Chapter 0026
Alexander
The door clicked shut behind her, and my pulse thundered my cars. Lauren. She was here. Standing in front of ine, as defiant and maddening as ever. Rising from my desk I met her gaze.
“These matters don’t concern you,” she snapped, her voice sharp and dismissive. “The agreement is signed. I’m leaving”
I approached her, her eyes widening as I stopped in front of her. “Move,” she nearly snarled, attempting to sidestep me. I blocked her again, my body a wall between her and the door. Her frustration only fueled the storm inside me.
“I’m not done with you yet,” I said, my voice low, taut with restraint. “You’ll answer me.”
She crossed her arms, her defiance cutting through the tension. “Since you’ve already met my fiancé,” she said coldly, “who do you think the child belongs to?”
The word “fiancé” clawed at me. I couldn’t stop myself. “Did you fake your death on purpose?” My voice was low, raw with anger. “Was that the plan? Lose the baby, run to Liam, and have his child while pretending it was mine?”
Her jaw tightened, but for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker–hurt, maybe–but she quickly hid behind her mask. Before she could respond, the door creaked open.
Beta Miles entered awkwardly, Owen’s small hand clasped in his. “Sir,” he began, his voice trailing off under my glare. “Owen heard Lauren was here and wanted to see her.”
Owen broke free, running to her. “Morning, miss!” His voice was unusually bright.
Lauren crouched, her expression softening in a way that twisted something deep inside me. That look–it wasn’t for me. “Sorry, kiddo. I’m busy today,” she said gently, smoothing his hair. “But I’ll see you at the hospital next time, okay?”
Her warmth for him only tightened the coil of bitterness in my chest. “Even though Liam is the Alpha King’s favorite son, he’s still just the child of a mistress,” I kept going, even though I knew this discussion was finished
for now. “He’ll never inherit the throne, and nothing you gain from him will give you a better life.”
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing with a sharpness that made me almost regret it. Almost. “Worry about your fiancée and Owen,” she said icily. “Move on.”
My brow twitched, lowering. Before I could respond, Owen’s small voice cut through. “Daddy, bad man,” he said, quiet but sure. “Made Mommy mad.”
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Mommy? “Don’t say that, Owen,” I snapped, sharper than I intended.
Lauren’s hand trembled as she gently peeled Owen’s fingers from her sleeve. The small, sad smile she gave him. was like a dagger to my chest, stirring something I didn’t dare examine too closely.
She turned and walked away, her back straight, her resolve unshaken. And this time, I let her go. But as the door clicked shut behind her, the emptiness crept in, heavy and suffocating.
She’d signed the papers–technically, I’d won.
So why didn’t it feel like it?
Abigail
The amusement park was so loud. There was music everywhere, and people were laughing, and the smell of
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FREDICT 3526
popcom und fried stuff made my stomach rumble.
Owen’s hand was holding mine so tight, and I could feel the buzz of excitement in my chest. We were walking through the crowd, but my brain wasn’t really on the rides or the fun stuff. It was on one thing: bad daddy.
I already knew something was wrong when Mommy had walked in the door. She didn’t look like herself. Her smile was gone, and her eyes were all shiny, like she was about to cry, I didn’t need to ask what happened. I could tell. I ran to my room as fast as I could and grabbed my phone. It was hidden under my pillow, just like I always keep it.
Ch
