Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 150: Small Favours

I gave Julian a cold look, sharp enough to cut.

"What I call him has nothing to do with you," I said flatly. "Don’t forget your place."

Julian stiffened. His jaw tightened as if he wanted to argue back, but before he could speak, I leaned closer and lowered my voice so only he could hear.

"Remember this," I whispered. "Everything that happened... it started with you."

No matter how much regret sat in his eyes, the truth didn’t change. We were never meant to walk the same path.

Julian froze, his gaze darkening as memories clearly caught up with him. Whatever he saw there made his breath hitch.

I smiled faintly. "Don’t look at me like that. Or are you trying to get me killed again?"

The word killed struck deeper than I expected.

His face drained of color. Without another word, he turned away, grabbed a glass of wine, and walked off. His back looked stiff, his steps uneven, like someone carrying weight he could no longer pretend wasn’t there.

But this misery was his own doing.

I didn’t feel pity.

When I turned back, Lewis was already looking at me.

With him, my shoulders loosened. The tension melted away. Around him, I didn’t need to calculate every move. I could breathe.

I spun lightly in my gown, letting the fabric catch the light. "Do you like it?"

Lewis’s lips curved into a small smile. "Like it? You’re breathtaking, Darling."

To anyone watching, we probably looked like a perfectly matched pair close, natural, at ease. A woman being cherished by the man standing beside her.

Even if I wasn’t the same Riley as before, it was easy for others to assume this was what a bonded couple looked like.

Just as I was about to speak again, I noticed a familiar figure in the crowd.

Nicholas.

He stood alone in a white suit, quiet and distant, as if the noise around him couldn’t reach him. There was a loneliness about him that made my chest ache.

For twenty years, he had endured everything on his own.

While others moved on, remarried, rebuilt, he had stayed exactly where he was living only on memories of my mom.

If she had married him back then... if the Wilchers had chosen long-term vision over short-sighted gain... so much pain could have been avoided.

Instead, they sacrificed her happiness for status, then turned around and lived comfortably on Grant’s success.

I watched the Wilchers enter the hall, dressed in expensive clothes, moving as if they truly belonged.

To me, they were nothing more than leeches.

They fed on pride and pretended dignity while draining my mom dry. Just looking at them made my stomach turn.

Grant wrapped an arm around Lena’s waist and began introducing her to others, even leading her straight toward Nicholas.

My mom’s expression tightened. She forced herself to remain calm, unable to even exchange a glance with him.

It hurt to watch.

They stood only a few steps apart, bound by years of love they were never allowed to finish.

It felt cruel like fate mocking them.

Tonight, Grant and Lena were the center of attention. With the coming alliance involving the Hales, the room buzzed with excitement.

I stayed near the wall, watching quietly as Nicholas finally walked toward me.

"Nicholas," I said softly. "I’m sorry. Mom never wanted things to turn out like this."

He shook his head gently. "I understand."

Then he smiled a tired, helpless smile. "Has Lena been unwell? She’s been avoiding me. As a man, I can’t visit her freely, so all I can do is worry."

I nodded. "She’s been having a hard time. Pregnancy at her age isn’t easy. She’s been vomiting a lot these past days, but today was better. Still tired, though. It should ease up in about a month."

He exhaled slowly. "She looks thinner."

"Yes," I replied. "She’s enduring it for the baby. The doctor says it’s a good sign. Everything is stable. She’ll have her next scan in two weeks.

"Riley... could I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course, Nicholas," I replied gently. "What is it?"

He hesitated, his fingers tightening around the glass in his hand. "I don’t often get the chance to see her. When she goes for her prenatal checkups... could you let me know? I won’t go near her. I just want to see her from a distance. Just to know she’s alright."

My chest tightened instantly.

This wasn’t a request born of entitlement. There was no demand in his voice. Only restraint. Only longing held carefully in check.

He loved my mom. Truly. Quietly. Without asking for anything in return.

My eyes stung.

"Nicholas," I said softly, "can I have your WhatsApp number? If you ever need anything... please tell me."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

For a moment, he didn’t look like a man who had endured decades of loneliness. He looked like a boy who had just been given permission to hope.

"Yes," I nodded, already pulling out my phone.

As I saved his number, he looked at me with warmth. "Seeing you like this now makes me truly happy. I worried this bond would only bring you hardship. But you look stronger. Healthier. Even Lena... her pain seems lighter."

I inhaled slowly. "That day, when I almost didn’t make it... it forced me to see things clearly. After that, Lewis treated me with patience and respect. He gave me something I’d never had before. That’s when my life began to change."

"That’s good," Nicholas said quietly.

Before he could say more, music drifted through the hall.

The atmosphere shifted.

Grant had invited the Spring Willow Orchestra, and the moment the first note rang out, everyone’s attention turned toward the stage.

That was when I saw her.

Lincy.

She stepped forward with a violin in hand, posture flawless, confidence woven into every movement. While she lacked talent in other arts, music had always been her strongest weapon. Grant had invested heavily in her training, and it showed.

The moment she appeared, Grant’s expression darkened.

Today, he had brought my mom and me. That alone meant he was trying to be careful. Snowville was new territory. He wanted control. Order. Respect.

Lincy’s presence disrupted all of it.

She shouldn’t have been here tonight.

But now that she was already on stage, Grant couldn’t openly send her away. He could only hold his expression cold and distant.

Lena stiffened beside him, clearly upset. She despised both Monica and Lincy. Her body leaned subtly away, ready to leave.

Grant noticed immediately. He wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned in. "Darling, I swear I didn’t expect her to be here. Please don’t be upset. I’ll make sure she leaves as soon as she’s done playing."

Lincy took her place as first violinist, dressed in an elegant evening gown, makeup flawless, presence commanding. The audience’s attention snapped to her instantly.

Applause followed the performance. Some clapped out of appreciation. Others clapped because they knew exactly who she was.

"She plays beautifully," someone murmured.

When the music ended, Lincy stepped off the stage and walked straight toward Grant, lifting her skirt slightly as she spoke in a soft, teasing tone.

"Dad," she said sweetly, "you don’t care about me at all anymore. You only have Riley in your heart. Is it because you think her playing is better than mine?"

The air grew tense.

I met her gaze calmly.

If she thought tonight was meant to challenge me, she had already misunderstood the situation.

What she showed was skill trained, polished, predictable. Anyone with enough years and money could reach that level.

Talent is common.

Depth is not.

She tilted her head, eyes sharp, and smiled. "Riley," she said aloud, "why don’t you play something too?"

It sounded polite.

But it was a test.

And as I looked at her so sure of herself, so desperate for validation I wondered quietly

Who was really about to embarrass themselves?