Filed to story: Watch Me Win Alpha (Olivia & Ethan)
I rubbed my forehead, heart heavy. “What if everything Chole said… what if people think it’s true? The engagement was real.
That photo-maybe it was staged, but I was really there. I did ask for fifty percent. The evidence is overwhelming.”
Olivia’s POV
“Olivia.” Her voice cracked with fury. “I swear to god-if I could teleport myself into that press room, I’d have clawed Amelia’s smug face off”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t have the energy to.
“I mean, what the hell is this? A childhood engagement? When did they get married 10 years ago, when there was no existence of Chole in Ethan’s life? What kind of sick logic-“
“Rose-“
“No. No, let me speak,” she said, her tone sharp but trembling. “I need to say this. I need to get it out.””
“I would put my entire damn life on the line for you, Olivia,”
Rose said, her voice breaking. “You arenotthat kind of person.
I’ve seen who you are. I’velivedwho you are. The world is losing its damn mind if they’re buying this trash.”
I swallowed hard, but didn’t respond.
“And Chole? Don’t even get me started on her manipulative little act. Suicide threats? Damsel in distress? She’s playing people like a damn violin. And Ethan-” She made a sound like a scoff. “If I had a dollar for every man who confused guilt for love, I’d be richer than the Hawthornes.””
My throat tightened. I forced myself to stay quiet.
“I remember when he was obsessed with you,” Rose continued, her voice softer now. “Do you remember? You’d be at work, he’d send flowers. You’d sneeze and he’d panic like the apocalypse was coming. I thought,damn, this girl’s found her fairy tale. And then-” Her voice cracked. “You were there for me. When my dad passed and I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks,youshowed up. You made me shower, you fed me, you pulled me through.”
“Rose…” I finally said..
“You saved me, Olivia. You don’t deserve to be the villain in anyone’s story.”
“I’m not trying to be,” I said quietly.
“I know,” she whispered. “Let me help. Let me go live or tweet or scream this from the rooftops-“
“No,” I cut her off gently. “I appreciate it. But I can handle this myself.”
There was silence on the line. Then, finally, Rose exhaled. hate this. I hate feeling helpless.”
“I know.”
“I love you,” she said firmly.
“I love you too.”
She hung up with a reluctant sigh.
The moment the line went dead, the relief I’d been holding together cracked like glass.
I set the phone aside and let out a shaky breath.
For the next hour, my phone didn’t stop buzzing. Messages, mentions, missed calls. But not from my parents.
That silence hurt more than anything.
They must’ve seen it. Or would see it soon.
I gripped the edge of the couch cushion, pressing my fingers into the seams. My heart thudded against my ribs like it was trying to break out of my chest.
Then I pounded the cushion hard, once, twice, again-like that could shake off the ache inside.
Why didn’t I listen to them?
Why didn’t I trust what they saw before I did?
I hated myself for being so na?ve. So blind.
So in love with a fantasy that didn’t love me back.
Author’s POV
Meanwhile, Ethan woke up hungover in a hotel room. His head pounded like a drum as sunlight splashed across the hotel room. He cracked open one eye, greeted by the ceiling spinning in lazy arcs. His phone lay lifeless on the nightstand. No texts, no calls.
He sat up with a groan, body pulsing with the aftermath of last night’s spiral. Memories trickled back in shards: The last night with Olivia. Her defiance, and how Alpha Alexander took away
Olivia from him.
His phone buzzed suddenly-Reed’s name flashing through once the device finally powered up. He answered on the second ring.
“Where are you?” Reed’s voice crackled on the other end.
“Hotel room,” Ethan croaked.
“Get dressed. We’re heading back to Hawthorne. Something happened.”
Ethan sat up straight. “Now?”
“Yeah. Just… get your head straight.”
Moments later, Reed/burst in, dragging him toward the door. Ethan’s feet felt lead, words like acid churning in his stomach. He realized something had gone terribly wrong-not just personally, but publicly.
Meanwhile, halfway between Wall Street offices, Alexander sat in his car next to Gai, reviewing a glossy tabloid spread.
Headlines screamed:”Wild Accusations: Olivia Manipulates
Romance for Wealth.”Photo captions implied outright scandal
Alexander’s face remained serene-almost statuesque-but something cold flickered behind his eyes. He’d seen media storms before, but this was uncomfortably close.
Alexander closed the paper. “Cancel the loans.”
Gai glanced over. “What?”
Alexander stiffened. “Cancel the loans for both Windsor and
Hawthorne”
Gai nodded.
“Effective immediately. Risk profile’s changed,” Alexander replied, voice flat as steel.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?