Chapter 377
Lana stands frozen, overwhelmed by Victor’s intense presence as he stands close enough for her to hear his uneven breathing. After a tense silence, Victor releases her and gently helps her up, asking softly if she truly no longer likes him. Lana’s response is cold and distant; she explains that someone like Victor, the Alpha’s chosen heir and a prominent figure, is beyond her reach and that she was once just a distraction to him, much like she feels she is now.
She lays out the terms of their one-year contract plainly, agreeing to be the obedient, convenient girlfriend but refusing to continue their physical relationship, emphasizing that such intimacy should only exist between people who genuinely love each other—a love they both lack. Victor’s anger surfaces at her refusal, but when he admits he might be willing to love her, Lana dismisses the idea bitterly, reminding him that if he had loved her, it would have happened years ago.
Their conversation reveals the painful history between them: Lana’s past persistence to make him love her, Victor’s initial detachment, and the lingering emptiness she left behind after walking away. Victor admits to feeling jealousy and the painful truth that he never truly let go of her, especially after seeing her with another man. Despite this, Lana insists on ending their relationship cleanly after the contract expires, a desire Victor finds increasingly difficult to accept.
As Victor leaves without another word, Lana is left alone, her body still charged from his presence and the unresolved tension between them. Just as she tries to push her thoughts away, she is startled to find Freya standing in her living room, watching her intently, adding a new layer of complexity to the night’s events.
Chapter 377
Lana remained perfectly still, too afraid to make a single move.
Victor stood so close that she could hear the faint rasp of his breathing—slow, uneven, barely under control. The tension between them stretched out in the silence until, finally, he released her and helped her back onto her feet.
“Lana,” he said softly, his voice low and rough, almost hoarse, “do you really not like me anymore p>
Her body tensed, and she quickly looked away, her face hardening. “Someone like you, Victor—the Alpha’s chosen heir, the shining star of the Capital’s legal world—how could I ever afford to like you p>
He frowned, confusion flickering across his features. “What exactly do you mean by that p>
A bitter laugh escaped her lips, sharp and short. “It means that men like you have always been surrounded by women since you were old enough to shift. I was just the one who chased you the hardest back then. Maybe you thought I was amusing—a convenient distraction, someone to pass the time with. A shield to keep the others at bay.” Her lips curled in a bitter smile. “Just like now p>
Victor’s body stiffened.
She wasn’t completely wrong. At the beginning of their relationship, that was exactly how things had been.
But now, it was different.
“In this one-year contract we agreed on,” she said evenly, her voice stripped of emotion, “I’ll do everything you want. I’ll be the obedient, convenient girlfriend you expect. But that’s all. I don’t want—or expect—anything more. And from now on, I hope… those things won’t happen again p>
His eyes darkened, shadowed with something unreadable. “Those things p>
Lana hesitated for a moment before pressing her lips together firmly. “Sleeping together. I don’t want to do that anymore p>
Her voice was steady, but her racing pulse betrayed the turmoil inside. Still, she forced the words out. “Once or twice is one thing, but I’m not going to keep going down that road. No matter how good you look, or how tempting you are—it’s not worth losing myself in something so fleeting p>
“You don’t want to be with me?” His tone was low, heavy with anger barely concealed.
“Physical things should only happen between people who truly love each other,” Lana said firmly. “We’re just bound by a contract, Victor. You don’t love me, and I don’t love you p>
He studied her silently for a long moment, then asked quietly, “And if I told you I was willing to love you? Would you love me back p>
Lana stared at him like he’d just told a cruel joke. Her laugh was sharp and humorless. “Victor, don’t do this. If you were capable of loving me, you would have done it years ago—when we were still together. Not now, after everything is over p>
Her smile was bitter and resigned. “Besides, I already told you—I can’t afford to like a man like you, let alone love you. So please, stop pretending p>
Victor’s face hardened, the air between them growing cold and tense like frost creeping over glass. He hadn’t expected to say those words himself, to bare his feelings so openly—and he certainly hadn’t expected her to cut them down so mercilessly.
He remembered years ago when she’d clung to his arm, laughing with those bright, reckless eyes. “Victor, I’m your girlfriend. Can’t you love me, just a little p>
“We agreed—dating doesn’t mean love,” he had replied then, detached and practical.
“That’s fine,” she’d said, determined. “You like me enough to date me. I’ll make you love me one day p>
Back then, he found her naivety almost amusing.
He hadn’t realized that her persistence—the way she filled every silence, the warmth she brought into his cold, calculated world—would linger with him long after she left.
At first, she had been nothing more than a pleasant distraction.
Until she walked away.
Only then did he notice the emptiness she left behind—the way other women failed to capture his attention, the way her name haunted the edges of his mind. He told himself it was pride. Just wounded pride.
But when he saw her again—walking into a hotel with Kade, laughing like she’d never begged him to stay—that’s when the truth hit him.
The jealousy. The sharp sting of it. The realization that he had never truly let her go.
“Don’t forget,” Victor said suddenly, his voice low and cutting, “you were the one who came after me first p>
Lana met his gaze coolly. “And didn’t I already agree to be your contracted girlfriend for a year? I’ll do that much. But when the year is over, I want us to end this cleanly. No mess. No drama p>
“End cleanly?” he repeated under his breath, narrowing his eyes.
She nodded firmly. “Exactly p>
But behind Victor’s calm exterior, something dark and stubborn flared. End cleanly. That was no longer what he wanted. Not when every time he saw her, his control threatened to unravel.
He didn’t say another word. Without another glance, he turned and walked away.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Lana exhaled a long, shaky breath. Her body still burned with the afterglow of his presence, the shadow he left lingering in the room. The air smelled faintly of him—wolf musk, rain, and danger.
Why had he come here so late at night?
Surely not just to see her face.
“Forget it,” she muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair. “Don’t think about it p>
She locked the door behind her, then spun around—and froze.
Freya stood in the living room, her amber eyes locked onto Lana.
The chapter closes on a fragile yet resolute note, capturing the complex emotions that tether Lana and Victor together despite their fractured past. Lana’s determination to maintain control over her heart and boundaries stands in stark contrast to Victor’s hidden vulnerability and unspoken longing. Their interaction is charged with a bittersweet tension—both haunted by memories and the unfulfilled possibilities of what could have been, yet bound by a contract that demands distance and emotional restraint.
This moment of confrontation highlights the themes of love’s painful ambiguity and the struggle for self-preservation within complicated relationships. While Lana insists on a clean break after their contractual year, Victor’s silent turmoil hints at a deeper conflict between his desires and his need for control. The chapter leaves their story suspended in a delicate balance of hope and heartbreak, underscoring the enduring shadows of their love.
The next chapter promises to deepen the emotional turmoil between Lana and Victor, as their fragile arrangement faces new tests. With Victor’s unexpected confession and Lana’s resolute boundaries, the tension between them simmers just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. The lingering question remains: can they truly keep their relationship confined to a contract, or will the unresolved feelings and past wounds pull them into a more complicated and painful dance?
Meanwhile, the sudden appearance of Freya hints at fresh complications that could disrupt Lana’s carefully maintained balance. Her presence raises questions about loyalties and hidden motives, adding another layer of intrigue to an already charged atmosphere. As secrets and emotions collide, readers will find themselves drawn into a web of desire, pride, and vulnerability that refuses to be ignored. The next chapter will undoubtedly explore how these intertwined relationships evolve, leaving everyone wondering who will emerge stronger—and who might finally break.
Florence
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.