ISABELLA'S POV ~“Excuse me, you worthless bitch!" Ryan spat out, his voice dripping with venom as he turned to face Cindy, who had been walking away. I could feel my heart pounding as I watched the scene unfold before me. Cindy froze in her tracks, her entire body tensing up. She whipped around to face Ryan, her hands bawled into tight fists and her eyes flashing with rage."Did you just call me a worthless bitch?" she seethed, taking a step towards him. Ryan met her gaze with a cold, hard stare.“What? Are you deaf now? You can't hear me? Or is that just your fragile ego trying to protect you from the truth? I'll speak slowly then, just for you: You. Are. Nothing." He clicked his tongue like he was bored to death, just merely by speaking to her. I clamped a hand over my mouth, utterly stunned. I had only ever seen him be ruthless once before, when he had beaten up Noah, but I had never thought him capable of such icy coldness. Watching Cindy tremble with anger, I couldn't help but
ISABELLA'S POV ~Hell seemed like a preferable alternative to this. Even the Devil might have shown some mercy, but here, I was trapped in my own personal version of hell—and there was no escape in sight. The meeting had been a disaster, and Cindy’s jealousy and animosity towards me had only intensified. And to add insult to injury, there was Noah, continually popping up like a bad penny, adding fuel to Cindy’s already burning rage.I glanced at my watch, my stomach rumbling with hunger. Breakfast had long since become a distant memory, and lunch seemed like a pipe dream at this point. Instead, I found myself sweating in a dusty storage room, shifting piles of useless files. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, I couldn’t help but seethe at the unfairness of it all.With the last file finally in place, I wiped my hands and stormed back to Cindy’s office. I knocked sharply on her door, but it was already ajar. Inside, Cindy sat at her desk, typing away on her laptop.She didn’t even
ISABELLA'S POV ~“Yes, I’m on it,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “I’ll send it right away.”Cindy let out a grunt that could have passed for a laugh, if laughter weren’t the furthest thing from her mind. “Better for you,” she said, and the line went abruptly dead.With a sigh, I turned back to the living room, my heart sinking as I saw that Ryan was nowhere to be found. But I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.Sliding onto the plush carpet, I dragged my laptop bag closer, my hands shaking with urgency as I booted the device. The screen flickered to life, but before I could even type in my password, a hand slammed the laptop shut, the sudden motion jolting me out of my skin.I gasped, turning to see Ryan looming over me, his face a mask of frustration and fury. “You’re working?” he demanded. “In that state?”“I have to,” I insisted, gesturing to my still-soaked clothes. “Cindy needs this by tonight.”His hands clenched, and I could see the muscles in his jaw tighten. “She’s not t
ISABELLA'S POV ~I swallowed uncomfortably, my neck craning to see Ryan's expression. But all I could see was his steely glare. His jaw was clenched tightly, as if he were trying to keep his rage contained. I quickly averted my gaze, struggling to remain calm as Cindy's words continued to sting."I heard you," I said sharply, cutting Cindy off in the middle of her rant. Cindy growled in response, but I refused to engage in a battle of words.My heart pounded in my chest as I hung up the phone, ending the call with a frustrated sigh. I rubbed my temple, leaning back against the headboard and trying to calm my racing thoughts.Turning to Ryan, I saw him stand. His expression was still cold, his movements calculated as he cleared the plates and then stretched my limbs. He pretended not to care about the outcome of the call, or perhaps he didn't want to hear my decision. Ryan always read me like an open book, and I knew he knew what I was going to say."Ryan?" I called out, my voice barel
ISABELLA'S POV ~My jaw tightened; my face carefully blank while Cindy continued to make a scene. Through the transparent door to the office, I could see other employees walking by, throwing curious glances in my direction.The urge to defend myself rose within me and I parted my lips to speak, but Cindy cut me off with a raised hand, her eyes flashing with fury. "Don't even go there," she hissed, silencing my attempt."There's no need to explain your tardiness to me, I already know!" she yelled, her voice echoing down the hall.My cheeks burned with anger, my hands clenching and unclenching. I knew this was not just about my tardiness, this was about our shared past. This was Cindy's opportunity to settle some old score, some ancient grudge. I felt my chest tighten, my fists itching to lash out at her."Your incompetence is not just a stain on your own character, but on the very fabric of this organization," Cindy spat, her eyes burning with rage. "You have proven yourself to be an u
CINDY'S POV~Rage coursed through me like a raging inferno, my veins pulsing with fury. With a guttural cry, I flung the file on my desk across the room, my hand slamming down hard on the desk, sending papers and pens flying in a whirlwind of chaos."How could he?!" I seethed, my eyes wild as I paced back and forth like a caged animal. "How could Noah humiliate me like that? In front of that little omega? That insignificant nothing!" I spat, rage clouding my vision as I vented my spleen."I loved him! I stooped low enough to steal him from Isabella because I loved him!" I screamed, flinging my arms wide as my anger grew. "And this is the thanks I get?! This is how he repays me?!" I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls as I stalked around the room, my eyes flashing with murderous intent.My blood boiled as I remembered Isabella’s smug face and her stupid, undeserved sense of superiority. As if she was anywhere near my level.As a Beta in the Night pack, I was one of the most powerf
ISABELLA'S POV~I stormed out of Noah's office, slamming the door behind me with a loud crash. I didn't care about the noise; Noah could go to hell for all I cared. "Asshole!" I seethed under my breath, fuming as I marched down the hall, my fists clenching and unclenching with rage. "Just a shameless asshole!"Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Excuse me! Excuse me!! Coming through!"I jumped to the side and saw Susan, one of my colleagues, dashing past with a stack of files teetering in her arms."Susan!" I called out. "Why are you running like that?" My eyes widened at the precarious pile of files she was carrying."Hurry up!" she shouted back, panic evident in her voice. "The team is restructuring! You need to hurry too!"I froze in shock as she disappeared around the corner. When did this happen?My heart thundered in my chest as I followed Susan to Cindy's office, my feet feeling like lead. The moment I reached the door, I saw several colleagues already inside, Cindy yelling a
ISABELLA'S POV Every day, I find myself asking the same questions. Is fate nothing but a trick of the light? A false promise that fades away just when you need it most? And what of fortune? A ravenous beast, feasting on the innocent, leaving nothing but anguish and despair in its wake. Yes, that's what it is. That's what I believe.I stare into the cracked, half-broken mirror, my reflection staring back with sunken eyes, black circles under them, and disheveled hair.A picture of a woman defeated by fate, tired and weary."Isabella dear... Are you done? Let me get you going." The soft, weakened voice of my mother pierces through the silence, as she shuffles into the room, a tattered blanket draped over her shoulders. I turn to face her, her movements slow and weak as she rummages through the closet to find the best dress for me to wear tonight.The sight of my aging sick mother, frail and weak, brings tears to my eyes. Why couldn't I have been more fortunate? My heart breaks into a
ISABELLA'S POV~I stormed out of Noah's office, slamming the door behind me with a loud crash. I didn't care about the noise; Noah could go to hell for all I cared. "Asshole!" I seethed under my breath, fuming as I marched down the hall, my fists clenching and unclenching with rage. "Just a shameless asshole!"Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Excuse me! Excuse me!! Coming through!"I jumped to the side and saw Susan, one of my colleagues, dashing past with a stack of files teetering in her arms."Susan!" I called out. "Why are you running like that?" My eyes widened at the precarious pile of files she was carrying."Hurry up!" she shouted back, panic evident in her voice. "The team is restructuring! You need to hurry too!"I froze in shock as she disappeared around the corner. When did this happen?My heart thundered in my chest as I followed Susan to Cindy's office, my feet feeling like lead. The moment I reached the door, I saw several colleagues already inside, Cindy yelling a
CINDY'S POV~Rage coursed through me like a raging inferno, my veins pulsing with fury. With a guttural cry, I flung the file on my desk across the room, my hand slamming down hard on the desk, sending papers and pens flying in a whirlwind of chaos."How could he?!" I seethed, my eyes wild as I paced back and forth like a caged animal. "How could Noah humiliate me like that? In front of that little omega? That insignificant nothing!" I spat, rage clouding my vision as I vented my spleen."I loved him! I stooped low enough to steal him from Isabella because I loved him!" I screamed, flinging my arms wide as my anger grew. "And this is the thanks I get?! This is how he repays me?!" I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls as I stalked around the room, my eyes flashing with murderous intent.My blood boiled as I remembered Isabella’s smug face and her stupid, undeserved sense of superiority. As if she was anywhere near my level.As a Beta in the Night pack, I was one of the most powerf
ISABELLA'S POV ~My jaw tightened; my face carefully blank while Cindy continued to make a scene. Through the transparent door to the office, I could see other employees walking by, throwing curious glances in my direction.The urge to defend myself rose within me and I parted my lips to speak, but Cindy cut me off with a raised hand, her eyes flashing with fury. "Don't even go there," she hissed, silencing my attempt."There's no need to explain your tardiness to me, I already know!" she yelled, her voice echoing down the hall.My cheeks burned with anger, my hands clenching and unclenching. I knew this was not just about my tardiness, this was about our shared past. This was Cindy's opportunity to settle some old score, some ancient grudge. I felt my chest tighten, my fists itching to lash out at her."Your incompetence is not just a stain on your own character, but on the very fabric of this organization," Cindy spat, her eyes burning with rage. "You have proven yourself to be an u
ISABELLA'S POV ~I swallowed uncomfortably, my neck craning to see Ryan's expression. But all I could see was his steely glare. His jaw was clenched tightly, as if he were trying to keep his rage contained. I quickly averted my gaze, struggling to remain calm as Cindy's words continued to sting."I heard you," I said sharply, cutting Cindy off in the middle of her rant. Cindy growled in response, but I refused to engage in a battle of words.My heart pounded in my chest as I hung up the phone, ending the call with a frustrated sigh. I rubbed my temple, leaning back against the headboard and trying to calm my racing thoughts.Turning to Ryan, I saw him stand. His expression was still cold, his movements calculated as he cleared the plates and then stretched my limbs. He pretended not to care about the outcome of the call, or perhaps he didn't want to hear my decision. Ryan always read me like an open book, and I knew he knew what I was going to say."Ryan?" I called out, my voice barel
ISABELLA'S POV ~“Yes, I’m on it,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “I’ll send it right away.”Cindy let out a grunt that could have passed for a laugh, if laughter weren’t the furthest thing from her mind. “Better for you,” she said, and the line went abruptly dead.With a sigh, I turned back to the living room, my heart sinking as I saw that Ryan was nowhere to be found. But I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.Sliding onto the plush carpet, I dragged my laptop bag closer, my hands shaking with urgency as I booted the device. The screen flickered to life, but before I could even type in my password, a hand slammed the laptop shut, the sudden motion jolting me out of my skin.I gasped, turning to see Ryan looming over me, his face a mask of frustration and fury. “You’re working?” he demanded. “In that state?”“I have to,” I insisted, gesturing to my still-soaked clothes. “Cindy needs this by tonight.”His hands clenched, and I could see the muscles in his jaw tighten. “She’s not t
ISABELLA'S POV ~Hell seemed like a preferable alternative to this. Even the Devil might have shown some mercy, but here, I was trapped in my own personal version of hell—and there was no escape in sight. The meeting had been a disaster, and Cindy’s jealousy and animosity towards me had only intensified. And to add insult to injury, there was Noah, continually popping up like a bad penny, adding fuel to Cindy’s already burning rage.I glanced at my watch, my stomach rumbling with hunger. Breakfast had long since become a distant memory, and lunch seemed like a pipe dream at this point. Instead, I found myself sweating in a dusty storage room, shifting piles of useless files. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, I couldn’t help but seethe at the unfairness of it all.With the last file finally in place, I wiped my hands and stormed back to Cindy’s office. I knocked sharply on her door, but it was already ajar. Inside, Cindy sat at her desk, typing away on her laptop.She didn’t even
ISABELLA'S POV ~“Excuse me, you worthless bitch!" Ryan spat out, his voice dripping with venom as he turned to face Cindy, who had been walking away. I could feel my heart pounding as I watched the scene unfold before me. Cindy froze in her tracks, her entire body tensing up. She whipped around to face Ryan, her hands bawled into tight fists and her eyes flashing with rage."Did you just call me a worthless bitch?" she seethed, taking a step towards him. Ryan met her gaze with a cold, hard stare.“What? Are you deaf now? You can't hear me? Or is that just your fragile ego trying to protect you from the truth? I'll speak slowly then, just for you: You. Are. Nothing." He clicked his tongue like he was bored to death, just merely by speaking to her. I clamped a hand over my mouth, utterly stunned. I had only ever seen him be ruthless once before, when he had beaten up Noah, but I had never thought him capable of such icy coldness. Watching Cindy tremble with anger, I couldn't help but
NOAH'S POV ~"What?!" I snapped, my voice ringing out like a gunshot in the silent room. I whirled around to face my assistant, who stood petrified beside me, her face a mask of fear as she cowered in my presence. I slammed my tumbler onto the desk, causing her to jump back a step."I'm... I'm so sorry, Alpha." She stammered, her eyes cast down to the ground, too scared to meet my furious gaze. "Miss Isabella has arrived."My fingers dug into the tumbler, the knuckles turning white with rage as I glared at my assistant, my eyes burning with a murderous rage. She could sense the storm brewing within me, but I didn't care. I was about to lose control, and it was all Isabella's fault.For fuck's sake! I knew she was here, I had heard her giggle, and my ears had instantly picked her voice out of the thousands of people milling around the building. Fuck! I should have called her, tried to start a conversation, but that asshole, her husband, had stopped me.That fucking husband of hers, who
ISABELLA'S POV ~Cindy's grin sent a shiver down my spine as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger. Her lips curled into a serpentine smile, revealing a hint of malice. My stomach knotted as I caught sight of Noah's expressionless face, his icy gaze fixed on me as if he could see right through me."Hello there," she purred, her long painted fingernails waggling in a mocking wave. With a flick of her fingers, she motioned for me to step back. "Take two steps backwards for us, would you?"The room seemed to shrink around me as all eyes turned in my direction. My cheeks flushed hot with humiliation as I realized that my enemies had the upper hand. Oh goodness!I could feel Cindy's eyes burning into me like a predator stalking its prey. Every muscle in my body tensed as I fought to keep my fear in check, afraid that any sign of weakness would only fuel her amusement."Good," she purred, her fingers dropping to her side as she shot me a condescending sneer. I felt my jaw clench as s