Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Layla
The word "fiancée" drove into my heart like a blade.
I froze. All thoughts fled.
"That's not—Ella." Kayden instinctively tried to pull his arm free. He'd used my other name with such care, but I was in no mood to thank him. "Victoria and I—"
"It was the old Alpha's dying wish." Victoria cut him off, her tone somewhere between gentle reminder and threat. "It's only a matter of time, isn't it?"
The old Alpha's dying wish.
Kayden, who'd been struggling just a moment before, went still like someone had hit pause. My heart twisted. I searched his face desperately, waiting for him to deny it.
Waiting for him to say something—anything—with that same desperate urgency he'd had when he showed me the journal. Just one word would be enough.
Deny her. Tell her you won't marry her.
But Kayden stayed silent.
That moment of hesitation—maybe less than three seconds—I saw it all. His throat worked. His lips parted like he wanted to speak, but nothing came out. Only those silver eyes boring into mine, begging me to understand something.
What? That this was difficult for him? That he had responsibilities?
Diana howled in the depths of my mind. She could sense our mate, feel that destined pull, and she was screaming at me to lunge forward, tear that woman apart, take back what belonged to us.
Take him back! He's ours! Our mate!
He rejected you, Diana. Rejected us both.
My heart went cold, plummeted, shattered.
He's not our mate.
Diana let out an even more anguished cry, like her soul was being torn in two, before she curled up in the back of my consciousness, leaving only dead silence.
Don't do this, Layla. Do something. Force yourself to do something.
I closed my eyes hard, swallowed the urge to cry, adjusted my expression, and put on that perfect, professional, polite smile—the mask that had saved me countless times over the past seven years.
"Hello, Miss Victoria." I extended my hand, my voice terrifyingly steady. "I'm Ella Ross, Mr. Blackwood's..."
I paused, my gaze sliding to Kayden. A flash of pain crossed those silver eyes—so obvious, so real.
But so what?
"Your fiancé's business partner. Nothing more."
I called Kayden—the mate who should have been mine—another woman's fiancé.
Each syllable felt like it was tearing my heart apart, the pain almost suffocating. Blood dripped, drop by drop, pooling in my chest.
But I couldn't let it show.
I couldn't.
Victoria smiled with satisfaction, a hint of victory in her expression. "Miss Ross, you're so professional. No wonder Kayden speaks so highly of your work."
She emphasized "Kayden" deliberately, staking her claim.
"You're too kind." I withdrew my hand and turned to Kayden, my tone businesslike to the point of cold. "I'll email you the rest of the project details, sir."
I took a step back and gave a small nod.
"To avoid any impropriety, we shouldn't meet again."
Then I turned and walked away.
"Ella—" Kayden's voice came from behind me, carrying an urgency I'd never heard before.
My steps faltered. My heart betrayed me first—it still wanted to give Kayden a chance.
Please, say something. You can still refuse her. Tell me you just didn't react in time...
But no miracle came. Reality was even crueler.
"Kayden." Victoria's voice took on a coy note, crushing my last shred of hope. "The elders are still waiting for you. About our wedding. Father said we need to book the venue for the Full Moon Ceremony in advance, and there are pack traditions we have to follow. He especially emphasized..."
I couldn't listen anymore.
My steps quickened, almost to a run.
I could still hear Victoria's voice chattering about weddings, full moons, ceremonies... each word like a needle stabbing into my heart.
See? He's still that same Kayden who only cares about the Alpha's interests, who never cared about you.
Why did you soften just now?
Why did you let yourself hope?
I bit down hard, forcing myself not to think about that journal, not to think about him saying, "I've dreamed of you, every night for seven years."
It was all lies. All his games.
He just wanted to toy with my feelings. Nothing more.
When I got back to the studio, Anna was organizing files. She startled at the sight of me. "Ella? What happened?"
"Nothing." I shook my head, my voice hoarse. "I just need to use the restroom."
I practically fled into the bathroom, shut the door, and leaned against the wall for a moment.
My chest felt tight, suffocating.
I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. The water was freezing, stinging against my skin, but I needed that sting to pull me back from the chaos of emotions.
Hands braced on the sink, I stared at the mirror. Wet bangs plastered to my forehead, foundation-streaked water running down my cheeks, smudged eyeliner, smeared lipstick. Only those fake blue eyes stared back like they were looking at a stranger.
Then I took out the contacts.
My amber eyes emerged, exposed to the air. Layla Gray's eyes—the eyes of the girl who'd been abandoned, framed, forced to jump into the sea. Eyes that belonged to a past I didn't want to acknowledge.
Seven years.
Seven years, and I thought I'd grown strong enough to face the past, to handle things with Kayden calmly.
But Victoria's appearance had shattered every illusion.
I'd actually started to trust Kayden again—when he pulled out my journal, when he said he'd dreamed of me, when he looked at me with those silver eyes full of regret and pleading...
I thought maybe he'd changed.
Maybe he at least cared about me.
But reality had slapped me in the face again.
He was still Kayden Blackwood—perfect, selfless Alpha, always putting the pack first. And I was just a momentary diversion, a substitute to ease his loneliness, gossip fodder, a joke!
I should hate him. How could he be such a liar again and again, saying those cryptic things, dragging me back into fantasies I should have forgotten, then slapping me down?
How could he pursue me like some lovesick fool when he already had a fiancée?
How could he be so cruel—I had to hate him, I would hate him—
But you can't. Diana's hoarse growl cut through.
Tears flooded out, mixing with the water streaming down my face, scalding enough to burn.
Because it's not hate. Diana saw through my stubborn facade. She was about to speak the truth, like opening Pandora's box.
No, don't say it, don't!
Layla. This is jealousy.
I broke completely.
Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy. Yes, I'd been saying "stranger," "don't care," talking about drawing boundaries—but the moment Victoria appeared, what I felt first was jealousy.
Jealous that she could stand openly by his side.
Jealous that she had the old Alpha's blessing.
Jealous that she didn't need to hide, didn't need to live behind a mask.
Layla, you're pathetic.
Buzz. Buzz.
My phone alarm went off. Through my tears, I saw the reminder—time to pick up Kai.
Right. I still had Kai. I still had things I had to do, people I had to protect.
The tears wouldn't stop, wiped away only to flow again. But I had to go. I couldn't wallow in useless grief, couldn't collapse here, couldn't lose everything again because of Kayden—
I forced myself to clarity, biting my lip until I tasted blood. I wiped away the ruined makeup with a tissue and put the contacts back in.
When I emerged, the woman in the mirror was once again the elegant, composed, impeccable Ella Ross.
"Anna." I turned to her as she worked on the files. "I need to pick up Kai. Let's call it a day."
Anna looked up at me, her eyes full of concern. "Ella, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." I forced a smile. "Just tired."
I grabbed my bag and left the studio.
At the kindergarten entrance, I stood at a distance, not wanting to talk to anyone. I pressed my fingers to my temples wearily, trying to shake off the negative emotions before Kai saw me.
"Mommy!" Kai's voice cut through the crowd.
His silver eyes sparkled in the sunlight, his little face flushed pink as he ran toward me. His backpack bounced on his back, nearly toppling him over with each step.
I finally managed a genuine smile, crouching down and opening my arms.
Kai crashed into me, bringing the scent of sweat, sunshine, and little boy. His small hands wrapped around my neck, and he planted a wet kiss on my cheek with a loud smack.
"Mommy, look!" He pulled a folded paper from his backpack excitedly. "Mr. Parker said I drew the best one!"
I unfolded the paper. A green dinosaur drawn in crayon, lines wobbly but carefully colored in, complete with sharp teeth and tiny front claws.
"T-Rex." Kai pointed proudly at the drawing. "The strongest dinosaur. It can protect you."
Protect me.
My throat tightened. The composure I'd barely maintained nearly crumbled at those innocent words. I swallowed the burning in my eyes and carefully folded the drawing, tucking it into my bag.
"Let's go." I stood and took his hand. "Time to go home."
"Can we get ice cream?" Kai looked up at me, those silver eyes full of hope.
"Tomorrow." I saw his face fall and added, "But today I'll make your favorite spaghetti. Deal?"
"With meatballs?"
"Lots of them."
"Yes!" Kai cheered and bounced along beside me toward the parking lot.
Passing a convenience store, he stopped and pressed his face against the window, staring longingly at the chocolate on the shelves.
"Want some?" I fought a smile.
Kai turned around, looking at me with those big silver eyes. Despite his obvious craving, he shook his head. "It's okay. Mommy said sweets are for tomorrow."
His gaze kept drifting back to the chocolate.
I laughed and tapped his nose, leading him into the store. "Just one."
"Really?" Kai's face lit up.
"Of course."
He darted to the shelf, selecting carefully. Finally, he chose one with dark blue wrapping printed with stars.
"This one." He handed it to me with a big grin. "Mommy likes blue."