Chapter 180
Lorcia glanced at the teacup but didn’t touch it. Her thoughts were elsewhere, simmering with a bitterness she could barely contain. “Shirley is pregnant. That’s why they’re treating her so carefully,” she thought grimly. The idea gnawed at her insides, twisting jealousy around her heart like a vice. She hadn’t considered that Shirley, of all people, would be pregnant–pregnant with ‘his‘
child.
The door creaked open, interrupting her dark thoughts. Her eyes snapped toward it, and there he was–Lorik. He stood tall in the doorway, his usual confident air filling the room, though this time his demeanor was different. He didn’t move toward her, didn’t offer even a hint of warmth. His face,
nce playful and flirtatious whenever she was near, was now cold, hard as stone.
Lorcia’s heart clenched painfully. He didn’t look at her with desire anymore. No, his expression was that of a man entirely devoted to someone else–someone who wasn’t her. It was a look that screamed of loyalty, of a man who had already settled into the role of a husband and soon–to–be father. The sight of him like that, so unattainable, only deepened the jealousy burning within her.
She couldn’t help herself. The words burst from her before she could think better of it. “Lorik, is this how it’s going to be now? You only care about her because she’s pregnant? If she wasn’t pregnant, would things be different between us? Would there still be a chance for us?
Lorik’s eyes flashed with irritation, and without a word, he pulled a cigarette from his coat pocket, lighting it with steady hands. The flicker of the flame cast shadows across his sharp features. He never smoked in front of Shirley–another reminder of how he changed for her. But Lorcia wasn’t Shirley, and that was evident in the cold indifference with which he treated her now.
The pale smoke curled through the air, swirling around his face, softening his handsome features but not enough to hide the sternness in his expression. He looked at her with detachment, as if she
were no more than a stranger.
“No,” Lorik said firmly, his voice flat. “There was never a chance for us. I made that clear long ago, I don’t want to see you here, and I don’t want to see you again. The only reason I’m tolerating your presence now is because of the war. Don’t push your luck.”
His words hit her like a slap, and Lorcia’s lips trembled, barely able to hold back the tears of
frustration. She could feel her heart breaking all over again. But then, she steeled herself, forcing a
cruel smile onto her face, her red lips curving into a sneer.
“Oh, Lorik, do you really think Shirley loves you?” she spat, her voice dripping with venom. “I’m a woman. I know what it looks like when someone’s in love. And trust me, Shirley doesn’t love you anymore. If it weren’t for that child, she’d have left you already.”
After I Let Go My Alpha, He Knelt in Regret
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Lorik’s frown deepened, his jaw clenching. “What are you talking about?” His voice was strained, as if he didn’t want to hear any more of what she was saying but couldn’t help himself.
Lorcia leaned forward, her voice lowering as if sharing a secret. “You think that baby will keep her by your side forever? Don’t be so sure. Just wait and see. She’ll leave you eventually. Don’t believe me? Try it.”
With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out, leaving Lorik standing there, his cigarette smoldering between his fingers. Her words hung in the air, heavy and poisonous. He took a slow drag from the cigarette, staring into the fire, his mind turning over everything she had just said.
airley’s POV
I was standing just outside the council chamber, my hand frozen on the door handle. I had heard everything.
“If it weren’t for this child, she would have left you!” Lorcia’s cruel words echoed in my mind, twisting deep into my heart like a knife. I pressed a hand to my belly instinctively, feeling the weight of the life growing inside me.
I waited until Lorcia’s footsteps faded before finally pushing the door open. My movements were slow, deliberate, as if I were walking through water. I was wearing a pearl–white nightgown, my belly just beginning to show beneath its soft fabric. I knew I looked delicate, almost ethereal, with the glow of pregnancy softening my features.
Lorik turned as I entered, his gaze immediately softening when he saw me. He walked over, his large hands reaching out to me as if I were something fragile. Without a word, he poured me a glass of warm milk, pressing it into my hands before leaning down to kiss me lightly on the lips.
I blinked in surprise, managing to smile faintly as I sipped the milk. “Everything taken care of?” asked, keeping my voice light.
Lorik’s expression grew serious, his eyes searching mine. “I want you to know that there’s nothing between me and Lorcia. There never was, and there never will be. I promise you that.”
When he finished speaking, he gazed closely into my eyes, as if to make sure I believed him.
Co Mu Alpha He Knelt in Regret
