You May Be the Alpha, but I’m Kicking You Out!

My second checkup after losing my child, Dawson used the excuse of work to not accompany me.

However, when I came out of the hospital with the lifelong infertility test report, I unexpectedly ran into Dawson.

He held his Number One Omega, his’s childhood sweetheart, Ruby Maxwayne.

I turned my head forward, no longer paying attention at Dawson and Ruby’s arrival.

Soon as I closed down the front door, I opened communication software on a whim. There, I saw RedMaxine’s, Ruby’s account, post: [Got my knight in shining armor! He was a simple man but he dragged me all the way to the hospital! This guy is so sweet, people will misunderstand!]

Since I was a mutual with her on several social media, I saw her account uploading a photo with the same exact captions. In the photo, there captured a shoulder part with navy blue jersey with light gray circle around its short sleeve’s end. And that shirt was the one Dawson wore earlier. It was my 24th birthday present to him.

Many people sent me messages, wanting to see me fight back and defeat them.

I smiled and said, "No need, Congratulations to them, they are a perfect match!"

It's time for me to give up this loveless marriage.

1

I lost my first child, because someone collided with me on my way home from work.

Someone wearing a thief mask was dashing towards me with a really high speed. I remembered seeing his arm already transformed into that of a wolf. He pushed me aside with force.

The next thing I could remember was the excruciating pain and I woke up out on a hospital bed while Doctor Pearson was talking to a nurse next to my bed.

My husband, Dawson, only came the next day in the evening.

Even then he was busy smiling at his smartphone for Goddess knows how long.

On the day, Dawson abruptly stood up from his chair, his eyes glued to the smartphone in his hand.

“Something came up. I have to go.”

Doctor Pearson blinked at him incredulously, “Are you sure, Mr. White? Mrs. White’s examination--”

But by then, Dawson had walk through the ward door, the door eventually clicked shut behind him.

“--is almost finished.” Doctor Pearson trailed off. She exchanged glances with me afterward.

But before she could say anything, I said with a smile, “It’s alright, doctor. My husband is busy like that.”

Today is my second physical examination since I lost my child.

Dawson used the excuse of work to not accompany me.He said he would pick me up after I finished the doctor's examination.

I was so glad Doctor Pearson didn’t press on the topic that day.

She wasn’t even showing weird gestures or giving me judgmental look when I came alone for another check up today.

[Customer number 1 0 2 please go to the pharmacy counter.] The loud speaker rang calling my number. I gathered my purse and jacket before going to take my medicine.

As the nurse wrapped up her concise rundown of the medicine, my mind wandered briefly to the next task at hand. With a quick nod of gratitude, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.

Yet, when I turned on the screen, I saw a notification from Dawson. [Saddie, you can go home on your own, can't you? Something came up and I really need to take care of it.]

Oh… Well, it seemed I had to go home on my own again today.

[Sure.] I shrugged and put my phone bag into my jacket.

Was I disappointed?

Yeah, probably, I guess.

In the past, I would have been sad and would beg him to pick me up. ‘Dawson, could you please make time? I need you to be here.’ I’d probably sendhim such replies.

It had always been like this for the longest time I was ever married to him. Ah, to be very honest I had forgot the exact details. Around six months or so, after Dawson and I got married, he’d start to have sudden departures—never telling me the exact reason why he did so.

He’d always get mad when I asked. Always grown frustrated and went straight to bed the moment he came home. Always walking towards the small fountain at our front yard when talking phones from clients—he said.

At first, it hurt, a sharp sting of abandonment. But over time, I guess… the pain was even more bearable. I wish I had grown numb to it. Unfortunately, but reality wasn’t always cooperative.

The sky had turned darker the moment I stepped out of the hospital door. I rubbed my hands together as the autumn chill had blown and the heater of the hospital lobby didn’t reach past the automatic door.

I scanned the perimeter and saw a bunch of blue sedans parking side by side at the corner, in the special parking lot for cabs. I raised my hand and waved, hailing for one. Soon, a blue sedan stopped before me and I open the door and settled into the backseat.

“Glorywayne Estate Complex on Nightingale Street, please,” I told the cab driver.

The driver nodded and started operating the small device on his dashboard.

The moment I clicked on my seatbelt, I looked outside the window. A familiar sight caught my eyes. It was Dawson's silver Audee parking just in front of my cab.

I blinked, shifting on my seat to check out the license plate. And indeed, it was his car.

Why was he here? Didn’t he texted me that he could not pick me up?

But the nature soon gave me reply in the most cheeky way.

As the cab started to drive away, I saw Dawson get outside and towards the front passenger seat, opening its door. The next moment, a woman get out of his car.

That person was his Number

One Omega, Dawson’s childhood sweetheart, Ruby Maxwayne.

A faint blow in my heart caused me to shift on my seat. I turned my head forward, no longer paying attention at Dawson and Ruby’s arrival.

2

I didn’t realize it back then, but now that I remember I was around on my first month of pregnancy when Ruby returned to Silverfang Pack - Central.

It was also the start of Dawson’s sudden disappearances streak.

There wasn’t a single thought of suspicion in me when Dawson and I were picking up Ruby from Silverfang International Airport. I was quite naive to believe that Dawson was simply picking up a good omega friend of him after her very unfortunate divorce with her husband.

During the ride to the airport, Dawson had told me that the great pandemic had affected Ruby’s husband business and couldn’t survive bankruptcy. It then led them to a divorce.

As a beta, I wasn’t really aware of the detailed dynamics between an alpha and an omega. What I did know, from learning the school textbooks years back, was the mention that an omega could be in a very vulnerable situation if she wasn’t under a scent protection of a more influential alpha.

Since Dawson’s business had led him to met influential people in the council of Silverfang, he, as an alpha, could legally provide a powerful scent protection to omega in need.

That day, what surprised me was more on the fact that Ruby had returned with a son in her arm. That son somehow looked like Dawson, but I didn’t give much thought about it back then.

“That’d be seventeen dollars, ma’am,” the cab driver announced upon arriving at destination.

I took out my phone and scanned the payment code before getting out of the cab.

Soon as I closed down the front door, I opened software out of whim. There, I saw RedMaxine’s, Ruby’s account, post: [Got my knight in shining armor! It was a simple cold but he dragged me all the way to the hospital! This guy is so sweet, people will misunderstood!]

Since I was a mutual with her on several social media, I saw her account uploading a photo with the same exact captions. In the photo, there captured a shoulder part with navy blue jersey with light gray circle around its short sleeve’s end. And that shirt was the one Dawson wore earlier. It was the gift I gave him on his 24th birthday..

I closed my social media app and proceed going upstairs to our room.

I didn’t even want to confront Dawson. Why he lied today, and the many days before today. I couldn’t even get angry and instead began blaming myself.

I should’ve left him. Why should he stay when he clearly insisted on being with someone else? I shouldn’t have resisted nature, Dawson was an alpha, of course he’d be more attracted to omegas.

It was clear that Dawson merely saw me as a substitute for Ruby after she left him years ago. He never really told me about Ruby until the few days she finally arrived at the international airport.

Yet, I was deeply in love with him. I had chosen to marry him and had hoped that maybe, our relationship was one of the rare chances where alpha-ness or beta-ness wouldn’t really matter.

That the two of us could have a happy marriage.

That I, would be happy with him.

For Goddess’s sake, I even wanted to give birth to his child!

However, my loss of our first child was most likely a sign that I had to wake up. Perhaps, even with a presence of a born baby between us, Dawson wouldn’t even bother to change.

My mind was busy as it kept on recalling things, of which order I couldn’t even recall.

The last thing I remember before slipping into sleep, was the day I met Dawson, Ruby, and her son Darby outside a cafe on a fine weekend.

They really look like those pictures of a happy new family that people often post on social media.

I remembered something had actually snapped within me that day and said out loud to Dawson, “You should’ve seen him often.” By that I was referring to Darby. “Growing up, he might need a father figure.”

Both Dawson and Ruby was surprised back then. What I didn’t anticipate, however, was the fact Dawson took a step forward and slapped me across my face.

“How could you say that, Saddie?” his face was flushed. “You had no idea how Darby even feel for not being able to see his father,” he said in a low tone. He didn’t shout.

Soon after, Dawson took Ruby and Darby away from the cafe.

There was a creak and a sinking of the bed behind my back. It prompted me to open my eyes.

"Did the doctor say anything about your condition?" Dawson was behind me.

The proximity brought me a waft of a scent, that wasn’t quite like him, and a faint perfume of freshness that was recently popular among females. Being a beta might limit me from having keener senses of smell unlike alphas or omegas. But I could connect the dots, I could guess whose scent that was.

I shrugged and lightly pushed his hand away.

"Doctor Pearson said I’m okay," I said, masking a neutral tone in my sleepy voice.

Perhaps surprised at my rejection, Dawson offered a hurried explanation, "A new project came out this evening and I need to personally take care of it."

Yeah, a project to escort Ruby to the hospital.

I kept that to myself, "Yeah…” I said. “Don’t forget to shower."

I stopped paying attention once I heard the sound of water drops hitting the tile.

3

The next day, I was in a work meeting.

My phone chirped in my uniform pocket.

“Seems urgent.” Pamela, my coworker whispered to me.

We were in the meeting of morning briefing. Pamela and I was standing a bit farther from the center crowd.

“It can wait. Look--” I gestured towards the whiteboard with a quick nod. “--we're already on the Teletummies' Laughing Sun slide.” Beneath the laughing sun, the bolded text read [Questions?].

True enough, Alex, our supervisor, dismissed us from the meeting.

Today I had been assigned on a pre-dawn shift. I woke up around three, doing my usual preparation rituals and directly call a cab to the hospital.

When I got to a quieter hospital hall, I checked on my phone to find 20 missed calls from Dawson.

He beat me up to it before I could press the call button though.

The contact ID [Hubby<3] shown up at the front of my App. I slightly scrunched up my face. Did I really put Dawson’s contact with that name?

“Hello?”

"Saddie, why didn't you wake me up? I overslept! There’s an important meeting with the client today and I need to prepare early, you know?” Dawson’s voice was dripped with palpable annoyance. "You just up and left and didn’t tell me you had a morning shift?" he continued to process.

But in fact, I had told Dawson about my schedule. I sent him a file of my schedule earlier this week.

“Well? You didn’t tell me you had to wake up early.” I replied, casually. No tone of sarcasm there. I wasn’t even in the mood to argue this early.

I could understand his frustration though. I used to take care of Dawson’s every need. especially after we finally got married. I would prepare his clothes, his breakfast, checking on his schedules so that I could remind him when we finally had that breakfast together, and so on.

I was secretly thanking the Moon Goddess for never vowing to do those routines for the rest of our marriage life. At least, it gave my mind the freedom to just stop doing those stuff when I no longer feel like it.

I was not his babysitter. I had the right to refuse.

"Dawson, I think it’s better for you to get up since you’re going to be late."

Dawson harrumphed from the other end. "You didn’t prepare my shirt! What am I going to wear today?"

"Whichever you want to wear. You can take one from the closet," I replied.

"What do you mean take one from the closet?!" Dawson raised his tone.

I instinctively put my phone away from my ears. I frowned because my right ear was ringing.

“Saddie! Norton’s mom brought us some donuts, which one do you want?” Pamella called around the end of the hall.

“Wait!” I replied Pamella. Then I hurriedly said to the phone again, "Something came up. My colleague asked for my help. Just pick one clothes from the closet. I need to go, Dawson."

I approached Pamella and went to the staffroom before continuing my shift.

However, my phone kept on vibrating.

Dawson sent me a picture with texts: [It’s wrinkled! Are you serious, Saddie? I can't wear this to meet up my client.]

Then another texts: [There’s no food. You didn’t cook up breakfast?]

Then another: [Did you see the blue folder I usually put on my study desk?]

[Saddie, answer me!]

I kind of regretted opening my App.

“Saddie, got a moment?”

I looked up from my desk and turned just at the office’s entrance. I saw Alex, my head department, poking out his head. He approached me once I nodded.

"You need to listen to me and take this opportunity, Saddie. It’s not going to be there forever," Alex said with patience.

I let out a small laugh. “What is it, Alex?”

He cleared his throat, "Well, after assessing your performance, it looks like the hospital wants to discuss your further training. I decided to tell you this because you seem to have fully recovered now, too!"

True, Alex had given me the same news around the end of last year. At that time, I declined the offer since I planned on having children with Dawson. I would have a busy schedule if I went through with the training and be granted a likely promotion.

I didn’t want to skip too much time for my child and my husband back then.

But now that things had gone through this way….

I didn’t plan to stay longer with Dawson and get myself wasted in more pain.

"I'll take the training offer, sir," I replied with a determined smile. “Thank you for giving me a second chance."

"Bravo!" Alex clapped his hands. It was his sign of ‘yes!’ He then asked me to make preparations from now and be ready whenever the training date was set.

Seeing his enthusiasm, I couldn’t help but smile.

I would definitely make up the most of this opportunity. This would be my start over to live independently from Dawson.

Morning turned into noon, then to dusk. My shift ended in a flash. I couldn’t believe how fast the time passed when noticing the sky outside had turned dark.

Just then, my phone vibrated. Dawson was calling.

"Where are you, Saddie? There’s no dinner at home."

I couldn't help but sigh. Once I heard his complaints, the thought of going home became... a little uncomfortable.

“Saddie?” His tone surprisingly got softer.

I pinched the bridge on my nose. “Dawson…” I make a brief pause. “Today was a hectic day. And Nate just asked me to have a shift switch with me, because she had something urgent coming up—”

Well, the last one, I didn’t lie.

“—Maybe order some food online. I’m going to continue working after this.”

"Huh?" Dawson sounded surprised.

"That’s not a problem, right?" I asked rhetorically, I just wanted to get over with the call.

"No…. No, it’s not a problem. I just…” Dawson hesitated before continuing, “Careful when going home, alright? You’re taking two shifts without break.."

I nodded. "I will. Thanks"

Dawson was silent for a while.

I was about to end the call but he suddenly spoke,

"Saddie, are you mad at me?"

I immediately closed the call. I could pretend that I never even heard that if Dawson brought up the talk.

Oh, Moon Goddess, save this child of yours…

With him running a business, there was NO way Dawson would be oblivious to this!

Why did he even ask? Was he simply trying to make sure and calm me down later?

Then, I shook my head.

I need to stop this.

I promised myself that I wouldn’t get mad at him anymore since we’d end our relationship.

4

That day, Dawson and I discussed Ruby and children.

“Saddie, Ruby needs all the help she got. Raising a child alone is not an easy thing to do. She had no one else in Silverfang. I’m the only alpha acquaintance she had left who’d be willing to give her protection.” Dawson said in somber tone.

“I know it’s hard for betas to understand. They don’t have this kind of thing between alphas and omegas. But, don’t you see? I’m doing this because I have to.”

He then concluded with emphasis, “This kind of things are expected from any influential alphas!”

I took a deeper breath, careful not to make it obvious. knowing how the world works. It felt like Dawson had unfairly defended Ruby once more from confrontation I didn’t even initiate.

Besides…

Did he forgot I was still his wife or what? In Silverfang, he was the only one I got too!

"Of course it’s hard to raise a child alone,” I tried to calmly answer. “It’s hard for anyone, Ruby included!”

"What? Are you trying to say that Ruby just have to suck it all up because everyone raising a child alone is having it hard too?” Dawson suddenly raised his tone.

"That’s not what I’m saying, at all!" I interjected, trying to defend myself.

"I don’t like your tone, Saddie. Do you have to say it like that?" he said with a warning tone, the kind of tone he used to demand obedience..

"Huh? Then how should I say it then?" I lost control, frustration had get the better of me. “I’m trying to show my sympathy to her, Dawson. Is that a problem?"

Silence fell between us. But it was Dawson who broke the ice in the end, "Fine, do whatever you want."

What on the actual earth…?

He was mad at me for asking where he wanted to go with Ruby. So I compensated by asking when he'd be back from Ruby's place instead.

And this man got mad at me, again?

“Ugh!” I tossed my phone as carefully as I could into my purse.

Really, just hearing his voice now made me frustrated. How did I deal with him all these time?

With a sigh, I stood up from my desk. I looked at the document piles that had been sitting there,waiting for me to finish the 'simple talk' with Dawson. I took my water bottle and walked to the drinking station at the room’s corner.

The night was still long. I better prepare for my training instead of getting irritated at Dawson like there was no tomorrow.

I got home much later into the day. The sun was already up and there was no sign of Dawson’s car at home, he was already gone for work.

After I washed up, I drank the medicine.And right then, as if on cue, My cell phone kept ringing. I picked it up and see that it was a call from Dawson.

"Saddie,Why didn’t you pick up? My stomach hurts so bad…."

"Call the emergency ward...." I slurred as my mind was fogged with sleep. On one hand, I remember that I had got off from work. But I was really tired that I drifted into sleep.

"Saddie..."

"Saddie..."

It felt like an dream. Dawson had been calling my name from a place so very distant. But I was so tired I wished him to go away as I fell deeper into my sleep.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!

I jolted awake at the loud noise. Dawson had already stood by the bed looking displeased and pouting.

"Saddie, why are you acting like this lately?!" He raised his tone. "You'd usually nag on me when I got sick. Bringing medicine and porridge for me. But now you're just asleep?Don't you care anymore? What is wrong with you?"

What was wrong with me he said?

His words hurt me. I remembered those days all too well. There was a time when Dawson had a terrible stomachache. Concerned, I took leave from work to bring him medicine at his office. As fate would have it, I got caught in the rain on my way. Instead of appreciation, I was met with laughter from his colleagues, and Dawson did nothing to stop them.

Worse yet, he turned to me and said, "Don't come to my office again. You're an embarrassment."

Snapping back to the present, I rubbed my eyes as I tried to had control over my irritation for the lack of sleep. "Well, you're here. So, are you feeling better now?" I looked at him squarely. "I'm not sure we had any medicine left though, last time I checked was two weeks ago..."

Dawson's jaw tightened, he is depressed. "Saddie, are you going to keep acting like this because Ruby?"

"Huh?"

Dawson shouted all of the sudden, "I've told you, a thousand times, Ruby and I were just old time friends! There's nothing between us!"

"Uh, sure?" I replied hesitantly.I didn't even understand how he could attribute my behavior to that woman. I was lacking of sleep for Great Moon Goddess' sake!

"You need to stop this at once, Saddie!" Dawson grabbed my wrist up, I could see the change of colors and pupils in his eyes. I could faintly feel the intensity of his pheromone changes too, but I think... the pheromone didn't work as he wanted it to be.

I simply stared at him, trying to pull my hand. "Dawson, it hurts. Let me go."

"Ridiculous!" He shouted, letting me go. "This is why dealing with betas is a waste of time!"

I didn't say a thing to him.I knew Dawson was doing this on purpose, but I wasn't going to fall for it.

"Rebellious betas, don't you feel ashamed for acting like strays?"

Strays?

Did he just call me ‘strays’?!

My mouth went agape. Calling someone a "wanderer" is a bad expression, as it labeled werewolves as disloyal traitors who had caused significant harm to the entire community!

Really?

If someone like me is considered "disloyal," then what would you call someone as unfaithful as Dawson? An outcast?

Yet, I held myself back. I closed my mouth shut, unwilling to entertain Dawson’s unreasonable accusations.

Soon, Dawson turned to leave. He slammed the door and stormed out. I heard a car engine sound downstairs before things got silent in this house.

"Damn that entitled alpha! Gosh, Saddie! Why did you pick someone like that? Ugh!" I let myself fell onto the bed and curled up to my side.

Eventually I could feel myself slowly smiling.

For the first time in this house, I feel liberated knowing that Dawson leave the house.

5

Days went by, and Dawson still hadn't returned. I resisted the urge to ask where he was, who he was with, or how he was doing. Instead, I simply to let him be.

I even had the thought that maybe, he had his own discomfort living with me, with “us”. After all, our marriage wasn’t exactly based on love from his side.

But of course, that wasn’t something I need to burden myself with. I have lost interest in it.

On Friday, however, when I was studying for my upcoming training, my phone rang. It was from Dawson. He sent me a location share link with a message: [I have been on a business trip.]

[Safe trip, then] I typed, sent it, and turned the screen on my phone down before I returned to my study.

30 minutes later, when my set alarm rang just for me to have break, I opened communication software and immediately saw Ruby’s post. [First holiday after arriving in Silverfang! Oh, how I love the beach in the southern part of the pack. My knight in shining armor insisted on buying me a coconut :)]

The picture just below that post revealed a hand, its bones were defined as a result of a routine gym workouts. Then, there was the black gold ring adorning his ring finger. On the most bottom part was a location tag [Silverfang Pack Jur.- South]

The reason why I know the material of the ring was due to the fact, I was the one quoting a customized ring for our wedding.

That meant, the person Ruby was with was Dawson.

The location was matching the one Dawson sent me earlier on communication software.

I nodded before turning off my phone’s screen. Since I was taking a break I may as well do a little walk!

So I stood up, taking off my wedding ring and tossed it to my desk drawer.

Some more days passed. The work at the hospital was normal but it didn’t diminish one bit. With the training days coming soon, I went to the public library either before of after my shift--depending on the time of my scheduled shift.

I was focused. Giving my self the time to rest and heal when I finally got home. In truth, I had somewhat forgotten that I was married to somebody.

Until Dawson’s unexpected visit at the hospital.

“Dawson?” I asked when I stepped out of the lobby. Dawson was there, leaning on the car with his usual suit on.

“What are you doing here?” I was surprised with his visit, not going to lie. That day, like any other day before, I was planning to visit the public library.

The man approached me and took the bag of notes I was carrying.

"What do you mean? Today is our wedding anniversary. Did you forget?" he answered before carrying my bag into the backseat of his car.

"Oh," I mumbled, "Sorry. It’s just… I've been really busy preparing… something."

Dawson frowned. After he closed the backseat, he opened the door next to it for me. But when I was about to get into the car, Dawson was blocking the way, resisting my door pull.

I looked up to him.

"So you forget,” Dawson began. “You used to be the one who’d notify me for this kind of occasion several days before. And now you just forget?" Dawson wasn’t pleased one bit.

True to his words.

I would’ve bombarded him with texts, reminders, of our first meeting anniversary, my birthday, his birthday, my in-laws birthdays--I would never missed.

I stood there, simply. I was completely unsure on what to say. Not because of fear, or guilt, or anything. It was because I forgot. And I have admitted that I forgot.

With the silence between us dragging so long, Dawson eventually clicked his tongue in annoyance before moving away towards the driver’s seat.

“Hop in,” he said.

He took me to a clothing store and had told me to change into a dress he had bought for me. Next, we went to a dining place. It was a private dining. The reserved kind of fine dining. The small space was decorated with meticulous design as if he was trying to show his care and celebrate our time together.

When Dawson asked, “What do you think?” his tone latched with anticipation.

I said simply with a smile, “Thank you.”

With that, I walked towards one of the dining chair.

Internally, I was chuckling with sadness. This experience might not be equal to this day. But I remembered the way Dawson tried to hide himself on our previous dinner date where I had thrown him a surprise for gaining that important cooperation for his business.

It wasn't in a restaurant as this one, but I had planned ahead and invited his colleagues. Most of them had confirmed they'd be there.

"Saddie,” He whispered, hiding from the menu. “This is too much! I could feel everyone's looking at us."

I didn’t even have the time to explain myself. Dawson had took my hand and made an apology to everyone else, explaining that he appreciate his colleagues coming over. But he was not ‘the party kind of guy’ and soon cut the celebration short.

"Saddie, are you still mad at me?" he asked, already sitting across me.

I returned from my reminisce and shook my head, and said softly, "No."

"No?" he echoed. His brows arched into a displeased furrow, "Then why are you acting like you’re not even interested? I had to take time off from work just to prepare this, picked a dress for you, and escort you to dinner.” He lifted his hands in a questioning gesture. “Can't you at least pretend to appreciate my efforts?"

"Dawson," I began. “I did appreciate your efforts though. I said ‘thank you’, did you missed it?”

Yet, apparently, I had chosen the wrong words. He threw his hands up in frustration and exclaimed, "If you want to play it this way, fine!"

I blinked at him, play ‘what’ this way?

"I’ll stop contacting Ruby, okay?"

Lies.

I stared at him.

There was no way he would give up seeing Ruby that easy?

"There, I promised. Happy?" he asked again.

I opened my mouth slightly, somewhat appalled by his tone.

I felt like I was the one in the blame. Again! But I stayed silent, and it remained the same even after the dinner almost come to an end where he called one of the waiter to bring in my gift.

The romantic atmosphere went on a blur to me. I knew it was there but I couldn’t even makes sense of it. But I played along, I took the gift with a thank you and began to open it.

Right then, Dawson's phone rang.

"You okay?" he asked, answering the call. He took a glance at me before averting his gesture altogether. "I really can’t leave, I’m in the middle of something important… What? A fever that high? Alright, alright, wait for a bit okay. I’ll be there soon,” he said softly.

Hanging up, Dawson turned to me and began to rubbed his own palm in awkwardness. "Saddie, it's Ruby. Darby has a high fever. I need to...."

I pressed my lips together. “Just go,” I said, softly. “It’s better that Darby received treatment soon.”

Dawson was hesitant. But he stood up and said, “Wait for me here, okay? I’ll be back soon and pick you up.”

With that, he left.

I scanned the reminder of this wedding anniversary celebration. The half eaten desert. The flower decorations. The waiters standing by.

I finished my lemon pie and soon left the place without even waiting for Dawson.

I called a cab and went home.

--

RedMaxine posted: [Get well soon little Darby… :(]

I read the communication software post after I wash up.

“Darby had a high fever all night. It wouldn’t go down,” Dawson explained carefully as soon as he returned home the next morning.

I nodded. Resisting my impulse to sulk. It was a bit disappointing that he cared so much about Ruby and her family, but he neglected me, his own family.

But a child’s fever was indeed something worrisome.

"Is everything okay now? Why didn't you stay longer? It must be hard for Ruby to handle a sick child alone," I asked.

Dawson paused mid-motion. "Saddie,” he sighed in exasperation, “I didn’t sleep last night. Like, at all. Don’t start this alright? I’m tired." And his tone was telling me that he was indeed, tired.

"Oh, alright then. Have a good rest. My shift is about to start, too. I’m leaving, okay?" I reached for my work bag and walked towards the bedroom door.

But, Dawson blocked my path.

"What is it?"

"I’ll make it up for the anniversary celebration next time, okay?"

A ghost of a smile played on my lips, devoid of any feeling. "Sure! Don’t worry, I’m not mad or anything."

He looked at me with questioning look. The next thing that caught me off guard was him pulling me into his embrace. "There's a company event next Friday and I want you to come along," he mumbled into my hair. "You’ll come, won’t you?"

The first question that came to my mind was, why?

He never invited me before. And sure, Dawson's colleagues are mostly supportive. They were nice to me at the very least when I invited them to that dinner surprise. But, I know enough that they didn’t think much of me in terms of the business side of things.

So, why bother?

“Dawson, Pamella took my shift the last time and I need to be in for her on that day.” I silently thanked the Goddess I decided to have that day off.

Dawson clicked his tongue in displease. “Fine.”’

Again, why bother?

He’d usually bring Ruby to his company events, so why the change?

On that day, afternoon, my phone buzzed non-stop in my uniform’s pocket as I filled up the stuff on my report document.

When I did make the time to open it, I saw 100+ notification. Turned out, someone had added me to the group chat for Dawson's company's team building event.

Photos from various activities at the event started to pour in, and many prominently featured Ruby. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself, seamlessly mingling with Dawson's colleagues.

In one particular activity, Dawson gave Ruby a piggyback ride across the lawn. Ruby's arms were wrapped tightly around Dawson's shoulders, her laughter mingling with the sound of the evening breeze. With her head resting against his, their close proximity was unmistakable.

The group chat buzzed with excitement, everyone tagging Ruby and Dawson, proclaiming them to be a picture-perfect pair. Given Dawson's influential role in the company, people were eager to earn his favor, flooding the chat with comments about how well they complemented each other.

I couldn’t comprehend why this particular person added me to that group chat.

But, since I had become a part of the group, ignoring the messages would have been noticeable. So, I joined in and typed a brief message, [Yup! Definitely the perfect pair!] accompanied by a heart emoji.

With a sigh, I exited the app continued working for my shift.

Day soon turned into night, and it was time for me to go home.

When I took out my phone, I still saw the 200+ notification on TalkApp. Thinking that it was probably from Dawson’s company chat group, I didn’t expect that Dawson had sent me multiple missed calls and private messages.