Jealousy Alpha's Regret novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Iris’s POV

Marcus handed me a thick folder as we stood outside the conference room, his excitement palpable in the way he leaned slightly forward.

Here are the files you’ll need. As Aurora, you’ll be the special guest expert for our spring project evaluation,” he explained, tapping the folder with one finger. All the designs are in here, along with the evaluation criteria.”

I nodded, scanning the first page. The folder contained detailed briefs of each design submission, along with the company’s expectations for the evaluation process. Perfect.

“See, I told you!” Marcus continued with a self–satisfied grin spreading across his face. “If you had stayed with us, you could have participated in this project directly. I wasn’t lying, was I?”

1 bit back a smile, amused by the irony. “No, you weren’t,” I agreed, my eyes briefly meeting Rachel’s across the hallway. She caught my gaze and gave me a conspiratorial wink. I returned a subtle smile, enjoying our shared secret.

He has absolutely no idea that Aurora‘ is standing right in front of him, I thought, my amusement growing. The dramatic reveal would be worth all the preparation we’d put into this moment.

I followed Marcus down the hallway toward the conference room, flipping through the file as we walked. He talked non–stop beside me, detailing how difficult it had been to contact the elusive ‘Aurora‘ and convince her to participate as an expert consultant.

“You wouldn’t believe how many calls I had to make,” he said proudly. “The woman is practically a ghost in the industry. No public appearances, no interviews… just brilliant designs that appear out of nowhere!”

If only you knew, I thought, suppressing a chuckle. I couldn’t help but wonder how Marcus would react when he discovered the truth. Would his jaw drop? Would he be impressed or feel foolish for not having recognized my talent earlier?

“It’s going to be quite interesting,” I murmured, more to myself than to Marcus. This little ‘prank‘ was giving me more satisfaction than I’d expected. After months of being underestimated and overlooked, this moment of revelation would be sweet.

As we approached the conference room, my senses suddenly heightened. A familiar scent washed over me–cedar, leather, and something uniquely him. My heart stuttered for just a moment before picking up speed.

Sebastien was already there.

I paused at the doorway, my eyes immediately finding him. He sat at the head of the conference table, head bent over some documents, completely focused on his work. He d always been that way–intense, concentrated, as if nothing else in the world existed when he worked.

He wore a gray suit today, perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders. One button was undone, offering just the slightest hint of the firm muscles underneath. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal strong forearms, veins slightly prominent against his skin. His fingers, long and elegant, tapped lightly against the glossy surface of the table as he read.

My mouth went dry, and I forced myself to look away, annoyed at my body’s automatic response to him Even after everything, some primal part of my shall recognized him, still responded to his presence. Stupid wolf instincts, I chided myself, straightening my shoulders

I heard Marcus announcing, Tris is back, as we entered the room.

The atmosphere immediately shifted. I could feel it–the air becoming thick, charged with tension. Sebastien’s head snapped up, his silvet gray eyes linding

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Chapter 145

mine instantly. The displeasure in them was unmistakable, his jaw tightening as he registered my presence.

I kept my smile firmly in place, refusing to show how his cold gaze affected me.

“Stone,‘ he said, my surname sounding like an accusation on his lips. “What are you doing here?”

Marcus shifted uncomfortably beside me. I invited her to-

“Ms. Stone, Sebastien cut in, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm, ‘do you think my company is a hotel? Where you can check in and out whenever you feel like it?”

I remained silent, watching him closely. His fingers had stopped tapping; now they curled slightly against the table’s surface–a tell–tale sign of his irritation that I recognized all too well.

Marcus was clearly flustered now, his eyes darting between Sebastien and me. I could smell the anxiety rolling off him in waves, his body language screaming discomfort.

“You can’t possibly think you’re coming back to work at Crescent Design, Sebastien continued, his voice hard. “You made your choice when you left. If you don’t have any business here, you can leave.”

1 checked my watch casually, noting that it was almost time for the meeting to start. Other employees were filtering into the room now, picking up on the tense atmosphere. They moved quietly, exchanging glances, clearly sensing something was off.

Almost time for this little charade to end, I thought, enjoying the mounting tension. I studied Sebastien’s face, noting the tight line of his mouth, the slight

flare of his nostrils–all signs of his barely contained irritation.

“Stone,” he said again, his patience visibly wearing thin. “Are you going to leave on your own, or do I need to call security to escort you out?

That was my cue. I tossed the folder onto the conference table, the sound making several designers jump. The file slid across the polished surface, coming to

rest right in front of Sebastien.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Mr. Grey,” I said clearly, meeting his gaze directly for the first time. You see, I’m your special guest expert for today’s project

evaluation.”

The look on his face was worth every second of planning–shock, disbelief, and something else I couldn’t quite name flashed across his features. Around the

table, gasps and whispers erupted as the design team processed what I’d just revealed.

“She’s Aurora

No way!

“But I thought-

Sebastien’s expression shifted quickly, the curprise melting away. His lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes a smile I knew all the well. It wasn’t anger, ezartly. It was something more comples

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