Jealousy Alpha's Regret novel Chapter 200

Jealousy Alpha’s Regret

Chapter 200

Aris’s POV

I walked out of the glass doors without koking back, casually saving my hand in domiosa as Toomes ones folde through the lobby. Security guards exchanged uncomfortable glances, shifting their weight from four to for a Times increasingly desperate behind me

“You can’t just walk away like this! You’ll regret this, drist You don’t know what you’re doing

A cold smile touched my lips as I pushed through the sphing door into the afternoon at the all these year, Thomas hadn’t ta

one bit–still believing that volume could substitute for actual authority. The same man who spent years beitling me now looked

absolutely terrified by what I might do next.

“Two decades of undermining my father’s company, and he falls apart after one meeting I muttered to myself a 1 slid me my ca

‘Pathetic,

The drive back to Crescent Design should have been peaceful, but my phone vibrated incessantly in my purse, practically dancing acros

the passenger seat at every stoplight. I glanced at the screen–notification after notification, from people I tarely spoke to and groups Be

forgotten I was part of

Damn, news travels fast,” I said, scrolling quickly at a red light. There were messages from werewolves I hadn’t heard from in year, all

suddenly interested in my life. My finger hovered over a text from Kim, my throat tightening at her transparent attempt to reconnect Tow

that I held power. Delete.

By the time I pulled into the parking garage at Crescent Design, it was clear that word had spread beyond just the werewolf community.

The building’s security guard, who normally gave me a perfunctory nod, actually stood up straight when I approached, his eyes widening

slightly.

Good afternoon, Ms. Stone,” he said, with new deference in his voice.

“It’s still just Iris,” I replied, trying to keep things normal. But normal had apparently taken a vacation.

The lobby was worse, Claire, the front desk receptionist who typically barely acknowledged my existence, nearly dropped her phone when

I walked in. Her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates, and she fumbled to stand up.

“G–good afternoon, Ms. Stone,” she stammered, looking at me like I might spontaneously transform into a wolf right there.

“Hi Claire,” I said, trying to act casual as I headed for the elevator.

As soon as my back was turned, I heard her urgent whisper to her colleague: “That’s her–the one who just took over Stone Industries-

she’s a Lowell!

I suppressed a sigh as I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for my floor. Alone in the metal box, I studied my reflection in

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9:18 Mon, Apr 20

Chapter 200

the polished doors. So far, wie Cuttes, se person I pestessay be outer gr

thy phone buzzed agale 1 pulled it out and was oory for fur g

through dozens of speculations about my bootle Lakesver and world barelection

You think you’re so deser now, but mark my words, the Shore family will to rent in your hands!

Thomas’s parting words echoed to my head as I scrolled through the Int The Stour family had already been to ruins he just hadn’t wamed to adme at

I remembered what Exkan Lowell had told me last week “You are swell biss fhowing through your wine for respected, not dismissed? At the time, it had felt like a foreign comney for matting peoples at

beginning to understand what he next,

a time

The elevator doors opened, and the usual buzz of commation on our floor abruptly died I repped at being sure of a ***** down the hallway. People who poseally brusted past the without awesome for presed tensive game give me space, design stant nearly tripped over herself drying to tow her cuffie cat out of my pain

I walked into our department ares and felt the collective intake of breath by colleagues for the statted tex all pretense of word abandoned as they stered openly, I gave a brief nod and headed straight to my desk, feeling then goes buning me my sad.

Opening my laptop, 1 tried to focus on the design sketches I’d been working on yesterdays italy resentat fate lifetime ago. The whispers around me gradually resumed as people returned to their tasks, though I uld sill be small ganes being cast in my direction,

After about an hour, I noticed my water bottle was empty. I sigued, looking at the day container and festing my finar ghen with time. Rising from my chair, I grabbed the bottle and headed toward the break room.

As 1 approached, I heard familiar voices through the partially open door–forske and hather, two jutur designers who’d never buttered as hide their disdain for me, probably because they d both tried and failed to catch Sebastien’s attention

“I heard she’s already pregnant with his child, Jessica was saying in a hushed tone that was still perfectly audible to werewolf bearing “But she’s planning to get rid of it.

My hand instinctively went to my stomach, a surge of anger rising in my chest. The rumors about my pregnancy weren’t entirely inaccurate, but the rest was pure fabrication, I could smell Meyan Claire’s influence all over this gossip.