Chapter 2

The night I got the test results.

I told Mrs. Garcia to take the night off and cooked everything myself.

I laid out an entire table of his favorite dishes, waiting for Alexander to come home so I could finally tell him how I felt.

If he had feelings for me too, I would confess what happened that night, and we could be together.

If it was just my one-sided delusion, I would quietly get rid of the baby.

I waited until eleven at night. The food had gone completely cold before Alexander finally walked through the door.

He wasn't alone. Helena Hart was draped over him, their bodies pressed intimately against each other as he supported her weight.

Helena's personality was just like her bold red dress—loud, fierce, and impossible to ignore.

She saw right through me in an instant.

Wrapping her arms deliberately around Alexander's neck, she threw me a mocking smirk.

"Mr. Stone, seems like this little pet of yours has quite the crush on you!"

Alexander didn't even spare me a glance. His focus remained entirely on Helena's ankle, gently massaging the tender spot.

"Just a kid. Ignore her."

Every drop of blood in my veins turned to ice.

Turns out.

No matter how much I did, no matter how obvious I made it.

To him, I was never anything more than a child.

I had the pack healer terminate the pregnancy, rested for half a day, and called an Uber back to the mansion on my own.

I needed to pack my things.

Yet everything in that massive house had been bought by Alexander.

In the end, I only packed a few casual outfits I wore regularly, leaving everything else behind.

At eight in the evening, a knock sounded on my door.

"Lily."

I checked the time in surprise. He usually worked until past ten; why was he back so early today?

I dabbed a bit of blush on my cheeks in front of the mirror to hide how pale I looked, making sure he wouldn't notice anything off before opening the door.

To my surprise, Alexander was holding a gift.

It was a lifetime VIP black card to my absolute favorite restaurant.

"I'm sorry, Lily."

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The Alpha's Forgotten Mate### 全文翻译

"Helena couldn't stand the smell of durian that night, which was why I tossed the dinner," Alexander said, his eyes earnest and sincere. "Mrs. Garcia told me later that you were the one who cooked it. Consider this VIP pass an apology for what happened."

I forced a faint smile and kept my hands by my side, making no move to take it. "No need."

After all, I was leaving this place in two days anyway.

Alexander's brows knitted together instantly. "Why not? Isn't that your favorite place?"

I bit my lower lip and shook my head again. "I really don't need it. You've taken such good care of me all these years, Alexander. I'm already more grateful than words can say."

The color slowly drained from his face.

He stared at me intently, as if searching for any crack in my expression, before his hands shot out, gripping my shoulders tightly. "Lily Parker, what are you trying to say?"

"What... what are you doing?"

I quietly twisted out of his grasp, shaking my head with a bitter laugh. "You're hurting me. I just saw how happy you and Helena are together, and I wanted to say thank you. Why are you getting so worked up over nothing...?"

I knew I was a coward.

Even now, I didn't dare say I was leaving.

I didn't have the guts to face a proper goodbye.

More than anything, I was terrified that if I told him, Alexander would only give me an indifferent nod, not even trying to make me stay.

That would break what was left of my heart.

Hearing my light, dismissive tone, Alexander visibly softened, letting his hands drop.

Yet his eyes lingered on my face. Just as I opened my mouth to make an excuse to go back to my room, he froze. "Lily... why are you so pale?"

I froze too.

I had put on blush, yet he still saw right through it.

Turns out, the hollow ache of losing a child was something no amount of makeup could hide.

I made up a random excuse to brush him off, retreating into my bedroom like a coward running from reality.

The next morning, instead of heading out to handle pack business like usual, Alexander sat in the downstairs living room drinking coffee.

Seeing me shuffle downstairs groggily in my pajamas, he raised an eyebrow. "Awake?"

I nodded quietly.

Alexander stood up, holding out a designer gown toward me. "Helena's hosting the Moonlight Gala tonight. Come with me."

He paused, staring straight into my eyes before adding, "I told her already. You're my family, too."