Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 45

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

**Chills.**

**Richard.**

1

“Alright, follow me,” I murmured under my breath, my eyes fixed on Ms. Sinclair as she took the lead, guiding us back into my boutique. The curious stares of onlookers felt like daggers, their scrutiny heavy upon my shoulders.

Alphas Stormborn and Ms. Blackthorne were practically vibrating with tension, their expressions a mix of indignation and disbelief, but I brushed their presence aside.

They didn’t deserve my attention.

In that moment, every fiber of my being was focused on the silver-haired woman striding ahead of me. It was as if I were a moth, irresistibly drawn to the flickering light of her essence.

Her skin, a delicate shade of pale, shimmered under the boutique’s warm lights, and I found myself captivated by the smattering of tiny freckles that danced across her slender nose. Those almost ethereal gold rings that circled her mesmerizing purple eyes sparkled like rare gems, drawing me in deeper.

For weeks—over three long weeks—I had been searching for opportunities to engage her in conversation, to catch her gaze, to simply be near her. It wasn’t merely her beauty that had ensnared me; it was the brilliance that lay beneath. Once I discovered her genius, my admiration transformed. Now, I yearned for more than just a romantic relationship; I wanted to bring her into my company, to share in my world.

With a heavy sigh, I turned to the nearest security guard. “Mark, get the footage.”

Mark, ever the obedient soldier, didn’t dare argue. Not when his job was on the line. He nodded and slipped into the back of the store, urgency in his step.

When he returned moments later, clutching the flash drive we all needed, the atmosphere in the room had shifted dramatically.

Chaos reigned.

Ms. Blackthorne was visibly sweating, her composure cracking. Alphas Kael and Caelum looked smug, their eyes fixed on Leilani, who remained unfazed, her expression a mask of indifference.

Clearly, there was a tangled web of history among them, but I had no interest in their drama. My focus was singular: to fulfill Leilani’s desires while also securing my own objectives.

Soon enough, a computer screen flickered to life, and Mark plugged in the flash drive. The room held its collective breath as he navigated through the footage, each second stretching out like an eternity until we finally stumbled upon the scene we had been searching for.

And then…

An eruption of chaos.

Gasps filled the air as the truth unfolded before our eyes. I caught a glimpse of Leilani’s small, relieved smile when the footage revealed Ms. Blackthorne’s relentless harassment. My heart raced as I watched the moment she knocked over the dresser, the tension in the room palpable.

“You lied?” Kael growled, his voice thick with disbelief. “Why would you do that?”

“I-I… I didn’t mean to,” Ms. Blackthorne stammered, tears brimming in her eyes. Turning to Leilani, she spat, “…you provoked me!”

Leilani rolled her eyes, and I couldn’t help but find that infuriatingly attractive.

I quickly averted my gaze, trying to regain my composure.

“Everyone can see now that you came for me. Even when I tried to walk away, you wouldn’t let me. So drop the act, sister. I didn’t provoke you; honestly, I don’t give a damn about you.”

Sister?

What?

Are they related?

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Chalice, her face flushed with shame and panic as she scanned the room, realizing the hostile glares directed at her. She covered her face with trembling hands, crying out, “I didn’t… I really didn’t.”

“Chalice, I never expected this from you. How could you stoop so low? How could you sink to Leilani’s level?” Alpha Caelum snapped, his voice sharp as a knife, prompting Leilani to scoff in disdain and glare at him.

My admiration for Leilani surged to new heights.

She offered me a polite smile, though I could see it didn’t reach her eyes, before she turned and walked away, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

The tingling sensation coursing through me was electric.

When I glanced back at Ms. Blackthorne, horror was etched across her face. Her eyes were puffy from crying, her lips quivering with barely restrained panic.

She turned to Caelum and Kael, her body trembling, pleading, “You don’t believe her, do you? We all know how much Leilani lies. You can’t possibly believe her, right? Right?”

I could see the conflict warring in the men’s expressions until finally, Kael sighed heavily. He pulled Chalice into his arms, his breath brushing against her hair as he murmured, “I don’t. I would never.”

“She’s always been jealous of you, and we all know that,” Caelum added, his voice steady.

I was left in shock. They had just witnessed her deceit laid bare for all to see, and yet they still treated her like some kind of saint.

I watched in irritation as tears streamed down Chalice’s cheeks, and with a mix of annoyance and disbelief, I turned to leave. But just as I reached the door, I heard Caelum’s voice cut through the air.

“I personally do not care about what happened here today. All I know is that I will never believe that murderer, Leilani, over you. Whatever transpired here today is her fault, and that’s all that matters to me. Do you hear me?”

I froze, the word ‘murderer’ echoing in my mind like a thunderclap. Leilani, a murderer?

My fingers fumbled against the doorknob as I struggled to comprehend the implications, and when I glanced back at the Alphas and their woman, a chill ran down my spine.

Chalice was staring at me—not just staring; she was glaring, her eyes filled with an intensity that made my blood run cold.

I glared back, the tension thick in the air, knowing that this was far from over.