Chapter 0022
Lauren’s POV
The room seemed to freeze, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Alexander’s jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to where Llam’s hand rested on my hip.
What? Fiancée?
The word echoed in my mind as I stared back at Liam. My gaze flicked to Sophia, whose smile seemed to stretch wider by the second, her eyes sparkling with the satisfaction of a secret revealed.
s voice dans
“Your fiancée?” Alexander repeated, his voice dangerously calm.
“That’s right,” Liam replied, his tone light but his grip fir. “Though I suppose congratulations are in order for you and Sophia as well.”
Sophia beamed, clearly pleased by the implication, but Alexander’s focus remained on me. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders spoke volumes
His dark, intense gaze never wavered from me, as though he were peeling away the layers of my composure with every passing second.
The heat of his stare crawled beneath my skin, leaving an unsettling trail I couldn’t shake. I hated how easily he made me feel exposed, like an open book written in a language I couldn’t understand.
I felt myself shrink, Instinctively pulling away from Liam, desperately trying to get this train wreck back on track.
“We’re here to discuss the recent hospital acquisitions,” I said, my voice steady, even though my hands were folded tight infront of me. “Liam and I represent Hailsing, and we’re hoping to finalize the terms.”
Sophia’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite place, but she wasted no time in dismissing my words.” of
course, we’ll be happy to offer you a price you’ll be satisfied with,” she said, her tone as smooth and patronizing as ever.
It was then that Alexander spoke, his voice cutting through the tension in the air like a knife. “What I need,” he said slowly, “is for Lauren to agree to stay with the pack, and to be fully involved in Owen’s treatment.” His words were a command, not a request.
The room seemed to freeze around me, my breath catching in my throat as I processed what he was saying. Laruen, my name. He never was afraid to push the room dispite it’s discomfort. I glanced at Liam, but he didn’t speak immediately. His face was unreadable, a mask of calm that hid the storm of emotions beneath.
Liam stepped forward, his charming smile spreading. “I’m afraid that’s not posible, sir,” he said firmly, his voice full of quiet defiance. “We have many other doctors, and I’m sure I can find you one just as good as Dr. Ava, Alexander. We’re not here for this.”
“Lauren,” Alexander corrected, his voice chilling. His eyes cold and calculating, flicked briefly from Liam to me, his gaze lingering like a shadow.
“Alpha King’s health is deteriorating,” he continued, his tone deceptively calm. “You, more than anyone, would. understand that, Liam. Once your brother ascends to the throne, you won’t be able to protect Lauren in the coming power struggle. She needs to stay where she’s useful. Where she belongs.”
I could feel the blood rush to my face, my heart pounding in my chest as the words sank in, Liam and Sophia’s face paling
I knew Alexander wasn’t interested in buying the hospital for the sake of business. No, he wanted to control me.
+25 BONUS
with every passing second, the weight of his intention pressed heavier on my chest.
Llam’s law clenched. “You can’t just take her, Alexander, dy her,” he said, his voice low but full of anger. “She’s hot some pawn in your gaine. She’s not yours to control.”
But Alexander didn’t flinch. “Control? I’m not interested keeping things in order, in making sure the right pieces are
controlling anyone, Liam. But I am interested in
where they belong. Only I can guarantee her safety.”
He locked eyes with Liam, his expression unmoving. “You see that soon enough.”
The words left like a bear trap snapping around me, ensnaring me to this man. I couldn’t… do this.
I turned to Liam, my mind racing. “Enough,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I needed space before I said something I’d regret.
Liam opened his mouth to protest, but the fire in my gaze shut him down. With a single nod, I moved away, my footsteps echoing in the empty space as I excused myself, desperate to escape the weight of the conversation.
The bathroom door clicked shut behind me, and I exhaled, pressing my palms to the cool marble sink.
It seemed impossible to convince Alexander to abandon his plans for the hospital. But it wasn’t just a building to
it was everything. My life’s work, my child’s memory. Letting go wasn’t an option. I couldn’t walk away from the one thing that kept me connected to the child I had lost.
me
A shadow flickered in my peripheral vision, and my heart leaped. I spun around, only to find a closet door opening behind me.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0023
