Semua Bab Too Late, Alpha — She’s a Queen Now: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Grandma Serina had always thought I was too soft, too tolerant, too willing to bend Darius. She used to tell me, "If you’d just been a little tougher, maybe things would’ve turned out differently."But this is who I am. I’d already said I wouldn’t switch seats, and Serina didn’t push the matter again.Dinner began shortly after. The table was lively with chatter and laughter—but I stayed quiet, focusing solely on the food in front of me.It had been over ten minutes since Darius sat down, and not one word passed between us. No glances, no small talk. I may as well have been the table centerpiece for all he noticed me.No one seemed surprised.This silence? This distance? It had become the new “normal” in our marriage.Lyra didn’t look to me for help anymore. When she wanted a dish out of reach, she simply asked Darius. And he, of course, served her carefully, like the perfect father.But when she reached for a piece of shrimp and hesitated—her eyes flickering toward me—I paused, startl

The promise of tonight’s underground car race seemed to snap Lyra out of her moody silence. She came skipping out of her room, humming to herself with a bounce in her step.She was dressed in a camo outfit I didn’t recognize—edgy, stylish, and worlds away from the wardrobe I'd curated for her. The second I laid eyes on it, I knew exactly who had picked it.Emma.Lyra was staring down at her phone now, her cheerful glow dimming the moment she read the screen. No reply. I didn’t say anything, but I watched her shoulders tense.She typed quickly. “Emma, are you mad at me? You know I didn’t want Mom to take me to school. I like you better... please don’t be mad, okay?”Her fingers trembled with desperation. She was clinging to Emma like a lifeline.I kept my distance, walked over to pack her bag, and gently called out, “Lyra? We need to head down for breakfast.”Without turning around, she snapped, “I know, Mom. Can you not talk right now? You're seriously annoying.”The words sliced throu

Lyra finally broke into a wide, radiant smile, her voice bright and eager as she rattled off her favorite dishes—like a little girl trying to impress her mom.Except now, that “mom” wasn’t me. It was Emma.“Your outfit is great, Lyra. It really suits you,” Emma said, flashing her a smile full of warmth.Lyra’s eyes lit up. “Really?”“Of course,” Emma chuckled. “How was your first day of school? Did you make any new friends?”They slipped into an easy rhythm—laughing, sharing stories, exchanging glances like this closeness had always existed. Lyra animatedly told stories from school: what snacks she traded, who spilled their milk, who she sat next to.Emma listened like she’d been waiting all day to hear every word.And Darius?He sat beside them, silent. Calm. Cutting his steak with slow precision. He’d glance at them occasionally but never interrupted—not once.To anyone watching, they looked exactly like what they weren’t—A perfect little family of three.I wasn’t there, but I could

It was nearly one in the morning when Darius finally returned home with the others after Emma’s victory celebration.He carried Lyra, fast asleep in his arms, her little hands curled around his neck. The butler, startled by the late hour, stepped forward with concern. “Sir, is everything alright? It’s late.”Darius only grunted, brushing past him without a word.After settling Lyra into bed, he made his way to the master bedroom. The moment he flicked on the lights, he paused.The room was empty.Turning to the butler, he asked, “Rae didn’t come home tonight?”The man shook his head. “No, sir. She hasn’t been home.”Darius stilled, his expression unreadable. Rae had been disappearing more often lately. Quietly. Without explanation.He hadn’t realized how frequent it had become—how her presence, once constant and warm, had turned to nothing more than an echo in these walls.Was something going on?The next morning, Lyra woke up beaming, her energy still buzzing from the night before. Sh

Darius’s phone rang just as Lyra was finishing her orange juice. I barely glanced up, until I saw the caller ID."Baby."My chest tightened.It was ridiculous, really. I’d promised myself I was done caring. But love isn’t something you can just switch off. Especially not when it’s tangled around your ribs for years.I looked away, pretending I hadn’t seen it.Darius noticed. Of course he did. But he didn’t bother to hide it. Instead, he answered right there at the breakfast table, his voice lower, softer.“What’s wrong?” he murmured into the phone.Lyra, completely missing the tension in the air, perked up. “Is that Aunt Emma?”Darius didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah.”I didn’t flinch. I just kept stirring my coffee like it meant something. But inside, something was quite broken.Lyra opened her mouth to ask to talk to Emma—but caught herself. She remembered I didn’t like her, and guilt flickered across her face. She dropped her toast and suddenly didn’t want to eat anymore.Then Darius’s e