Happy birthday
“She's asking for 20% of your properties, Alpha Vince.” The lawyer in charge of my divorce with Vanessa informed me.
“What?” Leonardo was the first to react. He seemed incensed by her outrageous audacity. Not as incensed as I was though.
“She's refused to bargain or reach an agreement. She also…” The lawyer faltered and paused.
“She what?” I asked briskly.
“She also threatened to involve the Pack elders if you keep insisting on divorcing her without giving her any shares.”
This is what I get for handing over my Alpha authorities to a monstrous son and his witch of a mother. They're using that authority to get their way at everything.
“Can I give you a bit of advice, Alpha Vince?” The lawyer asked solemnly.
“What is it?”
“Maybe…maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give her a bit of your shares. Certainly not all 20% but give her something. Trying to divorce her without any shares would be hard and seen as being wicked on your part.”
“Next time,” I began, with a muffled growl. “Don't offer advice when it wasn't asked for. It could get you killed.”
His face paled instantly. And he dropped to his knees. “Please forgive me, Alpha Vince.”
“Leave.”
He scrambled to his feet and ran off. I let out an exasperated sigh, pouring down the whiskey in my glass deep into my system. We were unwinding at one of my night bars in my Pack. Like I said, Trent could stop me from visiting the Packhouse but not visiting the Pack. He's not strong enough.
“Vanessa's one hell of a gold digger,” Leo commented, patting my back. “I don't wanna dare to imagine what misery you're feeling at the moment.”
“How would you dare? You're living with the woman of your dreams. I was separated from mine.” I scoffed, pouring myself another drink.
Leo's confused gaze was picturesque. “Wait. All this misery isn't about the divorce?”
“What bloody divorce?” I gulped another shot. “Vanessa can fight and squirm as much as she wants. I'm never giving her my shares. If she refuses to sign those papers much longer, I'd be forced to ask my men to bring her to me. She'll sign them with her goddamn blood but those papers are gonna be signed. One fucking way or the other.”
“Oh, man. No. Don't do that. Don't go that far. It'll only complicate everything.”
“The longer I stay married to that woman, the lesser my chances of being okay. I'm desperate to end this shitty marriage. Desperate.” I gulped another shot and checked my wristwatch.
It's an hour before midnight. Why wasn't he here yet?
Leonardo didn't say any more words. We just drank in silence. The wait was torturing. But then he finally showed up.
“Alpha Vince.”
I turned my head sharply. “Miguel.”
He bowed.
Leo looked at him and he bowed. “Greetings, Alpha Leo.”
Leo nodded.
Miguel went ahead to hand over his phone. I quickly swiped over to the gallery, and my heart swelled at the sight of Elena's pictures.
My Elena.
Her make-up today was nude. Her hair was in a ponytail. And she looked exhausted. Fucking pretty but exhausted.
“She had a meeting with the shareholders and stopped by her Father's Pack to speak to the doctor.”
I smiled, painfully. “She finally did it, huh?” Good. She gotta learn to start fighting her battles, one step at a time. “What did the doctor say?”
“He admitted to his crimes. But he also confessed that he was asked to do it. By Ma'am Elena's stepmother and step-sister.”
“Aw, that's shitty. First Vanessa and then Lucy? Those women are terrible.” Leo spat out.
I wasn't fazed. I mean, I knew all along. “How did Elena take the news?” I asked, still staring at her photos, enough to settle the longing in my heart. The aching in my heart from being forced to stay away from her.
“She seemed okay. She already had her suspicions.”
I zoomed in on one of the pictures, needing to study every feature of her face. But it only made my heart stretch in pain. I let out an involuntary scoff that pushed down a tear from my eyes.
“Excuse me,” I mumbled, lowering my head while dabbing at the tear with a handkerchief.
Neither Leonardo nor Miguel said a word. Both of them have witnessed first-hand how miserable I've been in the last two weeks. Leo has witnessed my drunk session and wails over how much I miss her. So seeing me get teary wasn't so shocking.
I'd keep her photos in my phone but I don't wanna do anything to implicate her or complicate this divorce process.
If Vanessa gets solid evidence of my infidelity if she knows I'm still not over Elena, and she gets something to prove that, she'd have every reason to push her agenda to get 20% of my shares, and I'd be forced to give it. So right now, I gotta stay clean.
Still, it was hard handing Miguel's phone back to him.
“She argued with Trent and Vanessa again. I think Vanessa hit her.”
My heart clenched at that. I grew rigid in my seat. “Why?” My voice held a menace.
“She stayed out late. And I guess they thought she was with you. I'm not very sure, I was outside. When I came in, it already happened.”
Vanessa hit her, but not Trent. It might be evil of me but I'm really wishing he'd hit her. It's the only thing that'd bust my head and push me into engaging in a bloody war with him over her. Officially.
And I need that push. I need him to make a wrong move. I need Trent to act out again. That's why I had Miguel stay close to her. So I'd know when he does it.
So far, he hasn't. And the wait has been killing me.
“Did Elena say anything else?” I asked Miguel, finally handing over the phone. “Any plans for tomorrow?”
“She has a meeting. After that, I think she's gonna be at home or be with her Father at the hospital.”
“That's it?”
“Why?” Leo chipped in. Even he doesn't remember.
“It's her birthday tomorrow.”
His eyes popped. “Shoot. It fucking skipped my mind.”
His mind and definitely Elena's mind. How could she not even recall her own birthday? How miserable was she not to pay that much attention to herself anymore?
“She didn't mention it, Alpha Vince,” Miguel said.
“It's fine. You can head back.” He bowed and left.
I drank with an excruciating silence, recalling how excited I used to be over her birthdays and how much I spent throwing parties for her from her 19th birthday.
I can't do that anymore. And that's what I'm grieving right now.
“You gotta learn to really let her go, man. You don't look so good. I'm worried about you.” Leo said.
I looked at him blankly. Everything he said felt like gibberish, especially the part about letting her go.
My watch beeped as it struck midnight. I took another shot of my drink, but this time it was for her.
Happy 24th birthday, my Elena.