All Chapters of Chasing the Alpha I Once Rejected : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

‎Melinda didn’t stay too long.‎‎She rose from the sofa with a soft pat to her thighs, glancing around the room one last time as if trying to measure how much of the tension had lifted, and how much still clung stubbornly to the air. It wasn’t gone, not by a long stretch, but Selene looked steadier now than she had when she walked in. That, at least, was something.‎‎“I’ll come by again,” Melinda said as she moved toward the door, her tone gentler than before. “Not to pry. Just… to make sure you’re not drowning in your own head.”‎‎Selene let out a faint breath that almost resembled a smile. “You make it sound like I’m incapable of handling myself.”‎‎Melinda gave her a knowing look. “You are capable. That doesn’t mean you always should.”‎‎Selene didn’t argue and just decided to see Melinda off.‎‎At the doorway, Ivy who had come downstairs lingered, her gaze drifting briefly toward the stairs where Liam stood before she looked back at Selene. There was a quiet hesitation in he

‎The restaurant Kyle chose was quiet for a weekday afternoon.‎‎It sat near the edge of downtown, tucked between a jewelry store and a dry-cleaning shop, the kind of place businessmen used for meetings away from noise and attention. Soft jazz played overhead, low enough to blend with the hum of distant conversations and clinking glasses. The lighting was warm and dim despite the daylight outside, and the polished wooden tables reflected faint amber glows from hanging lamps.‎‎Kyle sat near the back by the window.‎‎Rainwater still streaked faintly along the glass from the morning drizzle, blurring the traffic outside into muted shapes and headlights.‎‎He hadn’t ordered anything.‎‎One hand rested against the table while the other tapped lightly against his untouched cup of coffee. His expression was unreadable, but beneath the calm front, exhaustion weighed heavily behind his eyes.‎‎He barely slept the previous night.‎‎Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Selene crying.‎‎

‎Kyle remained seated for a while in thought, one arm stretched along the back of the couch while the other rested against the glass in his hand. The amber liquid inside shifted faintly whenever his fingers moved. Outside the large windows of the living room, evening had begun settling over the town in soft gray layers as rain pattered to a drizzle, the sky dimming little by little.‎‎Across from him, Liam sat unusually quiet.‎‎The boy’s earlier questions still lingered heavily in the room.‎‎Kyle watched him carefully, unable to fully understand where all this was coming from. Liam had always been thoughtful for his age, but today there was something different about him. It was about Ivy...‎‎Kyle exhaled slowly through his nose before speaking again.‎‎“Do you need my help perhaps… in telling Selene anything?” he asked carefully. “You can trust me, Liam.” he feigned ignorance, asking as if he didn't know Liam was asking this because of Ivy. Even so, he was more concerned for t

‎Ivy turned immediately, watching as her mom slowly descended the stairs, one hand brushing lightly against the railing as though she needed the support.‎‎ Her face looked different now. The tears were gone, wiped away, but the redness around her eyes remained. Her expression carried exhaustion more than anger now, though the hurt still lingered beneath it stubbornly.‎‎Ivy suddenly felt ten times guiltier.‎‎The silence between them stretched heavily as Melinda reached the bottom of the stairs.‎‎The older woman looked at her daughter for a long moment before speaking quietly.‎‎“How long?”‎‎Ivy swallowed.‎‎“How long have you been seeing Aiden?”‎‎The use of his name instead of “your father” somehow made the atmosphere feel even heavier.‎‎Ivy’s fingers tightened around the sleeves of her hoodie. “A little while,” she answered softly.‎‎Melinda nodded once, as if in understanding.‎‎But Ivy noticed the way her mother’s jaw tightened, as though she were forcing herself n

‎At school, lunchtime brought its usual noise and chaos. Students filled the cafeteria with loud chatter, trays clattering against tables while the smell of fries and cafeteria pizza hung heavily in the air.‎‎Yet despite the lively atmosphere around them, Ivy sat unusually quiet across from Liam.‎‎She barely touched her food.‎‎Her shoulders slumped slightly forward, fingers absentmindedly peeling the edge of a juice label while her gaze remained fixed downward.‎‎Liam noticed immediately.‎‎Normally Ivy was the one teasing everyone first, laughing loudly before anyone else even settled into their seats. Seeing her this subdued felt wrong somehow.‎‎He frowned and nudged her lightly beneath the table.‎‎“What’s up?” he asked carefully. “What happened?”‎‎Ivy did not answer immediately.‎‎For several seconds she simply kept staring downward at the table, lips pressed together tightly. Liam watched her nervously, unsure whether he should push further or leave it alone.‎‎Fin