Chapter 4 Cracks in the Glass

Ciara POV

9:00 AM

The sounds of my alarm wake me up as usual. And I glance at the other side of the bed was cold empty. I stared at it for a few seconds and my chest rising and falling slowly, then I pushed myself up. I didn't really feel disappointed again. That feeling had worn itself out somedays ago. Now, it was just part of my daily routine. As

I moved through the bedroom quietly, washed my face, tied my hair back, and headed into the kitchen. As I prepared breakfast as the same way I always did toast some bread ,and eggs with my black coffee. Out of habit, I set two plates on the counter as I paused.

Then I slide one plate back into the cabinet. No point in pretending anymore

Nelson hadn't come home or had breakfast at home for a while. I hadn't expected him to. So I ate my meal standing up, i barely taste the food. My body felt light, hollow, like I was moving through air instead of time. When I finished, I washed the dishes, wiped the cabinets and grabbed my bag heading to the office it just another day in a broken marriage.

The underground parking garage was quiet when I got there. My heels echoed loudly against the concrete floor as I continue walking toward my car. I pressed the unlock button, reached out for the handle and froze.

A sleek black SUV parked a few rows away suddenly start

Running.

The engine purred low and smooth, like the driver is on emergency

My eyes lifted without permission.

Through the tinted back window, I saw him.

Nelson. Relaxing against the leather seat like a king on a throne.

And pressing against him was

a girl with short hair and a soft, round face. Young fresh floral laughing at something as he whispered into her ear. Her slim body leaned into him without hesitation, like she belonged there.

and I didn't.

My chest tightened sharply. Then a shout come out all of suddenly

"Alpha Nelson!" Beta Henry's voice cut through the air, sharp with panic.

Tires screeched.

The SUV jerked to a stop.

But it was already too late.

Nelson looked up.

Our eyes met through the thick glass.

His face darkened instantly, flashing black with irritation and something close to anger.

Mine didn't change at all.

I felt nothing.

No shock.

No tears.

Just a dull, dead stillness.

Across that silence, the girl finally noticed me.

She followed Nelson's line of sight, her eyes landing on my face.

For a brief second, curiosity flickered across her features.

Then-

She smiled.

And instead of pulling away, she wrapped her arms around Nelson's neck, pressing closer, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered something I couldn't hear.

But I didn't need to.

The partial mate bond flared in my chest, sharp and cruel, like someone had poured acid straight into my veins. My eyes burned. My lungs struggled to pull in air.

This wasn't private.

This wasn't a mistake.

She was challenging me.

Publicly.

Claiming her place.

My fingers trembled on the car door.

Every instinct screamed at me to march over there, to drag her away, to remind her who I was.

But I wasn't a wolf.

I was just a human.

A foolish woman who had believed in forever.

I tore my gaze away, got into my car, and slammed the door shut. My hands shook as I started the engine.

I didn't look back.

I drove out of the parking lot with my jaw clenched tight, my vision blurring, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs.

I missed the turn to the company.

Didn't care.

I drove aimlessly for nearly an hour, letting the city blur past me. When my chest finally felt steady enough to breathe again, I turned the car around.

And went home.

The apartment was quiet when I arrived.

Too quiet.

I dropped my bag on the couch and kicked off my shoes. I barely had time to take two steps toward the bedroom when movement outside the window caught my eye.

Headlights swept across the concrete below.

Nelson's car pulled into the garage.

My stomach sank, twisting with a mix of dread and slow-burning anger.

I turned away from the window and walked straight into the bedroom.

The walk-in closet felt too small, too tight. I stood in front of the glass cabinet and reached for the diamond necklace he'd given me last month.

Another apology wrapped in glitter.

Another lie.

I unclasped it slowly, letting it slide into my palm.

Before I could put it away-

A wall of muscle pressed suddenly against my back.

I stiffened.

The familiar cold scent wrapped around me, sharp and suffocating. Once, it had meant safety. Comfort.

Now, it made my skin crawl.

Nelson braced his hands on the glass cabinet on either side of me, caging me in. His reflection stared back at me from the mirror, eyes dark, expression unreadable.

"Are you angry?" he asked.

That tone.

Commanding.

Possessive.

The tone that had once made my knees weak.

I didn't look at him.

I placed the necklace carefully back into its box, my movements slow and deliberate.

"For what?" I asked calmly. "I thought she was your sister. Why should I be mad at you and your so-called sister?"

The air shifted.

Nelson went still.

His wolf stirred beneath his skin, assessing, listening.

He watched me for a long moment before speaking again, his voice carefully controlled.

"The Ned family is interested in collaborating with us on the Star Energy Project," he said. "I've been in discussions with Davin, their eldest son. The girl you saw is his sister."

I turned then.

Slowly.

Faced him fully.

"So," I said quietly, "you need to get cozy with his sister to secure his business?"

My gaze sharpened.

"Is that how the powerful Alpha Nelson handles his deals now?"

His jaw tightened.

"I'm trying to explain," he snapped. "So don't assume everything bad about me. And stop being sarcastic."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

"There's nothing to explain," I said. "If you're tired of me as your wife, I don't mind stepping aside. Let her come in. Make her your new Luna."

I turned to leave.

The next second, his hand closed around my wrist.

Hard.

He yanked me back against him.

"Did you mean that?" he growled, eyes glowing faintly red.

I looked up at him.

Unflinching.

"If you want a divorce," I said clearly, "I can give it to you."

His wolf surged.

The room filled with pressure, thick and heavy. His face flushed, anger rolling off him in waves I could almost taste.

"Don't even think of leaving me," he snarled.

I inhaled slowly.

I had already set plans in motion.

But I didn't say that.

Instead, I whispered, "You're hurting me."

His grip loosened instantly.

He stepped back like he'd been burned.

For a moment, something like guilt flickered in his eyes.

Then it vanished.

Without another word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door to his office behind him.

The sound echoed through the apartment.

I stood there, rubbing my wrist, staring at the empty space he'd left behind.

My heart was calm.

Too calm.

And that scared me more than his anger ever could.

Because calm meant I was already gone.

That night, I packed another small box.

Quietly.

Carefully.

One more month.

And then I would leave.