All Chapters of Seven Years As His Secret: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Thick steam blurred the bathroom mirror, drowning out the noise of the world.I lay in the mist, letting the warm water wash over my tired body. Memories I tried to bury seven winters ago rushed back in the silence.Seven winters ago, I was twenty-one. I walked into a high-society gala with dreams of making it as an independent designer, only to walk right into a trap rigged by money and power.My designs were stolen, and they shoved me into a private room in an underground winery. Despair choked me like a tight vine.Just as my clothes were torn and I was about to end it all with a piece of broken glass, expensive Italian leather shoes broke the silence.It was thirty-year-old Zenas Hale.Tall, dark, and cold as a Siberian glacier in winter.He casually took off his custom suit jacket, threw it over me, and told the shaking manager four words: "Take her out."That night, he pulled me straight out of hell.Outside the fitting room, a guard left to watch me made lewd, disgusting comment

The private room reeked of heavy tobacco and cheap liquor, the air practically frozen.Top aides stood in the shadows like they were facing a firing squad, holding their breath.On the leather sofa, Zenas's shirt was wide open, two buttons ripped off, his dark hair messy across his forehead.Empty bottles of top-shelf whiskey littered the floor around him.I was shoved through the door. Looking at this untouchable Alpha looking like an absolute wreck, I just felt sick.Even looking like absolute hell, he still carried that untouchable, high-society arrogance.Like a priceless jewel covered in dust—the second you wiped it clean, it would still blind you.God, I used to be so captivated by his effortless, devastating looks. But walking up to him now, my heart was pure ice.Glancing at his familiar wolf-pack guards, I bit my lip and sat beside him out of seven years of sheer habit."Zenas. Stop throwing a tantrum and let's go home."My voice was quiet, dripping with distance.Right as I s

Before I could react, tires screeched outside. A familiar black SUV pulled up to the curb.My heart sank. It was him."Zenas!"Vanessa gasped with joy when she saw him step out. She rushed to the door and burst into tears, acting completely helpless. "Thank God you're here! This bitch and her friend set me up and scammed me out of eight and a half million dollars! You have to fix this for me!"Zenas stepped into the cafe. An overwhelming, suffocating pressure filled the entire room.He didn't even look at Vanessa. He walked straight to Natalia, leaned down, and kissed her cheek naturally. His voice was dripping with tenderness. "Who upset my Natalia?"Natalia held his arm affectionately and threw a cold, mocking glare at me.I sat in my booth, taking a slow sip of my coffee without bothering to look up."Ava," Zenas said, his eyes finally falling on me. His smirk was cruel, like a cat playing with a mouse. "Got bold enough to scam people out here now?""What, here to ruin me too, ex-bo

Noon the next day.Sunlight broke through the clouds and poured into the room filled with cardboard boxes.Once I decided to leave, I spent all my time packing.First, I threw out all the printed photos, love letters, and cheap wolf pack trinkets Zenas had given me.I used to treat these useless things like treasures just to fit into his life. Now, they were just taking up space.Suddenly, my ringing phone shattered the quiet chaos.Maya's excited voice came through the speaker:"Ava! Thank you so much! Not only did I get my job back, but the store manager just promoted me to assistant manager! My husband's medical bills are taken care of!"Hearing her choked-up voice brought a faint warmth to my heart.At least Zenas kept his word in the end.I hung up and looked at the calendar. August 3rd was circled in bright ink.That was the exact day my final contract as brand head designer expired.I dialed my assistant's number immediately. My voice was firm and cold."Cancel all future deals.

"Are you insane?! He can't take your strength!"I yelled in rage. I turned and caught Luca quickly. He was stumbling back, clutching his bloody nose."Luca, are you okay?"Seeing his pale face, I pulled out a few tissues and handed them over. Then I shoved a thick stack of cash into his hands. "I'm so sorry. Some private business came up. Please go home for now."Luca threw a terrified look at the blood splatter on the floor and the scary man at the door. He nodded wildly, grabbed his coat, and scrambled out of the apartment.Only Zenas and I were left in the room.A thick cedar scent filled the air, so heavy it almost crushed my lungs.I frowned hard. "How many times do I have to tell you? Stop wearing such heavy perfume."Zenas smirked."That's my alpha scent. Still claiming you're over me? Our souls belong together."He took off his dark, blood-stained trench coat and tossed it onto the carpet.He looked around the tiny, four-hundred-square-foot apartment. The old radiator was buzzi