Kyra's POV
"I think you owe me an explanation, Nathan. About changing the model!" I gritted out as I walked directly up to him and questioned him.
He knew exactly how much effort I had put into winning this project. I had hardly slept during those days, and Miss Chen was the ideal candidate for us. I remembered he agreed too. But now… he had just changed the model however he pleased without telling me in advance, just to hook his ex up with a modeling job.
It felt like a hard slap to my face.
"Go ahead with the work. I'll make things clear to her," he told the staff first, ignoring the anger that was about to explode from my eyes.
I was seething with rage as I saw Sophia by his side, that same mocking smile on her face she used to make my life hell in high school.
"Answer me, Nathan! Why did you change the model so suddenly?" I couldn't hold back my anger, and he just touched my shoulder, whispering, "This isn't the place to talk. Let me explain in the car."
I looked around, noticing others sneaking glances at us. Then I shook his hand off and walked toward the parking lot. I already knew I wouldn't like his explanation.
"Now, say it," I blurted as we sat in his car.
He stared into my eyes as if weighing my emotions. I looked away. I couldn't stand his gaze anymore, never seeing me the way I wanted him to. He had no feelings for me, and it hurt so much.
"I—I…" he paused and sighed. "I replaced Miss Chen because Sophia wanted to be our model. She's also fit to be our model, so I agreed—"
"What?" I asked in disbelief.
He pressed his lips together and looked away, messing up his hair before shaking his head and holding my hand.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was just so sudden. She asked me for a favor, and I can't say no."
I pulled my hand back and looked at him, feeling both pain and anger. "You can't say no to her, so you'd rather harm the company? Our company? You betrayed me, Nathan."
"Kyra, come on. You know how much I love her. She's my first love."
Painfully, I closed my eyes. Oh yes, she's your first love. She's always the one you want, no matter what it takes. As long as she frowned, you would turn a blind eye to the pain and effort of others. You'd give her everything, even if she rejected you. But what about me and the pack? You're so heartless, Nathan.
"Well, you've already decided. I don't have a say in this since you're the President. Just go. I'll be in the office," I said coldly as I opened the car door to leave.
"Kyra..."
I looked him in the eye. "Go home early. Let's talk about the rejection at home tonight."
On my way back to the office, I saw Sophia sitting in the break room, sipping her coffee.
I stepped inside, and she shot me a mocking glance. "Never thought you'd actually marry Nathan. Guess Cinderella really did bag her Prince Charming."
My expression turned icy. "You were the one who rejected him. Why come crawling back now?"
Sophia's smile widened, dripping with amusement. "Because I still love him and he wanted me. That's why I'm back. But you—poor little thing—three years without me, and you still couldn't win him over. Some things never change, you're still that same desperate loser from high school."
Sylvia thundered in my mind, her voice seething with raw fury: "That bitch—just wait until I make her cry!"
I took a deep breath, struggling to quiet Sylvia's wild outburst, and forced a cool, steady smile as I faced Sophia. "Even if Nathan doesn't love me, our statuses are perfectly matched," I said, my tone calm yet determined. "I'm his Luna now, and I control a significant share of his company. Even if we parted ways, I'd walk away with a fortune. And really, do you think after Nathan rejects me, his family and pack would welcome you with open arms? From what I know, your family background and pack's influence pale compared to mine. Tell me, who's really the Cinderella in this story?"
With that, I strode out of the break room. Not long after, I heard the sound of a cup shattering.
Even though my words struck a raw nerve with Sophia, deep down I knew she was right. As long as Nathan loved her, I'd forever be the loser in this love triangle.
***
I was playing with the wedding ring on my finger. I told Nathan to come home early, but he never came home at all. He wasn't even answering my mind-links or calls.
Now that Sophia was back, this house probably wasn't home to him anymore.
My eyes shifted to the pregnancy report on the table. What a mockery. I had still been naive enough to hope things would be different if I told him about the pup. But I had to forget it—the pup was never in his plans.
Sure, Nathan wouldn't reject me if he knew I was pregnant. But he couldn't let go of his obsession with Sophia either. He might stay in this loveless marriage if his parents wanted, but all I would have was an empty shell. That's not the kind of father I wanted for my pup.
It was 5 a.m. already when I looked at the clock on the wall. I tried dialing his number again, but he was still busy. What was he busy with? Was he busy making love with Sophia? He must have missed her so much, didn't he?
I still remembered the day he came back after his first private trip with Sophia. His joy was unmistakable. Nearly right away, I knew they had made love. That same day, I went back to my room and cried as I took off my makeup. Nothing I did worked. I could never replace Sophia in his heart.
It felt like hundreds of pounds pressed on my chest. I decided to shower to wash away my miserable emotions, but as soon as I opened the wardrobe, our intimate clothes—snuggled together—brought me back to the memory of how Nathan and I had sex here last time.
It was that time he didn't use protection. He had been so passionate that I thought he was finally accepting our marriage. I once believed his return from that business trip meant a fresh start for us, but in the end, it was the beginning of our falling apart.
I didn't remember how I fell asleep. When the alarm clock went off, I subconsciously reached for the pillow beside me. Cold, just like last night. He still hadn't come home. I sneered at myself as I saw my reflection in the dresser mirror. The dark circles under my eyes were so clear, and my hair was a total mess, looking just like a ghost.
"Kyra, I don't want to see you grieving like this. You'll only break yourself if you stay on the wrong path. Let him go, and spare yourself. Your pup needs a strong mom," Sylvia advised me.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea flooded my stomach and I realized I hadn't even eaten the night before. Feeling sick again, I ran to the sink and vomited. I spat out yellowish liquid, and while I was washing my mouth, I felt a warm hand caress my back.
I immediately looked up and met a pair of brown eyes watching me through the mirror. Standing behind me with a worried expression was my mate, Nathan.
"Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? You should have told me."
I stared at him in the mirror. "You didn't answer my calls."
Guilt flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I had things to do. I stayed at the office all night."
I wiped my face and walked past him.
He followed me. "Kyra…"
"I woke up late. I didn't prepare breakfast."
I tried to avoid his eyes. I felt like losing my temper. I had never felt his selfishness so clearly as I did now. He called me his best friend, yet had never cared about my needs. My feelings.
"Kyra… you know I'm not asking about that. I'm just worried about you..."
"Kyra, are we still okay?"
He was asking me that—after offering to reject me, without even asking if I was okay with it? He decided it on his own, just because his first love had turned up again. I couldn't believe him.
I faked a smile. "I just don't feel well today, Nathan."
He immediately squatted beside me, which didn't surprise me since I knew he truly cared. What did surprise me was why he still did this after crushing my heart.
"Are you okay?" He gently touched my forehead and neck. "Are you sick? Tell me how you feel, Kyra."
"My feelings don't matter," I couldn't help but blurt out. He looked shocked by what I said.
When I tried to avoid him, he grabbed my wrist and made me face him. His angry expression told me he had lost all patience.
"What's wrong with you, Kyra? You've been like this since yesterday. Is this about Sophia? Or because I didn't come home last night?"
I met his gaze, annoyed. "You're the one who asked for a rejection! I told you to come back earlier, but you let me wait all night. How do you want me to greet you this morning, Nathan?"
He clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Kyra, I—"
"Enough. We can talk about the rejection after work today."
"Kyra!" he called, grabbing my shoulders. Confusion and pain were visible in his eyes. "Are you… in love with me?"
I was taken aback. In love? Yes! Ever since high school. Ever since he became my best friend. Who wouldn't fall for someone who's always protected you?
But of course, I couldn't tell him. Everything would just become more complicated. I didn't even want his pity. I shook my head and pushed his arms away. "Are you on drugs? I'm not in love with you. It's just a partnership between us. The only difference is, I wasn't as lucky as you—I never found my fated mate."
I turned my back and walked into the bathroom again. I locked the door and slumped by the bathtub. I needed to focus on myself. I couldn't let my emotions control me but… why were my tears falling again?
Sylvia howled in my mind, "Kyra! You can't even tell him how you really feel."
I wiped my tears away, angry at myself.
It took almost an hour to bathe. When I was done, I found Nathan had already left. He kept abandoning me. I never imagined we'd fall this far apart.
***
"Good morning, Miss Monroe…"
"Good morning, Vice President…"
I didn't greet anyone back like I usually did. I still felt miserable, and my mood was off. Irritation washed over me easily, out of my control. Maybe it was Nathan's rejection—or my pregnancy.
I was about to enter my office when I heard two girls talking.
"Did you see her? I bet she's Mr. Anderson's girlfriend. They seemed close."
My forehead creased. Nathan's girlfriend?
"Ah! It's Miss Sophia."
"Sophia? Sophia Gilbert? The model?"
"Yes! I could bet my whole month's salary on it. They look good together."
"Come on! Miss Monroe and Mr. Anderson look better together."
"Are you serious? They're best friends. You know, some people are just better as friends. It's Mr. Anderson and Miss Monroe."
I squeezed my eyes closed and entered my office. I slowly closed the door behind me and leaned against it. This was even harder than I expected.
I took a deep breath and sat at my swivel chair. I had just turned on the computer when a notification popped up on my phone screen. My hands started shaking when I saw it.
It was Nathan's social media update—a photo of him and Sophia, eating together in a fancy restaurant.
I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. Of course, there was no way I could compete with her in his heart. She had always come first, and for him I would always be last.