Semua Bab Contracted By My Ex’s Father In Law : Bab 121 - Bab 130

IRENE ***The music from the cheap radio was a sick, thumping heartbeat in the filthy room. It wasn't music for dancing. It was music for humiliation. The air was thick with the smell of stale smoke, sweat, and a sharp, chemical fear that was coming from me.I stood in the middle of the room, under the blinding bare lightbulb. My hands, which felt like they belonged to someone else, were at the hem of my sweater. Lucy was a silent, slumped statue in the chair beside me, her head down. My only friend, drugged and helpless because of me.The bald man with the scar, the leader, just stared. He had put his knife away, but his eyes were worse. They crawled over my skin. "We're waiting," he said, his voice flat.A sob tried to climb up my throat, but I choked it down. If I started crying, I would shatter into a million pieces and never be able to put myself back together. For Lucy. Do it for Lucy.With a trembling breath that felt like shards of glass in my lungs, I pulled the sweater over

***IRENE***The sound of Amira’s voice, so smug and cruel, felt like salt rubbed into every wound I had. The fear from the club, the horror of the video, the helplessness—it all boiled over, mixing with a hot, desperate anger.“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, my voice trembling with tears and rage. “You sit in your perfect, safe little world and throw stones. You don’t know anything!”“Oh, I know enough,” Amira sneered laughingly. “I know a gold-digging trash when I see one. Dragging my father’s name through the mud with your cheap drama. Did you enjoy your little performance for the cameras? I bet you did—”“SHUT UP!” I screamed into the phone, the sound raw and broken in the quiet hospital room. “Just shut your mouth! You’re a spoiled, hateful person who can’t stand that someone sees value in me that you don’t have!”I was crying openly now, hot, angry tears streaming down my face. I was so focused on her poisonous words, on trying to fight back, that I didn’t

***IRENE***The car ride from the hospital was a silent, tense journey. Dante drove like the devil himself was chasing us, his hands tight on the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road with a frightening intensity. I sat curled in my seat, cradling my still-throbbing wrist, watching the city lights blur past. The memory of his rough scrubbing, the cold fury in his eyes, was a fresh wound on top of all the others.When we finally pulled up to the mansion, I felt a wave of exhaustion so deep it made my bones ache. All I wanted was to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and forget the last twenty-four hours existed.Mrs. Calder was waiting in the foyer, her kind face etched with deep worry. When she saw us, she gasped and rushed toward us, bowing quickly. "Miss Irene! Sir! Thank heavens you're both back." Her eyes swept over me, taking in my pale face and rumpled clothes. She didn't ask questions, for which I was grateful."Miss Irene, this came for you," she said softly, holdin

IRENE ****Waking up was like surfacing from a deep, warm ocean. The first thing I felt was a delicious soreness in my muscles, a pleasant reminder of the night before. A slow, warm smile spread across my face as I remembered it all—Dante’s intensity, his touch, the way he had chased every bad memory away until there was only him and me. I felt safe. Loved, in his own fierce way.I turned over in the huge bed, my hand reaching out to find him, to maybe curl back into his warmth.But the space beside me was empty. The sheets were cool.My smile faded a little. He was gone. Again. A tiny flicker of disappointment sparked inside me but I pushed it away. I sat up, pushing my hair out of my face. He was probably already in his home office, dealing with Alpha business. The thought was a small pinch of disappointment, but it was okay.Then my phone alarm blared, a shrill sound that shattered the peaceful quiet. My eyes flew to the clock. I gasped.“Work! Goddess, I was going to be so lat

IRENE The day at the office dragged on forever. It was the most boring day I’d ever had, and also the most tense. Every time someone looked at me for a second too long, I wondered if they’d seen the video. Every time the phone rang on my desk, I jumped. I couldn't focus on any of the work in front of me. My mind was a hundred miles away, in a world of forests and pack disputes I couldn't picture.During lunch, Mary from accounting cautiously approached my desk with two coffees. “Thought you might need this,” she said, handing me one. Her face was full of genuine worry. “Irene… are you really okay? That stuff yesterday… it sounded awful.”I took the coffee, grateful for her kindness. “I’m… managing, Mary. Thank you. It was a scary situation, but it’s over. Dante handled it.”She sat on the edge of my desk, lowering her voice. “People are talking, you know. But not about the video. They’re too scared to even mention it. They’re talking about how you both walked in this morning. And how