Chapter 98 Growing Regret

That silhouette. Serena ran through her mental files. She’d seen this woman somewhere before, she was sure of it.

The stare she leveled on Eira set off alarm bells for everyone watching, way too intense, way too unfriendly.

Professor Davies shot Claire a look. Claire got the memo instantly, stepped in front of Eira, blocked the view.

Eira ducked her gaze lower.

Sightline cut off, Serena moved to push forward. Victor grabbed her arm, hard.

"What the hell are you thinking?" His face went to stone. "We’re leaving. Now." He dragged her off ahead of the others.

Professor Davies called after them. "Take care, Dr. Winthrop."

Claire waited till they’d cleared the corridor, then let out a breath and slapped a hand to her chest. "Okay, that scared the crap out of me. I thought she was gonna rip that mask right off and go full catfight on our lead engineer. The nerve on that girl."

"You gotta understand who we’re dealing with." Professor Davies lowered his voice. "Victor’s not just some department head. He sits on the executive board here at Silix. Half the funding in this building’s got his signature on it somewhere. Nobody on staff is gonna risk crossing him over his own granddaughter."

"So that’s how she gets away with everything?"

"Pretty much. She’s been trailing him since she was a kid, sitting in on board meetings, meeting people most researchers never get within ten feet of. Picked up plenty of bad habits along the way too, talked back to senior staff, pulled rank she didn’t actually have. Nobody ever called her out on it. Why would they? Cross her, and you’re crossing him."

Professor Davies watched the two of them disappear down the hall, then shook his head and turned to Eira. "You good?"

Eira shook her head. "I’m fine."

She wasn’t, though. Not really. Something told her Serena might’ve already put two and two together about who she was.

Professor Davies caught the look on her face before she said a word. "We’re only a few days out from wrapping this. Even if she puts it together, her hands are tied. Victor’s got too much riding on this project himself, funding, reputation, his own standing on the board. I’ll have a word with him. He’ll keep her on a short leash, guaranteed."

Eira nodded. "Thanks, Professor."

The three of them started walking.

Professor Davies asked, "So, how have you been? You’re officially off the books at Sterling Group now?"

"Yeah, it’s been great. Was actually at a going-away dinner when the alarm went off, came straight here." Eira glanced at Claire. No point hiding it anymore. "Sebastian and I are officially divorced. Papers came through today."

Professor Davies just nodded, no reaction.

Claire stopped dead. "Hold up, you’re divorced? Like, for real, done, signed and everything?"

She’d known Eira was married since day one on this job. Knew she took that marriage seriously too, every time she brought her husband up, something in her face went soft. Cooking, cleaning, none of it ever fazed her.

Three years watching this woman run herself into the ground, juggling work and home like some kind of machine.

And now, out of nowhere, single.

Claire skipped the questions and just went in for the hug, arms locked around her so tight it was basically a tackle. Eira’s arms stayed pinned, no wiggle room at all.

"You don’t gotta kill yourself for anyone anymore," Claire said, voice wobbling, right on the edge of tears.

Eira let out a strained laugh. "Okay, you’re crushing my ribs here."

"Oh, my bad." Claire let go fast.

They reached the entrance just in time to catch Victor shoving Serena into the car.

Serena shot one last look back at Eira as she climbed in.

"Eyes front. You hear me?" Victor was done, tapped out, zero patience left for his granddaughter. He was hauling her home and putting her on house arrest, no debate.

Serena tried to explain. "I just wanted to see what she actually looks like. She’s always covering herself up. Is she hideous under there or something?"

"Ugly or not, it’s none of your business."

The car door slammed shut.

Victor glared at her. "Don’t you dare pull a stunt like that again. Next time, I won’t be able to cover for you. You are not taking my name down with you."

"Grandfather!" Serena looked genuinely hurt now, and angry. "So I’m an embarrassment to you? Is that what you’re saying?"

Victor kept his eyes on the road, face cold. He didn’t say a word.

That only made her angrier.

How could he think that about her?

Back at the Winthrop estate, Serena didn’t even stop to take her shoes off. She stormed straight upstairs and slammed her bedroom door hard enough to rattle the walls.

The staff exchanged looks. They’d seen this movie before, grandfather and granddaughter locking horns.

Out of the entire Winthrop family, Serena was the only one who ever dared throw a fit in front of the old man. He’d raised her that way himself, and no matter how worked up he got, he never stayed mad for long.

Victor turned to the staff. "Keep an eye on Serena this week. She doesn’t leave the house."

One of them blinked. House arrest?

"Watch her close," Victor said again.

This time, he meant it.

--

Upstairs, Serena, fresh off getting grounded, slammed her door again and grabbed her phone. Called Alpha Sebastian.

Third try before he picked up.

"What took you so long?"

"Still at the office."

"This late?" Surprise, then her tone melted. "Why’re you still grinding? Thought everything was locked in already."

"Running through it one more time. Can’t afford to screw this bid up."

"This is on me, Sebastian. Couldn’t do more to back you up. Grandfather already chewed me out over it, got me stuck at home, can’t even step outside."

His brow creased. "Serena, you really shouldn’t have told me that much. Could’ve blown up in your face."

"So now you’re blaming me too?" Tone snapping, anger bleeding through. "I did it for you."

"I’m just worried you’re gonna get burned over this. That’s it." He sighed. "Gotta get back to it. We’ll catch up once this whole thing’s done."

He hung up, tossed the phone aside, pinched the bridge of his nose. Head back, running on fumes.

The bid wasn’t the only thing keeping him up. He was also racing to lock down Dr. Shaw’s patent, needed it wrapped before year end so his numbers looked good walking into the big annual meeting at Carter Group.

He reached for his glass of water. Stone-cold.

His assistant and secretary had both left hours ago. The entire office was silent.

He was alone.

If I were home right now...

Eira would’ve clocked how wrecked he looked in about two seconds. Would’ve handed him something hot to drink, dug out the neck massager before he even asked.

Then it hit him: last month, when he’d barely made it home some nights, she’d told him he was running himself into the ground and made him haul the massager to the office with him. He dug through his desk drawers, found it at the very bottom, still in the box, never opened. A gift from Eira.

He sat there holding it, and for the first time in weeks, he actually missed her.

He fired off a text.

[You up?]

Nothing.

Texted his assistant instead.

[Car locked in yet? Once it’s bought, get her signed up for driving lessons too. Don’t want her onto it early.]

Assistant sent back a few picks. All twenty to thirty grand, nothing fancy.

Alpha Sebastian called him straight up. "Why didn’t you go bigger?"

Beat of silence. Then, careful: "Alpha... didn’t you say Luna Eira wouldn’t want anything too flashy?"