Chapter 5

Allison's POV

I am unable stop the trembling that starts in my hands: a bout of shivers so bad that I feel sick. Xander Black's words echo in my mind.

Fired, I think numbly. No…this can't be happening…

"But Sir—" I begin shakily.

"My decision is final, Allison," Xander Black cuts in.

He has transferred his attention to the documents before him, not bothering to spare me another glance. Normally, I would have walked immediately out of his office, because I really don't want to offend him by acting disobedient. But at this point, what more do I have to lose? I fall on my knees in front of him, bowing my head.

"Please, Sir. Please reconsider. I'll do anything, just let me continue working here. I beg you, Sir—"

"There's no need to grovel, Allison," he replies.

Is that remorse I hear in his voice? Does that mean I stand a chance at being allowed to keep my job?

"Please, Sir," I say, making no attempt to hold back my tears. "I promise I won't tell anyone what happened. I'll work twice as hard if I have to. Please."

"No need for all this," he insists. And although his voice does not sound cruel, it cuts me like a knife anyway. "My mind is made up. If you're worried about your upkeep, your paycheck for the next six months is right here in this envelope.

I look down at the envelope, clutched in my trembling hands. There's more money in it than I've ever seen at once, but all I see when I look at it is the job I've lost.

"I don't need the money," I say miserably. "If I can give it back in exchange for my job—"

"Allison Carter," he says sternly. "Don't make this harder for yourself. You're fired, and you're getting a better deal than others in this situation would. I suggest you don't push it further."

His words fall on me like a ton of bricks. If I had not crumpled to my knees already, I would have done so in that moment.

"But…" I mumble numbly to the floor, "I'm good at my job."

I hear him hesitate. When he speaks next, his voice is softer, almost kind.

"You are. But I cannot let you remain in my company. Not with the history we have. You should be able to understand that."

And I do. In that moment, the big picture I had failed to see dawns on me. This is about his reputation. If it ever comes out to the public that Xander Black had had a one night stand, and with an Omega, no less… such a scandal could completely bring down even the most influential Alpha.

That's when I finally accept that there isn't anything I can do. I pick myself off the floor, eyes fixed on the ground.

"I am truly sorry, Sir," I say. Even when I've found myself on a sinking ship, I cannot let myself forget my manners. He is, after all, still my Alpha. "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble."

Turning around, I flee.

……

I'm lost in thought the whole time I'm driving home. I didn't even remember that I had been waiting for Elsa until it was too late to go back. I keep wiping at the tears that won't stop pouring out of my eyes. It's a miracle that I don't crash my car into a tree or a pedestrian or another car.

A miracle I'm not in the state of mind to appreciate.

I'm too busy running the events of today through my mind, wondering why I've been so unlucky lately. My relationship, my best friend, my job… what am I going to lose next? I shouldn't have been so foolish. I should have waited for Elsa at the parking lot, or gone to her office to look for her.

I should have kept my head down when Xander Black was passing by. I couldn't resist the temptation to peek at him, and now look what has happened. When he turned in my direction, I should have known that he had seen my face. An Alpha like him… I should have known that even that brief glance was enough for him to recognize me.

He even got his assistant to prepare the sack letter in such a short time. That's how badly he wanted me gone.

When I get home, my hands are shaking so badly that it takes me too long to unlock my front door. I push the door open, desperately wanting a pillow to cry into, and freeze. For a whole moment, I can't convince my legs to move. When I finally do, I stagger into the living room with wide eyes. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Or rather, what I'm not seeing.

The living room is empty.

No furniture, no gadgets, nothing.

I don't need to ask questions to know what has happened here. There are no signs of forced entry, and Peterson is the only person aside from me that has my key. Filled with pain and shock at his betrayal, I had forgotten to take it from him.

Heart pounding, I hurry further into the apartment, hoping desperately that this is all.

No such luck.

It's not just the living room. Peterson has robbed me clean of everything in the whole apartment. I don't notice that I'm sinking down until my knees hit the floor.

The bare floor. He took my rug as well.

Like the petty man he is, he could not let me keep even that. Fresh tears gather in my eyes, and soon I'm struggling to breathe.

Suddenly, I remember that Peterson has access to my bank account. I gave him the passcode while we were dating, and with everything that has been going on, I haven't had the time to change it. I scramble for my phone, hurrying so much that I almost drop it.

Please, please, please, I think desperately, checking my account balance.

It's no use. My account is empty as well. Peterson has stolen everything from me.

How could he do this? Has he not hurt me enough? I quickly dial his number, but it goes straight to voicemail. I dial it again and again with the same result. The phone slips from my hands, clattering to the floor.

My whole body is trembling, and my breath is coming in gasps. I hug myself tightly, hunching over. My head is spinning, bile crawling up my throat.

I had thought that Peterson couldn't do anything worse than what he had already done: bringing that woman into my apartment, to make love to her on my bed.

But this? This takes the cake. Not even the money Xander Black had given me can replace everything that was in my apartment as well as the money I had in my account. This is a blow I can't see myself recovering from.

On my way home,

I wondered what I was going to lose next. Now I know.

I've lost my everything.