Stuck with the enemy

Chapter 40: Arranged meeting

Two days had passed, yet Deniz's presence lingered in my thoughts like a stubborn shadow. No matter how much I tried to shove her memory aside, she always crept back in—her voice, her questions, the way she looked at me as if she could see straight through my defenses.

I was halfway through knotting my tie when my phone buzzed with a message.

Paul:
"Alpha, don't forget—you have the meeting tonight with Alpha Morgan's daughter. We can't reschedule again."

I sighed, staring at the screen.

Me:
"What time?"

Paul:
"Eight. Crescent Moon restaurant."

Me:
"Ok."

I tossed the phone onto the bed and turned back to the mirror. The suit I'd chosen was immaculate—charcoal gray, tailored perfectly—but it felt like armor, stiff and suffocating. I tugged at the collar, my mind wandering back to her.

I still didn't know why she had been in my house that day. Something didn't sit right with me. I'd tried to probe my father for answers the next day, but all I got were cryptic responses.

"Dad," I'd said casually over breakfast, keeping my tone light, "I saw someone in the house yesterday. A girl. She said you'd called her here. What's going on?"

He didn't even look up from his coffee.

"Yes, I called her," he said dismissively. "You'll find out soon enough."

That was it. No explanation, no elaboration. Just a smug smirk that told me I wasn't going to get any more out of him.

Now, standing in front of the mirror, I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever she was doing here would affect me later. And that made it even harder to keep her out of my head.

With a frustrated sigh, I straightened my tie and grabbed my watch from the dresser. My hair was combed neatly, and I'd even bothered to polish my shoes—a level of effort I rarely put into this so-called "arranged meeting."

But tonight, every movement felt mechanical, like I was going through the motions for a play I didn't want to star in.

---

By the time I arrived at Crescent Moon, the restaurant was buzzing with activity.

Low golden lights reflected off sleek black tables, and the faint sound of a piano played in the background.

She was already there. Alpha Morgan's daughter—Adeline.

She was striking, with sharp cheekbones and piercing gray eyes that seemed to assess me the moment I stepped into her line of sight. Her dress was a deep emerald green, hugging her frame in a way that was meant to impress, but her posture screamed disinterest.

"Derek," she said, standing to shake my hand. Her grip was firm, her smile polite but distant. "I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"I'm here," I replied curtly, sliding into the chair opposite her.

Her smile didn't waver, though there was a hint of mischief in her eyes. "That's good. Because I'd hate to think I'm not worth your time."

I leaned back slightly, keeping my expression neutral. "You've always been worth my time, Adeline."

She tilted her head, studying me with a gaze that felt more probing than affectionate. "Then why do I feel like this meeting is more about obligation than interest?"

"Because it is," David's sarcastic voice chimed in, sharp and cutting. "Go on, Derek. Lie to her. You're so good at it these days."

"Not now, David," I shot back internally, though I knew it wouldn't silence him for long.