Chapter 6

serena pov

The next morning, as soon as I arrived at the pack office, Chloe pulled me aside mysteriously and showed me what she had discovered earlier. "It looks like Elena spent the night with Adrian," she said, keeping her voice low, afraid someone might overhear.

On her phone was the evidence she had secretly snapped. "This morning they arrived in the same car, and Elena's wearing the same clothes as yesterday."

I glanced at the photo on the screen. The wolf stood by the car door, half his face in shadow, head lowered as he watched Elena step out. The angle was subtle—almost tender, as if they lingered in the moment.

I stared in silence for a few seconds before looking away, then tipped the pills from my palm into my mouth. I swallowed them with several gulps of hot water, the scalding liquid slid down my throat. It didn't hurt. It really didn't hurt at all.

I spent the morning organizing all the project files I had handled and even took the time to draft my resignation letter. During that time, Elena visited Adrian's office four times, each stay lasting over half an hour.

Perhaps with his beauty at his side, he was in a good mood—Adrian never brought up how I had stood him up the night before. Near noon, he finally emerged with Elena. As they passed my desk, he didn't pause for even a second.

Elena was asking what he wanted for lunch, her treat—as thanks for drinking in her place yesterday. Adrian mentioned a nearby wellness soup restaurant with a signature tonic soup that replenished energy and blood, perfect for her right now. Elena was clearly touched. "Adrian, you're so thoughtful."

Just before the elevator doors closed, I typed my name at the bottom of the resignation letter. Chloe messaged to ask what I wanted for lunch.

I thought for a moment. "Let's go to Foundry for some wellness soup." She agreed.

It was peak lunch hour—plenty of diners. The moment I walked in, I spotted Adrian and Elena. Their table was impossible to miss.

"What a coincidence," Chloe muttered, worried it would affect me. My reaction was calm. I looked right past them. "There's a free table over there."

The server knew me and came over smiling after I sat. "Serena, here for the pumpkin soup again?" I shook my head with a smile. "Not today. Something gentle on the stomach."

"Has your boss's insomnia improved?" she asked instinctively. After all, every time I came to Foundry, it was to buy soothing tonic soup for my boss—rain or shine. I had become a regular; most of the staff recognized me.

My expression stayed neutral. "Yes. I won't need it anymore." From now on, I only had to take care of my own stomach.

Chloe asked the server, "Do you have anything to replenish energy and blood? I've been feeling low from my cycle these past few days."

"We do. Today we have a limited three portions of beef vegetable soup. You're in luck—one left. The other two were bought by that gentleman over there for his girlfriend."

The server's tone was full of envy. "They're such a perfect couple—talented wolf, beautiful she-wolf, both so refined. And he's so good to her! Good wolves like that are rare these days."

Chloe looked like she wanted to cover the server's mouth because she was talking about Adrian and Elena.

So Adrian had specially brought Elena here for the replenishing soup because she was on her cycle and needed it. And yesterday, when he said she wasn't feeling well and drank for her—that was why too.

How intimate must they be for him to know such details?

In our ten years together, Adrian had shown gentleness and care at times. But even bound mates face cooling periods after five or ten years. We were no exception.

As Royal Business grew and its reach expanded, Adrian barely had time to breathe, let alone romance. I couldn't even remember our last proper date alone, much less this kind of thoughtful attention.

Once the server left, Chloe asked anxiously, "Serena, are you okay?" I came back to myself and shook my head lightly. "I'm fine."

Foundry's wellness soups truly lived up to their reputation. Two small bowls warmed my entire stomach—comforting.

Wolf should be kinder to themselves. Kindness to others may not be returned, but kindness to yourself always is. And most directly.

…

That afternoon was an investment committee meeting. Elena's first as director of Investment Department Three. Everyone was curious about the new director's abilities.

She began by introducing her credentials: PhD in economics from Meridona Wellington–Turner School of Business. The room erupted in murmurs of admiration.

No wonder Adrian had gone abroad personally to recruit her. No wonder the air-drop into Royal Business. She was a highly credentialed goddess.

Meridona Wellington–Turner School of Business was one of the top-ranked business schools in the world. Earning a PhD in economics there was rare, especially for such a stunning she-wolf.

I… hadn't lost unfairly. Some who had felt bad for me earlier began to waver. Wolf admire strength—it's wolf nature.

After all, I only had an undergraduate degree from a domestic university, not even a master's. How could I compete with Elena?

As usual, I focused on taking meeting minutes. Only when typing "Wellington–Turner School of Business" did my fingers pause on the keys for a few seconds.

Once, I had received an offer from Wellington–Turner School of Business too. But to help Adrian, I turned it down.

Because of that choice, my university professor still ignores me to this day. Who would have thought that years later, I would lose because of a decision I once made?

With that gilded credential, when Adrian announced that Elena had secured the Travis Business project, no one found it abrupt. As if she had truly closed the deal herself. Quite ironic.

Chloe, furious, messaged me privately. "Wait—how did the Travis Business project become Elena's?"

The young she-wolf was genuinely outraged, sending several messages in a row. "That's the project you nearly bled your stomach for! How is that fair?" "How can Adrian be so biased?!" "I don't get it. I really don't!" "I'm about to explode!"

I soothed her. "Easy. It doesn't matter anymore."

The wolf I had loved for ten years—I could let him go. One project was nothing.

Chloe still fumed. "But you worked so hard for it. Does Adrian even know you lost a pup over that project?"