Free Web NovelChapter 148: Chapter 148
Aria’s POV
Nathan paused rustling the papers on his desk for a moment and thought about what Sophia had said.
He finally said, his voice calm but too measured: “Of course you’re better. Aria’s success was thanks to you anyway.”
Anger swelled within me.
Through the crack, I saw him smile indulgently as Sophia leaned over his desk, her cheeks pink, her eyes shining like she’d won something.
My lungs tightened, my wolf whimpered.
It didn’t matter how many times he sided with her, It didn’t matter how numb I had forced myself to become...The pain still found a way in, sharp and merciless.
I pressed my palm to my chest, swallowing hard. My vision blurred with the light pouring through the crack in the door.
Why did I ever fall for Nathan Hemsworth?
The man who let my adopted sister cling to him like a mate. The man who belittled my worth like it was nothing. The man I once married with joy in my heart, foolish enough to dream of a family, a future, a pack.
What gave him the right to erase everything I contributed to Hemsworth Group just to appease Sophia?
Rage roared through me, hot and wild.
My wolf snarled: Leave now.
I turned sharply, ready to vanish into the dark hallway.
But in my haste, the button on my coat brushed against the door, producing a soft, betraying click.
I froze.
Sophia and Nathan went silent inside.
My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
Nathan’s POV
The moment the faint click echoed from the doorway, my wolf snapped to attention, his ears pricking, his muscles tightening beneath my skin.
“Who is that?” I growled, my voice rougher than I intended. The familiar, painfully warm scent drifted in and hit me in the chest.
Aria.
I turned, and there she was.
Standing in the doorway in a simple nightgown, Her scent washed over me even more, and my wolf suddenly lunged forward inside me, his tail lifted, snarling to reach her.
But her face...
There was restrained sadness there, The kind that sliced deeper than any blade.
My breath hitched.
“Aria?” I managed, her name scraping out of my throat.
She offered a polite smile, the kind strangers give each other, not mates. “Sorry, I was just passing by. You two continue.”
She turned to leave.
No.
“Aria!” The panic punched out of me before I could stop it. I moved without thinking, crossing the space in four long steps, grabbing her arm before she slipped away entirely.
The moment my skin touched hers, my wolf surged up, desperate, relieved and territorial.
But Aria looked down at my hand like it was a stranger’s.
“Let go,” she said softly.
And Goddess above, the calm in her voice terrified me. There was no anger, no hurt, no fire. Just... nothingness.
My wolf whimpered.
I released her slower than I should have, my fingers refusing to obey.
“The Hemsworth Group is dealing with a big problem,” I said, my words tripping over themselves. “Sophia was only reporting to me. That’s all.”
Why was I explaining myself? Why did I feel like a guilty pup caught doing something wrong?
She looked at me, eyes steady. “Why did you tell me that?”
I froze.
Why did I?
She turned her gaze away from me, sweeping over the two of us, unreadable and unbearably distant.
And in that moment, my chest felt heavy. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Ever since she came back... she hasn’t looked at me the same. Her scent around the house used to drift toward me with affection, with longing, even when I always rejected it. Now it’s colder, fainter. Like she’s slipping away.
Has she really stopped loving me?
My lungs tightened. My wolf snarled in denial, pacing, restless, urging me to pull her close, bury my face in her neck and prove the bond still existed. But I stood rooted, unable to move.
I swallowed hard and said the only thing my instincts could cling to, in response to her question.
“Because you are my wife.”
The word came out low, possessive, almost a growl.
Sophia initially stiffened beside me, but tben she forced a gentle smile as she faced Aria. “Aria, don’t misunderstand. We were just talking about work. Nathan works very hard during the day. As his wife, you should be more understanding.”
Aria didn’t even spare her a glance.
She looked at me, straight through me and whispered,
“It’s only in name.”
My wolf collapsed inward, howling.
Before I could say another word, she turned and walked away, the soft sound of her footsteps fading and the last piece of my sanity going with her.
I stood there, breathing hard, fighting the instinct to chase her, to drag her back, to remind her she was mine and I was hers.
But she didn’t look back.
And that terrified me more than any enemy ever had. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, claws scraping, furious and frightened at the same time.
Sophia tugged at my sleeve with trembling fingers.
“Nathan, Aria seems unhappy. I’ll report the rest tomorrow. You should go see her first.”
Her tone was anxious, pleading, but my gaze was already locked on the hallway where Aria had disappeared. My wolf was whining.
Sophia’s scent soured with irritation when I didn’t respond. I only nodded slightly, already turning toward the door.
This time, I didn’t stay.
I killed the lights in the study. Darkness swallowed Sophia’s stiffening expression, and I caught the faint hitch in her breathing as I pulled away from her.
“You should head back,” I said flatly.
My footsteps echoed down the quiet hall, my wolf pulling me toward the room Aria had gone into. I hated how desperate I felt, but I couldn’t ignore it.
I knocked softly on her door.
