Chapter 104
SOPHIA’S POV
By evening, I was sitting with my family around the dinner table, trying to pretend everything was fine. My mother had cooked, and Klara was telling everyone about her day at school, proudly mentioning how she’d introduced me to all her friends.
“She was showing off,” Patricia said with a fond smile. “Telling everyone her aunt is a famous doctor p>
“Not famous,” I protested.
“Famous to me,” Klara said and Marco ruffled her hair.
For just a moment, surrounded by my family’s love, I felt like I could breathe again, like maybe I wasn’t a complete failure as a person, even if I was failing as Ashley’s mother.
Then my phone rang.
Damien’s name flashed on the screen, and my wolf immediately went on alert. He never called at night unless something was wrong.
“Hello?” I answered.
“You need to come to the villa now.” His voice was filled with panic and I could hear crying in the background.
I was already standing up “What happened p>
“Ashley’s sick. She has bad stomach pain and she’s been vomiting. I don’t know what’s wrong with her p>
“I’m on my way. Have you taken her temperature p>
“Yes, it’s slightly elevated. 99.8 p>
“Keep her hydrated, small sips of water. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” I was already running for the door.
“Sophia, hurry. She’s asking for you p>
The words both warmed and broke my heart. She’s asking for me, not Tiffany…Me.
I drove to Stone Villa faster than I should have. My wolf kept pushing me to get to our pup. When I got there, I found Damien in the living room, pacing with Ashley in his arms. She was crying and clutching her stomach.
“Mommy,” she whimpered when she saw me, reaching out her arms.
I took her from Damien immediately, feeling her forehead. “Hey baby, I’m here. Can you tell me where it hurts p>
“My tummy,” she sobbed. “It hurts so much p>
“Okay, we’re going to the hospital right now” I looked at Damien. “Let’s go. You drive, I’ll hold her p>
The drive to the hospital was tense. Ashley cried the whole way, and every whimper from her made my wolf howl. This was my pup in pain, and I couldn’t fix it with just a hug and a kiss.
At the emergency room, I used my hospital credentials to get Ashley seen immediately. The pediatrician on duty examined her thoroughly while I held her hand. Damien stood by looking helpless.
“It’s indigestion combined with abdominal lymphadenopathy,” the doctor finally said. “Her lymph nodes are swollen, which is causing the pain. Has she been under stress lately p>
I thought about Ashley crying at the kindergarten, about her screaming that she didn’t want me as her mother. “Yes. Quite a bit of stress p>
“That can trigger it. We’ll need to keep her overnight for observation and IV fluids. The good news is it’s not serious, but it will be uncomfortable for a few days p>
They moved Ashley to a pediatric room, got her hooked up to an IV, and gave her something for the pain. Within an hour, she was drowsy but no longer crying.
“Mommy?” she said sleepily. “Don’t leave p>
“I’m not going anywhere, baby.” I pulled a chair up to her bedside and took her small hand in mine. “I’ll be right here all night p>
Ashley’s eyes drifted closed, and within minutes she was asleep. Her breathing was deep and even. The pain medication had finally kicked in.
Damien had been standing by the window, watching us. He moved closer to the bed.
“I should go,” he said. “Make sure everything’s handled at the office for tomorrow. I had a lot of important meetings today”
“You’re leaving?” I finally looked at him. “She’s in the hospital p>
“You’re here with her. She’ll be fine p>
“Of course” I said in a sarcastic tone “Go ahead. Wouldn’t want you to miss any more important meetings p>
He narrowed his eyes at the sarcasm but didn’t respond. He just turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with our daughter.
I spent the next few hours watching Ashley sleep, checking her temperature, adjusting her blanket when she kicked it off.
Around midnight, Ashley woke up asking for food.
“I’m hungry, Mommy. Can I have something p>
I pressed the call button for the nurse. “Let me check what you’re allowed to eat, baby p>
The nurse confirmed that Ashley could have light foods – nothing too heavy or spicy. She suggested rice cereal or plain toast.
I left the hospital and walked the three blocks to a diner.
The diner was nearly empty at this hour. There were just a few late-night workers there. I ordered Ashley’s cereal to go and was waiting by the counter when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
“Sophia? Is that you p>
I turned and saw Will, Damien’s beta and assistant. He was sitting in a booth by himself with a half-eaten burger in front of him, looking as surprised to see me as I was to see him.
“Will. Hi.” I managed a tired smile. “Late night p>
“Yeah, just got off work.” He gestured to the empty seat across from him. “Want to sit while you wait for your order p>
I hesitated, then slid into the booth. “Sure p>
“Everything okay? You look exhausted p>
“Ashley’s in the hospital. Nothing serious, just indigestion and swollen lymph nodes. But I’m staying with her overnight.” I rubbed my face. “It’s been a long day p>
“I can imagine. Damien mentioned she’d been having stomach issues.” Will took a bite of his burger, then asked casually, “So he made it to the hospital okay after his afternoon cleared up p>
I looked at him in shock “What p>
“This afternoon when his schedule cleared up. I figured he went straight to be with Ashley-” Will stopped, reading my expression. “He didn’t tell you his meetings got canceled, did he p>
My blood ran cold. “What meetings got canceled p>
Will’s face went pale. “Shit. I shouldn’t have said anything p>
“Will.” My voice was hard. “What meetings p>
He sighed, looking miserable. “The big afternoon meeting he had scheduled – the one with the investors from Singapore – they canceled this morning. So Damien’s whole afternoon was free p>
The words hit me hard “He lied to me p>
“Sophia, I’m sure he just p>
“He told me he had an important meeting that couldn’t be moved. That’s why I had to arrange other pickup for Ashley.” My voice was shaking now. “He lied to my face about being too busy to pick up his own daughter p>
“Maybe he forgot to tell you it got canceled p>
“He didn’t forget.” I stood up abruptly. “He chose not to tell me. He wanted me to handle it p>
The counterperson called my order number. I grabbed the bag of cereal and as I did, my hands shook with rage.
“Sophia, please don’t tell him I said anything-” Will looked panicked.
“Don’t worry. Your alpha’s secrets are safe.” I turned to leave, then stopped. “Actually, Will? You should ask yourself why you’re protecting someone who lies to his wife about things that affect their child. That’s not loyalty. That’s enabling p>
I walked out of the diner and back to the hospital. My wolf snarled with fury the entire way.
Damien had lied. He had deliberately told me he was too busy when he wasn’t. He let me scramble to find someone to pick up Ashley, had let Ashley feel abandoned and unloved, had caused this whole disaster – all because he couldn’t be bothered to tell the truth.
And the worst part? I wasn’t even surprised.
This was who he was, who he’d always been.