Claimed Twice

Chapter six

The Text I Did Not Answer

I did not answer Alexander's text. Not that night. Not the next morning either.

Priya sat with me on my couch until midnight, listening to the whole story. The ballroom. The dress. The three words that broke me. She did not say much while I talked. She just held my hand tight, the same way she did on the office floor.

"So he's your ex," she said when I finished.

"He's not my ex," I said. "He's my... he was supposed to be my mate. There's a difference."

"Explain the difference to me like I'm five," she said.

So I did. I told her about the bond. How it is not something you choose, like falling in love slowly over time. It is something that just happens, like a switch flipping on, and once it flips, you cannot flip it back off. Not fully. Not ever.

"So even after five years," Priya said slowly, "some part of you still—"

"Yes," I said, before she could finish. "That's the problem."

The next morning, I went to work like normal. I told myself I would say no to the project. I told myself I would ask my boss to put someone else on it. Anyone else.

But when I got to my desk, there was a new folder waiting for me. Inside was a full research plan, already written, already organized, with my name at the top as lead researcher.

And a small yellow sticky note on the front, in handwriting I remembered from five years ago, from birthday cards and secret notes he used to pass me under a table.

I know you don't trust me. You don't have to. Just let me show you I've changed. — A.

I stared at the note for a long time.

Then my desk phone rang. It was the front desk.

"Nora, there's a delivery for you. It's... a lot of flowers. Should I send them up?”