After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Arnold’s voice came through, casual but with an undertone of something unspoken. “Are you free today? Alex wants to hang out with Abby.”

Cole leaned against the wall, glancing toward Nora, who had gone back to reading but seemed slightly aware of his presence. He replied evenly, “I’m taking Abby out today. Maybe another time.”

Arnold let out a short chuckle. “You’ve been going out more lately.”

Cole smirked faintly, though there was an edge of something else in his expression. “Abby’s been opening up more.

She’s not as reserved as before.”

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call, but as Cole slipped his phone back into his pocket, something lingered in his mind.

Arnold knew all of this knowledge–probably even more than Cole did–but he had never been willing to teach

Nora.

His eyes darkened slightly at the thought.

The marriage between Arnold and Nora had always been surrounded by rumors.

Many people say that it was Nora’s underhanded tactics that forced Arnold to have to marry her in the first place.

Cole had believed it too, once. But after spending time with her, after seeing how she carried herself with quiet dignity, it was getting harder to reconcile that image with reality.

And then there was Linda–the woman who had somehow inserted herself between them.

underhanded, wasn’t

that Arnold had always resented the very idea of ‘mates‘–that he had resisted his connection to Nora not out of hatred,

fate, against something he

aware of what he truly

quickly, their conversation stretching longer than either had

about economics had seamlessly drifted into other topics–philosophy, literature, even the nature of ambition. Cole found

mind, the kind that dissected ideas layer by layer, always

slipped away, the sun was already beginning to

99.1%

the large windows,

in warmth,

her fingers resting lightly on

for today,” she said, her voice carrying an unspoken appreciation. “It

forming, “You

professionalism, maybe some casual politeness, but this–this warmth

Elisa had been

constant background melody throughout the

a strange but comfortable atmosphere

he found himself speaking without much thought. “See you next

was something steady

home first before heading off on her own, the silence of the car

they were simply acquaintances. That was all.

of his office, arms

been reviewing some documents, glanced up at her with a raised brow. “What?”