# Chapter 135**Dante’s POV**My grip tightened around the flowers as I waited outside her office.For almost three years since she left, I had been living under the radar.Amaya was doing well for herself — I could tell. She was literally everywhere. News. Interviews. She was a rising sensation, a new hope for society. People looked up to her. Even pack members who once condemned her would make subtle comments, asking about her, wishing for her return.I didn’t pay them any mind.But there were many nights I found myself reaching for my phone, dialing her number, desperate just to hear her voice. And every time, I had to remind myself — I made a promise to get better first.For both our sakes.So now that I was finally reaching out, I just hoped she wouldn’t push me away.“Hey, princess,” I said, my voice cracking a bit from the mix of emotions swirling inside me. After all this time, I was finally standing in front of her.She had grown. Her hair flowed over her shoulders again. Her
Dante POV My fist clenched under the table to the point my nails dug into my palm. “I’ve been here for like thirty minutes,” she said casually, oblivious to the change in me. “I had some matters to attend to at work, so it wasn’t really a big deal. Already ordered some croissants and iced vanilla latte.” She spoke, smiling proudly at herself. I nodded along, my jaw tight as I tried to focus on her words and not the glint of that necklace catching the sunlight. If I could just rip it off her neck—but no. I can’t do that. I’m better than that. “Do you want anything?” she asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up at her and shook my head too fast. “No, I’m good,” I replied smoothly, and right on cue, my stomach betrayed me by growling loudly. Fuck! I was just now realizing I was so busy trying to impress her, I forgot the most basic thing. Eating. I hadn’t eaten anything all day. Her eyes widened at the sound, and she paused mid-bite. The silence that followed made it eve
Dante POV My grip tightened around my phone as I scrolled through each comment. “He finally settled for someone who’s not a gold-digger?” “She’s pretty, but she’s not even his type.” “Is this why he’s been avoiding parties? He’s cuffed now.” I didn’t even realize how hard my jaw was clenched until the muscles started to ache. My thumb hovered over the photo of her. Amaya not his type? I scoffed. Amaya was beyond his type—she was too perfect for him. What the hell does she even see in him? Was it his voice I heard last night? There’s no way she’s actually in a relationship with him, right? This has to be some big misunderstanding. But the more I thought about it, the less sense it made. She had ignored my calls and didn’t even bother calling back. I scrolled through more of the images, stopping at the one where he was putting a necklace on her. “Wow, that’s a limited edition Tiffany & Co necklace. That piece goes for at least $18k—he must really be in love.” I paused, eyes glu
Amaya POV “Yeah, I’m leaving the restaurant now,” I said, holding the phone to my ear with one hand and clutching my purse with the other. My heels clicked softly against the pavement as I walked toward my car. “How’s Eli doing?” I asked. “The only time I saw him was when he stepped out to grab some snacks. He didn’t even glance my way,” she said, and I almost laughed. “That’s Eli for you. As long as he’s not hurt, it’s all good,” I said. “You’re sleeping over, right? It’s already getting late. I thought I’d be home sooner, but he insisted on waiting until the end before signing the contract.” I sighed, dragging a hand down my face. “I swear, I thought it’d be a quick dinner.” “I figured,” Cleo replied. “But yeah, I’ll sleep over. I already stole one of your shirts, and I’m eyeing that soft blanket on the couch.” I chuckled softly. “Go for it. There’s an extra towel in my drawer if you want to shower.” “Alright, goodnight.” “Night,” I said, ending the call. I was about to dro
Amaya POV “What is this place?” I asked as we stepped into the restaurant. It took less than a 30-minute ride from my place, but I’d never even heard of it before. The restaurant was huge, with only a few people scattered around. It was quiet, elegant, and dimly lit—the kind of spot where even the air felt expensive. I let my eyes wander in complete awe until my gaze landed back on Joseph, who was pulling out a chair for me. “Thank you,” I said, sliding into the seat. He walked over and sat across from me. “This restaurant is exclusive,” he said, resting his elbows lightly on the table. “Only a few people have access to it.” I nodded in response, still taking in the details around me. A waiter approached with a small smile, handed us the menu, then left without a word. My eyes scanned the page, but almost everything looked foreign. The names were long, fancy, and definitely not in English. My brows furrowed as I tried to make sense of anything. Joseph must’ve noticed my
Amaya POV Finally, she caught her. Briella came back on screen, breathing heavily with Sage in her arms. My smile widened the second her cute little face popped into view. “Hey, baby! How are you?” I asked in a high-pitched voice. She giggled sweetly. “Say hi to Aunty Amaya,” Briella said, holding the phone closer. Sage waved her tiny hands and gave the biggest toothy grin. I waved back, matching her energy. “Aww, you’re so big! What’s mommy been feeding you, huh?” Briella snorted. “She eats everything except what I actually cook.” I laughed. “She must get her appetite from her father, huh?” Because Briella herself was a picky eater. As if on cue, the door creaked open in the background. “Dada!” Sage squealed, wriggling out of Briella’s grip like a slippery fish and running straight off-screen. “Hey, Nelson!” I called out with a wave, even though I wasn’t sure if he could see me. Nelson appeared briefly, smiling as he scooped Sage up into his arms. “Hey, Amaya! Happy birth