HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 171

**TITLE: Fallen 171**
**CHAPTER 0171**

**Meadow’s POV:**

A wave of nausea washed over me, sinking so deep in my stomach that I feared I might actually be sick. Juniper was here.

What in the world was she doing here? How did she even find out where Alaric lived?

“How…” I began to ask, my voice trailing off as confusion clouded my thoughts. “What the hell is she doing here?”

As I turned my gaze to Alaric, I noticed the furrow in his brow deepening. “No idea, but…” he hesitated, squinting at the screen. “Can you see the ring on her finger?”

With a swift click, he adjusted the camera angle, allowing me to see her more clearly as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair.

A gasp escaped my lips, and I shot up, instinctively raising my hand to my face, as though the presence of my ring might somehow shield me from this bizarre reality.

“What the…” I stammered, my mind racing.

The ring on Juniper’s finger was an exact replica of mine.

Exactly. Like. Mine.

It dawned on me with chilling clarity—somehow, Juniper had gone to the lengths of replicating the ring that Alaric had given me.

“Alaric…” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.

“What is she doing?” he muttered, rising to his feet just as the doorbell rang again, its sound echoing ominously in the room. My grip tightened around his phone, my heart racing as I took in every detail about her. Juniper was dressed in a way that mirrored me, her hair styled just like how mine used to be. And the way she wrung her hands nervously in front of her, as if she were aware that Alaric was watching, made it all the more surreal. It was as if she were trying to become me.

But there was one glaring difference. Cami had cut my hair short earlier, and I realized Juniper must have been oblivious to that change, still believing I had my long hair.

This could only mean one thing.

When she had mentioned deceiving Alaric, I had never truly believed she would go through with it.

Okay, maybe I had entertained the thought that she might try, but I never imagined she would take it this far—duplicating the diamond ring I always wore.

“Alaric,” I murmured, watching him pull on a pair of sweatpants, my heart racing with a mix of fear and anger. “I don’t think Juniper knows that I’m here.”

He paused, his hand hovering over the waistband of his pants. I swallowed hard, standing up from the bed and moving toward him. Alaric’s gaze heated as it traveled over my body.

My naked body.

A flush crept up my cheeks, but I didn’t make any attempt to cover myself. His eyes met mine again, searching. “What do you mean, baby?”

I stepped closer as the doorbell rang once more, and when I glanced down at the phone, I could see my sister shifting from one foot to the other, her impatience palpable.

“The ring on her finger, her mannerisms… she’s…”

“Dressed like you,” Alaric finished my thought, taking the phone from my hands and focusing on the screen.

It took a moment for the concern etched on Alaric’s face to shift into something more painful—disappointment. He seemed genuinely offended by my words. “So, you think I would’ve mistaken your sister for you?” His jaw tightened. “That I wouldn’t be able to tell an imposter from the woman I’m madly in love with?”

My lips parted, but no words came forth. I shook my head, feeling foolish for even harboring such thoughts.

Alaric’s gaze turned steely as the doorbell rang again. “You wound me, Meadow,” he whispered, his voice low and hurt. “I don’t know whether to be upset that you think so little of me or to show you right now just how crazy I am for you and only you.” He caressed my cheek gently with his thumb. “Fucking hell.”

“I’m sorry.” My voice came out small, so I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure. “You’re right. That wasn’t fair. I’m just so completely thrown off that Juniper would actually come here.”

I had thought she might pull something at Clarissa’s party, but since that didn’t materialize, it seemed she was desperate to make this work by any means necessary.

Alaric’s palm landed firmly on my backside before he yanked me closer to him. “I have an even better idea. We ignore your sister and get back into bed.” He pressed a quick kiss to my lips, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “She’ll stop eventually when she realizes you have enough self-respect not to knock to get into your own house.”

A grin broke through my worry, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling a rush of excitement. “Tempting. But I have an idea that’s going to top yours and leave us both satisfied.”

A thrill surged through me as inspiration struck, the wheels in my mind turning rapidly.

Alaric was right—Juniper should have known better than to believe I would need to knock to enter my own husband’s house, but clearly, her judgment was clouded.

“Mhmm,” he purred against my neck, his hands squeezing my buttocks possessively. “That’s my girl. Tell me what this plan is.”

My gaze dropped to his lips, and I bit the corner of mine, battling the urge to just say “screw it” and ignore Juniper entirely.

I forced myself to meet his gaze again, a smile breaking across my face. “Okay.”