Chapter 220

Cecilia's pov My lashes fluttered, instinctively. I forced them still. Every muscle in my body locked into place. Even my breath stalled—held hostage by the collision of shock and something dangerously close to heartbreak. Only when his footsteps retreated did I finally exhale. Well, well. So Mr. Alpha has time to sneak a kiss between conference calls and caffeine refills. How...efficient of him. Clearly, the man had feelings. But "feelings" are like condiments—plentiful, varied, and mostly optional. And "like"? That's the watery ketchup of emotions. Barely counts. Not that it mattered. I only "liked" him too. I curled back into sleep wrapped in that beautifully convenient lie. Next time I woke, we'd already landed. Rain tapped against the windows in steady rhythm, the kind of gray drizzle that made London feel like a mood board for seasonal depression. As I stood at the open cabin door, a gust of damp air slapped me awake. Cold needles threaded through the fabric of my clothes. I shiv