เข้าสู่ระบบWesley POVThe diner was one of those places Anita, Emma, and I had been coming to for years.Nothing fancy, but good food and booths that had somehow survived generations of people carving initials into the wood. We tried to meet there at least once every two weeks whenever our schedules lined up. Most of the time it was Anita dragging Emma and me out of the office, insisting fresh air was as important as paperwork.Tonight wasn't any different.My stomach hadn't completely forgiven me for breakfast, so while the girls ordered steaks, I settled for grilled fish, rice, and vegetables.Emma looked at my plate."Never trust a chef who says, 'It's only a little spicy.'"The conversation drifted easily after that. We talked about whatever had happened since the last time we sat together, and I eventually brought up Barbara's idea."I think we're going to do something different for Beatrice's anniversary this year," I said. "Barbara suggested we spend the day doing the things Beatrice love
Wesley POV The conference room slowly emptied after the meeting with the supervisors from the oil fields. Chairs scraped against the floor and conversations drifted toward the hallway as the men headed back to their respective sites.I was making a few notes on the production reports before filing them away when the door opened and Barbara stepped inside carrying a large cream-colored gift bag with neatly tied handles.I looked up and smiled."I thought the meeting would never end.""It almost didn't," I said, getting to my feet as she walked around to my side of the table and hugged me.One of the supervisors poked his head back through the doorway."Alpha Wesley, the oil spill from this morning has been fully contained. The cleanup crew finished about twenty minutes ago.""Good. Keep me updated if anything changes.""Of course."He disappeared again, finally leaving Barbara and me alone.I pointed toward one of the chairs across from my desk."Sit."She did, setting the gift bag ca
Isabella POV Wesley’s voice pulled me back so suddenly that I almost jumped. He was looking at me."I..." I swallowed, forcing myself to remember why I'd come. "Miss Emma asked me to bring this over for your approval."He crooked a finger. I walked to the desk and placed the folder in front of him.He opened it, scanning the contents while I stood there."So..." he said without looking up, "you're upstairs now."There was a smile in his voice before I even saw it reach his face.I nodded.He signed one page, flipped to the next, then looked up. His gaze settled on me far longer than necessary. It was neither polite nor accidental. His eyes traveled over me slowly enough that heat climbed into my face despite my best efforts to stay composed."I don't think you realize how distracting you are."He rested the pen against the desk."You walk into a room looking like that and somehow seem completely unaware of the effect you have on people."I stared at him, unsure what to think. My hear
Isabella POV My hand fumbled for the transfer letter inside my bag. I'd checked before leaving the Alpha House and checked again while waiting for the shuttle. And now, sitting on the bus, my fingers found it one more time to make sure it hadn't somehow disappeared between stops.After everything that had happened yesterday, I needed the reassurance of feeling the stiff paper beneath my fingertips.The seat beside me dipped."Good morning, beautiful."I looked up to find Harrison from accounting smiling as he settled beside me."Morning."He placed his bag on his lap before looking at me with an expression that was far too cheerful for this early in the morning."I keep thinking this transfer was somehow meant to happen."I scoffed."What do you mean?""Think about it." He gestured between the two of us. "Out of every department in the administration, you somehow end up in mine."I shook my head. "I wouldn't exactly call being framed for theft destiny.""No," he admitted with a chuck
Isabella POVThe sample pearl set.I stared at it, then I looked at my open bag.The pouch sat so close to the top that anyone opening it would have found it within seconds. Whoever planted it hadn't even tried to be clever. Beside me, Iris turned her head toward me. I met her eyes, and neither of us spoke."If I were actually stealing something," I said, forcing myself to stay calm, "why would I leave it sitting right on top of everything in my bag where anyone could find it?""I knew something was off!" Emerald said, a gleam in her eyes.She stepped forward, loud enough for people from the neighboring department to begin drifting into the hallway."I've been saying from the beginning that new employees need proper screening." She pointed toward the pearls in the guard's hand. "Now look. She hasn't even been here two weeks, and she's already stealing from Luna Lisa."I wasn't even surprised. This felt too deliberate to be anything else."It was planted," Iris snapped.Emerald's smile
Isabella POV I had five minutes left before lunch break ended.Five minutes that should have been enough to eat the sandwich I'd packed that morning. Instead, it sat beside my sketchbook exactly where I'd left it, untouched and already beginning to go stale.Emerald took charge of the department the moment Luna Lisa left for her trip on Sunday. Coming in on Monday to find out Doris had traveled with her should have warned me how the week was going to go. The only two people Emerald ever seemed to restrain herself around were gone.Iris hadn't traveled with them, but she called in sick, and just like that, I was alone.Emerald didn't waste the opportunity. Every criticism she'd apparently swallowed in Doris' presence came pouring out the moment there was no one left to stop her."You don't belong here. You don't even have enough experience to be a janitor. You got this job because someone pitied you."She said it while I was sketching. I ignored her and kept working.Anita's gala dres
Lisa POVI stood in the bathroom with the door closed, staring at my reflection. The light above the mirror showed the tiredness under my eyes and the faint crease between my brows that had not been there a few months ago. I leaned forward and splashed water on my face. The water felt cool against
Lisa Evangeline showed up a few minutes later.“Mrs Hartwell, it’s so good to see you. How are you feeling?”My mother stood there for a second, still adjusting to her vision, then accepted the hug.“Much better, thank you. And thank you for letting me stay here. It’s very generous.”“Oh, please.
CAMERON POVI kept my distance from Lisa and stopped going near her room or looking for reasons to see her. It was the only way to steady things with Evangeline and keep the house from turning into a war zone.Evangeline stayed close to me during meals and followed me through the house as if monitor
LISA POVI climbed the stairs to my room and kept my eyes on the floor as I walked past the staff. Their voices dropped when I passed, but not enough to hide what they were saying. One of them laughed under her breath, and another muttered something about stealing someone else’s mate.I did not stop







