<h4>Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Cecilia Won’t Know?</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    The moment my hand identally brushed against Alpha Sebastian’s thigh, time froze.


    And then—Three pairs of eyes in the elevator nearly bugged out.


    "...What the hell?!"


    Harper instinctively yanked me back like I’d just touched a live wire. Liam and Beta Sawyer both whipped their heads around so fast I thought they might get whish. Their eyes stared straight ahead, nk as statues. Oh. Great. They were pretending they saw nothing.


    I wanted to die. Right then and there. I lowered my head, pressed one palm to my forehead, and started rubbing it like I could wipe thest five seconds from history. My cheeks were on fire. No—my whole face was burning. I could probably cook breakfast on it.


    Ding.


    13th floor. Sweet relief.


    Thank God I didn’t live on the 23rd or 33rd floor. I wouldn’t have made it. I’d have died of embarrassment before the elevator even got halfway.


    "Let’s go," Harper said quickly, dragging me out of the elevator like we were making a getaway. Her heels clicked against the floor so fast they sounded like machine guns.


    The elevator doors slid shut, and I wanted to crawl into a hole.


    I had just grabbed my boss’s thighs.


    His. Actual. Thighs.


    With my bare hands.


    "Oh my god. I need to fake my own death," I groaned, covering my face with both hands as Harper wheeled me into my apartment.


    "Not happening," she said, mming the door behind us like we were hiding evidence. "You don’t get to disappear. You’re telling me everything. Right. Now."


    I peeked through my fingers. She was practically vibrating with excitement.


    "There is nothing to tell," I said, voice muffled. "Unless you count me dying inside in front of my boss."


    Harper gasped. "You touched Alpha Sebastian’s thighs and you think there’s nothing to tell?"


    "It was an ident!" I cried. "It was the wheelchair. And Liam. And gravity. Probably."


    "Oh please," Harper rolled her eyes, parking my wheelchair in the living room. "I saw the way he looked at you. And that red face!"


    I melted into the couch. "Please. I need to erase this from my memory."


    "Absolutely not," Harper dropped onto my couch, crossing her legs and leaning forward eagerly. "Now spill everything. How did you even end up working for him? Last I checked, you were dealing with divorce papers, not job applications."


    With nowhere to run, I reluctantly recounted my encounters with Alpha Sebastian—the car ident, the charity g, and finally how he offered me the job at Silver Peak Pack headquarters.


    "Holy shit," Harper whispered when I finished. "It’s like the Moon Goddess herself is pulling strings with all these ’coincidences’ between you two. Maybe he’s your true mate!"


    I nearly choked.


    "First of all, there’s no way he’d ever be into someone like me.


    Second, I’m not looking for romance right now.


    And third, we’re strictly professional.


    He needed a secretary, and I needed to escape Xavier’s social circle.


    Working as the head assistant for the CEO of Silver Peak Pack helps me rebuild my career. That’s all."


    Harper raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You’re seriously telling me you wouldn’t go for that gorgeous Alpha Sebastian?"


    I knew she was just trying to cheer me up—trying to stop me from swearing off love after what Xavier did—but I’d already made up my mind.


    I gave her a t look. "Please. Alpha Sebastian doesn’t have to push anyone away. Most people can’t get within ten feet of him."


    I leaned back, arms crossed. "Beta Sawyer said thest woman who made a pass at him almost got shown the door. And that was someone he actually liked."


    I shrugged. "I’m not about to make a fool of myself like that. I know exactly where I stand—and I’m fine with that."


    "If I ever dared to think about him that way or touch him on purpose, he’d probably toss me off the nearest bridge."


    My voice was so serious that Harper actually paused for a second.


    "Don’t be so dramatic," she said, bouncing back fast.


    "You literally grabbed his thighs and you’re still alive! Maybe give yourself some credit—you’re not exactly chopped liver."


    Just hearing the word "thighs" made my whole face turn crimson.


    "I did not grab his thighs! You pushed me forward, and if I hadn’t caught myself, my face would’ve ended up nted in his..."


    I trailed off, unable to finish.


    "His what?" Harper asked, eyes sparkling. "His crotch?"


    "Harper!" I snapped, horrified.


    She burst outughing, falling sideways onto my couch while I red at her.


    Sometimes I wondered how we became friends.


    After ourughter died down, Harper seemed to ept that there truly was nothing between Alpha Sebastian and me.


    Harper helped me showerter that evening—my first real one since the ident. After five days, my wounds had mostly healed over, though I still couldn’t make any big movements without risk of reopening them.


    As she helped me, Harper worriedlymented that I seemed to be having the worst luck this year.


    She even said we should hit up church and pray for divine protection once I was back on my feet.


    By early evening, I was sitting on my balcony watching the sunset while Harper had run out to buy groceries at a nearby supermarket. The peaceful moment was interrupted by my phone buzzing on the small table beside me.


    I frowned at the unfamiliar Denver number. Seriously? I thought he’d at least leave me alone for a couple days, but it had only been three hours...


    Without hesitation, I declined the call and blocked the number.


    Xavier’s pov


    Across town, I handed my phone to Beta Henry, "How’s the apartment situation?"


    "All set," Beta Henry informed me. "You now own the apartment on the twentieth floor, directly above hers."


    "Perfect." I patted his shoulder in approval.


    I’d instructed him to arrange this the day I left for Singapore. There was absolutely no way I could allow her to live in the same building as Alpha Sebastian without me being there too. Winning my wife back would be a long haul, not a sprint, but I was prepared for the long game—even if her current attitude was unfamiliar and challenging.


    A pathetic whimpering drew my attention back to the hospital room. I entered to find Cici with swollen cheeks, an injured lip, and eyes brimming with tears.


    "Xavier..." she reached for me, her voice soft and pleading.


    "The doctor says you’ll be fine," I informed her, keeping my distance from the bed. "Rest a bit longer, and you can go home."


    My tone was detached, but noticeably less hostile than before when I’d wanted to kill her for what she’d done to Cecilia.


    Cici seemed to pick up on this softening. She kept her arm extended. "Xavier, can I hug you? Please?" Her voice trembled as she added, "I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just upset that from now on, I’ll only be like a sister to you."


    Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.


    Most men would fall for such a disy, and despite myself, I felt my resolve weaken. After hesitating briefly, I approached her bedside.


    The moment I came within reach, Cici pounced on me like a water snake, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.


    "Cici—" My voice came out rough, a warning.


    She just clung tighter, her breath hot and uneven against my ear. "Don’t," she murmured, lips skimming my jaw. "Just... don’t push me away. Your little sister missed her treat."


    Her fingers dug into my shoulders, nails biting flesh as she rocked against me, her core already wet enough that I could feel it through my damn pants.


    "Shit, Xavier," she whispered. Her hips rolled again, grinding down with purpose, her thighs squeezing tight around me like she was afraid I’d bolt. Maybe I should have. But the way her heat pressed against me, urgent and needy, made it hard to think straight.


    Her hand slipped between us, fingers fumbling with my zipper, and I didn’t stop her. The second she got me free, her fingers wrapped around me, stroking slow, teasing. "See how turned on you are?" she murmured, lips dragging along my jaw. "You can lie to yourself, but your body doesn’t."


    I should’ve shoved her off. Should’ve walked out before this went any further. But the second her thumb swiped over me, making me slick, my resolve cracked.


    Cici didn’t waste time. She yanked her panties aside, guiding me to her entrance, and then—damn—she sank down onto me in one smooth motion, her body clenching tight like she’d been waiting for this all night.


    "God, yes," she moaned, arching against me, her chest pressing into mine as she started riding me, slow at first, then faster, her nails raking down my back. "Feels amazing, doesn’t it? Being with me like this?"


    My hands gripped her hips, hard. My eyes squeezed shut. I didn’t answer.


    [Just this once.]


    [It doesn’t mean anything.]


    [Cecilia will never know.]