Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 125

Aria’s POV

Sophie stood in front of me. Suitcase at her feet. That ridiculous unicorn keychain dangling from the handle—the one Lina had insisted she take as a "protection charm."

"So." Sophie rocked on her heels. "This is it."

"This is it."

We stared at each other.

Neither of us moved.

"You know," Sophie said, "I could just... miss the train. Accidentally. On purpose."

"Your mother would kill you."

"I’m SERIOUS!" She threw her hands up. "What’s one more day? Or week? Or month? Or forever?"

I laughed. The sound came out wet. Wrong.

"My life is significantly less interesting without you in it."

I pulled her into a hug.

She stopped talking immediately. Her arms wrapped around me. Tight. Desperate.

"I’m going to miss you so much," she whispered into my shoulder. "SO much."

"I know." My voice cracked. "Me too."

We stood there. Two idiots crying in the middle of a train station. Not caring who saw.

"Promise me something." Sophie pulled back. Grabbed my face in both hands. "Promise me you’ll take care of yourself. Eat real food. Sleep actual hours. Don’t work yourself to death."

"I promise."

"And call me. Every day. Even if it’s just to say hi."

"I will."

"And if that stupid Alpha ever shows his stupid face and does anything stupid—"

"Sophie."

"—you kick him. Right in the—"

"SOPHIE."

She grinned. That bright, ridiculous, Sophie grin.

"Just making sure you remember."

The train whistle blew. Loud and sharp.

Sophie’s smile faltered.

"That’s me."

"Yeah."

Neither of us moved.

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Okay. I’m going. I’m actually going."

She grabbed her suitcase. Started walking backward toward the train.

"Take care of my goddaughter!" She was shouting now. Getting further away. "Tell her Auntie Sophie loves her! Tell her I’ll visit again soon!"

"I will!"

She blew me a kiss. Dramatic. Theatrical. So perfectly Sophie.

Then she disappeared into the train.

The doors closed.

The engine hummed.

And just like that, she was gone.

I stood on the platform. Watching the train pull away. Watching it get smaller and smaller until it vanished around a bend.

---

Work was a blur.

I went through the motions. Answered emails. Organized files. Completed whatever tasks landed on my desk.

Director Black stopped by around noon.

"Ms. Moon." She placed a folder in front of me. "Today’s Alpha affairs. Standard correspondence. Territory reports. Nothing urgent."

"Thank you."

I stared at the folder. The familiar Blood Crown seal staring back at me.

Standard correspondence. Territory reports. Nothing urgent.

Just another day. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Just another delivery to an empty office.

I opened the folder. Started sorting.

The work was mindless. Repetitive. Exactly what I needed.

My hands moved on autopilot. Organizing. Labeling. Creating neat stacks of paper that would eventually end up on a desk no one ever used.

By 5:30, everything was ready.

I gathered the documents. Straightened the edges. Held the stack against my chest.

Time to make the delivery.

---

The elevator ride was quiet.

No anxiety this time. No racing heart. No sweaty palms.

Just... routine.

I’d done this enough times now. Walked down that hallway. Opened that door. Placed documents on that empty desk.

He was never there.

He was NEVER there.

The doors opened. The top floor stretched out before me.

Empty. As always.

My heels clicked against the marble. The sound echoed in the silence.

I reached his office. Pushed open the door.

Everything was exactly as I’d left it.

The bare desk. The empty bookshelves. The pristine furniture that had never been used.

And there, in the corner. The moonlight flowers.

I walked toward the desk. Set down the documents.

My eyes drifted to the vase.

The flowers looked fresh. Like they’d been replaced just this morning. Their delicate white petals caught the afternoon light. Glowed softly.

How were they always so fresh?

Who kept replacing them?

I leaned closer. Inhaled.

That scent. Soft. Sweet. Achingly familiar.

I reached out. Touched one of the petals.

So soft. So delicate.

My hand was shaking. When had it started shaking? My elbow caught the edge of the vase.

"NO!"

I lunged forward. Too late. Too slow.

The vase hit the desk. Bounced. Rolled toward the edge.

I grabbed for it. Caught it just before it crashed to the floor.

The water was everywhere.

It spread across the desk like a flood. Soaked into the documents I’d just delivered. Dripped onto the floor. Created a puddle that grew larger by the second.

I set the vase upright. Grabbed the flowers. Held them in one hand while I desperately tried to stop the water with the other.

I dropped to my knees. Started mopping up the water with my hands. With my sleeves. With anything I could find.

I grabbed some tissues from my bag. Dabbed at the puddle. Made absolutely no progress.

The flowers were still in my other hand. Dripping water onto my skirt.

I looked at them.

Really looked at them.

Those white petals. That gentle glow. That scent that made my heart ache.

Without thinking, I brought them to my face.

Inhaled deeply.

The fragrance washed over me. Filled my lungs. Wrapped around my heart like a warm blanket.

I closed my eyes.

For a moment—just a moment—I could almost remember.

The feeling of Artemis inside me. That warm presence. That gentle voice. The way she used to comfort me when things got hard.

Then I heard it.

Footsteps.

Fast. Heavy. Getting closer.

My head snapped up.

The footsteps stopped right outside the door.

A moment of silence.

Then—

BANG.

The door slammed open.