Chapter 210
I tried to lighten the mood, teasing, “Hey, Alpha Alexander-
His brow twitched, annoyance flashing across his face. A vein pulsed at his temple. “Say one more word and get
out.”
I pressed my lips together. “Fine. Not talking.”
But just as I opened my mouth again, he bent his head, already engrossed in a stack of documents on his lap. Whatever words I had died in my throat.
The car fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint scratch of pen against paper as he made occasional notes. The sound seemed unnaturally loud in the confined space.
It went on for nearly an hour, the city lights passing by in a blur outside the tinted windows.
Finally, the car eased to a stop outside the Crescent Moon Hotel. Jeremy got out and opened the door for me.
“We’re here, Miss Winters.”
“Thank you.”
I stepped out and turned to see Alexander still bent over his papers, head resting against one hand, not sparing me a single glance.
The harsh hotel lights illuminated his perfect profile–the straight nose, the firm jaw. So beautiful, yet so cold.
Taking a deep breath, I leaned against the door. “Alexander.”
He didn’t look up. “Speak.”
“…Thanks for the ride.“I tried to keep my voice light and steady, doing my best not to let that trace of disappointment slip through.
He flipped a page, indifferent. “Thank Jeremy. It was his idea.”
That stung. It shouldn’t have, but it did–like ice sliding down my spine.
I nodded to myself, brushing it off. This was who he was. I couldn’t expect warmth from a man who had made it clear I meant nothing to him.
I turned and headed into the hotel, the glass doors parting before me with a soft whoosh.
The receptionist offered a polite smile; I returned a quick nod and headed for the elevator, my reflection fractured across its mirrored walls.
At the room, just as I reached for the key card, the door flung open from the inside. Small arms wrapped around my waist with sudden force.
“Mommy!” Aria’s voice cracked through the hallway, trembling with relief and lingering fear. Her tiny face buried in my stomach, clutching me like she’d never let go.
1/2
Chapter 210
+25 BONUS
My heart broke in an instant. Every ounce of exhaustion, every sting of the past few days, melted away. This was what mattered–this little girl who needed me.
“Shhh, baby. Mommy’s here. I’m home.” I pressed kiss after kiss to her forehead, my arms gently encasing her fragile shoulders.
I could feel her little body still shaking with the aftermath of tears.
“I missed you so much, Mommy. Don’t leave me alone again. Please?” Her voice hitched on every word, her hands gripping my blouse so tightly I thought the fabric might tear.
My voice shook as guilt washed over me. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. That was Mommy’s fault. I swear, it won’t happen again. Wherever I go, you come with me.”
I meant every word–it was the first time I’d ever been apart from her for this long.
I wiped her cheeks dry with my thumbs and carried her inside, gently closing the door behind us. The hotel suite was dimly lit, cast in soft shadows.
We settled onto the cream–colored sofa near the window.
She was still sniffling softly, her little body pressed tight to mine, her head tucked under my chin. I ran my fingers through her hair, soothing her until her breathing calmed.
Only then did I notice Elena on the balcony, silhouetted against the city lights. There was something off about her posture–too stiff, too careful.
I blinked. “Elena? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.“She had her head turned, almost like she didn’t want me to see her face–but it was too late.
On the side of her cheek: a red mark, sharp and unmistakable, shaped like fingers. Around her neck, a silk scarf wrapped too tightly for comfort. In Sarah.
Elena never wore scarves. Especially not in this heat.
My chest tightened as protective rage flared inside me. I stood, still cradling Aria.
“What happened?” My voice rose, just enough to make Aria flinch in my arms.
