Chapter One

최신 챕터

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   55

  Harriet's POV The door creaked open softly as a woman stepped inside, her presence immediately filling the cramped little room with a warmth that seemed to push back some of the shadows lingering in my mind. She was older, probably in her sixties, with silver-streaked hair pulled back into a loose bun. Her face was lined but lively, and her eyes sparkled with genuine kindness and curiosity. “Gino,” she exclaimed softly, her voice thick with emotion. “It’s been years—years since I last saw you!” Gino stood quickly, a hesitant smile crossing his face as he stepped toward her. “Mrs. Carter,” he said, voice warm. “It’s good to see you again. Sorry for just showing up like this.” She hurried over, her arms opening wide. “No need to apologize, dear. I’ve always told you—you’re like family. And I’m glad you’re safe. Come in, come in.” Her eyes flicked over to me, and for a moment, her smile faltered. Her gaze sharpened, and her brow furrowed as she took in my face—my tense posture,

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   54

  Harriet’s POV The room was small, cluttered, and smelled like it hadn't been aired out in years. Dust clung to every surface, and the faint glow of the city’s distant lights seeped through the cracked curtains, casting long shadows across the battered furniture. I sank onto the edge of the bed, feeling the uneven springs creak beneath me. My mind was racing, trying to piece together everything that had happened—everything I’d felt. The glow. The power. The anger, the fear, the confusion. I pressed my palms into my eyes, trying to block out the chaos swirling inside me. It was like a storm that refused to calm, each thunderclap echoing with questions I couldn’t answer. Gino sat quietly beside me, his presence a fragile anchor in this storm. His hand rested softly on my knee, warm and steady. I appreciated the gesture, but I knew that no matter how much he tried to reassure me, I was still lost in a sea of doubt. I looked out the window again, watching the city lights flicker

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   53

  Harriet’s POV The engine’s hum was the only sound filling the silence inside the car. I stared out the window, watching the trees blur past, struggling to process everything that had just happened. My mind kept replaying the chaos—Aurora’s hatred, Damon’s desperation, the glow in my eyes—and I couldn’t quite believe what I’d seen, what I’d felt. Gino was silent beside me, his eyes occasionally flicking to me with concern. I could feel his gaze, but I didn’t turn to look at him yet. I needed a moment—more than that, I needed to understand what I’d become. My hands clenched into fists in my lap. I felt the residual tingling in my fingertips—the strange, electric power that still hummed beneath my skin—and I wondered how much of what happened was real, and how much was just my mind playing tricks on me. I’d always thought I was normal, just a woman trying to make her way in the world. Now, everything had changed. I was no longer sure what I was or who I should be. I took a deep

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   52

  Harriet's POV Damon's eyes glistened with disobedience; he held no fear. 'You think I could want to hear what you have to say? I don't. Harriet can make her own decisions about who she wants," Damon turned to me and fell to his knees, reaching for my hands, and he gazed up at me. “Harriet, the day you left was the worst nightmare for me, I should never have bet you go so easily. You are meant for me. I can’t bare to see you with anyone else, please come home and give me another chance, will you?” Damon’s words threw me. Months ago, I would have melted at such a thing to happen to me from him, but now? I felt nothing. He didn't deserve me or another chance. To him, I was just his mistress. To Gino, I was everything; he treated me like I was worthy and showed me how much he cared. There was absolutely no doubt about it. "No, Damon. I don't want to be with you; we were never meant to be. I feel nothing. Gino is my true love; he makes me feel good about myself, and I do

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   51

  Harriet’s POV The sudden appearance of Aurora shattered the fragile moment I had been trying to hold together. Her face was a storm—eyes blazing, lips pressed into a tense line. The air grew colder, suffocating, as if her anger had seeped into every corner of the room.Her voice was icy, cutting through the silence. “Damon, what’s going on here?” She stepped closer, suspicion and something darker flickering in her gaze.Damon straightened, his jaw tightening as he turned to face her. “Aurora, I was just—”She cut him off sharply, voice rising slightly. “Just what? Entertaining old flames? After everything?”My stomach clenched painfully. I could feel my fists tightening, but I kept my expression as neutral as I could, trying to hold onto the resolve I’d gathered. I knew Aurora’s reputation—her fierce protectiveness, her jealousy. I understood her as a rival, a threat, even if my heart was pounding painfully in my chest.Damon finally spoke, voice calm but with an undercurrent of tens

• Rejected by my ex, claimed by the CEO   Fifty

  Harriet’s POV I stood at the edge of the place I had fled when my lover had denied me, I remembered his words that we would never be together. The tears that I had cried because of him. He had made me feel worthless and unwanted and weak. I was just an omega in his eyes. But then, I’d met Gino. He was everything that Damon wasn’t. Yet, Damon had followed me to France and believed we were mates? I couldn’t think of anything worse than being with someone who hadn’t seen my worth from the start. All I was to him was someone to have sex with. He had chosen Aurora after all, she was a better fit for him. Leaving this pack had been the right thing to do, I thought I’d be happy with Gino. A fresh start away from my old life and yet there it was, seeping its way back into my new life like a snake. I had to face Damon head on and tell him straight that we were over, he had made his decision and it was Gino I wanted to be with. Suddenly Sandra came rushing towards me with the b