Chapter 174 Bad Character, No Deal
Felix took one look at Alpha Sebastian’s face and let out a quiet laugh.
"You really thought Serena got you in?"
Alpha Sebastian’s expression barely changed, but his hand tightened around the edge of the desk.
"Looks like she let you believe that." Felix folded his arms. "My grandfather doesn’t do favors for the Winthrops. He and Dr. Winthrop can barely sit through the same dinner."
Alpha Sebastian said nothing.
"Rival labs. Old grudges." Felix shrugged. "If Dr. Winthrop had actually recommended you, you’d be even farther from getting a deal."
Something shifted in the room.
The truth finally registered on Alpha Sebastian’s face.
Dr. Shaw had opened his door because of Eira.
Not Serena.
Eira.
"Whatever you thought you got from her, you didn’t earn it," Felix said. "Eira did everything she could to keep your Pack and your company standing, and you betrayed her."
He tapped the wooden crate with his shoe.
"My grandfather’s exact words were, ’Bad character. No deal.’"
Alpha Sebastian moved toward the door.
"Name your price."
Felix stared at him.
"I’ll beat whatever the other company offered."
"No."
"I’ll walk away from the project. You can choose the team. I won’t touch the patent."
"You’re still not listening."
Felix’s voice stayed flat.
"He doesn’t trust you."
A knock sounded at the door.
Finn leaned against the open doorway, his hair still messed up from sleep.
"You called me?"
Alpha Sebastian’s face went blank.
"I crashed in the break room," Finn added. "What did I miss?"
"Nothing."
Felix walked past Alpha Sebastian. His men followed, pushing the crate down the hall.
Finn watched them leave.
"That didn’t look like nothing."
"Go back to sleep."
"We’re supposed to review the Shaw proposal today."
"Then review it again."
Finn frowned at him. "Seriously. Is something going on?"
He had caught the tension in Alpha Sebastian’s face.
"Nothing for now," Alpha Sebastian said. "I’m busy."
Finn studied him for another second, then shrugged and turned away.
At the doorway, he stopped.
"Hey, Sebastian. Why don’t you just divorce Eira?"
Alpha Sebastian’s hand tightened around the doorframe. His smile disappeared.
"Finn, it’s still business hours."
"Then call it a coffee break." Finn turned back, his expression serious. "You want someone else. Let Eira go. You may not see what she’s worth, but plenty of people do."
Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened.
First Killian Sterling. Now Finn Carter. Both of them circling his mate like she was unclaimed territory.
"Eira and I are fine," he said. "We love each other."
"Could’ve fooled me. I heard she hasn’t seen you in weeks."
Alpha Sebastian’s pupils contracted.
How did Finn know?
Alpha Sebastian had created two fake accounts, one under Finn’s name and one under Eira’s. Every message between them passed through him first. He controlled what each of them saw.
Unless Finn and Eira had met in person.
Then he remembered Fiona. His sister had probably told Finn everything.
Finn caught the silence in his face."So it’s true."
Alpha Sebastian said nothing.
Finn’s shoulders relaxed. "Take it easy. Divorcing Eira won’t cost you your seat at Carter Group. Most people don’t even know you’re bonded. My father has known for years. He knows about the cheating too, and he’s never said a word."
Alpha Sebastian swallowed his anger.
"You want to chase Eira?" he said. "Try getting her to sit down with you first."
He could not get near her home on Southridge. Eira had blocked every way he could reach her. But if Finn managed to arrange a meeting, there might still be a chance to reopen the Shaw deal.
So Alpha Sebastian went for the weak spot.
"You can’t even get her to look at you. She’s probably forgotten what you look like. Four years with me, and she never once looked at another man."
Finn’s eyes reddened."You know she loved you. That’s what makes this so disgusting. You didn’t want her, but you couldn’t stand anyone else wanting her either."
He pointed at Alpha Sebastian."This is going to come back on you. You’re going to lose her."
Finn held his stare for another second, then shook his head.He turned and walked out.
The door slammed behind him.
[You’re going to lose her.]
The words followed Alpha Sebastian all day.
By nightfall, he was still alone in his office. The tower had gone dark around him when a key jammed under his fingers.
He snapped.
With one sweep of his arm, he knocked the keyboard onto the floor.
"I am not going to lose her," he growled at the empty room.
Then the memory came back.
Eira had stood there without blinking while his own housekeeper shoved a mop into his mouth. Her blue eyes had been cold and empty.
She had not looked angry.
She had looked finished with him.
The stench rose in his throat.
Alpha Sebastian barely made it to the sink before he started vomiting.