Chapter 144 The Landlord

Alpha Sebastian caught up with Rachel and demanded she spell it out for him.

"Mr. Hale," Rachel said, her voice dry. "You were cheating on your wife while signing her up for fertility classes and planning a future with her. You wanted everything at once, and now you’re shocked that she chose not to play along."

"So she decided not to have a baby with you and passed the classes on to someone else. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. Or should she have had a child just to give you another way to control her?"

"The reason she never told you is simple. She’s done with you. Whatever she felt is gone."

Alpha Sebastian burned with humiliation and rage.

Rachel didn’t give him the chance to open his mouth. "Actually, I should be thanking you, Mr. Hale. Otherwise, I never could have afforded classes that cost tens of thousands. And honestly, I never could have said all that before now."

She looked positively enriched by the experience.Then Rachel turned on her heel and walked off.

Alpha Sebastian stood frozen where he was. Done with me?What was that supposed to mean?

Impossible. Eira had been so agreeable. No second-guessing, no suspicion. He hadn’t caught the slightest hint that anything was wrong.

He stood there clutching the roses, adrift, while the cold autumn wind lashed his face like a blade, cutting raw and deep.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Jordan. "Find out if there are any listings for sale or lease at Southridge Estates. Get me the owner or the agent. I’m going in there today as a prospective buyer."

He was going to see Eira. If outsiders couldn’t get into Southridge Estates, he’d buy his way in.

Whatever it took, he was seeing Eira today.

If Eira could hide one thing from him, she could hide a second. If they didn’t sit down and have this out, this marriage really was heading for the end.

Alpha Sebastian sat in the car, his head pounding.

His phone lit up with message after message.

From Serena. She was informing him that Vincent had invited her to some friend’s gathering tonight.

[Go wherever the hell she wanted. What was the point of telling him?]

He killed the screen.

While he waited for Jordan’s update, every time Serena’s name popped up, he swiped it away without a glance.

He’d rather tap his fingers anxiously against the steering wheel than type her a single word back.

Not far away, Serena stared at the message that stubbornly refused to get a reply and slammed her palm against her own steering wheel, hard enough to send the horn blaring.

Alpha Sebastian never used to leave her on read. If he was slammed with work, he’d at least tell her he’d get back to her later.

This time she’d deliberately claimed she was heading out to a party with Vincent, and Alpha Sebastian had actually ignored it.

Not long ago, she’d hinted she might bring another man to a cocktail event, and Alpha Sebastian had snapped at her, telling her not to dare.

Alpha Sebastian didn’t care about her anymore. She refused to believe it.

Tonight she’d go out with Vincent, and she’d make damn sure to post a few photos online to needle him.

That particular nerve in a man needed constant prodding to keep the fear of losing alive.

--

Alpha Killian was standing in front of his closet, deciding between two ties, when Kate called.

"Talk to me."

"Alpha Sebastian wants to lease Number Eleven at Southridge Estates."

Kate usually handled requests like this without bothering Alpha Killian. This one was different.

The lease would be under Jordan’s name, Alpha Sebastian’s Beta and personal assistant. But the request had clearly come from Alpha Sebastian.

"He wants to see the property today," Kate added. "And he says it’s urgent."

Alpha Killian picked up the darker tie.

"Let him come."

"Yes, Alpha."

Alpha Killian ended the call, then switched to another line and called Lila.

"What?" His sister answered, sounding annoyed.

"It’s time to take Eira out."

"It’s four o’clock. The celebration dinner isn’t until six-thirty."

"Stop arguing." Alpha Killian glanced at the luxury watches displayed behind the glass. "I’ll fully equip your lab with the latest equipment."

Lila’s attitude changed instantly.

"Seriously? You’re the best, Killian. We’ll head out right now."

Alpha Killian let out a quiet laugh as he fastened his watch.

"Don’t spend the whole budget in one afternoon."

"No promises."

The call ended.

Alpha Killian adjusted his tie and looked at his reflection.

Alpha Sebastian was coming for the estate because he wanted to meet Eira.

Alpha Killian had no intention of making that easy for him.

--

Alpha Sebastian and Jordan made it into Southridge Estates without trouble. They arrived in front of Number Eleven.

Alpha Sebastian instructed Jordan, "Go park the car. And make yourself useful. See if you can spot anything."

Jordan caught the meaning at once. After parking, he began wandering casually around Southridge Estates, eyes sweeping every direction, trying to work out which villa Eira might be living in.

Alpha Sebastian stood at the door of Number Eleven. He stood. He waited. Half an hour. His calves ached.

The landlord was nowhere in sight.

For Eira. He could endure it.

Another ten minutes. Finally, figures approached.

It was Alpha Killian and Mrs. Jones.

Mrs. Jones, seeing Miss Crawford’s ex-husband, looked him up and down like he was a specimen under glass.

The scrutiny made Alpha Sebastian’s skin crawl.

What made it worse was that the property owner was Alpha Killian. Of all the damn Alphas.

Mrs. Jones stopped in front of him.

"You’re here about Number Eleven?"

"Yes."

"My employer is asking four million dollars a year," she said. "There’s a three-year minimum, and the rent must be paid annually in advance."

Alpha Sebastian barely opened his mouth before Alpha Killian cut in.

"You sure you can afford it? Maybe collect what Ms. Winthrop owes you first. Then you can figure out if you’ve got enough left to pay the rent."