Jealousy Alpha's Regret novel Chapter 108

Chapter 108

“So, Iris,” Catherine began as the first course was served, “how have

you been? It’s been too long since you visited.”

“I’ve been fine,” I replied, picking at my salad without enthusiasm.

“Iris has been doing amazing work at Crescent Design,” Noah offered,

clearly trying to help the conversation along. “Everyone in the design

community is talking about her contributions.”

I shot him a curious look. How would he know that?

“Oh yes,” Catherine gushed. “Our Iris has always been talented. That’s

something the Stone family has always recognized.”

I nearly choked on my water. The Stone family had never recognized

anything about me except my usefulness as a bargaining chip.

“Iris, you and Noah have been working on a project together at

Crescent Design, haven’t you?” Catherine asked, her eyes gleaming

with calculation.

Before I could answer, my phone rang loudly in my purse. I’d never

been so grateful for an interruption.

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“Excuse me,” I said, already standing up. “I need to take this.”

I stepped into the hallway, not bothering to check who was calling

before answering.

“Hello?”

“Iris? It’s Rachel. Just checking in to make sure you’re okay at the

Stone mansion. Any signs of drugged food yet?”

I smiled despite myself. “Not yet, but there’s been an interesting

development. Noah Phillips is here.”

“Noah? Your high school admirer? What’s he doing there?”

“Apparently being vetted as the Stone family’s next protector,” I

whispered, glancing back toward the dining room. “Catherine works

fast.”

When I returned to the table, I noticed something I’d missed before.

My uncle was looking at Noah with a warmth I rarely saw him direct

at anyone. He was nodding at something Noah had said, his

expression almost… paternal.

“Iris,” my uncle said as I sat down, “I hear you’ve been doing well at

Crescent Design. Marcus Foster has taken a special interest in your

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work?”

I blinked in surprise. My uncle rarely spoke directly to me at family

gatherings.

“Yes,” I replied cautiously. “He’s been very supportive.”

“And how are you finding life in the human world?” he asked, his

voice holding genuine curiosity. “Are you managing well?”

“I’m doing fine,” I said, deliberately avoiding any mention of Sebastien. “Marcus has been especially helpful.”

Catherine seized the conversation again. “Iris, are you still

comfortable at Blue Harbor? Living alone isn’t very safe for a wolf, you know. Perhaps you should consider moving back home where we

can look after you.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me. “I’m perfectly fine at Blue Harbor, thank you. The security measures there are excellent.” I took a sip of water before adding, “And I rather enjoy the privacy.

It’s… peaceful.”

Noah leaned forward slightly. “If you ever need anything at all, Iris,

please don’t hesitate to call me. Day or night.”

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I nodded politely. “That’s very kind of you, Noah.”

The dinner continued with Catherine making increasingly obvious

attempts to highlight Noah’s qualities and achievements. It was painfully clear what was happening–with my divorce from Sebastien

finalized, Catherine was desperate to secure a new alliance to protect

the failing Stone family. And Noah, with his family’s rising influence,

was her chosen replacement.

As I sat there, mechanically eating the food I didn‘ aste, I observed

the dynamics around the table. Kim’s resentful glances, my uncle’s

unusual attention to Noah, Catherine’s desperate matchmaking, and

Noah’s obvious affection for me–it was all so transparent it would

have been funny if it weren’t so sad.

“This dinner couldn’t be more obvious if Catherine had hung a banner

saying ‘From Grey to Phillips: The Stone Family’s New Protection

Plan,” I thought, fighting to keep my expression neutral.

I wondered what Noah thought of all this. Did he realize he was being

manipulated, or was he too blinded by his feelings for me to see

Catherine’s scheme? Either way, I had no intention of being traded

from one family to another like some political pawn.

Not again. Never again.

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