Semua Bab Alpha's Penance Too Late for Her Forgiveness: Bab 11 - Bab 20

I wiped down the last corner of my tiny shop, then leaned against the wall with my hands on my hips, releasing a long, satisfying sigh.Half a month had passed since I left Kane.It still felt surreal—like my life had been ripped at the seams, and now I was stitching it back together one quiet moment at a time. I’d found refuge in a remote, sleepy town where no one knew my name or my history. That was the point.On the very first day I arrived, I rented a small storefront on the edge of Main Street. I didn’t have grand plans. I didn’t want chaos or drama or anything that reminded me of him. I just wanted to make coffee, play old vinyl records, and live slowly—on my own terms.I packed up the cleaning supplies, locked the front door, and caught sight of my reflection in the glass.And for the first time in a long, long while, I saw myself smile.It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t pretending. It was… real.A pang echoed in my chest before I could stop it. Kane. Lilian. Their soon-to-be-born pup

I wiped down the last table and tossed the rag back into the bucket, sighing as I leaned against the counter.Lucy—the little dog who’d wandered into my life like she owned the place—was curled up at my feet, her fluffy tail lazily swishing against the floor.“Are you really just going to sit there all day?” I asked, glancing toward Aron, who was perched by the window with a cup of coffee in hand.“I could be doing something else,” he replied with that infuriatingly calm smile, his glacier-blue eyes reflecting the sunlit street behind him. “But right now, I’d rather be here—with Lucy.”Lucy perked up at the sound of her name but didn’t move.Ever since I took her to get spayed a few weeks back, she hadn’t left my little café. Temporary care turned into a permanent stay. And somehow, she brought Aron with her—like a bonus I hadn’t asked for but didn’t mind receiving.“Found a place to live yet?” he asked, casually sipping from his mug.“Not yet,” I admitted, sliding into the seat across

Crash!Little Lucy knocked over the stack of painting supplies leaning against the wall.I scooped her up before she could dart away. “Oh no, not again. Are you trying to steal the spotlight, you little troublemaker?”Her fluffy tail wagged like crazy, and I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips.From across the room, Aron set down his pen and watched us with a soft, amused look. That rare, quiet kind of smile that tugged at something deep in my chest.I set Lucy down on the mat outside the door and turned back to clean up the scattered mess. Just as I crouched to gather the brushes, Aron knelt beside me. Our fingers brushed over the same paintbrush—then lingered.I tried to pull away, but his hand closed around mine—warm, steady… deliberate.“Aron,” I said, startled, my voice a whisper.He didn’t speak. Instead, he leaned in, gaze soft but intense, and pulled me into his arms.The brushes spilled again with a soft clatter, but neither of us cared.“Don’t move,” he murmured, resti

“Aron, what are we having for dinner tonight?” I asked, brushing my fingers through a bag of coffee beans, pretending like everything was normal.He walked beside me, pushing the grocery cart with an easy smile. “Anything you want, Jules.”His calm voice grounded me, a rare peace threading through the chaos in my chest.We exited the store with arms full of bags. I reached to take a few from him, but Aron chuckled, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “You don’t need to carry anything,” he whispered. “Just hold my hand.”But before my fingers could curl around his, a rough grip yanked my hand away, and I was pulled into an all-too-familiar chest.My heart dropped.Kane.His scent wrapped around me like a memory I didn’t want—warm and wild, yet suffocating now.I jerked back, panic surging. “Let me go!” I hissed, shoving at his arms. But his grip was iron, and his eyes were furious.“Julia,” he snapped, voice low and trembling with rage, “How the hell can you let another ma

Kane stood in front of me, unmoving—like he had all the time in the world for my fury to burn out. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, like he found my anger... amusing.“How many times do I have to say it?” I hissed. “We’re done. Over. Finished.”My voice cut through the silence like glass shattering. “You think lurking outside my shop every damn day is going to win me back? News flash, Kane—you’re not romantic. You’re a walking red flag.”His reply came quiet, unbothered. “I’m not chasing anyone else. I never have. From the beginning, it’s only ever been you.”And for a second—just a breath—I hesitated.Because he wasn’t lying. Not in the beginning, anyway. When Kane wanted me, he didn’t bring flowers or whisper sweet nothings. He just showed up. Every day. Standing next to me like a silent shield, scaring off anyone who came close. He’d look at me with that smug, stubborn face like, I’m not wrong for wanting you.Back then, I thought it was love. I thought it was devotio