Piss Off, Alpha! You Lost Me Forever-Chapter 84 Bad Marriage

SOPHIA’S POV

Marcel’s hand was still reaching for me when I shoved him hard in the chest. He stumbled backward, but I’d put too much force into it. My heel caught on the uneven tile and I lost my balance.

Suddenly, I felt myself falling forward. I was scared, already preparing myself for the fall but strong hands caught me before I hit the ground.

I looked up and found myself staring directly into Damien’s eyes. His hands were firm on my waist, and we were so close I could feel the heat radiating from his body. For a split second, I saw something in his dark eyes - something that looked almost like concern.

Then it was gone.

"Careful," he said. His voice was flat and emotionless. He set me back on my feet and immediately dropped his hands, like touching me had burned him.

My wolf whimpered in my chest. She still responded to his nearness despite everything. I hated that she still reacted to him, still recognized him as our mate even though he’d rejected everything we were supposed to be together.

"Well, well," Simon said, stepping forward with that stupid smirk on his face. "Isn’t this cozy? First we catch you with Lance in some cheap apartment, now you’re getting handsy with your friend’s boyfriend in a restaurant hallway. Tell me, Sophia, is there anyone you won’t throw yourself at?"

I felt my cheeks get heated but it wasn’t embarrassment. It was pure rage.

"Throw myself at?" I repeated. "Are you blind or just stupid? He was forcing himself on me."

Simon laughed. "From where I was standing, you looked pretty willing."

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I could feel my wolf stirring, wanting to come out, wanting to show this arrogant bastard exactly what happened to people who disrespected us. But I pushed her down. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

"You saw what you wanted to see," I said coldly. "Just like you always do."

"Sophia, please," Marcel cut in "Don’t make this worse than it is. I was just trying to have a friendly conversation—"

"Friendly?" I turned on him. "You were hitting on another woman while your girlfriend sat twenty feet away, then you tried to corner me. That’s not friendly. That’s predatory."

Marcel’s eyes went dark. His wolf must have been close to the surface too, because I caught a flash of gold in his irises before he blinked it away.

"You’re imagining things," he said smoothly. "Maybe you’ve been under too much stress lately. I hear bad marriages can do that to a person."

His words hit deep inside me. The insult hit its mark, but I didn’t let him see it.

I looked at Damien, waiting for him to say something, to back me up, to at least acknowledge that Marcel had been harassing me, but he was staring at his phone. His fingers moved like he was texting someone.

He was texting while I stood there defending myself against accusations that I’d somehow asked for Marcel’s attention.

My heart cracked a little more.

"Are you seriously texting right now?" I asked.

Damien’s eyes looked up to me for barely a second. "Tiffany’s waiting for us at the hotel. I’m letting her know we’ll be late."

Of course. Tiffany. It was always Tiffany.

"Forget it," I said. "I don’t have time for this."

I walked back toward the dining area. My whole body shook with anger and hurt and something else I didn’t want to name. Behind me, I heard Simon say something to Damien, but I couldn’t make out the words. I didn’t care. I just wanted to get Bianca and leave this nightmare of an evening.

But when I reached the table, it was empty. Bianca’s purse was gone and her jacket was missing from the back of the chair.

My stomach sank.

"Sophia!"

I turned and saw Bianca hurrying across the restaurant toward me. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright with tears.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded. "What did you say to Marcel?"

I looked at her in confusion "Bianca-"

"He told me you came onto him in the hallway! He said you tried to kiss him and when he turned you down, you got angry!"

My heart dropped to my stomach. That little –

"That’s not what happened."

"Then why is he so upset? Why are his friends all looking at me like I should apologize for bringing you here?"

I grabbed her hand. "Listen to me. Marcel was flirting with another woman. I saw him exchange numbers with her. Then when I confronted him, he tried to-" I stopped, seeing the disbelief already forming on her face. "He tried to touch me, Bianca. He made inappropriate comments and he-"

"Stop." Bianca pulled her hand away. "Just stop. I know Marcel isn’t perfect, but he wouldn’t do that. He loves me."

"He’s manipulating you," I said. "He’s been doing it for months. The bruises, the gaslighting, the cheating-"

"You’re jealous," Bianca said, and there were tears rolling down her face now. "You’re jealous because your own marriage is falling apart and you can’t stand to see me happy!"

The accusation hurt worse than anything Simon had said. I could take those words from anyone....anyone!....but not Bianca, not my best friend, not the person I cared for the most.

"I’m trying to protect you," I said quietly.

"I don’t need protection from the man I love. I need protection from friends who stab me in the back."

She turned and walked away, back toward where Marcel was standing with Simon and Damien. Marcel immediately put his arm around her, pulling her close, whispering something in her ear that made her nod and lean into him.

I watched my friend choose her abuser over me, and there was nothing I could do about it.

The restaurant suddenly felt too small, too hot, too suffocating. I needed air. I needed to get out.

I grabbed my purse and headed for the exit. My hands were shaking. My whole body was shaking.

"Sophia?"

I turned around and there was Lance, walking up the street with a medical textbook tucked under his arm. He took one look at my face and immediately moved closer.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak without crying. I was surprised to see him but I couldn’t be bothered about that now.

"Come on," he said, "There’s a late-night noodle place around the corner. Let’s get you some food and you can tell me about it."

I nodded. I was grateful for his kindness, for having at least one person who didn’t look at me like I was crazy or dramatic or attention-seeking.

We walked in silence to the small restaurant. It was the kind of place that stayed open until three in the morning.

Lance ordered for both of us while I tried to pull myself together. When the food came, I told him everything - about Marcel and the woman, about his attempt to corner me, about Bianca defending him, about Simon’s accusations and Damien’s complete indifference.

"I’m so tired," I said finally, staring at my untouched noodles. "I’m tired of fighting. I’m tired of being treated like I’m the problem. I’m tired of people I care about choosing everyone else over me."

Lance reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "You’re not the problem, Sophia. You’re surrounded by people who don’t deserve you."

I looked up at him, and something warm spread in my chest. Gratitude, maybe, or just relief at being believed.

The door opened and I looked over. When I saw the people coming in, my entire body went rigid.

Damien walked in, followed by Simon and Nate. And..... Tiffany, her arm linked through Damien’s, laughing at something he’d just said.