Piss Off, Alpha! You Chapter 25 Cold Daughter

Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Cold Daughter

SOPHIA’S POV

I arrived outside Damien’s company late in the afternoon.nMy hands were tight around my bag strap. I had co with one clear reason - to ask Damien for help, to ask if Ashley could stay with my parents for the night.

I told myself it was practical.

This was about Ashley and nothing more. It would give Ashley so ti to bond with my parents. They would be happy to have her. She didn’t really know them that well. It could also be my way of making it up to her for not being there for her this morning.

We could spend so ti together tonight.

I didn’t go inside right away.

Sothing made

slow my steps. I soon knew why.

Damien stood a short distance from the entrance, near one of the stone pillars. Tiffany was with him. They were standing close, facing each other in a way that felt private. They hadn’t noticed .

I stopped behind the pillar instantly. I didn’t even think of my actions. I told myself I would wait just a second. Just long enough to decide how to approach them.

I could hear Damien’s voice clearly.

“You shouldn’t doubt yourself like that,” he said. His voice was affectionate in a way I had never heard before. “You’ve worked for this. You deserve it.”

Tiffany laughed softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing her nose against his. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s true,” he replied. “You’re talented. You don’t need anyone’s permission to chase what you want.”

She reached out and touched his arm. She did it so intimately, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Well, for her, it would feel that way.

“Thank you,” she said. “It ans a lot... coming from you.”

Damien didn’t pull away. He smiled at her, the kind of smile that softened his face, that eased the hard lines I knew so well. “I’ll always support you,” he said.

The words hit

harder than I expected.

Damien had never spoken to

in this manner before. I never even knew he could be so soft. He was always so cold to

and dismissive.

My chest felt hollow, like sothing inside

had collapsed without a sound. I stood there, frozen. I felt my wolf shrinking back painfully.

This was warmth. This was encouragent. This was gentleness. In fact, this was love.

And I realized, with so much pain, that I had waited years for this tone from him and received silence instead.

I rembered nights when I had been exhausted, scared, uncertain. Tis I had needed reassurance and he would ignore

even when I tried to talk to him. Damien was so indifferent. Watching him give Tiffany what he had withheld from

felt like soone stabbed

in the chest.

“Leave,” my instincts told

“Turn around. Protect yourself.”

Instead, I forced myself forward.

My footsteps were steady even though my heart wasn’t.

Damien noticed

first. His body went stiff. His posture shifted instantly. Even from here, I could feel his wolf pulling back behind his control. Tiffany turned too. At first, she looked shocked when she saw . Then, she smiled evilly.

“Sophia,” Damien said. “What are you doing here?”

I t his eyes. “I ca to talk to you.”

Tiffany tilted her head. “Hi, Sophia.”

“Hello,” I replied calmly.

“I wanted to ask if Ashley could stay with my parents tonight,” I said to Damien. “They’ve been asking to see her, and I think it would be good for her. She’s barely spent any ti with them”

Damien rubbed his temple. He looked a bit tense.

“Ashley’s been difficult lately,” he said. “I’m not sure she’ll agree to this.”

Then he looked at Tiffany. “Maybe you should talk to her. She listens to you.”

The suggestion felt like soone punched

in the face.

Heat crept up my neck. I felt humiliated. I stood there, watching Damien tell another woman to talk to my child, just so she could agree to spend so ti with .

I had been reduced to an observer of my own child. I was sidelined in front of another woman.

Tiffany’s lips curved in a slow smile.

“Well,” she said lightly, “kids go through phases. So parents just don’t know how to handle it.”

I swallowed hard. My pride scread, but I pushed it down. This wasn’t about . It was about Ashley.

“If that’s what it takes,” I said quietly. “Then fine.”

We drove together to the kindergarten. I sat in the back seat, silent, replaying the scene outside the building over and over. I wondered when I had been replaced. Not legally. Emotionally.

When we arrived, children were already pouring out, laughing and playing with each other. I stepped out first and scanned the crowd. I spotted Ashley.

“Ashley,” I called gently.

She turned. Our eyes t and her expression hardened instantly. Her wolf bristled so hard I could feel it. My own wolf whimpered.

“Ashley,” I called again, softer.

She looked away deliberately and clung to her teacher.

I felt pain grip my chest, but I kept my voice calm.

“Sweetheart.”

She didn’t respond.

The teacher looked at

before guiding Ashley forward. Ashley walked past

without a word, without looking at , as if I didn’t exist.

I stood there, frozen. My heart broke quietly in my chest as the distance between us widened beyond reach.

Where did I go wrong?