Alpha's Regret: Losing His True Mate-Chapter 174

Elodie’s POV ~

I was about to turn off the light and walk out when I heard Sabina’s voice behind me.

"Madam."

I turned around. She was holding a tray with a bowl of something steaming on it.

"Aunt Sabina."

She smiled at me, giving me that warm and familiar stare. "The old lady left this when she visited. Told me to make it for you when I had a chance."

Nonna. Of course she did.

I nodded. "Thank you."

Aunt Sabina hesitated, like she wanted to say something else. Then she did.

"Madam, your things... Mr. Wilson had me pack them up at the beginning of the month. Everything’s on the third floor now. If you need anything, I can bring it down, or..."

Beginning of the month. Right when we signed the divorce papers.

"No need," I said quietly. "I’ll get them myself later."

"Alright." She paused again. "Should I take the stew to Miss Liora’s room?"

The implication was clear. I wasn’t welcome in the master bedroom anymore.

I took the tray from her hands. "I’ll handle it. Thank you." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Of course."

I flipped off the light and carried the tray back to Liora’s room.

After I finished the stew, I headed upstairs to the third floor.

My stuff was in a room at the far end of the hall. Tucked away. Out of sight.

Everything was organized neatly. Folded. Stacked. The room itself was spotless.

Aunt Sabina had been taking care of it. That much was obvious.

I grabbed the clothes and toiletries I needed and went back downstairs to shower in Liora’s bathroom.

After, I read with her for a bit. Some picture book about a turtle and a rabbit. She snuggled close, her head resting on my shoulder.

Then she yawned. "Mom, I’m gonna go say goodnight to Dad. You wanna come?"

"No, you go ahead."

"Okay."

She padded out of the room, bare feet on the hardwood.

Three minutes later, she was back.

"Mom, Dad says goodnight to you too."

I set the book down. "Okay. I know."

She climbed into bed and burrowed under the covers, wiggling until she was pressed against my side.

"Alright, Mom. We can sleep now. Goodnight."

I smiled down at her. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

I turned off the lamp.

---

I woke up when the sky was just starting to lighten. That pale gray-blue that comes right before dawn.

Liora was still asleep, her mouth slightly open, one arm flung over her head.

I got up quietly, washed my face, and went downstairs to the kitchen.

By seven, I went back upstairs.

Liora was awake, sitting up in bed with her phone. The second she saw me, she minimized whatever she’d been looking at.

I pretended not to notice.

"Go wash up and get dressed."

"Okay!"

She bounced out of bed and ran to the bathroom.

I started gathering my things, the clothes I’d borrowed, the toiletries.

Aunt Sabina then came in to collect the pajamas I’d worn last night.

"Just throw them away," I said. "Don’t bother washing them."

She looked confused.

"The other things too," I added. "Please just throw them out. I won’t need them anymore."

The divorce would be final soon. And after that, even when I saw Liora, it wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t stay overnight. Wouldn’t need pajamas or a toothbrush stashed in a guest room on the third floor.

I didn’t want to take any of it with me either.

There was too much history in this house. Too much pain tied up in every corner. Our marriage had been broken for a long time. The past few months, I’d barely come back at all.

When Dante had my things moved out of the master bedroom at the beginning of the month, it pretty much said everything.

Aunt Sabina got it. I could see it in her face.

She didn’t know what to say. Just nodded quietly. "Alright, madam."

I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.

The second I stepped outside, I nearly ran into Dante. He was coming back from his morning run, still in his workout clothes, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

He saw me first. "Good morning."

I nodded. "Morning."

That was it. I dropped my bag on the couch and went into the kitchen.

He headed upstairs.

Breakfast wasn’t quite done yet, so Aunt Sara shooed me out, insisting she’d finish up. I went back to the living room, grabbed my book, and settled onto the couch to read while I waited for Liora.

Time ticked by. There was no Liora.

I glanced at the clock. If she didn’t hurry, we’d be late.

Normally, I would’ve gone upstairs myself, poked my head into her room, hurried her along. But now? I stayed where I was and asked Aunt Sabina to go check on her instead.

It felt wrong. Like I was a visitor in my own daughter’s life.

Aunt Sabina noticed too. I saw it in the way she looked at me before nodding and heading upstairs.

"Changed books?"

I jumped slightly. I’d been so focused on reading that I hadn’t heard Dante come back down.

I looked up. He was standing there, freshly showered, dressed for the day.

I nodded.

He held out his hand. "Can I see it?"

I hesitated. "Don’t you already have this one?"

It was the latest AI journal. Back when we’d first gotten married, back when I still thought things might work out between us, I’d noticed he had a whole collection of these in his study. He subscribed to them. Always had the newest issues before anyone else.

"I’ve been busy," he said simply. "Haven’t had time to read it yet."

I heard Liora’s footsteps thundering down the stairs.

Without thinking too much about it, I handed him the book and stood up.

Liora ran over and grabbed my hand. "Mom, is breakfast ready?"

I smiled down at her. "Yeah, sweetheart. Let’s go eat."

We walked toward the dining room together. Liora glanced back over her shoulder.

"Dad, aren’t you eating?"

"I’ll be there in a minute," he said, still flipping through the journal.

Liora and I sat down. A minute later, Dante joined us.

He’d barely taken two bites when his phone buzzed on the table.

He set down his fork and picked it up, reading whatever message had come through.

I kept eating, my eyes on my plate. When I finished, I stood up quietly, grabbed the journal he’d left on the coffee table, and slipped it back into my bag.

Liora finished a few minutes later. She didn’t say anything to Dante. Just hopped up, grabbed her backpack, and followed me out the door.

---

When we pulled up to Liora’s school, I barely had the car in park before I heard a voice.

"Aunt Elodie!"