Alie reached for the backseat door to grab the shopping bags, but Gabriel gently caught her hand before she could.
"I’ll carry them inside," he said firmly.
"They’re not even heavy," Alie replied with a soft frown.
"Still, I’m not letting you carry them," he countered, closing the door. "Co on, let’s go in."
They walked together into the house and paused in the living room.
Just as Alie was about to speak, Gabriel turned toward her. "I need to head out for a bit," he said.
"Where are you going?" she asked, brows knitting in concern as she studied his face.
"Just so work," Gabriel replied vaguely, glancing at his watch.
Before Alie could question further, Albus appeared with a respectful bow. "My Lord, My Lady."
"Have one of the servants take these bags upstairs," Gabriel instructed.
Albus nodded. "Of course."
"You should head to bed now," Gabriel said to Alie, his tone softening as he looked at her.
"Hmm," she humd in response, deciding not to press him about the mysterious ’work’.
"Alie, please go on up. I’ll send soone with your things right away," Albus added politely after Gabriel left, motioning toward the staircase.
"Did Kate have her dinner?" Alie asked.
"Yes, the princess ate earlier and has already gone to bed," Albus replied.
"Looks like we’re the only ones keeping you up," she said with a hint of guilt.
"Not at all, My Lady. As the house butler, it’s part of my duty to stay alert most of the ti," Albus reassured with a kind smile.
She gave him a small nod before heading upstairs. Once in her room, Alie sat on the edge of the bed, poured herself a glass of water from the jug on the nightstand, and took a few sips.
A soft knock at the door interrupted the quiet.
"Madam, shall I co in?" a maid asked gently from outside.
"Yes, please," Alie responded.
The door opened and the maid entered, carefully carrying the shopping bags. She placed them neatly on the table.
"Thank you, and sorry for disturbing your rest," Alie said sincerely.
The maid blinked in surprise at the kind words, then offered a small, respectful bow before quietly exiting the room.
"He still doesn’t tell everything about his work," Alie murmured, a sigh leaving her lips as she stood up. She walked to the washroom to freshen up. Afterward, she slipped into a comfortable nightdress and tied her hair back loosely.
Returning to the room, she sat at the table and began unpacking the shopping bags. But before she could finish, a soft buzz ca from her purse resting on the bed.
Frowning slightly, she reached over, picked it up, and retrieved her phone.
"Flora?" Alie whispered. A furrow ford on her brow, making her wonder why she called. "I told mom to tell Flora not to disturb ."
As the call ended, Alie tried to return to her work, but the phone rang again almost imdiately. Reluctantly, she answered and held it to her ear.
"Why are you calling now?" Alie asked in a cold voice.
Flora’s voice trembled with remorse. "I’m sorry... please, just forgive . I regret what I did every single night." She swirled the glass in her hand, which still had so alcohol in it.
Alie’s expression softened slightly, detecting her unsteady tone. "You sound drunk. Are you sowhere outside right now?" Her concern seeped through despite her cold words.
Flora let out a weary sigh. "It’s a bar... a decent one, at least. I just don’t feel right at ho anymore. Mom and Dad don’t talk to like they used to. And now, with you not here either, it’s unbearably lonely."
Alie’s patience wore thin, and she was about to end the call when Flora’s voice broke. "Everyone in the pack hates now. I’m paying for my mistakes," she sobbed.
Alie caught every word. "You should’ve asked Gabriel to kill too, Alie. What’s the point of living like this? But I begged him to spare , I guess I was too afraid to die. Just like Alex, who got poisoned... maybe I should have t the sa fate. I’ve ruined everything, and there’s no fixing any of it," Flora confessed, her tears flowing freely.
"Don’t say that," Alie said firmly. "Go ho. Wait, I’ll send a driver to bring you back. Your parents may be angry, but they love you. They’re hurt, yes, but it’s not the end. You just need to give them ti," she urged, hoping to reach her through the despair.
"What about you? Mom told if Alie doesn’t forgive , she won’t either," Flora said bitterly. "Alie, why would you choose to keep the child of a man who once tried to take your life?"
Alie’s voice was steady but the coldness in it persisted. "I don’t owe you an explanation."
Flora’s tone softened, but the pain was still there. "Fair enough. But won’t the pup remind you of Alex?"
Alie cut her off. "Let’s not go down that path. Tell , where are you right now?"
Flora sniffled, wiping away her tears. "At a bar. I’ll book a cab soon. You don’t need to call at ho. You know, Zander lectured earlier. He has beco the Alpha of our pack. His words stabbed , but they carried truth. He warned against my immoral behavior. But I ignored him. Alex was his best friend, so he knew a lot about him," she mumbled.
At this point, Alie wasn’t even interested in what Flora had been blabbering. She simply put the phone on speaker while returning to the sofa chair to empty the bags, hearing Flora’s ranting.
"Alie, I’m sorry for everything," Flora again apologized in the end and hung up the call.
Alie simply stared at the screen and shook her head.
Looking at a photo fra with a baby’s face, Alie’s eyes lit up. "Where should I keep it?" she murmured, checking for a perfect spot in the bedroom.
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