The Billionaire Alpha’s Unwanted Mate

Chapter 6

Yuuki takes the box from Li Muchen with steady hands, her face betraying no emotion. In return, she hands him the envelope, the exchange a silent testament to the end of an era.

“And this”, Li Muchen hands her a small envelope. Without looking, already has an idea of what might be in it. Without a word, she slips both the small wooden box as well as the envelope into her jacket, its weight against her chest a reminder of what she came for.

She turns, her steps measured and deliberate as she walks deeper into the room. The eyes of the Valencia family follow her every move, a mixture of curiosity, disdain, and barely concealed anticipation painting their faces. They're waiting for her to break, to beg, to show some sign of the desperate woman they expect her to be.

But Yuuki gives them nothing.

In the wall, are rows of neatly placed urns. All home to a Valencia ancestor and deceased family members. She comes to a stop beside an ornate urn placed in a cavity towards the end of the middle row. The urn, an exquisite piece of craftsmanship, holds the ashes of the former Valencia patriarch. For a moment, the room is silent, the tension palpable as they wait to see what she'll do next.

It's Celine who breaks the silence, her voice dripping with sarcasm and barely contained fury. "Didn't you put off giving the papers to today so you could use the opportunity to see Nero?" she sneers, her eyes narrowing. "Why are you now pretending to be the virtuous woman who cares about the former Patriarch?! Who are you trying to fool?!"

The older woman is clearly miffed, her pride stung by Yuuki's continued indifference. She had been ignored that day, and now it's happening again. In Celine's world, where she reigns supreme, such disrespect is unforgivable.

Cassandra, never one to miss an opportunity to twist the knife, chimes in. "How pretentious!" she echoes her mother's sentiment, her voice a perfect blend of mockery and disdain. "We all know that you wanted to come back today, hoping to take advantage of the full moon when Nero might be unstable. You thought you could use the opportunity to get him to change his mind about divorcing you."

She lets out a mean giggle, the sound grating in the otherwise quiet room. "Tsk! It's not gonna work," she continues, her tone patronizing. "Well, it's not your fault. A low-class wolf like you wouldn't understand that that rule doesn't apply to an Alpha as powerful as Nero."

When Yuuki refuses to reply, Cassandra's face turns bright red at the continued disregard, "Hey! I'm talking to you!", she then sneers, "Low-class is low-class after all. There's no amount of posturing that can change your mediocre bloodline."

In a room with two Alphas, one Beta, and two Alpha-blood women, Cassandra feels like she has the capital to talk.

The insults hang in the air, sharp and cutting. But if they affect Yuuki, she gives no sign. Instead, she puts her hands together and bows low at the waist before the urn. When she straightens, her face has softened for the first time since she entered the room.

Yuuki stares at the urn for a moment, her eyes taking on a faraway look. Then, in a voice so soft it's almost a whisper, she speaks. "Nee... Ojiichan, Genki?" (Hey… Grandpa, how’ve you been?)

The use of Japanese catches everyone off guard. It's a reminder of Yuuki's heritage. The last time they had heard her speak the language was when the patriarch was still alive. But there's a tenderness in her voice that even they can't miss. But they’ve always known her to be a good actress anyways.

Yuuki sighs, her eyes turning a bit red. "Aitai," (I miss you) she murmurs, the single word conveying a depth of emotion that seems out of place in this cold, hostile environment.

Then, still addressing the urn, she continues in Japanese, "Ojiichan, kyō, watashi wa anata ni kari o kaeshimashita."

The moment the words leave her mouth, two people who had been steadfastly ignoring her turn to look at her. Nero imperceptibly narrows his eyes, a flicker of something unreadable passing across his face. Beside him, Li Muchen pushes his glasses up his nose, his expression carefully neutral but his eyes sharp and calculating.

Yuuki, oblivious to or perhaps simply not caring about their reactions, continues speaking to the urn. "Unfortunately, this is the last time I'll be able to visit you. Forgive me."

Behind her, Cassandra and Celine sneer loudly, their contempt for this display of emotion evident. Eric and Li Muchen remain silent, but the disdain in their eyes deepens. They see this as just another ploy, another attempt at manipulation from a woman they've long since written off as nothing more than a gold digger.

Yuuki bows deeply once more, her reverence for the deceased patriarch clear in every line of her body. Then, without another word, she turns and makes for the door.

She's almost there, her hand reaching for the handle, when Eric's teasing voice calls out after her. "Yo! Are you really leaving?" There's a huge grin on his face, his eyes glinting with mischief and malice in equal measure. He's clearly waiting for her to make a fool of herself, eager to watch what he's sure will be a good show.

"Such a good opportunity and you're gonna waste it?" he continues, his voice dripping with false concern. "Hey! You should try it. You never know, it just might work!"

Though his words sound like he's trying to encourage her out of goodwill, the disdain in his voice is impossible to miss. They all know that though they consider her a manipulative gold digger, her love for Nero is real. Or at least, it was. Eric is banking on that love, hoping to see her break down and beg.

But Yuuki doesn't rise to the bait. She doesn't look at any of them, doesn't acknowledge Eric's words in any way. She walks straight out, her steps as steady and purposeful as when she entered.

The doors close behind her with a soft thud, leaving the ancestral hall in stunned silence. For a moment, no one moves, all of them trying to process what just happened. It's Eric who finally breaks the silence, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, that was interesting," he drawls, leaning back against the wall.

Cassandra scoffs, unwilling to admit that Yuuki's behavior has thrown her off balance. "Hmph! She was probably playing hard to get. It's just her switching strategies. After a few days, if she sees that it hasn't worked, she'll most likely come back crawling, begging for Nero to take her back. You wait and see!"

Her words are confident, but there's a note of uncertainty in her voice that wasn't there before. She glances at her brother, seeking some sort of confirmation, but Nero's face remains impassive.

Celine, on the other hand, is having none of it. "I won't stand for it!" she declares, her voice rising in indignation. "We've finally been able to chase that thing out, there's no way I'll agree for her to come back!"

She turns to Li Muchen, her eyes flashing with determination. "You had better inform the guards at the gate to keep a lookout! They should never let that woman back into this house!"

Li Muchen just smiles and nods respectfully at Celine, though everyone here is well aware that he only takes orders from Nero.

Eric sidles up towards Li Muchen, “Hey, you’re proficient in languages, what did she say?” he asks curiously. Both Celine and Cassandra look over as well.

Before Li Muchen can answer however, Nero opens his mouth. "It is time," he says, his deep voice cutting through the chatter. It’s the first time he is speaking since Yuuki came in.

At his words, the atmosphere in the room shifts. They all quickly push thoughts of Yuuki to the back of their minds. After all, this is much more important.