Mated to My Intended's Enemy novel Chapter 210

Chapter 210: Chapter 210 A Daughter’s Doubt

Isabella’s POV

I stared at my phone long after Mom’s call ended, my fingers tracing the dark screen where her face had been moments before. The way her voice sounded different—strained but determined—bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

She’s hurt. I whispered, clutching my stuffed wolf—the one Mom had given me on my fourth birthday. She’d hand-sewn special silver thread into its fur that matched the unusual silver flecks in my eyes—a trait she said came from Dad’s bloodline.

Since she left, I’d been sleeping with it every night, though I made sure to hide it whenever Aurora came around. Aurora always wrinkled her nose at my "childish toys," saying a future Alpha needed to grow up faster than other kids.

The sound of the front door opening downstairs pulled me from my thoughts. I recognized Dad’s heavy footsteps immediately—he always walked with purpose, like every step mattered.

I jumped off my bed, racing down the hallway and stairs. "Dad!" I called out, excitement bubbling up despite my worry about Mom. Before he could even respond, I blurted out, "Mom hurt her ankle! She’s resting somewhere away from home!"

Dad gave a simple "Hmm," as he removed his expensive tailored jacket and handed it to Marcus, our pack’s head housekeeper. "I know," he added, his deep voice filling the foyer.

"What?" I couldn’t hide my surprise, my eyes widening as I looked up at him. "Did Mom tell you?"

Dad sat down in the entryway chair, accepting the water Sara brought him. His face remained impassive as always. "No. I saw it happen."

"You saw it happen?" I repeated, confusion making my brow wrinkle. "You were there when Mom got hurt?"

"Yes."

Something clicked in my mind. "Oh, right! Because Mom works at your company, so you were there when she got hurt, right?"

"No." Dad’s voice remained steady, but something in his eyes shifted. "She doesn’t work for me anymore."

"What?" This was news to me. My wolf stirred anxiously. "Then where does Mom work now?"

"Somewhere she wants to be," he replied, his words careful and measured.

"Oh..." I felt lost, like I was missing important pieces of a puzzle.

Dad finished his water and stood up. Before heading upstairs, he paused to ruffle my hair with his large hand—a gesture that always made me feel safe and loved. "Get some rest, pup."

"I will," I promised, though my mind was racing with questions.

After Dad disappeared upstairs, I wandered into the kitchen where Sara was preparing tomorrow’s breakfast.

"Miss Isabella," Sara said. "Would you like some hot chocolate before bed?"

I nodded absently, my mind still racing. "Sara, did you know Mom doesn’t work for Dad anymore?"

Sara’s hands stilled for just a moment before she continued arranging the throw pillows. "I believe your mother is pursuing some personal projects now, miss."

"But why didn’t anyone tell me?" I couldn’t keep the hurt from my voice. "I’m not a baby anymore. I’m five and a quarter!"

Sara gave me a sympathetic smile. "Sometimes adults don’t explain everything right away because they’re figuring things out themselves."

When she left to prepare my hot chocolate, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my recent calls. Mom had sounded different tonight—tired and maybe a little sad. She hadn’t even asked me about my day with Aurora like she usually did.

Her words were meant to reassure, but they only confirmed my fears. Something was definitely wrong.

After finishing my hot chocolate, I trudged upstairs to my bedroom. My wolf pup sensed my distress and tried to distract me by thinking about tomorrow’s visit to Aurora’s. Usually, I’d be excited—Aurora always let me do whatever I wanted, unlike Mom with her endless rules about my health and safety.

But tonight, even thoughts of Aurora’s freedom couldn’t cheer me up.

I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars Mom had painstakingly arranged on my ceiling to match real constellations. She’d spent hours getting them exactly right, telling me stories about each one.

*"This is Lupus, the wolf,"* she’d said, pointing to a cluster near my window. *"And this one is Andromeda. She was chained to a rock as a sacrifice, but Perseus saved her."*

I traced the patterns with my eyes, remembering how safe I’d felt with Mom beside me, explaining the universe in her calm, confident voice.

Without realizing it, I reached for my phone again and dialed Mom’s number. It rang several times before going to voicemail.

"Hi, Mom," I said softly after the beep. "I just wanted to say goodnight again and... and I hope your ankle feels better. I miss you. Maybe... maybe I could come see you tomorrow instead of going to Aurora’s? Just call me back. Love you."

I hung up and hugged my wolf plush—the one Mom had given me on my third birthday. It still smelled faintly of her lavender perfume.

*What if she doesn’t call back?* Nova worried.

"She will," I whispered fiercely. "She has to."

But as I drifted off to sleep, my dreams were filled with images of Mom walking away, getting smaller and smaller until she disappeared completely, her scent fading like morning mist under the summer sun.