Rejected and Pregnant Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince novel Chapter 821

The silence from Denzel's end was beginning to gnaw at Juniper. By the time she stepped out of the office building, evening had fully settled over the city, and the lack of a reply felt like an indictment of her clumsiness.

"I should have just called and explained," she murmured, her thumb hovering over the screen. "It was a mistake."

Sighing, she tucked the phone into her bag and stepped to the curb, determined to hail a taxi and get home to clear her head.

But the city was in the grip of peak rush hour. Every cab that approached was either already occupied or speeding past.

After several futile minutes of flagging down passing cars, she gave up.

She trudged toward the bus station, where a dense crowd of tired commuters already waited. It wasn't ideal, but she resigned herself to the wait; it was the fastest, most reliable way to get home.

Juniper dragged her feet the rest of the way home, fully exhausted. She had made a quick detour at the local fishmonger's to pick up supplies for dinner.

As she turned the corner toward her apartment building, a familiar luxury car parked near the entrance caught her eye. She slowed, squinting through the twilight, and recognized the silhouette leaning against the hood.

"Denzel?" she called out.

He turned, a polite expression forming as he spotted her, and offered a brief wave.

Juniper quickened her pace, the lingering awkwardness of the afternoon pressing on her chest. She knew she had to address it immediately. As she reached him, she didn't wait for pleasantries.

"Denzel, wait," she began, rushing the words. "Please, forgive me for that message earlier. It was a complete accident. My thumb slipped, and I hit the wrong emote. I never intended to send that."

Denzel tilted his head, his demeanor remaining neutral and kind. "It's quite all right, Juniper. I assumed as much."

"Oh. Good." She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Actually, that isn't why I'm here," he continued, reaching into his jacket. He pulled out a thick, formal envelope. "Prince Gabriel asked me to deliver this to you personally. That's why I stopped by."

Juniper frowned, her confusion deepening as she stared at the official-looking document in his hand. "What is it?"

"I honestly don't know," Denzel replied, shifting the envelope to her hand.

Juniper gestured toward the building's entrance. "Let's head inside. You haven't eaten, have you? I just picked up some fresh fish from the market, and it would be a shame to cook it for one."

Denzel paused, searching her eyes for any sign of hesitation or politeness. "I don't want to intrude on your evening, Juniper." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"You wouldn't be," she said, offering a warm, genuine smile before turning toward the door. "In fact, I enjoy having you around."

Denzel stood frozen for a second, watching her walk ahead. Her words echoed in his mind, leaving him unsettled. Was that another slip of the tongue? She had been unpredictable lately, saying things that threw him off-balance, words that hovered in that dangerous space between friendly and something much more. He kept his expression neutral and followed her inside.

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