Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Aria’s POV

I stood in the kitchen, staring at the kettle like it held all the answers to the universe. It didn’t. It just sat there, cold and useless, while my mind replayed the scene at the school gates over and over.

I gripped the edge of the counter. Hard.

"Aria?"

Cassius’s voice cut through the fog in my head. I blinked. Looked up.

He stood in the doorway, watching me with those calm gray eyes. Always so calm. So steady. Like nothing could shake him.

"You’ve been standing there for ten minutes," he said gently. "The kettle’s not going to boil itself."

Right. The kettle.

I’d meant to make tea. That was... that was the plan.

"Sorry." I shook my head. Forced a smile. "Got distracted."

Cassius didn’t push. He never did. Just walked over, filled the kettle himself, and set it on the stove.

"Want to talk about it?"

No. Yes. Maybe.

"There’s nothing to talk about." The lie tasted bitter. "I handled it."

"You did." He leaned against the counter beside me. Close but not too close. "You were incredible, actually. I’ve never seen anyone shut Finn down like that."

A laugh escaped me. Hollow. Wrong.

"Incredible." I repeated the word. Tested it. "Is that what we’re calling it?"

"What would you call it?"

I thought about it. Really thought.

"Necessary." The word came out flat. "It was necessary."

Cassius was quiet for a moment. The kettle started to whistle. He poured the water into two mugs. Added tea bags. Pushed one toward me.

"And Lilith?"

My hand froze halfway to the mug.

"What about her?"

"Aria." His voice was so gentle it hurt. "You don’t have to pretend with me."

"I’m not pretending."

"You’re shaking."

I looked down. He was right. My hands were trembling. When had that started?

"She made her choice," I said. The words felt rehearsed. Because they were. I’d been repeating them in my head the entire drive home. "Three years ago. She chose Celestia. She chose to hate me."

Cassius set down his mug. Turned to face me fully.

"You’re allowed to be hurt, Aria."

"I’m not hurt."

"You’re allowed to grieve."

I pressed my palms against my eyes. Tried to breathe.

"I can’t," I whispered. "I can’t fall apart over this. I have Lina now. I have a life. A good life. I can’t let them drag me back into that mess."

"No one’s asking you to fall apart." Cassius’s hand found my shoulder. Warm. Steady. "I’m just saying... it’s okay to feel things. Even the ugly things."

I dropped my hands. Met his eyes.

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment. The fire crackled softly. Outside, the night was dark and still.

Then reality crashed back in.

"I need to find a job," I said suddenly.

Cassius raised an eyebrow. "That was abrupt."

"I’ve been thinking about it all day." I sat forward. Elbows on my knees. "I can’t keep living off your generosity, Cassius. It’s not fair to you."

"I told you—"

"I know what you told me." I cut him off gently. "And I appreciate it. More than you know. But I need to contribute. I need to build something here. For Lina. For myself."

He studied my face for a long moment. Then nodded slowly.

"Okay. What kind of work are you looking for?"

"Anything, honestly." I shrugged. "I have experience as an assistant. Administrative work. Office management. That kind of thing."

Cassius was quiet. Thinking. I could almost see the wheels turning behind those gray eyes.

"Actually," he said finally. "There might be something."

"What?"

"There’s a company. The biggest one in the territory." He leaned back in his chair. "They’ve been looking for assistants for weeks. Good pay. Good benefits. Very professional environment."

My heart lifted. Just a little.

"Really? I didn’t know there was a big company in wolf territory."

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