a gunshot. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The staff members who had been lingering ne

said, her voice steady des

ed on his skin. His hand moved slowly to his cheek, fingers pressing against the reddening mark as if he couldn

torm gathering strength, her designer suit immaculate, her silver hair pulled back so tightly it seemed to stretch her face into a permanent ex

pha of the Redstone pack?" Stephanie's voice carried th

pened her mouth to respond, to explain, to defend herself one last time.

loomed across her face, hot and sharp. Her eyes watered from the impact, but something inside

ven louder than the first slap, if that was possible. Her hand stung from the contact

applied makeup couldn't hide the shock that transformed her features. Her mo

imbing in volume with each word, "How dare a hum

d somehow erase what had just happened through sheer pressure. She looked at Alexander, then back at Emilia, t

like you," Stephanie said, taking a deep breath. Her

is from his mother, and even now, he just stood there, one hand still on his own cheek, watching the scene un

iar lines of contempt. She turned to Alexander, her voice taking on a lig

suit jacket with shaking hands, "and all I can say is that I am

r mind like a film on fast forward. Four years of eating dinner alone while Alexander worked late, or claimed he was working late. Four years of Stephanie's cutting remarks about her clot

is side cold and undisturbed. The holidays she'd celebrated with only the staff for company. The birthdays that passed without acknowledgement. Ev

rample upon her and insult her. 'No more,' Emilia whispere

lia said aloud, her voice s

ouse and this life forever. Behind her, she could hear Alex

gh the silence, and Emilia could hear the smile in her voice, shar

e looked away, his gaze dropping to the floor. His silence felt like a

rothers waiting outside in the car, about the father she'd just found. She thought about who she was now, not

oved to her ears. The diamond earrings were small, delicate things that caught the light fro

out of her pierced ears with a small pinch. "You got these as

ble floor with tiny, almost musical sounds, bouncing once before coming to rest near Alexander's feet. "I waited with my phone beside me nig

from him. Making excuses to herself. He's busy. He's important. He's an Alpha with responsibilities. The way she'd convinced herself th

with a small pendant, nothing extravagant, but she remembered the day he'd

fingers working at the clasp. "

nicest dress, lighting candles. He'd arrived home at eleven at night, tossed the jewellery box at her without a wo

y heat, and absorbed the scent of her skin. She held it for just a moment, feeling its weight in her p

sad smile, she moved to tu

said, her voice dripping with mal

er-in-law's eyes, the expectation of humiliation, the certainty that Emilia wo

der spoke finally, his voice ro

" Emil