Chapter 31
Ophelia sat across from Mack at the long, polished dining table, her delicate fingers stirring her tea absentmindedly. The breakfast had been laid out before them, but neither of them had touched much of it. Mack’s mind seemed elsewhere, his focus distant, as Ophelia picked at the food on her plate.
“I can’t wait for the ball,” Ophelia said with a smirk, breaking the silence between them. “Federico’s pack hosting? How delightful.” She leaned back in her chair, her gaze sharp and full of amusement. “I just know that he’ll treat Azalea poorly. And when he does, I can’t wait to see the look on her face. That will be a sight.”
Mack shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hands resting on his lap. The tone in her voice made his stomach churn, and guilt began to creep its way into his chest. He hadn’t said much throughout the breakfast, but now, the knot in his throat grew tighter. He couldn’t pretend that her words didn’t affect him, and the bitterness in her voice felt too sharp, too malicious.
Ophelia took another sip of her tea, clearly unaware of Mack’s inner turmoil. “I can just imagine it now,” she continued, her voice light and full of amusement. “Azalea, standing there, all high and mighty, and then-Federico showing her exactly where she belongs. She may think she’s untouchable, but she’ll learn.”
Mack looked down at his plate, the food suddenly unappetizing. He couldn’t bring himself to join in on her laughter, the humour in the situation lost on him. The thought of Azalea suffering, even at Federico’s hands, left a bitter taste in his mouth. Sure, their relationship with Azalea was complicated, and his loyalty was, above all, to Ophelia. But this-this wasn’t right.
He pushed his chair back abruptly, the sound of it scraping against the floor startling Ophelia. She looked up, her brow furrowing as she watched him rise.
“I’m not hungry,” Mack muttered, his voice low as he stood from the table. Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the room, his steps brisk and filled with an urgency he didn’t quite understand.
He needed to get away from the toxic air that had settled around the breakfast table. It felt suffocating, the weight of Ophelia’s words pressing down on him. Guilt gnawed at him, clawing at his insides as he made his way down the hall toward his office.
Once inside, Mack shut the door behind him and let out a long, heavy sigh. He crossed the room and sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples. His mind raced, filled with thoughts he couldn’t push away.
How had things come to this? How had he become so deeply involved in something that made him feel so conflicted? He loved Ophelia-there was no question about that. But there was something about the way she spoke of Azalea, about her eagerness to see her rival suffer, that left a bad taste in his mouth. It didn’t sit right with him. And even though he hadn’t voiced it, he knew deep down that he didn’t agree with her.
As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, the door to his office swung open. Ophelia stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of Mack sitting alone, lost in his thoughts.
“You’re quiet,” she said, her tone sharp as she crossed the room to stand in front of him. “Feeling guilty, are we?”
Mack straightened in his chair, his expression hardening slightly. “I’m just thinking, that’s all.”
Ophelia raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. “About what? About how Federico will handle Azalea? Or maybe you’re wondering if he’ll finally realise that she’s a mistake?”
Mack said nothing, his jaw tightening. He could feel the weight of her gaze on him, the pressure to agree with her, to say something that would ease the tension between them. But he couldn’t. Not this time.
Ophelia seemed to sense his hesitation, her eyes narrowing further. “You are feeling guilty,” she said, her voice dripping with accusation. “You don’t have to hide it from me, Mack. I can see it written all over your face. You think Federico should go easy on her, don’t you?”
Mack shook his head, not willing to engage in this argument. “It’s not about that.”
“Then what is it?” Ophelia pressed, stepping closer to him. “Because from where I’m standing, it seems like you’re suddenly soft on her. Don’t tell me you’re worried about Azalea.”
Mack sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “It’s not about her. It’s about-” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s about us. About how we’re handling things.”
Ophelia’s eyes flashed with anger. “Handling things? We’re handling them just fine, Mack. Don’t try to make this about something it’s not.”
Mack opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get another word out, Ophelia cut him off, her tone shifting as she changed the subject.
“I have an appointment with the doctor soon,” she said abruptly. “And you’re coming with me.”
Mack’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What? Why?”
Ophelia shot him a sharp look. “Because you need to be there, Mack. It’s important.”
He shook his head, already feeling the weight of responsibility pulling him in another direction. “There are things that need to be handled in the pack. Both of us can’t leave at the same time. It’s not possible.”
Ophelia’s eyes darkened, her expression turning cold. “Oh, I see. You’d rather stay here and deal with pack business than be with me for something that matters?”
“It’s not that,” Mack said, trying to keep his voice calm. “But we both have duties. I can’t just walk away from them.”
Ophelia’s face twisted in anger. “Duties? Is that your excuse? You’re always hiding behind your duties when it comes to me. Always finding some reason not to support me.”
Mack sighed, his patience wearing thin. “Ophelia, this isn’t about not supporting you. It’s about balance. We have responsibilities, and we have to manage them.”
But Ophelia wasn’t listening. She stepped back, her anger flaring as she raised her voice. “I don’t need your excuses, Mack. If you don’t want to come with me, fine. I’ll go alone.”
Before Mack could respond, Ophelia turned on her heel and stormed out of the office, her footsteps echoing down the hall. Mack sat there, watching her leave, a heavy sigh escaping him as the door slammed shut.
He didn’t follow her. He couldn’t.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. The guilt that had been gnawing at him earlier only grew stronger. He wasn’t sure where things had gone wrong between him and Ophelia, but he knew one thing for certain: they were heading down a dangerous path, and if they weren’t careful, they’d lose themselves along the way.