Fallen 13

Fallen 13 Summary

In a tense boardroom filled with fearful silence, Alaric asserts control as he prepares to make a surprising decision. Despite his usual intolerance for mediocrity and disloyalty, he plans to promote Tyler Cross, a man secretly involved with Meadow Russell’s twin sister and unaware of the storm he has walked into. Alaric’s fixation on Meadow, sparked by a brief accidental touch six months prior, drives his actions. He has uncovered Tyler’s deceit and intends to use this promotion as a means to watch Tyler fall from grace.

 

Tyler, confident and eager, enters the room unaware of Alaric’s true intentions or the fact that Meadow, the woman he has wronged, is now under Alaric’s protection. Alaric remains cold and calculating, promoting Tyler not as a reward but as a strategic move to dismantle him slowly while maintaining the facade of favor. The boardroom witnesses the unexpected promotion with disbelief, knowing Alaric’s reputation for ruthlessness.

 

Meanwhile, Alaric’s thoughts reveal his deep possessiveness and determination to claim Meadow as his own. He recalls how he has cared for her during her vulnerable moments and is certain she will eventually accept her place by his side. The chapter ends with Alaric watching Meadow settle into her new surroundings, confident that she belongs to him and that this is only the beginning of his plan unfolding.

CHAPTER 0013

Alaric’s Perspective:

The atmosphere in the boardroom was thick with a silence that wasn’t respectful or attentive—it was the kind of silence born from fear, wrapping itself around every person in the room like an invisible shroud.

Just the way I wanted it.

I had zero tolerance for mediocrity, and disloyalty was something I never rewarded. But today, I was about to break both of those rules.

All because of what I knew she desired.

Meadow Russell. My innocent, delicate doe.

Ever since our hands accidentally brushed six months ago—an incident I was certain she had already forgotten—I hadn’t been able to get her out of my mind.

She had been standing just outside this very building, waiting for that worthless bastard, when our fingers touched briefly.

It was a faint contact, but it left an undeniable mark on me—Meadow’s touch.

From that moment on, I made it my mission to learn everything about her, though uncovering her past proved more challenging than I anticipated. Eventually, I discovered what her twin sister had been up to, all behind Meadow’s back.

That was the turning point. I knew it was only a matter of time before she belonged to me.

And now she did. She just hadn’t come to terms with it yet.

A sharp, feminine voice broke through my thoughts.

“Last item,” Dana announced from my right, flipping a page in her sleek leather folder. “Executive assistant to the CEO. Top internal candidate: Tyler Cross.”

There it was.

Dana tilted the file toward me, but I didn’t need to glance at it. I already knew every detail about Tyler—where he lived, how he spoke, and how foolish he was to think he could juggle two women while deceiving one.

He believed he could claim what was mine without consequence.

“He’s been leading the sales team for the past eighteen months,” Dana continued. “His metrics are solid, projects delivered on time. He’s confident.”

He was the very reason this meeting was taking place, though the department heads and advisors didn’t realize it. They thought this was just a routine employee evaluation.

Which, in a way, it was—but not for the reasons they assumed.

I fixed my gaze on the far wall, resting one hand firmly on the table.

“Let him in,” I said flatly.

Exactly one minute later, the door slid open, and Tyler Cross stepped inside, wearing that polished, painfully eager expression. His slacks were over-pressed, his tie knotted tight, and his smile was toned down to a modest curve of “I’m just so grateful to be here.” But I saw right through the act.

I’ve never pretended to be a good man. At least I’m honest about it. I don’t fake love for two years while screwing the twin behind her back.

On the bright side, I knew he had never touched Meadow. Not the way I wanted to.

For that, he would live.

He would suffer, but he would live.

Like the pathetic coward he was.

“Mr. Ashford, sir,” he said, bowing his head slightly, completely unaware of the storm he had just walked into.

Unaware that the woman he had humiliated was now safely in my home. That I had held her as she fell apart.

And that before the week was out, she would sign my name in ink—because she belonged to me.

I stared at him with a blank expression.

Tyler straightened, probably mistaking my silence for intimidation. It wasn’t. I was simply calculating exactly how long it would take to make him squirm.

He cleared his throat. “It’s an honor to be considered, sir.”

Honor.

I wondered if it had been an honor for him to betray Meadow’s sister while she was still asleep in their shared apartment. To take her trust and turn it into a twisted game. To leave her feeling hollow and broken.

Oh, I was going to enjoy this.

“I’m promoting you,” I said at last. “Effective immediately, you’re my executive assistant.”

The boardroom fell into a pin-drop silence once again—this time, disbelief replaced dread.

Because everyone knew.

They all knew I didn’t hand out favors. Promotions weren’t candy handed out freely—you earned them through blood, sweat, and tears.

And it seemed Tyler Cross was just realizing that now.

His eyes widened. “Sir… Uh, thank you!” he stammered, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Meadow never needed someone as weak and spineless as Tyler Cross.

“I won’t let you down,” he added.

“Oh, I know,” I replied.

I let the silence stretch, thick and heavy. None of them knew the truth—I wasn’t promoting him to reward him.

I was promoting him so I could watch him fall from a higher place.

So I could be the one to tear down everything he’d built, inch by inch, while he thought he was winning.

And when Meadow found out?

When she finally understood what it meant to be mine?

She’d be glad she kept my ring on her finger.

“Meeting adjourned,” I said, rising from my seat.

Tyler smiled as he turned to leave, and I was almost certain he did a little happy kick on his way out.

I smiled too.

This was only the beginning.

I pulled my phone from my pocket as the others filed out of the boardroom, glancing at the screen to see a message from my driver, West.

“She’s in,” the text read.

Good.

I quickly tapped out a reply, exited the messaging app, and scrolled through a few others until I found what I was looking for.

Opening the app, I sank back into my chair, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I watched Meadow enter the guest suite, right behind the housekeeper, Mel.

As I observed her take in her new surroundings, surprise and wonder flickering across her face, I could tell—even through the slightly grainy video feed—that one word echoed in my mind.

Mine.

Because she was mine.

Meadow. My doe.