Andrew’s patience finally snapped. With a look of disappointment and anger, he tossed Duncan's car keys onto the ground and stormed off."Andrew! Wait!" Duncan called after him. "How will you get home?"Without turning back, Andrew shouted, "I'd rather walk!"Duncan took a step forward, but Liza's hand on his arm stopped him. Her eyes were wide with fear and something else - a hint of desperation."Duncan, please don't go after him," she pleaded, gripping his arm tightly.Duncan hesitated, torn between his friend and Liza. "But Andrew-""Are you really going to leave me like this?" Liza's voice quivered, cutting him off. "After everything that's happened? Don't you care about me... about us?" She placed a hand on her stomach, emphasizing her point.Duncan's face softened with concern. "Of course I care, Liza. It's just-""Just what?" Liza pressed, her tone sharpening slightly. "Haven't you noticed how Andrew looks at me? The way he talks about me? He doesn't like me, Duncan. He probab
Duncan was concerned as Lisa paced tensely in her new room and wrung her fists. With wide eyes, she blurted out, "I just don't feel safe here. What if Hailey tries to hurt me or the baby?"Duncan frowned. "Hailey would not do that. She is not that kind of person."Lisa's face darkened. "How can you be so sure? You barely know her! They arranged this marriage for you, remember?Duncan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, but Hailey has been nothing but kind since she arrived. She would not harm an innocent child."Lisa's eyes flashed. "Oh, so now I'm the one being unreasonable? I see how it is.""That is not what I meant," Duncan protested. "I'm just saying-""Just saying what?" Lisa interrupted. "That my feelings do not matter? That I'm imagining things?"Duncan stood up, trying to calm her. "Of course, your feelings matter. I'm here to protect you, aren't I?"Lisa softened slightly, but her voice remained tense. "Are you? Sometimes I wonder if you would choose her over m
"Pregnancies are different, Luna Grace," Lisa said, her voice trembling slightly. She placed a protective hand over her belly, eyes darting nervously around the table. "I am sure as time goes on, you will sense the baby. If you have doubts or think I am lying, a test could clear things up."Luna Grace's piercing gaze locked onto Lisa. “Nobody said anything about lying unless you have something to tell us?”Duncan frowned. "Mother," he said in a warning tone."Duncan," Luna Grace replied firmly, before turning back to Lisa. "Do you?"Lisa's expression collapsed as her eyes started to well up with tears. Her voice quivered as she surveyed the table. "I do not understand.”“What don’t you understand? It was a simple question.”Lisa's lower lip trembled. "Luna Grace," Lisa began. "What crime have I committed that made you dislike me this much?" She scanned the faces around the table, lingering on each before returning her attention to Luna Grace. Duncan shifted in his chair uneasily, an
Alpha Duncan stood outside Hailey's door, plate in hand. He cautiously knocked, but got no answer. He hesitated for a bit before turning the handle and stepping inside. Leaping from her bed, Hailey quickly dabbed at her eyes. But it was too late - Duncan had already seen her tear-stained face. An awkward silence filled the room.Duncan broke the silence by lifting the plate in his hands. “My mother was worried, so she asked me to bring this over." He held out the plate, offering it to Hailey.After a brief moment of pause, Hailey reached out and collected the plate from him. She said, "Thank you," without looking him in the eyes with her tone hardly louder than a whisper. Placing the plate down, he turned to walk away but halted midway through the room and turned around, "You know I am not a bad person, right?" He asked softly Taken aback by his remark, Hailey glanced up at him. She made a small face, unsure of how to respond.Duncan took a deep breath. "I think you might believe
The sound of Duncan and Hailey's voices filled the air as they approached the palace, giggling and making small talk. Hailey had just threatened to smear chocolate on Duncan in jest after he had made fun of her for getting it on her blouse. "Do you know you are awfully bad at eating chocolate for someone who claims to love it as much as you do?" Duncan said with a laugh.Hailey chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, really? You should have seen me when I was a kid. I was a chocolate-eating pro. This is just a minor setback."They were so engrossed in their light-hearted talk that it took them a couple more steps to see Lisa waiting for them outside the palace. Her expression was irritated, and her arms were folded across her chest.They immediately stopped laughing at the sight of her. Ignoring the tension in the air, Duncan smiled and moved forward to greet her with a sweet tone "Hey, Baby," he extended his arm to embrace her. But her eyes blazed with wrath as she shoved him hastily away.
Lisa had an idea, and a cunning smile appeared on her face. She moved around the room mentally going through her strategy. "This will work," she said to herself in a whisper. "I will make sure of it."Afterwards, she crept into Duncan's room. Her gaze landed on the elaborate timepiece resting on his nightstand - a familial treasure bestowed to him by his father. Perfect. She collected it and walked discreetly to Hailey's room, arranging everything in its proper place and concealing the watch in a drawer.Lisa was unaware that Hailey's favourite maid, Lila, was on her way to clean Hailey's room. As she approached, she saw Lisa sneaking in. Puzzled and suspicious, Lila quickly hid behind a corner, watching as Lisa entered the room."What is she doing?" Lila whispered to herself, her brow furrowed with concern.After a few minutes, Lisa emerged and hurried away looking nervously over her shoulders. Lila waited until she was out of sight before entering Hailey's room herself. She began he
Lisa paced in her room, anger bubbling inside her. Her plan with the watch had failed miserably, but she was not someone who gave up easily. No, Lisa was a strategist at heart. There was always another approach, another move to make. A thought hit her like a lightning bolt. "I need to build her in trust me," Lisa said quietly to herself, her lips curving into a cunning smirk. “This time, I will play the long game."It was time to shift her tactics. Hailey was kind, almost too kind. Lisa knew she could use that softness against her. She would get close, play the role of the wounded, misunderstood woman, and before long, Hailey would be under her control.Later that day, Lisa spotted Hailey in the garden again. Pretending to have just gone outside for a breath of fresh air, she snuck out of the house. She walked slowly at first, ensuring Hailey did not notice her right away. When the timing felt right, Lisa quickened her pace and, just as she neared Hailey, she faked a stumble.“Oh!”
Positioned on the bed with her legs crossed, Hailey looked through her phone. She was too busy going through her social media account that she barely noticed the soft knock on her door. She said, mindlessly, "Come in," her eyes still fixed on her phone. The door cracked open to expose Lisa's head. "Hey there," she smiled kindly. "I hope I am not disrupting anything important?"Hailey looked up, surprised to see Lisa. "Oh, no, not at all. Just killing time, really."Lisa stepped into the room with two steaming mugs. "A cup of coffee for you and tea for me." The flavourful scent filled the air, instantly causing Hailey's mouth to water. "It is a bit chilly today, I was craving coffee but could not get one because of the caffeine so I made myself some tea," Lisa explained, her voice gentle and friendly. "Then I thought, 'Why not brew coffee for Hailey?' I hope that is okay?"Hailey's eyes lit up at the sight of the freshly brewed coffee. "Oh wow, Lisa. That is so thoughtful of you! Ho