How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 38: That’s Not Fair...

AIDEN’S POV 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

She slammed the door in my face.

And I just stood there.

Breathing like I’d run a mile in wolf form. Like she hadn’t just whispered in my ear and walked away like she hadn’t detonated something inside my chest.

I wanted to knock. Gods, I wanted to tear that door off its hinges and demand to know what the hell she thought she was doing. What we were doing.

But I didn’t.

Why? Because part of me, the worst, weakest part of me, admired it.

Jasmine wasn’t the same woman I met at that masquerade party a few weeks back—the one who seemed carefree and willing to marry a stranger just to prove she was in charge.

No, now she was like fire.

Unpredictable. Intense. Stunning.

And all of this was happening because of me.

Because I’d pulled her into this world and then hesitated. Because I’d kissed her and pulled away. Because I kept secrets.

And now? She wasn’t waiting for answers.

She was writing her own damn rules.

—

I barely slept.

And the next morning, I paid for it.

At the office, I was unfocused.

I’d reread the same email three times, only to realise it wasn’t even for me. Two of my analysts kept giving me strange looks from the glass wall outside my office, whispering like they’d spotted a ghost.

Even Kaiden had thrown in the "Alpha, are you sure you’re fine?"

I couldn’t think straight.

Not with the memory of her scent still clinging to my skin. Not with the flash of silk and bare skin haunting me every time I blinked.

Not with Ace ringing the damn curse in my head over and over again. Louder. Something about being near her—touching her—was making him more restless than I could contain.

And still, all I could think about was her.

I rubbed my temple, sighing. I had four meetings stacked back to back and a foreign deal on the verge of collapse. I needed to focus. I had to.

But then she walked in.

She didn’t text or call; she just appeared in the doorway of my office like she owned the entire building.

My secretary barely managed a warning knock before Jasmine breezed in with a paper bag in one hand and a smoothie in the other.

The dress she wore wasn’t even trying to play nice.

It was made of ivory silk, with a low cut in the front that hugged her curves, ending just above her knees. She also styled her hair differently today—no tight, serious bun.

Instead, it was loose and casual, as if she had just stepped out of a dream and onto the red carpet.

And gods, every man in the hall turned to look at her.

I stood as she sauntered toward my desk. Her heels made a soft tap against the hardwood, but her smile made a crack in my composure.

"Hi, darling," she purred sweetly, setting the food down. "Thought you might be hungry."

I glanced toward the open door. My staff were definitely watching.

"Jasmine," I said in a low warning voice. "This isn’t the best time."

She tilted her head innocently. "Oh? I thought this was part of my wifely duties. Feeding the hard-working husband."

A growl formed in my throat. She leaned in, planting a kiss on my cheek, and whispered, "Your assistant likes my dress."

I was going to lose my mind.

"Thanks for lunch," I said through gritted teeth. "I’ll eat later."

She beamed. "No rush. It’ll keep."

And then, just like that, she turned and walked out, hips swaying, hair bouncing, the picture of sweet, stunning rebellion.

The hallway buzzed as soon as she left.

One of the interns actually high-fived another.

I shut the office door hard enough to make the windows rattle.

—

I barely made it through the rest of the day.

By the time I got home, I was wound so tight I could barely breathe.

She was already there.

Curled on the living room couch in a satin robe that made her look like a goddess in repose. A glass of wine rested on her knee, and her laptop glowed in front of her.

She didn’t even glance up.

"I want answers," I said as I stepped inside.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. "Good evening to you, too."

I didn’t rise to the bait. "What is this?"

She looked up then. Slowly. Calmly. "Dinner and a business proposal."

"You know what I mean."

She set the laptop aside and took another sip. "No, I really don’t."

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing like a caged thing. "This game you’re playing—what the hell do you want from me, Jasmine?"

She tilted her head. "Nothing you’re not already offering. Silence. Distance. The occasional table scrap of affection."

My voice dropped. "That’s not fair."

Her eyes glittered in the dim light. "Neither is being kissed like I’m everything... and treated like I’m a risk you can’t afford."

I froze.

There it was.

The truth I hadn’t dared to say aloud.

The curse. The danger. Her.

"Jasmine," I said, stepping closer. "This isn’t what you think. I’ve been trying to protect you—"

She rose, crossing the room, stopping just inches from me. Her hand came up, light as air, and traced the column of my throat before settling on my chest.

"I know," she whispered. "You’re always protecting someone. Always carrying something."

My hands twitched at my sides. I wanted to grab her. Kiss her. Lock her in place until she saw that this wasn’t just about control.

But then—

She rose to her toes, kissed the side of my neck softly.

My breath caught.

And just as my arms started to lift, to pull her in—

She stepped back... then walked away.

Again.

Up the stairs, her robe whispering around her ankles.

Halfway up, she turned, looked over her shoulder with a sly little smile.

"Goodnight, Alpha."

And then she was gone.

Leaving me standing in the dark with her wine on the table and my pulse pounding in every inch of my body.

Gods help me—

I was in love with the storm I couldn’t contain.