Chapter 142

After the triumph at the auction, my entire Sunday was spent studying. I finally put down a book on the use of AI in risk assessment around midnight when I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer.

Still dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, I collapsed onto my bed and slept until it was time to get ready for school Monday morning.

When I arrived at school, I spotted Amy sitting on a bench near the tree where we always met. I could tell she was crying as soon as I got out of the car.

But when she heard me approaching, she dried her eyes and tried to act normal.

I sat down next to her. “What’s going on, Amy?”

She shrugged. “I miss Justin. He wasn’t supposed to be gone this long.”

“Have you heard from him?” I asked. My concern that he was going to ghost her was growing.

“Yeah. We were texting last night,” she replied. “He seems okay, but I have the feeling something is wrong. I just want him to come home.”

I didn’t know what to do. I knew what Justin’s problem was, but I didn’t think I should tell Amy. If Justin was sincere, it was his place to tell her his secret.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately and haven’t been there for you,” I said. “As soon as I pass this test and the charity ball is over, we will do something fun together.”

“I understand how busy the life of a wealthy Alpha businesswoman is,” she teased. At least, I think she was teasing.

“You can come to the ball if you’d like,” I said. “It would be great to have you there.”

“Hah! You are the only Alpha I will ever hang out with,” Amy declared. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

The look in Amy’s eyes told me she meant it. That didn’t bode well for Justin. His secret would likely tear them apart.

I wish I had more time for my friend. However, I was so close to achieving my goal of running the company I couldn’t give up now.

The test was in a few days. Afterward, everything in the professional part of my life should settle down.

But the torture Amy was enduring pricked my conscience. Maybe I should find a way to tell her about Justin. Omitting the truth was the same as a lie.

“Don’t say a word,” Diana advised. “The messenger of bad news always gets the backlash.”

“What do you mean? “ I asked.

“I mean that if they break up, Amy will see you trying to help as interfering in her relationship,” Diana explained. “No matter what happens. She may think it’s your fault.”

“So you’re saying I should do nothing?” I asked.

It didn’t feel right to tell Amy the truth, and it didn’t feel right to keep it from her. A dilemma like this one was the last thing I needed on my mind as I prepared for the test.

“I’m saying you should butt out,” Diana declared. “Give Justin the benefit of the doubt for now.”

“I hope you’re right,” I told Diana. “But I wish I had time to spend with Amy while she needs me.”

“You can make it up to her later,” Diana assured me. “Amy’s proud of you too. Everyone wants you to do well.”

“Who are you sitting with at lunch?” I asked. I felt so guilty it was tearing me apart.

“Some of the Beta girls share my table.” She saw the guilt in my eyes. “Daisy, I understand. Really, I do.”

She put a hand on my arm. “I want you to pass that test and become powerful enough in the Alpha world to help the lower classes.”

I gave her a quick hug. “But promise you’ll let me know if you need me. Send me a text anytime if you need to talk.”

“I promise,” she said.

Yet, after we went inside to our classes, I didn’t feel much better about her situation.

I reminded myself that I had to concentrate on my school classes so that I could graduate. And I had to pass the CEO test. It was frustrating.

I spent the next four days talking to my best friend for a few minutes each morning, followed by half a day of regular school classes.

At lunchtime, I left school for my office at Wilson, Inc., where Victor or William coached me.

They were more confident of my abilities than I was, even though I had to admit my duties at the company were becoming easier to perform.

Yet, with so much studying and worrying about Amy, I felt burned out. By Thursday afternoon, Victor knew I needed a break.

“Let’s get you out of this office,” he suggested. “I think you’ve studied enough.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. I trusted Victor, but I was terrified of losing my family's company.

“I’m positive,” Victor replied. “You can be too prepared for things like this. We should go for ice cream and then return to Alex‘s for a run.”

I bit my lip and grinned. “That sounds fantastic.”

Victor took my hand and pulled me to my feet before reading me downstairs to his car.

He took the long way around to give me time to enjoy the ride before stopping for ice cream.

Afterward, we went to the mansion and stopped to see Alex before heading out the side door and hurrying toward the garden.

I hadn’t shifted in almost a week since the evening before the auction with William.

“This is going to feel wonderful,” I sang, enjoying the sun and fresh air.

“You deserve a break,” Victor said. “You are going to ace that test tomorrow.”

I held up my crossed fingers. “I’m going to try my best.”

“Victor, Daisy,” William called as he ran behind us. “Wait till you hear this.”

We stopped and waited for William to catch up. He was breathless from excitement as he stopped alongside us.

“You’re not going to believe this,” William began. “But John hasn’t given up on stealing the company from Daisy.”

My hands curled into fists at my side while Victor growled, “Tell us what you heard.”

“He told the parents of friends of mine that he made sure you would flunk tomorrow,” William replied.

“But how?” I asked. “How could he make sure I flunk? The test is being administered by three CEOs of rival companies, who are known for their honesty.”

“John is devious,” Victor said. “We need to be on our toes tomorrow, William. We can’t let John get away with it.”

I walked away from them, unconvinced they could stop John. I needed to run more than ever.

“All the studying I did was for nothing,” I said. John’s greed wouldn’t let me have a fair chance to prove I could run a company as well as a man.

“Daisy!” Victor and William called as they came after me.

Victor caught up with me first. “Don’t let yourself think like that. I promise we will stop him.”

“Honestly, Daisy, we won’t let John win,” William said. “Don’t give up now.”

“I need to run right now,” I said and took off for the rose bushes, where I wasted no time stripping off my clothes and calling for Diana before galloping into the field.

Before long, I was joined by two other wolves, one black and the other golden. They ran at my flanks as I circled the acres of high grass.

I ran until Diana begged me to stop. “We need to rest for a few moments, Daisy,” she said. “Please, I love to run too, but we don’t need an injury.”

I allowed us to slow down and then stop. My sides ached as I tried to catch my breath, and I heard the labored breathing of the male wolves beside me as they stopped running too.

“Have you calmed down enough to talk?” Victor asked.

I nodded.

“John’s not going to get away with anything,” Victor assured me. “You’re taking the test in your building, and William and I will be there.”

“Your security people will ensure John doesn’t get into the building,” William said.

“Have faith in us, and do your part,” Victor added. “Everything will be okay.”

I didn’t want to let my two Alpha male best friends down. They did so many wonderful things for me that I had to believe in them.

“They will stop John,” Diana said. “You know Victor and William would never let you down.”

I leaned on Victor for a moment and then William. “One more lap, and then we will go inside to see what the cook has made for dinner. No more talk of the test.”

I would do my best tomorrow and have faith that it would be fair.