Watch Me Win, Alpha

Chapter 16

Olivia’s POV

I sat curled up on the couch, staring at my phone. Still no address from Mike. Just those suit measurements, sent

hours ago.

What exactly was Alexander playing at? If he didn’t want the suit, he could’ve just ignored me. Was he testing me? Or trying to make a point?

Maybe it was just his way of saying: “Don’t come near me again.”

Fine. That suit would be the last thing to ever cross between us anyways. I didn’t pay much heed to his weird nature.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. I tossed the phone aside after switching off the screen and straightened my back instinctively.

Ethan stepped into the room and got straight to the point. “Where are your clothes?”

I blinked. “What?”

“Shoes. Bags. Jewelry. All your stuff. Where is it?”

My heart skipped a beat. Did he find out?

I kept my face neutral and forced a little frown. “Dry cleaning,” I said casually. “The clothes, and shoes.”

He narrowed his eyes. “All of it?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I got bored being stuck at home alone. Decided to organize the house. Honestly couldn’t remember what I wore last week, so I just sent everything out to get cleaned.”

“And the bags? The jewelry?”

“Maintenance. The diamonds weren’t shining like they used to. And most of those bags were getting scuffed. Figured it was time.”

My tone sounded flat but reasonable. He stared at me for a few more seconds, like he was trying to read between the lines. Then he gave a small nod.

“No need to rush,” he said. “There’s plenty of time in the future. You can take it slow.”

“I’m traveling in a few days,” I replied smoothly. “Wanted to clear things before I left.”

That seemed to settle it until his gaze shifted to the navy suit bag lying on the couch,

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moved toward it. “And this? Is

forward, stopping him from opening it. My hand landed on top of

moved. His face turned

my dad,” I said

eyes narrowed. “What

“What about you?”

“I’m your husband.”

bitter laugh. “Do you really need more suits? Or did you leave them all in Chole’s

shut him up. His lips parted like he wanted to

into

front door close and the sound of his car pulling

I didn’t think he would even notice the wardrobe-but today, he did. Well, it’s just a matter of days

morning, the sky was clear and bright. It was the kind of weather that

It was Sunday.

my keys, and

had gone there together. Back then, everything

back

were quiet – the school was closed for the weekend. I walked along the paths we used to take, slowly, like I was walking through a memory. The classroom where we sat side by side in the back row. The path lined with old trees where Ethan would wait for me after class. The field where we’d race until we fell over, breathless

laughing.

how empty it felt now. Not

behind the man-made lake. It was hidden enough

the night we’d come here. It was

brought me here, saying he had something important to

our phones for light, sitting on the damp grass. He pulled out a small box, and two pieces of paper. We each wrote something

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“In twenty years, we’ll come back and open it. No

were serious, glowing even in the

it together, right under a crooked tree near the water’s

dusty when the tip of the box appeared. I brushed the soil away care- fully and

I held it in my lap, but I

–

are better left where they belong in the

box for a long

“Goodbye, Ethan,” I whispered.

the girl I was back then. To the

Ethan’s POV

through the proposal in front of me. The formatting was off, the ideas scattered, and the tone felt like it was written by

leaned over my shoulder, her perfume too strong for this early in the day. Her fingers brushed my

trailed lower, trying to distract me with her usual tricks. “We

Olivia, but she knew how to seduce better. She knew all the tricks. But right now, her blunder was too much to