Page 66 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

Alice

When I first learned of my pregnancy, I decided I wanted to survive. In that moment, I was a husk, a shell of my former self, so broken that I didn’t even know how to begin to put myself back together. The desire to give my child everything I never had was what got me through it all. Even now, I am not complete. I can feel the cracks in my psyche, the hollowness that has become a permanent part of who I am. However, the love I have for my daughter makes me continue to move forward.

My child was my new beginning. And in my new life, there was no room for the past. So, I took all the memories I had of Darian and put them in a small box before burying it somewhere deep inside my heart. Whenever my thoughts drifted toward him, they would be followed by a sense of worthlessness.

That is what he did to me.

He made me feel worthless. He humiliated me and broke my spirit.

And the only reason he was able to do all that is because I let him.

Because I trusted him.

Because I was naive.

I never thought our paths would cross again. Mary has never mentioned him to me, and I have never asked. In all these years, she never once spoke of him. I never looked him up. I couldn’t afford to. If I had, I would have sunk into a pit of dark despair. And my Mira did not deserve that.

Seeing him stand before me now, that seemingly cool look in his eyes, sends me back for a second.

Heartbreak.

Devastation.

A burning agony that still haunts me to this day.

Blood is roaring in my ears. I can’t think.

The hint of surprise in his expression is what snaps me out of it. The next few seconds are going to decide the course of my life. I’m sure of it.

I feel icy cold. I’m breaking apart, but I can’t allow myself to do that. I have to keep it together.

I empty my mind. I dull every emotion within me. It’s something I’ve become good at. There are times when the loneliness and the pain wash over me, but I have learned to numb myself to them.

That is exactly what I do now.

As I hold Darian’s gaze, I feel my heart pinching shut, my mind focusing on the task ahead of me.

He’s not going to take away everything I’ve built. I’m not the same girl who was all alone in the world, the one he toyed with. I have a life now. I’m successful. I have someone to protect. I am no longer a victim.

“It seems that everybody is here,” I say in a clear voice, looking at Katherine. “Do you want to wait for my team or shall we begin?”

Katherine studies me. “Do you need them?”

Her voice is low, but I know that every wolf shifter in the room can hear her with their sharp hearing.

I infuse my voice with every ounce of confidence I can muster. “I don’t need them. I can handle this.”

I let Katherine take the lead. She steps forward, holding out her hand. “I’m Katherine Lockhart. You must be the CEO of Acme Intech Corporation.”

“Darian Kassel.” Darian is shaking her hand, but he’s still staring at me.

I refuse to look away. Did he think I would cry or be overcome with emotion?

“Welcome to Pinnacle Group, Mr. Kassel,” Katherine says pleasantly. “I can see you brought your legal department with you. This is Alice Lane. She is one of the top corporate lawyers from Kalem and Sons. Our firm has had the pleasure of working with her several times, and she will be representing us.”

“A corporate lawyer, huh?” Darian murmurs, his voice so soft it only reaches my ears.

I don’t allow myself to get distracted. Pasting on my most professional smile, I greet him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

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