The hotel room was pristine, the kind of luxury I’d only seen in magazines or on TV. Its quiet opulence felt foreign, almost suffocating. I perched on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the crisp white comforter. The weight of the phone call with Adam lingered like a shadow, stirring emotions I couldn’t quite sort out. Relief. Anxiety. Hope.
The knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. My heart raced as I crossed the room, my hands trembling. A small, irrational part of me feared it was Kael, despite knowing it was impossible.
When I opened the door, the man standing there was not what I expected. He was tall, easily towering over me, with dark hair swept back in perfect disarray and striking green eyes that seemed to pin me in place. He wore a tailored black suit that fit him like a second skin, exuding an air of control and power.
"Miss Talia?" His voice was deep, smooth, and carried a strange kind of authority.
I blinked up at him, unsure how to respond. "Yes?"
"I’m Cole," he said, his gaze never wavering. "Adam sent me to escort you."
Adam sent him? My mind reeled. My brother didn’t come himself? And who was this man, dressed like he belonged on a movie set?
"Escort me where?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.
"To him," Cole replied simply, stepping aside to reveal a sleek black limousine parked at the curb. The car gleamed under the streetlights, its very presence exuding wealth.
I hesitated, clutching the doorframe. "I... I thought Adam would come himself."
Cole’s expression softened just slightly, though his tone remained calm. "Your brother thought it would be safer this way. He didn’t want to draw attention."
Attention? To what? I glanced back at the lavish room, the pieces of a puzzle I didn’t understand slowly clicking together. The hotel. The limo. This man. Adam had always been ambitious, but the life he’d built in my absence was far beyond anything I’d imagined.
"I don’t understand," I murmured. "Why all this? Why now?"
Cole stepped closer, his presence both calming and unnerving. "All your questions will be answered soon. For now, trust that Adam has your best interests at heart."
Something about his voice, steady and unyielding, made me nod despite the doubts swirling in my chest. Grabbing my bag, I followed him to the car.
Inside, the limo was just as extravagant as I’d expected. Butter-soft leather seats, polished wood paneling, and faint ambient lighting that made the space feel almost otherworldly. Cole slid into the seat across from me, his movements impossibly fluid, like a predator who knew his strength.
"This is... a lot," I admitted, my fingers trailing over the stitching of the seat.
Cole’s lips quirked into the faintest hint of a smile. "The Alpha spares no expense when it comes to family."
The word "family" twisted something in my chest. It had been so long since I’d thought of Adam that way—so long since I’d felt like I had anyone at all.
As the limo glided through the city streets, I stole a glance at Cole. There was something almost unnervingly perfect about him, from his chiseled features to the precise way he carried himself. His suit alone probably cost more than my annual salary.
"Can I ask you something?" I ventured.
"Of course."
"How long have you worked with Adam?"
"Long enough to trust him," he said, his cryptic answer delivered with a practiced ease.
I frowned. "That’s not much of an answer."
He leaned back, his green eyes locking onto mine. "Some things are better left unsaid."
I crossed my arms, frustration bubbling up. "You sound just like him."
For the first time, Cole’s smile widened, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I’ll take that as a compliment."
The limo slowed to a stop, and I realized we’d reached my apartment building.
"I’ll wait here," Cole said, his tone shifting to something more businesslike. "Take only what you need."
Nodding, I stepped out of the car, my hands shaking as I fumbled for my keys. The elevator ride to my floor felt endless, my thoughts spinning with questions.
When I finally stepped into my apartment, the familiar scent of my lavender candles greeted me. The space looked just as I’d left it—small, cluttered, and a stark contrast to the life Adam seemed to be living now.
I grabbed a duffel bag and began stuffing it with essentials, my mind still trying to make sense of everything. How had Adam gone from my ambitious, struggling older brother to... whatever this was?
As I zipped up the bag, a strange sensation washed over me, like I was being watched. I turned toward the window, but the curtains were drawn, and the street below was quiet. Shaking off the unease, I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed back to the limo.
Cole was waiting by the car, his gaze scanning the street with a sharpness that made me pause. He opened the door for me without a word, and I slid back into the luxurious interior.
"Got everything you need?" he asked as the car pulled away from the curb.
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure what I needed anymore.
My phone buzzed , I took it from my bag and saw that someone had sent me a video, and when I played it my heart stopped.
It was Kael and Selena entangled together in my bed , as they writhed in pure ecstasy.
I must have made a sound because Cole snatched the phone from me , looked at the video and then put the phone in his pocket ..
“ Do not concern yourself with the Past Miss Talia , your future awaits”.
"You're right, but I have something to do now."
As I said that, I took the phone back from Cole, and the next second, I forwarded the video Selena sent to my social media. Not only that, I also sent it to Kael and Selena's friends and relatives.
At the same time, I added a postscript: “Congratulations, I wish your adultery will last forever!”
Soon after that, I blocked all contact information of Kael and Selena, then turned off my phone.
This time, I want to find myself again and pursue my own future!
