhich had been my intention¨Cmy admission made Ethan finally let go of me and his eyes became red and his mouth trembled.


    I crossed my arms and glowered at him. His mood swings were even worse than Alexander¡¯s.


    ¡°Please, you can¡¯t let Alexander use you. He¡¯s just toying with your feelings and he just wants a pretty girl to keep his bed warm at night. He will never marry you,¡± he said.


    His words made my eyes sh with anger. Ethan had this situation all wrong. Ifst night were any indication, I was the one who had kissed Alexander and he was the one to stop it. If anything, I was toying with Alexander¡¯s emotions, not the other way around.


    Ethan gently put his hands on my shoulders as if that could make up for the way he was manhandling me a few moments ago. ¡°Listen, you know that I have always loved you. That I will always love you. I know that I¡¯ve made some mistakes, but I¡¯m willing to take responsibility for


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    them to get you back.¡±


    His confession made bile rise to my throat. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re just embarrassing yourself. Didn¡¯t you promise not to dwell after our divorce was finalized?¡±


    ¡°I was forced into our divorce! You know that,¡± he said vehemently. He was breathing hard, but he seemed to force himself to calm down before continuing. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just try to be friends first? Get to know each other again. You know that deep down in your heart, Alexander is never going to marry you. He has family obligations to uphold. He has to marry a girl that his family would approve of. And, I¡¯m sorry, Olivia, but the Green¡¯s wouldn¡¯t approve of him marrying a girl of your background. Alexander will marry someone like Naomi Wright.¡±

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    His words made my stomach stiffen.


    Ethan slowly raised his hand and trailed his fingers down my cheek. ¡°Could you really be satisfied just being Alexander¡¯s mistress?¡±


    *Olivia*


    I swallowed around the lump that had developed in my throat. Even though I hated to admit it, Ethan did have a point. Alexander¡¯s family would never allow him to marry someone like me.


    It wasn¡¯t even like I was making an assumption. Just at the thought of Alexander spending the night with him, his mother had set him up on a date with Naomi. No matter what I did, the Green family would never ept me. That thought made it feel like someone had just put a thousand pound boulder on my chest.


    But then I shook my head to clear it. I red at my ex. I wasn¡¯t going to allow him to get into my head. I didn¡¯t even want to be with Alexander. My life wasplicated enough. Why would I want toplicate it even more by dating my boss?


    I crossed my arms and cocked my hip. ¡°It¡¯s funny that you would bring up the subject of mistresses. When you¡¯re the one who slept with Chloe when you were still married to me.¡± I pointed an using finger at him. ¡°It seems like whoever you¡¯re mitted¡® to at the time you don¡¯t seem to care about. Why the hell are you in my hotel room arguing with me when your future pregnant wife is in the hospital after being stabbed and almost drowned?¡± I paused and blew out a long breath ¡°Are you cheating on her?¡±


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    ¡°Chloe tricked me,¡± Ethan admitted and averted his eyes from mine. ¡°She faked being pregnant. She forced me into a sexual rtionship with her. I never wanted to cheat on you. I swear it.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Tell someone who will believe it,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of your fibs. Nothing is ever your fault, is it?¡± I waited until Ethan was looking me in the eyes before I said what I needed to. I wanted to make sure that he was actually hearing me and not pretending to listen like usual. ¡°We are never getting back together, Ethan. The most important thing in a rtionship is trust, and after everything that you¡¯ve put me through, I will never trust you again.¡±


    Ethan winced like I had hit him, but I kept going.


    ¡°Now, go take care of Chloe, or you can kiss your rtionship goodbye,¡± I said and crossed my arms with finality.


    Instead of leaving, Ethan gazed at me with hurt in his eyes. I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was putting on an act, but I didn¡¯t care either way. He didn¡¯t deserve my sympathy.


    ¡°Why are you treating me like shit?¡± he asked, his voice breaking on thest word.


    I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who, not even five minutes ago forced yourself into my room and pushed me around. Besides, everything that I¡¯ve said was true.¡±


    ¡°You can apologize to me by apanying me to the restaurant downstairs for breakfast,¡± Ethan said and took my hand, pulling me out of the room.


    I tried to stand my ground, but he was too powerful.


    He opened the door and dragged me out of the room. I wanted to kick him or punch him in the face in order to let me go, but there were


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    people in the hallway, and I didn¡¯t want to cause a big scene.


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    Ethan continued to drag me toward the elevator, and I wondered how there was ever a time when I was in love with this big bully.


    *Author*


    Meanwhile, at the hotel¡¯s restaurant, Ava was sitting at a table with Aiden and Richard. She picked up her ss of orange juice but almost dropped it when Aiden bumped her shoulder with his.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Ava murmured, gripping her ss tighter so she wouldn¡¯t drop it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a man pulling Olivia behind him,¡± Aiden whispered to his sister. ¡°Who is that? Do you know him?¡±


    As soon as Ava saw Ethan pulling Olivia through the crowded restaurant, she mmed her ss down and orange juice sloshed onto the white tablecloth. She stood up and went to rescue her friend.


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    But Richard put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into her seat. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the saving to Alexander,<i>¡± </i>he said and winked.


    A smirk bloomed across Ava¡¯s face. ¡°I like your style.¡±


    Richard took a picture of Olivia and Ethan, then sent it to Alexander with a message that was sure to get his attention: ¡°Look at these two lovebirds.¡±


    Aiden and Ava looked over Richard¡¯s shoulder and shared a wide¨Ceyed


    look.


    ¡°Richard, do you think sending that video is the best idea?¡± she asked gently. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just going to piss Alexander off?¡±


    But it was toote. Richard had already sent the video. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to happen? Do you want Alexander and Olivia to finally get together or not?¡± But there was a nervous edge to his voice as he thought about the repercussions he could receive from his boss.


    The two siblings just stared at him, unsure what to say.


    Alexander was pacing in his room, thinking about what happened between Olivia and himst night. Of course, he had enjoyed every second of their time under the moonlight. Well, except for the part where Olivia had asked for money to spend the night with him. What the hell had that been about? She had only had one shot of whiskeyst night. What had gotten into her?


    When his phone vibrated with a message, he took it out and read it quickly. When he saw the picture of Ethan holding Olivia¡¯s hand, he


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    saw red. Then, when he read the expression ¡®love birds¡® his blood boiled with rage. What the hell had Richard been thinking? Why would he send him something like that?


    Alexander ripped open his hotel room door as his hands shook with anger. When he got to the elevator bank, he jammed the button for the ground floor. After he rode three floors down, the doors opened and revealed a teenage boy who was going to step in the same elevator, but thought better of it when he saw the murderous look on Alexander¡¯s face.


    Back at the restaurant, Ava stood up again when she saw Ethan pull Olivia tightly against his body. Ava could tell by her friend¡¯s ufortable face that she wanted to push her ex¨Chusband away and p him in the face for manhandling her, but she knew Olivia didn¡¯t want to make a big scene in this crowded restaurant.


    But Ava wasn¡¯t afraid of making a scene. Her palm twitched to p the arrogant smile off of Ethan¡¯s face.


    Before she could intervene, though, Richard put a hand on her arm. Ava looked back at him and narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I need to go help my friend,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°No,¡± Richard said calmly yet firmly. ¡°This is a good way for Olivia and Alexander¡¯s rtionship to progress. No one is going to interfere.¡± He made prolonged eye contact with Ava and then looked over at Aiden, who was halfway out of his seat, obviously nning to go over with his sister to act as backup. ¡°You guys will have to get through me first, and do I have to remind you that I¡¯m a ck belt in many different types of karafe?¡±


    *Olivia*


    As the hostess showed us to a private table in the back, Ethan


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    tightened his hold onto my hand as if he could sense that I had been nning to make a break for it.


    With no other choice¨Cunless I wanted to make a bigmotion in front of all these people¨CI sat down in the seat, and Ethan sank into the chair right across from me. He kept a firm grip on my hand even as the hostess handed us our menus.


    ¡°Awe you two make such a lovely couple,¡± the hostess said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ethan murmured and smirked. ¡°We¡¯re in Ld to celebrate our ten year anniversary,¡± he lied. ¡°Today¡¯s the big day.¡± He looked at me with adoration. ¡°I¡¯ve never been more in love with her


    than this moment.¡±


    I red at him. How could he be making up stories at a time like this? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was a pathological liar. Maybe I should have taken Ava up on her offer to send Ethan to a mental hospitalst night. Maybe he was really certifiably crazy.


    ¡°That is so sweet!¡± the hostess said and pped her hands in excitement. ¡°Congrattions, guys. Let me talk to your server and see if we can start you off withplimentary mimosas.¡±


    I wanted to contradict him and tell the young girl the truth, but it didn¡¯t seem worth it.


    When the server walked away, I looked around the crowded restaurant for a distraction, and I locked eyes with Ava. She was having breakfast with Aiden and Richard, and jealousy for their normal meal made my stomach clench. More than anything, I wished that I could be sitting with them and enjoying a rxed breakfast.


    Hoping that she would rescue me, I widened my eyes at my friend, silently pleading for her help. Maybe my three friends could create a n to silently remove Ethan from the restaurant to avoid causing a


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    public scene.


    But instead ofing to help me, there was an apologetic look in my friend¡¯s eyes, and then she averted her gaze from mine. My brows furrowed, and I looked to Aiden for help, but he was purposely staring at his te full of eggs and bacon.


    What the hell? Why were they acting this way? My heart lowered with disappointment. I thought that I would be able to count on them to help <ol><li>me. </li></ol>

 Alpha Novel 225

    As ast resort, I looked to Richard for help, but he wasn¡¯t looking at me. Instead, he was staring at the door with a look of anticipation on his face. My gaze swung to see what had caught his attention.


    When I saw who it was, my body tensed.


    Alexander strode into the restaurant, his face cold, and his hands clenched at his side. It looked like he was preparing himself for battle.


    Crap.


    Thest thing I wanted to do when I was being forced to have breakfast with my ex¨Chusband was face the man who I had made out withst night. How was I going to navigate this awkward situation? I would rather be anywhere else in the world right now.


    As my heart pounded against my ribcage, I tried to pull my hand out of Ethan¡¯s strong grip again, but he held on tight.


    ¡°Are you only trying to get away from me now that your little boyfriend has made an appearance?¡± Ethan hissed. ¡°Are you afraid that we are going to make him jealous?¡±


    I red at him. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯ve been trying to get away from you since you forced me down here,¡± I hissed at him, trying to put all the hatred that was bubbling inside of me behind my words.


    The closer that Alexander got to our table, the quicker my heart beat.


    To my surprise, Alexander didn¡¯t immediately start yelling. Instead, he calmly sat down in the vacant seat next to me. An unreadable


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    expression crossed his face as his gaze swept down to our sped hands. I hoped that Alexander could see how tense my body was. I hoped that he didn¡¯t think that I was here by choice.


    A tense moment passed as the three of us waited to see who was going to be the first to speak.


    ¡°Ethan, is there any point in forcing Olivia to have breakfast with you?¡± Alexander asked in a cold, calm voice. ¡°Are you that starved forpany?¡±


    I bit my lip so I wouldn¡¯tugh out loud. Relief flooded through me when I realized that Alexander could tell that my ex¨Chusband was making me do this, and I wasn¡¯t having breakfast with him or holding his hand because I wanted to. I wanted to smile because of how well


    Alexander knew me.


    ¡°I have a question for you, Mr. Green. Why do you want another man¡¯s wife?¡± Ethan questioned and raised his eyebrows.


    My jaw clenched. ¡°Shut up,¡± I snapped at my ex. I had finally reached my breaking point with him. ¡°I¡¯m not your wife.¡±


    Mustering all of my strength, I was able to rip my hand out of Ethan¡¯s tight grip. As I flexed my fingers, I saw a hint of pride shining in Alexander¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult Alexander, or it¡¯s thest thing you¡¯ll do,¡± I told Ethan.


    My ex¨Chusband¡¯s eyes shed with anger. ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much trying to please Alexander.¡±


    I hit the table with my hands as rage shot down my spine. A few people looked over at us, but I didn¡¯t care anymore about causing a scene. Not when I was seeing red with anger. ¡°You are the most despicable, cold, and selfish person I have ever met,¡± I hissed in a low,


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    dangerous voice, putting all of my emotions behind my words. ¡°You are nothingpared to Alexander. You are the gum stuck to the bottom of someone¡¯s shoepared to him. You don¡¯t even deserve to be in the same conversation as him.¡±


    At this point, my chest was heaving, and my eyes were reduced to slits as I stared down my ex.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to push me too far, Ethan,¡± I said in a threatening tone. ¡°I know as much as Chloe does. I know things that could ruin your life. Maybe you should watch how you treat me.¡±


    A muscle in Ethan¡¯s neck bulged, and he glowered at me. ¡°Watch yourself, Olivia. If you want to y in the big leagues, you might get burned.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense,¡± I snapped.


    Alexander chuckled under his breath.


    I knew that it wouldn¡¯t be smart to make an enemy out of Ethan. He had connections with powerful, dangerous people. But at that moment, I didn¡¯t care. I had been pushed to the edge too many times by him.


    ¡°Look at what you did,¡± Alexander said to Ethan and gestured to me. ¡°You drove a woman who once loved you to say these hurtful things. You¡¯re pathetic.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s hands clenched on the table. But Alexander wasn¡¯t done yet.


    ¡°If you still have any love left for Olivia, you should leave her be,¡± Alexander continued. ¡°The kindest thing you can do right now is leave her alone. Allow her to find happiness because it isn¡¯t going to be with you.¡±


    Ethan growled at him. ¡°And who will she find happiness with? You?¡±


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