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    ALINA’S POV.

    “Yeah, right.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Now spill.”

    And I did.

    I told her everything that happened, every little detail, and she listened without interrupting, just like the good friend she always was. Her expression shifted with every turn of the story, brows furrowed at times, lips pursed in frustration, and eyes softening with empathy.

    We spent the rest of the day talking, her giving me advice and input on how to handle things when I got home. Thefort of herpany made the heaviness on my chest feel just a tad bit lighter.

    Finally, it was time for me to go.

    “Can’t I just stay the night?” I whined, not ready to face Lucian just yet.

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    “And have your fiancé turn the whole city upside down looking for you? No thanks.” Sheughed, nudging me yfully.

    “You’re no fun.” I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

    “You can sleep over the day you’re not having a misunderstanding with him,” she said, guiding me gently toward the door. “But today, go home and sort it out.”

    “Alright, Mommy.” I said sarcastically, making a face.

    “And please be careful with Seraphina.” She added, concern flickering in her eyes.

    “I will, baby.” I kissed her cheek affectionately, then turned to Knox, who stood slightly behind her.

    “Bye, Knox.” I waved with a small smile.

    “Bye, Mrs. ckwood.” He said with mock yfulness, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Talia.

    “Why do you have to be such a brute?” He grumbled, ring at her.

    “Why do you always have to be such an ass?” She retorted instantly, narrowing her eyes.

    Shaking my head at their bickering, ssic sibling banter, I smiled faintly and walked toward the elevator, where Jordan was already waiting with a patient, but anxious expression.

    Lucian was waiting outside the double doors of the mansion when we got home.

    “Oh boy.” Jordan muttered, a trace of fear in his voice.

    “Don’t worry, Jordan, I’ll handle this.” I assured him gently.

    As soon as we exited the car, Lucian began approaching us, his stride tense and sharp.

    “Where the hell did you keep your phone?” His re was trained on Jordan, anger emitting from every step he took closer.

    He reached out to grab him, but I quickly pulled Jordan behind me, standing firm between them.

    “You’re not going to hurt him for following my instruction, Lucian. I won’t let you.” I said in a steady but defiant tone, narrowing my eyes at him.

    “Here is your phone, Jordan.” I pulled out the phone from my purse and handed it to him with a soft tone. “You can retire for the night.”

    “Thank you, ma’am.” Jordan nodded, his tone grateful but wary.

    “I didn’t dismiss you, did I?” Lucian said coldly, his voice like ice, making Jordan freeze in ce. “Don’t forget who you work

    for.”

    “Sorry, boss.” Jordan quickly apologized, lowering his head in respect.

    “I took his phone from him, hence why you couldn’t reach him. If you want to be mad at anybody, then be mad at me,” I told Lucian, stepping further in front of Jordan. “What? You’re going to punish him for obeying me?” I scoffed. “You’d rather he disobeyed me?”

    Lucian looked conflicted. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t say a word. He knew he had no legitimate reason to punish Jordan, not when he was simply following my orders. He had no choice but to let it go.

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    I knew I had won.

    “You can go, Jordan.” I told the poor guy, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

    He peeked at Lucian, unsure, but Lucian didn’t say a word. His gaze stayed fixed on me.

    When Lucian made no move to oppose my order, Jordan took that as his cue.

    “Have a good night’s rest, ma’am.” He said before walking off in hasty steps.

    As soon as Jordan was gone and I was sure Lucian wouldn’t call him back, I walked past him without a word and entered the house.

    He followed.

    “I do not appreciate you giving Jordan such orders.” He said behind me, his voice sharp. “Do you know how worried I was when I couldn’t reach you?”

    “The same way I did not appreciate what you did this morning,” I retorted, not bothering to look back. “And I’m not a child, Lucian. I can take care of myself. You already have a babysitter following me around daily, so I don’t know what else you want from me.”

    I was upset.

    “Are you seriously mad at me over what happened this morning?” His tone held disbelief as he followed me up the stairs.

    “I’m too tired for this, Lucian.” I said as I entered his room, now also mine, and dropped my bag onto the chair.

    “Well, if you’re expecting me to apologize for trying to protect you, then I’m not going to do that.” He said coldly, arms crossed, his eyes hard.

    My heart ached.

    I loved Lucian, but he needed to understand that he couldn’t keep making decisions that involved me without asking me first.

    “Of course you won’t,” Iughed drily, bitterly. “The world woulde to an end if the almighty Lucian ckwood

    apologized for being wrong.”

    “How am I wrong?” He snapped as frustration flickered in his hazel orbs.

    I didn’t bother replying. I turned toward the bathroom to freshen up, but before I could take another step, he grabbed my arm tightly and spun me back around to face him.

    “I’m talking to you.” He growled.

    “And you wonder why I don’te to you with my problems.” I told him tly, my voice void of emotion.

    “What’s that supposed to mean?” He narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening.

    “What it means,” I began, in a low but firm voice, “is that you cannot keep making decisions that involve me without asking me first. I am not a child, Lucian. I spent twenty-four years of my life with my adoptive parents making decisions for me without ever caring how that made me feel, and I’m not going to let you do the same thing.”

    My unflinching gaze met his.

    “Seraphina hurt me, and you’re pissed, I get it. Even I’m pissed too. But getting her arrested was not the way I nned to deal with her. And you would have known that if you had asked me. But no, you had to single-handedly make a decision that concerned me.”

    I yanked my arm away from his grip, my chest rising and falling with the weight of everything I had been holding in.

    “I hate being blindsided, Lucian, and that’s exactly the position you put me in today. The least you could’ve done was trust me, and let her go when I asked you to. But no, you just have to always be in control.”

    He stood there frozen, lips slightly parted as if to say something, but nothing came out.

    “You can have the room to yourself,” I said quietly. “I’ll sleep in another room.”

    Yes, I knew I was trying to make up for how I treated him in the past life, but that didn’t mean I was going to let him treat me like a child without any self-will.

    Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked out, shutting the door behind me with a quiet but final thud.

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