Fake Mate Beta Rises to Alpha Heiress (Natalie and Landon) novel Chapter 50

**Chapter 50: Guilty**

**Landon’s POV:**

Grace was unwavering in her decision, her determination radiating from her like an unyielding force. The moment I caught sight of her reaching for the phone, a chill ran down my spine; I realized retreat was my only option. The weight of the pack’s expectations, along with the burden of its assets, pressed heavily against my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Drawing in a long, deliberate breath, I felt as if I were trying to inhale every bit of air in the universe, and finally, in a voice that felt far too solemn for the moment, I declared, “Alright… I’ll send her away right away.”

Aaliyah’s reaction was immediate and visceral. “Landon!” she gasped, her voice trembling with disbelief. Tears shimmered in her wide eyes, reflecting the shock and pain that coursed through her.

I turned my head away, unable to withstand the weight of her gaze. “Aaliyah, go and pack your stuff,” I instructed, my voice barely above a whisper, heavy with fatigue.

She glanced at Grace, who wore a smirk of triumph, and then at my back, which seemed to bend under the pressure of my own capitulation. The onlookers—servants scattered around the room—watched with a mix of pity and unrestrained delight, as if they were spectators at a tragic play. It felt as though every shred of Aaliyah’s dignity was being trampled beneath the weight of this moment.

Aaliyah’s jaw clenched so tightly that it seemed she might shatter her own teeth. In a burst of fury, she stormed upstairs, her footsteps echoing with determination as she quickly packed a few clothes into a bag. When she rushed back down, her eyes blazed with defiance as she passed Nathan’s room, shooting a fierce glare at the maid on duty. “Nathan is the heir of the Richardson family! If you mess with him, the Richardson family won’t let you get away with it!”

Grace scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “A few days here, and she thinks she’s in charge? Using that little pup of unknown origin as leverage?”

With a forceful slam, Aaliyah closed the door behind her and left, leaving a tense silence in her wake. I instinctively tried to follow, but Grace’s grip on my arm was unyielding, her fingers like iron shackles.

“Let her go! Are you out of your mind? Do you really want to risk losing the family fortune, the company, and our good name?” Grace’s words struck me like venomous arrows, piercing through my most vulnerable spots, leaving me reeling.

A torrent of emotions surged within me—anger, helplessness, and a desperate desire to protect Aaliyah. Yet, I knew that pursuing her now would mean sacrificing all the patience and careful planning I had built up over time.

I took another deep breath, forcing myself to regain my composure. Turning to Grace, I tried to maintain an air of calm. “Mom, it’s not like that. Given how much commotion this has caused, it’s probably best for her to leave for a while.”

I attempted to reason with her, but Grace was not in a listening mood.

Her voice turned icy, “I’m warning you, I’ll be keeping an eye on you. Any Omega can be your mate, but not her, Aaliyah!”

I sighed, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. “Okay, I understand.”

Without a second thought, I hit the road, driving directly to the hotel near the bar that Sofia had mentioned. Aaliyah had severed ties with her pack to bring our child into the world, and in Maritime City, she was practically homeless.

As soon as I arrived, Sofia wasted no time in confronting me. “Landon, you’ve really crossed a line! Aaliyah put everything on the line for you! When her parents discovered she was with you, they stripped her of every inch of land and every cent of her fortune. She never hesitated, and you just tossed her aside because of your mother?!”

Sofia’s words cut deep, like a knife twisting in my gut. I had been a complete jerk, never pausing to consider the sacrifices Aaliyah had made for me. I had simply expected her to remain silent and compliant.

“Sorry,” was all I could manage to say, the weight of my guilt almost unbearable.

I wrapped my arms around the weeping Aaliyah, feeling the mild annoyance I had harbored about our relationship dissipate in the face of my mother’s drama and Aaliyah’s heart-wrenching tears. A decade of love, a shared child, all the promises we had made came flooding back to me.

After holding on for so long, there was no way I could let go now.

Aaliyah nestled deeper into my embrace, crying softly without uttering a single word.