I Forgot I Loved You Alpha (Ellie and Nolan) novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

My hands curled into fists at my sides.

She looked up at me with wide, fake–innocent eyes. “I’m just trying to protect you, Nolan. From someone like her. A vixen pretending to be a victim.”

I didn’t speak.

The hallway suddenly felt colder, like the shadows were listening.

Felicity took my silence as permission. Her smile returned, softer now. Hopeful. She thought she was winning.

But something twisted in my chest.

Because for all her venom, she wasn’t wrong about one thing–something about that reaction didn’t make sense. The overreaction. The questions.

When I opened my office door, I expected discomfort. Maybe awkward silence. At the very least, a bit of tension lingering in the air.

What I didn’t expect was the sound of Ellie laughing.

Ellie’s POV

I was leaned back on the office couch, had nowhere else to be, chatting with one of the omega maids like we were old friends catching up at a festival. I had a half–eaten bag of chips in my lap and was crunching through them like this wasn’t the day of my own rejection ceremony.

The maid was gossiping freely, recklessly. “And did you hear about Beta Corwin’s daughter sneaking off with one of the guards? Scandalous. She came back with twigs in her hair and claimed she was picking herbs–at midnight.”

I let out a snort of laughter. “At least she committed to the bit. Midnight herbalist sounds more noble than ‘ caught kissing behind a barn.“”

(

The maid grinned. “Oh, and don’t get me started on Elder Myra’s third wedding. They say she made her new mate sign a vow of silence before the ceremony. Can you imagine?”

“I’d do the same,” I said, popping a chip into her mouth. “Peace and quiet sounds like the best wedding gift, especially after my last marriage.” My eyes landed on Nolan coldly.

The maid laughed, clearly emboldened. “True, he never treated you well. Honestly, this whole place is a soap opera. I can’t keep up.”

Nolan blinked, seems unsure what world he had just walked into. But as soon as the Maid saw him, she shrank.

Felicity stopped beside him, stunned for all of two seconds before her lips twisted. “Please,” she whispered.” She has to be. You were everything to her.”

I looked up, acknowledging this pathetic couple. Why can’t they just be background noise? I didn’t even stop eating “Oh, hey,” I said casually, “You’re just in time for the part where everyone assumed you two were already a couple. Right?” I looked at the maid for confirmation.

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Chapter 9

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The maid blanched. “I–um–maybe I should go.”

I waved her off. “You’re fine. It’s not like they weren’t thinking it anyway.”

Felicity bristled. “You’re only still here because you clung to him like a shadow. Nolan would’ve let you go a long time ago if you hadn’t begged him to stay.”

I stood, brushing crumbs from my fingers. “Right. Because staying in a house where no one wants me just screams dream life.”

“You always played the poor rogue girl act,” Felicity snapped. “So fragile. So obedient. Just hoping someone would look your way.”

I tilted my head, I was honestly amused. “You really think I had to fake being overlooked? Trust me. That part was very real.”

Felicity turned to Nolan, clearly waiting for backup. “You’re not seriously going to let her talk like that, are you?”

I beat her to it. “He is letting me,” I said, flashing a tight smile. “I think that tells you everything about this man.”

Nolan still hadn’t said a word. He studied me, as if I was a stranger. But I knew–Nothing about me was the same. Not my posture. Not my tone. Not the way I looked at him.

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