Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Dimitri’s POV
When I arrived at the house, the security guard told me my mother had come by and was waiting for me. I blew out a deep breath, knowing she’d come to give me hell because she must have heard about what happened at the board meeting today.
“How dare you?” My mother’s voice greeted me the moment I stepped through the front doors of the house. She was sitting on the sofa, her face red with rage And me? I wasn’t in the mood for this drama. I had had a really long day.
“I don’t want to hear it, Mother,” I continued towards the stairs.
“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Dimitri!” She shot up, the sharp heels of her shoes clicking on the marble floor as she stomped toward me, placing herself on the stairs and blocking my path. “Selene told me everything.”
“Of course she did.”
“Do you have any idea what you have done? Giving that woman—that creature—a seat on our board? Legitimizing her bastard?”
“Adele is not a bastard. She is my daughter! She’s as much a Ravencrest as you are. And you have a seat on the board. Hell, even Selene does. So why the hell should my daughter be left out?”
Maia shook her head, disappointment etched across her features. “God, I knew the moment I heard that girl was back, you would lose focus again.”
“Lose focus?” I scoffed. “I haven’t been focused for five years!
I have spent every night in those five years dreaming about Isabella, wanting her, and all you’ve done since that time is try to erase her from her life like she never existed, like she was never a part of us.
How could you not see that I have not been happy? ”
“This isn’t about your happiness, Dimitri.
It’s about the pack. Your duty, your obligations, not repeating your father’s mistakes.
You can be happy with any other woman. Just not her!
” Her voice rose. “She has no rights! She’s the product of your weakness, just like you’re becoming weak again now.
First, your father with that whore, Alicia, and now with her daughter. It’s pathetic.”
I bit down on my tongue to keep from lashing out at her, but I was losing my patience with her every second. “Tell me, mother, what exactly did Isabella do to you? Why do you hate her so much?”
“Because she ruined my life! Her pathetic mother ruined my life. Do you know what it’s like to be gossiped about by the entire pack?
Despite my status and all the surgeries I had done to make myself look pretty, your father still left me for a nobody, and he was willing to abandon his own pack and son!
” Her voice cracked, her eyes watered, but for the first time in years, I didn’t feel pity for her. I actually understood her finally.
I shook my head. “Isabella didn’t ruin your life, Mother.
Not even her mother. It was you. You are cruel, you lack empathy, you are toxic, you don’t care about the important things.
Why the hell did you think I left the Ravencrest mansion in the first place?
Because I couldn’t stand you, Mother! And if I couldn’t, how could my father, who spent every single day of his life with you before he decided he didn’t want to suffer anymore? ”
My mother drew back, stunned by my words. But still, I couldn’t pity her. She’d threatened to kill Isabella five years ago. That was when I understood the extent of her cruelty and toxicity.
I stepped forward, letting her see the anger and determination in my eyes. “I meant what I said on the call the other day. If you dare lay your finger on Isabella or Adele…well, I wouldn’t even need to do anything. Isabella will come for you, and I will sit back and watch her tear you apart.”
With that, I left her standing in the living room, and stormed into my bedroom, thinking the worst was behind me. But then I found Selene in my room. She was wearing red, see-through lingerie with no underwear underneath. A sight I presumed was meant to appease me, but it only caused revulsion.
“What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?” I asked, tossing my suit jacket onto the sofa in the sitting area of the room.
In the corner of my eye, I caught the movement as she stood from the bed, moving toward me.
“I’m your wife, Dimitri.” Her voice was soft, but wounded. “I’m supposed to be your wife. Yet you humiliated me in front of the entire board. All because of what? Isabella fucking Garrett.”
I whirled around to look at her. “Who, Selene. Not what. And you will mind the way you speak about her. I’ve had it with your condescending remarks.” I blew out an exhausted breath. “Go back to your bedroom, Selene. I don’t have time for…this.”
“Then, when is the time? When you’re making decisions that affect our entire pack without first consulting me?
When you’re parading your former lover and child before the board like they matter?
” She moved toward me again, so that we were only a few inches apart.
The scent of her strong perfume shot up through my nose, threatening to choke me.
“What am I to you, Dimitri? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like I’m nothing but an inconvenience you’re trying to erase.”
The urge to laugh was almost overwhelming.
Selene, playing the wronged wife. Selene, acting like she gave a damn about our marriage beyond what it gave her in terms of power and status when she’s been sleeping with and conspiring with her so-called “childhood friend”.
Selene, who just hours ago, had been recorded plotting to harm my daughter.
I let out a sharp intake of breath, biting down on my lips to keep myself from saying anything, from letting her know that I was onto her and that I’d been onto her the entire time. But the disdain in my eyes, that I couldn’t hide.
“Dimitri…” her voice dropped to something sultry as she reached out to touch me, but I caught her wrist.
“Don’t you dare touch me, Selene. Whatever this was…” I let my eyes sweep her from head to toe in disgust. “It’s fucking pathetic.”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “Don’t you find me appealing? Many men do.”
Oh, I’m pretty sure Ethan Thorpe was at the top of that list.
“You haven’t touched me in five years, Dimitri!
You haven’t touched me since we got married, and I’m supposed to be your wife.
” Her voice cracked, and I had to admire her performance.
If I hadn’t known better, I would have almost believed the tears welling in her eyes.
“Do you know what it’s like to sleep in separate rooms from your husband, knowing he’s thinking of someone else? Wanting someone else?”
Of course, everything circles back to Isabella once again. I couldn’t get her obsession. She was sleeping with Thorpe, she didn’t care about this marriage other than what it gave her, so why the hell was she so hell bent on destroying Isabella?
“How can I give you an heir if you won’t even look at me like I’m someone worthy to be made love to?”
Oh, God. Now I’d heard it all. I groaned, stepping away from her, my face scrunched up in irritation.
“We both know that’s not going to happen, Selene.
” The words came out sharper than intended, but I didn’t care.
“This marriage is a political arrangement that has served its purpose.” And I’d only stayed in it long enough to know what she was really up to before I struck.
Her face twisted into something ugly before she smoothed it away. “You’re going to regret this, Dimitri. All of this. When you realize what you’re throwing away—”
“I’m not throwing anything away. I’m only claiming what is mine.” I stepped away from her front and pointed my arm toward the door. “Now leave my room, Selene.”
For a second, she stood there, her expression cold and calculating. But whatever she was planning, I was two steps ahead of her. She picked up her phone from the edge of the bed and started stomping out. But just as she got to the door, I called after her.
“And oh, Selene, don’t try anything funny with Isabella or my daughter.” My voice was steel. “You would hate to see the other side of me.”
Then she was gone, slamming the door behind her.
And for the first time all day, I was offered reprieve as I allowed my thoughts to drift back to what had happened in the boardroom earlier.
To the kiss. A slow smile formed on my lips.
I still had a long way to go to earn Isabella’s trust, but I was going to. And I was going to make her mine again.
Because who would throw away the one thing, the only thing, that made them alive?
The next two weeks passed by in a blur of heightened security and mounting tension.
Since that parcel Isabella received in her office, I’d made sure to double security on both Isabella and Adele.
Edmund had ensured he hired the very best—trained and discreet men who were watching over both of them without them even knowing it.
They made sure not to make their presence obvious or interfere in their lives.
Except if situations got out of hand or if danger were to arise.
And for two weeks now, it had been…quiet.
I’d had eyes on Isabella and Adele every moment of every day.
Teams rotated in twelve-hour shifts, watching their apartment building, following Isabella’s car at a distance, and stationed near Adele’s daycare.
There’s been no threats, no suspicious activity, no sign that Selene and Ethan were moving forward with their plans.
It almost felt like a false alarm. Like maybe the recording had been nothing but talk, two people venting frustrations they’d never actually act on. Or maybe the parcel was meant to deter everyone while Ethan and Selene made their move on something else.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what it was. But I couldn’t afford to believe that. Couldn’t afford to let my guard down.