When He Realized What He Lost, He Fell Into Depression

When it was seven, Felix was nowhere to be found. Jade sat on the couch, fully dressed and prepared, as she waited for him to show up.

Jade had done this several times. She knew how it always ended—in tears and disappointment—but she had really thought that tonight was going to be different, that maybe he would keep his promise this time.

She had even put on the red dress he once said made her look “dangerous in the best way.” She had curled her hair, and had even applied a touch of makeup. But she had just been fooling herself. She was, and had never been, Felix's.

Jade lost track of how long she sat there, lost in thought, until she dozed off. Her phone buzzed, causing her to jolt awake from her sleep. It was a message from Felix.

“Can't make it. Something urgent came up in the back. We'll do it another time. Promise.”

Jade glanced at the time. It was already 9pm, and he was just sending a message now. He had probably forgotten about it, and had just remembered to send a message to ease his guilt.

She read the message again, and snorted, shaking her head in amusement. Another time. If only he knew that there wasn't going to be a next time.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was from Bella.

“Missing your date?” the message read.

Below the message were three photos. In the first, Felix sat beside Bella on the bed, holding a cold towel to her forehead. In the second, he was feeding her soup with a spoon, his face was full of so much concern. And in the third photo, he held her hand, looking at her like she was the only person in the world.

Bella sent another message under.

“He’s just the best, isn’t he? I told him I had a little headache, and he dropped everything for me. He said, ‘Bella, you’re more important than anything else right now.’ Isn’t that just the sweetest? I’m sure your spicy noodles can wait… forever.”

Jade stared at her screen with a blank look in her eyes. Her fingers didn’t shake. Her heart didn’t race. Not anymore. She felt nothing, no rage, or jealousy, just relief.

She deleted the pictures and the messages with any hesitation. Bella thought she was hurting her, but she didn't know that she was doing her a huge favour.

Jade stood up and made her way back to the bedroom to change her clothes. The only thing that caused her annoyance about Felix’s actions was the inconvenience of changing. The red dress hadn’t been easy to zip up.

As she wiped the makeup off her face, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes didn’t look as broken as they had looked that day—they just looked calm.

Her phone buzzed again, and she released a sigh of exasperation. But immediately she realized that it was Rowan, all signs of annoyance melted away, and a smile spread across her lips.

Rowan had sent two pictures of dresses.

“Which one do you prefer?” He asked under the photos.

Jade stared at both for a moment before replying.

“The first one,” she replied.

“Okay, I'll send it to you immediately,” he said.

Jade furrowed her eyebrows.

“How will you know my size?” she typed with an amused smile on her lips.

Rowan’s reply came immediately.

“Trust me, I know.”

He added a smirk emoji right after.

Jade blinked at the screen, blushing as she giggled at his reply.

She was blushing over a text. From Rowan.

How long had it been since someone made her feel wanted, and seen, like she mattered?

Alpha Rowan was her true mate, chosen by the moon goddess herself. They had met at one of the conferences that Jade had gone to represent Felix. She had been so proud that day as she spoke on behalf of a mate she believed loved her.

Jade had told him that she already had a mate waiting for her at home. Someone she loved with her whole heart, and who, she believed, loved her too. She had said it with so much confidence, and was about to reject Rowan. Rowan had pleaded with her to think about it first and give him a response a week later.

Before the week was up, luckily, Jade discovered Felix’s lies before it became too late. She gave Rowan her reply. And now, she was incredibly glad that she never made the mistake of rejecting him immediately, because with just a few messages and a smirk emoji, Rowan had warmed her heart far more than Felix ever had.