Chapter 23
Olivia's POV
A whisper of dread sunk into the back of my stomach. I wondered if Derek could see right through me; could he see the secrets I was desperate to keep?
What if he’s already figured it out? What if all of this – dinner, the charm, even the rented-out restaurant – was to corner me and expose everything?
Shit, I can add paranoia to my personality traits now, I thought.
If Derek suspected anything, he kept it well-hidden. I felt no deception, just the smallest amount of curiosity, and even then, it was hard to tell.
I forced a smile, pulling myself together. I needed to put any doubts about me and Ethan to rest. My voice softened, taking on a dreamy quality, like I was reminiscing about a love too perfect to be real.
“Ethan is… everything I could ask for,” I said, adding just the right hint of longing.
“I know we didn’t exactly meet in the best of circumstances, but we couldn’t deny there was something between us. He’s intelligent and powerful; he makes my heart race when he’s near and he’s on my mind constantly…”
My voice trailed off with the realization that these things were true. No matter how complicated our arrangement was, Ethan did make my heart race when we kissed, and he did have qualities I respected. My cheeks flushed with the thought.
I cleared my throat, needed to get myself back on track. “It’s a miracle, really. Especially considering where he came from, given the… family situation,” I added casually.
Derek’s mouth twisted slightly, a flash of something fierce sparking in his eyes. His fingers tapped a slow rhythm on the table, a controlled cadence that barely masked his growing annoyance.
“How fortunate for you,” he said, voice smooth and casual as ever, despite what finger tapping betrayed.
I leaned back in my seat to put a little space between us. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Instead of answering Derek gave me a long, appraising look, as though sizing me up and finding me lacking.
My pulse quickened as I met his stare, unwilling to be intimidated, yet that strange discomfort from before grew stronger. There was something unmistakably familiar, yet so foreign, in his reaction.
Just as I opened my mouth to challenge him, the air around us shifted. A group of black-suited men moved closer, surrounding my from a small distance; their presence was sudden and unsettling.
They were all fixated on me, their gazes intense and unblinking. And blocking every possible exit.
“Stand down,” Derek snapped, his voice hard as stone.
The men retreated immediately, but their eyes remained sharp, watching me like hawks even as they stepped back.
Derek held my gaze with a knowing look that sent a shiver down my spine. His voice softened, but his words were like daggers.
“We’ll meet again soon, Olivia. I have no doubt.”
With that, he gestured to the server and settled the bill, as though dismissing me entirely. Then, without another word, he walked out, his bodyguards trailing closely behind.
Mia came cautiously back to her seat, looking wary and confused. “What the fuck was that?”
“I have no idea…” I replied, equally confused. I stayed in my seat, a strange emptiness settling in my chest. Who the hell was this guy?
I clenched my fists, but part of me felt like I’d just lost a game I hadn’t realized we were playing.
After Derek left, the restaurant felt emptier, the odd tension he’d brought finally dissipating. Mia and I stared at each other for a moment, both trying to process what had just happened.
She finally broke the silence. “That was… intense,” Mia muttered, taking a long sip of her wine. “Who was that guy? And why did he have an entourage that looked ready to body-slam you?”
I shrugged, equally baffled. “I have no idea. But he was powerful, I could feel it. Probably an Alpha.” I swirled my own glass of wine, thinking back to the way Derek’s gaze had pinned me in place, like he knew more about me than he was letting on.
“There was something off about him, though. Too much arrogance. Too much…” I trailed off, struggling to put the right word to the odd feeling he left behind.
“Control freak?” Mia suggested, her lips twisting into a wry smile.
“Exactly.” I gave a soft laugh, but it didn’t reach my eyes. There was something undeniably calculating lurking beneath Derek’s charm, and that unsettled me far more than I wanted to admit.
As I glanced down at my phone, it buzzed with a new message. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Ethan’s name. The text was short, but it hit hard:
Ethan: “Where are you? My phone’s blowing up with notifications you’re at dinner with another man. In an empty restaurant.”
My stomach dropped. Of course, the paparazzi couldn’t resist snapping photos of Derek and me together. They sure work fast.
I could practically picture the headlines by tomorrow: ‘Luna Olivia Seen with Mysterious Man,” or worse, ‘Olivia’s Harem of Alphas’. Like that would go over well.
I quickly typed out a reply: ‘It’s nothing. Mia and I tried to have dinner at our favorite spot, but it was booked out. The guy offered to share his table, that’s all.’ I hit send.
Mia leaned over, reading the worry etched on my face. “Is that from Ethan?”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Seems the media’s doing what they do best: stirring up drama over nothing.”
Before Mia could reply, my phone buzzed again. Ethan’s response was short but direct: ‘Who is it?’
The words sat heavily on my screen. Ethan and I had our share of complicated dynamics, but tonight felt like a test, like a line had been crossed by something beyond my control.
I texted back: ‘No idea, Derek something.’
Mia tilted her head, her gaze searching my face. “Liv, you look like you’re about to pass out. Are you sure you're okay?”
I nodded, though part of me wasn’t so sure. “I’m fine. It’s just… I didn’t expect tonight to turn into such a mess.”
She gave a small, supportive smile. “Well, let’s get out of here. Maybe some fresh air will help clear things up.”
I agreed, standing to leave. I glanced at my phone, but there was no reply from Ethan.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted tonight, like an unseen thread had been pulled, unraveling our carefully woven web.
Derek was more than just some random Alpha; I was sure of it. And whatever game he was playing, I had a sinking feeling it was just getting started.
