l's

tighter, wanting to apologize

pha Carl, your temper tantrums are nothing new. Flipp

ustrated. Maybe I was going

r lately, it felt impossible to h

ped. "Just stay put in the villa

vate retreat-I hadn't

of nowhere, El

ing around. "Can we just stop torturing each other a

t I told you? At best, you're my servant!" I shouted

, and she was shaking with

I gave up everything for you-tell me, why

ne else, and I'm... I'm just the daughter of an ordinary delta! We b

ink-that your life matters

ves anyway. But I refuse to

voice raw and cracked. She glared rig

meless?" I asked,

l want to keep me around like a maid. You even handed my design to Katherine. Isn't t

said through gritte

realized just how sharp her tongue could be. Every word she sai

, Eleanor turned her f

lm, then called one of the staff. "Pack up all

p," Eleanor s

y, "Her phone

red everything to be burned...

ed completely pale. Her hand trembled as she grabbed the front of my shi

breath. "I'll get you new one

s slumping as she collapsed back onto the s

he didn't say

ows knitted, frustrated,

or break down like before. That laptop meant everyth

ooked at it with such longing in her eyes. She couldn't afford it. I

it for four whole years-refusing to replace it, even when it started breaking

herself, head down and face blank. She d

hole way to the estate.

barely lived together. She was always holed up in her studio somewhere. Yeah, she didn't get al

sly ill and gone away for treatment. Vivian and the others used tha

em. Truth is, I couldn

eath as I pulled over. "We can go get you a new lapto

ke up for what she'd been through over the pas

ad for anyone else. No one in the pack had ev

nor's voice was flat, eyes cold.

girl. "Even if I let you go, who would take in a wolf

back, staring straight at me. "Right now

s tightening as I fought t

e screen-perfect timing. I answered it on sp

ed my tone immediately. "H

dripped with sugar. "I cou

with Eleanor, tone dripping with a

linch. She didn'

. "I just saw the news about Eleanor's plagiarism scandal t

er than necessary. "She's b

ing with fake sympathy. "He told me he doesn't want to

isgusting. I couldn't help but glance over at Eleanor. She didn't react at all-just opened t

e car. Then I put Katherine on speak

herine sneered. "When you showed me her draft, I was shocked at how shame

er at Eleanor, not re

suddenly submitted something nearly identical for the Starluxe Competition! If

cting like she was the victim the entire time. Not that I cared much,

makeup and maybe tidy up the house now and then

h. It's not like we need her bringing in mone

ither-they're just looking f

g that design was

rl. Eleanor's designs have always been trash. I told you once her work was a

Katherine's voice sharpened suddenly, "

closely. "You're right-Eleanor got disqualifi

I froze for a second, some strange

nd that mate bond with her?" K

with a frown. She didn't give me a glance, didn

er to listen to me. But then I saw how frail

my tone. "I've got a meeting soon. I'll

say a word, jus

o look after you. Make sure you ea

ck. Part of me felt like I should be angry, but I told mys

t flustered whenever I lost my temper, chasing after me, begging me not to l

my chest that made it impossible to

the estate. Then, with a grim look, I turned back to