~Vincent~
I had been standing outside, watching her through the window for a few minutes now, and I could tell she was waiting for me.
This was another rare chance for me to have a proper look at her and looked nothing like her father or her sister. Brown hair...long, soft, beautiful. My jaw tightened as the memory of my fingers sliding through it a few nights ago flashed through my mind before I forced myself to snap out of it.
Guilt twisted in my chest.
I felt like a fucking asshole- because I was one.
She didn't deserve any of it. She was a good girl… too good for someone like me and if I didn't live the life I lived, maybe I would've given us a chance. Maybe I would've wanted that softness for myself too.
But wanting her was dangerous.
She would weaken everything I'd built...my plans, my position—and worst of all, she would become a target for my enemies. A weapon they would use against me.
So I needed her to hate me.
It was the only way this would be easier when we finally walked away from each other. I needed her loathing as armor for the both of us. And when I finally got to her father… I needed her to leave me without hesitation.
*****
When she finally ascended the stairs, I moved away from the window and headed back inside. I made my way down to the cellar and poured myself another glass of alcohol. The week had been hell...overseeing shipments I needed to sell, attending gatherings I couldn't avoid, and playing the part everyone expected of me.
And then there was the Mayor candidate I was funding.
I needed someone in the government office to make sure my business ran smoothly without the law breathing down my neck. Influence was everything, and corruption was just another language I spoke fluently.
I downed one glass.
Then another.
And another.
When the edge finally dulled, I set the glass down and headed to my room. Hours had already passed since midnight, and I needed at least a few hours of sleep before diving back into the chaos of my life.
After a quick shower, I changed into my night clothes and slid into bed. But sleep didn't come.
Her face kept invading my mind... the disappointment in her eyes when I refused to let her work.
She thought it was selfishness.
And maybe partly, it was.
But the truth was that now that she was tied to me as my Luna, she was exposed—vulnerable to threats she didn't even know existed. I couldn't protect her every second, not with the enemies I had accumulated.
It would have been much easier if she shifted but without her having that ability, she was just as weak as any ordinary human.
And this marriage… it was never meant to last.
Once the divorce came, she could go back to living the life she wanted. A life far away from me.
*****
The night passed by quickly, and when I finally opened my eyes, I lay there staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, letting my thoughts settle into the silence.
Today would be less chaotic. Most of the important work had been handled yesterday. The only thing left was spending a good part of the day at the company where most of the money laundering ran under my watch.
Once I got ready, I paused in front of the mirror, giving myself a long, steady look before exiting.
Allan and Jeff were already stationed outside, as usual, guarding the property. They greeted me, and I didn't leave before giving them strict instructions.
"Make sure you keep an eye on Ella. All the time."
I didn't want to risk her slipping out while I was gone. She looked like the type who would try to do that.
The drive to the office was short and quiet. When I walked through the building and reached the front desk, the receptionist stood up immediately.
"Sir, good morning."
"Good morning." I greeted back.
"There's a guest who says that she wants to talk to you," she said carefully. "She told me she's a close family member and that she needs to see you."
"Then tell her to book an appointment like everyone else." I responded and I was ready to make my way towards the elevator when a voice cut in from behind.
"Is that the way to treat your sister in law?"
I turned just in time to see a woman approaching—phone in hand, slipping it into her handbag. A familiar face. I'd seen her at the wedding, clinging too hard to the spotlight that wasn't hers.
Ella's sister whom I hadn't bothered to catch the name.
"Good morning, Vince…" she said with an ease I didn't appreciate.
I ignored the greeting in which she took as an invitation to keep talking.
"Could we have a private talk?" she asked, shifting her weight.
I was already preparing to shut her down, but then she added quickly,
"It's about Ella."
That made me pause.
I didn't trust her, but anything concerning Ella… I needed to know.
"Let's go to my office," I said, my tone clipped.
I walked ahead, not checking if she followed.
But I heard her heels clicking behind me.