Chapter 64
Valencia’s POV
The morning sunlight filtered through the heavy velvet curtains as I stretched, the events of last night still vivid in my mind. My checks warmed as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, the marks Dante had left on my neck visible despite the lighter ones having already faded. One, however, remained stubbornly conspicuous, a faint purple bruise just below my ear.
I groaned softly, brushing my fingers over it. What if someone seest
My blush deepened as f tugged my hair out of its ponytail, letting it fall loosely around my shoulders to cover the evidence. I’d wanted to wear it up today, but that clearly wasn’t happening now.
After slipping into a red velvet shirt with bell sleeves and black jeans, I picked up Castor’s egg from its cot and cradled it against my chest. “Alright, Castor,” I murmured. “Let’s get some breakfast.”
The dining room was quieter than usual when I arrived. The only person seated at the long table was Raiden. His sharp turquoise eyes lifted to meet mine as I walked in, and he gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
“Good morning.” I said, taking a seat across from him.
“Morning,” he replied gruty, his attention returning to his plate.
The maid had already let me know the whereabouts of everyone else. Marcelene was apparently out visiting her mother, and Caius and Dante were busy, with work. The absence of their usual lively chatter left the room feeling. hollow.
We ate in silence, the clinking of silverware the only sound between us. I could feel Raiden’s occasional glances, but I didn’t dare meet his gaze t
for too long. After everything that had happened, I didn’t trust this man one bite
Something about the man made me feel like he could see straight through me.
I finished quickly, setting my fork down with a soft clink. “I’ll visit Dante in his office later,” I said aloud, mostly to myself, but since he was t
the Pack Alpha he would let me know if I was overstepping my boundaries
Anyways Dante had mentioned it was on the third floor, right?
Raiden didn’t respond, but I felt his eyes linger as I stood to leave
Before I could make it to the elevator, the butler stopped me in my tracks, “Mrs. Steele,” he said with a polite bow, “Would you like to review the wedding presents that have been delivered? They’ve been set up in the living room.”
I blinked, momentarily surprised. “Oh… sure. Why not?”
Following him to the living room, I tried to ignore the pang of unease twisting in my stomach. In my previous life, the ifts I’d received had been extravagant–jewels, designer dresses, and lavish trinkets I’d adored at the time. But now? Now I nad so much already, and these gifts felt like an extension of a life that wasn’t truly mine.
I keep forgetting. I thought bitterly. It’s all just for a year.
It wasn’t that I wanted to leave. I knew, deep down, that Dante wouldn’t want me to go either. But that was precisely the problem.
Could I really trust this? Could I trust him?
My gaze dropped to Castor, his faint glow pulsing softly beneath my palm. I clutched him closer, biting my lip as I felt a
flicker of fear in his string.
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Chapter 61
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I’d learned to block out Dante’s emotions completely by now, but Castor was different. Blocking him out was out of the question. He already got anxious when we were separated for even a moment.
Whatever happened, I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up. Safety came first. Love.. love could wait,
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Shaking off the spiral of thoughts, I focused on the task at hand the butler and maid began showcasing the gifts. My eyes widened as I took in the sheer volume–and value–of the presents.
The wealth of these gifts dwarfed what I’d received when I married Jaxon
A thought struck me then, unbidden and selfish, What if I just stored some of these away? If I ever needed to leave, I could sell them to survive.
I set aside a few pieces–a diamond necklace, a ruby–encrusted bracelet, and a handful of smaller trinkets. They wouldn’t miss a few things, would they? Dante is already mega–rich.
But my thoughts were interrupted when a particular box caught my attention. It was from Aiden.
Opening it carefully, I found a delicate silver bracelet nestled inside, simple yet elegant. My fingers brushed over the smooth metal, but it was the folded piece of paper tucked underneath that made me frown.
Unfolding it, I found a note scrawled in his handwriting:
“Call me if you change your mind
He’d even included his number,
I scoffed, crumpling the paper into my fist. What an idiot.
What if someone else had opened this gift? What if Dante had been the one sitting here with me? What would he think?
Still, a bitter knot formed in my stomach as I stuffed the note into my pocket. “Why now?” I muttered under my breath. “Why start being good to me now, of all times?”
The frustration bubbled over, and I abruptly stood, excusing myself from the room. I couldn’t deal with these presents anymore.
Heading to the elevator, I pressed the button for the third floor, my knee bouncing as I waited. The anxiety gnawing at my chest refused to settle.
I
It wasn’t hard to find Dante’s office, the door slightly ajar. But as approached, I slowed my steps and my brows furrowed.
Caius’s voice carried through the crack, loud and clear.
My stomach churned, an inexplicable sense of dread washing over me. Don’t do it, I told myself. Don’t eavesdrop.
But I couldn’t help it
I leaned closer, listening intently.
“I’m telling you, Dante,” Caius’s voice was sharp, almost angry. “We need to address this now, before it spirals out of control.”
“What are you suggesting?” Dante’s tone was calm, measured, but there was an edge to it.
“This is a huge problem,” Caius said, his words heavy with meaning. “You need to stop Valencia
I couldn’t hear Dante’s response–my ears were ringing, my pulse pounding in my chest.
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Chapter 64
Stop me? What were they talking about?
But what Caius said next made my heart drop and my eyes widen.
“We have to separate those two before she ends up killing your child!”
