Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 128

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

A girl can dream…

Leilani, a girl with aspirations as vast as the ocean, found herself ensconced in a whirlwind of work and self-imposed isolation. For the next few days, I deliberately steered clear of everyone from the Stormborn pack, as if they carried a contagious disease. In truth, they did—an emotional plague that I was not ready to confront. Instead, I dove headfirst into the intricate development of TINN, my brain buzzing with ideas and possibilities.

By Wednesday, I was pleased to discover that TINN was about 80% complete, a significant milestone that filled me with a sense of accomplishment. The Landry group had also made their first deposit into our company account, which felt like a small victory in a world where I often felt overshadowed.

Come Thursday, however, I was a mere shadow of my former self—a literal zombie fueled by nothing but adrenaline and an alarming number of coffee cups that littered my desk like fallen soldiers in a battle against fatigue.

Then, on Friday afternoon, the door swung open, and Jarek appeared, dropping two tickets onto my cluttered table. His expression contorted in mild disgust as he took in my disheveled appearance.

“Leilani, I don’t think I pay you enough for you to neglect your health like this!” he exclaimed, a hint of concern lacing his words.

With a heavy sigh, I lowered my gaze, feeling the weight of his words. “I know…” I murmured, then, trying to lighten the mood, I added, “…maybe you could consider increasing my salary?”

His chuckle was a welcome sound, cutting through the tension in the air. He settled into the chair across from me, his frown deepening as he noticed the myriad of empty coffee cups scattered around. “You should go home early today,” he suggested gently.

“Why?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Because… you look like you need to rest,” he replied softly, his warm gaze making my heart skip a beat. “Moreover, we should attend this year’s innovation expo. It’s tomorrow evening, and you’ll need to be well-rested for it.”

His words piqued my interest. I raised my eyes to meet his, arching an eyebrow. “It’s that close?”

“Yep. The date was announced about a week ago,” he answered, his tone calm but matter-of-fact.

I gasped in surprise, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. How had I missed something so significant? Goddess, I wanted to decline. I wanted to voice my reluctance about attending yet another event where I would be expected to don a glamorous dress and “look pretty.” But the allure of witnessing a showcase of innovations was too tempting to resist. With a resigned sigh, I began clearing my desk.

Jarek watched me with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as I packed up my things. Once I was finished, he took my hand in his, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Why are you in such a hurry?”

My face flushed at his touch; it felt as if his hand was kindling a fire on my skin. My tongue felt thick in my mouth, but I managed to take a deep breath and respond, “I didn’t know about the event, and now I need to plan for it.”

His gaze softened, and he drawled, “Don’t stop to buy a dress; just go home and get some sleep.”

“But…” I hesitated, “how do I get a dress if I don’t buy one?”

“I’ll send some dresses to your house tomorrow morning,” he assured me, his tone soothing. “You don’t need to worry about it, okay?”

My heart fluttered traitorously at his words, and warmth spread across my cheeks. “Okay,” I replied with a smile, feeling a mix of gratitude and something deeper.

I left my office buoyed by a lightness I couldn’t quite decipher. Was it relief from avoiding the stress of shopping alone, or was it the memory of his gentle kiss on my fingertips that lingered?

As I made my way to the parking lot, I tried to suppress the blush that threatened to betray my thoughts. Even as I arrived home about forty-five minutes later, Jarek’s kindness and warmth consumed my mind. I couldn’t shake the sensation of his lips brushing against my skin, and I found myself wishing he were my mate instead of those buffoons surrounding him.

But a girl can dream, right?

RIGHT?

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify