جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 180

Hayden's POV “What?!” I frowned, struggling to process her words. That made no sense. Maggie’s daughter had confirmed Abby pushed Marbel off the stairs. Abby knew that, that was why she fled. The maid’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Miss Abby pushed her, but she didn’t die then. It was Miss Valentina… she pressed a white handkerchief over Miss Marbel’s nose until she suffocated.”My blood ran cold. I stepped closer and grabbed the girl’s clothes, lifting her off the floor. “Why?” I ground out through clenched teeth. “Why are you only telling me this now?”“I’m sorry, Alpha… I was afraid,” the girl whispered.My head went haywire. “Afraid? Afraid of saying the truth?” I dropped her gently, seeing she was already choking back tears. “Did I ever mistreat you? Or did I ever punish anyone without cause?” I snarled.“No, Alpha…” she trembled.“Then why? Why didn’t you speak up and let everyone believe Abby killed her?”She sobbed silently. Then Maggie’s voice came softly, cau

Abby’s POV I froze the moment my eyes locked with Hayden’s piercing blue ones.The door opened again, and Alex stepped in behind him, quiet and uncertain, like a man who didn’t know where he belonged anymore.Before I could react, Ruby moved. She stepped forward and planted herself firmly in front of them, her back to me, facing Hayden, and deliberately ignoring Alex as if he didn’t exist.I would be lying if I said I didn’t know the mate Ruby had mentioned before was Alex.I wasn’t slow-witted. The last time Alex, Brian and Hayden had shown up at my restaurant, I remembered clearly how Ruby had smiled when I walked in, leaned close, and whispered that he was the one. But the shock of seeing Hayden that day had shattered everything else.After that, I never brought it up again. Ruby didn’t either. I knew she was holding back for my sake, especially after realizing Alex was Hayden’s friend. She didn’t want to make things messier than they already were. Still, I couldn’t deprive her of

Hayden’s POV I didn’t plan it.Didn’t rehearse the words or decide how I’d say them. I just found myself driving to her restaurant, my grip tight on the wheel as my vision blurred, no matter how hard I fought them.Everything I thought I knew had just collapsed in a single breath.I had children…and they had grown up without me. I hadn’t witnessed their first steps, their first words. Abby must have hated me, carrying the weight of raising two children alone while I lived my life unaware.But… she lied to me.I asked her. I asked her that morning if I’d slept with her, and she denied it. Why would she lie? What had I done to deserve having my own children hidden from me?“Move,” I snarled, hitting the horn when a car ahead crawled along.It didn’t.I slammed my hand against the steering wheel, the horn blaring as I leaned forward. “Get the hell out of my way before I crush you.”The car finally lurched forward, fleeing as if instinct warned it to run.Alex sat quietly beside me, not

Abby’s POVRuby glanced at me, clearly not interested in what Alex was saying over the phone. I wasn’t either, especially now that he mentioned Hayden. They might be trying to manipulate Ruby just to get to me.“Hello, Ruby? Are you still there?” Alex’s voice came again.Ruby took the phone from me and pressed the red button.“We’re not doing this anymore, Abby,” she said, putting her phone away even though it immediately started ringing again and again.“Can both of you explain what’s happening?” Derek finally spoke up, his confusion obvious after watching in silence.“They’re mates,” I said. “Hayden’s beta, Alex, is Ruby’s mate.”“Oh, fuck!” Derek cursed under his breath, glancing at Ruby, who just shrugged casually like it was nothing.“I’m sorry you got caught up in all of this, Ruby,” he added, still reeling from the revelation.Ruby placed Amy who was now half-asleep beside Asher and faced us. “Both of you are making this worse. And if you won’t agree that I’m totally with you o

Abby’s POVI kept calling Hayden’s number as I sat in the cab, but it went straight to voicemail every single time.I had no idea where to find him. Not even the hotel he’d checked into. The cab felt like it was going in circles, and in my frustration, I told the driver to just keep moving. I didn’t care about the fare.My chest tightened as I craned my neck, scanning every street, every sidewalk, hoping I might catch a glimpse of him.Why would he even think of doing something so reckless? Resigning his Alpha position?My stomach sank. Alex’s words over the phone with Ruby kept circling in my mind. Hayden had lost his memory… forgetting only me? Was that even possible?My fingers flew across my phone, Googling frantically, desperate for answers. The results made my breath hitch. Selective memory loss. Trauma-induced amnesia. It was real.And from everything I read, emotional shock could trigger it.I swallowed hard as the truth settled heavily in my chest. The scandal with Derek an