Claimed by My Bestie's Alpha Daddy novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I woke up a few hours later under a soft throw that smelled like cedar and clean linen. It was draped over me like someone had placed it carefully-tucked in, even.

The room was still. My laptop was closed. The lights had been dimmed.

It was the first real sleep I’d had in weeks.

The next day, the intern presentation room buzzed with energy. Half the group seemed jittery. The other half looked smug.

And then Richard walked in.

Every head turned. The room stiffened like someone had flipped the gravity on.

He didn’t say anything-just took a seat at the back with a clipboard. Somehow, it was more intimidating than if he’d announced his presence out loud.

The first group was called up. Friendly, overconfident, a little too rehearsed.

Their presentation was smooth. A little too smooth.

The language felt familiar. Not exactly mine–but pieces of it echoed lines from my original proposal. Word choices. Phrasing. Even the layout was suspiciously similar.

I felt my stomach tighten.

Then Richard started asking questions.

“What data informed that outreach model?”

“Why choose that demographic as your priority?”

“What assumptions are you making here that you didn’t justify in your material?”

Their confidence started to fray. One of them kept glancing at his notes. Another was visibly sweating. Then Richard asked:

“Can you explain why several sections of your language directly mirror phrasing used in Amelia’s draft submitted three days ago?”

1/3

Chapter 1

The room froze.

No one spoke.

The girl in the middle opened her mouth, looked to the others, and said nothing.

Richard looked calmly at all three of them. “My team has zero tolerance for intellectual dishonesty. Your

internships are terminated, effective immediately.”

Gasps. A few shocked glances. But the group didn’t argue-they just stood, silent, faces pale, and gathered their

things.

From the corner of my eye, I caught movement. Jason. He was sitting a row over, watching the group like

someone who’d just seen a plan backfire.

And then he saw me watching him.

His face was blank, too blank. Too neutral to be innocent.

The realization landed like a stone in my chest: he’d put them up to it.

Jason had convinced them to do it. Let someone else take the fall while he kept his hands clean.

My name was called.

I stood slowly, my hands steady now. Clear and furious.

I presented with everything I had. It wasn’t perfect. But it was mine. And this time, I let myself glance back at

Richard when I finished.

He gave the faintest nod.

Later, in front of the entire group, he made the announcement.

“Amelia’s proposal will lead the implementation phase. She’s earned it.”

The room went still. Then applause-awkward at first, then stronger.

No intern had ever been given real campaign work before.

I didn’t look for Jason, but I felt his eyes on me. When I finally met them, the smugness was gone.

What I saw instead was sharper. Focused.

2/3

He’d underestimated me-and now he knew it.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify