The last thing Theo said to me replayed in my mind like a broken record, a cruel echo that refused to fade. He didn’t care about what I felt. He never did. He admitted, so easily, that I was nothing more than a means to an end—a source of wealth, a stepping stone to his ambitions. And I was expected to hand everything over and disappear.
Pathetic. That’s what he thought of me. But he’d made one crucial mistake—he underestimated me.
I rolled my wheelchair out into the living room, my fingers gripping the armrests with quiet restraint as I took in the disgusting display before me. Alpha Theo sat on the couch, relaxed, as if he didn’t just drop a bomb on me the night before. But what set my blood boiling was the woman perched comfortably on his lap—Suzanne. She glanced up as I entered and had the audacity to smirk before waving at me like this was some casual gathering and not my own home they were tainting with their presence.
“Morning, cousin,” she chirped, her voice saccharine and dripping with mockery. “You don’t look so happy. Are you still sulking?”
I bit my tongue, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, I turned to Smitty, my loyal confidant, who had already appeared at my side, as if sensing I was moments away from snapping. “Take me to the garden.”
The moment we were out in the open air, the sun warming my skin, Smitty let out a frustrated sigh. “Are you really just going to let him do this to you?”
“They think they’ve won,” I murmured, closing my eyes as I let the light seep into my bones. “Let them think that.”
Smitty was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. “The documents you requested—they’re ready.”
My lips curled into a smirk. Perfect.
He crouched beside me, voice low. “Your flight is set for Sunday. I’ve arranged a place for you in London. It’s safe.”
“Thank you, Smitty.” I turned to look at him, sincerely lacing my words. He wasn’t just someone who worked for me—he was my only true ally. “For everything.”
“You don’t have to thank me.” His expression darkened. “I just want to see that bastard pay.”
And he would. Soon.
Three days passed, bringing with them the cruelest gift fate could give me on my twenty-fourth birthday. I should have known better than to expect anything else.
I rolled down the hallway, my heart heavy, my breath tight, and then I saw it.
My mate. My supposed fated one.
In our bed. With her.
Something inside me cracked, but no tears fell. I had already cried enough over him. I felt nothing but cold detachment as I turned away and wheeled myself back toward Smitty, who was already waiting by the door, our bags packed and ready.
No more hesitation. No more second chances. I was done.
Hours later, we were on the plane, Smitty sitting beside me as he pulled out his phone. “I left the documents in the living room,” he informed me. “He’ll see them soon.”
Almost on cue, my own phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen—Theo’s name flashing like an unwanted reminder of a past I no longer wanted any part of. He was looking for me.
Too late. I ignored the messages, staring out the window instead, watching the world I once called home shrink beneath me.
London was a fresh start. A place where Theo’s reach couldn’t touch me. As the plane landed and we arrived at my new apartment, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time—peace. The sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing the room in a warm glow. A new beginning. A new life.
But peace never lasted long.
Smitty’s phone rang, slicing through the moment. He shot me a look before putting it on speaker.
Theo’s voice exploded through the speaker, raw with rage. “Where the hell is she?”
Smitty leaned back, utterly unimpressed. “Busy.”
“Don’t play games with me, Smitty! You think you can just betray me?”
“I think we already did,” Smitty mused.
Theo’s breathing was harsh, unhinged. “You think this is funny? You think you got away with something? The documents—” There was a pause, then a loud crash. “They’re fake! The mansion—her aunt took it!”
Ah, so he finally figured it out.
“You really should read the fine print,” Smitty said lazily. “It was never yours to begin with.”
Theo let out a string of curses before his voice dropped to something more menacing. “You don’t know who you’re messing with.”
Smitty scoffed. “Neither do you.”
I took the phone from Smitty then, pressing it to my ear, savoring the moment. “You sound stressed, Theo.”
“Sabrina,” he snarled, voice venomous. “You little—”
“Ah, ah,” I cut him off, smirking. “That’s no way to talk to your former mate. And honestly, you should be thanking me. I gave you a free lesson on why you should never underestimate me.”
He was silent for a moment, probably seething, probably trying to think of some threat that would scare me.
But I wasn’t that woman anymore.
“I’ll find you,” he finally said, voice dark with promise.
I laughed softly. “You can try.”
And with that, I ended the call, tossing the phone onto the couch before turning to Smitty, who was grinning like a proud accomplice. “Well, that went well.”
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders as I took in my new home. London. A new city. A new life.
Let Theo rage. Let him spiral. I was finally free.
And I couldn’t wait to watch him burn.
