Alpha's Private Plaything (Elsa and Drake Stone) novel Chapter 296

Chapter 296

Ma, Allen admitted. “But I had nothing to do with it, Elw. I would never hurt you like that.

I nodded slowly, processing this, my teeth worrying my bottom lip until I tasted blood. ‘Why didn’t Drake tell me?”

“You’d have to ask him that,” Allen said, his expression softening. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about. He paused, his eyes meeting mine. Tm leaving for Kyoto next week.”

“What?” The news hit me harder than/expected, and I sat back as if physically pushed. For how long?”

At least six months. I’m joining a research project at Kyoto University, and I’ll be overseeing Moonlight Real Estate’s Kyoto branch while I’m there.”

“I… I see.” I felt a strange mixture of relief and loss, my chest tightening. “That’s a great opportunity.”

“It is,” Allen agreed. “I wasn’t planning to go so soon, but…” He trailed off, and I knew he was thinking of our conversation in the gardent at the Garcia mansion, of his confession and my non-answer.

“Allen, I- My voice cracked embarrassingly.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he interrupted gently. “I understand where things stand between us. I just wanted you to hear it from me before office gossip took over.”

1

I nodded, feeling a lump forming in my throat, swallowing hard to push it down. Allen raised his water glass in a toast.

“To new beginnings,” he said quietly.

I picked up my own glass and clinked it against his, the sound oddly final. “To new beginnings,” I echoed, my voice hoarse. “And, Allen? Thank you for everything. I mean it.”

His smile was bittersweet. “If you ever need anything, Elsa, just call. I’m only a plane ride away.”

He stood then, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking away. watched him go, my vision blurring slightly, feeling as though a chapter in my life was closing. Maybe it was for the best. Allen deserved someone who could love him wholly, not someone still untangling herself from a decade-long toxic relationship.

I had barely processed Allen’s departure, still staring at my water glass, when Bruce returned, sliding back into his seat with a satisfied expression,

“That was convenient timing,” I remarked dryly, wiping roughly at my eyes.

“Wasn’t it?” Bruce smirked. “I figured you two could use a moment alone. How noble of Allen to fly halfway across the world to nurse his broken heart.”

I narrowed my eyes, anger bubbling up from my gut. “Did you have something to do with his reassignment?”

Bruce’s expression was all innocence. “Me? I’m just a humble businessman with interests in real estate. Though I might have mentioned to Joseph that

Allen’s expertise would be valuable for the Kyoto project.”

“You’re unbelievable,’ I said, disgusted, my hands balling into fists on the table. “You deliberately got rid of someone you saw as competition.”

“I prefer to think of it as clearing the playing field. Bruce signaled for the waiter to bring our main courses. ‘I like you, Elsa. And unlike Allen, I don’t mind that you don’t like me back yet.”

“Yet?” I repeated incredulously, my voice rising. There’s no yet, Bruce. I’m not interested in you. At all. How many fucking ways do I need to say it!

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Chapter 296-

Ma, Alion admitted. “But I had nothing to do with it, Elsa. I would never hurt you like that.”

I nodded slowly, processing this, my teeth worrying my bottom lip until I tasted blood. ‘Why didn’t Drake tell me?-

“You’d have to ask him that,” Allen said h his expression softening. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about. He paused, his eyes meeting mine. I’m leaving for Kyoto next week.”

news hit me harder than/expected, and I sat back as if physically pushed. For how long?”

months. I’m joining a research project at Kyoto University, and I’ll be overseeing Moorlight Real Estate’s Kyoto branch while I’m there.”

felt a strange mixture of relief and loss, my

Allen agreed. ‘I wasn’t planning to go so soo ansion, of his confession and my non-answer.

ning. “That’s a great opportunity.”

ed off, and I knew he was thinking of our conversation in the garden at the Garcia

Allen, 1- My voice cracked embarrassingly

“You don’t have to say anything,” he inter gossip took over.”

2

rstand where things stand between us. I just wanted you to hear it from me before office

I nodded, feeling a lump forming in

hard to push it down. Allen raised his water glass in a toast.

“To new beginnings,” he said qui

I picked up my own glass everything. I mean it.

His smile was bith

He stood the

life was clo

toxic rel

the sound oddly final. To new beginnings,” I echoed, my voice hoarse. “And, Allen? Thank you for

thing, Elsa, just call. I’m only А plane ride away.”

squeeze before walking away. watched him go, my vision blurring slightly, feeling as though a chapter in my Allen deserved someone who could love him wholly, not someone still untangling herself from a decade-long

re, still staring at my water glass, when Bruce returned, sliding back into his seat with a satisfied expression

marked dryly, wiping roughly at my eyes.

Γ

igured you two could use a moment alone. How noble of Allen to fly halfway across the world to nurse his broken heart.”

bubbling up from my gut. “Did you have something to do with his reassignment?”

il innocence. “Me? I’m just a humble businessman with interests in real estate. Though I might have mentioned to loseph that be valuable for the Kyoto project.”

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