Chapter 37

Chapter 37
Violet's POV:

Lily shook her head. "I didn't go myself. I had my parents go instead."

My eyebrows rose. "Your parents?"

"Yes," Lily smiled. "My mom and Dad went straight to Blackwood Dynamics HR and made a huge scene."

She leaned back. "HR was so horrified by the optics that they terminated him on the spot."

I felt a cold smile tug at my lips. "And Connor?"

"He called me right after, practically in tears," Lily said, and now there was something cruel in her smile. "Begging for forgiveness, saying he made a terrible mistake, that he still loves me."

Her voice took on a mocking quality. "So I told him I still love him too, that I want to use my savings to help him start over somewhere new, away from this city. But my parents are threatening to disown me if I stay with him."

"And he believed you?" I asked.

"Completely," Lily said with satisfaction.

"That performance was Oscar-worthy," Sienna said approvingly. "The 'I love you but my parents won't let us be together' act is going to make him suffer so much more."

"He'll be desperate and miserable, thinking he lost everything including the one person who still believed in him," Jade added.

Before I could respond, the door opened again and Evan walked in. His expression was professionally neutral, but his eyes swept across the room, taking in all three of my friends gathered around my bed.

"Quite the gathering," he observed carefully. "Ms. Price, Ms. Walsh, Ms. Rivers. I wasn't aware we were having a party in the patient's room."

"We should probably get going anyway," Sienna said, standing up and gathering her things. "Let the doctor do his job."

Lily gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Text me later?"

"Of course," I agreed, watching as they filed out one by one.

Evan waited until their footsteps faded down the hallway before turning his full attention to me. "How are you feeling this afternoon?"

"Much better," I replied honestly.

He moved closer, examining the bandages. "I need to check for any signs of infection. This might be uncomfortable."

I nodded, bracing myself as he carefully peeled back part of the dressing. The movement sent sharp pain across my back, but I kept my breathing steady.

"The wounds are healing faster than I expected," Evan admitted. "Your wolf is doing good work repairing the damage."

He paused. "You were incredibly lucky, Violet. If that wolf's claws had been angled just slightly different, we'd be having a very different conversation."

"Lucky seems generous," I muttered. "Getting attacked doesn't feel particularly fortunate."

Evan stepped back, studying my face. "What I'm more curious about is what caused the negotiation to go so badly."

I thought about Daemon emerging from the building with his expression dark and closed off. "I stayed outside during the actual negotiation."

I took the water cup he offered. "But whatever Daemon said or did, it clearly wasn't the humble approach I expected."

"Why would you expect that?" Evan asked.

I considered how much to reveal. "Because Wade Morrison is Celeste Morrison's uncle. And Daemon has been pursuing Celeste for months."

I watched Evan's face carefully. "I assumed he'd use this as an opportunity to play the sympathetic Alpha in front of her family."

"But instead he came out looking like the ruthless businessman they were protesting against."

"Except it is your business," Evan countered, his voice dropping lower. "You're still bonded to him, Violet. When he finally marks Celeste, the feedback through your existing bond is going to be excruciating."

The reminder sent ice through my veins. "I know. But until Daemon is ready to acknowledge he's found his true mate and wants the rejection ceremony, there's not much I can do except wait."

Before Evan could respond, the door opened and Daemon walked in carrying an insulated bag.

He stopped when he saw Evan standing beside my bed.

"Dr. Thorne," he said with cold politeness. "I wasn't aware my luna required additional medical attention this afternoon."

I saw Evan's jaw tighten before he responded with cool professionalism. "Just a routine check of her wounds, Alpha Blackwood. Everything appears to be healing well."

He turned to me with a slight smile. "I'll be back tomorrow morning to change your dressings. Try to get some rest."

"Thank you, Evan," I said quietly, watching as he left.

Daemon watched until Evan disappeared before turning his full attention to me.

"I brought you dinner," he said finally, moving to set the bag on the rolling table beside my bed. "Ruby made your favorites before she left."

"Left?"

"Yes," Daemon confirmed, unpacking containers with methodical efficiency. "I arranged for a car to take her to her place and advanced her three months' severance."

"Daemon, why did you fire Ruby?"

His hands stilled on the containers. When he finally looked up, his eyes were unreadable. "Because she's Wade Morrison's sister."

It was a reasonable explanation. "And you're certain that's the only reason?"

"What are you implying?" he asked.

I found myself backing down. "Nothing. I'm sure you had your reasons. Thank you for bringing dinner."

Daemon settled into the chair, pulling out his phone and beginning to scroll through messages with focused intensity.

I ate in silence, watching him from beneath my lashes.

"I have to go," he said abruptly, standing up. "Eat the rest of your dinner and get some rest. I'll check on you tomorrow."

He was gone before I could respond.

I finished eating mechanically, no longer really tasting the food. I reached for my phone on the bedside table.

Messages from Sienna, Jade, and Mom waited. I typed quick responses, grateful for these women who actually gave a damn.

I was just setting the phone down when it rang. Celeste called.

"Hello?"

"Violet." Celeste's voice came through clear but hesitant. "I hope I'm not calling at a bad time. I heard about what happened at the mine, and I wanted to check on you."

My entire body went rigid. I forced myself to take a slow breath. "Celeste. This is unexpected."

"I know we're not exactly close," she continued. "But when I found out that my uncle Wade's subordinate had attacked you, I felt like I needed to reach out. On behalf of my uncle and our family, I want to apologize."

"It wasn't your uncle's fault," I said carefully. "The man who attacked me acted on his own."

I paused, then added with deliberate casualness, "Though I was sorry to hear that one of our household staff had to be let go because of the family connection. Ruby was excellent at her job."

The silence on the other end stretched just a beat too long before she responded. "Yes, my mother told me about losing her position. It's unfortunate."

"I suppose," I agreed neutrally, though inside I was analyzing every word.

"Well, I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and hoping for your quick recovery," Celeste said. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out."

"That's very kind of you," I replied. "Thank you for calling, Celeste."

We exchanged a few more pleasantries before ending the call.

I set the phone down and stared at the ceiling. Celeste knew about Ruby being fired. She knew her uncle's subordinate had attacked me.

But most importantly, she gave absolutely no indication of knowing that Daemon was my mate, that she was actively pursuing my mate.

She was playing dumb.

Sleep came fitfully that night, interrupted by dreams of Daemon's ice-cold eyes and Celeste's carefully neutral expression.

By morning I felt more exhausted than when I'd gone to bed.

The next morning came too quickly. I was pulled from another restless dream by the sound of the door opening.

I expected to see a nurse or maybe Mom, but instead Daemon walked in carrying another insulated bag.

"Good morning," he said, his voice carefully neutral as he set the bag down. "I brought breakfast."

I blinked at him in confusion. "You came back?"

"I said I would check on you," he replied, beginning to unpack containers. "How are you feeling? Any increased pain or fever overnight?"

"No," I said slowly, watching him with growing suspicion. "Daemon, what are you doing?"

"Bringing my injured luna breakfast," he said, not meeting my eyes. "Is that so strange?"

"Yes," I said bluntly. "It is."

His jaw tightened, but he still didn't look at me directly. "Can't I be concerned about your wellbeing?"

"Not when your track record suggests otherwise," I countered, pushing myself up to a sitting position despite the protest from my back.

"Violet," he said slowly, each word measured and deliberate, "I have a question I need to ask you, and I need you to answer honestly."

My stomach dropped instantly because I knew from his tone that whatever he was about to ask was going to be dangerous territory.

"Alright," I said carefully.

He was quiet for a moment, studying my face with uncomfortable intensity.

Then he finally spoke the words that made my blood run cold.

"You already knew Celeste Morrison, didn't you? And you already knew Ruby was her mother when you hired her."