Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 385

The early morning sun barely peeked over the horizon when Thomas Winters stirred awake.

The mansion was silent, save for the occasional soft footsteps of the house staff preparing for the day.

He sat up in bed, running a hand through his graying hair, his mind already set on what needed to be done.

He had no time to waste.

Sliding out of bed, he moved swiftly, dressing in a crisp black suit, his usual choice when he needed to handle something important.

He adjusted his cufflinks, buttoned his jacket, and grabbed his phone, checking the time. 6:15 AM.

The flight was already arranged, and he needed to leave before Margaret started asking questions.

Just as he stepped out of the bedroom, his wife’s voice cut through the quiet hallway.

“Where are you going?”

Thomas stopped mid-step, inhaling sharply before turning to see Margaret Winters standing in her silk robe, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

The tension from last night still lingered between them, and it was evident in the way she scrutinized him, waiting for his answer.

Thomas kept his expression unreadable. “I have business to handle.”

Margaret arched a brow. “At six in the morning?”

He exhaled sharply. “I don’t owe you a play-by-play of my schedule, Margaret.”

She scoffed. “No, of course not. That would require honesty.”

Thomas clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin. “I don’t have time for this.”

Margaret stepped closer. “You never do, do you?” Her tone was laced with something between frustration and sadness.

“Tell me, Thomas… are you even planning to come back home tonight?”

He stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head. “I don’t know.”

Margaret’s lips pressed into a thin line, disappointment flickering in her eyes. “Then don’t bother making excuses when I stop waiting up for you.”

Thomas didn’t respond. He simply turned away and walked down the stairs, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floors.

He could feel her eyes burning into his back, but he didn’t stop, didn’t turn around.

He had more important matters to deal with.

—

A few hours later, Thomas Winters’ private jet touched down in San Francisco.

The moment the plane came to a stop, he stepped out, barely acknowledging the flight crew as he made his way to the awaiting black sedan.

The driver nodded in greeting before silently pulling out of the airport, merging onto the highway.

Thomas stared out the window, his fingers tapping against his knee.

It had been too long since he had come here. Too long since he had seen her.

The drive was short, and soon, the car came to a stop in front of a small, modern townhouse—a stark contrast to the lavish estates and penthouses Thomas was used to.

He stepped out of the car, straightened his jacket, and approached the door, knocking twice.

Silence.

Then, the door opened slightly, revealing a young woman in her early twenties.

Her light brown eyes—so much like his real self— were filled with immediate hostility.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice cold.

Thomas exhaled, his face unreadable. “Aren’t you going to let your father in?”

The young woman—Sophia Winters—let out a bitter laugh. “Father? That’s funny. You sure don’t act like one.”

Thomas’s jaw tightened. “Sophia—”

“No,” she snapped, stepping back and crossing her arms. “Whatever you came here for, I don’t want to hear it.”

Thomas sighed, stepping inside anyway, closing the door behind him.

The small living room was neat but simple. A far cry from the wealth she had come from, but Sophia had made it clear she wanted nothing from him.

She glared at him. “You have five minutes. Then you leave.”

Thomas studied her carefully. She looked stronger, more independent than the last time he had seen her. She had always been fiercely stubborn, a trait she had inherited from her mother.

“I came to see how you were,” he finally said.

Sophia scoffed. “Really? That’s new. Because last I checked, you only ever show up when you need something.”

Thomas clenched his jaw. “That’s not true.”

Sophia arched a brow. “Isn’t it? You left. You walked away from my mother and me like we were nothing.”

His gaze darkened slightly. “I did what I had to do.”

Sophia laughed bitterly. “Right. Because abandoning your daughter was just necessary, wasn’t it?”

Thomas exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You think I wanted to leave? You think it was easy for me?”

Sophia crossed her arms. “I don’t care if it was easy for you. I cared that you left. And then, when Mom got sick, you barely even showed up. A few hospital visits, a couple of checks sent in the mail—like that was supposed to make everything better.”

Thomas’s fists clenched at his sides. “I was doing what I could without drawing attention.”

Sophia’s expression twisted with anger. “Because your fake family couldn’t find out about us, right? God forbid Margaret and Ryan know that fake Thomas Winters had a whole other daughter.”

“Would ruin your dumb plans, right?” She asked with a scoff.

Thomas exhaled, his voice dropping lower. “I never stopped caring about you, Sophia. Everything I’ve done, everything I’m doing now—it’s for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want anything from you.”

Thomas smirked slightly. “Not even revenge?”

Sophia stilled. “What?”

Thomas took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Everything Ryan has—his wealth, his power, the Winter's name—it was all meant to be mine.”

“ I built that empire, and yet, he sits at the top, taking everything for granted. But soon, that will change. Once everything is set in motion, I will take back everything—and when I do, you will never have to live like this again.”

Sophia frowned. “What do you mean?”

Thomas’s smirk widened. “I mean that when the dust settles, Ryan will have nothing. And you, Sophia, will take the place that was rightfully yours from the beginning.”

Sophia hesitated, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “And what exactly do I have to do?”

Thomas studied her carefully. “Nothing. Just stay out of it for now. Let me handle things. But when the time comes, you’ll have a choice. A very important one.”

Sophia swallowed, crossing her arms again. “You’re asking me to trust you, but trust isn’t exactly something you’ve earned, Thomas.”

Thomas’s gaze softened, just slightly. “I know. But I promise you, when this is over, you’ll understand why I had to do everything the way I did.”

Sophia exhaled, looking away.

She wasn’t sure if she believed him.

But the way he spoke, the certainty in his voice—it left something lingering in her mind.

Doubt.

And maybe, just maybe, a tiny part of her wanted to see if he was telling the truth.

Thomas watched her carefully before nodding. “I’ll be back.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving Sophia alone in the quiet of her small townhouse.

As she sat down on the couch, her mind raced with thoughts.

Because despite her anger, despite the years of resentment…

A part of her wanted to believe him and have him back in her life.