Chapter 28

Olivia's POV

Shock rippled through me. I swallowed hard, hoping my expression was neutral, but inside, my mind reeled. How much did Aiden really know?

Ethan and I were married, but we weren’t officially Mated—not technically. If that knowledge spread, it could mean the end of Ethan’s bid for the Alpha Council seat.

But, of course, Aiden knew that.

I took a steadying breath, letting the restaurant's buzz filter in.

Then I saw her: Amelia. She strode in with purpose, her gaze focused on Aiden like a predator spotting prey. My pulse quickened; this wasn’t a coincidence. She’d followed him here.

Aiden looked up, surprise flashing across his face before his expression hardened. I stayed put, trying to appear inconspicuous, but unable to tear my gaze away.

“Amelia, what are you doing here?” Aiden’s tone was sharp, his voice cutting through the hum of the restaurant.

Amelia arched an eyebrow, her lips curving into a forced smile. “You weren’t answering my calls, so I thought I’d surprise you. I thought you said you were working.”

I felt a strange satisfaction watching them turn their calculating on each other. There was some silent communication happening here that I couldn’t decipher.

But I could read their body language clearly: Amelia’s rigid stance, Aiden’s clenched jaw. He had lied to her, and she was confronting him.

Just as the tension between them threatened to spill out into the entire restaurant, Aiden cracked first and he seethed, “I could never marry an Omega.”

I saw the words hit Amelia like a slap and for a brief moment, I felt bad for her as the recipient of his cruelty. Amelia’s face paled, but she held her ground, her eyes flashing with hurt and a hint of defiance.

She staggered back slightly, one hand resting on her abdomen. “Aiden…” Her voice softened, a tremor threading through it, as though suddenly weakened. “I think… I need to sit down. Something’s wrong.”

My breath caught, wondering what she was up to. But as I watched her, it clicked; this was a calculated, masterful performance. Her lack of emotion confirmed it.

Amelia was manipulating Aiden, drawing out his concern with a touch of vulnerability. His expression shifted, the anger melting into panic.

“Amelia,” he said, reaching for her arm. His earlier coldness wavered, replaced by something akin to fear. “Are you… is the baby alright?”

As much as I despised Aiden, the sight of Amelia manipulating him made me feel uneasy. I knew her goal was Mating Aiden and becoming Luna in my place, but this was its own kind of cruel.

I felt Ethan’s presence before I saw him, his growl rumbling low as he stepped up beside me, eyes hardening as he took in Aiden and Amelia.

Ethan’s arm brushed against mine as he stood close, his stance sending a clear message: he wasn’t going to let them let them near me again. His voice rumbled low across the table.

“Just say the word, Mate. Rogues, the both of them.”

---

I took in the look on Ethan’s face, and felt the fury radiating off him, and I knew he meant it. He would banish or end both of them if I asked.

The realization gripped something in my chest and my eyes involuntarily flicked to his lips; my gaze trailed down his strong shoulders to the white-knuckled grip he had on my bag.

Ethan must have noticed by confusion from the corner of his eye because he handed me the bag of my perfume samples with a mumbled “you left this in the car.”

I felt the warmth of his fingers brushing mine and was stunned into silence. His fierce expression stayed fixed, his eyes narrowed to Aiden and Amelia.

Amelia’s face twisted in discomfort, and she averted her gaze, shifting her weight as though she wanted to disappear. Aiden, however, squared his shoulders and offered Ethan a tight-lipped smirk.

"Didn't realize you’d taken up bodyguarding, Ethan," Aiden sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Or maybe there’s something more going on between you two. That would be a twist, wouldn’t it?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond, his attention shifted to me. “You alright?” he asked softly, his eyes searching mine, his voice an anchor of calm amidst the tension.

I gave a small nod, feeling the intensity of his gaze ground me. Despite my resolve not to let Aiden or Amelia get to me, my hands were still trembling.

Ethan saw it, and he reached out to lace our fingers together. His jaw clenched as he glanced back at Aiden and Amelia, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

“From now on,” he said, barely restraining his anger, “you stay away from her. Both of you.”

Amelia looked up, a trace of fear flashing across her face as she clutched her stomach, pressing her lips together in feigned worry. Oh, she was afraid, but it was the threat of banishment resurfacing that had her trembling.

Her hand fluttered to her stomach, and I felt a surge of disgust at her ploy. She had crossed into dangerous territory now, playing with lies that could shatter lives if left unchecked.

"Aiden," she murmured, voice trembling with well-crafted fear, “I – I think something’s wrong. Maybe… maybe it’s the baby.” Her eyes glistened with crocodile tears as she leaned into him, her hands pressed protectively over her belly.

Aiden’s arrogant demeanor fell, his face paling as he shifted his attention to Amelia. He reached for her, his eyes flickering with concern, real or not, as he asked, “What’s going on? Amelia, are you…?”

A pang of discomfort twisted in my chest. Despite everything Aiden had done, watching him get pulled into her lie felt unsettling. Manipulation ran through both of them like poison, but this was a new low.

Ethan’s grip on my hand tightened suddenly, his entire body tense as he took a step forward, fury rolling off him in waves. His voice was low, but each word was laced with an intensity that startled me.

“Enough with the lies, Amelia. Don't you dare use something like that to manipulate people. Not even Aiden.”

His words were sharp, slicing through Amelia’s deception like broken glass; and his tone was far harsher than I’d expected. I felt a chill, a hollow ache from somewhere deep within him that I couldn’t understand.

Amelia’s face drained of color, and even Aiden looked momentarily taken aback. She stammered, confidence slipping from her eyes as Ethan’s glare bore down on her.

I glanced at Ethan, struggling to understand why he was so affected by Amelia’s act. The anger blazing in his eyes was more than I’d ever seen, and it left me feeling unsettled. I wanted to reach out, to ask him what was wrong, but I knew now wasn’t the time.

“Lying about the baby’s health is almost as sadistic as lying about who the father is. Isn’t it, Amela?’ The Venom is Ethan’s voice was thick.

Amelia’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she stuttered a strangled denial. Aiden, furious, led Amelia away, leaving me and Ethan alone at the table. As they left the restaurant, I released the breath I’d been holding, my shoulders finally relaxing.

Ethan’s gaze softened as he looked down at me, still maintaining a death grip on my hand. “You okay?”

I met his eyes, feeling a wave of uncertainty settle over me. “What was that about?”

“Revenge.” Ethan spat with disdain. “Chloe needed Aiden to marry you, and Amelia ruined it. Getting pregnant is Amelia’s way of protecting herself from Chloe.”

The disgust from Ethan was palpable. “The kid’s not even Aiden’s and Chloe knows it. Now Chloe keeps Amelia around dangling Aiden like a carrot to get everything she can from the situation.”

It explained so much. But Amelia somehow ripped open an old wound in Ethan, making him almost lose control. And I had no idea what that would was.