Author: Momo Chan

Benjamin, the new intern at the company, accidentally ate some hallucinogenic mushrooms and started tripping. He lunged at my fiancée Audrey and kissed her wildly. Not only did Audrey not push him away, she actually ran her fingers through his hair. Then Audrey explained to me, “He didn’t mean it. Stop looking so serious.” I laughed bitterly. “Even if he wasn’t in his right mind, why did you kiss him back? You even used tongue.” Audrey raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t! It was just a reflex.” “If you don’t like it, then quit. Once you’re not an employee here, you won’t have to see any of this anymore!” She never expected that on the day that intern got his permanent position, I actually resigned. From that day on, I disappeared from her world. Five years later, Audrey met with me as a partner of my company. She had no idea what my position was now. She looked at me with pity. “After all this time away, you’re still just an assistant. If you apologize, I’ll let you come back to work for me.” I closed the file and made a phone call. “This partner doesn’t meet our standards. We’re canceling this deal.”

I got up to leave. Benjamin pressed his hand on my files. “William, you’re already here. Don’t rush off. We haven’t even started talking yet!” “Blanchett Family Group is a Fortune 500 company. Surely your employees have better manners than this?” Carter, a former colleague, snorted and crossed his arms. “Clearly just some errand boy who’s never seen the real world. Does he really think one phone call can make or break a project?” “Hey, don’t talk about William like that!” Benjamin frowned and glared at Carter, though the reprimand seemed superficial. “After all, he has some special history with Audrey. Since things didn’t work out, he’s holding a grudge and won’t negotiate with us. It’s understandable.” I glanced at my watch. “Fine. You have twenty minutes to say whatever you want. I have another meeting after this.” “William, getting addicted to this act?” Audrey spoke up slowly. She leaned back in her leather chair, looking lazy. “Since you want to play, I’ll play along. We’re all old friends here. Don’t be too harsh on the price.” As she spoke, her eyes swept over my plain shirt and stopped on my left ring finger. I wore a simple, humble ring there. No gemstone embellishments. Not even gold. Benjamin followed her gaze, his lips curling up. His tone was light. “William, you actually got married? Why didn’t you invite us to the wedding?” Carter immediately chimed in, nudging Benjamin with his elbow. “When are you and Audrey getting married? I saw you picking out wedding rings yesterday.” “Carter!” Benjamin playfully punched his shoulder, though his ears turned red. “Don’t talk nonsense. Audrey and I are just colleagues.” Audrey’s lips curved slightly as she deliberately reached out to adjust Benjamin’s collar. This gesture drew ambiguous jeers from Carter and the other colleagues. I looked down and organized my files, completely unmoved. I’d been through the same thing five years ago. This little provocation was nothing. The door to the private room opened and a server came in with coffee. I had no intention of staying to watch their performance. I turned to leave. “Wait, William!” Benjamin rushed up but deliberately shoved the server. Coffee splashed all over my back. My white shirt was instantly soaked through with the brown liquid. “Oops!” Benjamin exclaimed, though he couldn’t hide the smile at the corners of his mouth. “William, are you okay?” The server frantically handed me napkins. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to…” “It’s fine.” I took the napkins, my voice calm. “Someone pushed you.” Benjamin’s expression changed. “What are you trying to say? You weren’t careful and now you’re blaming others?” Carter immediately backed him up. “Exactly. We all saw it. You clearly turned around too fast.” I turned back. The soaked white shirt had become semi-transparent. Coffee dripped from the hem onto the floor. The situation was pretty bad. “William,” Audrey finally spoke, her tone tinged with faint annoyance. “Stop embarrassing yourself.” She casually grabbed a suit jacket from one of her subordinates and tossed it on the sofa nearest to me. The meaning was obvious. I didn’t touch the jacket. I just calmly turned around. “I’m going to the restroom.” I barely managed to clean up my back with water when my phone buzzed with a message: [Car’s downstairs] I replied with a simple “okay.” As I walked out of the restroom, I heard hushed voices from around the corner. “I heard when he suddenly quit back then, he’d gotten some woman at the company pregnant. It was a whole thing…” “Keep your voice down… but I heard about that too. Something about not handling it cleanly, almost ended up in a lawsuit…” Halfway through their conversation, they saw me and immediately fell silent. Benjamin raised his hand to adjust his shirt collar, his tone casual. “William, Audrey said she’ll give you one more chance. Sign at the price we stated, and she can throw some other projects your way.” I walked right past them and pushed open the door to the private room. Audrey was flipping through my files. When she saw me come in, she didn’t stop. She just glanced up. “This report isn’t bad.” She closed the file and pushed it forward lightly. “Come back to Rayjedo Company. I’ll give you double the salary.” “No need.” I took back my files. “Today’s negotiation ends here.” “William!” Audrey’s volume suddenly spiked. “You think working at Blanchett Family Group makes you special? They only hired you because you’re cheap! Where’s your supervisor? How could they let you handle a project worth hundreds of millions?” I didn’t respond. I just turned toward the door. As my hand touched the doorknob, her voice rang out again. “William, it’s been five years. Haven’t you had enough of this tantrum?” I paused. A tantrum? How arrogant did someone have to be to think that five years of separation was just throwing a tantrum? “Audrey,” I said calmly. “My time is valuable.” Her expression darkened. “What are you acting so high and mighty for? If it weren’t for me back then, do you think you could have become team leader?” She looked at me with contempt. “You go work odd jobs at Blanchett Family Group and forget who’s responsible for that impressive resume of yours?” I didn’t bother with this lunatic. I just got in the elevator.

The air before a storm was hot and sticky. I sat in the car, watching messages constantly pop up in my class group chat. Class president @everyone: [Tonight at 7 PM, Parson Hotel. Bring your families! Dr. Andre will be there too!] Of course it had to be tonight. We hadn’t been in touch for five years. I never expected Audrey had already become the second-in-command at Rayjedo Company Group. The person who was supposed to show up at today’s negotiation was originally a vice president from Rayjedo Company. They changed it at the last minute. Made me step in shit. Someone @’d me: [William, why aren’t you responding? You have to come! Dr. Andre always cared about you the most!] I stared at the screen and finally replied “okay.” Dr. Andre had been kind to me. I couldn’t disrespect him just because I didn’t want to see Audrey. That evening, Audrey booked the Presidential Hall at Parson Hotel and let everyone party freely. Our class of 36, plus family members, made for a lively crowd. As soon as I pushed open the door, I heard Benjamin’s laughter. He stood next to Audrey, surrounded by several classmates flattering him. Someone saw me and immediately stirred up conversation. “Oh, William’s finally here!” “I heard after you quit, you haven’t had steady work? Man, they say the closer you are, the better your chances. You and Audrey got recruited by the same company right out of school. Why didn’t you know to hold onto her?” I smiled and didn’t respond. I found a corner to sit in. The class president was already drunk. He suddenly slapped the table. “What do you guys know! William back then… *hic*… to go to the same school as Audrey, he could have gotten into Harvard!” “Oh my god! Really?” “Of course it’s true! His family told him to think carefully, but he insisted on going to the same school as Audrey!” Everyone sighed. Audrey swirled her wine glass, smiling faintly. “Everyone has their own fate.” I couldn’t help but think of that youth that would never return. Back then, I really was stupid enough to downgrade my school application. At eighteen, I believed some things were worth sacrificing all rationality for. Now, hearing her casual tone, I just felt laughably naive. Benjamin laughed loudly nearby. “Whatever you say about William’s feelings back then, they were real and brave. Come on, everyone raise a glass to William!” Someone immediately chimed in. “Benjamin really has class! Now you and Audrey have both career and love. That’s true fulfillment!” “Some people, well, they chose their own path and have to deal with the consequences. Can’t blame anyone else.” I looked down and sipped my coffee. The coffee was warm, but it couldn’t warm the coldness in my fingertips. My phone vibrated. It was my mom calling. I got up and went to the balcony. Her voice on the other end was slightly angry. “What time are you coming back? Go pick up the kid.” I turned to the side and lowered my voice. “Soon. Right away.” When I hung up, I turned around and found two female classmates standing at the balcony door, their expressions odd. “William, did you have a wedding ceremony? We’re all old classmates. Why didn’t you invite us?” I shook my head. “No ceremony.” “But we just heard you say… you need to pick up a kid?” I smiled, half-joking. “Yeah, my job now is picking up and dropping off kids.” The two exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat strange. When I returned to the private room, I learned Dr. Andre had something come up and couldn’t make it. I grabbed my jacket from the back of the chair. “Enjoy yourselves, everyone. I need to go.” A drawn-out teasing voice came from behind me. “Oh my, the employer’s kids need their driver to pick them up!” Everyone laughed. I turned to look at the female classmate who’d just talked to me on the balcony. Is this what she told them? I didn’t bother to argue. I pushed open the door and left. Outside the hotel, rain poured down. I waited for a while, but the rain didn’t let up. People from the party gradually started leaving the hotel. Audrey held a black umbrella and walked up beside me. “Where do you live? I’ll give you a ride.” “No need.” She stared at me and suddenly said, “William, what exactly do you want?” I looked at her like she was an idiot. “I don’t want anything. But Audrey, aren’t you afraid your fiancé will be jealous if you give me a ride?” Audrey frowned. “I was forced into what happened with Benjamin back then. He was delirious from the poisoning. What could I do? If there was really something between us, we’d have kids by now.” I looked at her calmly. “Then I wish you both many children. Is it too late for that?” “You—” I didn’t wait for her to finish. I walked straight to a taxi that had stopped by the curb.

On the day I went to a business reception, the financial news broke the story about the failed partnership between Rayjedo Company Group and Blanchett Family Group. Dozens of unknown numbers suddenly appeared on my phone. I could guess it was Audrey. When we broke up years ago, I blocked all her contact information. If she wanted to find me, besides making a public announcement in the class group, she could only bomb me with calls from new phone numbers. Actually, this project could have been a win-win situation. I didn’t want to bring personal matters into work. But every word out of her mouth was about how I wasn’t worthy to negotiate with her. Since she hadn’t learned to respect people, I didn’t need to save her face either. “William?” The familiar voice made me stop in my tracks. I turned to see Audrey with her team standing by the red carpet. Benjamin stood beside her, his well-fitted formal wear overly conspicuous under the spotlights. “This kind of event requires an invitation.” Benjamin deliberately raised his voice. “William, you didn’t sneak in following your boss, did you?” Carter immediately helped. “Want me to talk to security? They can let you in to take care of your master.” His fake concern drew sideways glances from people around us. Audrey frowned at me. “That’s enough. Stop embarrassing yourself.” She reached out to pull me away. “As my subordinate in the future, you’ll naturally have chances to come to events like this and see the world. Don’t be childish just to spite me. There are reporters inside.” I calmly pulled my hand back. “Audrey, seems like Rayjedo Company has a lot of free time? The deal fell through and you still have the mood to attend receptions?” At the mention of the deal, her expression instantly darkened. “All because a server accidentally spilled coffee on you?” “William, did you feed everything you learned to the dogs? Blanchett Family Group actually lets someone like you handle negotiations?” A male colleague behind her scoffed. “Audrey, don’t overestimate Mr. William. If he had the ability to ruin a partnership between Blanchett Family Group and Rayjedo Company, he wouldn’t be dressed like this at a reception!” “Like a beggar!” This seemed to comfort Audrey. “I wouldn’t go so far as to think a small-time employee like him could control the whole situation.” Benjamin immediately added, “Right. William’s wearing cheap knockoffs without a single brand name. He can only dream about being a leader!” Carter fake-sympathetically tried to smooth things over. “Don’t say that. Back then, William insisted Audrey choose between letting you get your permanent position or keeping him. He probably didn’t do so well after leaving Rayjedo Company in a huff!” I looked down and adjusted my cuffs. This outfit was from my mom’s small independent brand. The colors and style suited my personality. I didn’t see anything wrong with it. “Are you done?” I said calmly. “If you’re done, please move. I’m in a hurry.” Audrey looked displeased. “Do you not understand what people are saying?” Seeing I wasn’t responding, she finally softened her attitude. She turned and took the guest pass off Carter’s neck. “Since you want to go in so badly, just stay by my side and behave.” I was about to speak when Mr. Jason from the event’s organizing committee jogged over. He interrupted our standoff. “Mr. William, your speech is ready. Mr. Brown is asking if you want to review it first?”

Audrey’s expression froze instantly. The smile on Benjamin’s lips that hadn’t yet faded stiffened. He looked at the newcomer with some disbelief. “Excuse me, I think you’ve got the wrong person. A speech? Only three people are giving speeches at today’s reception…” I took the folder and said to Mr. Jason, “These people are not allowed inside.” Audrey grabbed my wrist. “What do you mean?” “Exactly what I said.” I gently pulled my hand back. A rare flash of confusion crossed her eyes. She probably still thought I was the same fool from years ago who would interpret her slightest consideration as special attention. Who would feel warm inside because she forcefully took the coffee from my hand and replaced it with hot milk. Who would have his heart race because she threw my proposal on the desk in front of the whole department and said “redo it,” then stayed up all night helping me revise it. Times had changed. That kind of “kindness” only made me feel violated now. Not long after entering the venue, my phone suddenly vibrated. I answered and heard my mom’s anxious voice. “The kid fell playing with toys and keeps crying for you…” I immediately told a colleague, “I need to make a video call. If I’m not out when it’s time, you’ll give the speech for me.” Then I quickly walked toward the lounge. … After hanging up the video call, I got a message from my colleague: [Speech went well!] I let out a long breath and prepared to return to the venue. Just as I reached the corner of the hallway, I heard voices from Audrey’s team coming through the half-open VIP room door. “I’m so pissed! He wouldn’t let us in, but luckily I was smart. I paid a few guests to swap passes with us. Audrey, you better reimburse me when we get back!” “That William just bluffs. He wasn’t even one of the three speakers. What an act!” “Who does he think he is, keeping us out with one sentence? Is his employer really that powerful?” “No matter how powerful his employer is, they wouldn’t help a driver flex like that, right? Unless…” “Everyone shut up!” Audrey’s voice carried irritation. “This reception is full of potential clients. Don’t you understand what situation Rayjedo Company is in right now? Stop gossiping about irrelevant people.” She glanced at her watch. “In half an hour, Business Weekly is doing my interview in the first-floor interview area. Check all the materials again.” I shook my head helplessly and turned back to the venue. After it ended, I prepared to go home. Passing through the first-floor lobby, I saw a well-known financial talk show doing a live broadcast at the hotel. Audrey sat in the interview seat as an invited “young business representative.” She wore a sharp suit, her makeup perfect, her expression composed. The host smiled. “Ms. Audrey, you’ve had impressive achievements in the industry in recent years, but you seem to keep your personal life very private?” Audrey smiled faintly. “Career comes first.” “I heard you once had a first love, but ultimately didn’t end up together. What’s your view on men who use marriage to achieve class mobility?” The host’s question was loaded. Audrey frowned slightly, seeming unwilling to discuss it. Benjamin, sitting in the audience, immediately picked up the topic. “Everyone, don’t pressure Ms. Audrey to talk about private matters. She really was almost deceived by a certain scumbag back then.” He sighed as if helplessly. “But now that man’s older, he’s fallen to being some rich woman’s driver and has to pick up kids.” My steps that had been moving away paused. This man he was referring to was me? This interview was being broadcast live. Once spoken, those words couldn’t be taken back! I took out my phone and opened the interview’s live stream. The comments had already exploded. [How could a scumbag like that be content as a driver? He’s definitely after the rich woman, lol!] [Ms. Audrey is so beautiful and capable. It’s inevitable she’d meet a scumbag or two!] [I heard that man was Ms. Audrey’s first love. Ms. Audrey has stayed single all these years. She must have been really hurt!] I didn’t need to guess who was directing this narrative. Back then, I gave Audrey a choice. If she let Benjamin get his permanent position, I would resign. Although it ended unpleasantly, I left Audrey with her dignity. From beginning to end, no one knew we had been a couple. After Benjamin attended our class reunion and heard some old stories, he must have guessed some of the reasons why I was hostile toward her. But without knowing the full story, could he just slander me like this? I sneered and closed the live stream. Benjamin had sharp eyes. He immediately raised his voice. “Oh, isn’t that the first love of Ms. Audrey you just mentioned?” He deliberately directed the camera toward me. Some reporters eager to sniff out gossip rushed forward with their microphones. “Mr. William, is it true that you rejected an invitation from a prestigious school just to latch onto Ms. Audrey?” “There are rumors that after you were fired from Rayjedo Company Group, you specifically became a driver for rich women?” “Are you here today to use Ms. Audrey for publicity?” Benjamin stood to the side, his lips slightly curved. The business interview instantly turned into entertainment gossip. The next second, the venue doors suddenly burst open and a boy in a custom-tailored little suit ran in. All the cameras instantly switched direction. “It’s the son of Caitlyn, the youngest female billionaire in the capital!” someone exclaimed. “Oh my god, seeing him in person for the first time!” The whole venue erupted. Even Benjamin’s eyes lit up as he stared at the noble little figure. After all, this was the heir to a truly elite family! A tiny bit from him could sustain an ordinary person’s entire lifetime of struggle. Benjamin, who was closest to the child, reacted fastest. He immediately crouched down, his face breaking into a sickeningly sweet smile. “How come you’re here all alone?” He reached out to touch the child’s hair, but the little boy’s eyes suddenly lit up as he called out sweetly, “Daddy!” Benjamin was shocked and delighted. “Oh my god! The kid called him daddy! So Benjamin is Caitlyn’s husband?” “No wonder Ms. Audrey treats him so specially!” “Turns out he’s the real elite!” Benjamin thought perhaps the child’s mother was selecting a husband. He stammered happily, “B-baby, say it again?” The little boy wrinkled his nose. I couldn’t help but want to laugh.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “416023”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

That day, during the parent-child event, I was sweating buckets inside that heavy mascot costume, jumping around just to get a few more laughs out of my son. When I stepped off stage, Chloe handed me a bottle of water, saying casually: “While you were bouncing around up there for half an hour, Liam and I were making out backstage.” “He said he felt bad seeing me struggle with Leo alone.” Liam was a struggling student I’d sponsored for four years. Just ten minutes earlier, he’d clapped me on the shoulder, his face earnest as he promised: “Ethan, don’t worry. If Chloe ever betrayed you, I’d be the first to stand against it.” Chloe stood in front of me, her voice dripping with contempt: “Choose now. Are you going to finish this act with your son, or are we going to fight about divorce again, like always?” I watched my son, who’d just been calling me Dad, now clinging to Liam, whining and calling him “Mr. Liam.” A wave of pure disgust washed over me. This toxic wife, this ungrateful son – I wanted none of them anymore.

“Why him, of all people?” I clenched my fists, asking in a low voice. Chloe just chuckled. “Ethan, what are you pretending to be clueless about?” “Liam is young, smart, and understands me… not like you, who spends all day either fussing over Leo or nagging about trivial details and endless chores.” This self-righteous arrogance was even more repulsive than the infidelity itself. “Dad!” Seven-year-old Leo rushed over, clutching a handful of colorful candies. He stuffed the candy into his pocket, then pointed at the insulated lunch box in my hand and complained. “Dad, your homemade lunch is so gross. It’s all vegetables, no flavor at all.” Leo pouted, then proudly held up the candy in his hand like a trophy. “Mr. Liam gave me this candy, and it’s so sweet! He even said he’d bring me some every day from now on.” I looked at the cheap, artificially colored candies in his hand, preparing to take them away. “Leo, your cough isn’t gone yet. You shouldn’t eat anything this sweet…” Leo pushed my hand away, his little face scrunched up. He hid behind Chloe, muttering softly. “Dad, are you going to start fighting about divorce again…” “Today’s a school event, can you just let me enjoy it?” Even my son had started calling my pain a “fight.” I froze, a chill running through me. Just then, Liam walked over, his eyes red-rimmed. “Ethan, I’m so sorry…” He lowered his gaze, his voice timid. “Chloe and I just made a mistake. Don’t blame her, it’s all my fault.” As he spoke, he naturally squatted down, hugged Leo, and gently patted his back. “Don’t worry, Leo. Adults will sort out adult problems. Mr. Liam will always be on your side.” Leo hugged his neck tightly, nodding repeatedly. Chloe, in front of several other parents, reached out and patted Liam’s shoulder, shielding him. “Ethan, it’s a school event today. Don’t embarrass our son in front of the whole school. If you want to fight, do it at home.” I held back, not wanting to make a scene, until the crowd gradually dispersed. I reached out to take Leo’s hand and lead him home. But he forcefully pulled away, turning to run towards Liam. He looked up, his eyes full of anticipation, and asked. “Mr. Liam, can you come to our house for dinner tonight?”

That evening, Chloe actually brought Liam home. Liam changed into a pair of dark blue slippers that Chloe had bought just a few days ago. I had asked her why she bought men’s large, and she’d said they were on sale at the supermarket. He walked into the kitchen as if he owned the place, pulling fried chicken and sweet sauce out of a bag. “Leo, come wash your hands! Your favorite fried chicken is here!” He smiled brightly, a hint of challenge in his eyes. “Chloe specifically told me Leo’s been craving this lately, so she asked me to bring some.” I stood in the entryway, watching him naturally open the cupboard and take out plates and forks. I suddenly realized that Chloe had already prepared this home for another man. At the dinner table, Leo ate, his mouth greasy, not even glancing at the vegetables I’d made. “Dad’s food has no flavor. Mr. Liam’s takeout is so much better.” He loudly declared, gnawing on a drumstick. I frowned, looking at the dipping sauce: “Leo is allergic to peanuts. Is there any peanut in this sauce?” Liam immediately put down his fork, frowning as he looked at Chloe. “Ethan, I checked the ingredient list. Absolutely no peanuts.” “Are you being too sensitive, or do you think I would intentionally harm Leo?” Chloe reached out and ruffled Leo’s hair, her tone clearly annoyed. “Ethan, stop being so dramatic.” “It’s because you’re so paranoid all the time that you’ve made the child so spoiled.” “Liam is a professional preschool teacher. Wouldn’t he know these things? Stop making such a big deal out of nothing.” Watching Chloe’s self-righteous expression, seeing their “happy little family” scene, I found the meal impossible to swallow. After dinner, Liam voluntarily offered to do the dishes. When I walked into the kitchen to get water, he had his sleeves rolled up, deliberately exposing an old silver watch on his wrist. The watch was a distinctive style, with a small star engraved on its face. It was the wedding anniversary gift Chloe had given me three years ago. I loved it back then and wore it for a long time, only putting it away when the clasp broke. “That watch…” I stopped at the kitchen doorway, my voice tight. Liam continued washing dishes, speaking softly. “Chloe said you don’t like these little things, and it was just gathering dust in a drawer, so she gave it to me.” Every word sounded like an apology, but every syllable declared his claim over her. “It’s fine, you can keep it.” I walked out of the kitchen with my glass of water. Chloe grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the balcony. She closed the sliding door, lit a cigarette, and looked at me coldly through the smoke. “Ethan, I’m warning you, don’t keep bringing up divorce.” “Do you think divorce is some kind of fun game?” She exhaled a smoke ring, then began to list our three previous reconciliations. “The first time, Leo had a high fever in the middle of the night, and you couldn’t handle it alone. You called and begged me to come back.” “The second time, your dad collapsed with high blood pressure and was hospitalized. Who ran around paying bills and dealing with everything?” “And the third time… you can’t leave this home, and you can’t leave me.” “Liam is sensible and obedient, he won’t threaten your position. You’d better be smart and not mess things up.” Every time I softened, every compromise I made for the child and the family, became her leverage to humiliate me today. Back in the bedroom, I pulled open the bottom drawer. Neatly stacked inside were three divorce decrees, and three photos from our reconciliations. In the photos, Chloe smiled lovingly every time. And I, every time, foolishly believed she had truly changed for the better. But it turned out, she was just increasingly convinced that I would never leave. Late that night, I got up for water. Passing Leo’s room, the door was ajar. Liam’s hushed voice came from inside: “Leo, if Mom and Dad really separate, who do you want to live with?” I stopped, holding my breath. The room was silent for a long time. Then, I heard the son I had raised from infancy say: “I want to be with Mom, and Mr. Liam.”

The next morning, I took my transfer request to Principal Thompson’s office at the kindergarten. I didn’t want Leo to stay in Liam’s class. I was afraid he’d be a bad influence. But the principal looked at my application with a troubled expression. “Mr. Miller, actually, Mr. Liam is usually very attentive to Leo.” “And, I’ve heard from other parents that you’re too strict with your son, and he’s under a lot of stress.” I was stunned: “Other parents?” As I walked out of the office, several parents who were usually active on the SnapChat group immediately gathered around. “Mr. Miller, it’s normal for young teachers to be close to kids. You shouldn’t be so sensitive.” “Exactly. What dad isn’t stressed about raising kids these days? You should be happy a teacher is willing to help out more.” It was then I understood: Liam had already painted me as an overly controlling man to everyone. At the end of the hallway, Liam suddenly emerged from a storage room and cornered me. “Ethan, do you know why Chloe likes me?” I looked at him coldly: “Because you’re a jerk.” He didn’t get angry, instead he said softly: “Chloe says I’m like you when you were younger. But she also says you’re too boring now.” He took a step closer. “Chloe has actually told me a lot about you.” “Like your college roommate, and the person who took care of you after your surgery, and your old gym buddy.” “Chloe says every single one of them knew how to please her, how to make her happy, better than you did.” Liam chuckled scornfully, “Ethan, you’re a real failure as a person.” My mind exploded. All those years, what I thought were misunderstandings and coincidences, were actually all humiliations Chloe had carefully arranged for me. I went home at noon, slamming my bag onto the couch, and confronted Chloe, who had just gotten off work. “Is what Liam said true?” “My college roommate suddenly moving abroad, my post-surgery caregiver bringing you soup in the middle of the night, and my gym partner leaving the group… was it all because of you?” Chloe paused, her hand on her jacket, and frowned impatiently. “Ethan, what’s wrong with you? Those are all in the past, do we really need to dig up old dirt?” She stepped closer to me. “Didn’t you already know what kind of person I am?” “All these years, haven’t you been the one clinging to this family, insisting on giving Leo a complete home?” All those years of what I thought were misunderstandings, what I thought were friendships falling apart, were actually all chronic humiliations Chloe had inflicted on me. In the evening, Leo returned from school. He was carefully holding a handmade award medal made of colorful construction paper. As soon as he walked in, he shouted excitedly. “Mom, look at my medal, isn’t it pretty? The class is having a parent-child event on Friday!” I walked over, wanting to see his artwork. But he stepped back, hugging the medal tightly to his chest. “Don’t touch it! Don’t mess up the little flower on it, Mr. Liam helped me glue it.” My hand, suspended in mid-air, slowly withdrew. On the back of the medal, clumsily written in English, were the words: Mom, Me, Mr. Liam. Leo hugged the medal to his chest, looked up at me, and added softly. “Dad, can you not come to the event on Friday?” “I’m afraid you’ll get upset again and make Mr. Liam angry.”

I still went to the parent-child event on Friday. The classroom was decorated warmly and festively. Each child was on stage, displaying their drawing of “My Family.” When it was Leo’s turn, he proudly held up his drawing. I wasn’t in the picture. Only him, Chloe, and Liam. The parents in the class politely applauded. Liam, sitting in the front row, had red-rimmed eyes, nodding repeatedly with emotion. The teacher hosting the event seemed a little awkward and asked softly: “Leo, who did you draw? Why isn’t your dad in the picture?” Leo clutched the corner of his shirt, his voice clear. “Dad always scolds me, won’t let me eat candy, won’t let me watch TV.” “Mr. Liam plays with me and buys me yummy food. I want Mr. Liam to be my dad.” Kids are brutally honest, and sometimes their honesty cuts deepest. A few embarrassed laughs rippled through the classroom, and some parents tried to smooth things over, saying children don’t know any better. I stood up, striding to the front of the stage, wanting to take Leo home. Chloe suddenly grabbed my wrist from the side. “Ethan, what are you doing?” Apparently, in her eyes, even my disappointment and sadness had to be timed so she wouldn’t lose face. I forcefully pulled my hand away from hers and stormed out of the classroom. Just as I reached the stairwell, Liam *pretended* to follow me out. “Ethan, don’t be mad at Leo…” He mumbled apologies, but forcibly shoved a photo from the parent-child event into my hand. In the photo, Leo was standing on tiptoes, hugging Liam’s neck, while Chloe stood beside them, smiling gently and indulgently. Liam leaned close to my ear. “Ethan, children are actually more honest than adults. They know who is better to keep around.” “Staying in this family will only make everyone miserable.” I crumpled the photo into a ball and tossed it into a nearby trash can, leaving the kindergarten without looking back. Soon after I got home, Chloe returned with Leo. She walked directly to the coffee table, pulled a document from her briefcase, and pushed it heavily towards me. It was a divorce agreement. “Ethan, since no one is happy, let’s just get divorced.” She leaned back on the couch, her tone as calm as if discussing the weather. “You can stay in this house for now, but I must have custody of Leo.” “You’ve seen how unstable Leo is right now. He can’t be without Liam’s care.” I looked at the neatly printed agreement and suddenly found it utterly absurd. “Chloe, are you asking me to give my wife and son to a homewrecker?” She frowned, her voice full of impatience. “Don’t say such nasty things!” “We’ve gotten to this point because you weren’t good at managing a family. Even our son rejects you, so don’t blame anyone else.” “Just sign it. Let’s part ways amicably.” Leo hid behind Chloe’s legs, tightly hugging the teddy bear Liam had given him. I squatted down, looking at the son I had raised from infancy, my voice tight. “Leo, do you want to come with Dad? Dad promises that from now on…” “No!” Leo hugged the bear even tighter, tears welling in his eyes. He backed away repeatedly, crying and shouting at me. “Dad, can you stop pushing me!” “I don’t want to choose you! I want to be with Mom and Mr. Liam!” In that moment, I suddenly didn’t want to fight anymore. I stood up, walked to the bedroom, and retrieved the three divorce decrees. And a cross-district school transfer application form I had already stamped. I pushed all these documents towards Chloe. Chloe’s face finally changed when she saw the transfer application, her brow deeply furrowed. “Ethan, what do you mean? What game are you playing now?” I picked up the pen on the table and swiftly signed my name. “It means that this time, I’m not looking back.”

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The day before we were supposed to get our marriage license, my fiancée Clara Jones confessed to me: “Steve Richard, I need to tell you something. I slept with Charles Brooklyn because I’m going to have his baby.” “His mother is seriously ill. She hopes to see her grandson born before she dies.” My heart ached so badly from her sudden confession that I couldn’t breathe. Finally, I let out a sigh. “If that’s the case, then I’ll let you go.” Clara smiled and patted my chest: “I knew you’d be the most understanding. Don’t worry, as soon as I have the baby, I’ll come right back and we’ll get our marriage license.” “Remember, we’re not breaking up.” After saying that, she carefully protected her belly and left. Until the day she gave birth, my wife was in the same delivery room. I smiled and greeted her: “Congratulations on your son. My wife had a beautiful daughter!” Clara and I had been together for five years. I proposed seven times. Each time I carefully set up the perfect atmosphere to propose, but it would always be ruined by a phone call from her childhood friend Charles. My friends felt indignant on my behalf, saying their relationship crossed boundaries and telling me to break up with Clara. After all, she was a woman I’d loved for five years. Letting go was easier said than done. I made a bet with myself—if this last proposal got ruined too, I’d let her go. To my surprise, she said yes. But when it was time to get our marriage license, she confessed that she needed to have Charles’s baby. I broke down emotionally and demanded: “Clara, why?” “Charles’s mother is in poor health. She hopes to see him get married and have children before she dies.” As soon as she finished speaking, I fell silent for three seconds, then laughed. His mother was in poor health, so she didn’t hesitate to choose to have Charles’s baby. My mother was also in poor health, but Clara chose to be indifferent. I sighed. “If that’s the case, then I’ll let you go.” I meant we were breaking up, but Clara refused to acknowledge it as a breakup. She smiled and patted my chest: “I knew you’d be the most understanding. Don’t worry, as soon as I have the baby, I’ll come right back and we’ll get our marriage license.” After saying this, she carefully protected her belly as she left, as if she were already pregnant with his child. The staff at the office were probably encountering this situation for the first time and stood there stunned for a moment. I stood up, gave a bitter smile, and left dejectedly. At the door, I saw Charles running toward Clara with an umbrella. The two of them kissed passionately like star-crossed lovers reunited after a great ordeal. I thought I had truly let go, but witnessing it in person still hurt. Charles noticed me and waved. “Steve, thank you for being understanding. I promise you, once Clara has the baby and fulfills my mother’s wish, I’ll send her right back to you.”

Use her and then send her back to me? What am I, a recycling center? Through the rain, the three of us made eye contact. Clara was tense, Charles looked hopefully expectant, making me seem like the villainous home-wrecker. Passersby who didn’t know the situation pointed at me, insinuating I was a shameless third party. My heart grew cold. “I wish you both a healthy baby.” After dropping that line, I turned and left. Without an umbrella, the rain soaked me completely. I looked pathetic, like I was running away. What she didn’t know was that my blessing was permanent, because I had agreed to get back together with my ex-girlfriend. Daisy was thrilled. She held me all night and wouldn’t let go. I drank, she drank with me. I poured out my bitter feelings, she listened quietly. When I got drunk, I said a lot of nonsense to her. That night, we were wild until dawn. I had planned to introduce her to my mother, but unexpectedly her family business had some changes and she needed to go abroad for a while. As for Clara, after that day, we barely had any contact. Not until after she got pregnant, when Charles couldn’t wait to post on Instagram. In the photo, he was kneeling down kissing her belly while Clara stroked his head. They both looked so happy, with congratulatory comments flooding in below. Someone who didn’t know the situation left this comment: “Clara, you’re pregnant with Charles’s baby? What about Steve?” “We were so busy congratulating them, we forgot that Clara and Steve were the ones who were engaged.” I smiled and replied: “What choices she makes are none of my business.” I didn’t get a chance to type out the word “breakup” before I was met with countless mocking and contemptuous comments. They laughed at me for being pathetic, saying the only reason I was putting up with this was because I wanted Clara’s family money. Even though they phrased it as joking, I knew they were serious. I was done with Clara. Whatever decisions she made naturally had nothing to do with me. As I put down my phone, Clara’s call came through. “Steve, don’t mind what they’re saying.” “We just need to live our own lives well. I didn’t realize you loved me this much and had become so understanding. I almost feel guilty toward you.” “Don’t worry, after I have his baby, I’ll come right back and marry you.” She kept talking, but then I heard her gasp. Afraid I’d notice something, she hastily explained that Charles was giving her a massage and tried to hang up the video call. However, the video didn’t close, and I saw everything they were doing. “That idiot Steve is really generous with you!” “Don’t talk about him like that. If he weren’t so magnanimous in letting me have your baby, you’d never get to be a father!” “Be careful, the doctor warned us.” I’m not a pervert. I don’t have a hobby of watching other people in bed. I hung up the video, took a shower, and slept until morning. Until I was woken by a phone call. I didn’t even remember to change my clothes and ran to the hospital in my slippers. Aunt Sarah had a handprint on her face. From the force, whoever hit her must have struck hard. My mother sat in a wheelchair, tears streaming down her face. Across from them were Clara and Charles. I immediately understood what had happened. There were many onlookers discussing who the real home-wrecker was. I pushed through the crowd and walked in. When my mother saw me, guilt washed over her face. “Son, you’re here.” “Isn’t Clara your fiancée? You two are engaged. She’s still wearing the engagement ring I picked out for you both.”

“Why is she pregnant with someone else’s baby? When I came closer and heard more, I learned she said she won’t break up with you, that the wedding is just postponed until after she gives birth.” “What kind of situation is this?” “Our Richard family may not be wealthy and powerful, but we’re decent people. How can we allow this kind of nonsense?” Before I could speak, Charles stood in front of Clara, using his body to shield her from everyone’s judgmental stares. “What are you implying?” “Are you saying we’re indecent?” “No, young man, but aren’t you being indecent?” Someone pointed at Charles with moral outrage. “That woman is someone else’s fiancée, yet she’s pregnant with your child. That’s not just indecent, it’s morally corrupt.” There were many onlookers. They weren’t helping my mother and me—they were just bored and looking for drama. The accusations grew louder. Charles and Clara were encountering this situation for the first time. I looked at the handprint on Aunt Sarah’s face and asked Charles with a dark expression: “Did you hit her?” “Yes. She had a foul mouth and insulted Clara.” “Bam!” I hit him back with equal force. Clara screamed. “What are you doing? Charles didn’t hit the wrong person.” “You should control your aunt’s mouth instead of hitting Charles.” As she spoke, she angrily took off her engagement ring and threw it at me. “Everyone, please quiet down. We’re not the kind of people you think we are.” The surrounding noise died down. Once it was quiet, Clara helped Charles face the crowd. “He and I are the real couple. As for him—” Clara pointed at me. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke: “We broke up a long time ago. He’s been shamelessly stalking me, saying his mother is seriously ill and dying soon. He’s using moral guilt to make me feel too bad to hurt him.” “Tell me, what should I do?” As soon as she finished speaking, the criticism that had been directed at them turned toward my mother and me. My face was full of anger. “Clara, you’re talking nonsense.” “First, the day I found out you were going to have someone else’s baby, we broke up.” “Second, I never stalked you. Third, my mother’s health really isn’t good, and she didn’t know anything about…” “Not stalking? Then what was that just now?” “You humiliated me and attacked Charles.” “You almost made us look like the indecent ones.” I stared hard at Clara. After meeting my eyes for a few seconds, she guiltily looked away. Charles gripped her hand tightly, giving her courage. My mother cried and tugged at my hand. “Son! Did you two really break up?” “Were you really the one shamelessly stalking her?” “Mom, I didn’t…” “Tsk, you say you didn’t, but then why would your mother attack that young man?” “Exactly. If you two hadn’t broken up and she had wronged you, we could understand you hitting him. But that’s not the case!” “Right, make her apologize.” Aunt Sarah believed me, but everyone else insisted I was shamelessly stalking her. Finally, my mother slapped me and then knelt down before Clara and Charles. I couldn’t stop her in time and could only watch as she apologized to Charles. “I apologize on behalf of my son. He was immature and caused you trouble.” “From now on, please rest assured, Steve Richard won’t stalk you anymore.”

Clara also looked at me with panic. She hadn’t expected things to develop this way either. Seeing she had no reaction and just kept looking at me, Charles pulled her into his arms. “That’s more like it. Tell him to stop stalking my wife from now on.” “Let’s go!” Clara bit her lip, said nothing, and showed no intention of leaving. Finally, Charles just picked her up and carried her away. As soon as they left, my mother collapsed heavily on the ground. “Mom!!” I quickly crouched down to help her up. She seemed to be holding on to her last breath to say one final thing to me. “Steve, don’t stalk her anymore. It’s… not good.” I shook my head, full of guilt: “I didn’t. I really didn’t.” “From the day at the license office when she said she was going to have Charles’s baby, I broke up with her.” I was about to tell her about getting back together with Daisy when she closed her eyes with a look of regret. No matter how I called to her, she wouldn’t wake up. When the doctor told me she was gone, my whole body went rigid. My mother hadn’t even learned about Daisy and me getting back together. How could she just leave? I lay by her bedside, overwhelmed by guilt, my face covered in tears. Clara called me. I didn’t answer, so she kept calling. Finally, I picked up. “Steve, how is your mom doing now?” “I’m sorry. I really didn’t expect to run into your mother at the hospital.” “You have no right to mention her to me.” I practically roared. “I told you we broke up that day at the license office. I never stalked you…” “And I told you, we’re not breaking up.” “Having Charles’s baby is because his mother’s health is poor. What’s wrong with me giving him a baby?” “After she has a grandson, maybe she’ll perk up and fight off her illness.” “I thought you understood me. I didn’t expect you to be so selfish, just like your mother.” After saying this, she hung up. From then on, she never called me again. My mother’s death made me start to detest Clara, yet she was still waiting for me to contact her. After I returned to my hometown to handle my mother’s funeral, I went out to see the world. I visited Daisy. She was too swamped with work to get away. She said things would get better after these few months and asked me to wait for her. Meanwhile, Clara, who hadn’t contacted me for months, suddenly started calling me like crazy. I wanted to block her, but I knew she’d just use a new number to keep calling. When I answered, she immediately laid into me. “Steve, why didn’t you tell me you quit your job? You disappeared for months—where did you go?” I didn’t respond to her questions, so she softened her tone. “Are you still mad about last time?” “Then I apologize, okay?” “Just wait a little longer. When the time comes, I’ll personally go apologize to your mom.” “No need. She doesn’t need your apology.” “You don’t deserve her forgiveness either. After all, she always treated you like her own daughter. You loved steak, so she made it for you. You liked pretty dresses, so she saved money to buy them for you.” Bringing up the past, my heart felt no pain, only hatred. Perhaps because Clara had been separated from me for so long, and afraid of provoking me into never coming back, she kept lowering her tone when speaking to me. Finally, I hung up on her. I didn’t leave. Instead, I stayed to be with Daisy. Because she was already pregnant with my child. I was so overjoyed I didn’t know how to express it.

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The day the Wilson family came to take back their biological daughter, Mrs. Elena said in front of everyone: “Don’t worry. I’ll be a better mother than you, her adoptive one, ever were.” I didn’t say anything. I signed the papers and let go. After that, my daughter Aria called me once a week, her tone ten times sweeter than before. “Mom, the Wilsons hired a nutritionist for me. I’ve gained several pounds.” But the collarbones in her video call looked even sharper than when she left. “Mom, Blake took me to the amusement park. I had so much fun.” But there was a band-aid over her right eyebrow. She said she bumped into the carousel. “Mom, they transferred me to a private school. All my classmates are really nice to me.” But when I looked up the school, there was no enrollment record for her at all. The last time we spoke, she said the Wilsons were taking her abroad to study, so it might not be convenient to stay in touch. Right before hanging up, she suddenly lowered her voice and said quickly: “Mom, there’s a diary in the second drawer of my closet.” I found the notebook that same night. Inside was a photo of the Wilson family’s son. On the back, in Aria’s handwriting, were four words: “He’s not human.”

“Who is he? What inhuman thing did he do?” I stared at those words in the diary—”He’s not human.” My fingers wouldn’t stop trembling. My fingertips pressed so hard they nearly tore through the thin photo. “Mom, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you sleeping?” My son Adrian rubbed his sleepy eyes and pushed open my bedroom door. “Adrian, go get dressed.” I snapped the diary shut, my voice hoarse like I’d swallowed sand. “Where are we going this late?” Adrian looked at me, confused. “New York.” I stood up and grabbed my jacket from the couch. “To find your sister!” Adrian froze for a moment, then panic flashed in his eyes. “Did something happen to Aria?” He didn’t ask another question. He just turned and went to grab his backpack. The 3 AM flight. The entire cabin was so quiet it made me anxious. I stared out at the pitch-black sky. All I could think about was Aria’s trembling voice at the end of our last call. “Mom, I miss you so much.” That was the only time she hadn’t forced a smile since the Wilsons took her away. The plane landed in New York just as dawn broke. I pulled out my phone and sent Aria a message. “I have some work that suddenly brought me to New York. Mind if I stop by to see you?” My heart was in my throat. A full half hour passed before she replied with a single line. “Oh Mom, bad timing. My parents took me on vacation. We’re not in New York right now.” I looked at those words, my hands and feet going ice cold. She didn’t even send an emoji. That wasn’t like Aria at all. “Mom, what did Aria say?” Adrian leaned over to look at the screen, his brow instantly furrowing. “She says she’s not in New York.” I pocketed my phone and strode toward the exit, dragging my suitcase. “So where are we going now?” “To the Wilson estate.” The Wilsons lived in New York’s most exclusive neighborhood. Their standalone villa halfway up the hill had its gates shut tight. The security was intense. They wouldn’t let outsiders in. Adrian and I stored our luggage at a convenience store at the bottom of the hill and changed into plain workout clothes. Following the landscaped perimeter of the estate, we circled around to the back wall of the Wilson property. There was a bamboo grove here that didn’t get much foot traffic. I crouched in the grass, eyes fixed on the closed wrought-iron back gate. “Mom, is Aria really in there?” Adrian kept his voice low, his fists already clenched tight enough to crack. “Wait here. I’ll go ask around.” I spotted a middle-aged woman in a cleaning uniform walking past with a bag of trash. I immediately approached her. “Excuse me, did the Wilsons go on vacation today?” The cleaner looked startled and sized me up. “Vacation? No, the whole family’s inside.” My heart dropped. Aria had lied. Or someone had been lying with her phone. “I bet the Wilsons are thrilled to have found their biological daughter. They must spoil her rotten, right?” I forced a smile, trying to sound casual. The cleaner looked around, then curled her lip. “Spoil her? That house is a living hell!” My blood turned to ice. “What do you mean?” I pulled two hundred dollars from my pocket and discreetly slipped it into the cleaner’s glove. Her eyes lit up and her voice dropped even lower. “You don’t know—that son of theirs, Blake, he’s got something wrong with his head.” “He used to enjoy torturing small animals. When he got bored of that, he started torturing people.” “Several housekeepers have been beaten so badly they quit!” I dug my nails into my palm, forcing my voice to stay steady. “What about their biological daughter?” The cleaner sighed and shook her head. “They say they brought her back to live the good life, but really she’s just a toy for that psycho!” “Just yesterday I heard her screaming in the yard. They said she fell down the stairs.” “Mrs. Elena even yelled at her for not watching where she was going and ruining the new carpet.” My head erupted with a deafening buzz, like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my skull. My baby, the one I’d raised for eighteen years, the one I couldn’t even bring myself to yell at—in their house, she’d become a plaything for a lunatic? “I’m gonna go in there and kill them!” Adrian had crept up beside me, his eyes bloodshot, already lifting his leg to kick down the door. “Get back here!” I grabbed him around the waist and dragged him into the bamboo grove. “Mom! Let me go! They’re hurting Aria!” Adrian struggled violently, tears streaming down his face. Just then, a piercing siren wailed closer and closer. Not a police car—an ambulance! The ambulance screeched to a stop at the Wilson estate’s front gate. I shoved Adrian aside and looked over.

The gate was violently pushed open from inside. Blake walked out in expensive designer pajamas, cursing under his breath. “Hurry up! Don’t let her die in the house, it’s bad luck!” “So disgusting. All that blood. Makes me sick.” He walked while shaking water droplets off his hands in disgust. Those droplets had an unmistakable tint of red. Right behind him, Mrs. Elena followed in high heels, clicking rapidly. Her hair wasn’t even mussed. Her makeup was flawless. “Blake, watch your step. Don’t let that filth touch you.” She pulled out a handkerchief, looking at him with nothing but sympathy, and wiped his hands. “It’s all that damn girl’s fault. Couldn’t even cooperate with a simple game. Ruined everything!” Blake kicked the doorframe. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll buy you that new sports car. Don’t be upset.” Mrs. Elena coaxed him gently, her tone dripping with indulgence. Two paramedics rushed out pushing a gurney. The person on it was covered by a white sheet already soaked halfway through with blood. A lifeless hand dangled off the side of the gurney, so thin it looked like it would snap in the wind. Around the wrist was a deep ligature mark. In that moment, I felt my breathing stop. That was my Aria! The Aria I’d raised from a tiny baby with my own hands! I’d thought being reunited with her biological parents would be a blessing. “Move! The patient has lost too much blood and needs a transfusion immediately!” The ER doctor, drenched in sweat, shouted at Blake, who was blocking the path. “Are you blind? How dare you talk to my son like that?” Mrs. Elena’s eyes flashed. She pointed right at the doctor’s nose and started screaming. “Do you know who we are? One phone call and I’ll make sure you never work in New York again!” The doctor’s face went pale with rage, but a life was on the line. He could only grit his teeth and bear it. “Family needs to come with us. We need signatures!” The nurse pushed the gurney into the ambulance and urged them anxiously. “I’m not going to that depressing place!” Blake took a step back, his face full of revulsion. Mrs. Elena frowned and covered her nose. “Why would we go? Blake’s been traumatized. He needs rest. Just take her. I’ll pay double the medical bills!” “Are you even human? That’s your biological daughter in there!” The nurse finally couldn’t take it anymore. Her eyes red, she shouted. “Smack!” The sharp sound of a slap rang out in the quiet morning. The nurse clutched her face, staring at Mrs. Elena in disbelief. “Who do you think you are to lecture me? I gave birth to her. Her life belongs to me. Whatever I tell her to do, she does!” Mrs. Elena shook out her hand, sneering. “Get lost! Stop blocking my view! I’ll go to the hospital myself later.” The ambulance doors slammed shut and it roared away. I hid in the bamboo grove, shaking like a leaf. My teeth bit into my lip until it bled, the taste of rust spreading through my mouth. I clamped my hand over Adrian’s mouth. He was already crying so hard his whole body convulsed, like an injured animal desperate to break free. “Don’t move! Going out there now won’t change anything!” I pressed my mouth to Adrian’s ear, my voice shaking but carrying an undeniable ferocity. “They have money and power. You can’t beat them, and you’ll just get yourself destroyed!” Adrian looked at me in despair, tears falling in fat drops onto my hand. The Wilsons turned and went back into the villa. The gate slammed shut with a bang. I let go and pulled Adrian to his feet, running down the hill. “To the hospital!” We flagged down an Uber and headed straight for New York Central Hospital. In the car, the driver kept glancing at us in the rearview mirror. “Going to the ER this early in the morning?” I forced down the churning in my gut and nodded. “Did you see that ambulance just now?” The driver sighed and jerked the wheel. “I saw it. What a tragedy. That came from the hillside estates, right?” “You know about it?” I asked tentatively. The driver snorted. “Anyone who drives Uber in New York knows about that bastard from the Wilson family.” “That Blake kid is a born psychopath.” “I heard when he was little he liked torturing animals. As he got older, it only got worse.” “Too bad they’re rich. They can throw money at any mess he makes and it all goes away.” I gripped the hem of my jacket. “No one does anything?” “Do anything? Alexander only cares about money, and Mrs. Elena only has one son. She loves him like he’s the center of the universe.” The driver lowered his voice. “I heard from a driver who worked for them—the Wilsons recently found their biological daughter.” “They call her their daughter, but really they just brought her back to be that psycho’s punching bag.” “After all, beating outsiders causes trouble if it gets out. But your own family? Even if you beat them to death, who’s gonna say anything?” My heart felt like it was being fed through a meat grinder, crushed over and over. My Aria, that sweet angel who felt sorry for stray cats. In that house of horrors, she’d been treated like a toy for an animal! “Mom.” Adrian grabbed my hand. His hand was freezing. “I’m going to kill him.” I squeezed Adrian’s hand back, staring at the hospital building ahead. “You don’t have to.” “I’ll send them to hell myself.”

The light outside the ER was blindingly bright. Adrian and I sat on a bench around the corner of the hallway, wearing masks. Less than thirty feet away, I watched Alexander arrive in a hurry. He wore a sharp suit with a perfectly knotted tie. He didn’t look like a father called in the middle of the night for his daughter’s emergency. He looked like he was heading to an important business meeting. “What happened? How did she end up in the hospital?” The moment Alexander saw Mrs. Elena, his brow furrowed deep enough to crush a fly. “There’s a major acquisition this morning. Don’t you know we can’t have any negative press right now?” He didn’t ask if Aria was dead or alive. His first concern was his stocks. Mrs. Elena rolled her eyes and shot back defensively. “Why are you yelling at me? Blake had a little too much to drink last night and got a bit rough, that’s all.” “Aria’s usually pretty tough. Who knew she’d be so fragile today? One bump into the coffee table and her head split open.” Her breezy tone made it sound like she was talking about a broken vase. My nails dug deep into my flesh, my palm sticky with blood. “Aria’s a curse. We never should have brought her back after abandoning her.” Alexander irritably loosened his tie. “Should’ve just let her rot with that poor excuse for an adoptive mother.” “This is all for Blake, isn’t it?” Mrs. Elena lowered her voice, but it carried right to my ears. “Better to have a sister at home for him to take his anger out on than have him kill someone on the outside!” I shot to my feet, the last thread of rationality in my mind snapping with an audible crack. Adrian wanted to rush over and tear those inhuman mouths right off their faces! I grabbed Adrian’s arm and shoved him back down into his seat. “Patience! Don’t ruin the plan!” Adrian sobbed. I clenched my fist, nails digging into flesh, suppressing my own urge to charge forward. I had to save Aria. And I had to make them pay a price worse than death! The ER door opened. A doctor walked out, exhaustion written all over his face. “Who’s the family for Aria?” Alexander walked over impatiently. “I am. She’s not going to die, is she?” The doctor froze, a flash of anger in his eyes. “The patient has multiple soft tissue contusions, a mild concussion, and most seriously, a fractured ulna in her right arm that requires immediate surgery with pins!” “And…” The doctor paused, his tone turning severe. Alexander let out a cold laugh. He pulled a check from his pocket and stuffed it directly into the doctor’s white coat. “Dr. James, don’t say things you shouldn’t. Be careful what comes out of your mouth.” The doctor’s expression changed several times. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and didn’t return the check. “Go pay for the surgery.” The doctor dropped the words coldly and turned back into the ER. Alexander turned to Mrs. Elena. “Go pay the fees, then have Tom take her to the old villa in the suburbs.” “Having her at home is an eyesore. Don’t let Blake see her and get upset.” Mrs. Elena pursed her lips. “I know. You better get to the office. This place is filthy.” Alexander left without looking back. Mrs. Elena glanced disdainfully at the line at the payment counter and walked toward the VIP lounge. The hallway was left with only a few scattered family members of other patients. This was my only chance. I pulled Adrian up and walked quickly toward an empty patient room. Inside were isolation gowns and masks the nurses had changed out of. I quickly pulled one on and pressed a nurse’s cap down low. “Adrian, go downstairs and call a car. Park it in the alley behind the ER back door.” “Keep the engine running and wait for me in the car.” Adrian looked at me with worry. “Mom, can you do this? Let me go in with you!” “You’re too conspicuous.” I pushed him away. “Remember, no matter what happens, protect Aria!” I took a deep breath, picked up a stainless steel tray from the hallway cart, and walked toward the ER observation room with my head down. The door was slightly ajar. The moment I pushed it open— My tears fell uncontrollably.

“Don’t come near me… Please don’t…” The person on the bed shrank into the corner. She held her head in her hands like a cat traumatized beyond reason, shaking like a leaf. Her once-beautiful long hair had been hacked off unevenly, and there were even a few bald patches on her scalp. The face I’d kissed a thousand times was now swollen, with dried purple-black blood crusted at the corner of her mouth. The oversized hospital gown couldn’t hide the purple and blue whip marks covering her entire body. Her right arm hung limply, secured in a temporary splint. This was the Aria the Wilsons said they’d hired a nutritionist for, the one who’d gained several pounds! “Aria…” I threw down the tray, ripped off my mask, and rushed to the bed. Her body went rigid. She looked at me timidly through her fingers. In that moment, I clearly saw the disbelief and extreme fear in her eyes. “Mom…” Her lips trembled as she let out a sound as faint as a mosquito. “Mom! Why did you come? You need to leave! They’ll kill you!” She suddenly pushed at me frantically, though she had no strength at all. Tears mixed with blood streaked down her face. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. I’m taking you home.” I pulled her tightly into my arms, feeling her skeletal body trembling violently. My heart was torn into pieces. “No… we can’t leave…” Aria clutched desperately at my clothes, her eyes fixed on the door in terror. “Blake will get angry. If he finds out you came, he’ll kill you. He’ll kill Adrian!” “He’s insane. He’s really insane!” She sobbed incoherently, clearly suffering from severe psychological trauma. “Listen to me, Aria.” I cupped her face and looked directly into her frightened eyes. “Adrian’s waiting for us downstairs. That animal Blake—I’ll deal with him myself!” “Right now, we’re leaving. Understand?” I didn’t dare delay. I threw back the covers. Around her ankles were raw, chafed marks from iron shackles! Animals! Worse than animals! I gritted my teeth and lifted her onto my back. She was as light as paper. My tears flooded out again. I wrapped her tightly in an oversized white coat and put a mask on her. Head down, I walked quickly out of the observation room. Mrs. Elena was still in the VIP lounge making an appointment for a manicure. The nurses in the hallway were busy resuscitating another patient. No one noticed me carrying a patient toward the fire escape. The stairwell was long. I carried her down step by step. My knees ached from the weight, but I felt nothing. All I felt was the warmth on my back—Aria’s silent tears. I pushed open the ground-floor safety door. A blast of cold morning air hit us. Adrian’s Uber was parked thirty feet away, doors wide open. “Aria!” Adrian rushed over and took Aria from my back. The moment he saw her condition, he dropped to his knees and wailed. “Aria! How could they… how could they do this to you!” “Adrian, don’t cry…” Aria weakly lifted her uninjured left hand and touched Adrian’s head. “Get in the car!” I shoved them both into the back seat. “To the train station! Fast as you can!” I threw a stack of cash at the driver. Without a word, he floored it. After a few blocks, I confirmed we weren’t being followed. I let out a long breath and turned to the back seat. “Adrian, I booked the next train out. Take Aria to Houston in the south.” “I had an old friend rent us a place there. I’ve also contacted a discreet private clinic.” “You don’t need to worry about anything. Just take care of Aria.” Adrian’s head snapped up, staring hard at me. “What about you?” “I’m not leaving.” I looked out at the passing streetscape, my voice cold as a knife dipped in ice. “They tortured Aria like this and think no one will touch them?” “Mom, don’t do anything stupid!” Aria struggled to sit up, panic written all over her face. “The Wilsons have connections everywhere. You can’t fight them! Can’t we just go to the police?” “The police?” I turned around and looked at Aria’s scarred face, letting out a cold laugh. “The police would be letting them off too easy.” What I wanted was their ruin. Their family destroyed. To see them on their knees, begging like dogs for my forgiveness! “Adrian, take Aria and go.” I opened the car door, preparing to get out at the red light. “But—” “No buts!” I cut him off sharply, my gaze fierce. “If you think of me as your mother, take Aria as far away as you can!” The car door shut. I stood in the cold morning wind and watched the Uber disappear around the corner. The game was officially beginning. I was going to make the Wilson family suffer, starting today! “Just wait, Mrs. Elena,” I murmured. “I told you—if you couldn’t be a good mother to Aria, then let me, her adoptive mother, do it.”

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Rowan was obsessed with me.Madly,irrevocably. It almost made me regret the day I decided to drag his injured body back to my hideout.He had been bloodied and weak,shifted into his wolf form as he lay on the floor.It took me a lot of effort to take him back,but I couldn’t just leave an injured fellow wolf out in the woods to die. Little did I know that one act would change the direction of my entire life. According to him,the moment he opened my eyes to see me,he decided:“No one else.Only you.” And he was serious.He took me away from he Alpha I was to be mated to.And to win me over,he imprisoned me for three years in a private,warded villa hidden deep in his territory—far from his pack,far from anyone.Every day,he tried to court me with gifts,attention,even tenderness. But I never loved him.He was my abductor and there was no way I would ever want him. But now…he had a substitute.A she-wolf named Maria.She was from his pack and from the videos I received from Rowan,she looked frighteningly similar to me. They had been flaunting their bond for months—running through the forest together,curling up in front of the hearth in the Alpha’s den.The rumours were everywhere. To provoke me,Rowan would sometimes forward me mind-linked visions—flashes of him and Maria nestled together,laughing,kissing. Today was one of those days. I sat in the courtyard trying to focus on the peace and quiet,but faint mental echoes of his latest memory with Maria flashed through the mind-link. Until,I heard noise from outside the villa. I frowned.Rowan wasn’t due to visit for another few days.But I wasn’t hallucinating.There were voices and footsteps. “Didn’t Alpha Rowan say this place is off-limits?” “He did.I heard the last wolf who peeked through the fence got his paws shattered and his eyes clawed out.” “Then why the hell are we here,Maria?” “Because he loves me.He won’t mind.I want to see what he’s hiding in here so badly.” I froze.My chest tightened.Someone was heading this way. They had no idea what they were walking into. I knew better than anyone:Rowan didn’t just guard me.He hoarded me.I wasn’t allowed to go outside and no one was allowed inside. At first,he was only jealous of other males—ranked wolves or not. Once,a curious omega caught a glimpse of me through the curtains.The next day,Rowan crippled him and wiped his memory clean before sending him into exile. Later,when Rowan saw me smile—just a casual smile at one of the housemaids,he dismissed every servant in a jealous rage.Since then,he’d done everything himself—bringing food,changing bedding,brushing the dust from the windows. No one was allowed to lay eyes on me but him.If they came in,they wouldn’t just be in danger.They’d die and he’d see to it himself. I jumped to my feet,rushing to the door,hoping—foolishly—to warn them before it was too late. But the moment I opened it,I saw someone who looked almost the same as me.It surprised me. Before I could speak,her hand struck me hard across the face. “Who the hell are you?”she snarled.“How dare a rogue like you pretend to be me and hide in Rowan’s villa?You think you can seduce my Alpha?I’ll rip you apart!”

My face burned red with pain from the small. “You cheap bitch who used a witch to change your face!”Maria snarled,her claws twitching as she stepped closer.“Do you even know where you are?You dared to sneak into the Alpha’s restricted territory without permission?” Her voice echoed through the courtyard,sharp and venomous. “You forced your way in here to tempt Rowan,didn’t you?Changed your scent.Altered your face.Anything to crawl into his arms.” That’s when it finally clicked. The woman who had slapped me across the face—the one who looked disturbingly like me—was Maria Berg.The substitute. The one Rowan had found after I rejected him.Because of his obsession with control,I had kept my distance—even though we were forced into a bond. I never let him touch me and I never gave in.Maybe out of resentment,or to soothe his bruised pride,Rowan searched everywhere for someone who could replace me.And Maria was the one who came closest. Now she stood in front of me,seething,her eyes full of twisted rage. “You slut,”Maria spat.“You knew Rowan is madly in love with me,so you made yourself look like me!Are you trying to replace me as his Luna?!: She was arrogant and flamboyant,completely blind to the truth.I didn’t care about her rude behaviour,but she had to leave. I said kindly,“You shouldn’t be here.Before Rowan shows up,you need to leave.Or you’ll regret it.” But Maria didn’t back down.Not even close. With a snarl,she lunged and grabbed my hair,yanking me down violently. “How dare you call the Alpha’s name,you slut?!”she screamed.“I have every right to walk through Alpha Rowan’s territory.You,on the other hand,are terrified of being exposed.Afraid I’ll destroy your little fantasy and show everyone that you’re nothing but a copy.” Suddenly,she kicked me viciously.It knocked the breath from me and sent me crashing into the jagged rocks by the courtyard wall. My head hit hard,blood trickling down my forehead. I raised my hand to the wound,but my voice stayed calm.“Aren’t you afraid Rowan will find out what you’ve done?” Maria scoffed.“I am the woman he’s been searching for.His fated.If I scratch my face,he literally panics.If I cry,he loses his mind.Do you think he’d care about you?” Her entourage of she-wolves laughed behind her,just as cruel. “Exactly.Alpha Rowan imprinted on Maria the moment he saw her.” “This bitch is just some desperate rogue who paid to look like her.” “Let’s give her a lesson so the next tramp knows what happens when she tries to take what belongs to the future Luna.” Their eyes gleamed with malice as they closed in.But I stood tall,blood streaking down my face. “You better ask the Alpha who I am,”I said evenly. Maria sneered.“You?A fake-faced nobody?You really think I’d ask about you?My family is Alpha Rowan’s Pack’s strongest ally.Rowan is mine.Who the hell do you think you are to challenge that?” She gave a sharp nod to her friends.”Strip her!” I froze at her words,but she continued.“Let’s see if she changed her body to match mine too.” My heart beat furiously and others pounced—grabbing at my clothes,claws out,laughter loud. I struggled,fury bubbling in my chest. “STOP!”I roared.”I am Rowan’s WIFE!”

Hearing what I said,they immediately stopped what they were doing. Maria stood aside,squinting at me. “You said you were Rowan’s wife?” I said seriously,”Yes.You are the substitute he found.If he knows you hurt me like this…he won’t let it go.” Her expression blanked and I felt relieved.I thought that telling the truth would make her retreat.That maybe,she’d finally understand the mistake she was making. But unexpectedly,they all burst into laughter. “This bitch!Is she that desperate to take the Luna’s place?”one sneered. “Just because she looks somewhat like Maria,she thinks she can claim to be his wife?”“Everyone knows the Alpha takes Maria everywhere.She’s his Luna in all but name.He is just busy with pack work.” “And you,”one of them hissed,”a sneaky rogue,how dare you call yourself the wife of the Alpha Rowan?” Maria smiled viciously.”Seriously,I expected more from you.You had the nerve to disguise yourself as me just to seduce Rowan.But now I see you’re nothing but a brainless fraud.” She stepped closer.”I’ve been by Rowan’s side for so long…and I never even heard of a wife.Are you really that bold?Or just that stupid?” “If you were his true mate,his Luna,would you really be rotting alone in this forgotten villa with no one to protect you?”She scoffed. “Strip her.Leave nothing behind.” Her friends didn’t hesitate.They grabbed me,their claws tearing at my clothes like rabid animals and their claws sinking into my flesh. They didn’t know the truth—why this villa was so deserted. Rowan bought this entire stretch of land.No one could enter without his permission. At first,there were bodyguards,servants.But because of Rowan’s jealousy,he drove them all away.He didn’t want anyone looking at me,even thinking about me.He refused to announce my existence.He didn’t want anyone to even whisper my name. And now,all of that—the very things he did out of obsession—was now proof to them that I was a liar. Seeing my clothes torn to shreds,I panicked and shouted:”I really am Rowan’s wife!If you don’t believe me,call him!” But they just became more vicious. “Liar!”one spat,slapping me across the face. “Let’s see how long you can keep up the act!” Pain exploded across my skin.My face was burning.My body was bruised and exposed. Maria narrowed her eyes.“This bitch’s hair is getting in the way.She wants to show off her body so badly?” Her lips curled into a cruel smile as she pulled out a lighter. “Let’s help her out,then.” The flame flickered once—then caught my hair. The fire spread fast.I screamed,the burning pain searing through my scalp.My cheeks,ears,everything felt like it was melting. I tried to slap the flames out,but they held me down.Held me there—while the fire consumed me. By the time it died out,my hair was gone.My scalp was scorched and raw. Maria looked at me and laughed.“Look at you now.Bald and pathetic.Who’s going to fall for you like this?A stinky old male?” Her friends clapped and giggled behind her. I stared at them,trembling.And then I shouted,through clenched teeth:“You will regret this.” Rowan had threatened me before—used my family’s lives to bind me to this prison.He kept me hidden,locked away in this silent villa for years. The more I dwelled on it,that grief and despair turned into something sharper.Darker.Hotter. Maria stepped forward and pressed her heel down on my cheek. “How dare you challenge me?Since everything you say annoys me….Let’s make sure you never speak again.” She turned to her girls. “Cut out her tongue.”

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I had a dream. In it, I stood at the altar in a white gown, Noah gently holding my hand, his forehead resting against mine. He was my Alpha, my husband by the laws of the pack, and the only one I thought would stay. “Sadie,” he whispered, “once you’re carrying our pup, I’ll announce to the world that marrying you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.” Back then, I believed him. I was just a low-born Omega, but I dared to think I was enough for the most powerful Alpha of the North. Until the day that dream shattered like fragile glass. “I want a divorce.” That’s what Noah Greaves, Alpha heir to the Greaves bloodline, told me—calmly, clinically—across his office desk. I clutched a folded ultrasound report in my coat pocket. I had just come from the healer’s hut. Six weeks along. Our pup, finally. “What… did you say?” “I said,” he repeated, adjusting his silver cufflinks, “we should get a divorce. This arrangement has run its course.” My mind went blank. “I’m pregnant,” I blurted out. “Six weeks. I had the scan this morning.” For a moment, just a flicker, something cracked in his expression. But it vanished as quickly as it came. “Then get rid of it.” The words didn’t register at first. “You—what?” Noah stood, towering above me with the cold control of a born Alpha. His pheromones hummed through the air like frostbite. “Don’t try to trap me, Sadie. We both know this marriage was a transaction. Don’t make this messier than it needs to be.” “We’ve been married for two years. You said—” “I said what I had to,” he snapped. “To shut my mother up. To keep the Council quiet. But I never said I loved you.” He stepped closer. “And I never said I wanted your pup.” Before I could process anything, the office door opened. Aria Linford walked in—the very picture of a gentle, elegant Omega. Pale blue dress, soft curls, and a face I had seen too many times in Noah’s old photographs. His ex. His “true mate.” Her voice was soft. “You two are still fighting?” I could barely breathe. “Why are you here?” Aria cast her gaze down. “I never wanted to come between you. But you two… it’s not working. And I can’t keep pretending we weren’t meant to be.” “I’m carrying his child!” I screamed, shoving the ultrasound into her hands. She glanced at it, then smiled faintly. “Are you sure it’s his?” My hand struck her across the face before I even realized it. Noah shoved me back, fury lighting his eyes. “Have you lost your mind?!” He shielded Aria with his body. That was the moment I knew. It was over. I ran through the rain, cradling my belly like it was the last real thing I had left. I didn’t even feel the cold. But fate hadn’t finished with me yet. The alley was dark. The blow came fast. I collapsed against the stone, the pain in my abdomen sharp, searing. I was bleeding. “No…” I gasped, fingers trembling as I pulled out my phone. I called him. One ring. Two. No answer. I tried again. This time, someone picked up. “Noah—please—I’m bleeding. Our baby—save us—” Silence. Then a woman’s voice, soft and sweet as poison: “Sadie, you poor thing. I hope next time you stay dead.” It was Aria. I woke seven days later in a place I didn’t recognize. “She’s stabilizing,” a voice said. Calm. Female. “Stronger than I thought,” said another—deeper, male. I opened my eyes. A woman in a white cloak leaned over me. Her badge bore a silver vine sigil. “You’re safe now,” she said gently. “I’m Rima Solas. Omega. High-ranking tribal healer.” I blinked. “Where—my baby—” Rima nodded. “Still with you. Still fighting. It was your pup’s spiritual surge that saved you. You both would’ve died otherwise.” My throat closed up. “He’s… awake?” “More than that,” she said. “He stabilized your entire nervous system in utero. I’ve never seen anything like it.” She handed me a spiritual resonance chart. Twin pulses—one mine, one glowing in silver and gold. “Your child carries the Silvertail bloodline,” she said softly. “The mark of the Moon’s heir.” That’s when another figure stepped into the tent. He was tall, cloaked in silver and black, long white hair framing a face full of gravity. “Alric Nyven,” he said. “Delta. Elder Council Executor.” My skin crawled. “We’re not here to hurt you, Sadie,” he said. “We’re here for your child.” I stared. “Why?” “You are a descendant of the Silvertail line—wolves once chosen by Lunara herself. Your child… may be the first Spiritborne in centuries.” My blood turned to ice. “So the attack…” “Yes.” Alric’s eyes darkened. “They knew.” I looked down at my belly. So did Noah. And he still chose to leave me to die. That was the moment I stopped waiting to be saved. I’d already died once for love. Now I’d rise—for war.

I once thought the worst kind of pain was watching someone you love walk away. But no—true pain is knowing they let you die, even when they knew you were carrying their child. It’s been ten days since I woke up in the Moonscar Tribe’s healing tent. This place was far from the northern capitals, a neutral sanctuary under the Elder Council’s quiet protection—built to shelter Omegas and Alphas suffering from pheromonal instability or violent awakenings. I had no title. No resources. No family. Worst of all, my name had been deleted from the Greaves family registry. In wolf society, that meant I was no longer a recognized citizen. I had become a ghost. “You must learn to control your spiritual pheromones, Sadie.” Rima Solas, Omega, chief tribal healer, stood by my side. Her scent was clean—grasses, herbs, and quiet steadiness. I bit down hard, trying not to cry out. Since my rescue, my spiritual energy had gone feral. With my pregnancy and partial awakening, every night brought pain and hallucinations. I saw Noah’s face. Heard him say, “Get rid of it.” Heard Aria’s voice over the phone, whispering, “You really are that stupid, Sadie.” I wanted to scream—but all I could do was choke on silence. “Your child is reversing the energy flow, protecting your core,” Rima said. “It’s causing an unnatural spike in spiritual bond fusion. Even your body can’t handle this.” “So I’ll die?” “No,” she replied quietly. “You’ll awaken. Or lose control completely.” I leaned back against the cot and gave a bitter laugh. “Sounds lovely.” “Unless,” she said, “you agree to undergo a guided lunar imprint ceremony.” My eyes snapped to hers. “The Moon Imprint?” She nodded. “The Silvertail mark within you has already begun to surface. If you don’t let the Moon’s will guide you, your system will continue to break down.” I was silent. I was an Omega. I didn’t want to depend on any Alpha—not even the Moon goddess. But I had a child now. And I couldn’t afford to die. “I’ll do it,” I said. Three days later, Alric Nyven returned. He was a Delta—one of the Elder Council’s top arbiters. He possessed rare empathic pheromone powers, capable of calming near-feral Alphas with a word. He was here today for me—an Omega branded unfit for recognition. “Your registration has been terminated,” he said plainly. “By pack law, an unbonded Omega must undergo spiritual testing and, if passed, submit to re-bonding with a qualified Alpha.” “I won’t bond with anyone,” I said coldly. He looked at me for a long moment. “Then you must survive the Moon Imprint Trial.” “I’ll take it.” “Even though the survival rate is below twenty percent?” I smiled, cold and sharp. “I’ve already died once. What more is there to lose?” That night, beneath a violet moon, I stood on the mountaintop in ceremonial robes, holding a dagger of lunar silver. The tribe circled around in solemn formation. Rima stood behind me, weaving energy runes into the ground. Alric carved ancient glyphs in the snow. A projection of Lunara, the Moon Goddess, flickered into existence above the circle. “Sadie Hale,” her voice echoed, “do you wish to sever your bond with your former Alpha, and walk freely as your own?” “I do.” I raised the dagger and slashed across the inner line of my wrist. Pain. Real, raw, soul-crushing pain. The severing. It wasn’t just physical. It was mental annihilation. I heard the psychic bonds snap inside my brain, each one screaming as it unraveled. I saw Noah’s imprint—the signature of his pheromones—ignite like paper and vanish. I collapsed, soaked in blood, but even then, I heard it. A whisper. “You did well, Sadie.” Lunara’s voice. The voice of the moon. “You are no longer his. You are your own.” When I awoke, Rima was weeping softly. “You’re the first to survive a bond severing during pregnancy. And the only one to awaken after.” I looked down. The silver crescent now pulsed on my wrist—a mark of an Awakened. Sadie Hale, for the first time, belonged to no one. A few days later, I saw Riven Cross. Once a Beta, now an honorary Alpha and commander of the Redwing Guard. He stood tall, armored in silver and red, battle-scarred and composed. He had once been my upperclassman—the boy who gave me orange juice at the Greaves banquet, when I was too nervous to speak. “You’re here,” I rasped. He smiled faintly. “You’re alive. That’s all that matters.” “I’m not the same person anymore.” “You never should’ve been the person they forced you to be,” he said softly. “This you… is finally someone they can’t ignore.” That night, beneath the moon, I pressed my palm against my belly. The child within stirred gently. “We’ll finish this,” I whispered. “Together.” Not for revenge. But because I would never bow again.

They say the deadliest thing in a wolf pack isn’t fangs—it’s deception. Noah Greaves had always been good at hiding things. He could smile and walk Aria down the red carpet for the cameras, while I lay in a pool of blood, phone call unanswered, and post a memorial for me the next day. “May the deceased rest in peace. You deserved better in your next life.” —@NoahGreaves The comments section went wild. “You’re too kind.” “Let’s hope she won’t disturb you and Aria anymore.” “Finally, you and Aria are official!” Meanwhile, I was in the Southern Moonscar Tribe’s valley, piecing my shattered soul together after severing my Alpha bond. “They buried me well,” I muttered, scrolling through trending topics. [#HeirOfGreavesEngagedAgain] [#FormerOmegaWifeMissing] [#BabyScandal: Sadie Was Never Pregnant?] The last one was posted by Kara Venn, a Beta, Aria’s best friend, and now self-proclaimed “Chief Organizer of the Engagement Committee.” She even released a falsified DNA report claiming my child didn’t belong to Noah. I clenched my jaw and closed the screen. My son Caelum—barely six weeks inside me—had already been judged and condemned by the world. “You really want to go public?” Rima Solas, the healer, stood by the window, looking concerned. “I have to,” I said. “But your awakening isn’t complete. Your spiritual core is unstable.” “Exactly,” I smiled coldly. “Let them see that I’m no longer the docile, obedient ‘contract mate.’” “What are you planning?” “A broadcast.” That night, I stood atop the Moon Shrine, dressed in the tribe’s white ceremonial robe, and activated the live stream. Over eight million viewers flooded in within minutes. 【Wasn’t she dead?!】 【What is this—some rural ritual cosplay?】 【Wait… if she’s alive, what does that say about Noah?】 I stared into the lens, voice cool and sharp: “My name is Sadie Hale, Omega. I’m the one you called missing, unstable, or dead.” “I didn’t die. And I’m not insane.” “I was betrayed.” Two minutes in, the tide began to turn. 【She’s pale. Looks desperate.】 【She’s lying for sympathy. Noah’s a good guy.】 【Wait, is that a healing sigil on her belly?!】 I calmly lifted the protective charm from my abdomen, revealing the glowing symbols and a stabilizing fetal rune. “I’m alive because I had to protect my child.” “You said he wasn’t Noah’s? Then explain this spiritual resonance report—authorized and verified by the Elder Council.” I displayed the documents in full. The stream glitched for several seconds. Several major accounts disappeared from the viewership list. In the North, chaos exploded. Noah went from “beloved Alpha fiancé” to “predatory scumbag,” Aria was labeled “homewrecker moonlight,” and Kara got every one of her platforms banned. They hadn’t expected me to fight back—certainly not like this. But most of all, they hadn’t expected me to survive. Three days later, a formal request arrived from House Greaves. “They’re asking for mediation,” Rima said grimly at the council meeting. “Claiming you’re mentally unstable and must be ‘re-admitted’ into treatment.” I laughed. “Then let’s show them how unstable I can be.” That night, I sat in my meditation chamber when my head split with agony. An unauthorized psychic connection tore through my mental barriers. “Alpha imprint detected—attempting reconnection.” “Noah,” I hissed. He was forcing a bond reactivation—trying to awaken old subservience buried in my Omega core. “Don’t you dare…” I gasped, sweat pouring down my face. A sudden surge exploded from within me—my child’s energy fused with mine, awakening something deeper. A flash of silver. I unleashed my spiritual energy with a scream— Boom. The chamber shook. Devices cracked. Rima and several Deltas rushed in. “She’s countering it!” Rima shouted. “But the overload—” “I said, don’t touch me!” I roared. When I opened my eyes, the link had been burned away. Alric arrived shortly after, his expression unreadable. “Sadie Hale,” he said, “as of this moment, you are officially recognized as a Silvertail Awakened—provisional heir.” I looked at my hand, the silver lines glowing faintly. I wasn’t a victim anymore. I was a threat. And then Riven brought news. “There’s a Lunar Bonding Ceremony next week. The Council wants you to attend.” My brows furrowed. “That’s an Alpha-Omega pairing ritual.” “Yes,” Riven replied. “But this time, you’re the ‘exception.’” “…What does that mean?” He hesitated. “Noah will be there.” I turned toward the distant sky, moonlight slicing across my face. Fine. If he wants to see me again— Then I’ll show him exactly what he lost.

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When I opened my eyes after being reborn, the first thing I did was tackle my adoptive mother, who was conducting an experiment, and rip a piece of flesh from her. Before anyone in the laboratory could react, I had also bitten my “sister.” I then splashed a cup of dog urine onto her. Everyone thought I was suffering from rabies. The hospital sent me to a rehabilitation center. Inside, I was filled with joy. In my past life, my experiment was about to succeed when my sister blew up the laboratory and stole my research results. The deceased’s family presented surveillance footage that accused me of being the murderer, and countless media outlets gathered at the hospital demanding an explanation. I was confused, but my adoptive mother claimed I had intentionally sabotaged my sister’s experiment. My adoptive mother and sister shifted all the blame onto me. In the end, I was tortured to death by an enraged family member. “Ah! What are you doing, you bastard?” Mandy screamed as I pounced on her and bit down. I clung to her, refusing to let go. When people pulled me away, my mouth was full of blood, and my face was twisted. I spat out the piece of flesh, disgusted, and looked at Mandy. Mandy turned to run but tripped over some equipment. I viciously tore at her face. Then, I splashed a cup of rancid dog urine onto her face. “Ah! Alice, are you insane? How dare you bite me! How dare you throw urine on me!” “Quick! Catch her! She’s gone crazy!” Manda, clutching her bloodied face, screamed hysterically. A few security guards rushed in and held me down. I shook violently, struggling desperately, letting out incoherent screeches, saliva flying everywhere. “Rabies! She must have rabies!” someone shouted, and the crowd erupted into chaos. Mandy stood outside the crowd, emanating a foul stench, with dog hair sticking to her hair. Her face alternated between green and pale. She stared at me, as if she wanted to devour me whole. “Dr. Chris! Check her properly! She’s faking it! How could she possibly have rabies?” Mandy screamed, her voice sharp and venomous. She stood there, filthy with urine and dog hair, yet still trying to maintain her laughable “elegance.” I could feel the fearful gazes of the people around me. They were looking at me like I was a monster. Good. This is exactly the effect I wanted. Mandy yelled at the doctors who had arrived. “Why are you just standing there? Why haven’t you taken this bitch away yet?” “She bit my mother!” “And threw urine on me!” “I’m suing her! I’ll make her rot in jail!” “This bitch, I want her to become a cripple!” The doctors exchanged glances. One of the older doctors pushed up his glasses, trying to explain: “Mandy, Alice’s condition is quite special, and we need to observe her further…” “Observe what?!” Mandy interrupted him. “She’s intentionally hurting people!” “Can’t you see that? Or are you trying to cover for her?!” In the end, the hospital doctors concluded that I had rabies. They sent me to the rehabilitation center. Only I knew that I had to hide in the center to preserve myself. In my past life, my experiment was on the verge of success. When I returned from being out, the laboratory had turned into a sea of fire. Amid the flames, Mandy’s figure twisted and went mad. She smiled smugly, holding the core data of my research results. “Alice, you will never win against me!” I struggled to get up, trying to stop her, but my body was unsteady. Outside the hospital, the sound of the crowd and cries blended together as I was labeled a murderer.

“Murderer! Give my daughter back her life!” “It’s her! The surveillance footage clearly shows it! She blew up the lab to take all the research results for herself!” “Crazy! A person like her deserves to be torn apart!” Reporters shoved microphones into my face. “Dr. Alice please explain, why did you destroy the laboratory?” “You’re staying silent, does that mean you’re admitting it?” “Alice, I know you didn’t mean it, you just… didn’t want Manni’s experiment to succeed, right?” Manda stood behind the crowd, “lovingly” watching me. I looked at her in disbelief. “Mom… I didn’t…” I tried to explain, but my voice was drowned out by the angry roars of the crowd. “This wicked woman! She killed my son! I want her to pay with her life!” “Kill her! Kill this murderer!” The family members lost control, pushing past the security guards and lunging at me. “Stop! Stop!” I screamed in desperation, but no one listened. In the chaos, someone tore at my clothes, spewing vulgar words. “Bitch! Slut! Let me show you what it feels like to be humiliated!” … “Alice, do you see what I’ve brought you?” Mandy walked into my hospital room. Her voice was sweet to the point of being sickening. I stared at her, blank-eyed, like a true madwoman. Mandy’s smile widened as she leaned in closer and lowered her voice, her malice clear. “How’s life at the rehabilitation center? Comfortable?” “It’s far better than the research institute, no more boring experiments.” She pulled a bottle of water from her bag, twisted the cap, and handed it to me. “Here, drink some water, soothe your throat.” I “obediently” took the cup, and just as I was about to drink, Mandy suddenly gasped, as if remembering something, and snatched the cup away. “Look at my memory! The water’s too cold. You’re weak now, you can’t drink cold stuff.” She tilted her head and spat a few yellow-green phlegms into the cup, then handed it back to me. “It’s better now, warm. Drink up.” I stared at her blankly. I took the cup, and in Mandy’s smug gaze, slowly poured the water onto the ground. “Mandy, I’m not thirsty,” my voice was hoarse, with a touch of “innocence.” Mandy’s face instantly darkened. She grabbed my hair. “Alice, don’t think you can escape by pretending to be crazy!” Mandy opened my mouth and spit her phlegm into it and onto my face. “Bitch, weren’t you so arrogant? Come, drink some ‘beverage’.” Mandy pulled out a packet of dog urine from her bag and poured it into my mouth. Then, she pressed her foot hard on my face. The stench! Disgusting! Nauseating! I looked even more “silly.” Struggling, but being held down by the nurse. I drank down 200cc of dog urine. “Good, that’s better. You’re just a slut for everyone, that’s what you deserve.” “Once I get my hands on the research results, I’ll show you what pleasure really is!” “The stray dogs in the city are waiting for you, my ‘sister.’” The recording pen hidden in my sleeve faithfully recorded every word Mandy said. After Mandy was done humiliating me in the room, she left. I then heard two voices in the corridor. “… That bitch, how is the plan going?” It was Mandy’s voice. “Don’t worry, Mandy, everything is as you instructed,” a strange voice replied. “Hmph, that’s good. Remember, add some ‘shit’ to her food every day. Let her taste my ‘favor’!” “Yes, Mandy.” “Oh, and don’t forget to add dog urine to her water. Let her experience what I went through!” Mandy’s voice was sharp and malicious. As expected, this “sister” would never let me live in peace! This world thinks I’m crazy, and I won’t even bother pretending anymore!

I touched the wound on my face and the sticky substance, feeling the disgusting stickiness in my throat. I couldn’t stop the anger rising within me. The fiery pain on my face intensified my hatred. Wait! You two won’t get away with this! … At night, when the nurse went to rest, I groped around the bedside table and found the “care package” phone that Mandy had sent earlier. This phone is probably more than just a “care package,” isn’t it? I opened the phone and, sure enough, found a tiny bug on the mainboard. I threw the bug out of the window, smashing it to pieces. On the third day after I entered the nursing facility, an explosion occurred in the hospital’s lab. Not a single researcher from the lab managed to escape. This became a huge news event, with the media scrambling to report. The cause of the explosion remained unclear, but there were rumors pointing to me, saying I deliberately wanted to destroy my sister’s research results. They even claimed I cruelly murdered over ten researchers. As expected! Even though I’m hiding here, they won’t leave me alone! I continued to play the role of a “rabid dog” being treated at the facility. I mechanically repeated my “rehabilitation training,” kicking my legs, bending over. The nurse’s gaze was like that of looking at livestock, numb and disdainful. The nurse added “extra ingredients” to my food every day. She forced me to eat it, then showed a twisted smile. My body grew weaker and weaker. I couldn’t resist the influence of my sister and adoptive mother’s power, so I had to endure their insults for now! “Alice” Mandy took me out of the nursing home to celebrate my birthday. I knew they were about to smear me. “Alice, look, this is the birthday party that your sister specially prepared for you. Do you like it?” Mandy hooked her arm around mine, seeming affectionate, but her private hand was tightly pinching my flesh. I could even feel blood trickling out of her hand. “I like it…” I lowered my head, my body slightly trembling, perfectly playing the role of someone mentally unstable. “Alice has always been obedient and understanding since she was a child, but it’s such a pity… her mental state…” Manda appeared beside Mandy at just the right moment. She “sympathetically” stroked my hair, her eyes flashing with calculation. “Mom, don’t say that. Alice will get better,” Mandy “comforted” Manda gently, but when she turned to look at me, her eyes became sharp. “Alice, do you remember when we used to play together when we were kids?” In front of the guests, this “sister” is quite the actress. I “dazedly” shook my head, my eyes empty. “Ah, really pitiful…” Manda sighed and “casually” brought it up. “Actually, when Alice was little, she was… a bit different from other children. She liked to lock herself in her room, talking to herself.” “Sometimes she would… sometimes she would do some strange things…” The guests whispered among themselves, their looks shifting from sympathy to doubt, even tinged with fear. I knew their “performance” had worked. In the eyes of everyone, I had become a complete “lunatic.” “To celebrate Alice’s birthday, I’ve prepared a very special gift!” Mandy’s voice drew everyone’s attention. On the projection screen in the banquet hall, a surveillance video appeared. The footage was blurry, and only a vague figure could be seen lingering near the lab. “Look, this person is Alice!” Mandy pointed at the screen, her tone confident. “That night, she snuck into the lab and caused the explosion!” “No… it wasn’t me…” I feigned a “weak” protest. My voice was drowned out by the murmurs of the crowd. “Oh my God, how terrifying! I can’t believe she would do something like this!” “I knew it, she always seemed strange… turns out she’s really a lunatic!” “People like her should be locked away so they don’t hurt anyone else!” I looked around, and the people’s eyes were filled with disdain. This is human nature—clearly, nothing is confirmed, yet they can openly despise someone.

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My five-year-old pup staggered into the house, her small body quivering as she fell to her knees in front of me. Her arms wrapped around my leg, desperate, as she whispered with trembling lips, “I never want to go back. Please, don’t make me go.” I knelt to her level, gently cupping her tear-streaked face. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? What happened at daycare?” Her golden eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she didn’t speak, shaking her head in fear. Instincts flaring, I carefully lifted the hem of her shirt—and my heart clenched at what I saw. Her soft skin was marred with deep gouges from claws, bruises blooming around the wounds. My wolf snarled within me, a growl rising in my throat. I snapped a quick photo, sending it through the pack’s communication link with a fury that could not be contained: [Who did this?!] The response came within seconds. [I told my son to do it!] The name that followed was Lucy. I growled louder, two more images appearing in quick succession. The first showed Lucy standing proudly next to my mate, Alpha Ethan, during their mating ceremony. The second was an old photo of me, my pup, and Alpha Ethan, taken years ago. [You disgraceful Omega! You had the audacity to steal my mate and bear a bastard child? It’s a miracle I didn’t let my son finish the job!] The pack chat exploded. Insults poured in from wolves who had once been allies or even friends, calling my pup and me names, mocking our very existence. Even the Beta teacher from the daycare joined in, tagging Lucy with a message: [Liam performed well today. He’s definitely getting a gold star tomorrow.] Lucy responded with a smug emoji. [If you’re upset, come find me. My son and I are still here at the daycare.] My claws twitched, and without a word, I scooped up my pup and marched toward the daycare, every step filled with the need for retribution. As I walked, I quickly typed a message to my pack’s enforcers: [Get the challenge papers ready. According to the Westwood Pact, Ethan gets nothing.] [Also, my daughter was attacked. I want the culprits punished severely.] [How dare that weakling Ethan betray me, claiming another as his Luna?] When I arrived at the daycare, Lucy was standing outside, clearly relishing the attention, surrounded by several high-ranking she-wolves who practically bowed at her feet. Their eyes were full of admiration and awe. “Lucy, you’re so humble!” one of them gushed. “If we hadn’t known better, we wouldn’t have guessed your mate is the Alpha of Westwood Pack.” “Exactly!” another added. “No wonder you exude such power—being the true Luna has its perks, doesn’t it?” “We’re all here to support you,” another chimed in. “We won’t let some lowborn Omega take your rightful place.” “And look at Liam,” said another. “He’s already showing dominance, even at such a young age! He’s the true heir to Westwood Pack.” The Beta teacher, her posture stiff, even bowed slightly. “Luna Lucy, let me know what Liam likes to eat. We’ll make sure the daycare caters to his tastes from now on.” Lucy soaked in the praise, her chin high, savoring every word of their adoration. Ever since Ethan joined our pack, my father stepped down and made him the Alpha. For years, Ethan had lived off my pack’s wealth, contributing nothing of value. I had allowed him to oversee a minor part of Westwood Pack’s trade business just to keep him occupied. Now, Lucy used that very position to elevate herself, basking in the limelight. As I approached, the whispers from the crowd turned into sneers, their eyes filled with disdain. They looked at me like I was nothing but a rogue contaminating their sacred grounds. The Beta teacher stepped forward with icy resolve. “Selene, I have orders from the Alpha. Your daughter is expelled. Effective immediately.” My wolf seethed within me. “She was attacked. And instead of seeking justice, you expel her?” The Beta’s lips curled into a sneer. “This is an elite daycare, reserved for pups born of noble lineage. An Omega’s child has no place here.” I stepped forward, my voice dangerously low. “Perhaps you should investigate who the real homewrecker is before you speak so freely.” Before I could say another word, Lucy stormed toward me. A sharp slap cracked against my face, echoing in the still air. My wolf howled in fury, but I restrained her, for now. Lucy’s smirk was laced with venom as she spoke. “How dare a rogue like you show your face here?” She bared her teeth, her eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. “Did you honestly think birthing a bastard would make you the Luna of Westwood Pack?”

The sharp slap left me dazed, a sudden shock coursing through me. The pack members gathered around, their laughter cutting through the air as they pointed and jeered. “You don’t look like much, so why are you stooping to be with a rogue? And having a pup, too?” “Some wolves act so innocent, but the second they see a strong Alpha, they’re desperate to submit and be claimed!” “Rogues are a disgrace to the pack, and their pups are even worse!” The insults piled up, drawing more onlookers who began to point and laugh. A few even pulled out their phones to take videos, adding fuel to the fire. Some spat in my direction, their contempt thick in the air. Fury bubbled within me as I ripped off my custom-made Luna cloak and tossed it aside, the fabric crumpling into the trash. Turning to face Lucy, I spoke with cold precision. “You had your son bully my daughter, and now you slap me in front of everyone. Who do you think you are to act like this with no consequence?” Lucy’s response was dripping with arrogance. “It’s only fitting for a Luna to slap an Omega. And besides, I’m the Luna of the Westwood Pack. Hitting you and your filthy pup is nothing. I could take your life without a second thought, and it wouldn’t even matter!” The pack members jumped in, sneering and mocking me. “If you hadn’t been a rogue, Lucy wouldn’t have slapped you. You brought this upon yourself.” “You’re just a filthy omega. Instead of hiding your shame, you’re out here provoking us. A slap is the least you deserve.” “Yeah, so you think you can act all innocent just because you caught the attention of an Alpha? Stop pretending to be the victim. We’re not fools, blinded by scent bonding.” Even the bystanders joined in, their words biting deeper with every passing second. The more they mocked, the more emboldened Lucy became. She glanced at my car behind me, her eyes flashing with rage. “You filthy woman, spending my Alpha’s money like it’s nothing! How dare you drive a Rolls-Royce? A lowly rogue like you doesn’t deserve this!” “I hate rogue mates. Every single one of them should be driven out, or better yet, put down like the traitors they are!” With a cruel grin, Lucy pulled out a key and began slashing it across my car, leaving deep scratches in its surface. “Rogues must die!” she spat. I stared at the scratched metal, my voice cold and unwavering. “You’ll regret those words soon enough.” Lucy’s face twisted with fury. “You filthy woman, acting like you’re above everyone else just because you’re living off my Alpha’s money. Today, I’ll make sure you pay for every penny you’ve taken!” She picked up a brick from the ground and smashed it against my car’s window with a resounding crack. She didn’t stop there. She destroyed everything—windows, headlights, the hood—until nothing was left untouched. The other pack members, energized by her violent outburst, grabbed whatever they could find and joined in. They smashed the car with wild enthusiasm, tearing it apart piece by piece. Once the windows were shattered, they climbed inside, slashing at the seats and ripping apart the interior. The luxury vehicle that had once gleamed with pristine elegance was now nothing more than a wreck. Suddenly, one of the women opened the trunk, gasping in shock. “Look! There’s a bunch of expensive stuff in here!” she exclaimed. Lucy approached, pulling out a painting, her sneer widening. “A rogue mate trying to act all classy? How pathetic.” She ripped the painting in half and tossed the torn pieces onto the ground, stomping on them. “Someone like you doesn’t deserve such things. You only belong with trash!” One bystander, clearly an art enthusiast, inspected the torn remnants and gasped. “This looks like an authentic James! I’ve heard these go for 300 million at auction!” Lucy scoffed, her voice dripping with arrogance. “So what if it’s worth 300 million? It’s all my Alpha’s money! My Alpha’s wealth is mine to do with as I please. If I want to destroy my own things, who dares question me?” Her words struck me with a cold, biting anger. Let’s not even mention Ethan—he was just an Omega without a pack when I first met him. Even when I let him manage Westwood Pack’s business affairs, his incompetence had nearly cost us half the pack’s worth. If he weren’t my fated mate, I would have cast him aside long ago. Yet Lucy and these wolves treated him like some grand Alpha. They looked at him with admiration, as though he were the greatest of leaders. With Lucy leading the charge, the others eagerly joined in, tearing through my belongings. They destroyed everything in my trunk, including precious collectibles I had just bought at auction that morning. In mere moments, they turned them into worthless debris. I stayed calm, pulling out my phone. “Why aren’t you here yet? I need you in front of me in five minutes!” Before I even got a response, a pack member snatched the phone from my hand and slammed it to the ground, shattering it. “Trying to call for help? Where do you get the nerve?” “Who do you think you are, pretending to be important?” “She’s probably calling one of her lone wolf friends to put on a show for us! Hahaha!” The pack erupted into laughter, mocking me without restraint. I stared at my shattered phone on the ground, my voice low and cold. “I hope you’ll still be laughing in a few minutes.” I turned to the teacher, my gaze hardening. “You knew my daughter was being bullied at school, didn’t you?” The teacher sneered at me with disdain. “So what if I did?” she spat. “A bastard pup of a rogue mate isn’t worth anything. Liam was just putting her in her place. What’s the problem?”

The moment Lucy spoke, a wave of applause and cheers erupted from the gathered parents. “That’s why you’re Luna! You deal with everything so decisively and fairly!” “Exactly, this is a prestigious Pack. Not just anyone can belong here.” “Why would an Omega’s daughter need schooling? You should be teaching her how to seduce Alphas, like you did. Maybe she’ll even outdo you and find a more powerful mate!” Lucy’s audacity grew even bolder. “See that? This is what happens when you’re an Omega rogue. You and your daughter will always be at the bottom of the Pack, despised by everyone!” The crowd’s jeers and insults rained down on me. The more they spat their venom, the broader Lucy’s smile grew. The teacher, a timid Beta, saw an opportunity to flatter her. “Mrs. Turner, the Alpha mentioned that if you’re pleased with how things have been handled, he hopes you could do us a favor.” “You know we’re planning to expand the Pack’s territory, and all the land around here is owned by Westwood Pack. What do you think…” Lucy, arms crossed, gave a condescending smile. “Don’t worry. I’m very satisfied with how this was resolved today. When the time comes, I’ll make a call, and my husband, the Alpha, will ensure you get all the land you need.” The teacher’s grin widened. “Thank you in advance, Mrs. Turner.” “Lucy, my husband’s worked with Westwood Group before. Could you keep us in mind for future Pack business?” “My company’s looking to shift industries. I’d love to partner with Westwood Group someday.” “Lucy, here’s a no-limit shopping card from my mall. I hope we can stay close.” In an instant, parents were scrambling to win her favor, each one trying harder than the last to impress her. Some even slipped their Pack tokens into her bag. Lucy basked in the adoration, her arrogance radiating from every inch of her. She raised her chin high as she strutted past me, then sneered, “See that? This is the power of wealth and Pack influence. “You, a rogue Omega, will spend your life serving stronger men, hoping for the smallest scraps. “But me? I’ll live the kind of glory you’ll never even imagine. “I’m giving you one day. Take your bastard daughter and leave this territory. If I see you near my mate again, I’ll bury that little pup of yours alive!” My daughter clung to me, trembling. “Mom, I’m scared. My foot… it hurts so much…” Her voice quivered with fear and pain. I quickly removed her boot and gasped in horror—one of her toes was gone. The wound was grotesque, blood pooled inside her shoe. It felt as though a dagger had pierced my heart, and I couldn’t stop the tears that flooded my eyes. How had my fragile, pain-sensitive daughter endured this without a word? Fury exploded within me as I glared at Lucy. “Did your son, the Alpha pup, do this to her?” Lucy glanced at me nonchalantly. “Why are you making such a fuss? Be grateful I didn’t have my son, the Alpha heir, take that brat’s life.” Before she could finish her sentence, I slapped her across the face. The force of my anger powered the strike, sending her stumbling back. As I prepared to strike again, a Beta Pack member grabbed my hair, and other parents joined in, kicking and punching. “You filthy Omega! How dare you lay a hand on Mrs. Turner? Are you begging for death?” “Yeah, your pup isn’t dead yet. Why rush to join her in the grave?” “Your kid’s lucky Liam, the Alpha pup, gave her a lesson. With a mother like you, she deserves whatever happens to her, even death!” The teacher, full of righteous indignation, kicked me too. “Stop hitting my mom!” my daughter screamed, trying to defend me. But a pudgy pup kicked her down to the ground. The teacher patted him on the head, grinning. “Liam, you always know how to deal with troublemakers. Such a good pup. I’ll make sure to praise you in front of the whole Pack tomorrow and give you a reward!” Liam grinned smugly. “Hmph, it’s what I’m supposed to do. I’ll beat that brat every time I see her.” Lying on the ground, seething with rage, I grit my teeth. “You’ll regret this!” The crowd erupted in laughter, as if I’d just told the most ridiculous joke. “Did I hear that right? A lowly rogue Omega daring to make threats?” “Hilarious! This wench actually thinks she’s important. Mrs. Turner is the Alpha’s Luna. Crushing you is as easy as squashing an ant!” “This worthless Omega can do nothing but throw tantrums. Hahaha!” “What a disgrace. If I were her, I’d have already ended my life.” The parents held me down, continuing to mock and humiliate me. The onlookers were just as cruel, spitting at me and taunting. Lucy, relishing in the attention, shoved her sharp heel into my face. “Hahaha! Regret? I’ve never regretted a single thing. I’d love to see how someone like you could make me regret anything!” At that moment, a line of luxury cars screeched to a halt at the school gates. Strong, silent Alpha men in suits quickly poured out of the vehicles…

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Alpha Damon stood before me,his towering presence as commanding as ever.His jaw clenched in barely suppressed anger. “Slave?”he barked,his voice echoing through the dilapidated walls of the rogue den. I flinched,but only a little.“Yes,that’s what I am now.A rogue slave.Isn’t that what everyone’s been calling me?” His amber eyes flared,his wolf not far from the surface.“Nina,you’re our sister!Who told you to call yourself a slave?” “You sent me to the Rogue Den to atone for Audrey’s sins,didn’t you?Did you really think a sinner would be treated well?” Damon’s fists curled at his sides,and for a moment,I thought he might punch me. “You were just about to agree to come home with us—you even got into the car!”he snapped,his frustration finally breaking through.“Why did you suddenly change your mind?” My lips curved into a bitter smile.“Perhaps this is where I truly belong.You were the ones who sent me here,remember?”” Beta Egbert,my former fiancé,stepped forward.“Nina,don’t say such things in anger.We’ve investigated what happened five years ago.You didn’t harm Audrey on purpose that day.” I scoffed.“Wow,five years to figure that out?Must’ve been a really tough case for you.” Egbert winced but pressed on.“We wronged you,Nina.And we regret it deeply.That’s why we came all the way from the Blue Moon Pack to take you home from this…this rogue den.” “This place is too desolate,”Alpha Damon cut in,his tone softer now,almost pleading.“Too broken.It’s no place for someone like you—a young lady who was raised in comfort and love for over a decade.” Comfort and love?I nearly laughed out loud.The only love I’d felt in that house was from my wolf,and even she had grown quiet after years of being suppressed by silver chains and wolfsbane. Egbert’s gaze flicked to my hands,and I caught the flash of pity in his eyes as he saw the rough,misshapen fingers I’d earned from years of hard labor.He spoke gently,as if trying to soothe a pup.“Nina,you don’t belong here.Come back with us,and we’ll make things right.” My vision blurred for a moment,but I forced the tears back. Five years.Five years of endless torment,of dreaming about the day my family would come for me.And when they finally did,when I climbed into that car with my heart pounding in hope… I heard the whispers. “She’s just a backup for Audrey.Don’t know why Alpha Damon is wasting time on her.” “She should be grateful we’re even bringing her back.After all,rogues don’t get second chances.” The joy that had bloomed in my chest froze into something cold and brittle.Shock gave way to disappointment,and disappointment twisted into something darker. My heart ached,but not from longing.No,this was the sting of betrayal. The family I had waited so long to see again wasn’t truly remorseful.They didn’t want me back because they loved me or missed me.They wanted me because Audrey had screwed up—again.

I jumped out of the Bugatti’s back seat,the cold air biting through the thin fabric of my dress. My voice,no longer trembling with emotion,had settled into a dead calm.“Alpha Damon,Beta Egbert,you must have had a hard time traveling all this way.”My gaze dropped to the filthy hem of my dress,stained with the dirt of this rogue den. “Five years is a long time.I’ve gotten used to it.” “This place suits me just fine.I don’t miss home anymore.” Damon’s lips pressed into a thin line,his wolf’s energy crackling faintly in the air. “And besides,”I continued,glancing at the sleek,spotless car beside us,“I’m covered in dirt and filth.Wouldn’t want to stain your precious Bugatti.” Alpha Damon’s chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath,trying to leash his growing anger. “Nina Barrett,”he growled,his voice low and threatening,“what exactly are you trying to say?” “I think I’m saying it pretty clearly,”I replied,crossing my arms. Damon’s composure finally snapped.“Are you still blaming us?We came all this way to bring you home,and you’re still throwing a tantrum?How much longer are you going to act like this?” His wolf flared just beneath his skin,his tone harsh and unrelenting.“Yes,we made mistakes five years ago,but were you completely innocent?Audrey spent years wandering outside before finally returning to Blue Moon Pack.If you hadn’t constantly bullied her,gone against her in secret—” “Would we have ever suspected you?” A loud bang echoed as Damon slammed his fist against the car door.His voice turned icy,each word cutting like a blade. “If you don’t want to come back,then don’t!”he snapped.“I no longer thought of you as my sister.” My heart should have cracked at his words,but all I felt was a distant numbness. “I’ll tell Mom and Dad you died in the rogue den,”Damon added coldly.Without waiting for my response,he got into the car and slammed the door. The Bugatti roared to life,leaving me standing in the cold. The winter wind wasn’t nearly as frigid as Damon’s words. Even after five years of false accusations,exile,and suffering,they still couldn’t see past Audrey’s inveracious mask.It didn’t matter anymore.Five years had hardened me.My heart was little more than a calloused wound,so numb that even a blade wouldn’t cut deep enough to hurt. Beta Egbert lingered,sighing softly like a man forced to deal with an unruly child.He reached into a bag they had brought from Blue Moon Pack and pulled out an ornate gift box. “Your parents still care about you,Nina.Blood ties don’t break so easily,”he said,holding the box out to me like some peace offering. I stared at it,unimpressed. Egbert’s voice softened.“Nina,don’t be stubborn.These pastries—Luna Felicia made them for you herself.And inside this bag is a dress they picked out just for you.” A small laugh escaped me,sharp and bitter.My mate—Beta Egbert Dolton—was Blue Moon Pack’s most talented warrior,the future Beta,and,once upon a time,my fated mate. The memory of my first shift at eighteen surfaced unbidden.The strong scent of mint and pine had filled my senses,and my wolf had howled with joy in my mind.Mate. Egbert had always been the golden boy of Blue Moon Pack,a prince among wolves.And for a short,fleeting moment,I had thanked the Moon Goddess for blessing me with him as my partner. But everything changed when Audrey appeared. The day she collapsed,coughing up blood,Egbert had cradled her in his arms,glaring at me like I’d personally poisoned her.The bond we shared—the one I thought was unbreakable—frayed and snapped in that single moment. I swallowed hard,forcing the memory away as my gaze fell on the box of pastries.Inside were dainty little macarons,each molded into the shape of a kitten. Cute.Except I hated macarons.They were too sweet,too perfect.Audrey’s favorite,not mine. Then there was the dress—a soft pink monstrosity made of the finest silk.Audrey’s favorite color.Mine love was midnight blue,the color of the sky just before it gave way to the stars. Noticing my lack of gratitude,Egbert’s expression turned cold,tinged with impatience. “Nina,don’t be greedy,”he said,his tone sharper now.“Alpha Kenelm and the others have done their best to make it up to you.Audrey was their real daughter!” I stared at him,incredulous.“Greedy?I never asked you for anything.”?” His jaw tightened,but he said nothing. “You have two days to think about it,”Egbert continued,his tone dismissive.“After that,Damon and I are leaving.It’s your last chance,Nina.” Chance.That was rich coming from him. As Egbert turned and walked away,I stood there in the cold,the box of unwanted pastries still in my hands. They all thought I was ungrateful.That I was insatiable.

When I returned to my drafty little shack,it felt even emptier than usual—probably because all my belongings were gone. The rogue overseeing my work leaned against the doorframe with a grin wide enough to show off his crooked fangs.“Miss Nina,no more mucking stalls for you.Fancy servants from Blue Moon Pack came by and cleared out your things.They’ve sent it all to the Allison Hotel.” “You should go stay there.” I glanced around the tiny shack one last time,taking in the broken window patched with cloth,the battered cot,and the faint stench of damp hay.This place had been my home for five long years. I whispered under my breath,“Good riddance.” As I walked through the cold,snow-covered streets of Rogue Den,memories of my life here replayed in my mind.For five years,I had woken up before dawn,shackled with silver chains like the lowest slave,braving the knife-sharp winter wind to cut grass and feed the Rogue King’s livestock.After an entire day of herding,I had to go to the mines to dig for ore. Rogue Den was nothing like Blue Moon Pack’s perpetual spring.For most of the year,it was battered by icy winds and covered in snow. These hands of mine—once soft,perfect for painting delicate strokes—were now a map of scars,callouses,and broken nails.Even my wolf,stayed quiet in the back of my mind,too weary from years of suppression to comfort me. Alpha Damon wasn’t wrong. The pampered princess of Blue Moon Pack had long since died. Not in the cold of Rogue Den,but the day Audrey was brought back. From that moment on,she took everything that had once belonged to me—my parents,my brother,the love and affection that had once been mine.Whatever she wanted,I had to give up. Because I wasn’t really their daughter. I was just the greedy maid’s child.My mother had switched us at birth,leaving Audrey to suffer in poverty for over a decade. When I finally reached the Allison Hotel,its warmth hit me like a slap in the face.The scent of lavender and vanilla incense made me wrinkle my nose.Everything about this place screamed luxury—a world I’d been forcibly ripped out of and left to dream about from the depths of Rogue Den. That’s when I saw her. Audrey. She stood at the top of the grand staircase,a vision of delicate beauty in a soft cream robe,her silky brown hair tumbling over her shoulders like some kind of goddess. My chest tightened.Not with envy—I’d been too broken for that—but with the stark reminder of how easily she’d taken everything from me. She wobbled slightly,clearly about to step down barefoot.Before I could even process what was happening,Damon shot forward,scooping her into his arms like she weighed nothing. “Are you out of your mind?”he growled,his tone soft but firm.“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?Rogue Den isn’t Blue Moon Pack—it’s freezing here.What if you catch a cold?You’re always so frail.” Beta Egbert—my ex-fiancé—appeared out of nowhere,holding plush slippers.He knelt down,gently cradling her ankle as he slipped them on. Audrey giggled,her voice light as air.“I didn’t think anyone would notice.You’re both too much.” I stood at the bottom of the staircase,watching this nauseating display unfold. My lips curled into a bitter smile. Neither Damon nor Egbert had mentioned she’d be here.Of course,they’d hidden her away,worried that the harsh winds of Rogue Den might harm her precious skin.Or worse,worried I might trouble her. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind,her growl low and dangerous.You’re better than this,Nina.Don’t let them see you crumble. I clenched my fists.“Crumble?Please.I’m practically a rock at this point.” My heart had long since gone numb,but at this moment,it was like a fishhook had pierced into my flesh,dragging out a sharp,tearing pain. My entire body trembled. The one person who owed me an apology the most—I hadn’t even had the chance to see her. Five years ago,Audrey had been found and brought back to Blue Moon Pack. That was when everyone realized the mistake. Seeing her malnourished and frail from years in the slums,my family couldn’t wait to make up for lost time,showering her with everything they had. Audrey didn’t like me. She deliberately tore her own clothes,then looked at me with hesitant,tear-filled eyes. She didn’t have to say anything. Everyone already knew what to believe. My brother forced me to yield to Audrey,claiming she was timid and pitiful. My parents silently bought her designer clothes and let her choose as she pleased. My fiancé,Beta Egbert,personally taught her combat techniques and grew closer to her. Audrey and I shared the same birthday. On that day,she suddenly said she wanted almond tea,brewed by me. But after a single sip,her face turned deathly pale,and she vomited blood. Damon,in his fury,struck me across the face. His words were the cruelest curses I had ever heard. “A bitched girl born of a bitch—just as vile!” “You switched the almonds for peach kernels,knowing she’s allergic!Did you want her dead so you could keep playing princess?” “I’m telling you now—Audrey is my real sister.If anything happens to her,you’ll pay for it with your life!” Because of that slap,I lost hearing in my left ear forever. My fiancéhad held Audrey in his arms,flustered and panicked. He didn’t say a word. But his accusing eyes cut me deeper than any blade,slicing me into a thousand pieces.

I still remember the day Audrey decided to become the poster child for ridiculous bravery.She stood before the Rogue King,her chin tilted in that defiant way that could only mean one thing—she was about to make a colossal mistake.And boy,did she deliver. She called him a”barbaric mongrel,”publicly scorning him in front of his own rogues.I swear,even the wolves watching from the shadows flinched at her audacity. The Rogue King’s golden eyes glowed with fury.”If Audrey isn’t sent to Rogue Den to answer for her insolence,Blue Moon Pack will face my wrath.My wolves will raze your lands until nothing remains but ashes and regrets.” That was the first time I saw Audrey lose her composure.Her face went pale,and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.”I don’t afraid going,”she whispered,her voice trembling in just the right way to tug at heartstrings.”But…I can’t bear to leave my brother,my father,and my mother.” Cue the dramatic silence as everyone looked at me like I was the answer to all their problems. Alpha Damon,who had been standing as still as a statue,finally spoke,his tone cold and detached.”Nina,you’ll go in Audrey’s place.” For a moment,I couldn’t breathe. “Rogue Den is harsh and far away,”Damon continued,as though justifying the decision.”Audrey’s body is too fragile to endure it.Blue Moon Pack raised you for over a decade—isn’t it time you repaid the pack?” Repay the pack?For what?Being a glorified punching bag and unpaid servant? My father and mother said nothing,their silence heavier than any words they could have spoken.My mother eventually sighed,placing a hand on my shoulder.”Nina…we can’t bear to send you away,but Audrey is our real daughter.” And there it was.The dagger twisted in my chest. Beta Egbert,my former fiancé,chimed in.”Nina,you’ve done too much wrong.You’ve hurt Audrey time and time again.It’s only right that you go to Rogue Den and make amends.” I wanted to cry,but my throat was too tight.Audrey cast me a triumphant look from behind her delicate mask of tears.She didn’t have to say a word—her victory was written all over her face. And so,I was shipped off to Rogue Den,a desolate wasteland where even the wolves looked more feral than civilized. The rogue overseers wasted no time reminding me of my new reality.”You think they sent you here to teach you a lesson?Nah,sweetheart.This isn’t punishment—it’s exile.They never wanted you to begin with.” He wasn’t wrong. For five years,I labored under the harshest conditions imaginable.My hands,once soft,became rough and calloused,every scar a testament to the endless work.Feeding livestock,shoveling waste,mining for ore—each task more grueling than the last. The winters in Rogue Den were unforgiving,the cold biting through even the thickest layers.My wolf,was my only companion in the long,silent nights. But now,after five years,they had the audacity to send word that it was all a mistake.That the almond tea incident had been an error.That I was innocent. They wanted me to come home. Home. The word felt foreign,like a language I no longer understood.What home did I have left?

Audrey descended the staircase,her mink-trimmed shawl bouncing with each step.Her feet were tucked into plush slippers,and the scent of something outrageously expensive perfume wafted toward me before she even reached the bottom step. When her gaze landed on me,her doe-like eyes widened in startled fear,the corners of her mouth trembling. “Big sister…”she said softly. I said nothing,my eyes trailing over her perfectly polished appearance—manicured nails,flawless skin,and the kind of Jewelry that screamed privilege. Meanwhile,my own cracked,frostbitten fingers curled into fists at my sides.The bitter cold of Rogue Den hadn’t just bitten at my skin;it had left marks that no amount of Skin care products could cover. Audrey’s eyes glistened,her nose reddening.A single crystalline tear rolled down her cheek. “Sister,”she whispered,her voice shaking just enough to sound vulnerable,“are you still angry with me?You haven’t forgiven me?” I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent. “It was my fault,”she continued,her hands clutching each other like a penitent saint.“The Rogue King…he was supposed to punish me.You suffered for five years because of me.”She paused.“We’re here to take you home.” Home?I let out a sharp laugh under my breath. Audrey approached me with a cup of tea.“If you drink this,”she said,her voice soft,“it means you’ve forgiven me.Okay?” Her hands trembled as she extended the cup toward me. Then,The tea spilled. The hot liquid splashed over my frostbitten hands,seeping into the cracks in my skin.The sting was immediate and sharp,an agony that triggered an instinctive reaction. Before I could think,I shoved Audrey back. She didn’t hit the floor. Beta Egbert—my former fiancé—was suddenly there,his arms wrapped around her like a protective cocoon.His glare burned into me as if I were some feral animal who had lost all reason. Then came my brother.His boot collided with my side before I could even brace myself,sending me sprawling to the floor.My head struck the ground with a dull thud,and warm blood trickled down my temple. “She didn’t mean to spill the tea!”Audrey cried,her voice trembling as she clung to Egbert’s arm.“She’s hurt…Please,don’t blame her!” But her words,of course,were drowned out by Alpha Damon’s thunderous voice. “Nina,after five years,you’ve learned nothing!You still dare to bully Audrey?” I bit down hard on my lip,willing myself to stay silent.What was the point of speaking?No matter what I said,I would always be the villain in their eyes. Damon’s face twisted into a mask of rage,and Beta Egbert tightened his hold on Audrey as if I might leap at her again. Slowly,I sat up,ignoring the ache in my ribs and the sticky warmth of blood on my forehead.I wiped the blood away with the back of my hand and bowed deeply toward Audrey. “I was careless,”I said,my voice calm and measured.“I apologize for pushing Miss Audrey.” Egbert’s brows furrowed,a flicker of guilt passing over his face.Audrey,looked horrified,on the verge of tears. “Sister!”she cried,her voice high and wavering.“How could you bow to me?You’re not my servant—there’s no need for this!” Alpha Damon with a cold,dismissive tone.“If she wants to act like a servant,so be it.Let her stay here and suffer.We’re leaving.” I stayed frozen in my bow as their footsteps receded,my wolf growling softly in the back of my mind.Good riddance,she snarled.They don’t deserve to call themselves your family. She was right,of course. For a moment,when I’d first seen them,I’d felt a flicker of hope—a stupid,naive hope that maybe they’d changed.That maybe they’d come to take me home because they finally cared. Good thing I overheard the servants talking. Good thing I had already given up on going back with them. Returning to Blue Moon Pack would mean returning to a place where I had no place. Returning to be mocked,humiliated. For just a moment,when I first saw them in Rogue Den,I had been happy. For just a moment,I had wanted to tell them. That I was getting married. That I wasn’t a slave anymore. That soon,the future Rogue King of Rogue Den would give me a home.

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When my so-called plagiarism scandal broke,the entire industry turned against me. The whole world believed I had stolen from Eugenia,but in truth,she was the thief. And for her,they decided to destroy me. I was dragged into an abandoned warehouse,my body hitting the cold concrete floor. A dozen crazed fans jeered around me. “You’re a fraud!” “You don’t deserve to sing ever again!” The first blow shattered my kneecap. I screamed,my voice breaking. Then came my hands—one by one,my fingers snapped. A sharp blade slashed across my throat. My vision blurred as warm blood poured down my chest. No…my voice… Then—darkness. I woke to the sterile scent of disinfectant and the steady beeping of machines.My throat burned,my limbs felt like dead weight. A familiar voice broke through the haze.“Janette…you’re awake.” Luca. I turned my head slowly. He sat beside me,eyes red-rimmed,fingers gently holding mine. His touch was warm,cautious,as if afraid I would break again. “Luca…”My voice—no,the faint breath leaving my throat—was barely audible. His body tensed.“Don’t try to talk.You’ve been through too much.” I blinked,attempting to lift my hand,but it barely twitched.Then I felt it—a weight in my abdomen. No…my baby… My breathing quickened,panic setting in. Luca immediately placed his palm gently over my stomach.“It’s okay,Janette.The baby is fine.You’re eight months now.” I exhaled shakily,fingers clutching his sleeve.“They…they did this to me.” Luca’s jaw clenched.“I know.I tried to stop them,but—” I narrowed my eyes at him.“But you couldn’t,could you?” Luca lowered his head,pain flickering in his eyes.“Janette,I tried…but I have no power to change their decisions.” I let out a weak,bitter laugh.“No power?When they decided to sacrifice me and my child,you just stood by and watched?” Luca flinched as if stabbed.“No!I fought for you!I begged them,but they wouldn’t listen…” “So you gave up?”I stared at him,my gaze cold.“Luca,you’ve always been like this…weak,spineless.You knew they would hurt me,and you did nothing.” Luca’s breath hitched,his fingers trembling as they tightened around mine.“Janette,I really—” The door burst open. “Janette.” Eugenia. She walked in,dressed in soft pastels,her expression full of fake concern.“I’m so glad you’re awake.You gave us such a scare.” I tried to sit up,but my body refused.I could only glare at her.“You…stole everything.” She sighed.“You’re still on that?Janette,I don’t want to argue.You need to focus on recovering.” I forced my fingers into a fist.“Get out.” Eugenia didn’t move.Instead,she glanced at my stomach,then at Luca.“You should listen to what Mother and Father have decided.It’s for the best.” Luca stiffened.“Eugenia,don’t—” “Your umbilical cord blood,Janette.I need it.” Everything inside me froze. “You’re insane.”Luca snapped.“She barely survived!And you think—” “She’s my sister,”Eugenia cut him off smoothly.“If she really cares,she’ll do this for me.” I looked at her,then at the doorway where my mother and father now stood,silent but expectant. Luca clenched his jaw,his voice shaking.“Janette owes you nothing!” Father stepped forward,his gaze cold.“She has no choice.” Luca turned to me,desperation in his eyes.“Janette,you can’t let them do this to you…” I let out a soft,hollow laugh,my gaze icy.“Luca,if you really want to help me,stop them.” Luca’s lips trembled,pain flooding his expression. He opened his mouth,but no words came out. Then,finally,he lowered his head. “I…I can’t…” I closed my eyes,my heart sinking into a frozen abyss. Then— A deep,commanding voice filled the room.“Touch her,and I will end you all.” The air shifted.Dominance,raw power,and something primal rolled into the space. Dominic Blackwood. The Alpha. The man who ruled the industry’s underbelly with an iron grip. He stood in the doorway,golden eyes burning with fury. Eugenia’s smug expression finally faltered.“W-What are you doing here?” Dominic stepped forward,his eyes locking onto me.“Taking what’s mine.” Mine? He reached out,tracing a gloved finger along my broken hand.“You’re my Mate,Janette.They don’t deserve you.” My heart pounded. Luca stepped between us.“She’s not some prize to claim,Blackwood.” Dominic’s gaze flicked to him.“Then why are you still too weak to protect her?” Luca stiffened,fists clenching.“I did everything I could—” “And yet,here she lies,broken.” Silence. My throat ached,my chest tightened. Dominic turned back to me,his expression softening.“Janette,come with me.” My mother gasped.“You can’t take her!She belongs here!” He smirked.“She belonged to you.But you threw her away.” Luca looked at me,desperation in his gaze.“Janette,please…” I stared at them all—the family that had betrayed me,the man who had always been by my side,and the Alpha who now stood between me and my past. Then I did something none of them expected. I reached out—and took Dominic’s hand.

When I was taken to an unfamiliar room,exhaustion and pain consumed me. I still couldn’t believe that Luca had left me like that. But the reality was,he was gone.He had abandoned me and our child. The air in the room was clean,carrying a faint scent of herbs. I lifted my head and saw a woman in a white coat mixing some medicine. She turned around,her brown eyes soft yet observant. “I am Irene,the Pack Doctor.”She spoke gently,walking toward me with a vial in her hand.“You need to rest.Your body is too weak.” I opened my mouth,but my throat was too dry to form words. She handed me a glass of water,and I forced myself to take a sip. “My baby…”I murmured,my hand slowly moving to my stomach. Irene’s eyes flickered with sympathy.“The baby is still stable,but you must stay calm.Otherwise,it could lead to premature labor.” My heart clenched.Stay calm?In this situation,how could I possibly stay calm? Just then,the door suddenly swung open,and Luca appeared in the doorway. His face was pale,his expression a mix of guilt and helplessness. “Janette…” My fingers trembled,gripping the bedsheet tightly.“You still dare to come here?” He took a step forward,his voice hoarse.“I had no choice.” “No choice?”I repeated,almost mockingly.“So your choice was to abandon me?To abandon our child?” Pain deepened in his eyes as he suddenly dropped to his knees beside my bed,his voice shaking.“They won’t let me stay,Janette.If I do,they will destroy me,destroy you,and even harm our child.” Before I could respond,a familiar voice came from outside the room. “You’d better understand your place.” My father stepped in,followed closely by my mother,while Eugenia stood at the door,arms crossed,a smug smile on her lips. “Luca,do you really think you can protect Janette?Don’t be naive.”My mother’s tone was cold. Luca clenched his jaw,his voice barely above a whisper.“At least I wouldn’t try to destroy her like you all have.” Eugenia laughed lightly,“Don’t act so noble.You have no power to stay.You can’t even protect yourself.” My father’s gaze darkened,filled with warning.“If you know what’s best for you,you’ll leave immediately.Otherwise,we will erase you from existence.” Luca’s face turned ghostly white,his hands trembling. “I…I can’t leave…”he muttered,his voice full of anguish. My mother let out a sigh,her lips curving into a cruel smile.“If you don’t leave now,you will regret ever being born.” The air grew thick with suffocating tension. Luca’s entire body shook.He turned to look at me,his eyes pleading and full of sorrow.“Janette,I…I really have no choice…” My heart turned to ice. I looked at him,the man who had once been my warmth,now completely consumed by fear. I closed my eyes,fighting back tears,my voice weak but firm.“Get out,Luca.” His eyes widened.“You really want me to go?” I inhaled deeply,slowly opening my eyes to meet his.“No,Luca.You want to go.” He was silent for a long time before,finally,his figure disappeared through the door. Eugenia shrugged,smiling in satisfaction.“That’s how it should be.” I felt all the strength drain from my body,my gaze empty as I stared at the doorway. “He’s gone…”I whispered,my tears falling silently. Dominic stepped beside me,his hand resting lightly on my shoulder,his voice deep and steady.“A man like that isn’t worth your grief.” I let out a dry,bitter laugh.“But he’s the father of my child.” Dominic’s gaze was unreadable,his hand slowly moving to my stomach as if to feel the life growing inside me. “I will protect your child,Janette.”His voice was low,but there was no hesitation.“No one will ever harm you again.” My heart trembled slightly as I looked up at this strong,unwavering man. For the first time,I realized that Luca was my past. And maybe the man standing before me…was my future. “Why are you helping me?”I asked softly. Dominic’s eyes darkened slightly,his lips curling into a dangerous yet determined smile.“Because they hurt you.And I hold grudges.” He leaned down,his voice a whisper against my ear.“I will help you get revenge,Janette.I will make them pay.” I closed my eyes,tears slipping down my cheeks. But this time,they weren’t tears of despair. They were the beginning of something else. “Alright.”My voice was hoarse,but resolute,as I reached out and took Dominic’s hand. Revenge had just begun.

The room was heavy with silence,broken only by the faint sounds of Irene adjusting medical tools. Dominic leaned against the wall,arms crossed,watching me. “What’s your plan?”His voice was low,unreadable. I stared at the bedsheet,my throat raw.”They won’t let my child live.” Dominic scoffed.”Then let them try.” Irene set down a vial,pushing her glasses up.”You two need to make a decision soon.Your body can’t handle prolonged stress.” Before I could answer,loud voices erupted from outside. “Where is she?I want to see her!” Eugenia. The door burst open as she stumbled inside,my mother right behind her. “Janette,how dare you hide from us?”Eugenia’s voice was sharp,her eyes flickering to Dominic,momentarily stunned.”You’re actually with him?” Dominic smirked lazily.”Better than being with you.” Mother stepped forward,reaching for my hand.”Come home,Janette.You know we’re doing this for your own good.” I stepped back,dodging her touch,my voice cold.”For my good?Or for yours?” Mother’s expression hardened,but Eugenia cut in first.”I need your help!Are you really so heartless you’d let your own sister die?” “Your life?”I let out a bitter laugh.”Have you ever cared about mine?” Eugenia’s face twisted.”Stop playing the victim!Your baby can save her—why are you being so selfish?” Dominic straightened,his gaze razor-sharp.”Listen.This isn’t your place to throw a tantrum.If you push her any further,you’ll regret it.” Mother’s lips curled in disdain.”And how long do you think you can protect her?” “As long as I need to.”Dominic’s tone was almost amused,but his eyes were ice. Eugenia scoffed.”Luca already left.You really think you can hold out forever?” Hearing Luca’s name,my fingers curled into a fist. Mother noticed,pressing her advantage.”He abandoned you,Janette.Why ruin your life over a child who won’t even have a father?” I exhaled slowly before speaking.”Because you are not my family.” Eugenia’s eyes widened.”What did you just say?” I looked straight at her,voice steady.”Family doesn’t force you to sacrifice your own child for another.” Mother’s jaw tightened.”We’re just asking you to make the right decision.” Dominic stepped closer,his voice calm but menacing.”She already did.” Eugenia’s expression flickered,then softened into feigned concern.”You’re still angry at Luca,aren’t you?He didn’t have a choice—” “Enough.”My voice was like steel.”Don’t say his name.” Eugenia blinked,then smirked.”Do you really think this man will save you?Dominic is using you.Once you’re useless,he’ll throw you away just like everyone else.” Dominic chuckled,tilting his head.”Not everyone is as disposable as you,Eugenia.” Eugenia let out a frustrated huff and turned to Mother.”Mom,let’s go.” Mother shot me one last,cold look.”You will regret this.” As they turned to leave,Dominic let out a low chuckle,full of amusement.”I’d love to see who regrets it first—you,or the ones who’ll soon be begging at her feet.” Eugenia froze mid-step,whirling back.”What do you mean by that?” Dominic strolled over to my side,his golden eyes glinting with something dangerous.”Do you want them on their knees,Janette?” I hesitated,meeting his gaze. Eugenia scoffed.”Dream on.She doesn’t have the guts.” Dominic tilted his head.”That so?Then let’s wait and see.” He turned to me,voice dropping into something almost seductive.”Janette,do you want revenge?” A shiver ran through me,my vision blurring with unshed tears. Eugenia let out a breathy laugh.”You’re not actually buying this,are you?” I let my lips curve slightly,my answer quiet but firm.”Yes.” Eugenia’s smirk vanished.Mother’s face paled. Dominic’s fingers laced with mine,his touch deliberate,confident.”Good.The game begins now.” Mother’s hand trembled.Eugenia’s breathing hitched. The door slammed shut behind them with a final,resounding bang. I closed my eyes,my pulse pounding. This time,I wasn’t the helpless victim. This time,I was the one holding the knife. And this was only the beginning.

The entrance of the hospital was in complete chaos. Reporters and crazed fans swarmed outside,their phones and cameras raised high as they pushed forward,desperate to get inside. Security struggled to maintain order,but the crowd’s madness had already spiraled out of control. “Janette,did you really steal Eugenia’s work?” “Rumor has it you don’t even know who the father of your baby is.Care to explain?” “You killed your sister—how does it feel to have blood on your hands?” The questions were relentless,cutting through me like a thousand blades. My hands instinctively cradled my stomach as I tried to navigate through the mass of bodies. I kept my head down,moving carefully toward the hospital doors.Then,without warning— A hand shoved me.Hard. “Get out of the industry,you fraud!” I stumbled backward,my foot slipping off the edge of the stairs. My heart seized as gravity yanked me downward. “Ah—!” I heard my own scream,the gasps of the crowd,and someone yelling for a doctor. But the only thing I truly felt was the unbearable pain that tore through my abdomen. My baby. Warmth spread down my legs.Blood.So much blood. The world around me blurred as my vision darkened. My arms curled around my belly in one last desperate attempt to protect what was left. Then everything faded into blackness. When I woke,the sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nose. Sunlight streamed through the hospital window,but it did nothing to warm the hollowness inside me. My hand drifted to my stomach. Flat. I froze. No. No,no,no. “My baby…where’s my baby?”My voice came out cracked,barely more than a whisper. “Janette…” A familiar voice.My mother. My head snapped up. She and my father stood at my bedside, their faces carefully composed,but their eyes…their eyes held nothing but indifference masked as pity. “What did you do?”My voice wavered as my fingers clenched the hospital sheets. My mother sighed,reaching for my hand.”Janette,the doctors did everything they could,but the baby didn’t survive.You were reckless.You shouldn’t have run like that.” “No!That’s not true!”I jerked away from her touch,my eyes darting between them.”You planned this,didn’t you?” For a split second,her face stiffened before she quickly smoothed her expression. My father spoke next,his voice eerily calm.”Janette,Eugenia’s condition was critical.We had no choice.You lost the baby,but at least your cord blood was able to save Eugenia.” A deafening silence filled the room. Then my world shattered. “You…”My ears rang,my chest heaving.”You used my pregnancy—my child—just to harvest cord blood for Eugenia?” “Calm down.”My mother’s voice turned sharp.”Eugenia is your sister.She was dying.We couldn’t just let her waste away.” A bitter laugh escaped me,filled with nothing but raw,unfiltered agony.”And my baby?He was disposable?” “He was never supposed to exist in the first place.”My father’s words were emotionless,as if he were discussing a business transaction.”Luca abandoned you.That child would have been a burden.” Cold. So cold. “You…you’re monsters.” My mother sighed,rubbing her temples.”Janette,you have to let this go.You’re being overly dramatic.Eugenia still needs time to recover.You shouldn’t be causing unnecessary stress.” “Stress?”My body trembled violently.”You murdered my child,and now you want me to just accept it?” “He was nothing but an inconvenience.”My mother’s voice was ice.”Eugenia is the true future of this family.” My head spun.My breath came in ragged gasps. Then the door burst open. The room’s temperature seemed to drop instantly. Dominic stood at the threshold,golden eyes burning with unrestrained fury. “You.Are.Dead.” His voice was lethal. My mother paled,instinctively stepping back.”Alpha,this is a hospital.You need to control yourself.” Dominic let out a cold,humorless laugh.”Control myself?You killed Janette’s child,and you expect me to stay calm?” “It was an accident,”my father stammered,but fear had crept into his voice. “An accident?”Dominic moved faster than I could track.One moment,he was by the door. The next,he had my father by the throat,lifting him clean off the ground. “Gah—”My father’s face turned purple as he clawed at Dominic’s wrist. “Dominic,stop!”My mother screamed. Dominic ignored her.With a flick of his wrist,he sent her flying into the wall.She collapsed onto the floor,coughing up blood. “Aah—!”She clutched at her legs,her eyes widening in horror as realization set in.”I…I can’t move my legs!” My father gasped for air,his own legs twitching uncontrollably beneath him.Then—nothing. Dominic released his grip,letting my father crumple to the ground beside her. “You will spend the rest of your pathetic lives in those wheelchairs.”His voice was void of mercy.”Consider it a fraction of the pain you’ve caused.” Silence.Cold,suffocating silence. Then— A frantic knock at the door.A nurse rushed inside,her face stricken with panic.”It’s Eugenia—she’s gone!” My heart lurched.”What?” “She was in her hospital room,but she vanished.Security footage is wiped.We…we don’t know where she is.” Dominic’s expression darkened.His smile turned razor-sharp.”Seems like she’s smarter than I thought.” My hands clenched into fists,nails digging into my palms. Eugenia had escaped. She knew the truth.She was responsible for my child’s death. And now,she was out there somewhere,running from her sins. Dominic moved closer,tilting my chin up to meet his gaze. His touch was surprisingly gentle,but his words dripped with bloodlust. “Do you want to hunt her down yourself?” I exhaled shakily,my grief hardening into something else. Vengeance. Tears slipped down my cheeks,but my voice was unwavering.”I want her to pay.”

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