Chapter 6

Alpha Hades's POV

The boldness of the lady standing in front of me is astonishing. Her audacity to plead for that narcissist of a man left me speechless. I despise people who flatter excessively or exude too much ego just because of their accomplishments. They have no idea what life might have in store for them down the line. They clearly don't know.

When she finished explaining her perspective on how I concluded that Anita was cheating, I found some logic in her words. I gave her an acknowledging nod, a rare gesture from me.

"Yeah. I understand what you mean, Anita. Maybe I misinterpreted things earlier. The way you explained it makes it more relatable and understandable. Well, thanks for that. Seems like I'll just go along with your idea then," I said, my voice surprisingly calm and steady.

A warm smile began to spread across her cheeks. I nodded again, standing up from my chair.

I'll need to get a gift, something thoughtful, because as I am going there now. I need to see with my own two eyes how she’s doing. But I can’t just show up empty-handed. That would be absurd, especially considering the kind of woman Anita is. Women love to be showered with gifts, and giving them isn’t supposed to be difficult if you want to win them over.

"Anita," I called out to my new personal assistant.

"Follow me. Let's go grab some gifts for her. I’m not good at selecting gifts, so I’ll need your help since you are a woman," I said, my tone leaving no room for disagreement.

She hesitated for a moment but then nodded, joining me as we moved out of the office and got into the black SUV parked outside. She and Anita happen to share the same name. What a coincidence! Today, we would be going to Anita's house.

Yesterday, I had called Damian and asked him to track her number so I could find out where she lives. Since she already thinks of me as a scammer, there’s no point in calling her again. She needs to know that I won't let her go that easily. She signed a contract with me, and she must stay with me until I achieve my aim.

Initially, she seemed like the perfect fit for my plan, but after discovering she was my mate, it made more sense to call her my wife. Everyone would believe it. My mate, my wife. That’s the name she’ll answer when she’s with me. I can’t wait to hold her hand and show everyone in New York.

Finding my mate should elevate my status, more so than being with a woman who isn’t my mate. People would just see her as another fling, like the other women I've been with. But this time, it will be different. It’s a win-win situation though, thats why I will find her.

I must find her.

We arrived at the biggest mall in town, the Deluxe Mall. I extended my hand, signaling Anita to lead the way, and she did, walking in front while I followed. She would pick out the gift for Anita, as I’m not good at this sort of thing. But don’t be mistaken; this is the only area where I lack expertise when it comes to getting a woman by my side. In all other aspects, I’m unmatched. Trust me.

I adjusted my glasses as we walked through the entrance. My eyes scanned the entire building. It was vast and meticulously arranged. I’ve always favored this mall for its organization. Each section is clearly labeled: bags, shoes, jewelry, flowers, rings, and so on. They’re all categorized with different sellers and price tags.

Everything here is well-coordinated, making it easy to find what you need.

Anita suddenly stopped and looked back at me, seemingly waiting for me to say something. At first, I didn’t understand her intent, so I stared at her blankly with my hands in my pockets.

It wasn’t until she raised her eyebrows that I understood her silent query.

"You will be the lead, Anita," I said, watching her face shift into a puzzled expression.

"Lead? I thought we were supposed to get these things together?" she questioned, her voice tinged with confusion.

I nodded, my eyes darting around until they landed on a soft sofa nearby.

"Anita, you have to pick out the girly things for her. You, as a woman, should know better than I do. Isn’t that so?" I said, moving closer to the sofa.

She hurried to catch up, clearly uneasy in her steps. "But Alpha Hades, I cannot do—"

I paused in my tracks and shot her a dangerous look, one that nearly made her tremble on the spot. She softened immediately, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Your card?" she asked, extending her hand with her head bowed.

A warm smile played on my lips as I pulled out a bank card and placed it in her hand.

She took the card and made her way deeper into the mall, while I walked leisurely to the sofa and sank into it.

After several minutes of waiting, she returned with a red velvet luxury bag. It was exquisite, but I couldn’t hide my disappointment. She handed it to me with a proud smile on her face.

"Here it is, Alpha Hades," she said cheerfully.

What? Is this all she got? I stared at her with a puzzled expression. This is the first time I’m going to meet my long-lost mate, and I’m supposed to give her just a bag? Does this make any sense at all? Would she even accept it? What if she doesn’t?

"Anita," I called her, rising from the chair to a more assertive stance.

"Why did you get only a bag? Didn’t you see anything else that would be suitable for her? Why just one bag?" I asked, my emotions getting the better of me.

Even as I spoke, I wasn’t satisfied with my questions. A handful of thoughts flooded my mind.

"Yes, Alpha Hades. The other items in the mall didn’t seem suitable for her personality. Bags are a perfectly acceptable gift for women. We love bags," she explained, her tone calm and composed.

I still couldn’t wrap my head around her reasoning. It didn’t make any sense to me. From my experience with women, I know they love flashy and expensive things like gold jewelry, perfumes, flowers, etc. Women adore colorful things.

I didn’t feel comfortable with what she had picked out, not at all. I didn’t want to risk taking this gift to Anita and having her reject me because my taste was lacking. Women can be unpredictable like that.

"Anita won’t appreciate that bag you bought. Isn’t it too small for her?" I asked, my anxiety creeping into my voice.

She smiled and shook her head slowly. "I’m not sure she will or won’t. She’s a woman, like any other. A gift is a gift. Women don’t mind how it comes or what form it takes. Besides, this is a precious and beautiful bag. You may see it as something small, but it’s not. Though I can’t be certain it would be her first choice, but she will surely appreciate it," she said reassuringly.

I stared at her for a moment, contemplating how best to convey my thoughts. I knew what I had made her do in the first place, so I took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Take it. It’s yours," I said firmly.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Mine? No, no, Alpha Hades. I’m sorry if I upset you with what I said. I can go back and choose another bag or gift if you want me to. I didn’t mean everything I said, please. I was just trying to pick a gift that I felt was the best any man could give his mate on their first visit after such a long time," she said hurriedly, her eyes pleading.

I smiled throughout her speech. She was apologizing for nothing.

"I didn’t say I was angry or upset with you. You deserve it. The way you helped calm me down when I was furious, thinking my mate was cheating on me, but you prevented me from doing something rash. If it wasn’t for you being there to soothe me, I might have done something regrettable," I explained, my voice softening.

She stood there, her mouth dropped open, staring at me. She seemed stunned by my words, as if she hadn’t expected this at all.

People around us started to notice, whispering among themselves, probably thinking she had lost her mind.

I felt awkward, then I cleared my throat to bring her back to reality. She quickly composed herself, and I pushed the bag into her hands, which she opened and accepted with a bright, happy smile.