Chapter 75
Elodie’s POV
I shouldn’t have done it.
Shouldn’t have opened my laptop when I got back to my apartment. Shouldn’t have searched for the gala. Shouldn’t have looked at the comments.
But I couldn’t help myself.
Like pressing on a bruise to see if it still hurts.
The video had already gone viral. The gala had been a big event, A-list celebrities, influential Pack leaders, the kind of star-studded lineup that guaranteed attention.
And now, because of what happened with Sienna, it was trending everywhere.
I scrolled through the comments, my stomach twisting with each one.
“Wait, that gorgeous man who carried her out is THE Dante Bellini? The Alpha of the Bellini Pack p>
“How did I not know he looked like THAT? I knew he was some billionaire prodigy who built multiple companies before he turned thirty, but nobody mentioned he’s basically a Greek god p>
“He keeps such a low profile. That’s why we’ve only heard about him but never seen him. Mystery man energy is so attractive p>
My hands were shaking as I kept scrolling.
“Okay so let me get this straight, that girl caught her fiancé flirting with Mr. Bellini’s girlfriend p>
“I know the girl’s fiancé. He’s decent-looking, comes from old money, but compared to Dante Bellini? Please. We’re talking about completely different leagues here. The Alpha of one of the most powerful Packs in the country vs some random heir? Not even close p>
Someone had identified Sienna. Of course they had.
“OMG I KNOW HER! She’s that genius AI researcher! She’s only 25 and already has a PhD from one of the top universities in the world. Plus she does rally racing, extreme sports, and I heard she’s some kind of coding prodigy too. This woman is literally the main character from a novel p>
Each word was a knife.
“Did you see the way Dante looked at her during that racing event last month? His eyes were filled with so much pride and admiration. That’s true love right there p>
“I SAW THAT! The way he watched her… God, I want someone to look at me like that. They’re absolutely perfect for each other p>
“Right? Look at her resume and then look at him. Literal power couple. I’m obsessed p>
My vision blurred with tears, but I kept reading. Kept torturing myself.
“Wait, so people think this genius goddess would actually flirt with some random girl’s fiancé when she has DANTE BELLINI? Be serious. She’s not an idiot p>
“Exactly! In the video, you can see the fiancé approaching HER. She was probably just being polite. That girl overreacted by throwing wine. Way too dramatic p>
“For real though, sometimes being too perfect is a curse. Poor Sienna’s beauty and charm literally caused this whole scene. Not her fault everyone falls for her p>
I slammed my laptop shut.
My whole body was trembling.
Nonna had told Dante to pick me up. Had specifically asked him to drive to the resort and bring me home.
But by ten PM, my phone hadn’t made a single sound.
No call. No text. Nothing.
Maybe he’d been on his way. Maybe for a brief moment, he’d actually remembered I existed and started driving toward the mountains.
But then Sienna had needed rescuing from that scene at the gala, and just like that, I’d been erased from his mind completely.
Forgotten. Again and again. Always just like before.
I didn’t let myself think about it. What good would that do?
When I finally made it back to my apartment around eleven, I showered and fell into bed.
And surprisingly, maybe because I was too exhausted to feel anything anymore, I slept.
Deep, heavy sleep. The kind where you don’t dream because your mind has just shut down completely.
The next morning, I woke up and went through the motions.
Shower. Coffee. Getting dressed for work.
Everything felt mechanical, like I was watching myself from outside my body. Going through the routine of being alive without actually living.
I drove to Cole Corporation and buried myself in code. Let the logic and structure of programming fill my head so there wasn’t room for anything else.
At lunch, I grabbed a salad from the cafeteria and sat in a corner of the break room, picking at the lettuce without really tasting it.
My phone rang.
Liora’s name flashed on the screen, and my heart did this painful squeeze in my chest.
This was the first time she’d called since Saturday morning. Since she’d snuck out of the resort to go be with them.
Two full days of silence.
I answered, trying to keep my voice normal. “Hi, baby p>
“Mommy Her voice was soft, tentative.
“Mm.” I swallowed hard. “Have you eaten lunch yet p>
“Yeah! I just finished p>
She sounded cheerful. Happy.
Of course she did.
She’d spent the weekend having fun while I’d been left behind.
There was this awful silence, and I could hear her breathing on the other end, like she was working up the courage to say something.
“Mommy, are you… are you upset with me p>
The question hit me right in the chest.
Upset? I was devastated. Broken. Feeling like my own daughter was choosing to leave me behind just like everyone else.
But I couldn’t tell her that.
“No, sweetheart,” I said quietly. “I’m not upset p>
LIORA~
That Saturday morning at the hot spring resort, Liora had woken up early, bored and restless.
Her mom was still sleeping, and the resort was quiet. She’d wandered out to the main area, tablet in hand, when her phone rang.
Aunt Sienna.
“Hey, sweetie!” Sienna’s voice was warm and cheerful. “Guess what? Your daddy and I are going out today, there’s this amazing amusement park about an hour from where you are. Want to come with us p>
Liora’s face had lit up immediately. “Really? Yes! I want to come p>
“Perfect! I’ll send a car to pick you up. Can you be ready in like twenty minutes p>
“Yeah p>
She’d hung up and rushed back to the room, moving as quietly as possible while she threw some things into her bag.
Her mom was still asleep, curled up on her side, looking tired even in sleep.
For a second, Liora hesitated. Should she wake her? Tell her she was leaving?
But then her phone buzzed with a text from the driver saying he was waiting outside.
And Aunt Sienna had said it was just her and Daddy going. If Liora asked her mom to come, would that ruin it? Would Daddy get upset?
Things had been weird between her parents lately. She wasn’t stupid, she could see that they barely talked anymore, that her mom seemed sad all the time.
So maybe it was better not to say anything.
She’d slipped out of the room quietly, closing the door with barely a sound, and hurried downstairs.
The driver was waiting exactly where Sienna said he’d be, and within minutes, they were heading down the mountain.
The weekend had been incredible.
They’d gone to the amusement park, and Daddy had won her a giant stuffed bear that was almost as big as she was. They’d ridden every roller coaster, eaten way too much cotton candy, and Aunt Sienna had been so much fun, laughing and joking and not acting like a boring grown-up at all.
Then they’d gone to this fancy Italian restaurant for dinner, and Aunt Sienna had let her order whatever she wanted, including the chocolate lava cake that cost almost as much as an entrée.
By the time they finished dinner, it was late, almost ten PM and the drive back to the city was over an hour.
Monday morning, sitting in the cafeteria after lunch, Liora suddenly thought about her mom.
She’d been gone all weekend and hadn’t called even once.
Guilt twisted in her stomach.
What if her mom had woken up Saturday morning and been worried? What if she’d been upset that Liora left without saying anything?
She pulled out her phone and stared at it for a moment.
Part of her didn’t want to call. Didn’t want to deal with her mom being sad or asking questions about where she’d been.
But she felt bad. Really bad.
So she hit the call button and called Elodie.