Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder by Alice Knightsky
Chapter 115 Madalynn Was Nothing To Him?
Soren smiled innocently, “I was just about to tell you that when Isis interrupted me.”
I couldn’t force myself to smile this time, and I heard him say, “I wanted to let you know, I found out the issues you had with your stepbrother, and I wanted you to know that you don’t have to worry about him anymore. It’s taken care of,” he smiled. “However, now I figured you probably would’ve handled it yourself. Very well done just now.”
Instead of thanking him, I only stared fora moment before I got a little worried. “You said you handled Derek?”
“Yes, Ro. He’s taken care of. You don’t ever have to worry about him again,” Soren replied.
My eyes widened. “What do you mean by ‘taken care of’…? Did you, did you kill him? That’s why Isis came?”
Soren laughed, “No! Of course not. I just made sure he knew to never mess with you again and then sent him far, far away.”
Although I didn’t particularly like Derek, I was relieved that Derek wasn’t dead.
“Soren, I appreciate you trying to help me, but you didn’t have to do that. The last time someone tried to take care of Derek for me, they just ended up creating this bigger problem for me later on, like with his recent demands you apparently found out about….”
Deep down, I had a bigger question- how did Soren find out about Derek?
“Of course, I found out, Ro,” Soren said. “I told you. I am in charge here. But I can a*s*sure you, this won’t happen again. Derek won’t pop up into your life again. When I say I’ve handled something, I’ve handled it.” Soren looked into my eyes and raised his eyebrows to emphasize what he was saying to me.
All I could do at this point was to nod and say, “Okay, thank you, Soren,”
However, thinking through what had occurred, I was getting unsettled. There were way more guards than I anticipated- even when I was back at the castle in Mirage, I didn’t remember having this many people watching me. “I didn’t realize… that there were a lot of guards in the yard.”
He shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal. “I guess they were following Isis from town.”
I felt they were not protecting me. Instead, they were…watching me.
When we finally got back into the house, Soren glanced at the blanket and teddy bear I crotched earlier. “Wow! It’s amazing what you can make!” he replied in his usual, casual tone, watching me.
As much as I wanted to appreciate his comments, I couldn’t stop thinking about the things that had happened recently. Ethan and then Derek.
How was I supposed to just act like everything was okay?
“Thanks, Soren,” I whispered with my back turned towards him as I smoothed the fresh blanket out in the crib.
“You have been really quiet lately… is something the matter?” he asked, his footsteps approaching me slowly.
“No.. I’m okay.” I gave him a weak smile and stepped around him and moved towards the dresserto put away a few pieces of clothing that Seraphine had grabbed from town for me.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re okay. You don’t even play the piano anymore.”
“I do,” I commented quickly. “I have just been so tired lately… the pregnancy.”
I looked towards Soren as he pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded with a small smile. “Alright. Well, why don’t we put the kettle on and take it easy for the rest of the afternoon?”
I nodded. I didn’t want to make it seem weird between us, even if I wasn’t sure about him constantly being around.
“Of course, that sounds great. I could use a break.”
He stepped closer to me, his hand pressing against the small of my back. “Well, let’s go get your feet up, then.”
Moving towards the living room, Soren motioned me towards the sofa. After I took my seat, he pulled the footstool over and lifted my feet upon it.
His movements made me slightly uneasy, but I reminded myself that he was just being kind to me. However, in the back of my mind, more and more, I knew he wasn’t as harmless as he appeared to be. He had gotten rid of Derek so easily and acted as if it was just another ordinary thing to do. Was it possible that all men of power like him and Ethan could do things like that? Were they all able to just snap their fingers and make people disappear?
Placing my hands on my stomach, I rubbed circles around my kicking unborn babe as I watched Soren move towards the kitchen, grabbing the kettle and filling it up at the sink.
“So, other than working on your projects, what else have you been up to?” he called from the kitchen as his eyes drifted back towards me.
“Nothing really,” I replied as a sigh left my lips.
I couldn’t help but notice that every time Soren came over, he was in such a good mood. The more he came over, the more I felt like I was constantly under his watchful gaze.
“I was thinking…” Soren replied as he walked back towards me with a cup of tea, “perhaps we can go get dinner one night.”
“Um, okay,” I replied hesitantly.
“You don’t seem to be sure about going. Are you sure you’re okay?” Soren asked again.
“Yeah, no… dinner sounds amazing. I’m sorry. I’m just so out of it today,” I covered, trying to get out of the depressed mood I was in.
Soren nodded slowly before taking a seat across from me and giving me a sad smile.
“I found something out today that I want to tell you, but I don’t want to upset you,” he whispered, giving me a small smile that made me wonder what had happened.
“Did something bad happen?”
Shaking his head, he scoffed, “No, no, sweetie. Not exactly.”
The affectionate word he called me caught me off guard, but my interest in what was wrong took precedence over the moment. “May I know?”
He adjusted the way he was sitting and clasped his hands together.
“I got word today that Ethan had gone back to the capital, and he and Madalynn are pushing forward with their wedding….”
A rush of emotions flooded me with Soren’s words.
Ethan had told me that Madalynn was nothing to him, and that he wouldn’t marry her. That he loved me and wanted a life with me and our baby.
“He said he wasn’t going to though,” I mumbled, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. “When is it supposed to happen?”
“Rosalie,” he said softly, “don’t do that to yourself.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to understand why I had believed Ethan before. My heart broke all over again as I tried to grasp the fact that everything Ethan had said before were lies.
He just left.
Left to marry Madalynn as if I wasn’t a second thought in his mind.
“When are they getting married?” I asked again as I looked up at Soren with tear-filled eyes. “It’s okay. Just tell me.”
“I’m not sure the exact date, but I heard it would be soon,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry, Rosalie.” Soon… he didn’t even want to wait until the end of the war.
“Soren, you don’t need to apologize,” I said calmly, trying to remain passive as I blinked back my tears. “Rosalie, don’t let him get to you. He isn’t worth it,” Soren replied, trying to rea*s*sure me and make me feel better. “You’re right,” I said flatly as I stood to my feet. “He isn’t worth it.”
I tried to rea*s*sure myself that what I was saying was true. I wanted to believe he wasn’t worth it, but yet, I found myself having to fight hard to not let my tears drop.
“Shall we find something else to do?” Soren asked, as he stood and met me at eye level. His hands caressed my shoulders as he tried to comfort me.
I shook my head and forced a smile upon my lips. “I appreciate it, Soren. I think I just want to take a nap. I’m exhausted.”
Soren paused, and he gently lifted up my chin. “I don’t like to see you like this.”
“I know, sorry… but I just need a little time,” I replied, trying to show him I would be okay. “Okay, pretty. You take all the time you need. Stressing isn’t good for you or the baby.”
Leaning in, he gently kissed my cheek. He brushed his hand against my hair, pushing it behind my ear. “Soren, could you please do me a favor?”
“Anything for you, pretty. What is it?” he replied without hesitation.
“Going forward, I don’t want to hear anything about Ethan, could you please do that for me?” He didn’t seem to be too surprised. He simply nodded and gently squeezed my hand.
“Thank you, Soren.”
“There is no need to thank me, Rosalie. I will always be here for you and the baby. No matter what, you will never be alone.”
I nodded in acknowledgement and rushed back to my bedroom and closed the door.
When I was finally alone, the emotional waterfall almost burst through the dam I had held together. However, I told myself not to cry.
He wasn’t worth it.
I told myself that I was emotional because I was angry at myself.
How could I be so foolish in thinking that things had changed with Ethan? Why did I allow myself to fall into his trap once more?
I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone, and yet, I was never good enough. He only took advantage of my love, lied to me, used me….
At the end of the day, I had become nothing more than a passing memory to him.
However, I was the one who fell for it all willingly.
If there was anyone to blame, it was me.
Never again would I allow anyone to hurt me like that.
I needed to be strong for myself and for my baby.
I couldn’t control what Ethan would do, but I could control my own actions.
The past was in the past. I needed to move forward.
My heart still ached, but I was able to force a smile back on my face.