Piss Off, Alpha! You Chapter 52 The Sudden Decision

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 The Sudden Decision

SOPHIA’S POV

I sat across from Patricia at the dining table. My parents and Marco were still in the living room, talking.

"So," she said with a smile.

I knew that tone. "Don’t."

"Lance seems like a nice guy."

"Patricia-"

"I’m just saying. He’s got that whole protective thing going on. He’s not hard to look at either." She grinned. "Plus your dad actually liked him. Your dad never likes anyone."

My face felt hot. "He was just being helpful."

"Sophia. The man took you to the hospital, stayed with you for hours, drove you ho, had dinner with your family. That’s not just helpful. That’s interested."

"We’re friends. We used to work together."

"Friends don’t look at each other the way you two were looking at each other tonight." Patricia leaned forward. "He seems like husband material."

My stomach twisted.

The word "husband" made my wolf snarl inside , not in anger at Lance. In anger at the mory of what that word ant before.

"I’m not interested in remarrying, Patricia," I said firmly. "I’m not interested in dating."

"But-"

"I can’t think about another relationship right now. I just can’t." My voice cracked slightly. I took a breath,. "I need ti to find myself again before I can even consider letting soone else in."

Patricia reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I understand. I just want you to know that you deserve to be happy. You deserve to have soone treat you right."

"I know. I do." I squeezed back.

I felt tears in my eyes but pushed them back hard.

"Maybe soday but not now."

"Okay." Patricia nodded. "Then I’m here for you."

"Thank you. That ans everything."

We sat in comfortable silence for a mont.

Then my phone rang. I looked at the screen and my stomach imdiately twisted.

It was the hospital director. Calls from the director were never good news. Directors didn’t call personally unless sothing was seriously wrong.

I picked up. "Hello?"

"Sophia." He spoke "We need to discuss your assignnt."

My wolf went very still inside . "What about my assignnt?"

"We’re reassigning you to the clinic in Millbrook Falls effective ton Friday."

My blood ran cold. Millbrook Falls? I knew that hospital. It was a tiny clinic that handled basic cases and ergencies.

They wanted

to leave in a few days? This was too sudden.

What the hell was going on?

"I don’t understand." I said. "My contract here doesn’t expire for another eighteen months."

"We have a critical shortage of surgeons in the rural clinics. Your experience and skills are needed there. The board has already approved the transfer."

"This is completely unprecedented. You can’t just transfer

without my consent. I have contractual protections-"

"The decision is final, Sophia. You’ll receive the official paperwork by tomorrow morning.”

There was a pause then he spoke. "I suggest you start making arrangents."

The call ended before I could argue further. I sat there staring at my phone.

"Sophia?" Patricia said. "What happened?"

This didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. The hospital had been praising my work for months. My patient satisfaction scores were excellent. My surgical outcos were above average. They had no reason to send

away.

Unless soone pushed for this transfer. Soone with money and influence.

Soone like Damien.

Could he be behind this?

"Sophia, talk to ." Patricia’s hand was on my arm.

I looked at her. "They’re transferring

to Millbrook Falls."

"What? Why?"

"No reason” I whispered, "This is Damien. It has to be.”

"You don’t know that-"

"Who else would it be? Who else has the power to make the board transfer

to the middle of nowhere?"

Patricia went quiet. She knew I was right. We both knew.

I called the director back but it went straight to voicemail. I tried the hospital administrator’s office but got the sa result. No one was willing to talk to . The decision had already been made and I had no way to fight it.

But I knew the truth. Damien was behind this. He was punishing .

I stared at my phone, thinking about how this all went wrong.

Klara’s footsteps sounded on the stairs. She ran towards .

"Aunt Sophia!" She ran over and hugged . “Let’s play spa. I got a new pedicure set.”

Patricia laughed. "A spa day sounds perfect."

I looked at Klara’s hopeful face and I couldn’t say no.

I nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it."

"Yay!" Klara ran to get her spa set. She ca back with a plastic tub, so bottles of scented oil, and a collection of nail polish that would make any salon jealous.

Klara helped

out of my socks, careful of my injured ankle. Patricia brought over a basin and filled it with warm water.

"This is for relaxation," Klara explained seriously, like she was a real spa technician. "It helps your muscles not hurt."

"Thank you, honey." I lowered my good foot into the water.

Patricia sat on the other side of

with her own feet in the basin too. Klara had insisted. She knelt in front of us, sorting through her nail polish collection and debating which colors to use.

"So what are you going to do about the transfer?" Patricia asked quietly while Klara was distracted.

"I don’t know. I need to see the paperwork first then I’ll understand what my options are." I swirled my foot in the water’

“I’m sorry about this Soph.”

I was about to respond to Patricia when I heard a small sound. I looked at my phone on the coffee table. The screen was lit up, indicating an active call. I grabbed the phone.

Ashley’s na was on the screen. The call tir showed it had been connected for almost three minutes. I had no idea.

"Ashley?" I said. "Sweetie, are you there?"

The call ended then disconnected.

I imdiately tried to call back. The phone rang and rang before going to voicemail.

I sent a text: "Baby, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize the call connected. Please call

back. I love you so much."

No response. The ssage showed as delivered but not read.

I just hoped she’d call

back soon.

*

ASHLEY’S ROOM (THIRD PERSON’S POV)

Ashley threw her phone onto her bed and crossed her arms. Her face was red and tears were rolling down her cheeks.

She wanted to talk to her mommy. She’d wanted to tell her about the picture she drew in art class today. It was a family picture with her and mommy and daddy all holding hands and smiling. Her teacher said it was really good and hung it on the wall for everyone to see.

Instead she heard Klara talking to her mommy all sweet and nice. She heard her mommy laughing at sothing Klara said. It sounded like they were all having fun together.

Why did Klara get to be with mommy when Ashley couldn’t? It wasn’t fair. Klara had her own mommy.

There was a knock on her door. "Ashley? Can I co in?"

It was her daddy. Ashley wiped her face quickly with her sleeve. She didn’t want him to know she was crying. He worried so much already.

"Yes."

Damien entered and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Did you try to call your mom?" His voice was gentle.

Ashley nodded. Her throat felt tight and hot.

"And she didn’t answer?"

"She did " The words ca out choked. "But she didn’t know. She was talking to Klara."

“Oh.”

He pulled Ashley into a hug. She buried her face in his shirt and sobbed.

"I want my mommy," she cried. "I want my mommy to co ho."

He sighed "I know, baby. I know."