99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 139

“No, it was worth it. At least being with Liam cured me of my illusions about love and true mates. Now I finally understood-mates and love are not the same thing. If you choose the wrong partner, then the mate bond is nothing but a living hell.”

“So, Liyah-promise me you’ll fight your father to the end. Don’t ever mate into some family just for his so-called alliances.”

Liyah nodded firmly.

“I know. But with my brothers protecting me, my father can’t push me too far. Honestly, whether I mate or not doesn’t matter. Even if I stay single my whole life, I’ll always have my brothers behind me. But you-”

She sighed.

I knew Liyah hated that I was alone in this world.

But I didn’t need love or a mate; all I needed was what I was owed.

I wiped my tears away and pointed out the window.

“Do you see that building? It used to belong to my parents.”

I was pointing at the landmark Reese Group tower that stood tall on the main avenue of Calgary’s central district.

“Seriously?” Liyah was stunned. She knew that my father’s family stole things from my mother and me after Dad passed, but I never went into detail on what. “What about now?”

“Now it’s under my uncle Steven’s name-Jack’s father, my father was barely cold in the ground when they stole it from us,” I said quietly.

“It’s not just that tower. The Reese Furniture Plaza up ahead also used to be ours. But I heard that in recent years, due to my uncle’s poor management, it fell out of favour, and they sold it off. Now there are tiny franchised temporary pop-ups around, but it doesn’t have the same life it once had.”

I listed them one by one as if reciting an inventory. I still carried an old sketchbook-my mother’s hand-drawn record of my father’s businesses and where they were located.

So even though I had never set foot back in Calgary after leaving, I knew exactly where everything had once stood.

“That mall up ahead used to be ours, but it’s now sold. Do you see that middle school? My father donated the entire library, and that neighbourhood was built to house our company’s retired employees. Look over there, my father’s investments also funded that hospital.”

Driving through the city, I pointed things out as we passed.

My tone was calm, but Liyah looked as if every word was a mountain pressing down on her chest.

Her eyes turned red as she reached out and gripped my hand tightly.

“Claire, I promise that from now on, you don’t carry this burden and pain alone. I’m with you, and I also promise that we’ll take back everything you lost, piece by piece.”

My nose stung, my emotions surged wildly.

“If my father had lost all this because of his own bad management, maybe I could have accepted it. But no -everything was stolen after his death. They robbed us blind. Even when my mom died, she still couldn’t rest in peace.”

My voice broke.

I didn’t dare to continue, afraid my tears would burst forth like a flood. I underestimated how much pain being back and seeing everything in person would be.

“I understand, Claire. Anyone would find it unbearable. But you are still young, and you have the strength to stand up and fight. After all, you were born to lead as Luna, which means that you were born to lead as whatever the hell you want. Business tycoon, it is! I’ll stand with you. My brothers will stand with you. We’ll help you reclaim it all.”

I finally smiled through my tears.

“You’re right. I’ve stayed down in the mud for too long, and it’s time to rise as intended.”

As we drove, I suddenly shouted out and made Liyah turn the car into a narrow alley.

Liyah was noticeably confused and was about to ask until she spotted a beautiful traditional-style house right in front of us.

Before Liyah could even finish putting the car into park, I leapt out and hurried to the gate.

I heard Liyah’s footsteps behind me, and she rushed to follow.

I couldn’t believe I was here.

I stood before the old house, inhaling deeply, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to steady myself.

“Liyah, this is the only property left in my name-the one they couldn’t take away.”

I pointed at the gate, wiping my tears as my hand reached out to trace the cold iron bars.

“After all these years, I thought the house would have collapsed, at the very least, be overgrown with weeds. But it’s so well preserved, almost exactly as I remember us leaving it. No, wait-what if someone else moved in? Liyah, what if they seized it too?”

My panic mounting, I shoved hard at the gate.

At that moment, an elderly man with white hair appeared.

“Hello, who are you looking for?”

“Sir, why are you living here? This house clearly belongs to my family!” My voice shook with emotion.

“You are-Ms. Reese?” The elderly man looked puzzled at first, then studied me closely. Suddenly, he adjusted his glasses and his eyes lit up.

“Ms. Reese, don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Carson, I was one of the lead omegas for the packhouse at the Crown of Thornes pack.”