My hands curled into fists at my sides.


    She looked up at me with wide, fake-innocent eyes. "I''m just trying to protect you, Nn. From someone like her. A vixen pretending to be a victim."


    I didn''t speak.


    The hallway suddenly felt colder, like the shadows were listening.


    Felicity took my silence as permission. Her smile returned, softer now. Hopeful. She thought she was winning.


    But something twisted in my chest.


    Because for all her venom, she wasn''t wrong about one thing-something about that reaction didn''t make sense. The overreaction. The questions.


    When I opened my office door, I expected difort. Maybe awkward silence. At the very least, a bit of tension lingering in the air.


    What I didn''t expect was the sound of Ellieughing.


    Ellie''s POV


    I was leaned back on the office couch, had nowhere else to be, chatting with one of the omega maids like we were old friends catching up at a festival. I had a half– eaten bag of chips in myp and was crunching through them like this wasn''t the day of my own rejection ceremony.


    The maid was gossiping freely, recklessly. "And did you hear about Beta Corwin''s daughter sneaking off with one of the guards? Scandalous. She came back with twigs in her hair and imed she was picking herbs-at midnight."


    I let out a snort ofughter. "At least shemitted to the bit. Midnight herbalist sounds more noble than caught kissing behind a barn.""


    The maid grinned. "Oh, and don''t get me started on Elder Myra''s third wedding. They say she made her new mate sign a vow of silence before the ceremony. Can you imagine?"


    "I''d do the same," I said, popping a chip into her mouth. "Peace and quiet sounds like the best wedding gift, especially after myst marriage." My eyesnded on Nn coldly.


    The maidughed, clearly emboldened. "True, he never treated you well. Honestly, this whole ce is a soap opera. I can''t keep up."


    Nn blinked, seems unsure what world he had just walked into. But as soon as the Maid saw him, she shrank.


    Felicity stopped beside him, stunned for all of two seconds before her lips twisted. "Please,” she whispered." She has to be. You were everything to her."


    I looked up, acknowledging this pathetic couple. Why can''t they just be background noise? I didn''t even stop eating "Oh, hey," I said casually, "You''re just in time for the part where everyone assumed you two were already a couple. Right?" I looked at the maid for confirmation.


    9


    +25 Bonus


    The maid nched. "I-um-maybe I should go."


    I waved her off. "You''re fine. It''s not like they weren''t thinking it anyway."


    Felicity bristled. "You''re only still here because you clung to him like a shadow. Nn would''ve let you go a long time ago if you hadn''t begged him to stay."


    I stood, brushing crumbs from my fingers. "Right. Because staying in a house where


    no one wants me just screams dream life."


    "You always yed the poor rogue girl act," Felicity snapped. "So fragile. So


    obedient. Just hoping someone would look your way."


    I tilted my head, I was honestly amused. "You really think I had to fake being overlooked? Trust me. That part was very real."


    Felicity turned to Nn, clearly waiting for backup. "You''re not seriously going to let her talk like that, are you?"


    I beat her to it. “He is letting me," I said, shing a tight smile. "I think that tells you everything about this man."


    Nn still hadn''t said a word. He studied me, as if I was a stranger. But I knew- Nothing about me was the same. Not my posture. Not my tone. Not the way I looked at him.


    He needed to get used to it.


    I looked back at him now, eyes steady. "So, did you bring your little lover here to


    make things official? Is today the big day?"


    Nn stared at me. "What are you talking about?”


    I shrugged, then dropped onto the arm of the couch. "The divorce. Or the rejection


    ceremony. Whichever one you''re finally ready for."


    Felicity''s jaw clenched. "Gods, I can''t wait till he gets rid of you."


    I ignored herpletely. "Seriously," I said to Nn, "if we''re going through with


    this, let''s not drag it out. I''m sick of both of you."


    Felicity looked at Nn with wide eyes, expecting him to finally put me in my ce.


    I waited for him to announce the divorce. After all, I was just his useless Rogue wife.


    I watched him expectantly. God, I can''t wait.


    "I''m not doing it. I''m not divorcing you."


    He said.