The comment section had barely gone silent when Alaric’s call came through, almost instantly.
“Liora, don’t misinterpret my friends. They only joke around with Camilla and me. Your message earlier made them uncomfortable. I know seeing that post upset you, but you also really disappointed Mom this time. She wanted us to attend the royal party together, but you didn’t show up at the last minute. I know I missed our anniversary dinner, but I’m busy. You can’t throw fits like this every time something goes wrong.”
I stayed silent, listening, which seemed to make him uneasy.
“Liora… when you come home, we’ll sort this out. You should apologize to Mom right away.”
“Okay…” I choked out, the words barely escaping my throat. The man responsible for my child’s death had the audacity to demand my apology.
“Liora… why aren’t you asking anything about me?”
“No need. I already know everything I need to.” Without waiting for him to respond, I ended the call and let out sobs that shook me to my core, a grief so deep it seemed to consume my entire being.
My parents had opposed my relationship with Alaric at first. But when they saw I loved him too much to live without him, they had reluctantly allowed it. Yet it all felt meaningless now.
I hailed a taxi home, and it was nearly dawn when Alaric arrived, staggering and disoriented. The sound of his footsteps woke me. Seeing me awake, he froze, trying to think of an excuse.
Fearing I would scold him for drinking, he asked softly why I hadn’t been home for the past three days. I merely turned away, silent.
“Are you pretending to be angry with me now?” he murmured.
“No comforting soup tonight?” I asked coldly.
“I’m tired.” His sigh betrayed surprise at my detached tone. He adjusted the duvet around me.
“You’re pregnant—you need rest. The child will be the next alpha.”
As he sat beside me, a fruity perfume lingered in the air, overwhelming my senses and keeping sleep at bay. I got up, taking my pillow and blanket, tears spilling as I left the room.
“Liora?” he called after me.
“I’m not comfortable here.” I closed the door behind me, leaving him shocked and alone.
The following morning, I left for the office early, before Alaric even stirred.
“This project will be intense and will require overtime. Anyone willing to take it? The budget is higher, and there’s a generous bonus.”
“I’ll handle it.” My colleagues froze, surprised by my willingness, while my boss hesitated.
“Liora, what about your husband? And you’re pregnant… we thought you might soon take maternity leave.”
“Unfortunately, I had a miscarriage. I won’t be needing leave.” The tension in the room thickened. The meeting ended abruptly, my colleagues excused, and my boss stayed behind.
“Liora, I don’t mean to pry, but… is everything okay with you and your husband?”
“You’re an exceptional employee. I’ve wanted to promote you, but I assumed you wouldn’t want to move away from your family. Would you consider transferring to the main branch in the capital?” She chose her words carefully.
I smiled faintly. “Thank you. I’d be glad to relocate.”
She hesitated. “Actually… last night, my husband was at the Southwest bar and overheard Alpha Alaric talking to his friends.”
Seeing her pause, I urged her to continue.
“He… he was talking about your baby. He said, since you’re an orphan, you might not know how to raise a child. So he asked a friend—Camilla—to help him with the baby. I just thought, if I were you, I’d want to know what my husband says about me behind my back.”
It felt like a bucket of icy water had been dumped over me. This was how he truly saw me. I forced a trembling smile and shook my head.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Then my phone rang. Alaric’s name flashed across the screen.
“Liora, did you leave early? You’re overworking yourself, and you’re already in your second trimester. Didn’t I tell you to resign? Did you even eat breakfast? When I woke, there was nothing for me.” His voice sounded concerned, though irritation seeped through.
I hummed in reply.
He continued, pausing. “Even though I missed our anniversary dinner, I got you a gift.”
“Oh?” I said flatly.
“You love heart-shaped diamonds, right? I bought a pendant for you… hmm, where did I put it?” He muttered to himself, shuffling things around.
I heard him fumbling, muttering, “It’s not here—” before realizing he had given it to someone else. Yesterday, Camilla had worn a diamond heart pendant in the photo. My vision blurred with tears.
Quickly covering up, he muttered, “I must have lost it somewhere—”
“No need. I forgot to get you anything anyway.”
“Liora… you’ve been like this since yesterday. You can’t do much, but at least take care of the house, cook, and look presentable. Stop acting like it’s a huge issue!”
“Yes… it’s unimportant.” Tears streaked my face as I listened to his cruel words.
Yes, he had bought me a gift—one first worn by his childhood sweetheart, then meant for me as a token.
“I can never make you happy, no matter how hard I try. Alaric… my favorite gemstones have always been sapphires. I’ve never worn diamonds once in my life.” With that, I hung up.
