Chapter 156
Elodie’s POV
“I’m thirsty,” I said.
I didn’t even look up from my screen. My throat felt like I’d swallowed a handful of gravel, but I didn’t care. I just reached out blindly for whatever liquid was closest.
Beside me, Johnny went rigid. I could feel the rage radiating off him like heat from a sidewalk in August. He was staring at the CEO, Mr. Henderson, with pure murder in his eyes.
But Henderson? He was clueless. Blissfully, stupidly clueless.
“Wasn’t it President Wilson who gave Miss Brown that project?” Henderson continued, leaning back in his chair like he was about to drop the hottest tea of the year. “Managing it all on her own? Brave girl p>
Johnny made a noise deep in his throat. “Mm p>
“I mean, Miss Brown is probably terrified she’s going to mess it up,” Henderson sighed, shaking his head like he was watching a puppy try to climb stairs. “Her team’s been working overtime all weekend. I heard they were there until ten last night. Poor things p>
The temperature around our desk dropped ten degrees. I could practically see frost forming on Johnny’s keyboard.
“Oh,” Johnny said. The word was clipped. Ice cold.
“To be honest, she’s really responsible,” Henderson added, nodding sagely. “She didn’t just coast because she’s the President’s girlfriend. She’s grinding p>
Johnny actually sneered. It was an ugly, sharp sound. “Or,” he drawled, finally looking at the man, “she’s incompetent, and she’s making everyone else pay for her lack of talent p>
Henderson blinked. “Well… everyone has to grow, right p>
“Maybe,” Johnny said, his eyes flicking to me for a split second. You okay?
I took a sip of the drink he’d just handed me. It was lukewarm. Bitter. I didn’t even flinch. I’m peachy.
“When Elodie hosted her first major project here?” Johnny continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “She crushed it. Flawlessly. By herself. No daddy… oops, I mean husband, to hold her hand p>
Henderson, who had seen my code once and still had nightmares about it, paled. “Right. Right. Of course. Elodie is… exceptional p>
He cleared his throat, trying to pivot. “Well, at least Miss Brown has the right attitude. With that, plus President Wilson’s investment? She’s going places.” He sighed, looking wistful. “She’s just so lucky p>
Lucky.
I gripped the cup. Lucky. Yeah. So lucky that my husband decided to fuck my half-sister on my dime. So lucky that he gave her the high-profile tech project he told me I was “too emotional” to handle. So lucky that I have to sit here and listen to this moron praise her work ethic.
“By the way,” Henderson lowered his voice, leaning in like he was sharing state secrets. “Her team worked all weekend, barely moved the needle. But then… President Wilson swung by last night around seven p>
My hand stopped halfway to my mouth. Seven PM.
I had been home at seven. I’d made Liora’s favorite pasta. I’d waited until nine.
“He stayed,” Henderson whispered, wiggling his eyebrows. “Helped her sort out the core logic. And get this, they haven’t come up for air yet. They’re still in the upstairs office p>
The subtext was so loud it was practically screaming. They fucked… On the executive desk. In the glass-walled office. While I sat at home wondering if my daughter remembered my face.
Johnny moved fast. He slapped both hands over my ears. “My ears are dirty!” he shouted, glaring at Henderson. “Don’t pollute the merchandise p>
I stared at him. I pulled his hands away.
“It’s too late, Johnny,” I said quietly. My voice sounded dead even to me. “I heard p>
I’d heard every word. And honestly? Henderson was just stating facts. I’d known the moment Isabella called Dante’s phone this morning and Sienna had answered, breathless and sleepy. The picture was already painted. I didn’t need the colors filled in.
The office doors slid open.
And speak of the devil.
Sienna walked in.
She looked… glowing. Absolutely radiant. Her hair was slightly messy, falling over one shoulder, and she was wearing a high-necked silk blouse. Hiding the marks. She looked exhausted, sure, but it was that specific, satisfied exhaustion of a woman who had been thoroughly ruined and put back together all night long.
Johnny snorted, dropping his hands. “Well, look who decided to rise from the dead p>
Henderson turned, saw Sienna, and immediately started coughing like he was dying. “Ah! Miss Brown! Good morning! Uh… looking… fresh p>
Sienna offered them a dreamy, distracted smile. She didn’t even look at me. She just floated past us, humming a tune, heading straight for the meeting room with her team. Like she owned the air. Like she owned the building.
“Disgusting,” Johnny muttered.
Just then, Henderson cleared his throat, looking proud of himself. “Oh! I almost forgot. Miss Brown had the new machine installed on the executive floor personally. Brewed a fresh pot for everyone p>
He pushed a mug toward me. It was steaming. Dark roast.
“Try it,” Henderson beamed. “Best coffee in the city, she says p>
Johnny stared at the mug like it was a grenade. “Elodie, don’t p>
I picked it up.
Johnny’s eyes went wide. He watched, horrified, as I lifted the cup to my lips.
I took a long, slow sip.
It tasted like shit. Burnt. Bitter.
I didn’t even blink. I just swallowed it down, burning my throat all over again.
“It’s good,” I lied. My voice was flat. “Strong p>
Johnny was staring at me like I’d lost my mind. Like I was drinking poison and asking for seconds. He looked at his own mug, untouched, then back at me, sipping away at Sienna’s coffee like it was water.
He didn’t get it. He thought I was going to snap.
But I wasn’t snapping. I was just… empty. If I can survive being married to Dante, I can survive this coffee.
We sat in silence for an hour. I worked. I coded. I killed bugs in the system with violent keystrokes. I refused to think about Dante’s hands on her skin. I refused to think about how she was failing upward while I was drowning in place.
Then, lunchtime.
“Thai food?” Johnny asked, trying to cheer me up. “I’m buying. Pad Thai? Spicy basil p>
“I don’t care,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Just not Italian. I can’t look at pasta p>
“Deal. Let’s go p>
Johnny stood up, grabbing his jacket. I grabbed my purse. And froze. The glass doors at the entrance swung open.
Dante walked in.
You know that feeling? When the Alpha walks in, and even the air conditioning seems to bow down?
He didn’t look at me. He didn’t even glance in my direction. He walked straight past my desk like I was a potted plant he’d forgotten to water, heading straight for the glass-walled meeting room where she was.
I watched his reflection in the glass. God, he looked good. The suit was probably Italian, the watch was definitely expensive, and he had that post-coital glow that made me want to vomit.
Inside the room, her team scrambled to their feet like he was the Pope.
Sienna? She stayed seated.
She just tilted her head back, smiling up at him like he hung the moon. “You’re here?” she chirped.
“Mm,” Dante grunted. That was it. That was the big greeting. Then he softened, just a fraction. “How’s it going p>
“It’s coming together. Finally,” Sienna said, flipping her hair. “Thanks to your help last night p>
My grip on the coffee cup tightened.
Dante actually smiled. A real one. The kind he used to give me before I became “too emotional” and “unstable p>
“It was nothing,” he said, looking so humble.
Then he turned to her sycophants. “Thanks for the hard work. Let’s all go out for a meal later. My treat p>
The room erupted in cheers. Oh, thank you, Mr. Wilson! You’re so generous!
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.
“How about I go tell Mr. Gray and the others?” Sienna suggested suddenly. She stood up, smoothing her skirt. She meant Johnny and me.
It was such a power move. Look at me, inviting my husband’s employees to lunch like I’m the First Lady of this Pack.
Dante didn’t even blink. “Alright p>
Sienna sashayed out of the room, heels clicking on the tiles. She stopped at Johnny’s desk. Kim practically tripped over his chair to greet her. “Director Brown p>
Sienna gave him a pitying smile, then looked at Johnny. “Dante is treating my team. Would you and Kim like to join p>
She said it loud enough for me to hear. But she didn’t look at me. I was air. I was dust.
Kim was already opening his mouth to say yes, the little suck-up, but Johnny beat him to it.
“Miss Brown,” Johnny said, his voice smooth as silk but sharp as a knife. “We appreciate the kindness, but we have our own arrangements p>
Sienna’s smile faltered. Just for a second. “Mr. Gray p>
She glanced at me then. Finally.
I looked up from my screen, met her eyes, and took a slow sip of her shit coffee. I didn’t smile. I didn’t frown. I just looked at her like she was a bug on a windshield.
Sienna flinched. She actually looked away first.
“Alright,” she said, her voice tight. “Next time then p>
She spun around and marched back to the meeting room, ignoring Kim completely.
Kim stared at her back, mouth hanging open. “Jesus. She can be proud sometimes.” He looked at me, expecting me to agree.
I shrugged, going back to my code. “I noticed p>
“I mean, Dante’s the big boss and he’s polite to us, but her?” Kim scoffed. “She acts like she owns the Pack p>