Chapter 8：Actually, She Hates Roses the Most
666words
After what seemed like an eternity, his strained voice broke through.
"What do you mean? She was fine yesterday, and today she's dead?"
"That's impossible!"
Emily laughed coldly. "Don't believe me? Come see for yourself."
With that, she hung up with a sharp click.
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Meanwhile, Dane sat frozen at his desk, staring blankly at the phone in his hand.
The office door swung open as Mike walked in.
The two had always been business partners.
He set a coffee beside Dane's hand. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Emily says... Sophia is dead."
"What? That's ridiculous. Sophia's always been manipulative. This is probably just another one of her tricks."
Mike quickly changed the subject. "Flora just called. Her leg's much better. She wants us to take her home."
Dane felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Of course—Sophia had always been resilient and tough. How could she possibly die so suddenly?
This had to be a ploy she and Emily concocted to make him chase after her.
With this rationalization, Dane relaxed completely.
He grabbed his suit jacket and strode toward the door. "Let's go get Flora and take her home first."
In the car, he barely registered Flora's chatter.
His mind kept circling back to Emily's words. Emily had always been straightforward and honest.
She wouldn't make up something like this.
Flora pursed her lips, then said softly, "Alpha, are you still upset with Sophia? She's just naturally jealous because she loves you so much."
Dane slammed on the brakes, nearly sending Flora flying into the dashboard.
"Sophia is my mate," Dane said sharply. "I expect you to respect her. I may have had feelings for you once, but after being with Sophia, I realized she's the one I truly care for."
"I'm going to bring Sophia home. It's time we put this nonsense behind us."
The moment he finished speaking, Flora's pupils contracted to pinpoints.
Her face drained of color as tears spilled down her cheeks. "I understand, Alpha."
Mike exploded. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Shut up!" Dane roared, his Alpha power filling the car and silencing everyone.
They soon arrived at the estate, where James Butler rushed toward them in a panic.
"Alpha, Astrid is furious!"
"What happened?"
"Sophia purchased a burial plot for Astrid! The invoice was just delivered to the house!"
In the living room, Astrid hurled the invoice to the floor. "Sophia clearly wishes me dead! She's cursing me to an early grave!"
Her face contorted with rage as she confronted Dane. "Alpha, that woman is pure evil."
Dane picked up the invoice, a growing sense of dread washing over him.
"Oh my God, how could Sophia do something so horrible?" Flora gasped, covering her mouth in feigned shock.
"Alpha, she may be my sister, but she's gone too far this time. You need to put her in her place!" Mike demanded.
A terrible thought struck Dane.
Perhaps this burial plot wasn't meant for Astrid at all. Perhaps Sophia had bought it for herself.
"Enough! I can't sense her anymore! I can't feel our bond!"
"Have you forgotten? She lost her wolf spirit saving your life years ago. No one can sense her anymore."
Mike's words hit Dane like a physical blow.
That's right—Sophia had sacrificed her wolf for him.
She'd been vulnerable and human for years.
The invoice crumpled in Dane's fist as he stumbled backward, a memory suddenly surfacing.
He bolted toward the back garden.
He hadn't visited the greenhouse in months. Before he even reached it, the stench of decay hit him.
The roses Sophia had lovingly tended now lay rotting on the ground.
The Christmas tree had withered as well.
The wish orb he'd given her had shattered to dust.
The gardener kept his eyes down. "Madam said roses were actually what she hated most in the world."
Each word hammered into Dane's heart like a nail.
The pain was unbearable.
