Chapter 207

[ 1,006 words ]

Author’s POV

Scott was caught off guard. “You can tell?”

“It’s written all over your face.” Claudine didn’t look up from the dishes. “You get that same dumb look your dad used to get. Before he turned into a politician, anyway.”

“Fantastic.” Scott rubbed his face. “What do you want me to say?”

“If you like her, I’ll—”

“Mom.” He cut her off. “She’s married. And she loves her husband.”

Claudine set down the plates hard. “So what? I had a husband too. Look how that went.”

Scott’s eyes went wide. “You’re using your own divorce to make your point?”

“That’s not what I—” She shook her head. “Marriage doesn’t last forever. Hers is brand new. Just wait until she’s divorced.”

“Not everyone’s marriage falls apart like yours and Dad’s.” Scott crossed his arms.

“She just got married. No kids yet, right?”

“No.”

“Good.” Claudine’s eyes gleamed. “If you try, and I help a little, you still have a shot.”

“Don’t.” Scott’s voice went hard. “I mean it, Mom. Don’t try anything sneaky.”

The phone on the table rang.

Claudine picked it up, looked at the screen, and her face changed. All the color drained out of it.

“Who is it?” Scott stepped closer.

He saw the name on the screen. Sebastian Simons. He frowned. “Mom? What’s wrong?”

“This Sebastian…” Claudine’s voice dropped to almost nothing. “Is he Titus Simons’ son?”

“Yeah. Why?”

Her hand tightened around the phone. “So Emilia is married into the Simons family? Titus Simons and Mila Zordon’s daughter-in-law?”

“That’s right.”

The phone fell out of her hand and hit the floor.

“Mom!” Scott grabbed her arm. “What’s going on?”

Claudine’s face had gone cold. “Scott, listen to me. I promise you, I’ll make Emilia yours.”

“I told you I don’t want your help.” Scott’s patience was gone. “Why do you keep pushing this?”

He liked Emilia. That much was true. But he wasn’t going to win her through tricks or schemes.

“It’s not for you.” Claudine’s voice went sharp. “It’s for me.”

“For you?” Scott stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

Footsteps came down the hall.

Emilia came out of the bathroom and looked at the clock. “Claudine, it’s getting late. I should go.”

Claudine’s face smoothed out right away, like nothing had happened. “Of course, dear. Scott will drive you home.”

“That’s really not necessary. I can call a cab.”

“He’ll at least walk you out.” Claudine pushed her son forward. “Won’t you, Scott?”

Scott sighed. “Come on. I’ll walk you to the gate. Cab from there.”

Emilia relaxed a little. If Scott drove her all the way home, Sebastian would lose it. And she was not in the mood for a jealous Alpha tonight.

They stepped out into the cold night air. The sky had gone dark, and a long row of trees lined the road ahead. White poplars swayed in the wind, their branches shaking.

“Looks like rain,” Scott said.

“Yeah. Saw the forecast this morning.”

“Unbelievable.” He gave a dry laugh. “My mom’s been back less than two weeks and she’s already met the woman I like. What are the odds?”

Emilia winced. “Scott, don’t—”

“I know you’re married.” He held up a hand. “You get to choose who you love. So do I. You can’t stop that.”

She sighed. Fate? More like a bad joke.

“Your parents…” Emilia paused. “They’re divorced?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ask. “

Scott waved it off, a small smile on his face. “It’s fine. They split when I was a kid. Not a lot of people know, but it’s no secret either.”

“How old were you?”

“Eight.”

His smile went thin, and something dark passed behind his eyes. “After the divorce, Mom moved to France. I stayed with Dad.”

“Do you hate her?”

“Hate?” He laughed, but there was nothing behind it. “What’s the point? None of us really know how to love the people we’re supposed to love. Not even family.”

Emilia looked at him, and something in her chest pulled tight. She used to think she was the only one carrying old wounds. Turns out everyone carries something. Some people just hide it better.

Sebastian checked his watch a third time. Something itched under his skin, sharp and impatient.

He knew Emilia’s car was in the shop. He’d finished work early just so he could pick her up after dinner. He’d called once. No answer. So he decided to just show up instead.

Then he looked up.

A hundred meters ahead, Emilia was walking next to someone.

Scott Hanson.

Wind cut through the trees. Scott pulled off his coat without a second thought and put it over Emilia’s shoulders.

Sebastian’s hands closed hard around the wheel.

“No, I’m fine.” Emilia tried to hand it back. “I’m not cold.”

“Just wear it.” Scott held it in place, his eyes locked on hers. “Don’t feel bad about it. This is my problem, not yours. You can turn me down. Just not the coat.”

“Ryder.”

“I see him,” his wolf growled. “I see all of it.”

Emilia’s phone rang, breaking the moment. She looked at the screen and picked up fast. “Hello? Honey.”

“Done with dinner?” Sebastian’s voice was flat.

“Yeah. Just finished.”

“When are you coming home?”

“Right now.”

“Someone driving you? Want me to come get you?”

“No need. I’ll grab a cab.”

“Alright.”

He paused, jaw tight. “You had dinner with Mrs. Tucker, right? Did you see her son?”

A beat of silence.

“No,” Emilia said quickly. “I didn’t.”

The lie landed like a slap.

She wasn’t trying to trick him. He could hear that much in her voice. She just didn’t want him worried. Didn’t want to set him off.

But it was already too late.

“Hello? Sebastian? You there?”

Before she could say anything else, he laid on the horn.

HOOONK.

The headlights snapped on, cutting through the dark and lighting her up in white.

Emilia lifted her head and looked ahead. The second she recognized the driver, the blood drained from her face.

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