Watch Me Win, Alpha

Chapter 17

I placed the box on a shelf in my new apartment.

I didn’t open it again. Didn’t even brush the dust from the corners. I wasn’t going to throw it away or burn it either. That memory-what we buried-it wasn’t just about Ethan. That paper held a version of me too. A girl who used to believe in something.

My phone vibrated. Ethan.

I stared at the screen. He’d been calling more often lately. Maybe he could feel it too-that we were done. That this thing between us was already dead. I didn’t answer. I didn’t hang up either. Just let it ring until it stopped.

A few seconds later, I got a new text. From Mike.

“Mr. Green will be attending a meeting at Ashmoon Hotel on Friday afternoon. You may deliver the suit at that time.”

Ashmoon Hotel? That’s… secluded.

My brows furrowed. Why would Alexander want to meet me at a hotel? And why now? I didn’t want to read too much into it. I wasn’t naive, and I sure as hell wasn’t desperate. But it did feel strange.

Still, I didn’t reply. Not right away. I needed to think.

Two hours later, I pulled out of the Duskhollow Pines gate, sunglasses on and my hair pulled into a neat low bun. But my fingers slammed the brakes the moment I saw that familiar blood-red Ferrari parked down the road.

My heart sank.

Ethan.

He was leaning against the side, smoking. His expression behind the curtain of smoke wasn’t hard to read. He was pissed off and intentionally was parked in my way.

I knew I couldn’t avoid this. I parked behind him, grabbed my bag, walked over, and slid into the passenger seat with- out being invited.

I spoke first. “Why are you here?”

His

eyes

didn’t move. “You tell me, Olivia. What the hell are you doing here?”

I frowned: “You followed me?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he picked up the phone from his dash and threw it into my lap. “Explain.”

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13:29

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I looked down. On the screen was a list of property owners in Duskhollow Pines.

closed my eyes for half a second,

a condo,” I said, calmly. “With my own money. From my own savings. It didn’t cost you a single

not what I’m asking,” Ethan said, jaw tight. “Why here? Why this

I needed to.” I turned toward him. “Do I need your permis- sion to have something of

that’s what this is about? You buying your

years. Building your

scoff. “You think I ever held

I didn’t respond.

are all expensive than this piece of property you brought. All I did

his black card, and shoved it

the card for a second, then pushed it gently

lips thinned. “You know I didn’t mean

and be an emotionless gold-digger. But I didn’t want to live like that. I had a self-esteem and a

but I don’t want to be bought.” I unzipped my purse and dropped his card inside. “If I ever need your mon- ey, I’ll ask.

my bag, but he grabbed

me at

paused. “You live your life the way want to, anyways. You can keep

speak. I

My phone buzzed.

be Mike? I didn’t reply to his text earlier,

Ethan noticed.

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13:29

narrowed.

toward me.

he could hear the name. “Want to say

He hesitated.

serious,” I

call on speaker. “Hey, Amelia. I’m with Ethan” I hoped she could get me and

deal.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were with Ethan. Never mind,

mine

I’ll have it sent over.” She

looked over at me, puzzled. “Since when are you two

“Would you rather we fight every

way to shut people like him would be to ask rhetorical

the engine. “I’ll drop you

still have

someone

I stayed quiet.

was tense. I pretended to scroll through my phone just to avoid looking

from the porch as Ethan’s car finally disappeared into the main road. I let out the breath I’d been holding. That was too

I stayed indoors. Didn’t step outside. Didn’t want to risk Ethan seeing me again. I knew he’d ex- plode the moment he found out about the divorce filing. And I didn’t want to be anywhere near that

planned a

I could be unreachable for