Chapter 5
1230 Words
Her phone chimed with a text from an unknown number. Lena glanced over at the red light. “Serena’s agent? What does she want?”
“A meeting with Serena. One million credits upfront.”
Bella’s expression hardened. She dragged the number into the blacklist without hesitation.
Lena laughed. “That’s my girl. Serena with her half-baked lunar performances doesn’t deserve your time!”
Bella dropped her luggage at Lena’s apartment, then took a cab to Blackwood Global Holdings.
The Blackwood empire was a century-old behemoth, but Damien had carved out the thriving core eight years ago, injecting fresh vision and turning it into a powerhouse that eclipsed the traditional pack holdings. Bella had been placed in the CEO’s office a year ago—supposedly to strengthen their bond on Luna Helena’s orders.
The executive floor was lively today. Secretary Lydia was pregnant and leaving; wedding candies were being handed out.
Bella accepted one with a soft congratulations. Back at her desk, she began drafting her resignation letter.
Lydia noticed and gasped. “Bella, you’re pregnant too?”
Heads turned. Beautiful, graceful wolves always drew attention. When Bella first joined, suitors had flooded her station with gifts until Damien’s foul mood made the rumors fly.
“No,” Bella replied calmly, continuing to type. “Other reasons.”
“So when are you planning to have pups? You’re still young…”
“I wish I could recover soon, but alas…” Bella said lightly.
Lydia, ever the dramatic interpreter, leaned in. “Your mate is infertile?”
“No, he’s quite capable in heat,” Bella answered without thinking, “but unfortunately, his seed is mostly ineffective.”
Lydia’s eyes widened in shock. “Alpha Blackwood has lunar infertility! Oh dear, bad heat and dead seed—how have you endured it? Bella, girls need to cut losses in time…”
The office gossip mill had previously twisted a parking lot sighting into rumors of Bella’s mate having foul breath. Now they had added infertility. Bella couldn’t help a small, bitter chuckle imagining Damien’s arrogant face hearing this.
“Nothing to do during work hours? Blackwood Global doesn’t keep idle wolves!”
Bella turned. Damien stood there, face ashen with barely contained fury. His overwhelming Alpha aura made the room freeze.
Lydia turned ghostly pale. Bella was about to intervene when Damien spoke coldly to the secretary. “Thank you for your service. Consider this a generous severance.” He gave instructions to his aide, and Lydia brightened instantly, thanking him profusely. The tension broke, but Damien’s dark gaze locked on Bella.
“Assistant Ashford. My office. Now.” Bella followed, resignation and divorce papers in hand.
Inside the spacious CEO suite, Damien sat behind his massive desk reviewing documents, aloof and regal. He didn’t look up. “Is this how you reflect on last night?”
Without a word, Bella placed both documents neatly before him. “Alpha Blackwood, please sign these. Thank you.”
Damien looked up sharply, obsidian eyes cold as the void. “I don’t have time for your games. Take them back.”
“I’m serious.” He tossed his pen onto the desk with a loud clack that made Bella flinch inwardly.
“The reason for divorce?” His voice dripped ice. “‘No love, no true mating, only in name? Spreading such rumors has consequences, Isabella.”
Bella’s lashes trembled with slight guilt. “Those weren’t my exact words… but the divorce agreement states the reasons clearly.”
Damien flipped through the pages, his gaze growing stormier. “Explain ‘no love, no completion of the bond’.”
Bella pursed her lips. “It’s simply the truth.”
He rose, long powerful legs carrying him around the desk. His towering presence forced her back until her lower back hit the hard edge. Damien caged her with his arms, leaning down until their faces were inches apart. His Alpha scent—pine and possessive fury—overwhelmed her.
“Truly? Who was the she-wolf moaning and clinging to me last night, begging me not to leave?”
Memories of their heat-fueled night made Bella’s eyes water. The intensity had only made the rejection afterward more devastating.
She pressed a hand against his hard chest. “The frequency is seriously lacking. Does a century-old Alpha need to announce his heat activity when it happens once every few years?”
Damien’s temples throbbed. This woman dared mock his prowess. Her pushing only ignited his desire. He gripped her wrist and pressed forward.
Bella’s dancer’s supple waist arched over the desk. Her long dark hair spilled across the surface like ink. Their bodies pressed tightly together.
“I didn’t know my Luna had such insatiable needs,” he growled, voice low and dangerous. “Who do you plan to satisfy them with after the divorce?”
Bella raised her knee to kick him, but his powerful leg trapped hers. She accidentally brushed against his growing hardness and froze.
“You… bastard!” Her face burned crimson.
Damien sneered. “Insatiable Luna—this is exactly what you schemed for four years ago, isn’t it? You should have been prepared to atone for your sins for life!”
Bella paled. He still blamed her completely. “I really don’t remember what happened that night…”
“You handed me the wine. Only you and I have access to this office and our chambers. If not you, then who?” His grip tightened. “You betrayed my trust!”
Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. “I regret it… just pretend it never happened…”
Damien’s expression twisted. He opened his mouth to speak, but a knock sounded at the door. As if waking from a trance, Bella shoved him hard and ran for the door, eyes red.“Then watch me survive without you!”
She yanked the door open and froze. Serena Whitewood stood there, elegant and concerned. “Why are you crying, Sister Bella? Did Damien scold you? I’ll speak to him for you.”
Damien’s steady footsteps approached from behind. He was composed, regal—completely unaffected. “Didn’t I say I’d visit you at the healing center later? Why come here alone?”
His tone with Serena was night-and-day different from the fury he’d shown Bella moments ago. Serena smiled sweetly. “I was discharged early. I didn’t want you to make an unnecessary trip.”
Bella turned to leave, but Damien caught her wrist. “Go prepare a glass of lunar berry juice.”
Serena loved it. Bella hated it—childhood trauma from blood-splattered fruit during her abusive years. Damien knew this perfectly.
He was making his unwanted wife serve his mistress “Alpha Blackwood doesn’t have hands of his own?!” Bella wrenched free and stormed out, Serena’s fake-concerned voice trailing after her.
“Damien, Sister Bella is delicate and can’t handle being wronged. Please comfort her…”
“Ignore her.”
Outside the building, Bella hugged herself and slowly squatted on the sidewalk, vision blurring with tears.
It’s okay, Bella. Live with dignity. Let them all see.
Her phone rang. She wiped her face and answered, voice steadier than she felt.
She still had her part-time teaching at the lunar dance academy, Elias to check on, and her brother’s medical bills. There was no time for grief.
- Writer
