Stuck with the enemy

Chapter 61: Sorry Amalia

Alya made her way to the door, pausing before she stepped out. "Good luck," she said with a wink.

"Yeah, I'll need it," I muttered, already dreading the afternoon ahead.

The hours passed, and it was time to get back to work. By the time I knocked on Adeline's door that afternoon, I had rehearsed my pitch a dozen times.

"Come in," she called, her voice sharp and curt.

I stepped inside to find her seated at her vanity, applying lipstick with meticulous precision. Her reflection glanced at me briefly, unimpressed.

"I'll be ready in five minutes," she said dismissively, waving her hand toward the door. "Wait for me in the hall."

I nodded and stepped out, closing the door softly behind me. Leaning against the wall, I found myself glancing around the long corridor. Every creak of the floorboards and every faint sound of movement made my heart quicken. This was Derek's house. At any moment, he could walk out of one of those doors, and I'd have to face him again.

Why did that thought make me so uneasy?

Before I could unpack the question, Adeline opened her door and stepped out, holding two dresses in her hands. Both were beautiful and obviously expensive. One was a deep emerald green with a fitted bodice and flowing skirt that shimmered subtly in the light. The other was a rich burgundy with off-the-shoulder sleeves and intricate gold embroidery along the hem.

"Deniz," she said imperiously, holding up the dresses for me to see. "Which of these do you think Derek will like more?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Uh..."

Adeline raised an eyebrow, impatiently waiting for my response.

"Well... I mean, I'm not sure," I stammered. "Aren't you two already engaged? Why does it matter so much?"

Adeline's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips curving into a smug smile. "Just because we're engaged doesn't mean I can't put in the effort to impress him. It's important to keep his attention, Deniz. You wouldn't understand."

Her words stung more than I cared to admit.

"Right," I muttered, crossing my arms. "Well, if you're asking me, the green one looks more sophisticated."

Adeline tilted her head, studying the dress thoughtfully. "Hmm. You might be right." She turned back into her room and hung the burgundy dress back in the wardrobe.

When she returned, now wearing the green dress, she smiled—though it was more condescending than friendly.

"See? You can be useful when you try," she said, breezing past me toward the stairs. "Now come along. I have errands to run, and I expect you to keep up."

I followed her, biting my tongue to keep from snapping back. Alya's advice echoed in my mind: Just play along, and you'll get what you want.

For now, I would have to endure.

At the car, Amalia was waiting, as always. Adeline's assistant was like her shadow, present at every moment. Only now did I realize how strange it was that, despite having Amalia handle almost everything, I was the one sent running around to fetch every ridiculous little thing Adeline wanted.

It wasn't just the workload; it was the way she treated us. With Amalia, Adeline's tone was softer, almost pleasant at times—well, pleasant for her. Like yesterday, when Amalia mixed up some papers. Instead of yelling at her like she would have done to me, Adeline simply sighed and moved on without making it a scene.

And it wasn't just about mistakes. Amalia's opinion seemed to matter in every decision Adeline made. Whether it was something as trivial as which heels to wear or as important as addressing the Alpha's warriors, Amalia had a say.

So, Adeline did have a heart somewhere. But only for Amalia, it seemed.

I couldn't help but wonder why. What made Amalia special? How had she earned Adeline's trust and... affection, if I could even call it that? And most importantly, how could I reach that same level?

If I wanted to get close to Adeline, if I wanted her to help me gain access to the rogue, I needed to figure out her weak spots. Maybe Amalia was the key. If Adeline could care about one person, maybe there was a way to make her care about me—or at least tolerate me.

I climbed into the car, silently watching as Amalia handed Adeline a coffee, her expression calm and collected. Adeline took it with a small nod of approval, her usual sharpness absent.

Interesting.

"Are you just going to stand there staring?" Adeline snapped, breaking my train of thought.

"Of course not," I said quickly, sliding into the seat beside her.

As the car pulled away, I made a mental note to observe more closely. If Amalia had found a way to survive—and even thrive—around Adeline, maybe I could learn a thing or two.

She seemed to know every step Adeline was going to take as if she had a secret manual on how to always stay by her side. She wasn't just her assistant—she was more like a confidante who followed her everywhere. Amalia knew exactly when to compliment her and how to emphasize how perfectly she and Derek fit together, constantly reminding her how lucky she was to be his fiancée.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Adeline was head over heels for Derek. It was obvious in the way she talked about him, in the subtle changes in her demeanour whenever he was around. Normally cold and authoritative, she transformed into something softer when Derek entered the picture. She became quieter and more careful with her words, almost as if she didn't want to ruin the image he might have of her.

Her obsession with every little detail about Derek—from what he liked to what he might notice—spoke volumes. She wasn't just trying to play the part of the perfect fiancée; she genuinely wanted to win his heart.

That thought triggered an uncomfortable twinge in my chest, blaming the bond, of course.

Amalia was her biggest supporter in this. She always seemed to know how to encourage Adeline's fantasies, feeding her ideas about how she could win Derek over. And maybe that was the key for me. If I wanted to get closer to Adeline, maybe I needed to find a way to replace Amalia. Not forever—just long enough to achieve my own goals.

"Sorry, Amalia," I thought to myself with a wry smile. "But I promise I'll return her to you as soon as I get what I need."