ELLA.
I took a long bath, letting the warm water wash over me as I stood beneath the shower, my eyes closed, my thoughts heavy and restless. The water soothed my aching muscles, easing the stiffness from my limbs, yet it did nothing to quiet the storm in my mind. No matter how long I stood there, the sense of unease clung to me, wrapping around my chest like an invisible weight.
When I finally stepped out and dried myself, I walked toward the closet.
I froze.
The doors slid open to reveal neatly arranged clothes hanging in perfect order. Dresses, soft tops, comfortable trousers, everything looked new, untouched. My breath caught when I reached out and lifted one of the garments.
It was my size.
Every single one of them.
My unease deepened as I opened one of the drawers beneath and found neatly folded underwear inside. Even those fit perfectly, as though they had been chosen with intimate precision.
A chill ran down my spine.
They planned all of this.
The realization settled slowly but heavily in my mind. This wasn't a hurried act of kindness, not a random decision made in the heat of the moment. Everything, from the clothes to the room, had been prepared in advance.
Was saving me really a coincidence?
The thought unsettled me deeply. My fingers trembled slightly as I pushed the drawer closed, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. It felt as though I had stepped into a trap long before I ever realized it existed.
I dressed quietly, choosing a simple outfit, my movements slow and cautious. When I was done, I walked to the bed and lay down, staring up at the ceiling, trying to calm the anxious knot twisting inside me.
I had barely settled when a knock sounded on the door.
My body tensed instantly.
For a moment, I didn't move, my heart racing as I debated whether to answer. The knock came again, firm but polite, pulling me from my thoughts. I pushed myself up and walked toward the door, each step careful, measured.
I opened it slightly.
A lady stood outside, her posture respectful, her gaze lowered just enough to show deference. She looked calm, composed, nothing like the storm raging inside me.
"Good day, ma'am," she said politely. "The Alphas asked me to call you for dinner."
The words made my stomach tighten.
Dinner… with them.
"Oh—alright," I replied after a brief pause, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I'll be right there."
She nodded once, her expression unreadable, then turned and walked away without another word.
I closed the door slowly and leaned my back against it, exhaling shakily.
Was it really compulsory to have dinner with them?
I had planned to avoid them as much as possible, to stay quiet, unseen, unnoticed. Being in the same room with them felt suffocating, their presence too heavy, too commanding. Just the thought of sitting across from them made my chest tighten with unease.
But refusing didn't feel like an option.
Not here.
Not under their roof.
I straightened slowly, smoothing my clothes with trembling hands. After a moment of hesitation, I reached for the doorknob. My fingers lingered there, my pulse racing, before I finally turned it and stepped out.
The hallway was silent, long and imposing, its walls lined with dark stone and dim lights. Every step echoed softly, reminding me just how alone I was in this vast place. I followed the path I had been shown earlier, my shoulders slightly hunched, my gaze lowered.
By the time I reached the dining area, my heart was pounding wildly.
The doors stood tall and heavy before me. I paused, drawing in a slow breath, bracing myself. With one final moment of hesitation, I pushed them open and stepped inside to join them.
My steps hesitant, my shoulders drawn in slightly as though I could make myself smaller by sheer will. The room felt vast, heavy with authority, the long table already occupied by the Alpha triplets. Their presence alone made the air feel thicker, harder to breathe.
The moment I stopped beside the chair, Lawrence stood.
The scrape of his chair against the floor was soft but deliberate. He moved around the table and pulled out the chair for me, his posture straight, his expression unreadable. The gesture, polite, almost courtly, felt so strange that I hesitated, my fingers curling nervously at my sides.
I didn't know what to do with such attention.
But I had no choice.
I lowered myself into the chair, my movements careful, controlled, as though I feared doing the wrong thing would shatter something unseen.
"Thank you," I managed to mutter, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lawrence gave a short nod and returned to his seat.
Silence followed.
Not the comfortable kind, but the kind that pressed against my ears, magnifying every small sound. I sat quietly, my hands folded in my lap, my gaze lowered. None of them spoke. None of them even moved much. It felt less like a dinner and more like a silent test I didn't know I was taking.
The maids soon approached, breaking the stillness.
They served the food efficiently, their movements quick and practiced. Plates were placed gently before us, cutlery aligned perfectly. As one of them leaned closer, I lifted my head slightly, and that was when I noticed it.
They were staring at me.
Not openly, but in quick, curious glances they thought I wouldn't catch. Their eyes flicked toward me and away again, whispers almost forming on their lips. The weight of their attention made my skin prickle, discomfort settling deep in my chest.
I swallowed and straightened slightly, gathering the courage to speak, if only to ease the suffocating quiet.
But before I could say a word, the doors opened.
I turned instinctively.
A woman walked in.
She wore a short miniskirt and a crisp white collared shirt that hugged her figure perfectly. Her hair was packed neatly into a ponytail, strands sleek and flawless. She moved with confidence, her heels clicking softly against the floor.
She was… beautiful.
Effortlessly so.
She stopped just a few steps inside the room and stared at me, her gaze sharp yet curious. For a brief moment, the entire room seemed to revolve around that stare.
Then her lips curved into a smile.
"Hey, Theresa," she said sweetly. "Is that you?"
My breath caught.
I froze completely, my heart skipping violently in my chest. She knew me, or rather, she knew her. The woman they believed I was. The realization sent a wave of shock through me, cold and unsettling.
Before I could react, she rushed forward.
Her arms wrapped around me tightly, warm and familiar, as though this was something she had done countless times before. I stiffened instinctively, my body unsure how to respond. The scent of her perfume filled my senses, overwhelming and disorienting.
"Why didn't you tell me you found her?" she demanded, turning sharply toward the triplets, her tone more surprised than angry.
They remained seated.
For a heartbeat, none of them spoke. Then, as though rehearsed, they answered together, their voices echoing in perfect unison.
"We're sorry, Bella. We didn't mean to keep you in the dark."
Bella.
She smiled at them, the kind of smile filled with warmth and relief. She stepped away from me and moved toward them instead.
"It's okay," she said softly. "I'm just glad she's back."
Then—without hesitation—she bent forward.
And kissed each of them.
One by one.
On the lips.
The action was intimate, natural, unrestrained.
I sat there, stunned.
My fingers tightened in my lap as confusion swirled violently in my mind. My heart pounded, not from jealousy—no—but from sheer disbelief. The way they allowed it. The way none of them resisted. The way it seemed…normal.
What kind of relationship did she have with the Alpha triplets?
I lowered my gaze quickly, heat creeping up my neck as an uncomfortable awareness settled over me. I felt like an outsider intruding into something I didn't understand, something layered and complicated and far beyond my reach.
The room no longer felt just imposing.
It felt dangerous.
And as I sat there silently, surrounded by people who knew a version of me I didn't remember, one thought pressed heavily into my chest…Whatever life Theresa had lived here before…it was nothing like mine.