Arba’s bPOV /b

Delh Hart. My ex’s wife, Grayson’s sister.

She stared bat /bme and raised an eyebrow. “Who the hell are you?”

“I–I’m Aria. Aria Collins,” I stammered.

She frowned impatiently. “I didn’t ask for your fucking name, OK? I asked what you’re doing here. Are you the new kitchen help?”

Okay. So she didn’t recognize bme/b. Jace must’ve gone out of his way to erase my existence.

She’d already tossed her coat and bag at me like I was her personal hanger. The heavy coat hit me so hard I bstumbled/b.

“What smells so good? I’m starving!” she yelled.

I chased after her into the kitchenb, /bjust in time bto /bsee her scoop into the bchocte /bbva /bcake I’d spent all afternoon making. The perfect bze /bwas binstantly /bdestroyed.

“Wait” I blurted out.

She turned to me, clearly annoyed. “Are you seriously yelling at bme/b?”

I took a deep breath. Honestly, I had mixed feelings. My ex dumped me for her, and she bwas /bobviously so gorgeous and so ssy. And now I was even caught up in somethingplicated with her brother 1 don’t bknow/b. Everything was just so fucked up.

But I still decided to bstand /bmy ground. “I’m not yelling. I just bwanted /bto let you know bthat /bcake was for Alpha Grayson.”

“So!” she scoffed. “Everything my brother owns is mine. Who the hell are you to scold me in bthis /bhouse?”

“I was just hoping you could bask /bfirst before.

She waved a hand band /bsmashed the entire cake to the ground.

The dessert I poured my heart into bwas /bnow a chocte disaster.

I let bout /ba little cry.

“I don’t like your damn attitude,” she said coldly. “You’re just a maid. And I’m the one who runs this ce. Now get the hell out here because byou /bare fired.”

My bhands /bcurled into fists, shaking slightly with anger. She’s even meaner than on reality show!

“What’s going on here?”

That deep,manding voice came from behind us,

I whipped baround/b. At some point my new boss hade back. He was standing in the doorway, watching us.

“Where did byou /beven find this awful maid?” Delh shrieked. “She actually tried to stop me from eating ba /bbgoddamn /bcake. bHow /bdare she! I want her fired immediately!”

“Apologize,” Grayson said coolly.

I sucked bin /ba little breath. My eyes stung.

But then I realized–he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at Delh.

He was telling HER to apologize, Not me.

b“/bWha–Seriously Grayson?” Delh rounded her eyes in shock. “You’re telling byour /bsister to apologize to an inegal!”

“Aria isn’t an omega. She’s my bassistant/b. I invited her here today. And your entitled behavior is beneath the dignity of the Hart family. bSo /b

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0:46 AM

apologize to her right now.”

His bvoice /bwas calm but carried benough /bweight to silence the whole room. Delh looked at me like she’d swallowed a lemon.

“bFine/b…” she muttered eventually, “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I said quietly.

“Now go sit in the dining room, her brother ordered, “You didn’t tell anyone you wereing, so bdon’t /bexpect the bmaids /bto have your dinner ready.”

She scooped up her coat and bag band /bscurried out of the kitchen like she bcouldn’t /bget away from him fast enoughb. /b

Grayson finally turned to me. “Sorry about the cake. I’m sure it bwas /bdelicious.”

Something in my chest clenched. I had worked so hard bon /bit I wanted bhim /bto like it, to bsee /bhis face when he took the first bite. But now it’s ruinedb. /b

“It’s fine.” I said with ba /bweak smile, shrugging. “She’s ba /bHart. I guess she’s bjust /bused to having whatever she wants. I don’t take it personally.

That’s a failure in bher /bupbringing. My parents spoiled her too much. I’m trying to correct that now. But regardless of who she is, no one should treat you like bthat/b.”

No one bhad /bever said banything /blike that to me. In the real world, people like me were expected to be pushed around. My wolf hummed with contentment. I quickly looked away, blushed, and changed the subject.

“Looks like she doesn’t know who I bam/b? Or my connection to Jace?”

“No. bAnd /bto avoid trouble, I suggest you don’t bring it up.

I nodded in agreement. Jace bwas /bancient history. Thest thing I needed was drama with his new wife–the rich and powerful princess of the pack

“And I’d balso /bprefer if you didn’t mention the contract to anyone. Including my sister,” he added deeplyb. /b“If anybody asks in the future. you are my assistant.”

bI /bnced at him knowingly and lowered my voice. “You don’t want your family to know about your condition? You don’t want them to get worried?”

He didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it. “They don’t need to know. Now, let the maids bring out the rest of the food. I can’t wait to try what byou /bmade.”

When bwe /bwalked into the dining room, Delh was already seated and sneakily nibbling on the appetizer. She quickly set down her fork when the saw us

“What? I was hungry,” she muttered.

“You still bneed /bto wait for the guests to sit down before eating, Grayson bsaid /bsternly.

A maid pulled out the chair for me, right next to Delh. Judging by her expression, she wasn’t thrilled bthat /bI got ba /bseat too–but after ncing at Grayson, she swallowed her bints/b.

“Why aren’t byou /bhaving dinner with your bhusband /btonight?” bGrayson /bbasked /bafter taking bhis /bbseat/b.

“Not every newlywed couple wants to be glued btogether/b, byou /bbknow/b,” she replied sweetly. “I just wanted to spend time with my dear Brother”

But he wasn’t buying it. “bThis /bis about the prenup, isn’t it? You two fought about it?”

1 paused mid–bite, ears fully engaged.

the prenup

Of course. Every rich family signs one. Especially when a poor bkid /blike Jace married the richest girl in the world.

9:46 AM

But I knew bJace’s /btoo proud and btoo /bambitious. He’d hate the idea to the g

gut..

“Come on, Grayson. Is ba /bprenup really necessary?” Delh pleaded. “Jace made a good point actually. If we’re truly in love, why should I care about sharing everything with bhim/bb?/b”

“If he really loves you, your rtionship should be enough. He shouldn’t be obsessed with your money.”

“Please? I’m begging byou/b. I just don’t want to fight anymore. I brought it up tonight and he got so pissed. We were supposed to have a fancy date and he just mmed the door and left-

“I don’t like him,” Grayson cut her off coldly. “I made that clear the first day you brought him home. And if he dares m ba /bdoor in your

face in question if he’s even remotely the right person for you.”

Delh lowered her utensils, clearly too upset to eat.

“Get him to sign the prenup.” Grayson said forcefully. “Or byou /bwalk away from him.”

She looked like she might burst into tears.

I forced down a bite of sd and sighed quietly

To be honest, I kind of felt bad for her. Sure, she was ten thousand times richer than me but she was still getting hurt by the same jerk who’d once hurt me. I knew exactly how that felt.

My sigh must’ve been louder than I thought, because Delh snapped her head toward

“Why the hell are you sighingb? /bAre you mocking me?” she asked sharply

Grayson immediately frowned. I shook my head. “No, I’m bnot /bmocking. I just think… women in love tend to lose sight of things.”

b“/bWhat the hell–are you seriously calling me blind?”

“Are you notb?/b” I shot back. “Alpha Grayson is your brother. He’d never hurt you. But how long have you even known Jace? He clearly knew what kind of position he put you in when he refused to sign the prenup and he didn’t care about it bat /ball. If he really loves you, why can’t he make thepromise?”

Delh stared at me, stunned.

Grayson’s gaze softened. He nodded at me.

“My point is,” bI /bbsaid /bgently, “if he really hates that prenup, at least he should be here with you tonight and tell bAlpha /bGrayson himself- not ditching you and forcing byou /btoe beg your brother on your own?

Delh gripped her fork, silent. I half–expected her to stab me in the eye with it. Instead, after a long pause, she gave a loud bhuff/b.

“You’re a good cook,” she mumbled.

“Th–bthanks/b,” I bsaid/b, surprised.

“Now I see why my brother hired byou/b” She nced at bme /bsideways. “I don’t like being lectured, but… some of what you said actually

makes sense.”

I smiled and let bout /bba /bquiet breath of relief. “d I can bhelp/b.”

“Helpb! /bPlease, don’t tter yourself,” she rolled her eyes. b“/bbYou /bseem to know a lot about rtionship stuffs. Do you bhave /ba boyfriend?”

was speechless. It’d be the end of the world if she discovered in my ex was actually her husband.

Fortunately, Grayson stepped in. “bThat’s /benough question. Now have your dinner.”

After dinner, Delh left. I had no idea what she’d say to Jace, but I really hoped she’d stand her ground. Honestly, she deserved better than that controlling, bgold/b–digging jerk.

Iwas in bthe /bkitchen helping the bmaids /bbclean /bup. They were all praising my food and asking questions about my recipe. But then, suddenly, everyone went quiet.

9:46 AM

I looked up.

Grayson bwas /bleaning against the doorway, watching me.

“Dinner was excellent. I really enjoyed it,” he said.

The maids curtsied and quietly exited, leaving the two of us alone. I fidgeted, gripping my apron nervously.

“I–I’m bd /byou liked it.”

“You’ve worked hard today. I hope you rest bwell /btonight.”

I took bthat /bas his cue to dismiss me. “I will. And you too–goodnightb, /bAlpha Grayson

I untied my apron and started to walk past him toward the door.

But he didn’t move. His broad frame blocked the bonly /bexit.

“I hope you are ready,” he said deeply.

blinked, perplexed. “What… what do

byou /b

mean?”

“You’ll rest in my room btonight/b.”

AD