บททั้งหมดของ The Alpha who was never mine: บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

Elena woke to sunlight streaming through her window and the heavy warmth of Alexander’s arm draped across her waist.For a moment she just lay there, her back pressed against his chest while his breath stirred the hair at her nape. Safe. Complete. Like this was how mornings were supposed to feel.Then reality crashed back and her eyes flew open.Alexander was still in her bed. The sun was up. People would be awake downstairs.“Alexander.” She shook his shoulder. “Alexander, wake up.”He groaned and pulled her closer, his face burying in her neck. “Five more minutes.”“No. You need to leave. Now. Before someone sees you.”That got through. His eyes opened and he lifted his head, squinting at the brightness flooding the room. “What time is it?”“Almost eight.” Elena rolled over to face him. “Nathaniel’s probably already up. Mrs. Parker too. You have to go.”Alexander scrubbed a hand over his face and sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist. His hair stuck up in directions that would

AlexanderThe conference room on the forty-second floor of Hale Industries was exactly as Alexander remembered it from the last time he’d been forced to attend a board meeting five years ago all glass and steel and intimidation, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city and a table so polished you could see your reflection in the mahogany surface.Twenty chairs surrounded that table, and nineteen of them were already occupied when Alexander walked in with Vivian at his side.His father sat at the head in a leather chair that looked more like a throne, his silver hair combed back and his suit custom-tailored to hide the way age had started to thin his frame. Richard Hale didn’t smile when his son entered, just gave a curt nod and gestured to the empty seat at his right hand.The seat reserved for the heir.Max sat three chairs down on the opposite side, his expression was neutral but his eyes tracking Alexander’s every movement like a predator watching prey.“Alexander.” Richa

Elena Elena stood outside Alexander’s office door at midnight with her hand raised to knock, hesitating for the third time in as many minutes. He’d been avoiding her for three days. Ever since the board meeting, he’d barely looked at her. Came home late. Left early. Locked himself in his office or disappeared to the hospital for emergency surgeries that Elena suspected weren’t actually emergencies. She’d texted him twice asking if he was okay. Both times he’d replied with single-word answers that told her nothing. Something was wrong. And whatever it was, she needed to know. Elena knocked softly and heard movement inside, then footsteps approaching. The door opened and Alexander stood there in rumpled clothes, his hair disheveled and his eyes red-rimmed like he hadn’t slept in days. “Elena.” His voice was rough. “What are you doing up?” “Can I come in?” He hesitated, then stepped aside to let her pass. The office was a mess. Papers scattered across the desk. Empty coffee c

ElenaElena woke to the sound of frantic knocking on the bedroom door and Harper’s voice calling her name with an urgency that made her bolt upright in bed.“Elena, wake up. You need to see this.”She blinked against the morning light streaming through the window and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. 6:47 AM. The screen showed twelve missed calls from Alexander and countless notifications from social media apps she barely used.The knocking came again, louder this time.“I’m coming.” Elena’s voice came out hoarse as she climbed out of bed and shuffled to the door, her body aching from yesterday’s chaos and Vivian’s attack.Harper stood in the hallway with Lila right behind her, both of them holding their phones and wearing expressions that made Elena’s stomach drop.“What happened?”“You’re trending,” Lila said quietly. “Again.”“What do you mean trending?”Harper held out her phone. “Vivian posted about you. Everywhere. Every gossip blog, every social media platform, every forum

Alexander The hospital parking garage was nearly full when Alexander arrived at 6:47 AM, which meant he’d have to park on the fourth level and take the long walk through the skybridge to get inside. That meant more time to prepare himself for whatever was waiting. He’d barely slept after Vivian left his office with her ultimatum ringing in his ears. Twenty-four hours to sign away his rights to see his son, or she’d make sure he lost everything else too. Alexander climbed out of his car and grabbed his medical bag from the trunk, forcing his exhausted body to move on autopilot toward the elevator. He could lose himself in work. Surgeries didn’t care about scandals or affairs or social media campaigns designed to destroy someone’s reputation. Surgeries just required steady hands and medical knowledge and the ability to focus on saving lives instead of dwelling on how thoroughly he’d ruined his own. The elevator doors opened to the skybridge and Alexander stepped inside, nodding a