Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 46

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

I quit.

Leilani.

The weekend slipped away in the blink of an eye, vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was still simmering with the emotions that had boiled over during those two days. The weight of everything that had transpired hung heavily on my shoulders, and the silence from Jarek gnawed at me like a persistent itch I couldn’t scratch. I had expected some sort of acknowledgment, a message, anything. But instead, I was met with the shocking news that he wouldn’t be gracing the office with his presence today.

He had embarked on an unplanned business trip.

A surge of anger coursed through me, hot and unrelenting. My frustration bubbled over; it felt as though he was deliberately avoiding me. But why? That question swirled in my mind, a maddening riddle without an answer.

Determined to distract myself from the chaos of my thoughts, I dove headfirst into my work that week. I lost myself in the intricate process of creating new models, brainstorming innovative ideas, and striving to develop something superior—something that could outpace CONNA, the programming language crafted by the Landrys that had been my nemesis for far too long.

Then came Thursday, and with it, Jarek’s unexpected return.

I had just wrapped up a meeting, my mind still buzzing with ideas, when Yvette, his ever-efficient personal assistant, appeared at my office door. She wore a bright smile that hinted at the news she was about to deliver.

“Guess what? Alpha Frostclaw is back!”

The words struck me like a lightning bolt. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a rush of adrenaline as I stood abruptly, clearing my desk in a flurry of papers and pens. I dashed out of my office, ignoring the amused chuckle that followed me from Yvette.

My heart raced as I sprinted down the hallway, each step echoing my mounting anticipation and anxiety. I could hardly catch my breath, my lungs burning by the time I reached Jarek’s office. Without a moment’s hesitation, I swung the door open and shouted, “Why the hell have you not been answering my calls?”

But the moment those words escaped my lips, I wished I could snatch them back. There, sitting across from Jarek, was Chalice. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, and her piercing blue eyes sparkled with mischief, sending a shiver down my spine.

For a heartbeat, I was frozen in place, my heart pounding in my chest, my nerves taut as a bowstring. The sound of my own blood pulsing in my ears drowned out everything else, including Chalice’s cheerful greeting. “Sister! It’s so good to see you!”

In that instant, my heart plummeted. A wave of rage surged through me, hotter and more intense than anything I had felt before. Goddess, I couldn’t even muster a response.

My eyes burned as I absorbed the scene before me, Chalice’s saccharine smile widening, her words from the boutique echoing ominously in my mind. I caught Jarek’s gaze, and my breath hitched at the coldness that radiated from him. He was shut off, a fortress behind an impenetrable wall.

Yet, there was something different about him. Not in a bad way, but in a way that made my heart race for reasons I couldn’t fully understand. A small scar traced down his left eye and the corner of his mouth, a mark of something significant, something that would likely never fade. Oddly enough, it added a rugged charm to his appearance.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile that felt foreign. “I see you’re both busy. I’ll catch you later!” I said slowly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

“Yeah, that’s right. I would have invited you to join us, but this conversation is quite private,” Chalice interjected, her tone dripping with condescension. I fought the urge to smack her head against Jarek’s polished mahogany table.

“Okay,” I muttered, turning on my heel and leaving, my emotions a volatile mix of anger, betrayal, and confusion.

For the first time in my life, I felt a deep-seated hatred for Jarek. I despised how well he understood the feud that had fractured my family. I loathed that he was aware of the pain Chalice had inflicted upon me, yet here he was, cavorting with her as if he had forgotten who I was, swayed by her insipid charm.

As I made my way to the cafeteria, the tightness in my chest constricted further. I grabbed some food, paid in a daze, and returned to my office, clinging to my work like a lifeline.

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