Chapter 30
\nMarked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 30<\/p>\n
Chapter 30 What Is Wrong With You?<\/p>\n
Chapter 30 What Is Wrong With You?<\/p>\n
Jake\u2019s POV:<\/p>\n
\u201cHas Deanna come looking for me?\u201d I asked Axel, keeping my tone light, almost indifferent.<\/p>\n
He was driving, but the question clearly rattled him. \u201cDeanna? Well, she\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I cut him off. \u201cSpit it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
He hesitated, then finally said, \u201cMistbane Pack secured their investment. I\u2013I don\u2019t think she\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
My brows drew together. \u201cThat\u2019s impossible. We\u2019re talking about four billion dollars\u2014there\u2019s no way Mistbane Pack pulled that off without my help. What really happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Axel cleared his throat. \u201cThere\u2019s a story trending online. Mooncrown Pack just invested eight billion into Mistbane\u2019s Moonline Expansion Project.\u201d<\/p>\n
I immediately grabbed my phone and searched it up. Headlines flooded my screen.<\/p>\n
\u2018Mooncrown Pack pours eight billion into Mistbane\u2019s Expansion Plan!\u2018<\/p>\n
\u2018Alliance formed between Mooncrown and Mistbane Pack!\u2018<\/p>\n
\u2018Deanna Wiley vs. Jillian Wiley! Real and fake heiresses battle it out for investor gold!\u2018<\/p>\n
\u201cThis round, the true heiress Deanna Wiley secures the billion\u2013dollar deal for Mistbane Pack.<\/p>\n
Front and center was a photo of Deanna on stage, beaming as she signed the contract. Her smile was dazzling, confident, and victorious.<\/p>\n
By the time I scrolled to the end, my blood was boiling.<\/p>\n
Deanna, you really pulled it off, huh?<\/p>\n
You actually went behind my back, found Luis, and closed the deal\u2013just to prove you didn\u2019t need me.<\/p>\n
Well done. Seriously. Well played.<\/p>\n
I could almost respect it\u2013if I wasn\u2019t this furious.<\/p>\n
I yanked out my phone, ready to call her. Then it hit me\u2013she\u2019d deleted my number last week.<\/p>\n
The thought alone made my chest burn. I pulled at the knot of my tic, nearly strangling myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cAxel,\u201d I snapped. \u201cGive me your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha?\u201d<\/p>\n
I snapped, voice rising with frustration, \u201cI said, give your phone to me. What? Did you leave your hearing back at home?\u201d<\/p>\n
He scrambled to unlock his phone and handed it over without a word.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t even think\u2013my fingers moved automatically, dialing her number from memory.<\/p>\n
She used to call me all the time. That number was engraved in my brain.<\/p>\n
Two rings in, she answered.<\/p>\n
But instead of Deanna, a stranger\u2019s voice came through.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Wiley, the eight billion investment from Mooncrown Pack should arrive within the week. Alpha wants you to finalize the Moonline Expansion Project budget as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
I let out a dry, bitter laugh. \u201cDeanna, you\u2019ve really outdone yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then, her voice came through\u2013cool, clipped, cold. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing left for us to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n
And then she hung up.<\/p>\n
I stared at the phone, still buzzing in my hand, vibrating with finality.<\/p>\n
I ran my tongue over my canine teeth, fury rising until it spilled over. I hurled the phone to<\/p>\n
the floor of the car.<\/p>\n
Axel let out a choked cry. \u201cAlpha? That was my phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
I growled, \u201cI\u2019ll buy you a new one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u2013I\u2019ll buy you ten.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deanna\u2019s POV:<\/p>\n
?<\/p>\n
I answered the call by mistake.<\/p>\n
The moment I heard Jake\u2019s irritating voice, all interest in continuing the conversation vanished. Without hesitation, I hung up.<\/p>\n
I accepted the file my assistant handed me and walked straight to my office.<\/p>\n
Once I sank into the couch, I pulled out my phone and opened my chat with Luis.<\/p>\n
Before the banquet, I\u2019d sent him a message. \u2018Can you make sure the Mooncrown Pack investment contract has to be signed by me?\u2018<\/p>\n
I expected him to ask why.<\/p>\n
Instead, he replied almost instantly with an \u201cokay\u201c.<\/p>\n
I stared at that one\u2013word response, absentmindedly brushing my thumb across the screen.<\/p>\n
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I typed, \u2018Thanks for today. Are you free tonight? Dinner\u2019s on me.\u2018<\/p>\n
In seconds, he replied, \u2018Someone\u2019s in a good mood today!\u2018<\/p>\n
My grin widened. I wrote back, \u2018All thanks to you, Alpha. I secured the Moonline Expansion Project investment\u2013and I got exactly what I wanted.\u2018<\/p>\n
Luis replied, \u2018So, that\u2019s it? One dinner for all the good things that happened today?\u2018<\/p>\n
I paused, genuinely considering it.<\/p>\n
Considering I scored a 30% share in Mistbane Pack because of him, one dinner hardly seemed fair.<\/p>\n
I replied, \u2018How about two dinners?\u2018<\/p>\n
Luis texted back, \u2018If both are hosted at your place, I might be persuaded.\u2018<\/p>\n
My heart gave a sudden jolt.<\/p>\n
Is he really talking about dinner\u2013or hinting at something more?<\/p>\n
Trying to compose myself, I took a sip of iced water and typed, \u2018My place is too small. I can\u2019t afford to entertain a big\u2013shot Alpha like you.\u2019<\/p>\n
Luis didn\u2019t miss a beat, \u2018Small\u2019s fine\u2013as long as it doesn\u2019t interfere with the real business.\u2019<\/p>\n
The real business? Is he implying\u2026 bedroom business? Ugh! This man is such a shameless flirt!<\/p>\n
I hammered out three exclamation marks in protest.<\/p>\n
Luis replied, \u2018What\u2019s going on in that head of yours? I meant having dinner. Obviously!<\/p>\n
Then, he added, \u201cBut if there are additional services, I\u2019m open to suggestions.<\/p>\n
Flustered and fuming, I swatted the air a few times in sheer frustration.<\/p>\n
This man! That\u2019s not what I meant at all!<\/p>\n
The afternoon meeting dragged on endlessly.<\/p>\n
By the time I got back to my apartment complex, it was nearly 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
As the elevator doors slid open on my floor, I spotted a familiar figure standing outside my door.<\/p>\n
It was Jake.<\/p>\n
He was still in a sharp black suit, tie slightly loosened, looking like he\u2019d just walked out of some high\u2013stakes boardroom\u2013stern, composed, and radiating that cold authority he always carried.<\/p>\n
His brows were furrowed, and dark shadows clung beneath his eyes. He looked like he\u2019d been waiting for hours.<\/p>\n
What the hell is he doing here?<\/p>\n
He\u2019d never once set foot in my apartment before\u2013always said it was too cramped, too modest for someone like him.<\/p>\n
Even from across the hallway, I caught the sharp scent of alcohol clinging to him.<\/p>\n
I instinctively took a step back.<\/p>\n
Jake had always been arrogant, obsessed with control. And when he drank, his temper went from bad to worse.<\/p>\n
Is this because I hung up on him earlier? Has he come to pick a fight?<\/p>\n
I paused, took out my phone, snapped a photo, and sent it to Peggie.<\/p>\n
\u2018Jake showed up at my place tonight. Guess he\u2019s here to say sorry. Peggie, looks like we\u2019re patching things up. Bet you\u2019re fuming right now.\u2018\u201d<\/p>\n
Then, I slipped the phone back into my bag.<\/p>\n
I figured I\u2019d just walk past him, unlock the door, and act like he didn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n
But the sharp click of my heels caught his attention. He turned around slowly, eyes locking onto mine like a predator spotting prey.<\/p>\n
I ignored him and strode toward my door.<\/p>\n
Just as I pulled out my keys, his hand shot out and closed around mine.<\/p>\n
Before I could react, he yanked hard.<\/p>\n
The keys slipped from my grip, clattering to the floor\u2013and I stumbled, crashing straight into his chest.<\/p>\n
I pushed against him, furious.<\/p>\n
\u201cJake, what the hell are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared down at me, voice low and ragged. \u201cDeanna, are you done with your tantrum yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
My tantrum?<\/p>\n
In his mind, everything I did was just throwing a tantrum and making a scene. That was why he never took me seriously.<\/p>\n
That was why he thought he could use the investment to strong\u2013arm me into submission again.<\/p>\n
I glared at him, voice like ice. \u201cDo you think I\u2019m just throwing a tantrum?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jake scoffed. \u201cAren\u2019t you? You d*mn well know Luis and I are sworn enemies.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet, you still went to him for Mistbane Pack\u2019s investment. Don\u2019t pretend this isn\u2019t personal, Deanna. You\u2019re just trying to get under my skin, trying to force my hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve gotten better at playing games,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThink whatever you want. We\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n
His jaw clenched. \u201cI never agreed to break up. That doesn\u2019t count.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes two to start something, but only one to walk away. You don\u2019t get a say.\u201d<\/p>\n
That hit him hard. He stepped forward, grabbed my shoulders, and shoved me up against the<\/p>\n
wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeanna, no. I\u2019m not letting this end.\u201d<\/p>\n
His sudden aggression startled me.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet go of me!\u201d<\/p>\n
He lowered his head like he was going to kiss me.<\/p>\n
I jerked away and drove my heel down on his foot.<\/p>\n
Jake let out a sharp grunt, staggering back just enough for me to twist out of his grip.<\/p>\n
I shoved him with all the force I had\u2014and slapped him across the face.<\/p>\n
Smack.<\/p>\n
The sound cracked through the hallway like a gunshot.<\/p>\n
Five red marks bloomed across his cheek, my nails leaving sharp lines in his skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cJake, what the hell is wrong with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-2113","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}