Betrayed By My Mate

Not Letting It Slide

Raven wondered why he was so full of himself and equally mistook her for one of the many women he claimed would do anything to get his attention. She took a quick glance around and noticed everyone staring at her, whispering amongst themselves.

“She should be ashamed of herself for putting her daughter up to this act. If she’s so desperate for a mate, then she should look elsewhere. Sebastian Sterling is definitely not someone she should mess with,” she overheard someone say to another.

“I’m interested in Sebastian and wouldn’t mind being his mate, but I would never do something as ugly as that. This is definitely going too far,” another woman remarked from a corner of the reception hallway.

Raven fixed her gaze on the face of the handsome but arrogant man standing before her. His beauty had indeed captivated her, but she couldn’t overlook the fact that he had just humiliated her. She walked closer to him, her glare intense. “I’m not interested in you or your stupid money!” she declared loudly before hurrying past into the elevator with her daughter, followed by the porters.

His bodyguards attempted to stop her, but he waved them off. Jeff approached Sebastian, looking surprised. “Alpha, you allowed her to leave after she insulted you?” he asked, knowing Sebastian wasn't one to let such disrespect slide.

Sebastian drew a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the elevator even after it had closed. “Don’t worry about it, Jeff. I know exactly how to handle women like her.”

Jeff glanced around nervously. “What if people actually believe that the girl is your daughter?”

Sebastian shot him a fierce glare, adjusting his suit. “Then make sure that doesn’t happen. That’s your job, and I'm paying you well for it.” With that, he strode off, a frown creasing his brow as thoughts of Raven simmered in his mind. He was amazed at her audacity, especially because no woman had ever spoken to him in such a manner or told him she didn’t need his money.

Later that evening, Arabella complained about being hungry, prompting Raven to take her down to the restaurant for dinner, giving them a chance to explore further. They stood at the counter while Arabella excitedly pointed out the dishes she wanted to try. Raven was more than happy to indulge her daughter, especially since Arabella rarely ate well.

Things seemed to be going smoothly until Raven heard a familiar voice beside her. She turned around and frowned at the sight of Sebastian.

“There you are, gold digger. Why the hell are you still here? I told you before, I would never stoop so low as to have anything to do with a low life like you,” he spat out with disdain.

Raven scoffed in disbelief, shaking her head. “What exactly is your problem, mister?” she asked, trying hard to control her rising anger.

“Problem? I do not have a problem, lady. You are the one with a problem. Why the hell are you following me around? I’m sure you came here because you knew I would be here,” he stated confidently.

Raven rolled her eyes in annoyance, wondering if Sebastian had lost his mind. “Why on earth would I be following some arrogant fool?” she retorted, glaring at him.

Sebastian was somewhat taken aback by her response. Glancing around, he noticed the curious stares of onlookers. Wherever he went, he inevitably drew attention to himself.

Chuckling softly, he ran his hand through his beard. “Don’t be shy, lady. I know your type all too well. Why not admit it already? You’re attracted to me, but you’re too ashamed to admit it because you know you’re not in my league and I would reject you. But, don’t you think following me around like this is rather pathetic?” he asked, arching a brow.

“You jerk,” she seethed inwardly, clenching her fists tightly. “I don’t know what you think you are, but if you must know, the sight of you alone disgusts me, and I have only come here to have dinner with my daughter,” she retorted sharply.

He blinked rapidly and rolled his eyes, refusing to believe she was telling the truth. “Is that so?” he asked mockingly, fixing his gaze on Raven for a moment. He couldn’t deny her exceptional beauty, yet he was baffled by her refusal to acknowledge any interest in him. After all, he was handsome, wealthy, and the epitome of every woman’s dream. But, why was she acting like he was a beast she didn’t want at all? This had never happened with other women.

Sebastian always enjoyed feeling wanted. He relished the sight of women clamoring to be with him, eager to do anything just to grace his bed. He loved the sense of superiority it brought, reinforcing his status as the Alpha king he was. However, Raven's indifference failed to stroke his ego in the slightest. He sighed inwardly, so certain that Raven was pursuing him. He had encountered women like her on numerous occasions, though none had taken so long to admit their attraction to him. He turned to his assistant, Jeff, who trailed behind him with a small briefcase, and nodded subtly.

Jeff caught the signal and promptly opened the briefcase, withdrawing some cash. “It’s quite embarrassing that you have to go to such lengths, exhausting your life savings just to stay in a place like this and dine at a restaurant like this. I’m sure you’re nearly broke now. Do you even have enough to cover this meal?” he remarked, his tone dripping with condescension.

Raven stared at him in disbelief, finding him even more arrogant than she had initially thought.

“Here, take this and get out of this place before you embarrass yourself any further,” he added, his words laced with rudeness.

Arabella watched the exchange in shock, waiting for her mother to put this stranger in his place.

Raven reluctantly accepts the money, holding it with disgust.

Onlookers couldn't help but snicker amongst themselves, while Sebastian wore a cold smirk on his lips. He felt a surge of satisfaction at being proven right about Raven; she was just another poor gold digger like every other woman he had encountered. Yet, a part of him felt a twinge of disappointment at being correct about her. “I know you needed it. Now get out of here!” he ordered, his tone commanding.

Raven looked up at him, her eyebrows arched in defiance. “Do I really need it?” she challenged, before tossing the money at his face. Bills scattered all over the floor. “Your money disgusts me, just like its owner,” she declared, her voice ringing with contempt. With a warm smile directed at the waiter across the counter, she said, “We’ll be waiting for our order,” before swiftly leading Arabella to a table.

“That woman has some nerve,” one of the waiters whispered to the other. “Who does she think she is to humiliate Sebastian Sterling like that? She actually rejected money. Who in their right mind rejects money? She's both poor and proud. Disgusting.”

Jeff cleared his throat, trying to regain Sebastian’s attention. “Are you okay, Alpha?”

Sebastian turned to him, fists clenched tightly. “Do I look okay to you?”

Jeff gulped, lowering his gaze. He could sense Sebastian's seething anger, which meant Raven was in serious trouble.

“I'm going to teach that woman a lesson. She'll spend the rest of her life regretting this day,” Sebastian declared with disdain. “I won't let this slide.”

He grabbed a passing waitress. “Hey, want to make some extra money?” he asked, his tone laced with determination.