Aria’s POV
When I glanced at Peter, I noticed he was completely transford.
He now wore a crisp white shirt. His hair was neatly styled. He looked fresh and clean. That was fast.
My lips twitched."You’re already done?" I asked, half amused and half helpless.
His ears imdiately flushed again, this ti, they were bright red and completely exposed. Without the ssy hair curtain, the color stood out like a beacon.
My wolf huffed, half-amused. He’s trying.
It made sense. I was just a guest here, soone he’d opened his ho to. Nobody liked being caught looking vulnerable or sloppy in front of a stranger.
So I quietly looked away, careful not to linger on how much effort he’d clearly put into rearranging his whole presentation. I saw a flicker of disappointnt flash in his eyes. I didn’t know why.
"You were looking for the divorce papers?" he asked, his voice steady.
"Yeah." I nodded.
But as soon as I said it, Peter’s expression changed. It beca subtle, but unmistakably complicated.
And my wolf sensed it instantly.
Why does he look like that?
I frowned back at him, my wolf lifting her head with mild irritation."What’s wrong?"
"You didn’t find it on the bedside table? I left it in your room last ti."
I blinked."Ah?"
The surprise slipped out before I could catch it.
A heavy silence settled between us. It was awkward, thick enough that even my wolf shifted uncomfortably. The only sound was Lana’s loud, cheerful babbling from the crib, she was completely unaware of the tension between the adults.
Her little voice snapped back to reality. I scooped her up, breathing in her warm baby scent. While I began preparing her bottle, Peter, after asking permission from , started turning my room upside down searching for the missing divorce papers.
Eventually, Peter erged from the room with a puzzled expression, eting my eyes as I fed Lana on the couch. He scratched the back of his head, giving a sheepish, apologetic rundown of everything he had done. He told how he had taken the divorce papers to Hemsworth Group and slipped them between docunts that needed signing.
By doing so, Nathan signed them without knowing they were divorce papers.
By the ti he finished narrating, I found myself staring at him... with a mix of shock and admiration.
He still works at Hemsworth Group?.
Did it never occur to him what could happen if anyone found out he was helping like this?
"You still work for the Hemsworth Group?," I said carefully."Did you... not think about the consequences od doing sothing like this?"
He paused, then shook his head with genuine honesty."I just wanted to help you. I didn’t really think about the consequences."
I was baffled.
If I had known that Nathan had already signed those papers, I could’ve ended everything today. Finally cut the thread binding to him. But the papers... where were they? I wondered.
Had Peter perhaps misplaced them thinking he brought them ho?
My shoulders slumped slightly. After a long mont and considering the worried look on Peter’s face, I sighed."It’s fine. I’ll just print two more copies."
I looked up at him and offered a small smile."But still—thank you for trying."
The effect on him was imdiate. He looked slightly relieved.
Once Lana finished eating, I set her down and walked over to reprint the docunts. Peter stayed behind, sitting beside her. The two of them exchanged curious looks, and Lana imdiately reached out with her tiny hands, tugging his hair, patting his cheek, exploring him like a new toy.
He went completely still, as if afraid to move even an inch in case he startled her.
My wolf’s ears perked, amused.
As she played with him, Peter’s gaze drifted, almost unconsciously, toward standing by the printer. His expression softened.
I acted as though I didn’t notice.
*******
Soon after, I slipped back into my room to change.
The plain clothes I usually wore for cleaning were still folded on the chair, they were neutral colors, simple cuts, nothing that drew attention. They were the kind of clothes that made it easy for one to blend into a crowd and disappear.
But today... I needed to be seen.
I reached for one of my old dresses, sothing from a lifeti that felt impossibly far away. The fabric was soft beneath my fingers. It was understated luxury with elegant lines... and mories of who I used to be before everything fell apart.
When I slipped it on, my reflection startled even .
It still fits.
More than that, the dress hugged my curves, the cut flattering despite being slightly out of style. My wolf lifted her chin with pride.
I stepped out into the living room.
Upon seeing , Peter froze.
His eyes widened, darted away, then back again, only to snap away once more like my silhouette had burned him. His scent spiked with embarrassnt, warm and flustered.
I almost laughed.
"Peter," I said softly,"I need to make a trip to Hemsworth Group. Could I trouble you to watch Lana a little longer?"
He nodded so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash."Of course. Lana and I will be right here waiting for you."
The mont he heard himself, his face turned bright crimson.
Why is he so flustered? I wondered.
But I didn’t have ti to dwell on it. With the docunts in hand, I headed out the door.
---
Before long, I reached the lobby of the Hemsworth Group building.
The receptionist looked up, polite and neutral. She clearly still didn’t recognize ; I wouldn’t bla her or anyone who didn’t. Despite wearing better clothes, I still didn’t look much like my old self before prison happened.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Who are you here to see?" she asked politely.
"I am here to see Nathan," I replied calmly.
The mont his na left my lips, a flicker of shock crossed her face. Her scent sharpened, tinged with sudden nerves.
I could tell why, No one probably called Nathan by na like that, Not here in his company.
"I’m sorry, Miss," the receptionist said quickly."If you’re here to see Alpha Nathan, do you have an appointnt? If you don’t, I am afraid you would not be able to see him"
"Reaching his assistant will be just fine," I said evenly."Just tell him Aria is here to finalize our divorce."
There was silence.
Then—
A ripple spread through the front desk.
Every staff mber within earshot froze mid-motion. Heads turned in my direction. Their eyes locked on like I had just dropped a bomb right in the center of the marble lobby.
I could hear their murmurs.
Did she just say divorce?
With Mr. Hemsworth?
And that na she ntioned—Aria?
Is that really Luna Aria that went to prison several months ago?
The receptionist’s jaw dropped. She looked like she could’ve swallowed an entire egg without chewing.
I recognized the flicker of a mix of recognition and shock in their expressions.
"I’ll contact Beta Collins right away," the receptionist stamred, her fingers trembling as she picked up the phone.
She sucked in a breath.
"Beta Collins, th-there’s a woman here. She says her na is Aria... and she’s here to have Alpha Nathan sign divorce papers.
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