Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth

Chapter Hannah

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The next day, my phone buzzed with an incoming call as I was brushing my hair out in front of the mirror. Picking up the phone, a knot of dread instantly formed in the pit of my stomach as I stared at the name flashing across the screen.

Emma.

The last time we had spoken, things hadn't exactly ended on the best of terms. I had, after all, revealed that her husband was cheating on her. Surely she didn't think very highly of me. With a heavy sigh, I swiped to accept the call. "Hello?"

"Hannah, it's Emma," her voice filtered through the speaker. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

"No, no," + assured her, rubbing my temple as I settled onto the edge of the bed. "What's up?"

"Well, I was hoping we could get together for dinner tonight?" she asked, her tone taking on a slightly hesitant edge. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you, if you're free." 1 pressed my lips together, weighing my options. After the way I had callously revealed her husband's infidelity at the charity gala, I wouldn't have blamed Emma if she never wanted to speak to me again. But still, there was something in her voice that made me curious, "Yeah, sure," I finally said. "Dinner sounds good." Thanking the host, I settled into a cozy corner booth at the pub in town-I had thought it was an unlikely place for Emma to frequent, but figured that maybe she was trying to fly under the radar and had picked this little hole-in-the-wall to do just that.

I fidgeted with my glass of water, taking a sip as my eyes roamed the dimly lit room for Emma. Finally, I caught a glimpse of her striding in through the door, dressed down with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. It hit me, then, that I had only ever seen her dressed to the nines with a cake of makeup covering her face. She looked beautiful like this.

"Hannah," she greeted me with a surprisingly warm smile as she slid into the booth across from me. "It's so good to see you."

"You too," I replied, offering up a small smile of my own despite the nervous fluttering in my stomach." Listen, Emma, before you say anything else, I just want to apologize for how I acted the last time we spoke. It was cruel of me to reveal your husband's affair like that, and I'm sorry. I was being vindictive, and

To my surprise, Emma simply waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it, Hannah, really. In all honesty, you did me a favor."

I blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Emma leaned forward, dropping her voice. "I'm leaving him," she confided in a low voice. "I've already started making arrangements to move out and file for divorce." Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

My brows hiked upward. "Wow... Emma, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I mean, I guess I could have guessed, but." ast with

She shook her head. "Don't be sorry. This has been a long time coming, if I'm being honest myself. He and I have been growing apart for years now, and his infidelity was just the final straw that made me realize I deserve better than to be stuck in a loveless marriage. I can do so much better."

I nodded slowly, feeling a newfound surge of respect for this woman I had once viewed as little more than a vapid, preening trophy wife. "I'm glad you're standing up for yourself," I told her sincerely. "That takes a lot of courage."

Emma offered me a small, grateful smile before her expression turned slightly hesitant once more." Actually, Hannah, there's another reason I wanted to speak with you tonight..."

She drew in a deep breath, seeming to steel herself before she spoke. "For a long time, I was incredibly envious of you," she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Not just of your beauty, but of your confidence and the way you carried yourself with such poise and grace. I found myself constantly comparing my own looks, my body, my accomplishments to yours, and always coming up short in my own mind."