Chapter 117

Cecilia’s pov

Friday passed with unexpected tranquility.

I even found time to treat myself to a small cake and afternoon tea—luxuries that had become rare in my busy schedule.

Alpha Sebastian didn’t come to the office in the morning, only appearing with Beta Sawyer around one o’clock.

He stayed in his office the entire afternoon, never once calling for me.

It was arguably the most peaceful day I’d had all week.

Of course, I thought cynically, he was probably saving his energy for his date tomorrow.

After work, I drove past a pharmacy and remembered I still needed to replace Tang’s medicine.

I picked up a few items, then headed home for dinner.

Later, I called to make sure Liam was home before heading up to Sebastian’s apartment.

“Liam, these are for you,” I said, holding out the small bag.

“For me?” Confusion crossed his face as he accepted it.

His expression grew even more perplexed when he looked inside.

“Tang gave me some of your medicine the other night,” I explained. “I wanted to replace what I used, just in case you needed them p>

“Tang?” Liam’s confusion deepened, but then something seemed to click.

He laughed, tapping his forehead. “Oh, right, right! I did ask Tang to buy those. My goodness, I’m getting forgetful in my old age p>

“You should take care of yourself, Liam,” I said gently.

“When you get older, little health issues are inevitable,” he replied with a shrug.

Remembering that entire box of medication, I thought to myself: those don’t seem like “little” issues.

Looking after the young Alpha must truly be exhausting work.

As we stood chatting in the living room, Alpha Sebastian emerged from the inner rooms.

He wore loose camel-colored loungewear that softened his usually intimidating presence.

Perched on his straight nose were a pair of reading glasses, and in his hand was a book.

He looked every inch the handsome, well-bred gentleman, his usual powerful aura transformed into something more approachable yet still elegantly distant.

I quickly greeted him. “Alpha p>

Alpha Sebastian seemed to notice me only then.

His eyes flickered to me briefly, then to the bag in Liam’s hands.

He gave me a slight nod of acknowledgment before continuing to the living area, where he sat down and opened his book.

I wondered silently: Did he come out here to read because the lighting was better?

I turned back to Liam. “I have soup simmering downstairs. Please keep the medicine. I should get going p>

I turned to leave.

Just as I was halfway through my pivot, a soft, casual voice floated toward me: “I heard your stomach was bothering you p>

The comment was delivered so casually, as if merely making conversation.

I rotated my foot back to face him. “Just a couple of days ago p>

Alpha Sebastian lifted his gaze from his book. “Feeling better now p>

“Much better, thank you for your concern, Alpha p>

“Rest well this weekend,” he said, his eyes unreadable behind those glasses.

“I will. I hope you have a pleasant weekend as well.”I made my excuses and left quickly.

The next morning, Harper and I were on the road by seven.

For our safety, Harper had asked her younger brother Levan, who was on summer break from his sports academy, to accompany us.

I gave Levan a skeptical look as I sized him up—tall and strong, but with boyish features that still held a touch of innocence.

I shot Harper a pointed glance: Don’t we look like two wealthy cougars with our young eye candy?

“Safety first,” Harper insisted, clearly reading my unspoken criticism.

Thinking about it, I had to admit she had a point.

We were headed to remote areas and rural locations. Two women alone might not be the safest scenario.

And despite his youth, Levan’s athletic build did provide a sense of security.

“Fine,” I conceded, handing him the car keys with a warm smile. “Levan, when we get back, I’ll buy you a gift—whatever you want p>

His handsome young face flushed slightly. “It’s no trouble at all,Cecilia p>

Harper nudged her brother with her foot. “Go help with the luggage, and drive carefully p>

With that, she slipped on her sunglasses and climbed into the back seat.

Levan went to help me with the luggage.

Author’s pov

At the mouth of the underground garage, Liam had just returned from the market with arms full of vegetables when a familiar figure caught his eye—Cecilia, standing beside a young man.

The two were sharing a laugh, her smile easy and unguarded, the young man towering beside her, carrying luggage with unpracticed but eager hands.

Liam blinked.

Dating?

The guy looked… young. College-aged, maybe. Clean-cut, tall, lean-built and with that unmistakable sun-warmed athleticism.

He opened the passenger door for Cecilia, his expression a bit shy, but his eyes were sparkling, full of admiration and nervous excitement that was impossible to miss.

Liam’s jaw tensed unconsciously.

He stood watching in stunned silence as the car slowly pulled out of the lot and disappeared down the ramp.

Only after the taillights vanished did he finally move toward the elevator, grocery bags dangling from his arms.

Upstairs, Beta Sawyer was seated on the living room sofa, casually scrolling through incoming emails on his tablet.

He looked up when Liam walked in, his senses tuning in immediately to the older man’s slight frown and distant look.

“What’s wrong?” Beta Sawyer asked, casually, but his eyes studied Liam’s face with practiced intuition. “Don’t tell me your stock tanked again this week p>

“Don’t jinx it,” Liam grumbled, swatting at the comment as he dropped the bags on the kitchen counter.

But instead of unpacking, he wandered over, voice dropping as he sat beside Sawyer.

“Did you know Cecilia might be dating someone p>

Beta Sawyer froze mid-scroll.

It took him a second to recover. “Wait, what p>

Liam shot him a significant look and nodded. “Saw with my own eyes. Just now, in the garage. Young lad. Honestly? Looked like a university student. Real clean-looking. Pretty face, a bit of baby fat still—shy when he smiled, but the way he looked at Cecilia p>

He shook his head as if still amazed. “Eyes were damn near glowing p>

Beta Sawyer blinked, stunned. “So that’s her type? Gentle, student-boy energy p>

Liam sighed with a mixture of defeat and amusement. “And it’s not like she doesn’t have the money to spoil a younger one, if that’s what she wants p>

Beta Sawyer started to reply, then stopped himself. After a pause, he glanced toward the hallway and asked with caution, “Does the Alpha know p>

Liam added. “It’s best not to let the Alpha know p>

Their quiet conspiracy was broken by the sound of confident footsteps echoing from the private wing.

The two men snapped their heads up in unison as Alpha Sebastian appeared, clad in a tailored black suit—simple, elegant.

In black, he was devastating. Cold. Impossibly composed.

His presence made the very air feel sharper.

He paused at the threshold, dark eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

“What are you two so engrossed in?” he asked, voice deceptively mild, but there was a glint of curiosity—and something sharper—lurking behind his tone.

“Nothing, Alpha,” Liam and Beta Sawyer answered a little too quickly, almost in unison.

He didn’t press them. Just tilted his head slightly, those calculating eyes lingering on each of them in turn.

Neither dared exhale until he turned and continued toward the door.

But as soon as he disappeared from view, they exchanged a glance again—one that said, We’ll take this to the grave.

Meanwhile, down in Cecilia’s car, she sneezed once, catching Harper’s sideways glance.

“You cursed someone, didn’t you?” Harper teased, tucking her sunglasses higher on the bridge of her nose.

“It’s the AC,” Cecilia replied, curling her legs up slightly beneath her as the engine purred beneath them.

Not long after, another black SUV rolled out of the same underground parking structure.

Inside, Tang drove in silence, the road unfolding before them in long gray ribbons.

In the passenger seat beside him, Beta Sawyer tapped his phone a few times before glancing up. Alpha Sebastian sat quietly behind them.

An hour into the three-hour journey, Beta Sawyer finally spoke.

He turned partway in his seat, adjusting for the road bump ahead.

“Alpha he said carefully, “do you need me to book anything for later? A lunch reservation, perhaps p>

Alpha Sebastian didn’t answer right away.

Beta Sawyer waited—but the silence lingered. Faint wind noises outside punctuated the quiet.

“I’m not sure what style Miss Hazel prefers,” he added, trying again.