After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Alex, who had been stirring his juice absentmindedly, perked up at the question.

"Yeah! Mom took me to the movies once, and we played in the park a few times." He paused, his enthusiasm dimming slightly. "But she's been really busy. Most of the time, she was working."

Charles, sitting across the table, let out a quiet scoff. His expression remained neutral, but there was an unmistakable hint of disdain in his eyes.

Busy? What was Nora so busy with? Chasing after men?

Charles had a very low image of Nora: He thought of Linda as a higher and better person.

But every time the topic of Nora came, he thought her to be a fake woman who is only behind men and chases status without a class.

He didn't say it out loud, of course. He wasn't foolish enough to talk like that in front of Alex. But the thought curled in his mind, distasteful and sharp.

Linda, who had been reading a book in silence, flicked her gaze toward Alex as he absentmindedly reached for the book's cover, tilting his head curiously.

"This looks familiar," he mused, tracing the embossed title with his small fingers. “I think my mom has

this book too."

At his words, Linda's fingers, which had been lightly tapping against the pages, stilled.

Cole noticed the subtle shift in her expression.. just for a fraction of a second, a flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes before she smoothed it away with a practiced smile.

"Really?" Cole asked, his voice calm. "I didn't know Nora was interested in these kinds of books."

Alex nodded. "Yeah, she has one that looks just like this."

Linda let out a quiet chuckle and leaned back in her chair. "Oh, then she must have the beginner's

edition."

Cole's gaze sharpened slightly at that remark.

Alex, blinking in confusion, looked between them. "Beginner's edition?"

Linda flipped to a random page and tapped a passage with her perfectly manicured nail. "This is the advanced edition, Alex. It's the kind of content that even graduate students struggle with. Most people

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start with something much simpler."

She said it lightly, as if it were an obvious fact.

Alex frowned slightly. He was probably too little to understand it.. And he didn't seem interested either..

Cole, watching the exchange with quiet amusement, tapped his fingers against the table. "That's assuming Nora's reading the beginner's edition."

Linda's lips curved, her smirk small but knowing. "Isn't it obvious? How could she possibly...." stopped herself with a soft chuckle, shaking her head as if the topic wasn't worth pursuing.

Alex, still deep in thought, mumbled, "Maybe Mom has the same one as yours."

"She

Linda didn't bother correcting him this time, merely offering a dismissive smile before returning her

attention to her book.

Charles, sensing the change in atmosphere, decided to steer the conversation elsewhere. His gaze flicked toward Cole, and his lips curved into a sly grin.

"Cole," he started, raising an eyebrow. "I heard your family's been calling you back for that Blind Date Ball recently. How about it? Did you meet anyone interesting?"

With those words, he managed to get everyone's attention.

It was something Flora had heard about as well.

And because of that, she was even more anxious, her fingers tightening around the napkin in her lap as

she stared nervously at Cole.

Cole, however, acted as if she didn't exist. His gaze remained distant, his expression unreadable, and

when he did speak, his words were nothing more than half-hearted remarks, barely engaging with the

conversation.

It was clear he was trying to shift the topic away from something....something he didn't want discussed.

But the less Cole said, the more Charles's curiosity grew. He leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass in

one hand, his sharp eyes glinting with interest.

Say," he drawled, as if the thought had just casually occurred to him. "Coming back to the subject, how's

that 'aunt' of yours and Abby's doing now?"

Cole stiffened.

It was subtle....just a small movement, a flicker in his expression....but it was enough. His grip on his fork tightened ever so slightly before he forced himself to relax. Still, he didn't answer.

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Flora felt her heart skip a beat.

She tugged at Linda's sleeve under the table, her anxiety evident in her wide- eyed expression.

Earlier, Charles had spoken to her, as if trying to dissuade her, warning that Cole already had a favorite. She hadn't believed it then. She had dismissed it as just another one of Charles's games, another attempt

to manipulate her.

But now.....

Now, seeing the way Cole reacted.....seeing the way he refused to acknowledge

the question....Flora felt something cold creep into her chest.

After I left, Alpha