LOGINAmelia For hours, I work tirelessly to push down the posts about my false relationship with Conrad, pausing only to tend to Sage and to respond to Sapphira’s messages.Even now, I take a glimpse at my daughter’s sleeping form on the makeshift bed I prepared for her on the sofa, and a soft smile touches my lips when she breathes softly, somehow finding a way to stick her thumb into her mouth.I resume my work, communicating with the PR team to get an update on our progress report, and a soft knock on the door distracts me.“Come in,” I urge, and tilt my head slightly to the side, expecting to see my secretary.But it’s Conrad, looking as handsome as ever, his perfect face and broad shoulders standing out in his tailored black suit. My heart does an unnecessary skip at the sight of him.But I glare instead, severely agitated and irritated by everything happening. “If I remember correctly, we don’t have any meeting scheduled for today. What are you doing here?”The scent of cedar and ex
Amelia One minute, I’m frantically moving around the kitchen island like an overstressed supermom–juggling toasts, fruit packs, and a toddler who thinks breakfast time is playtime.Sage’s nanny called in sick this morning, and since I don’t trust anyone else to look after my daughter, I have no choice but to take her to work with me today.“Mama, look! It’s you on TV!” she squeals, gurgling gleefully, and clapping her hands.I frown deeply, trying to understand why I would be on TV when I haven’t granted any interviews recently, and the partnership between Lunaris and Voss Tech is not due to reach the press until next week.After fixing the last slice of diced mangos in the butterfly plate, I brush it off, believing Sage mistook someone else for me. That is, until she says it again with more excitement.“See! Mama, it’s you!”Before I turn around, Sapphira bursts in, looking really…crazy. Her hair is halfway blown out, her shirt is misbuttoned, and her pants are missing a belt.Eyes
Conrad The second I walk out of the restaurant, Zayne is waiting for me by the car, and I notice the hard look in his eyes.“Is something wrong?” I ask, and gesture to the brown envelope he has tucked under his arm.He shakes his head. “It is good and bad news. I finally found CCTV footage from the night of the murder,” Zayne says. “It’s complicated. Someone messed with the server it was saved in and hid it away. We found it broken and buried in an old building, and luckily, the forensic team could still retrieve the data stored inside the drive.”Judging by the look in his eyes, I straighten, bracing myself for the worst, for the possibility that everything I’ve been holding onto could shatter right here.“What did you see?”His expression made me tense up, it must be serious.Zayne exhales. “Everything checks out. Jason and Selah gave false testimony about the time she caught them cheating. At about the time of the alpha and luna’s murder, Amelia was already on her way to the club.
ConradI don’t want to cross the line, but I can’t resist the question gnawing at me. “Your daughter…"Her gaze hardens instantly—sharp, guarded. As if she’d burn the world for her little girl—the little girl that might be mine too.“My daughter is off topic.”I lean in closer, letting the heat of my body brush against hers. “I respect that, Amelia. I just need to know if she’s—”“She’s not yours,” she answers sharply. “Her father’s someone I dated for a short while after I was thrown out of the pack. Don’t ever ask about him or her again.”I don’t believe her. Something’s off about her reaction, about her story. Or maybe it’s the possessive part of me that’s slowly slipping. My brain clings to one thing, one brutal truth that rips straight through my chest.A man.There was someone else. Someone who had what should’ve been mine.My wolf stirs possessively.He touched her…felt her.My jaw tightens before I can stop it. Jealousy surges through me so violently it’s almost dizzying. I
ConradI adjust the cufflinks on my shirt and take a step forward, fully prepared to smash the notoriously arrogant congressman’s face if his hand stays on her wrist a second longer.“I am not going to repeat myself,” I growl, my hands already curling into fists.Mr. Ross looks like he has a mouthful of bullshit to spew, but after one thoughtful glance at me and sizing me up, he releases her wrist and kicks back his chair with a scowl etched deep into his face.Fixing the buttons on his jacket, he drops the tab on the table and gives Amelia a condescending glare. “Good riddance, I suppose,” he hisses harshly. “I could tell you were trouble the second I read your profile. You orphanage-raised, single mothers all are.”A wave of anger hits me at that insult, but before I can react, Amelia smirks. “Let me make this clear, my daughter is not baggage. I would choose her a hundred times over a loser like you.”He bares his teeth at her, but he knows better than to act on whatever rage he f
AmeliaThe faint aroma of truffle hits me as soon as I step inside the restaurant. A polished marble floor gleams under the crystal chandeliers, the whole place dressed up in its usual extravagance.Sapphira and I have had dinner here enough times for me to know our favorite chef’s signature dish is on the menu tonight, but all I’m dying to do is order a takeout we can eat while curling up on the couch, watching our favorite show after Sage goes to bed.That is better than any date could ever be, and if it weren’t for Sapphira, I wouldn’t even bother with this. I sigh as I glance around for the man my best friend believes will be a perfect match for me.It’s just one date, though. I’m certain I can pull it off.When I spot him, Congressman Ross Dorrian, he’s already seated, chin lifted as if the world itself needs to adjust to his presence. He’s wearing a tailored tuxedo, and his expensive diamond watch catches the light. His smile is confident and practiced, borderline rehearsed.Ty







