Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

29 Chapter 29

Valerie’s POV 1

Anna had been working at Nightshadow Industries for three days now, and every evening brought delicious updates that made my

vindictive heart sing with satisfaction. She’d call me after work, her voice bubbling with malicious excitement as she described how

perfectly her plan was unfolding.

“You should see her face, Val,” Anna had whispered into the phone last night, her voice carrying that familiar note of cruel pleasure I

remembered so well from our school days. “Every time I dump more work on her desk, every time I make her fetch my coffee, she looks

like she wants to strangle me. But she can’t do anything about it because precious Damien thinks I’m his long-lost love.”

I’d laughed until my sides hurt, imagining that pathetic omega bitch scrambling to keep up with Anna’s demands while pretending

everything was fine. After years of watching Seraphina somehow land on her feet despite every obstacle thrown her way, it was deeply

satisfying to know she was finally getting what she deserved.

But Anna’s best discovery had come yesterday afternoon.

“I found her address,” Anna had announced triumphantly. “And get this-I know where her little bastard goes to school. Silver Moon

Harbor Elementary, just fifteen minutes from the office. The kid gets picked up every day at three-thirty by some woman named

Ophelia.”

The information had sparked an idea so perfect, so beautifully cruel, that I’d actually shivered with anticipation. If there was one thing I

knew about Seraphina Knight, it was that she would do absolutely anything to protect that child of hers. Anything.

Which was exactly what I was counting on.

Now, sitting in Gabriel’s pathetic excuse for a car outside our cramped apartment, I dialed my mother’s number with steady fingers. The

phone rang twice before Elizabeth’s familiar voice answered.

“Valerie? What do you want? I’m busy.”

“Hello to you too, Mother,” I said sweetly, injecting just enough sarcasm to let her know I wasn’t intimidated. “I called because I have

some interesting news about our dear adopted daughter.”

practically hear Elizabeth’s mental gears shifting. “Seraphina?

was dead to

she’s very much alive,” I said, settling back in the passenger seat with a satisfied smile. “In fact, she’s

companies in Silver Moon Harbor,

the entire damn company,” Elizabeth snapped. “That girl chose

bed, and now—”

told you she could still be useful to us?” I interrupted, knowing

needed to make her think the

1/4

time. “What

quite beautiful according to my friend who works with her.” I paused for effect. “There are men out there who

woman like that.”

so complete I wondered if the call had

interested than before.

“What kind of men?”

deep pockets and flexible morals,” I said, my pulse quickening as I

his… wilder days. A businessman named Harold Morrison. Very successful, very wealthy. He’s been looking for a wife for

was quiet for a long moment, and I could practically hear her calculating. “How wealthy

bills ten times over,” I said, knowing I had her now. “Wealthy enough to buy you

of town. Wealthy enough to make sure you

person would be interested in

has already proven she can bear

I paused, playing my trump card. “The only problem

agree,”

had the right motivation.” I

Elizabeth’s sharp intake of breath as

said, triumph flooding through my veins. “And I know where the boy

had taken on that brisk, businesslike tone she used when she was planning something particularly unpleasant. “You’ve done well, Valerie. This could

sure I looked appropriately respectable. My blonde hair was pulled back in a conservative style. Most importantly, I’d brought

name as

ending, and I could see children beginning to emerge from the building in small groups, their backpacks bouncing as they ran toward waiting parents and caregivers. I made my way to the main entrance, where a tired-looking teacher with graying hair was checking off names

up my nephew, Adrian

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29 Chapter 29

curious. “I’m sorry, but

And

shared surname as I pulled out my driver’s license.

but we’re

the matching last name. “I see. And Seraphina

school, but the line was busy,” I said, my voice taking on just the