Alpha's Private Plaything (Elsa and Drake Stone) novel Chapter 267

Chapter 267

Elsa

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Back in our room, exhaustion hit me like a physical force. I barely managed to kick off my shoes before collapsing onto the bed, my limbs

heavy as lead. Sleep claimed me instantly, dragging me under into blessed nothingness.

When I awoke, golden afternoon light streamed through the windows, painting the mountain view in breathtaking hues of amber and purple. The clock read 4:37 PM. Drake hadn’t returned yet. I stretched with a groan, my joints popping satisfyingly.

Feeling oddly refreshed despite everything, I took advantage of the solitude and called the hospital to check on my mother, pacing

anxiously as the phone rang.

“Ms. Hale’s vitals are stable,” the nurse reported. “She was awake earlier and asked about you.”

Relief washed over me so strongly my knees nearly buckled. “Thank God,” I breathed. “Can I speak with her?”

*She’s sleeping now, but her condition is improving steadily.”

I hesitated before asking my next question, chewing my thumbnail nervously. “When do you think she might be released?”

“Not for at least two more weeks. The artificial heart is functioning well, but we need to monitor for rejection and adjust her

medications.”

I bit my lip. “I’d like to request some time off to care for her when she’s released. Who should I speak with about that?”

The nurse hesitated. “Given your mother’s condition, that request would need approval from whoever authorized her treatment. Dr. Far

mentioned it was Mr. Stone?”

“Of fucking course it was,” I muttered, then cleared my throat. “Thank you, I understand.” I thanked the nurse and ended the call, my

momentary peace evaporating.

The contract renewal loomed over me like a sword. If I refused to sign, my mother’s treatment costs would no longer be covered. Ten more years of servitude to Drake versus my mother’s life–it wasn’t really a choice at all. “Goddamn him,” I whispered, my fist pounding

once against the window frame.

Sighing heavily, I gathered my bathing suit and a robe from my bag, hands still shaking with suppressed rage. Perhaps the hot springs Bruce mentioned would help clear my head before I did something stupid.

The women’s section of the hot springs was blissfully empty when I arrived. Steam rose from the natural stone pools, carrying the scent of minerals and mountain air. I slipped into the warm water with a relieved hiss, feeling my tense muscles gradually relax.

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15:40 Tue, May 5

Chapter 267

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My solitude was short–lived. The door opened, and a woman in a pristine white one piece swimsuit entered. Her movements were graceful

and confident as she approached the pool, not a hair out of place. I instantly disliked her.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, her voice musical.

I gestured to the spacious pool, trying to hide my disappointment. “It’s all yours.”

She slipped into the water with barely a ripple, settling across from me. “You’re Stone senior’s assistant, aren’t you?” she asked, studying

me with interest.

“I don’t work for Drake,” I corrected automatically, my jaw clenching.

Her laugh was light and practiced. “Oh, I still think of him as Stone junior. Old habits from school days, you know? Stone senior was

always so intimidating during parent meetings.”

1 frowned slightly, my brow furrowing. “You know Drake from school?”

“We were at Black Obsidian Academy together,” she confirmed. “I’m Emma Watson. You probably don’t remember me, but we were

classmates.”

I searched my memory and came up blank, my fingers nervously tracing patterns in the water. “I’m sorry, I don’t recall…”

“No surprise there. I was in class nine, and you were the famous class one beauty that all the senior boys were chasing.” She tilted her

head. “Including Lucas Miller, if I remember correctly.”

The mention of Lucas’s name sent an unwelcome pang through my chest like a physical blow. I kept my expression neutral, though my

heart raced. “That was a long time ago.”

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