Author: Momo Chan

The director called,“Cut!”for the third time,but Darius,my celebrity husband,remained locked in a passionate kiss with Seraphina. The crew stood frozen,tension thick in the air. I stepped forward,keeping my voice steady.”Darius,we’re done for today.Wrap it up.” Seraphina pulled away,tears glistening in her eyes.“I’m just so deep into this role,”she sobbed,clutching Darius’s arm. I forced a smile.Darius’s eyes flickered with irritation as he turned to me.“Lyanna,you have no right to interfere.You see filth in everything.Can’t you just trust me?” The sting of his words barely registered. I had already seen the paparazzi photos—him and Seraphina entering a five-star hotel together that night. The marriage I had spent five years protecting was over. I just hadn’t signed the papers yet. After a quick call to my lawyer,I returned to the lounge. Darius walked in shortly after. His face softened when he saw me—for a second. Then his gaze turned cold. “Lyanna,this lounge is for lead actors.Why are you here?” I grabbed the thermos from the makeup table,my voice flat.“Just getting my stuff.” He hadn’t touched the meal I made him.Not a single bite. “Don’t bother making food for me anymore,”he muttered.“It’s unpalatable.” In the past,I would have argued,reminded him how he used to love my cooking.But this time,I just nodded.“Hmm.”Then I walked out the door. Darius called after me,irritation laced in his voice.“There’s a crew dinner tonight.The director wants me to discuss the script with Seraphina.” I didn’t miss the guilt in his tone.“Okay,”I said,closing the door behind me. Later that night,he came home around 1 AM.I wasn’t waiting for him like before. He pushed open the bedroom door,frowning.“Lyanna,I have trouble sleeping.Why didn’t you brew my calming tea?” I pulled the blanket over my head.“Ran out of tea leaves last night.Order takeout.” The door slammed shut behind him as he stormed into the study. In the past,I would have stayed up,apologizing.But this time,I let him be. The next morning,Darius allowed me to ride in the van with him to the set. It was unusual.I should have known something was coming. As we pulled up,Seraphina approached. She was dressed in a backless,low-cut dress,her every movement calculated. “Darius,do you have any bug spray?I always attract mosquitoes,”she purred. Then she saw me.Her expression shifted.“Oh,Lyanna,you’re here too?I’d better take the other car.” Before she could move,Darius spoke,his tone sharp.“Lyanna,can’t you be sensible?Stop causing trouble.Go sit in the assistant’s car.” I didn’t argue.I simply stepped out.My movements were slow,controlled. As I walked away,I felt his gaze on me.A few minutes later,my phone buzzed. A message from Darius: Today,Seraphina will have a scene where she shows her legs.Don’t misunderstand. I stared at the screen for a moment before typing back: Understood. The day dragged on.By the time filming wrapped at 11 PM,I was exhausted.Then—disaster. The scaffolding collapsed.I watched as Darius shoved Seraphina out of harm’s way.They fell,tangled together—lips colliding. The crew cheered,mistaking it for part of the scene. I stood frozen,my wolf stirring within me,urging me to claim what was mine. But I held back. I didn’t have to fight. Because Darius had already made his choice.

I had been away on business for years,focusing on the needs of my pack and family. But when I heard that Darius,my son,got married,I dropped everything and rushed back home. That night,Darius posted a series of photos on Facebook from our reunion dinner. The caption read,”You’ve been by my side all the way.Thank you,the most important woman in my life.”It seemed harmless enough,but Lyanna,Darius’s mate,mistook me for someone entirely different. The next morning,I stepped into the beauty salon,needing a moment of peace after my long flight. I barely had time to sit before the doors burst open. Lyanna strode in,flanked by her packmates,her wolf barely restrained beneath her skin. Her voice sliced through the air like a blade.“You shameless woman!” The other customers went silent.The staff froze.I slowly turned,meeting her burning gaze. “You dare seduce my mate?”she spat,stepping forward. Her fingers curled into fists,nails elongating slightly. Her packmates stood behind her,their presence a silent but clear threat. I blinked,confusion flickering through me.“Excuse me?” Lyanna’s eyes darkened.“Don’t play innocent.You think I don’t know?Sneaking into his life,taking pictures,making him post about you?” Realization hit me.Darius’s Facebook post. I exhaled sharply.“I think there’s been a misunderstanding—” “There’s no misunderstanding,”she cut in.“I’ll make sure you never seduce another man again.” Her packmates moved at her command. One lunged forward,claws extended. Instinct kicked in,and I dodged,but another caught my arm,nails raking across my skin. A sharp pain burned through me. The salon erupted into chaos.Customers screamed. Staff backed away,too afraid to intervene. I gritted my teeth. My wolf stirred,but I was exhausted from travel,weakened. Lyanna’s laughter rang out as she stepped closer,her heel pressing against my shoulder,shoving me down. “You think Darius could ever fall for you?”she sneered. My blood boiled.I wanted to fight,to push back—but I was outnumbered.The odds weren’t in my favor. And this was their territory. Lyanna had made sure of that. Then a presence filled the room.A familiar power.Strong.Commanding. Darius. The air shifted instantly as he stepped inside. His gaze swept over the scene,his Alpha aura tightening around the space.Pack members stiffened,recognizing the shift in dominance. Lyanna turned,a smug smile on her lips.“See?”she taunted.“This is the woman you’re choosing over me.” Darius’s expression was unreadable. His wolf flickered behind his eyes,sensing the tension. Then he spoke,voice even,but firm.“The engagement banquet may end now.” A beat of silence. Lyanna’s confidence wavered.“What?” “You heard me.”His tone was final. Lyanna’s face twisted with fury.“You’re breaking off our engagement?Over this—this woman?!” Darius’s gaze flickered to me. For the first time in years,his expression softened—if only briefly. Then his walls came back up.“You’ve gone too far.” Lyanna’s hands clenched at her sides.“Darius,I did this for us!She’s trying to take you away—” “I said enough.” His voice echoed through the salon,silencing her. Lyanna trembled with rage,but she knew better than to challenge his authority here. Not in front of everyone. She turned on her heel and stormed out,her packmates following. The tension in the room didn’t ease until they were gone. Darius looked at me.“Are you alright?” I hesitated.Then nodded.“I’ll survive.” His jaw tightened.“I’ll handle this.” I didn’t respond.Because deep down,I knew—this wasn’t over.Not even close. That night,I sat in my temporary home,staring at the untouched dinner before me. The day replayed in my mind,Lyanna’s words,Darius’s reaction. A knock on the door broke the silence. I opened it to find Darius standing there,his expression unreadable. “Can we talk?” I stepped aside,letting him in. He took a deep breath.“Lyanna misunderstood who you were.” I crossed my arms.“No kidding.” “She’s…possessive,”he admitted.“The bond between us—it’s always been complicated.” I studied him.“Then why stay with her?” His jaw tightened.“Because it was expected.Because it was convenient.Because I thought it was the right thing to do.” “And now?” His eyes met mine.“Now,I’m not so sure.” A beat of silence stretched between us. I exhaled,shaking my head.“Darius,I didn’t come here to break you two apart.” “I know.”He stepped closer.“But that doesn’t change things.” I could hear his wolf in his voice.A deep,lingering growl,something primal,something unresolved. I swallowed hard.“Darius—” He reached out,gently brushing his fingers against the wound on my arm.“She hurt you.” “I’ve had worse.” “That’s not the point.”His gaze darkened.“She crossed a line.” Silence. I looked away.“What happens now?” Darius was quiet for a long moment.Then he said,“I don’t know.” And for the first time,I saw the hesitation in his eyes. The weight of years. The burden of choices that could no longer be ignored. The engagement was over. But the war had only just begun.

The slap hit hard,sharper than I expected,and the sting of it spread across my face like fire. The pain from the impact was intense,but what hurt more was the humiliation—the laughter of the guests around me,the cruel whispers filling the air. “Look at this,the mistress getting slapped by the legitimate mate,”one voice sneered,its tone full of contempt. “She seems so well-mannered.Who would think she’d sink so low?”another voice mocked,though I could hear the smug satisfaction beneath it. I gritted my teeth,my wolf howling inside me,ready to tear through the room and silence them all. But I held back. I had to hold back. The last thing I wanted was to give them the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. “Lyanna,you misunderstood,”I managed to say,my voice shaking with the effort to keep calm.”I’m not—” But I didn’t get a chance to finish. Lyanna,her wolf clearly in control now,grabbed a handful of my hair and jerked me down to the ground,her claws digging into my scalp. Her packmates surged forward,joining her in their aggression. I could feel their strength,their loyalty to her fueling their violence,each blow like a dagger aimed not just at my body,but at my spirit. The pain blurred my vision. I could barely breathe,the strikes coming from every direction,my body trembling as it fought to withstand the onslaught. “You slut!”Lyanna spat,her voice venomous,laced with the harsh growl of her wolf.”How dare you seduce my mate?If you’re not his mistress,then why do you know my name,huh?Tell me that!” The words cut through me like ice.Her mate? I didn’t know how to answer. The bond between Darius and Lyanna was…complex,confusing. But in this moment,it didn’t matter. “I told you,I’m not his mistress!”I cried out,my voice raw.”Ask Darius yourself.He knows the truth.” But she didn’t care. Lyanna wasn’t listening. She pulled me by my hair again,forcing me to the ground as her packmates punched and kicked me. “You really think you have a chance?”Lyanna sneered,her eyes wild with fury.”A lowly woman like you?Don’t think for a second that Darius will ever choose you over me.I’ll make sure of it.When I marry into a rich family,I’ll make you regret ever crossing me.I’ll sell you to a brothel,let you serve hundreds of men—let everyone have their turn with you!” Her words were cruel,meant to break me,and for a moment,I felt my spirit falter. But my wolf refused to let her win. I clenched my fists,forcing myself to focus. I wasn’t just some weak woman she could trample on. I tried again.”Lyanna—Lyanna,please…I’m telling you the truth.I’m not his mistress.Darius—” “Shut up!”she yelled,her voice rising with each word,the fury of her inner wolf palpable.”You filthy slut.You’ll never admit what you really are,will you?You’re nothing to Darius.You’re just some woman who thinks she can play in a world she doesn’t belong in.” I didn’t know what to say. Was it really over? Had Darius already chosen her?T he doubt gnawed at me,but I refused to let it show. I couldn’t. “Later,”Lyanna said with a sneer,”I’ll take you to the engagement banquet.We’ll see who Darius chooses.You,or me.You’ll never belong in his world.” The words hit me harder than the blows. She was right. I would never belong in his world. Lyanna’s pack had claimed their place,and my presence,my bond with Darius,meant nothing to them. But the worst part was hearing the vicious laughter around me. The crowd had gathered,eager to witness the spectacle. “Take her clothes off,”Lyanna’s friend shouted.”Let’s see if she has any shame left.” I was overwhelmed. They tore at my clothes,pulling at the fabric until my dress was ripped apart,exposing my skin. Blood mixed with the tears on my face as I struggled to cover myself,my dignity slipping further from my grasp. The pain was unbearable,but it wasn’t the physical pain that broke me—it was the way they gawked at me. They were enjoying this.The guests,the packmates,all of them. My suffering was entertainment for them. I cried out in desperation,clutching what remained of my dress around me.But I was too weak to fight them off. Too small.There were too many of them. The pain blurred my senses. I could feel my wolf pushing against the restraints,desperate to break free. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t let them win. But just as I was losing myself to the darkness,I saw something. My mind was clouded,my vision spinning,but I saw her—Lyanna. She was pulling out her phone,capturing every moment. “Your reputation is ruined,”she said,her words filled with malice,her wolf’s growl low and threatening.”No one will ever believe you now.” But just as the last shred of my dignity was being ripped away,I gathered my strength.”Lyanna,”I cried,”I am Darius’s mother!” The room went silent for a moment. I could see the shock in Lyanna’s eyes as she looked down at me,the confusion and uncertainty flickering behind her cold gaze. “His…what?”she whispered,a flicker of doubt flashing across her face. For the first time since this nightmare began,I saw a crack in her armor. My wolf growled softly,and I could feel Darius’s presence,faint but there,his bond with me pulsing in the back of my mind. But Lyanna wasn’t going to let go so easily. “Don’t lie,”she spat,but there was hesitation now in her voice. I could see it now. She was afraid.She had believed she had everything under control,but I wasn’t just a mere woman. I was the Alpha’s mate.Darius’s mother. “I swear,”I said,my voice shaky but firm.”I am Darius’s mother.And I will not let you tear our family apart.” Lyanna’s expression darkened. “We’ll see about that,”she said,her tone low and threatening. But I didn’t care anymore. This wasn’t just about us anymore—it was about Darius. And whatever happened next,I was going to fight. I would not let her break me.

Darius stormed into the hall,his aura suffocating. The entire pack went silent. Lyanna froze,her hand still tangled in my torn dress. “What the hell is going on?”Darius’s voice was low,but the growl in it sent shivers through the crowd. Lyanna straightened,chin high.”She’s a liar.A fraud!She claims to be your mother.” Darius’s gaze snapped to me.”Is that true?” I wiped the blood from my lips.”Yes.I am your mother.” Gasps rippled through the room.Lyanna’s expression twisted in disbelief. Darius took a step toward me.”Prove it.” I pulled out a pendant from under my ripped dress. A silver wolf,identical to the one hanging around his neck. His fingers curled into fists. “Where did you get that?”His voice was dangerously soft. “Your father gave it to me.When we were mates.Before…before everything was taken from us.” Silence.Then,Lyanna laughed,sharp and cruel.”She’s lying!Anyone could have that pendant.” Darius ignored her. He took the pendant from my palm,his fingers brushing against mine. The touch sent a jolt through my wolf,the bond between mother and son undeniable.His brows furrowed. “Why now?”His voice was rough,guarded.”Why come back now?” I swallowed hard.”Because I had no choice.Because I thought you deserved the truth.” Lyanna stepped forward,grabbing his arm.”Darius,don’t let her manipulate you.She’s here to destroy us.She wants to take you away from me!” His eyes flicked to her,cold and unyielding.”Take me away?From what,Lyanna?This?”He gestured to the torn remains of my dress,the bruises on my skin.”You humiliated her.Attacked her.If she is my mother,you’ve just assaulted an Alpha’s mate.” Lyanna paled.”I-I didn’t know—” “You didn’t care,”he snapped.”All you saw was a threat to your position.” She tightened her grip on him.”I did this for us!For the pack!She’s a stranger,Darius.She abandoned you!” I flinched.”I never abandoned him.He was taken from me.” Darius’s breath hitched.”Taken?” I nodded.”Your father lied to you.He told you I was dead,didn’t he?That I left?” His silence confirmed it. “I searched for you.For years.But by the time I found out where you were,you were already Alpha,and Lyanna…she was by your side.” Darius clenched his jaw.His entire body was trembling.Then,he turned to Lyanna.”Leave.” She stiffened.”What?” “I said,leave.” “Darius—” “Go.Before I make you regret everything you’ve done.” Lyanna’s lips parted,as if she wanted to argue,but the look in his eyes silenced her. She spun on her heel and stormed out,her packmates hesitating before scrambling to follow. The room was silent.I stood there,my breath unsteady. Darius turned back to me,his gaze unreadable.”Come with me.” He led me out of the banquet hall,away from the eyes of the pack.We walked in silence until we reached his private quarters. He closed the door behind us and exhaled.”Tell me everything.” So I did.About his father. About the lies. About the years I spent searching for him. He listened,jaw tight,fists clenched. When I finished,he looked at me for a long moment.”You should have told me sooner.” “Would you have believed me?” He hesitated.Then,finally,he sighed.”I don’t know.” I placed a hand on his arm.”I know I can’t change the past.But I want to be here now.If you’ll let me.” He didn’t answer right away.Then,his hand covered mine.”We’ll see.” It wasn’t forgiveness.But it was a start.

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Halfway through my wedding,just as I was about to pledge eternal love to my childhood sweetheart,Alpha Derick,the doors swung open,and his beta—Rebecca Guzman—waltzed in. Pregnant. The hall went silent,every guest holding their breath as if the scene would disappear if no one acknowledged it. Derick,my fated mate—the boy I’d loved for as long as I could remember—barely reacted.Instead,he stepped forward and steadied her,his hands gentle,his expression soft.It felt like I was watching someone else’s wedding—her wedding. Then,without the faintest trace of shame,he said,“I know I can’t officially marry Beta Rebecca,but I promised her a wedding.Our pup deserves a complete family.” As if that wasn’t enough,he added,“From today on,she will also be my Luna.You must love the pup in her belly as if it were your own.” A chill raced down my spine. The hall erupted into whispers,the weight of their judgment pressing down on me.My parents looked ready to shift and tear Derick apart,while his parents hurriedly tried to push me back toward the altar,desperate to salvage the ceremony. “Clarissa,be reasonable,”Derick’s mother hissed under her breath.“For the good of both Packs.Finish the ceremony.” The good of both Packs?Was she serious? I turned to Alpha Derick,my so-called soulmate,and then to Rebecca,who was now cradling her stomach as if she held the crown jewels.The smug triumph radiating off her made my wolf,Mira,growl. We should shred her face,Mira snarled.Right now. I was tempted.Oh,I was tempted.But it wasn’t worth it. Instead,I forced a breath,plastered on a smile,and ripped the corsage from my chest.I hurled it straight at Rebecca. “Congratulations on your pregnancy,Rebecca.Truly,”I said,my voice syrupy with mock sweetness.Then I turned to Derick.“A wedding for three?How tasteless.I’ll step back.Let her be the bride today.” The hall froze,every pair of eyes locked on me. I clapped—slow and deliberate. “Well?What are you all waiting for?Someone play the wedding march again!Let’s not let the decorations go to waste.” Derick’s face darkened.“Clarissa,today is our big day,and you have to make a scene?” I laughed,sharp and bitter.“A scene?You paraded your pregnant mistress into my wedding and declared her Luna,and I’m the one making a scene?” Before anyone could stop me,I grabbed the microphone from the stunned MC.“Everyone,thank you so much for coming!There’s been a small change of plans.Don’t worry—the wedding’s still happening.Just with a different bride.” The silence was suffocating.Derick’s parents looked like they wanted to vanish into thin air. “And since the happy couple is getting married because of a pregnancy,”I added,smiling brightly at Rebecca,“let’s send them our warmest congratulations.” No one dared to move. With that,I turned on my heel and marched to my parents. “Dad,Mom,let’s go home,”I said,my voice steady despite the chaos swirling in my chest. Their hands wrapped around mine,warm and grounding.My father,his expression unreadable,stood tall and addressed the crowd.“We appreciate your attendance.The gift money has been returned.There will be another party tonight.Drinks are on me.” My heart clenched as I watched him bow to the guests.My father,a proud Alpha who had never bowed to anyone,swallowed his pride for me today. I had given everything to Derick.At eighteen,on the night of my first shift,the moment I scented lemon and pine,I knew he was my mate. From that night on,we were inseparable.The golden couple.The perfect pair. Well,almost perfect.My parents had always warned me about him.“Clarissa,an Alpha should cherish his mate,”they’d say.“Watch how he treats you.” But I hadn’t listened.I had fought for him,argued for him,believed in him. When they told me he wasn’t the right man,I called them unfair.When they said he wasn’t worthy,I ignored them. I thought they were blinded by bias. But they had seen the truth long before I did. Alpha Derick had never cherished me.Never cared about our bond. For fifteen years,I endured his distance,his indifference,his coldness.I watched him flirt with other women,always making excuses for his behavior. I convinced myself that if I just held on a little longer,he’d finally see my worth. But instead,he humiliated me in front of my family,my friends—everyone I knew. Right at the altar. With her by his side. Pregnant. And smug. Reality didn’t just slap me in the face;it punched me in the gut. And finally,I saw the truth: Alpha Derick was never worthy of my love.

Alpha Derick never had me in his heart. I had sacrificed everything for him—placed him above all else,even argued with my parents to defend him.Yet,in the end,he wouldn’t even give me the courtesy of a proper wedding. Standing there,I watched as he held Rebecca by the waist,his other hand resting tenderly on her pregnant belly.The way he looked at her—so soft,so full of love—made it hard to breathe. This man didn’t care about my love.He had thrown it away,trampled on it. I was exhausted.I couldn’t love him anymore. As my parents and the guests began to leave,my mother-in-law suddenly grabbed my mother’s arm. “Luna Valerie,what are you doing?”she demanded,her voice shrill.“Today is a monumental day for our children.You don’t want outsiders laughing at us,do you?” My father-in-law chimed in,his tone equally insistent.“Yes,Derick made a mistake,but you can scold or punish him later.This is a matter for the younger generation to resolve.We,as elders,should simply observe.” My mother let out a cold sneer.“Observe?You expect us to stand here and endure further humiliation?Haven’t you disgraced our family enough for one day?” My father remained silent,his sharp gaze fixed on me,waiting for my decision. Then Derick approached,Rebecca clinging to his arm like an extension of himself.His expression was cold,his voice sharp. “Are you done making a scene?”he snapped impatiently.“Do you want to embarrass both of our families further in front of the entire pack?” A bitter laugh escaped my lips.Me?Making a scene? Beta Rebecca blinked up at me,her eyes shimmering with fake tears.“Alpha Clarissa,”she said,her voice trembling with insincere guilt,“I’m so sorry.When I heard you and Alpha Derick were getting married,I only came to give my blessings.But…” Her hand drifted protectively over her belly,her fingers stroking it in a deliberate show. “I didn’t expect to get pregnant,”she continued,her voice quivering just enough to sound pitiful.“I know I’ve done wrong,and I’m willing to accept any punishment.But the pup…the pup is innocent.I can’t let my child grow up without a father.” She turned to me with pleading eyes,her expression the very picture of helplessness.“Alpha Clarissa,you’re kind.I know you wouldn’t want that,would you?” Before I could respond,my mother stepped forward,her voice sharp and unyielding. “What a shameless woman!”she spat.“You had an affair with my daughter’s fiancé,got pregnant,and now you dare stand here acting pitiful?I’ve never seen anyone more disgraceful.” My mother-in-law immediately grabbed her arm,her tone hushed but urgent.“Luna Valerie,please,calm yourself.We’re in-laws now.Rebecca makes a valid point.The pup is innocent.” She turned to me,her voice softening into an infuriatingly coaxing tone.“Clarissa,don’t you agree?” My mother yanked her arm free,her eyes blazing. “In-laws?”she snapped.“My daughter has nothing to do with your son anymore.” She turned to me,her voice steady and firm.“Clarissa,let’s go.You don’t need to marry him.Let them wallow in their own mess.” My mother-in-law’s expression darkened. “What are you saying?”she hissed.“We can’t act rashly.Friends and relatives are watching.This must be handled delicately.” Then she turned back to me,her face feigning concern.“Clarissa,you’ve always been so reasonable.Please,talk to your mother.Don’t let everyone laugh at us.” Alpha Derick spoke next,his tone devoid of any warmth or regret. “Clarissa,if you truly love me,you should accept everything about me.Rebecca is carrying my pup.You should love the pup as much as you love me.” His words struck like a slap.He actually expected me to accept another woman’s child as my own? My father-in-law sighed,stepping forward like some self-appointed arbiter of reason. “Clarissa,”he began,his voice heavy with false authority,“Adele and I have watched you grow up.We know what kind of person you are.What’s done is done.There’s no use crying over spilled milk.” I met his gaze,my voice cold and controlled.“And how do you propose to fix this?” Without hesitation,he said,“First,you’ll finish the wedding and secure your place as Derick’s Luna.The baby in Rebecca’s belly is his blood,so of course,it must be born. “But don’t worry…”He offered me a smile,as if his next words would solve all my problems.“You’ll be the one to raise the pup.You’ll be its real mother—and the only Luna of the Red Moon Pack. “As for Beta Rebecca,we’ll compensate her generously and send her away.” My nails bit into my palms as I fought to keep my composure. They actually thought I would marry Derick,raise his mistress’s child,and act like it was some kind of honor? Never in my life had I felt so thoroughly insulted.

My mother-in-law didn’t hesitate for even a second. “Yes,yes,this is an excellent solution,”she said,nodding eagerly,her tone dripping with relief. Beta Rebecca,ever the actress,adopted the most pitiful expression she could muster.“I have no objections.Alpha Clarissa,I’m truly sorry for everything.Once the pup is born,you can raise it.I’ll leave the Red Moon Pack and never show my face to you,Alpha Derick,or the child again.” Hearing this,I couldn’t help but laugh—sharp and humorless. Of course,she had no objections!Why would she? She got a hefty payout,a free pass on parenting,and zero accountability,all tied up with a neat little bow.Who wouldn’t leap at such a deal? Alpha Derick,growing increasingly impatient,scowled.“Clarissa,my parents have said everything that needs to be said.Why are you being so difficult?” And then,with breathtaking audacity,he locked eyes with me and said,“If you weren’t my fated mate and you didn’t love me so much,I wouldn’t have even bothered marrying you.” His words hit like a slap,but I didn’t flinch.Instead,I held his gaze,my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Then as you wish,”I said coldly.Drawing a deep breath,I added,“We won’t get married.” The room fell into stunned silence. Alpha Derick’s eyes widened in shock,his face a mix of disbelief and outrage. Then— “Well said,Clarissa!”My mother clapped her hands,a proud smile spreading across her face.“I fully support you!” Meanwhile,Derick’s parents turned pale,their confidence visibly shaken. “Clarissa,marriage is a serious matter,”my mother-in-law stammered,desperation creeping into her voice.“You can’t just walk away like this!” “You need to think this through carefully,”my father-in-law chimed in,his gaze darting to his son,now clearly frustrated.“Derick,step aside.” Alpha Derick clenched his jaw but turned to help Beta Rebecca,who was still clutching her stomach like the tragic heroine of a poorly written drama. But his parents weren’t ready to give up.They turned back to me,their faces contorted into strained smiles. “Clarissa,dear,you’ve always treated us with the utmost respect,like your own parents,”my mother-in-law began,her voice a syrupy plea.“We only want what’s best for you.Please reconsider.” I fixed them with a steady stare. For years,I had genuinely admired them,treating them like family.But now?Now it was clear their concern had nothing to do with me. This wasn’t about love or family;it was about securing the marriage—securing their grandchild. When my resolve didn’t waver,my mother-in-law turned her attention to my own mother. “Alpha Esmond,Luna Valerie,surely you understand,”she implored.“Please,talk some sense into your daughter.If she cancels the wedding now,it will ruin her reputation!” My father-in-law nodded vigorously.“Yes,in-law,think about Clarissa’s future.Her reputation must be protected at all costs.” Their thinly veiled manipulation made my stomach turn.Narrowing my eyes,I crossed my arms. “So,you’re using my reputation as leverage now?” For the briefest moment,they faltered.But the hesitation vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Clarissa,that’s unfair,”my mother-in-law said,her voice now a polished mask of concern.“We’re thinking of you,too.” “Yes,our intentions are good,”my father-in-law added smoothly,though the insincerity in his tone was impossible to miss. I scoffed,my voice cutting like ice.“Good intentions?Your son cheated on me before the wedding,and you’re just as shameless as he is.” That was it for my mother.Losing all patience,she grabbed my hand.“Clarissa,let’s go.We’ve had enough of this nonsense.” I squeezed her hand gently,shaking my head.“Not yet,Mom.” Turning back to my in-laws,I let my gaze linger on each of them before speaking,my voice steady but laced with contempt. “You knew about Alpha Derick and Beta Rebecca all along,didn’t you?You hid it from me,rushed this wedding,and tried to lock me into a marriage just so Rebecca’s pup could have a place in your family without complications.” I laughed bitterly,the sound sharp and cutting. “No wonder you pushed us to sign the papers before the ceremony.You really thought this through,didn’t you?” Their masks slipped for a moment,but they quickly recovered. “Clarissa,this is for your own good,”my father-in-law said,his tone carefully measured.“You love Derick.Marrying him allows you to stay with the man you love and bring our grandson into the family.It’s the perfect solution.” “Perfect solution?”My mother’s hands clenched into fists,her face red with fury.“What an absolute joke!” Her face burned with fury.“How dare you deceive my daughter like this?Is there no limit to your shamelessness?” And then—finally—my mother-in-law dropped her mask.Her expression hardened into a sneer. “It’s too late for your protests now,”she said,her tone cold and cutting.“Clarissa and Derick are already legally married.If you don’t want your daughter to carry the shame of being a divorced woman,she should accept reality and stay married.It’s in everyone’s best interest.” My father-in-law chimed in,his smirk oozing condescension.“Clarissa,think carefully.You wouldn’t want to carry the label of a second-marriage woman,would you?” Rebecca,who had been enjoying the spectacle with silent amusement,suddenly joined the fray,her saccharine smile enough to make my skin crawl. “Clarissa,”she said,her voice dripping with false sweetness,“it’s just one more pup.Raising it won’t be that hard.” She sighed dramatically,as though she were the victim here,and added,“This was such a small issue,but you’ve blown it completely out of proportion.Now both packs are at odds because of you.Was it really worth it?” That was the last straw for my mother. “You—”she growled,lunging toward Beta Rebecca with a hand raised,ready to slap that smug smile right off her face. I moved quickly,catching her wrist just in time and stopping her. “Mom,”I said softly,but firmly. Instead,I turned to my in-laws,a slow,deliberate smirk creeping across my lips. “Sorry to disappoint you,”I said,my voice steady and brimming with confidence. Alpha Derick’s parents froze,their stiffened postures betraying their unease. “What do you mean?”my father-in-law asked,his voice sharp and suspicious. I folded my arms,meeting their gazes head-on,and let the moment linger. “Alpha Derick and I never got the marriage certificate.”

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The instant I was reborn,I had a single goal:to gather my pack and prepare a massive feast.I ground two hundred and fifty kilograms of meat and called every wolf in the territory to join me in making meatballs. This wasn’t just for fun.No,it was a form of vengeance.In my previous life,my stepmother,Odessa Wren,had betrayed me in the most cruel way.She had an affair with a secret wolf shifter and became pregnant with his pup.But instead of facing the consequences,she schemed.She caused a ruckus at the market,making a scene over some discounted eggs.During the chaos,she was shoved and fell,losing the pup she had so carelessly conceived. Back home,she played the victim,sobbing as she told my father,“If it weren’t for Tempest dragging me to that market for eggs,I wouldn’t have fallen and lost our precious pup…” I tried to defend myself,but before I could speak,my fiancé,Beta Peregrine Wolfe,stepped in with a cold fury.He shouted,“Tempest Ellington,I’m deeply ashamed of you! “You’ve always been selfish,taking what isn’t yours,sneaking off to hunt at night,stealing from the pack’s food stores,and more.But this time,you’ve gone too far.You’ve caused Auntie’s loss for some cheap eggs.I can’t marry a woman like you.I’m calling off our bonding!” My father,enraged by this accusation,lashed out.He slapped me repeatedly,then bound me and sold me to an old Omega in the village.I was locked in a wolf den,where I was left to die,tortured until my blood spilled and my life ended. It was only after my death that I discovered the full extent of their treachery.My mate,who I thought was meant to bond with me,had been chasing after my stepmother all along.Our supposed”bonding”had been nothing more than a ruse for them to be together. When I opened my eyes again,I was back to the day of that fateful market trip,where my stepmother would fake her miscarriage over those eggs. Holding my fur cloak tightly,I couldn’t contain my grief as the memories flooded back.Then,my phone rang.It was Odessa.I answered,instinctively.Her voice was casual,as though nothing had happened.“Tempest,it’s almost New Year’s.I’m going hunting and won’t be home to cook.You take care of the pack and make dinner for your father and grandparents.Understand?” Her tone was as if it was an order I had no choice but to obey.Before I could protest,she added,“Don’t tell your father where I am.If he finds out,he’ll chase me down again,and I won’t have a moment’s peace.” “Alright,it’s settled then.You’re my good little pup.When I come back,I’ll bring you something nice!”Odessa hung up abruptly,rejecting my call before I could respond. I tried calling her back several times,but the line was busy every time.Then it hit me.She’d blocked me.A chill ran down my spine as realization dawned on me.I had been reborn,sent back to the day my stepmother would stage the loss of her pup to cover up her affair. In my past life,she had rushed to marry my father,believing he was an Alpha,hoping to become Luna and claim his wealth.But on the wedding day,she discovered the truth:my father was a Beta,and all the wealth he had was actually intended for me,not her. Though disappointed,she had no choice but to marry him anyway. That New Year’s Eve,she had called me with the same excuse as always,saying she needed to get some fresh air and wanted me to take care of the pack.I agreed,assuming it was a routine request,and didn’t return home until the evening to join the New Year’s dinner. But when I entered the house,the atmosphere was suffocatingly silent.In the living room,my stepmother was sobbing uncontrollably while my father glared at me with hatred in his eyes.Tears streaked her face as she accused me,“Tempest,this is all your fault!If you hadn’t dragged me to that market for eggs,I wouldn’t have been crushed by the crowd and lost the pup…” I was stunned,desperate to explain myself.“Mom,that’s not true!I was working all day,even stayed late!I never went to the market with you!” Before I could show proof with my work records,Peregrine stormed over,ripped my phone from my hands,and crushed it under his boot.His voice dripped with disappointment.“Tempest,I’m done with you.” “You’ve always been selfish,from sneaking off at night to hunt to stealing food from the pack’s stores.But this time,you’ve gone too far.You caused Auntie’s loss over a few eggs!I can’t marry someone like you.I’m ending our bonding!” That was all it took for my father to turn on me.He finished his cigarette,his eyes burning with fury.“You wretched girl!You’ve cursed our pack by killing my son!”he screamed,sealing my fate. In that moment,I realized how blind I had been to their deceit.But this time,I would not be the victim.This time,I would make them pay.

He grabbed a fistful of my hair,his claws scraping painfully into my scalp,and slapped me over and over,each strike like a warning.The vicious blows kept coming until he shackled me in silver chains—cold,unyielding metal that burned my skin.He sold me then,like an object,to an older,solitary Omega in the village. It wasn’t until I was captured and tortured by a rival pack that the truth finally emerged.My stepmother,Odessa,and my supposed mate,Beta Peregrine Wolfe,had been having an affair all along.The pup she had lost wasn’t even my father’s—no,it was Peregrine’s.Their affair had been reckless,and their failure to use protection left them exposed. Fearful of their secret being revealed,they devised a plan—a plan to frame me for their betrayal.It was almost impressive how far they went in their deceit…if only it hadn’t come at the cost of my life.But I wouldn’t allow those traitors to get away with it this time. A malicious smirk twisted on my lips as I made my decision:I wasn’t going to let them dictate my actions any longer.Instead of stepping out to confront them,I orchestrated my own plan.Two hundred and fifty kilograms of fresh venison was delivered right to our doorstep—more than enough to keep them talking. As for work,I sent my superior,a high-ranking wolf in the pack,a terse message requesting to work from home during the moon cycle.He was a crucial part of the pack and highly valued me.Without hesitation,my request was granted. Everything in motion,I got out of bed leisurely,washed up,and prepared for what was to come.When my family and I sat down to eat breakfast,the doorbell rang. The butcher stood there,unloading the two hundred and fifty kilograms of venison,barely acknowledging us as he left in a hurry.My father,grandfather,and grandmother stood stunned,their eyes wide at the mountain of meat. They immediately turned to me,bombarding me with questions.With a shrug,I deflected the blame onto my boss.”The pack had trouble settling some dues by moonrise,and my boss pushed for payment.So,they decided to settle with goods instead.” “Being in the meat trade,my boss just turned this year’s bonus into venison for the employees to take home.We’re making meatballs for the pack.” Grandma blinked in disbelief.”That’s got to be at least two hundred and fifty kilograms!It’ll take ages to turn this into meatballs!” Grandpa sighed,his patience thinning.”Well,looks like my plans to meet old packmates for a game of chess are dashed.Guess I’m stuck here today.” After sending the butcher off,I turned to my father.”We can’t waste this meat.Grandma and Grandpa already said so,so you’d better wash up and start working with us.” Grumbling under his breath about the pack’s incompetence,my father reluctantly rolled up his sleeves.Within moments of chopping vegetables and herbs,beads of sweat formed on his brow. While the rest of the village celebrated the New Moon’s Eve with fireworks and laughter,our family worked tirelessly,turning the venison into meatballs.As the strongest wolf in the household,my father did the heavy lifting,chopping,mixing,and sweating through the morning. By noon,the hunger set in,and that’s when my father noticed Odessa was still absent.”It’s past twelve-thirty,and she’s still not home.What’s taking her so long out there?” Feigning innocence,I shrugged.”I don’t know.I called her several times this morning,but she blocked me.Maybe she’s mad at me?Why don’t you try calling her,Dad?” Frowning,he pulled out his phone and dialed Odessa’s number. “Ring…Ring…Ring…” He tried three times in a row,but she still didn’t answer.His frustration grew,his anger palpable as he turned toward me.”Did you two argue?Why won’t she answer?” “Tempest,you’re twenty-five!You’re too old for this!Stop acting like a pup and upsetting your mother!” I pouted and pretended to be hurt,then pulled out my phone,playing a recording of a howl. “You’re blaming me again,Dad?This time,it’s clearly your fault she won’t come home.”I played the recording for everyone to hear—Odessa’s voice clearly rejecting my father’s attempts to find her. When my father heard her words,his face turned a dark shade.Without a word,he lit a cigarette and smoked in silence,his expression grim. Grandpa and Grandma tried to console him,but I seized the moment to place an order for four sets of takeout from the pack’s kitchen. “Dad,Grandpa,Grandma…since Mom’s not coming home and we’re stuck making meatballs,let’s just order takeout for now.”

Grandpa and Grandma lavished praise on me,calling me a good Omega.But my father remained silent,his mood dark,heavy with unspoken tension.The air thickened with an oppressive silence,stretching on until the nightfall. After what felt like an eternity,we finally finished preparing two hundred and fifty kilograms of meatballs.My hands were sore,fingers stiff from the repetitive work,and every movement sent pangs of discomfort through my body. My father slipped out to grab a pack of cigarettes,leaving me alone on the couch.Grandpa and Grandma moved into the kitchen,beginning the slow process of cooking the meatballs.I scrolled through my phone idly,glancing out at the night sky with a faint,almost bitter smile. Today had been a rare one,a day spent within the confines of the house.I hadn’t left for a single moment,determined to avoid any more accusations.No one would pin the blame for my stepmother’s miscarriage on me again—not if I could help it. But as I took a sip of water,the front door slammed open,and in staggered my supposed mate,Beta Peregrine.His steps were unsteady,one arm wrapped around my stepmother,Odessa,who was visibly pregnant now—carrying the pup of another wolf. The moment her eyes locked with mine,they burned with fury.Her wolf’s rage boiled over,and she shrieked,“Tempest!You heartless wretch!I’ve done nothing but show you kindness,and you’ve made me lose my pup!” Before I could respond,Beta Peregrine’s voice rang out,filled with bitter disappointment.“She’s right,Tempest.I never thought you could be this cruel.I’m ashamed of you.I can’t be mated to someone like you…The bonding is off!” I blinked in confusion,feigning innocence.“What are you talking about?Mom,you’re really pregnant?Since when?Why didn’t I know about this?” Odessa’s tears spilled over as her anger reached a fever pitch.“Don’t act like you don’t know!I told you last night that I was carrying a pup!Then this morning,you tricked me into going to the market for discounted eggs,knowing it would be crowded.You made sure I was pushed around until I miscarried!” She sobbed bitterly.“I nearly died in the hospital,and here you are acting like you have no idea what happened!” “How could you do this to me,Tempest?We’re supposed to support each other,as women!But you…you have no heart!”she screamed,her voice rising higher with every word. Our Pack still lived in the old courtyard house,despite the modern apartment we owned in the city.Tradition,they called it,and Grandpa was insistent on keeping the old ways alive. Tonight,being the night before the Full Moon,the Pack had gathered outside,some building snowmen,others lighting fireworks.Their curiosity got the better of them when they heard Odessa’s screams,and they began to gather outside our door,eager for drama. Odessa,always the drama queen,stood in the doorway,making sure to shout her accusations loud enough for everyone to hear. The Pack members,hearing her words,turned their eyes to me—those eyes filled with suspicion and wolfish judgment. “I always thought Tempest was such a sweet Omega.Who knew she had such a dark side?” “Looks can be deceiving.We’ve seen her grow up,but we never knew what she was capable of.” One older Omega shook her head in disbelief.“I’m warning my family.No one is safe around her.I don’t know what she might do to my pack one day.” Others chimed in,their voices growing louder in agreement.“Keep her away from our pups.She’s dangerous.” Tears welled up in my eyes,but not the helpless kind I once knew.No,these tears were different—this time,they were born of something else entirely.Excitement. Odessa,assuming my tears were those of guilt,became even more theatrical,painting me as the villain in front of the Pack. Meanwhile,my supposed mate,Beta Peregrine,didn’t even give me the chance to explain.With a rough grip,he yanked my arm,forcing me to kneel in front of Odessa. “You’ve not only disrespected your stepmother,but you’ve also caused her to lose her pup!”he shouted,his voice cold.“You will apologize to her.You will make things right.” “As an Omega,your duty is to obey your father,and once mated,to obey your mate.It is my responsibility to teach you a lesson,”he added,his grip tightening. With a cruel jerk,he grabbed my hair,forcing my head to bow.Again and again,he made me lower my head,pushing me down with force until my forehead hit the floor with sickening thuds. Blood trickled down my face,but Peregrine didn’t even glance at it.No,he pressed on,relentless. “An apology isn’t enough to make up for the loss of a pup,”he declared coldly.“There must be compensation.” “Tempest,”he said,“hand over your year-end bonus for your stepmother’s nutritional supplements.And sign over your apartment to her,so she has a proper place to recover.”

“Only then will you prove you’re truly remorseful for your actions toward your stepmother!” As Beta Peregrine spouted his pompous,self-righteous words,I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.The absurdity of the situation hit me like a slap,but at the same time,everything fell into place with frightening clarity. It was clear now:Beta Peregrine and Odessa had conspired against me.They didn’t just want me gone;they were after my year-end bonus,my property—everything I’d worked for! The pieces of the puzzle finally clicked together.It explained why Beta Peregrine,who had barely paid me any attention before,had suddenly become obsessed with me,relentlessly pursuing me right after Odessa,my stepmother,had bonded with my father as his Mate.In just a few days. At first,I had wondered what had changed.Why had our humble Ellington Pack suddenly become the most desirable matchmaking market in the region?Now,I understood. Realization hit like a bolt of lightning.I wasn’t going to let them get away with it.Without a second thought,I leaned forward and spat directly in Beta Peregrine’s face. “Pfft!She just lost her pup,and now you think you can take my money and my property?What kind of audacity do you have?” Both Beta Peregrine and Odessa stood frozen for a moment,but soon their shock turned to fury,their eyes burning with anger. Odessa broke into exaggerated sobs.“Peregrine,stop talking.Tempest has never seen me as her mother.She’ll never listen!” “Forget it,”she wailed dramatically,clutching her chest.“I’m hated wherever I go.Outsiders despise me,and now even my own family wants to destroy me.If I had known this was coming,I’d have preferred to never have been born!” Seeing her make a spectacle of running toward a tree to bang her head,Beta Peregrine quickly stepped forward,pulling her back gently and whispering soothing words,“Auntie,don’t cry.I’ve already called Uncle Thomas—your mate,the lead warrior.He’ll fix everything.” “Everything Uncle Thomas says is law.Tempest will have no choice but to obey him,”Beta Peregrine added,his voice full of mock sympathy. The neighbors,who had gathered outside,nodded in agreement.They abandoned their chores,set out stools,and waited for my father to arrive. “Thomas needs to teach that girl a lesson.She’s gotten too bold,even daring to defy her elders.” “Didn’t you hear?She called Odessa’s pup a bastard!”one of them muttered. “That’s downright disgraceful!Having such a wicked daughter is punishment enough!” Odessa’s eyes flickered with satisfaction as she overheard their condemnation.She threw me a smug,triumphant look,sure that she had me cornered. But I wasn’t phased.Meeting her gaze,I only curled my lips into a cold,mocking smile,not bothering to engage. She was about to be very disappointed. She never expected that the person most desperate for my father’s return wasn’t her—it was me. It didn’t take long.My father had only stepped out to grab cigarettes,but he quickly returned,his cigarette hanging loosely from his lips.Seeing the large crowd gathered in front of our house,he paused,confusion flashing across his face.But before he could ask a single question,Odessa was already rushing toward him,pressing herself against him like some delicate,fragile woman caught in a storm. Tears welled in her eyes,her face crumpling with sorrow.“Thomas,you have to stand up for me!Tempest killed our pup!The Pack doctor said…it was a boy.He would’ve been a strong little pup!” My father’s expression immediately darkened,his body rigid with anger.He turned to me,his voice booming with authority,“Tempest,get over here!What’s going on?” Before I could speak,Beta Peregrine stepped between us,blocking my path as he fanned the flames of fury.“Uncle Thomas,it’s all Tempest’s fault!You need to seek justice for Aunt Odessa!” “That’s right,Thomas!”Odessa cried,clinging to my father’s arm.“You need to punish Tempest,to avenge our pup!” She wailed dramatically,“This morning,Tempest insisted on dragging me to the supermarket for discount eggs.I told her I was pregnant,that I wasn’t feeling well,but she insisted.When we got there,it was packed.She wouldn’t go in herself,so she shoved me into the crowd.” “There were so many people…someone knocked me down,and then the crowd kept pushing me…and I lost our pup.” Odessa’s sobs grew louder,her voice a broken wail.“Wu wu!Thomas,our precious pup!He never even had the chance to be born,and Tempest took his life!” She continued crying,completely unaware that my father’s face was growing darker by the second,his expression a storm of anger,confusion,and disbelief.His face looked like a canvas of red,black,and green—an angry storm on full display. But Odessa was oblivious,too wrapped up in her theatrical demands for sympathy and compensation for her“loss.” “Thomas,you’ve spoiled Tempest too much!That’s why she disrespects her elders and even harms her own brother!You should beat her…punish her severely!” “And while you’re at it,take her year-end bonus and her house!What does a girl need so much money for,anyway?If she’s obedient,she should have saved at least a few tens of thousands!”Odessa ranted,her voice growing louder,more frantic with each word. But as her rant continued,she slowly realized something was wrong.The entire courtyard had fallen silent.Even the neighbors who had been watching this drama like it was a soap opera were now staring at her,their eyes wide with tension. Odessa stopped,her breath catching in her throat.She turned slowly toward my father,only to meet his furious,murderous gaze. Her words faltered.“Thomas,why aren’t you saying anything?” My father clenched his teeth,his jaw tight as he glared at her.“So,let me get this straight.Early this morning,Tempest dragged you out for discount eggs,and that’s when you lost the pup?”

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I went downstairs to take out the trash. That’s when I saw it. A Cadillac Escalade, rocking hard. In the passenger seat, my husband’s management trainee was making out with some guy. Full-on. I almost admired the audacity. Then I saw the man’s hand resting on the window frame. A wedding band. Engraved. C&M. My name is Claire. My husband is Miles Morrow. A cold wave of nausea rolled through my stomach. So that’s how it is. A man can say he loves you while undressing in someone else’s car. I took an Uber to the county clerk’s office. “Ms. Morrow, are you sure you want to change your name? You’ll need to update your degrees, your IDs, your passport. Everything.” I nodded. “I’m sure.” The clerk tried again. “Legal name changes are quite involved for adults. And your current name is lovely. Perhaps you’d like to think it over?” “No.” I signed the consent form. “Please proceed.” “Alright. The requested name is… Vera Rose. Correct?” “Yes.” Vera. A new beginning. Rose. Wild and resilient. This was the identity I was giving myself. Not Mrs. Morrow. Not anyone’s wife. Just me. I asked the clerk, “Can I update my passport now?” “Yes. Take this certified court order downstairs to the passport window. They’ll handle it.” I changed my passport as fast as humanly possible. Outside the clerk’s office, the Chicago skyline stood directly across the street. The giant screen on the building was playing an interview with Miles Morrow, CEO of Blackstone Group. The host had picked up on his little habit. She smiled and asked, “Mr. Morrow, I notice you keep touching your ring. It looks like a simple platinum band. Is there something special about it?” Miles smiled, soft and warm. He held up his hand. “It’s my wedding ring.” “Oh! I apologize. I assumed someone of your stature would have a Harry Winston diamond. Several carats, at least.” Miles said, “I made this ring myself. Shaped it, polished it. I engraved our initials inside the band.” “Wow. I can see two sets of letters. M and…” “C. My wife’s name is Claire.” “Wow. Your wife must be the luckiest woman alive. She must have saved the universe in a past life to marry a man like you.” Miles just said, “Actually, I’m the one who saved the universe to marry her.” The people around me were full of envy. The only person who felt nothing? Me. I glanced at the screen. Once. Then I looked away. Miles and I had been genuinely in love once. Fifteen years. High school to the altar. In our classmates’ eyes, we were the couple voted “most likely to last forever” in the yearbook. Until two months ago. I got a Snapchat from a stranger. A woman. She looked barely twenty. She was wearing a seductive slip and stockings. Her neck and chest were covered in marks. Purple and red. She’d clearly just come from a very active session. She threw up a peace sign at the camera. On her finger, she wore a platinum ring. A size too big. A man’s ring. Engraved with letters: M&C. Later, I met the girl in Miles’s office. Her name was Brooklyn. Fresh out of Wharton. Twenty-one years old. The company’s shiny new management trainee. My mind went blank with a roar of static. Management trainee. What a loaded title. This wasn’t just an affair. It was an abuse of power. A sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to detonate. And he was completely oblivious. I wanted to walk in and ask him: Is sleeping with the boss part of the employee benefits package now? But I didn’t. That Snapchat told me everything I needed to know. I walked away from the crowd and their sighs of envy. I went straight to a pawn shop. When I pulled the ring off my left hand, it felt like peeling off a layer of skin. “Ma’am, would you like to sell it or have it melted down?” “This ring. Melt it.” “There’s an engraving on it. It probably means something. Are you absolutely sure?” “Yes. Please do it quickly.” Half an hour later, I came home with a neatly wrapped jewelry box. Miles didn’t get back until after ten. He was holding a bouquet. “Sorry, Claire. Work has been crazy. I brought you your favorite. Lily of the valley. Do you like them?” He leaned in close. I caught the scent of a woman’s perfume on him. YSL Black Opium. I turned my head slightly. My eyes landed on a small bite mark on his Adam’s apple. And on the collar of his Brooks Brothers shirt. A lipstick stain. Bright red. Unmistakable. I stared at that red smear. I didn’t say a word. So this was what “working late” looked like. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” I pushed him away. “Just tired.” “Let me carry you to bed.” He bent down, ready to scoop me up. I pushed him away again. “You’re tired too. Take a shower. Get some rest.” Miles reached for my hand. Then he stopped. His expression shifted. “Claire. Where’s your ring?”

“I took it off.” “I made that ring with my own hands. It’s proof of our love. Why would you take it off?” I gave him a flat excuse. “Keto diet. Water retention. It doesn’t fit right now.” Miles’s face relaxed. His smile returned. “I’ll take it to Tiffany’s to get resized.” “We’ll see.” “What’s that on the table?” He pointed at the jewelry box. His expression lit up. “Claire, is that a gift for me?” I nodded. “Yes.” Inside was a small platinum lump. I had melted our wedding rings. I put the remains inside that box. Miles was delighted. “What’s the occasion? You never surprise me with gifts.” I felt nothing but a tired, cold disappointment. “Today is our wedding anniversary.” Miles’s face crumpled. He scrambled to appease me. “Claire, I’m so sorry. The quarterly earnings have been brutal. How about we go out tonight? I can book a table at Alinea right now.” “No need. I already ate.” “Then let’s go see the skyline. Walk by Lake Michigan?” “I’m tired. I want to sleep.” Miles wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his voice coaxing. “Come on, Claire. We haven’t gone for a walk in so long. I feel like you’ve been distant lately. I’m starting to worry my Claire is losing interest.” I removed his hands from my body. Fifteen years. A dull, distant ache. Then—nothing. He wanted cheap thrills. I wanted my dignity. I was leaving. All of me. My heart, my body, my fifteen years, my reluctance to let go. I was taking it all back. Now. On the way out, Miles drove. He chattered about his day, trying to fill the silence. I sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window. I wasn’t listening. Because when I was buckling my seatbelt, my fingers brushed against something wedged in the gap of the seat. A woman’s lace thong. Very clearly used. I shoved it back where I found it. I pulled out my phone. I took a picture. Calmly. Evidence collected. Not because I planned to stay and endure this. Because I had already decided to leave. Confronting him now would just be a waste of time. He would lie. He would deflect. He would make excuses. I was done listening to lies. This was it. We reached the lakefront. Miles got out first and opened my door. “We’re here, Claire.” I hadn’t wanted to come. But this lake was where we used to go when we first got together. It started here. It could end here. We were walking when I heard a girl whisper to her friend nearby. “Oh my god, it’s that CEO… the one with the ring.” “So hot. And so, so sweet.” Miles heard it too. The corner of his mouth twitched upward. Then his phone rang. He gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry, Claire. Give me a minute. It’s the board. I’ll be right back.” “Go ahead.” “Wait for me right here. Don’t wander off.” More hushed murmurs from the crowd around us. I kept my face blank. I stood by the water and stared out at the dark, shimmering lake. When Miles saw the caller ID, the grin he tried to suppress was unmistakable. I knew that smile. It wasn’t the polite smile of a business call. It was the thrill of seeing his prey. But I couldn’t be bothered to expose him anymore. It was cold by the water. I went back to the car to wait. The car’s display screen was still active. Miles’s Apple CarPlay hadn’t disconnected. His messages were still synced. New texts were popping up, one after another. The contact name was “Kitty B.” Miles: Miss me? Kitty B: The nights feel so empty without you. Miles: I didn’t satisfy you enough at the office today, Kitty? Kitty B: Not enough, Daddy. I want more. Miles: Fine. Tomorrow. Work. My office. I’ll make it up to you. Kitty B: Hehehe. I’ll wear the fishnets to work tomorrow. The conversation spiraled from there. Unreadable. Filthy. Full of explicit language. I stared at the screen. I felt a cold, clear wave of nausea. Not heartbreak. That had shattered the moment I saw the ring. This was disgust. Pure, physical revulsion. I was trembling. My nails bit deep into my palms. Miles was quick. About fifteen minutes. He climbed back into the car, clutching his chest. He let out a deep breath. “I turned around after the call and you were gone. Scared me to death. Thank god you’re okay.” I couldn’t look at his sanctimonious face anymore. I stared down at my own hands. “It was cold. I came back to the car.” “Yeah, of course. Wherever you’re comfortable.” I looked up at him. After reading those messages, that sentence hit differently. Wherever you’re comfortable. The thong wedged in the passenger seat gap… Did that mean they had done it here? In this seat? A wave of nausea hit me so hard I threw the door open and vomited.

Miles panicked. He rushed to my side. “Claire! What’s wrong?” I heaved until there was nothing left. I couldn’t pull myself together. I didn’t understand. How could a man who loved me so much cheat on me? Then I realized. He probably never thought there would be consequences. He thought he could have both. The dutiful wife at home. The hot mistress on the side. He thought I would never find out. Or worse. He thought even if I did, I would swallow it. The lake wind cleared my head. Miles asked, “Are you okay, Claire? If you feel sick, I’ll take you to Northwestern Memorial right now.” “No. Probably just something bad I ate. The salmon from Whole Foods might’ve been off.” “Then come meet me at the office tomorrow. We’ll have lunch.” I almost laughed in his face. Come to the office and watch you and Brooklyn going at it in your private suite? A plan formed in my head. I wanted to see it. I wanted to watch the performance with my own eyes. “Sure. I’ll come with you tomorrow morning. Keep you company at work. Then we’ll have lunch. Then we’ll come home together in the evening.” Miles clearly hadn’t expected me to say yes. His expression flickered. “But I might be pretty busy. I might not be able to stay with you the whole time.” “You do your work. I’ll wait for you in your office.” “…Alright.” Back home, Miles offered to run me a bath. He went into the master bathroom and closed the door behind him. Unusually. I went back downstairs and got into the car. The moment I started the engine, the latest messages popped up on the screen. Miles: Change of plans. Office is off tomorrow. Kitty B: Aww. Disappointing. Miles: Don’t be disappointed, Kitty. Daddy will take you to the rooftop. More exciting. Kitty B: Hehehe. Daddy’s the best. I turned off the screen. There was no emotion left in my eyes. Enjoy your rooftop, darling. It’s your last one. I was back in the bedroom when Miles came out of the bathroom. “Claire, your bath is ready. Go take a nice soak.” “No. I just want to rest.” “Alright. If you’re tired, sleep. Oh, that gift you left on the table. Can I open it now?” I said, “Wait one week.” “Why a week? I want to see what my Claire got for me.” “Because…” Because in one week, I would be gone. Forever. “Because it won’t mean anything until a week from now.” Miles kissed me gently on the forehead. “Alright. Whatever you say.” The next morning, his phone started buzzing at six. He silenced it and rolled over, holding me. “Ignore it. Sleep a little longer.” The phone kept buzzing. Insistent. Miles frowned in irritation. “It’s not even office hours yet. Damn useless middle management. I’m going to fire them all.” He silenced it again. The third time it rang, he got up, fuming. “Go back to sleep, Claire. I’m going to find out what’s so goddamn urgent.” I made a quiet sound of acknowledgment. I turned over. My back to him. He took the phone and left the bedroom. Soon enough, I saw his figure at the front door downstairs. A DoorDash driver in a purple shirt was handing him a package. Miles took it. When he came back inside, his hands were empty. I asked, “Was it serious? The company thing?” He said, “It’s fine. Nothing for you to worry about. Rest. I’ll make you breakfast.” Whether it was guilt or genuine concern about my stomach, Miles went all out for breakfast. Orange juice. Bacon. French toast. Maple syrup. And my favorite Greek yogurt with granola. “You can’t be careless about food anymore. I’ll hire a housekeeper. Someone to cook for you every day.” “No.” “Be a good girl and let me handle it, Claire. Otherwise I’ll be worried sick at work.” “Miles, can I ask you something?” “Go ahead.” I set down my fork and asked him calmly. “The seven-year itch. Do you think it’s real?” Miles immediately put on a look of righteous disgust. “That’s just an excuse weak men use to justify their infidelity. I’m not like that. I’ll only ever love my Claire.” “Only me? Forever?” “Yes.” “What if you fell in love with someone else?” “Then the moment I betray her, may God strike me dead with lightning. May I burn in hell.” I looked at him. I said nothing. “They’re true words. Why would I be afraid?” I picked up my fork again and spread jam on my toast. Miles said, “Claire. Trust me.” I just said, “Eat your breakfast.” “You still don’t believe me? Do I have to cut my heart out and show you?” “The people at the office are waiting. Don’t be late.” Miles finally relaxed. He sat down across from me. “Let them wait. A bunch of useless idiots. I’ll fire them soon enough.” “Fire her. Would you be willing to do that?” I said “her.” Not “them.” I don’t know if Miles caught it or not. He just said, “Apart from you, there’s no one I can’t bear to lose.”

After breakfast, we left for the office together. But I couldn’t stand the passenger seat. I insisted on sitting in the back. “I’ve been feeling claustrophobic. The back is better. I can roll down the window.” Miles didn’t push it. “Alright. I’ll drive as smoothly as I can.” We pulled up to the office. Miles jogged around to open my door. Getting out of the car, I was swarmed by employees in the morning rush. Again. A couple of VPs even jogged over, fawning. “Mrs. Morrow is here! Mr. Morrow is always talking about how you love the Starbucks Pink Drink. I’ll go grab you one right now.” Another one chimed in. “I’ll handle snacks. Mrs. Morrow likes macarons.” Miles laughed and scolded them. “Don’t you dare overfeed her. Claire’s dealing with some water retention. Her ring doesn’t even fit right now.” “You’re wrong about that, Mr. Morrow. The lady looks very slim. If the ring doesn’t fit, it’s the ring’s fault. It must have shrunk!” “Oh, stop. Flattery is one thing, but that’s ridiculous. Platinum doesn’t shrink.” “You’re the one who doesn’t get it. Mr. Morrow loves his wife so much. If the wife is happy, Mr. Morrow is happy. And then we all have an easy day.” Miles laughed, playing along. “Fine, fine. You’ve all found my weak spot.” The crowd laughed with him. I was practically carried by the wave of sycophants into Miles’s office. Fruit. Snacks. Pink Drink. The works. Miles even pulled up a Netflix show on his Apple desktop for me. “Claire, I have to go work. Stay here and relax. If you need anything, just ask Jason outside.” I asked him deliberately, “What about your management trainee? Brooklyn? I didn’t see her today.” Miles said, “I don’t know. I’ll have HR call and check.” Before he left, he stroked my hair and whispered, “Wait for me. We’ll have lunch together.” Miles left. The executives left. I noticed he’d left his phone on the desk. I hurried out to return it. But I stopped when I heard the executives talking. “…The rooftop? Mr. Morrow and Brooklyn are getting really wild.” “What can you do? Who knew the boss’s wife was going to show up today? They had to switch locations.” “So do we still need to get condoms for Mr. Morrow today?” “No. I saw him heading up earlier. He had several boxes stuffed in his pockets. Trojan.” “Heh heh heh. Mr. Morrow’s impressive. Buying condoms right under his wife’s nose?” “DoorDash. So convenient these days. You can get anything delivered.” My footsteps stopped. So those insistent phone calls this morning were from the delivery guy. He ordered a condom delivery first thing in the morning. He was really looking forward to that rooftop date. So well prepared. “…Wonder if a few boxes will be enough. Last time, Mr. Morrow and Brooklyn went at it in the car for a whole day and night. The next day, Brooklyn was walking funny.” “If it’s not enough, we’ll just send more. As his subordinates, we gotta serve the boss well, right?” “Didn’t you just say we had to serve the boss’s wife?” “Please. What does she know? A Pink Drink and some snacks and she’s handled. A man in Mr. Morrow’s position… who doesn’t have a few women on the side? You just keep the wife in the dark.” “Yeah. She looks pretty naive. Shouldn’t be hard.” I stood there. I heard every word. I calmly pulled out my phone. I hit record. This was good material. Just then, Miles appeared. He swept a cold, slow look across the group. His voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Not a word in front of Claire. Understood?” The executives nodded furiously. “Got it, Mr. Morrow. We know what’s up.” One of them asked, “Mr. Morrow, why’d you bring your wife in today? You and Brooklyn have to hide on the rooftop now. We all have to watch what we say.” Miles shot him a hard look. “Claire is the boss’s wife. She goes where she wants. Are you questioning it?” “No, no, no…” Miles issued another warning. “Take care of Claire. Her stomach was upset yesterday. No cold food. And if anyone breathes a word about me and Brooklyn, you’re out on the street. Clear?” The executives beamed their fake smiles and nodded. I didn’t hear the rest. I was already back in Miles’s office. I placed his phone among the pile of snacks. A few minutes later, Miles came in. He was back to his gentle-gentleman act. “My little greedy cat. What are you eating that’s got you so happy?” “Little greedy cat.” The phrase sent a wave of revulsion through me. That was what he called Brooklyn. I pushed down the nausea and asked, “Weren’t you at a meeting? Why are you back?” “Left my phone here. Have you seen it?” I shook my head. “No.” Miles rummaged through the snack pile and fished it out. “Buried in the snacks. Alright, you keep eating. I’m off.” Ring ring— My phone went off this time. I picked it up. “Hello. Am I speaking to Ms. Vera Rose?” “Yes. This is she.” “Ms. Rose, this is a confirmation for your flight to Norway booked for one week from today. Your ticket has been issued. You just need to bring your passport to the airport.” “Just the passport? Any other documentation needed?” “No. Your passport is sufficient.” “Thank you.” I hung up. Miles looked confused. “Passport? Claire, what do you need your passport for?”

I said, “A friend of mine. She lost her passport. She was asking how to get a replacement.” Miles came over and wrapped me in a hug. “You scared me to death. I thought you were planning a trip to Europe. Without me.” His scent hit me. My stomach lurched. Heavy musk. And a woman’s vanilla perfume. I turned my head and threw up again. Miles patted my back, his voice full of concern. “What did they feed you? I specifically told them your stomach was off. I told them to look after you… Just wait. I’m going to fire them all right now!” I pushed him away. I put every ounce of strength into it. “Fire whoever you want! Just stop using me as your excuse!” My sudden outburst caught him off guard. “Claire. Are you mad at me? Because I’ve been buried in work and haven’t kept you company?” He said, “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll cancel everything. I’ll spend the whole day with you. Okay?” I took a deep breath. Let it out slowly. “I hope you mean that.” That night, a thunderstorm rolled in out of nowhere. From the moment I got home, I kept throwing up. Miles tried to get close to me. I shoved him back hard. “Don’t come near me. Your smell makes me sicker.” Miles sniffed his sleeve. “Maybe it’s my Tom Ford cologne. You don’t like it. I’ll switch to a different one.” “Miles. You know damn well it’s not the cologne.” “Alright, alright. Don’t be upset. I won’t wear any cologne at all from now on. Okay?” I splashed cold water on my face and looked up at the mirror. And at the man outside the bathroom, holding a glass of warm water, waiting anxiously. I just didn’t understand. How could he stand there, reeking of another woman, and still play the devoted husband so flawlessly? Did he actually believe his own lies? Or had he just never considered me a person with a working brain? Probably the latter. He underestimated me. His mistake. And that mistake was about to cost him everything. The next morning, Miles took me to Northwestern Memorial. After a series of tests, the doctor gave his assessment. “It appears to be anxiety-induced IBS.” Miles asked, “What do you mean, anxiety-induced IBS?” “The patient has recently experienced a significant emotional shock. The impact has been severe enough to cause gastrointestinal dysfunction. That’s what’s triggering the vomiting.” Miles turned to me. “Claire, has something been bothering you lately? Tell me. Maybe I can fix it.” I turned my face away, avoiding his proximity. “You can’t fix it.” “Try me. There’s very little in this world I can’t handle.” Yeah. He was the only one who could fix this. For a split second, I wanted to ask him. If Brooklyn and I were both drowning in Lake Michigan, who would he save first? Then I dropped it. Stupid question. I shouldn’t put my fate in anyone else’s hands. I can swim. I can save myself. I don’t need Miles. I don’t need anyone. In Norway, I had applied to RISD under the name Vera Rose. I had given up my dream of painting to marry Miles. From now on, I was going to live for myself. “Claire, how about I take you to see a Broadway show this afternoon? Hamilton is playing. It’ll cheer you up.” “This afternoon? Don’t you have work?” “We agreed. I’m yours all day today. I keep my promises. I never go back on my word.” A second later, his phone rang. He moved to silence it. Then he glanced at the caller ID. He paused. I watched his expression shift in real time. Annoyance. Then conflict. I smiled. “Take it. Work comes first.” Miles said, “I’ll be quick. Five minutes.” “Mm.” He moved to take the call outside. I stopped him. “Take it here. I can’t follow your business talk anyway. No need to worry about leaks.” Miles froze. Awkward. Two seconds of hesitation. He picked up. His brow furrowed with anger. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me today? What is it?” I couldn’t make out the words on the other end. But I caught the sound of a woman crying. Miles spoke carefully, aware of my presence. “Alright. I understand. Hold on.” He hung up. He turned to me, his voice full of apology. “Claire, the CFO is bringing a critical M&A document for my signature. He’s downstairs at the hospital. I’ll sign and come right back. Half an hour. Tops.” I nodded. Miles practically ran out of the exam room. The doctor smiled. “Mrs. Morrow, your husband adores you. Dropping everything for you like this.” “Is that so.” I forced a smile. “Excuse me, doctor. Restroom.” “Of course.” I stepped out. I saw Miles, too impatient for the elevator, sprinting down the stairs. He did go downstairs. One floor down. Obstetrics and Gynecology. Buzz— My phone vibrated. Brooklyn: Claire, I’m so sorry. I don’t think he’ll be able to spend the day with you after all. One call from me, and he comes running.

Brooklyn’s messages kept pouring in. Brooklyn: Oh, and look at this. [Image] My ultrasound. I’m pregnant. I zoomed in on the photo and read the top line. Embryo 8 weeks. Threatened miscarriage. Brooklyn: We went at it on the rooftop yesterday. So many times. Tried every position. Guess it was a little too rough. The baby’s showing signs of distress. Oops. His fault, really. He said sex with you at home was boring. He wanted something exciting with me. Brooklyn: The doctor says whether I keep it or terminate, the baby’s father needs to sign the consent form. So I had to call him down. I mean, between your stomach flu and his child… the child is a little more important. Don’t you think? I took a cab. Alone. I went to a family law firm. “I need to retain your firm to draft a divorce agreement.” I wanted nothing. The lawyer was efficient. Half an hour. I had the complete agreement in my hands. The lawyer told me, “My recommended strategy is this. We file under irreconcilable differences. In Illinois, if you move out and establish independent residence for six months, the court will have a very hard time dismissing your petition. These six months are the legal countdown to your freedom.” I was walking out with the divorce papers when my phone rang. Miles. “Claire! Where are you? I’ve searched the whole hospital.” I said, “I waited so long you didn’t come back. So I went home.” “Good. As long as you got home safe. I’m sorry, Claire. Something came up with work. I might need to go out of town for a few days. New York. Take good care of yourself at home. Next week. I swear I’ll clear everything next week. Just for you.” I let out a heavy sigh. A lie told a thousand times isn’t believable anymore. But I didn’t need to believe anything anymore. I just needed to leave. “Yeah. Go.” “My Claire is so understanding. Be good. Tomorrow I’ll be back with your lily of the valley.” “Understanding?” I asked. “Miles, is that what you like? Women who pout and cling and won’t let go? Am I too understanding? Am I boring?” Miles paused. “Of course not. I love you. Whatever you are, I love.” “Miles. Will you ever fall in love with someone else?” “Of course not.” “Then let me tell you something.” I gripped my phone. My voice was calm. Cold. “If you betray me, I will disappear. Completely. You will never find me.” Miles let out a soft laugh. “Alright. Try it. I can lock down O’Hare and Union Station. As long as your name is still Claire, you can’t leave me.” But my passport didn’t say Claire anymore. It said Vera Rose. I repeated myself. “I’m serious. I will leave so clean you won’t find a single trace.” Miles was still laughing. Like he was teasing a cat. “Fine. Run. I’ll give you three days. Then I’ll come find you. I told you. As long as your name is Claire, I can find you wherever you go. You can’t shake me off.” Can’t shake him off? I smiled. Watch me.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260619MLOfVoIC4K 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni025511”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

Elena Moreno never imagined that on her birthday, her son would hand her a peanut butter cup lethal enough to send her into anaphylactic shock. As consciousness faded, she heard Asher Whitmore’s furious reprimand. “Knox Whitmore, did you not know your mother is deathly allergic to peanuts?” Knox’s young voice cut through with terrible clarity. “I know. But I want Olivia to be my mom.” “Dad, you want that too, don’t you?” “Even if I…” A violent wave of suffocation crashed over her. She couldn’t make out the rest of Asher’s answer. In the final second before losing consciousness, only one thought remained. If she woke up, she was done being Asher Whitmore’s wife. Done being Knox’s mother. *** Five hours of emergency treatment pulled her back from the edge. When Elena regained consciousness, every breath burned. Her face was swollen beyond recognition. She forced her eyes open, searching instinctively for two figures. The room was empty. Her phone sat on the bedside table. She strained to reach it, but it was too far. Just as she tried to push herself up, the nurse changing her IV pushed the door open and rushed to stop her. “You just got out of the ICU. Don’t move. I’ll get it for you.” The nurse handed her the phone and replaced the IV bag. “Did you not know you have a severe peanut allergy? You have to remember this. Absolutely no peanuts. You’re lucky they got you here in time. Otherwise, no one could have saved you.” Elena didn’t know how to answer. Was she supposed to say her son deliberately chose a peanut butter cup for her, knowing full well it could kill her? Her gaze fell on her body, tangled in wires and tubes. She forced the words out. “Where are they?” She couldn’t bring herself to call Asher and Knox her husband and son. Not anymore. The nurse thought for a moment. “You mean your husband and son? They brought you to the ER, signed the paperwork, and rushed off. Said something came up. You should call them.” Then she muttered under her breath, “My god. Signed and left? If it were my husband, he’d have worn a hole in the waiting room floor.” The words hit Elena like a blade to the chest. Only one person could make that father and son leave so fast. She unlocked her phone. Her chat with Asher was still a wall of green bubbles. She opened Instagram. Olivia’s story sat at the top. *Some people come running faster than my private driver. 💋* The photo showed only Asher’s forearm, sleeves rolled up, a screwdriver in hand. Knox’s small fingers reached into the frame, passing over a vintage dresser part from RH. No faces. No names. The two familiar figures burned into Elena’s vision. Her eyes stung. The suffocating feeling swept over her again. She refreshed the photo. Zoomed in on Knox’s hand blocking the lens. Backed out. Locked the screen. Unlocked it. Looked again. The hospital blanket was wrapped tight around her, but she was still cold. Cold enough that her fingertips shook. They had abandoned her—a woman who had just stared death in the face—to assemble Olivia’s goddamn RH dresser. And her anaphylactic shock? Knox had caused it with his own hands. No guilt. No worry. Nothing. Elena let out a hollow laugh. Of course. Knox probably wished she had never woken up. And Asher—whether he knew the truth or not—deep down, he probably wanted Olivia as his wife just as badly. Why would two people who didn’t want her bother to stay at her bedside? She set the phone down and stared at the harsh fluorescent lights. The memories came flooding back. She and Asher had grown up in the same Hamptons neighborhood. He was the golden boy—brilliant, skipped two grades, walked into Yale like it was nothing. Everyone knew he’d come back to Greenwich and take over the Whitmore family asset management empire. Elena was quiet. At backyard barbecues and pool parties, she was the girl sitting on the sidelines. As she got older, she faded even more into the background. And yet, she fell for him. She figured her feelings would die the day he married someone else. She never expected him to show up at her door right after graduating from Yale, asking if she would marry him. The shock nearly knocked her over. She couldn’t hold back the feelings that had been growing for years. She said yes without hesitation. Just like that, she became Elena Whitmore. Until that night. He’d been drinking. And he told her the truth. At Yale, there was a girl he loved. He’d proposed under the Eiffel Tower, beneath the Northern Lights in Iceland. But the one that scarred him most was graduation day—the hundredth time he got down on one knee, with all his fraternity brothers watching. And the hundredth time she said no. She wasn’t ready to settle down. In a rage, he drove straight back to Greenwich and knocked on the door three blocks from his own. She didn’t care at first. She believed love could grow over time. A year into the marriage, she gave birth to Knox. She and Asher grew closer. To the outside world, they were the picture of a happy family. Then, a month ago, Olivia Summers came back. It was like he’d forgotten the hundred rejections at Yale. He couldn’t stay away from her. The concern. The tenderness. The nights that stretched later and later. Knox started tagging along. She had believed six years of marriage and five years of motherhood meant something. That somewhere in their hearts, she mattered. Today, that fantasy finally shattered. Six years. She had never managed to warm Asher’s heart. And the child she had carried inside her own body—he had no more room for her than his father did. Bang! The door slammed open. Elena looked up. A tall figure and a small one stood at the entrance. Asher nudged Knox forward, his expression stern. “Go. Apologize to your mother.” Knox twisted his fingers together. He shuffled toward her bed, step by reluctant step. His voice was barely a whisper. “Mom, I’m sorry.” Elena turned her head away. She didn’t miss the unwillingness in his eyes. Asher’s voice was heavy. “Knox didn’t know. He wasn’t aware of your peanut allergy. I’ve already disciplined him. He won’t give you anything with peanuts again.” “A merger deal at the office hit a snag. I saw you were still unconscious, so I went back to handle it.” It was the height of summer. The air outside was thick with heat. Elena had never felt colder. She had been awake for hours. Asher hadn’t sent a single message. And the only two sentences he’d spoken since walking in were both lies. He frowned at her silence. “It’s your birthday. Don’t stay angry at a child.” “My son and I prepared a gift. See if you like it. You can wear it once you’re discharged.” He pulled out a classic Tiffany blue box. Inside lay a diamond necklace—something they’d clearly grabbed on the way over from Greenwich Avenue. Elena glanced at it and looked away. “I have a gift for you both too.” Asher looked puzzled. “It’s your birthday. Why are you giving us gifts?” Knox stared at her with the same confusion. A faint, liberated smile crossed her lips. “It’s only fair to return the favor, isn’t it? Don’t worry. You’ll see it in a few days. I’m sure you’ll love it.” A signed divorce agreement. Exactly what you both wanted.

Asher’s expression remained indifferent. “Just focus on resting. Don’t trouble yourself with gifts for us.” He glanced at his phone. Beside him, Knox pouted, clearly uninterested. Elena took in their reactions. A bitter smile tugged at her mouth. Not interested now? She had a feeling the divorce papers would excite them more than anything. She suddenly felt curious. What exactly was she to them? A placeholder for their real feelings? A housekeeper? Strangers sharing the same roof? The words slipped out before she could stop them. The last syllable hung in the air. A sickly sweet female voice floated from Asher’s phone. “Ash, how fast you answer decides how long you get to see me today!” Elena froze. As the CEO managing billions in assets, Asher’s ringtone had always been the default. It took her a second to understand. Her nails dug into her palms. He must have recorded Olivia’s voice back when they were together. Set it as her custom ringtone. All those years ago. So the cold, detached Asher Whitmore had once been capable of that kind of foolishness. And after six years, he still hadn’t deleted it. Had he spent every one of those years waiting for it to ring? Asher didn’t hesitate. He answered immediately. A faint sobbing sound came through the line. He was on his feet in an instant, grabbing his suit jacket from the chair. “I’m on my way.” His voice was uncharacteristically gentle. He was already at the door when he remembered. He turned back. “A friend ran into some trouble. I need to handle it. Get some rest.” His desperation to reach Olivia must have been blinding. He didn’t even realize how pathetic the lie sounded. What kind of friend gets a ringtone like that? Knox had already latched onto his father the moment he stood up. “I’m coming too!” He didn’t even glance at Elena. That was when it hit her. They hadn’t heard a word she said. Even coming from Olivia’s apartment to the hospital, Olivia was all they cared about. The phone-checking. The waiting. All for her call. Elena lowered her eyes. “Mm.” They hadn’t answered her question. But she already had her answer. The moment they left, she dialed her divorce attorney. “Draft the papers as soon as possible and send them to me.” The lawyer’s tone was all business. “How would you like to handle custody and visitation for Knox?” “Nothing.” Elena’s voice was quiet. “I don’t want anything related to the Whitmore family. Not a single thing.” The only thing she wanted now was a divorce.

Elena spent an entire week in the hospital before the allergic reaction fully cleared. Every day of that week, she watched Olivia’s Instagram updates. The “trouble” Asher mentioned? Olivia’s new rental had lost power and water. The two of them helped her find a new luxury apartment. They toured every high-end furniture store in Greenwich. Together, piece by piece, they turned an empty room into a warm, modern minimalist home. The day she was discharged, Asher and Knox finally appeared after being absent all week. She had already finished the paperwork herself. Asher’s cold face showed a rare flicker of guilt. “Sorry I haven’t been around. My friend just moved back to the East Coast. She doesn’t know anyone here. I’m the only person she can call.” Apologies from Asher were rare. Before, Elena would have been quick to say it didn’t matter. This time, she just opened the door of the black Escalade. “I know. Let’s go home.” Asher looked at her. Was she angry? He dismissed the thought. Six years of marriage, and Elena had always been gentle and understanding. She never threw tantrums. He was probably overthinking. Elena kept her eyes shut the entire ride. But she could feel a hot stare on her. She opened her eyes. Knox was looking right at her. He spoke carefully. “Mom, is your allergy all better now?” “Yes.” The car pulled up to the colonial mansion. Elena got out. Two steps away, she heard a low mutter behind her. “So does that mean Livvy still can’t be my mom…” Elena stopped walking. She didn’t cry. She just fully accepted the failure of five years of parenting in that single moment. She felt like an idiot who’d invested everything for five years and gotten nothing back. This was the child she’d carried for ten months and raised for five years. He nearly killed her. And instead of fear or guilt, he was disappointed he hadn’t succeeded in clearing the obstacle for his Livvy. What a joke. She swallowed the ache in her chest and headed straight to the master bedroom. Knox, your wish is about to come true. That night, Elena lay in the California king bed. The spot beside her was ice-cold. Asher often worked late in his home office. They barely spoke before sleep. She was used to it. Just as she was drifting off, a pair of hands pulled her into a warm embrace. Hot breath fanned across her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. She forced her eyes open. And spotted a single blonde, curled strand of hair on the collar of Asher’s custom shirt. She had worn dark brown, straight hair her entire life. A sudden wave of nausea surged up her throat. She bolted upright and ran to the bathroom. She dry-heaved over the sink. Nothing came out. She gripped the counter, staring at her pale face in the mirror. Asher was wide awake now. He frowned. “What’s wrong with you?” Elena almost laughed. He had another woman in his heart. Who was this concerned act for? “Nothing. Go back to sleep.” Asher didn’t understand. “What are you talking about?” She let out a soft laugh. She couldn’t face his hypocrisy. She turned her back to him and lay down. He lost all interest. The door clicked shut behind him. Elena kept her eyes closed. The next morning, her lawyer sent the divorce agreement. *Ms. Moreno, the documents have been drafted per your instructions.* *Thank you.* Just as she sent the reply, Knox came downstairs. “Mom, my birthday party has to be really big this year. I’m inviting someone super important.” Knox’s sixth birthday. Almost here. She lowered her eyes. A long pause. “Okay.” This would be the last birthday she spent with him. Knox got his answer and left for private school. Once he was gone, Elena opened the airline app and bought a one-way ticket. The departure time: three days from now. The night of Knox’s birthday.

For three days, Elena threw herself into planning Knox’s party. She also bought gifts for every birthday from age six to eighteen. He was still her flesh and blood. Even if they never saw each other again, she had a duty to provide for him until he was grown. Knox’s birthday arrived. The guests were many. Elena stood beside Asher, holding Knox’s hand, surrounded by the crowd. Every year, Knox had been bursting with excitement on his birthday. Today, he was subdued. He kicked at the grass. His head kept turning toward the estate entrance. Asher kept checking his Patek Philippe. Elena thought something about the party wasn’t right. Then a voice called from the gate. “Knox! Happy birthday!” Knox’s head snapped up. His eyes lit up. He shoved past Elena and ran. “Livvy!” Elena stumbled backward. She nearly fell. It took several steps to catch her balance. Knox didn’t notice. He threw himself into Olivia’s arms like a golden retriever puppy, his earlier gloom completely gone. “You finally came. I’ve been waiting forever.” Olivia pinched his cheek. “Traffic was awful. I’m sorry for making the birthday boy wait.” Asher walked toward Olivia, a rare smile softening his cold features. Elena stood in the crowd, her ankle throbbing. She watched her husband and son abandon her to circle Olivia. Her heart didn’t ache. Only a cold, ruthless hatred spread from her chest to her limbs. She should have known. Only Olivia could make them act like this. She was the “important person” Knox meant. The lively chatter around her died. Guests exchanged glances. Then the whispers started. “Who is that?” “You don’t know? The legendary ‘Paris ex.’ Looks like Asher’s planning a repeat of history.” “Elena’s a saint. If that were me, that matching hoodie would already be in shreds on his windshield.” “Shh. She’s looking over. It’s the kid’s birthday. Don’t make this awkward for her.” Elena pulled her gaze back. Her heart felt bitter. But there was no pain. After tonight, she would no longer be Mrs. Whitmore. Knox was already dragging Olivia around, showing off the party. “Livvy, these are my favorite Marvel heroes.” “These are all my pictures since I was born.” “This is my finger painting.” *** Asher walked beside them, his eyes carrying a faint, amused warmth. They circled the entire lawn before approaching Elena. “Livvy, this is…” Knox paused. “This is my mom.” Olivia’s expression stayed smooth. She ruffled Knox’s hair. “Elena, Knox is absolutely adorable. I’m so envious.” Elena smiled. “You’ll have one of your own someday.” After tonight, she would. Knox. Asher. Both of them. Knox had no interest in lingering near her. He pulled Olivia away. Asher moved to follow, but his gaze landed on Elena standing alone. She looked out of place in the festive atmosphere. His voice softened. “Elena, don’t overthink things. You’ve been working on this party all week. You look terrible. Go upstairs and rest. Olivia and I have Knox covered.” Elena lowered her eyes, hiding the mockery. He wanted to be with Olivia so openly that he’d send his wife—the child’s own mother—away from her son’s birthday party. She said nothing. She went upstairs. She was done wasting energy on things that didn’t matter. The butler called her down for the candle ceremony. Knox stood before the giant fondant cake in the center of the lawn, ready to make his wish. Olivia and Asher flanked him. Elena stopped at the sight. The picture of a perfect family. Anyone else joining would look like an intruder. Olivia spotted her. She smiled apologetically. “Elena, come stand over here.” She started to move away from Knox’s side. Knox’s small hands gripped Olivia’s dress. He wouldn’t let her go. “Mom, I want Livvy to stand next to me.” Asher glanced at Elena. “It’s Knox’s birthday. Let’s do what he wants. Don’t take it personally.” Elena stood still. She nodded calmly. She didn’t even want these two people anymore. Why would she care about some meaningless spot? Knox’s happiness was obvious. He closed his eyes and clasped his hands together. “I wish to grow up happy.” He paused. Then, in French, he added, “I also wish for Livvy to be my mom.”

The childish voice rang out clearly. Everyone heard it. Several guests spoke French. The expressions in the crowd shifted. Asher froze for a beat. Then his face smoothed over. “He’s been watching the French dub of The Little Prince. He picks up lines and misuses them.” Knox’s mouth turned down. He looked ready to argue. “But—” Elena stepped forward and cut him off. “This is your gift. It can make your wish come true.” She handed him the kraft paper envelope. Inside was the signed divorce agreement. She imagined this was the gift Knox wanted most. She paused. “There’s a key inside…” She had meant to tell him the gifts for ages six to eighteen were all in a bank safe deposit box. Every year, he just needed to open one in order. But Knox nodded dismissively before she could finish. “Thanks, Mom. Got it.” He didn’t believe her. A gift that could grant wishes? Just the kind of nonsense adults told kids. He tossed the envelope onto the gift pile. His eyes were full of expectation as he looked at Olivia. “Livvy, what did you get me?” Olivia pinched his cheek and pulled a gift from her Chanel bag. Three custom hoodies. In the center was a blown-up photo of the three of them at Six Flags Magic Mountain. “Remember that trip to Six Flags? I made us matching hoodies. Do you like them, Knox?” “Wow!” Knox gasped. He grabbed the hoodies and examined them. It looked like he wanted to put one on right that second. “I love them! I’m wearing this tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that!” The Whitmore family photographer arrived for the birthday portrait. Knox’s eyes brightened. He tugged at Asher’s sleeve. “Dad, let’s all put these on for the picture. You, me, and Livvy.” Asher, who only wore custom suits in public, didn’t refuse. The three of them changed. They looked exactly like a family. When it was time for the photo, Asher frowned at Elena. “Why aren’t you coming?” Elena looked at the three of them squeezed together in their matching hoodies. No room for anyone else. She forced a small smile. “I’m a little tired. You go ahead.” Asher thought nothing of it. He signaled the photographer. Olivia and Asher stood on either side of Knox. The photographer directed them to move closer. Inch by inch, their shoulders touched. They both flinched. Looked at each other. Asher’s normally cold eyes softened. A blush rose on Olivia’s cheeks. Knox stood in front of them, holding their hands, beaming. The guests whispered. “So the hundred-proposal legend is true. Someone’s getting a second act.” “I’d love to see how long the ‘Paris first love’ sticks around this time before she runs again.” “Poor Elena. Honestly, she should’ve planned her exit years ago. Those two never really ended things.” Elena heard it all. She suddenly remembered Asher’s proposal six years ago. No flowers. No ring. Not even a knee on the ground. Just seven short words at her apartment door. “Do you want to marry me?” Seven words. She had leaped into this marriage like a moth into a flame. Even after learning about Olivia, she held on, believing being his legal wife meant something. Believing he would eventually love her. It took six years to understand. A heart already claimed by someone else could never be warmed. No matter how hard she tried, the moment that person reappeared, she lost. Completely. She watched Asher’s gaze keep drifting to Olivia. A soft laugh escaped her. Soon. This marriage that never should have happened would be over.

Elena didn’t want to watch their happy scene any longer. She walked alone to the rose arbor in the back garden. Buzz. Her phone vibrated. She swiped up. A text message. *Dear Passenger, your flight departs in 8 hours. Please proceed to JFK International Airport for boarding.* The first genuine smile of the day spread across her face. She pocketed the phone and headed upstairs to pack. She’d only taken a few steps when she ran into Olivia. She stood blocking Elena’s path, smiling. “Elena, hiding out here? You’re the hostess. No slacking off.” Elena knew Olivia wasn’t as innocent as she pretended. The day she got back, Olivia had found a way to add her on Instagram. Then came the constant stories showing off her time with Asher and Knox. “Say what you came to say.” Olivia studied her for a long moment. Then she laughed. The mask fell away. “Fine. Direct it is.” “I just came back for what’s mine. What did you think you were these past six years? A convenient warm body and a babysitter. He proposed to me a hundred times. You got seven words. You really don’t see the difference?” Elena had already decided to leave this marriage. That didn’t mean she’d tolerate a third party’s taunts. Her voice went cold. “My marriage to Asher is none of your business.” Olivia examined her French manicure. “So what? I rejected him a hundred times and he still can’t forget me. You’ve seen it yourself. Asher loves me. Even your son wants me as his mother.” “I just said, ‘Get your mommy to eat peanut butter and I can be your mommy.’ And he actually did it.” She looked Elena up and down, contempt plain on her face. “Shame you’re so hard to kill. Would’ve been nice if you’d disappeared sooner.” Elena stared at Olivia in disbelief. Her nails bit into her palms. Rage burned in her chest. Olivia put Knox up to it. The peanut butter cup was her doing. “Olivia, how could you—” “You took my place!” Olivia’s cold voice cut her off. “Without you, I’d be Mrs. Whitmore right now.” She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Asher and Knox were heading toward the garden. Olivia’s venomous face instantly transformed into wounded innocence. “Elena, I know you’ve never liked me. But Asher and I are just old friends. Was it so wrong to come to Knox’s birthday?” Her eyes reddened. Her voice wobbled. Elena frowned. What was this sudden change? In the next instant, Olivia tore a rip in the hoodie. Before Elena could react, Olivia grabbed her wrist and yanked. “Ah—don’t!” Splash. Elena was dragged into the pool. She had nearly drowned in a backyard pool as a child. Water terrified her. It closed over her head, and she thrashed on instinct, fighting to stay above the surface. Splash! Asher had sprinted over and dove in without hesitation. Elena reached for him. “Help—” She watched him swim straight past her. Toward Olivia on the other side. He didn’t even look at her. From the pool deck, a panicked voice shouted, “Dad! Livvy’s over there! Get her out!” In that moment, Elena heard it. Her heart, already full of cracks, shattered into dust. In a life-or-death moment, the two of them still only cared about Olivia. Her strength was gone. She closed her eyes. The darkness swallowed her.

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Three years after I died, my husband came asking for my kidney again. He showed up at my old apartment with the donation papers. The unit had new tenants. Desperate, he tracked down the landlord. “Ivy? She’s dead. Died months ago. Something about a kidney transplant, couldn’t afford the anti-rejection meds. Infection took her,” the landlord told him. My husband didn’t believe it. He decided the landlord and I were running a con. His brows snapped together. “Cut the bullshit. It’s one kidney. Who the fuck dies from donating a kidney?” He squared his shoulders and turned to leave. His expensive Derby shoes hammered the floorboards, grinding his fury into the wood. The landlord watched him go and sighed. “The girl’s ashes are still at the funeral home. Her father hasn’t claimed them.” *** I drifted in the air. I watched Ashford Lynch shove through the apartment building door, jaw tight, each step meant to crush the floor beneath him. Three years. He still looked infuriatingly good. The cruelty around his mouth had only sharpened. “Ivy Shaw. I went to her unit. The new people said she moved.” Ashford was still fuming about the two new tenants who’d slammed the door in his face. He grabbed the landlord on his way out. The questions came like an indictment, like he was pouring every grievance he’d ever had onto this one old man. “Where is Ivy Shaw living now? Don’t tell me you don’t know.” The landlord was pushing seventy. The brute force of Ashford’s demand rattled him. He frowned. “Ivy Shaw? She…” “Spit it out,” Ashford said, his voice a blade. “I have urgent business with her.” “Your business doesn’t matter,” the landlord said, his voice flat. “Ivy’s dead. Something about a kidney transplant, couldn’t afford the anti-rejection meds afterward. A full-body infection took her.” “Wha… what? Dead?” Ashford’s face went rigid. The words didn’t land. But only for a moment. He rebuilt his sneer in seconds. “You two cooked this up together,” he said, pulling out his phone and stabbing at a voice message. “Let me play you something.” Whitney Vance’s voice spilled out. Soft. Calculated. Caring. “Ash, I spoke with the lead surgeon. The procedure went beautifully. Ivy moved to a regular room the next day. I know she’s always had issues with me… but I really hoped this time, for the sake of how far back we go, she wouldn’t disappear on you again. I’m just… scared. Terrified something might still go wrong.” Ashford finished listening. He shoved the screen in the landlord’s face. “You hear that? The doctors at Johns Hopkins said she was fine. You think this fairy tale is funny?” “Why would I lie?” The landlord’s face went pale. “Ivy is definitely…” “Shut up,” Ashford cut him off. “Ivy Shaw is a selfish, crazy bitch. Not only does she let people die, she hires actors to sell the lie. Whitney needs her kidney. What right does she have to hide?” “Young man, what is wrong with you?” the landlord said, his patience snapping. “The woman is dead. Stop making a scene.” Ashford wasn’t listening. His mind was a locked room with Whitney inside it. “Tell her this. If I don’t see her at NewYork-Presbyterian tomorrow, she’ll never see another dime of child support for that little brat.” He turned and walked. His Maison Margiela boots cracked against the floor like he wanted to split the boards with his rage. The landlord watched his back disappear. He shook his head. His voice dropped to a murmur. “The girl’s ashes are still at the funeral home. Her father hasn’t claimed them.” *** I floated in the hallway. The words hit me like the cold of the morgue, seeping through my transparent body. I saw the little blanket I’d knitted for Luna, sitting alone on a nameless shelf, covered in dust. Luna. My daughter. She died without her mother ever looking back at her. Ashford was outside now. He pulled out his phone and dialed Whitney. His voice went soft in an instant. “Whit, don’t worry. I’ll make Ivy donate that kidney. If she tries to hide, I’ll make sure she never sees that little thing again.” On the other end, Whitney coughed weakly. Her voice dripped with false concern. “Ash, don’t be too hard on her… she is still your wife. On paper, at least.” Ashford laughed. “Wife? She wishes. If your family hadn’t moved to the West Coast, do you think I ever would’ve married a venomous woman like her?” I floated behind him, listening. My soul shuddered. So that’s what I was to him. I didn’t even deserve the word wife.

“Mommy…” A small voice pulled me from the ache. I looked down. Luna was floating beside me. Her tiny hand tugged at the edge of my shirt. She tilted her face up. Her big eyes were full of confusion. “Why does Daddy call me ‘that little thing’? Does he not like me?” My chest seized. I shook my head. “No. Of course Daddy likes you.” “Then why has Daddy never come to the preschool picnic?” Luna’s lip quivered. Her voice shrank. “All the other kids have their daddies there…” My throat closed. I couldn’t speak. The memories rushed in. Ashford and I did love each other once. Real love. We met in college, at an entrepreneurship competition. Like something scripted. Instant. Irreversible. The dating. The wedding. It all felt inevitable. I still remember the first pregnancy test. My hands were shaking around that plastic stick. I threw myself into his arms. Shy. Electric. “Ash, we’re going to be parents.” He held me so tight. He whispered in my ear about his deepest childhood scar. Being abandoned by his father. He swore he would be the best father in the world. He would never abandon anyone. I believed him. I thought I had found the love of my life. I was four months pregnant when Whitney came back from the London School of Economics. Back to New York. He got the call and dropped his glass of Jack Daniel’s on the floor. He was that excited. I’d heard the name before, here and there. I told myself it was the past. He’d chosen me. He’d married me. He would know where the line was. He would protect our family. I was wrong. After that call, he went cold. He started finding excuses to leave. Then he just started leaving. Early mornings. Late nights. Then no nights at all. The worst moment came when he booked me an appointment to terminate the pregnancy. He wanted me to get rid of the baby. That killed whatever was left. The man I loved was dead. But the child inside me was innocent. I could lose my husband. I would not lose my child. That baby was mine. Nobody would take her from me. “I’m having this baby. You can leave. But you will never make me sign those papers.” He backed down. Not out of love. I threatened to tell his father. Ashford’s greatest terror in life was becoming the man who raised him. After that, he always smelled like someone else’s perfume. Seven months in, a car hit me. Luna came early. She lay in the NICU, so tiny, so fragile, like a little kitten. He never came. Whitney had him trapped. He didn’t visit once. She told him the baby didn’t make it. She lied. He believed her. He even looked relieved. I will never forget the words he said. “That’s probably for the best. Whitney doesn’t like kids. We can start over.” That was the moment. The final freeze. I took Luna home in secret. I decided he would never know the truth. I was terrified that his idea of love would lead him to hurt my child. But fate is cruel. Luna was eighteen months old when Ashford ran into us at Bloomingdale’s. He froze in place. His face went white. He charged at me with no facts, just fury. “Ivy Shaw, whose kid is that? You’ve been seeing someone else?” I begged him to understand she was our daughter. He refused to listen. Whitney was there, fanning the flames. “Ash, her eyes look nothing like yours. How could she possibly be yours?” From that day on, he called Luna “that little thing.” I showed him the birth certificate. He said it was proof I’d cheated. “Mommy?” Luna’s voice pulled me back. She tilted her head. “Why are you crying?” I realized my soul was shaking. Ghosts can still feel heartache. Good to know. I crouched to hold her. My arms closed around nothing. “Luna, Daddy doesn’t dislike you. He just… forgot.” “Then let’s go tell him.” Luna’s eyes went bright. “We’ll tell him I’m his daughter. He’ll remember.” I looked at her face, so full of hope. My chest burned with words I couldn’t say. Ashford’s phone rang. Whitney’s weak voice spilled from the speaker. “Ash, my creatinine is over 600. The doctor says I need the surgery by tomorrow.” Ashford gripped the phone. His eyes went hard. “Don’t worry. I’ll turn this whole city upside down. I will find Ivy Shaw.” I floated there, watching them. Father and daughter. One full of hope. One full of hate. A force grabbed me. Invisible. Magnetic. It pulled me after Ashford’s car. My soul was still tethered to this cruel man. No escape yet.

I followed Ashford to the hospital. My transparent body passed through the walls. I hovered by the door. Whitney lay in the bed. Her face was paper-white. She saw him walk in. Her hand lifted, fragile. “Ash…” Tears fell from his eyes instantly. He threw himself to the bedside and gripped her hand. “Whit, don’t be scared. I will save you.” I floated near the ceiling, watching. The heat from the ICU vents passed right through me. I felt nothing. Last time he demanded my kidney, it was the same scene. Whitney in the bed, playing fragile. Him drowning in pity. I was in the next room, my body screaming from the surgery. He didn’t even glance at my door. Love and its absence. Impossible to hide. “Ash, about the kidney…” Whitney’s voice was soft. Her eyes were full of expectation. His face twitched. His gaze slid away. “I… I haven’t found her yet.” She understood immediately. She gave a bitter little smile and arranged her face into something generous. “Maybe we should stop. She hates me for taking you away. I understand why she wouldn’t want to save me. This life with you has been enough. I just hope we find each other sooner in the next one.” Ashford shattered at her words. He gripped the sheets. “I won’t let you die. I’ll tear apart all of Manhattan. I will find her. And if I can’t, I’ll find someone else.” He wiped his face. He walked out without looking back. I followed him out of the hospital. He drove straight to the children’s hospital. The one where Luna spent her life. He stormed into the inpatient wing. He shoved his phone at the front desk nurse. An old photo of Luna. He forced his voice calm. “My daughter. Luna Lynch. What room is she in?” The nurse checked the computer. Her face changed. “Sir… Luna Lynch… she passed away three years ago.” “Don’t waste my time. Take me to her.” He slammed the desk. The nurse jumped back. “Sir, the child did pass away three years ago. Her medical records state…” “Bullshit.” That word was a trigger. Ashford exploded. He swept a rack of patient files off the counter. They crashed to the floor. “You’re all in on it with Ivy Shaw. She’s alive. Last time she…” His voice died. He couldn’t pinpoint when “last time” was. Security rushed in. They grabbed him. Dragged him toward the door. Ashford struggled, wild, screaming. “Liars. All of you. Give me my daughter. I need her to make Ivy Shaw give up her kidney.” They threw him out the front doors. He landed on the steps, a mess. I floated behind him. His carefully styled hair was a wreck. His custom suit was covered in grime. The irony was suffocating. He had no idea his wife was dead. He didn’t even care that his own child was gone. There was only one person in his world. Whitney. He cursed under his breath. Then an idea hit him. He grabbed his phone. “O’Brien. I’m suing NewYork-Presbyterian. They’re colluding with Ivy Shaw.” The voice on the other end tried to soothe him. Ashford just got louder. “I’m not crazy. My daughter is alive. Ivy paid off the hospital.” I floated in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot. The tragedy of it was almost funny. He still didn’t know that the “little thing” he kept cursing was his own flesh and blood. He hung up. He wobbled to his feet. His mouth kept moving. “It’s fine. I have other options. Whitney needs the kidney. Ivy will show herself.” A smile cracked his face. Wrong. Unhinged. “Yes. She cares so much about that kid. I’ll just use the kid as leverage.” I watched his unraveling. And I understood. In his eyes, me and Luna would never matter. Not compared to Whitney. Not ever.

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I knelt in the snow, forced to kowtow—ninety-eight times already today. Three years ago, there was an avalanche. Kael Hawthorne decided I cut the rope that left his first love paralyzed. This was his punishment for me. Now he stood on the ridge with Lily’s wheelchair parked at the highest point, looking down at me. “One more left,” he said. “Do that and get on your knees and lick the snow off her shoes. Then you’re done.” The crowd of heirs laughed. Black cards came out. Bets were placed. “One million says she’ll lick Lily’s boots till they shine — just for his forgiveness.” “Two million!” “Plus five hundred thousand!” Everyone expected me to crawl like I always did. For love. For him. Instead, I unbuckled my knee pads and threw them off the cliff. “Kael. I’m not begging you anymore.” Just now, I got a text: My brother Ryan died. He sold blood on the black market to pay off the compensation money they said I owed. The infection got him. I have nothing left to lose. Time for someone else to kneel in the snow. … The crowd went quiet for a second. Then someone snorted. “Oh, new trick? Throwing things instead of kneeling?” “I’ll bet she’ll crawl back in ten minutes.” “Not just that, She’ll kneel. It’s her ninety-ninth time asking for forgiveness.” In the middle of all the noise, Lily’s voice cut through. “Zoe, don’t be stupid. The wind’s crazy out here. You’ll freeze to death and ruin the whole party.” She sat in her wheelchair, looking at me with soft, worried eyes. What a snake. Then, Kael. He nodded to his assistant. A cup of hot ginger tea appeared in front of me. “Your hands are split open. Here, drink first. You’re paying for what you did, but I’m not trying to actually kill you.” I didn’t take the tea. Even the wind ripped snow across my face. Even blood soaked through my pants, frozen stiff. His face darkened. A note of warning crept into his voice. “Zoe. Just do the last one. Then we’re done. I’ll give you what you want.” Give me what I want? Can he bring Ryan back? The red string on my wrist was broken. Ryan tied it there. Now only a small piece of thread was left. I tucked my hands into my sleeves. “No.” Silence. Then— Bang！ Glass shattered against stone. The sound came sharp and final. “Fine. Don’t take it. Suit yourself.” Kael didn’t even look at me anymore. He just tucked Lily’s blanket tighter around her. “Are you cold, Lily? Do you want to head back to the tent?” She tugged his sleeve. “I’m okay. I’m just worried about Zoe. Her brother’s still down the mountain waiting for her. Don’t be too hard on her.” My fingers curled into a fist inside my pocket. “He died. Just now.” A pause. The laughter stopped for a second. Then someone scoffed. “Here we go again.” “Last time she said her foster mom was dying. Time before that, the orphanage was starving.” “Now her brother’s dead? What’s she going to come up with next? It’s really unlucky to be her family.” “Enough.” Kael frowned. He took a napkin from the server and held it out to me. “Zoe, don’t joke about your family. That’s not you.” I pulled my phone from my inside pocket—hand shaking. The photo of the death certificate had blurred. The melted snow had gotten to it first. He barely glanced at it. Then he laughed and tossed it back at my chest. “Seriously, Zoe? You’re getting really good at this.” “Lily’s legs were hurting again yesterday, I just held back the payment to cheer her up. Are you really making a fuss over this?” “Just one day. There’s no way he’s dead.” I looked at him. My throat closed up — like it was stuffed with bloody cotton. One day. That one day, Ryan was bleeding everywhere. Curled up in his hospital bed. Too weak to even scream. I went to every hospital on my knees to raise the money for his treatment. I had no pride left. But Ryan saw me. His big sister who he thought was too good to bow to anyone. He saw me begging. Today, while I was on my knees, begging Kael for his medical bills—he dragged himself to the roof. And he jumped. Now Kael was looking at me like he was doing me a favor. “Alright, that’s the end of your punishment.” “Once we’re down from the snowy mountain, I’ll arrange for your younger brother to receive treatment abroad.” I laughed. Bitterly. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter anymore.” The air froze. “What did you just say?” He frowned, like I was a child throwing a tantrum. “Zoe, stop being so dramatic. You’re just—” He stopped himself, let out a cold laugh, like he’d just realized he was wasting his breath. “Forget it. Why am I even talking to someone like you.” “It’s freezing out here. Lily didn’t bring enough clothes. Take off your jacket and put it under her feet.” I looked down at the jacket I was wearing. Ryan had saved up for three months to buy it for my birthday. “The mountain wind is strong. Wear this so you won’t be cold,” he’d said. He was wrong. I was still cold. Freezing. But the colder I got, the more I wanted to hold on to this one small piece of warmth. “No.” I stepped back. For one stupid second, I actually thought I could keep it. That I could protect this one last thing Ryan left me. The next second, the guards were already on me. Ripping it off. “No—” It didn’t matter. Nothing I did mattered. Within seconds, the last jacket Ryan ever gave me was lying on the ground under Lily’s feet. Snow and mud soaked into it, turned it gray. The cold air hit my skin. It felt like knives. I let out a laugh. A cold one. Empty. Ryan was gone. And now this jacket — the last thing he touched, the last thing he gave me — couldn’t protect me anymore. There was nothing left. So I had nothing left to lose. Good.

Not many people knew this—but when Lily first came to the city, I was the one who brought her into Kael’s circle. She was a nobody. People made fun of her for being poor. I stood in front of her every time. Then she became everyone’s darling. And I became the monster who ruined her legs. A small receipt fell out of my jacket pocket. It landed face up in the snow. And Ryan’s handwriting was on it. “Zoe. Take care of yourself. Don’t always make me worry.” Tears flooded my eyes instantly. I bent down to pick it up. Lily flinched like I was about to attack her. Kael stepped in front of her automatically. He grabbed my wrist. “What are you doing? You already hurt her once. You want to do it again right in front of me?” I looked at where his fingers were digging into my skin. “Let go. I’m picking up the last thing my brother left me.” He paused. His grip loosened. I picked the wet receipt out of the snow. Then footsteps came running up the path. A man ran over carrying a worn cloth bag. “Anyone here named Zoe Ray?” “The funeral home down the mountain asked me to bring this. It’s the deceased’s belongings.” Every eye turned to the bag. I reached for it. The tips of my fingers touched the fabric. A short piece of old rope slipped out through a tear in the bag. It was old. Frayed. The fibers were stained a dark red that wouldn’t wash out. Kael grabbed the rope before I could. Three years ago, on the north slope of Mount Delsin, an avalanche hit. Me, Kael, Lily — all three of us got swept down the ridge. When we woke up, Lily couldn’t walk. Everyone said I cut the rope to save myself. Lily’s voice shook. “Zoe… why do you still have that?” One of the heirs slapped his leg. “See? Only guilty people keep the evidence.” The others nodded along. I didn’t care about their laughing. I stared at that rope. Back then, I was unconscious. Ryan went to the rescue station and picked up everything they’d collected from the site. Everyone was so quick to blame me. Only Ryan didn’t believe it. He kept that rope. He said one day it would prove I wasn’t guilty. “Give it back,” I said. “That’s Ryan’s.” Kael’s fingers paused on the dark stain. His brow twitched. Then he smiled coldly. “Stop using your brother as an excuse. This is evidence. You’re not getting it.” “You said you already investigated this three years ago.” He pause, then glanced at me. “I did. But that doesn’t mean you get to touch it.” I lunged for it. He stepped back and grabbed my cracked wrist with his other hand. Not hard. “Stop. You’ll tear your wounds open.” “That’s my brother’s.” He let go. Put the rope in his jacket pocket. “That’s to make you face what you did—not to let you keep lying to yourself.” lying to myself? Wasn’t it because he just doesn’t believe me at all?” When the avalanche hit, Lily’s left leg got tangled in the secondary rope. It was bleeding everywhere. I cut the secondary rope. But when I woke up, she said it was my fault. Kael said, “Lily wouldn’t lie about her own legs.” He turned and walked back to her. The wind blew ashes from the campfire onto my arms. My jacket was still under Lily’s feet. She glanced down at it. The corner of her mouth twitched. “Kael, Zoe’s hands are freezing. Can someone get her a coat?” He nodded. An assistant brought me a jacket. “No.” I walked back to the cloth bag and crouched down to look through Ryan’s things. A few old clothes. A pair of shoes with the soles worn flat. A notebook with “expenses” written on the cover. And a photo. Ryan standing in front of a blood donation bus. Giving a thumbs up to the camera. Grinning. His cheeks were sunken. His chin was sharp. But his smile was the same. I pressed the photo to my chest. My nails dug into my palms. Don’t cry. My tears would just be something else for them to bet on. I tied the bag shut and stood up. “Zoe.” Lily’s voice stopped me. She looked down at her legs. Then she smiled. “You know what I hate most about these three years?” She looked up at me. No more weakness in her eyes. Just pure satisfaction. “I hate that you ruined my legs but you still get to walk right up to Kael on your own two feet.” Ten thousand kowtows? That’s far from enough. Today, you’re going to…” She pointed at the wet snow beneath her wheelchair. “Kneel. Crawl to my feet. You took my legs three years ago. Today, you pay with your dignity.” The campfire lit up her innocent face. Kael stood behind her. He didn’t say no. “What if I don’t?” I asked. I’m sick of this never-ending paying back. Kael was quiet for a few seconds. Finally he said. “Then next month’s winter supplies for the orphanage… I’ll have to rethink it.” I froze. Winter on the plateau. Thirty below. Twenty-seven kids in the orphanage. The youngest was four years old. Not enough blankets. Not enough medicine. Not enough coal to last until spring. For years, Kael controlled everything that kept me alive under the name of punishment. He decided when to give and when to take away. Now, the same old trick. And I…I have no choice.

The path was covered in thin ice that cracked under every step. I pushed Lily’s wheelchair down the gravel road. Every time my knees bent, the old wounds opened up again. Three years of prostrations. The wounds healed and broke and healed again. My skin wasn’t normal anymore. Kael walked behind me. Two steps back. He sent someone to bring me knee pads. “Take it easy. I didn’t tell you to crawl while you push.” Someone called out from behind. “Kael’s going soft. I’d make her crawl.” Kael glanced back at him. “Punishment isn’t torture. It’s to make her remember what she did.” Remember what I did? I heard that for three years. And I was sick of it. At the bend in the path, the wind got stronger. I leaned down and pushed. “That jacket of yours. The fabric’s pretty thick.” Lily suddenly chimed in. She didn’t turn around. “How many times did your brother sell blood to afford it?” My steps stopped. Her voice was casual. “Is that even worth one pair of my shoes?” I stopped pushing. For a second, I thought about reaching for her throat — but my fingers were cramping so badly I couldn’t even grip the wheelchair handles. “What’s wrong?” Kael walked up. Lily’s eyes went red. Her voice went soft and weak. “Kael, I was just trying to make Zoe feel better. But I guess I said the wrong thing. Now she’s mad at me…” Kael looked at both of us. Then—calm and steady—he said it. “Zoe. Apologize to Lily.” Apologize to her. For what? The words stuck in my throat. Not because I couldn’t say them. Because saying them never worked. For three years, every time Lily stabbed me first then played victim in front of Kael, the ending was the same. I was always the one apologizing. I gripped the handles of the wheelchair. Think of the children in the orphanage. I told myself quietly. Then I lowered my head. “I’m sorry.” Lily tilted her head. “Sorry, Zoe. The wind’s loud. I didn’t catch that.” “I’m sorry!” Lily smiled. Satisfied. Like she’d been waiting a long time for me to break. Once, she had nothing. Not even a decent coat. I gave her my clothes. My connections. My time. Now, her favorite thing was watching me apologize on my knees. She tucked her blanket tighter and said, soft and sweet, “See, Zoe? If you had just behaved, this would’ve been so much easier.” The heirs behind us were already talking. Saying I must still love Kael. Why else would I listen? Was that it? Did I still love him? After all of this? I pushed the wheelchair forward two steps. And I asked— “Kael.” “Yeah.” “All those times I apologized… did you ever actually hear me once?” The wind howled. He didn’t answer. “Forget it,” I said. “It doesn’t matter.” I kept pushing. At four in the afternoon, the sky went dark fast. Once the sun went down on the plateau, the temperature dropped toward forty below. I pushed Lily back to the camp and stopped at her tent. She turned her head to look at me. Her mouth opened. But Kael spoke first. He stood at the tent opening. Still looking down at me. “Zoe.” His eyes went over my frozen blue hands. My scabbed knees. Like he was giving me one last piece of patience. “Stop being difficult. Do what I say and I’ll stop looking into what happened with Lily. And you won’t have to worry about your brother’s medical bills anymore.” My fingers curled tight. He thought I was giving in. His voice got softer. “I’ll send someone to the hospital. Best doctors. Best medicine. Overseas treatment too. I’ll arrange it.” “But you have to stop upsetting Lily.” The wind scraped my throat raw. I could almost taste blood. He said it so easily. He didn’t know Ryan didn’t need doctors or medicine anymore. Lily tugged his sleeve from her wheelchair. “Kael. I’m cold. Let’s go inside.” The tent flap fell closed. I stood there. The wind cut through my throat like a dull knife. My phone buzzed in my pocket. The funeral home. “Ms. Ray. Your brother Ryan’s ashes are ready for pickup. He asked that they be given to you personally. He said he owes you a trip home.” The call ended. I looked out at the snow. Ryan. Wait for me. I’m coming to get you.

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I am the most noble Phoenix Princess. The dragon I choose will become the next Dragon King. In my past life, I chose Aldric—my childhood sweetheart. I risked my life to help him survive the lethal Storm Trial and personally supported him as he ascended the throne. But on the day of his coronation, he tore my Soulstone from my chest—all for a Magpie. “If it weren’t for getting my hands on your Soulstone to help Lysara become the Phoenix Princess—” “Why else would I wed a bitch like you!” I collapsed in a pool of my own blood and watched him kneel on one knee, offering my Soulstone to Lysara. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn—back to the night of the Choosing. Dragon King Fenric was asking for my decision. Then Aldric cut in: “Father, I know Seraphina is fond of me. But my heart belongs only to Lysara. I want Lysara to become my Queen!” The hall erupted. Every eye stabbed into me like a needle. But I simply looked at Fenric and answered calmly: “Your Majesty, I’ve already made my choice.” Our gazes met, and I saw it—the certainty, the smugness in Aldric’s eyes. I knew then: he had been reborn too. He thought I would cling to him again, just like before. But on my wedding night in this life, it was Aldric who knelt through the entire night. Begging me to come back to him. …… …… The agony of having my Soulstone ripped from my chest nearly tore me in two. But just as I thought it was all over, the pain vanished. My eyes flew open. The clothes on my back were drenched in cold sweat. “Seraphina?” “Have you decided? Who will you choose as your husband?” That voice. This scene. I had been reborn—back to the night of the Dragon Clan’s Choosing Ceremony. “Your Majesty, I’d like to—” Before I could finish, another voice cut in ahead of me. “Father.” Aldric stepped forward from the ranks of Princes and dropped to one knee. “I know Seraphina is fond of me. But my heart belongs only to Lysara. I have sworn before the gods—if I betray her, my soul will twist into a demon, never to find peace!” Gasps nearly blew the roof off the great hall. King Fenric’s expression darkened like the sky before a tempest. The Princes who had been enjoying the show from the sidelines all whipped their heads around to stare at Aldric. Everyone knew: whomever the Phoenix Princess chose would receive her full support through the Storm Trial. Pass the trial, and you become the next King. What Aldric had just said was tantamount to publicly renouncing the throne. In an instant, every other candidate stirred with barely concealed ambition. But then Aldric spoke again. “However—I know Seraphina can’t live without me. I can marry her, so long as Lysara stands beside her as my wife. They will both be my Queens.” “Enough!” King Fenric roared, and in the next heartbeat Aldric was flung to the ground. “Lysara? A Magpie dares stand as equal to the Phoenix Princess? If she had the audacity to manipulate you into swearing before the gods—then I’ll kill her, and the oath dies with her!” A flash of resentment crossed Aldric’s eyes. He turned to me immediately. There was no plea in his gaze, no guilt—only impatience, looking down at me as though I were beneath him. “Why are you just standing there? Haven’t you always wanted to marry me? Here’s your chance!” “You’ve taken so much from Lysara. If she weren’t generous enough to overlook it, I’d never have agreed to let you share the title of Queen. You should be on your knees in gratitude!” That condescension, that certainty—it told me everything in an instant. He had been reborn too. He thought I would be just as before. That I would endure any humiliation, pay any price—even my life. How funny. Lysara. A Magpie. Daring to provoke a phoenix. The year I was born, the God-War erupted. The Phoenix Clan suffered devastating losses, and every egg was scattered. Our people searched desperately, and in their haste, they brought back the infant Lysara by mistake, raising her as one of our own blood. For a hundred years, she enjoyed everything that should have been mine. It wasn’t until the day we could reveal our true forms that my Father and Mother discovered they had been nurturing an imposter. Mother was merciful. She didn’t banish Lysara—instead, she allowed her to remain in the kingdom, enjoying privileges far above her bloodline. But Lysara was never satisfied. She even manipulated Aldric into making a public spectacle on her behalf. Now, the dragon clan’s Elderblood had been dwindling for generations. Because of this, every Dragon King opened succession beyond direct lineage. Wyrms, Serpents, Drakes, Wyverns—these lesser branches of Dragonkin could all compete alongside the King’s own children, the Princes. Anyone who could withstand the Nine Divine Thunders on the Storm Altar would inherit the throne. And bonding with the Phoenix Princess didn’t just guarantee survival through that near-fatal trial—it would vastly elevate the purity of their descendants’ bloodline. Only the King knew these details. To the outside world, the rule was simple: whomever the Phoenix Princess chose would be the next King. Aldric’s words today amounted to a public insult against the entire Phoenix Clan. If the Phoenix Clan severed ties with the dragons over this, the dragon bloodline would be doomed. King Fenric clearly understood this. His cold gaze swept over Aldric before turning to me, his tone softening in a rare display of consideration. “Seraphina, you can do whatever you want with him—so long as it eases your anger.” “King Fenric.” I lifted my gaze to meet his. “I’ve already decided who I’ll marry.”

Every eye in the hall converged on me. But I didn’t look at any of them. I walked straight to King Fenric and, using a private cipher, whispered the name—and my entire plan. Surprise flickered in Fenric’s eyes. After a moment of silence, he nodded. “If you’ve made your decision… very well. I’ll arrange everything.” Then he turned to Aldric, his voice ice-cold once more: “You will remain in confinement until you’ve reflected on your actions. Before the wedding, I don’t want to hear of any more incidents.” A slow, satisfied smile crept across Aldric’s face. The look he gave me said it plainly—I knew it. You’d give in eventually.. I didn’t bother with him. My gaze drifted to the far corner of the hall. There, half-hidden in shadow, stood a man dressed in black. The two horns on his head were slight and dark—nothing like the blood-soaked man who had fought to avenge me in my previous life. King Fenric kept me behind for a few private words. By the time I emerged from the great hall, Aldric was still there. And beside him stood a woman in white. Lysara. When she saw me, her eyes reddened just so, and she stepped forward. “Seraphina… thank you. If my parents were still alive… they’d be so happy for us.” She reached up and dabbed at the corner of her eye. The performance was pitch-perfect—just enough sorrow to tug at one’s heartstrings without tipping into melodrama. Aldric immediately pulled her into his arms. “Why are you thanking her?” He looked down at Lysara, voice gentle. “You’re the only one I want to marry. She’s the one who should be grateful. If it weren’t for your kindness, I’d never have agreed to let her share the title of Queen.” But the moment he turned to me, his eyes held nothing but ice. “Lysara’s parents died because of you. She’s been gracious enough to accept you—don’t you think you owe her some Sacred Crystals as compensation?” Years ago, Lysara’s parents had found me and raised me as their own, caring for me with nothing but love—until an outing when a monstrous beast attacked, killing them both. The shock had ignited the phoenix fire dormant within me, and ultimately led the Phoenix Clan to find me. In my previous life, I had always carried crushing guilt toward Lysara over this. I yielded to her at every turn. It wasn’t until the moment before my death that she finally smiled and told me the truth—she had lured that beast there herself. To kill me, she had murdered her own parents. I stared at them in silence, then let out a cold laugh. “You’ve given her plenty of Sacred Crystals already. That wasn’t enough?” Back when I loved him, I always wanted to give him the best of everything. Every Sacred Crystal I carefully selected and placed in his hands would inevitably appear in Lysara’s chambers the very next day. He clearly remembered this too. But there wasn’t a shred of guilt in his eyes—only self-righteous indignation. “Those were nothing.” “Give your Soulstone to Lysara.” In that instant, the memory of him prying open my chest in my past life crashed over me like a tidal wave— “Do you have any idea what it means to surrender a Soulstone?” My voice dropped low. “Without my Soulstone, my spirit will wither completely. I could die.” Aldric’s gaze darkened. “Don’t be so dramatic. Besides, we’re about to be married—what’s yours is mine. Hand the Soulstone to Lysara, and I guarantee nothing will happen to you. If you refuse, then don’t expect me to marry you!” I fixed him with a stare. Killing intent surged through my veins, and my fingertips began to burn. Phoenix fire stirred beneath my skin, straining to break free. Lysara’s face drained of color, inch by inch. She began to tremble, her knees threatening to buckle. Even Aldric’s expression was going rigid. He straightened his spine, trying to resist, but fine beads of sweat gathered at his temples. If I wanted, I could reduce him and that Magpie to ash in a single heartbeat. But at the last moment, I forced the fire back down. Death would be too easy for him. I wanted him to watch himself lose everything. “Seraphina!” Aldric recovered and lunged at me in a surge of humiliated fury, reaching for my throat. “How dare you—” And then. “Princess, King Fenric has sent me to escort you.”

I turned my head. It was the black Jiao. He hadn’t yet become a true dragon, and yet even as I released my pressure, his expression remained perfectly composed. At the same time, his form of address reminded everyone present exactly who I was. Watching Aldric force down his rage, I withdrew my power and offered him a thin smile. “Let’s go.” “Wait.” Aldric stepped forward, blocking the path, completely ignoring Lysara who was nearly collapsing beside him. His eyes fixed on us with undisguised displeasure. “What could you possibly have to say to this low-born black serpent??” He was the man I had chosen—my future husband. Naturally, we had more to discuss than I could count. But I only spared Aldric a cold glance: “If you’re so idle, perhaps you should spend your time preparing for the Storm Trial in five days.” Five days from now, the Storm Altar Trial would commence. Every Lesser Dragonkin who aspired to become a true dragon could ascend the altar. Withstand the Nine Divine Thunders, and you would be transformed in a single moment. But the force of the Divine Thunders was terrifying beyond measure. The slightest misstep, and the challenger would be annihilated on the spot. Because of this, the vast majority of Lesser Dragonkin chose to undergo the trial in stages, across multiple attempts. In my previous life, with my Soulstone and protection, Aldric had become the first being in ten thousand years to pass all nine Divine Thunders in a single attempt. His name had resounded throughout the divine realms. And now, he displayed a confidence wholly disproportionate to his actual abilities. “A few bolts of lightning—nothing more. None of the Lesser Dragonkin this time are a match for me.” He paused, then added: “In five days, just sit tight and wait for me to come claim you as my bride.” A flash of bitter jealousy slid through Lysara’s eyes. But I merely watched them with cold detachment, then turned and walked away beside Kael. Only when Aldric’s voice had faded entirely behind us did I stop. “Kael. Fenric told you everything?” He raised his head to look at me. In those pitch-black eyes, something close to obsession was burning. The next moment, he pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed his head with solemn gravity. “Princess Seraphina.” “I swear upon my soul—if I ever betray you in this life, let me be cast into demonhood, never to know peace.” A soul oath. Once forged, the gods would shred the soul of anyone who broke it. No one made such a vow lightly—unless he were willing to die for you. My heartbeat stumbled. I reached up and unclasped the Phoenix Sigil from my neck—the token a Phoenix Princess bestows upon her husband. Then I leaned forward and fastened it against his chest. “I believe you.” He looked down at the sigil. His throat bobbed once. When he raised his eyes again, they blazed with an intensity that startled me. I turned and continued walking. Before I even reached the door of my quarters, Finch came rushing out. “Princess! They’re cutting down your Ash Tree!” My head snapped up. I hurried into the inner courtyard—and froze. The Ash Tree had been severed at its roots. The trunk lay on the ground, its leaves still green. My mother had given me this tree when I left the Phoenix Clan. She told me that as long as I could see the Ash Tree, I was home. One hundred years. I had spent a hundred years nurturing it with my own hands, watering it day after day, coaxing it into a towering giant. And destroying it had taken only a moment. Aldric stood beside the shattered stump, fragments of leaves still clinging to the hem of his robes. “What gave you the right to cut down my tree?” My voice shook with fury. “It’s just a tree. It’s done.” Aldric’s face was pure contempt. “Lysara likes Bloodvine. From today on, only Bloodvine will be planted here.” “This is my home.” I laughed coldly. “I’ll plant whatever I damn well please. Who are you to dictate what grows in my space?” He glared at me with venom. “What’s yours is mine! I was simply making arrangements ahead of time! Seraphina, if you keep up this arrogance, then even if you got on your knees and begged, I would never consider marrying you!” After saying this, he searched my face for a flicker of panic or softening. He found nothing. His tone immediately shifted, smoothing itself out: “Of course, as long as you behave, I’ll live with you after the wedding—and you’ll bear the first pure-blooded heir for the dragon clan! That’s the highest honor there is!” I finally lost all patience. I clenched my fist, gathered my power, and in the next instant he went staggering out of my quarters. “Aldric, stop dreaming. My husband will never be you!” He didn’t believe me, of course. In the instant before the door closed, the triumphant smile on his face was identical to the one from my past life: “If not me, who? Father said he’d be arranging a wedding!” He didn’t know. The wedding King Fenric had mentioned was indeed his. Only…the bride would be a Magpie. Five days later. The Storm Altar. Everyone participating in the trial had gathered here. And this time, Lysara had come along as well. Actually, a Magpie of negligible power had no business being a spectator. Every gaze in attendance flickered between us. Aldric spotted me from across the grounds and strode over immediately. “Seraphina, you’ve prepared to shield me, I assume.” “Lysara will be at my side today. And afterward, I’ll take good care of you too.” I said nothing. He didn’t seem to care, his gaze sweeping over the nervous candidates with unconcealed disdain. But the next second, his expression shifted from arrogance to fury. He marched toward Kael, chest heaving. “The Phoenix Sigil—why is it on you?!”

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In my last life, my husband cut me open and threw me to the sea—on the same night he was waltzing with another woman. It was only after every woman and child on the island had been violated and slaughtered by the Morettis that the men finally believed me. The raid was real. Bodies were scattered across the courtyard like broken dolls. The men stood frozen in the blood. And then, all at once, they snapped. “Boss, didn’t you tell us Wren was just a jealous wife throwing a tantrum? That she was lying so we’d focus on Celeste’s birthday? Then tell me—why is my son dead? Why is my wife gone?” Lucien’s face turned to chalk. I looked at the slaughter at our feet, and the tears came. That night, when the Morettis had hit the island, my husband—the heir of the Vitale family—had taken every armed man out to sea. To throw a birthday party for his childhood sweetheart. Pregnant, I had crawled out through the sewers to find him. Dragged every man back to save what was left of our people. But his precious Celeste had been caught by a stray Moretti. Violated. Killed. Lucien handled the men responsible without a word. And then, on the day I gave birth to our daughter— He broke my legs. Cut me open. Threw me into the deep waters off the Sicilian coast, for the fish to feed on. “It was your fault. You dragged the Morettis here to kill her? Then you’ll die the way she did.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the raid. If he wanted to save his childhood sweetheart this time, let him try. * * * I stood at the window and watched the black speedboats cut toward the shore. A cold shiver crawled up my spine. I didn’t hesitate. I hit the alarm. The siren tore through Isola Nera. But the yacht—the one that could carry every woman and child off the island—was already gone. Anita Russo stumbled into the hall, her voice breaking. “Wren—the Morettis are coming. Where are the men? Where’s the yacht? What are we supposed to do?” Anita was Marco Russo’s wife. Marco was Lucien’s right hand—the man set to become the Vitales’ Underboss. And Anita was the only woman in this family who had ever treated me like a sister. Before I could answer, the others crowded in around me. Faces pale. Eyes pleading. I was the only one who knew. So I told them. Lucien had taken every man and every weapon out to international waters. To throw Celeste’s birthday party. Lucien’s mother, Donna Isabella, let out a string of curses sharp enough to draw blood. “Has he lost his goddamn mind? He knows the Morettis hit this rock every chance they get—and he took every fucking man with him?” “That conniving bitch Celeste—I warned him from day one. Playing the fragile little angel. Now look. She’s going to get us all killed.” Her fury was a match to dry grass. The other women caught flame. Curses for Celeste. Curses for the men who’d followed her perfume off this island. Outside, the speedboats were almost at the shore. The panic was rising. I forced my voice steady and told them all to move. Now. To the tunnels. Our island sat far off the mainland. The Vitales had been building these tunnels for generations—to outlast exactly this kind of raid. * * * The narrow passage filled fast. Women clutching children. Children clutching anything they could. From above us came the laughter of the Moretti men, hunting for women. Fear spread through that tunnel like a sickness. Then the next blow came. The smuggler’s passage—the one that ran beneath the cliffs to the sea cave—had been blown. The collapse was fresh. The air still stank of powder. Donna Isabella’s face went hard. “They’ve known about this passage for a long time.” Anita and I looked at each other. The same name surfaced behind both our eyes. Celeste. The only way out now was the old sewer line that fed into the tunnel. Crawl through it. Find the speedboat. Bring help back. Donna Isabella seized my hand. Her grip was iron. “Wren. You can drive a boat. Go find Lucien. Make him bring the men back.” I gave her a tired, bitter smile and told her the truth. Even if I found him, Lucien wouldn’t come back for me. The tunnel went silent. Three months ago, Lucien had brought Celeste home from somewhere in Naples, claiming he owed her his life as a boy. Since then, he’d been glued to her side. Training together. Riding out together. Sleeping under the same roof under the polite fiction of “protection.” Half the soldati already joked the two of them looked more married than we did. When the jokes got back to him, he didn’t put distance between them. He pulled her closer. I’d screamed at him about it more times than I could count. Asked him point-blank who his goddamn wife was. He’d called me jealous. Petty. A nuisance. Whatever we’d had between us had quietly died the day she walked through our gates. The silence in the tunnel stretched. Then Mia Vitale, Lucien’s little sister, stepped forward. “Let me go. I know the soldati. And Wren’s pregnant—if something happens to her, I’d never be able to face my brother.” She didn’t wait for permission. She dropped into the sewer and was gone. I knew what was waiting for her at the other end. I had lived through it once already.

We crouched in the tunnel. Prayed not to be heard. But the prayer didn’t take. “There’s a steel door down here!” a voice shouted above us. “I’d bet my fucking life the women are behind it!” “I knew it. No way an island this big runs out of women.” “Six months at sea, boys. I’ve been dreaming about this.” They started smashing at the door. The women went white. Some of them started shaking. All they could do was pray the men would get back in time. Half an hour later, Mia came scrambling back up through the sewer. Filthy. Trembling. A few of the women cried out in relief, certain she’d brought the men. Then they saw her face. She wiped her eyes, voice small. “I’m sorry. They wouldn’t come.” Donna Isabella’s voice cracked. “What do you mean they wouldn’t come? Their wives are down here. Their children are down here.” Mia’s tears spilled over. “My brother said I was lying. He said the Morettis would never hit our family out of nowhere. He said Wren and I were running some scheme together.” She lifted a shaky hand to her cheek. “And he slapped me.” The handprint was livid against her skin. The women erupted again. Curses for that conniving bitch. Curses for Lucien, who’d left his post for the sake of one woman. Then came the explosions. The Morettis had brought charges. The steel door wouldn’t hold another hour. * * * I gathered my voice and told them. Pelle Island was twenty minutes out. The Lombardis ran it. They still owed the Vitales a favor. I could go to them. Donna Isabella seized my arm. Her palm was cold with sweat. “Wren. Every woman, every child in this tunnel—it’s on you now. You bring help back.” She pressed something into my hand. A silver crucifix on a tarnished chain. Three generations of Vitale women had worn it. She’d never taken it off, not once that I’d seen. Then a small oilcloth packet. Heavier than it had any right to be. “I’ve been watching Celeste for two years,” she said, quiet. “Photographs. Recordings. Every contact she ever made with the Morettis.” “I was waiting for my idiot son to open his eyes.” She let out a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. “My stupid boy.” She looked at me then. Something in her gaze went soft and strange. “If I don’t make it out—give these to Mia. Tell her to learn from Wren. Not from her brother.” I nodded. I couldn’t trust myself with words. * * * Anita caught me before I climbed up. She pressed a small pistol into my palm. “Marco’s been keeping a backup speedboat under the western cliffs. He never told Lucien. Keys are in the ignition.” She smiled. The same smile she’d worn on my wedding day. “And tell that bastard husband of mine—” “His wife is down here in a tunnel.” “Waiting for him to come bring her home.”

I dragged myself out through the sewer at last. Belly heavy. Lungs burning. The stink of it clinging to my skin. I climbed onto the speedboat, kicked the engine alive, and tore east for Pelle Island. When the hull scraped onto the beach, my heart lifted for one stupid second. Armed men were waiting at the dock. Then I saw who was at the front. Marco Russo. He shouldn’t have been here. He was supposed to be at sea with Lucien. I didn’t have time to think. I stumbled toward him, the words tumbling out—the raid, the tunnel, the steel door— He caught my arm and yanked me clean off the boat. His face was carved with disgust. “Wren Costa. I don’t know how a woman can be this disgusting.” * * * I stared at him, lost. I didn’t understand what he meant. “The boss told me to wait here for you.” “He said you’d cooked up some scheme with Mia—running to another family’s island to spread fairy tales about a Moretti attack. Just to ruin Celeste’s birthday party.” The words hit me like ice water. Lucien was a cold bastard. He’d planted his own man on the only route I could take for help. I told Marco the raid was real. The Morettis had already landed. I wasn’t spreading rumors—I was begging for backup. If we didn’t move within the hour, every woman and child in that tunnel was dead. He saw the look on my face. Something flickered behind his eyes. Just for a second. His wife was on that island. His mother. His kids. Marco reached for his radio to call Lucien. Then a young soldato leaned in close and murmured, “Boss, come on. If the Morettis were really hitting us, you really think the boss wouldn’t know first?” The kid’s face was full of that quiet, religious faith. Lucien had been a soldier once. He had the instincts and the command of a man who’d survived a dozen wars. He’d led the Vitales through dozens of raids without losing the island. Marco was silent for less than a second. Then he laughed out loud. “Wren. You should’ve been an actress. You almost had me.” “I know Lucien better than anyone. He’s the goddamn boss of the Vitales. You think a man like that misses something like this?” The mockery cut deeper than the slap on the beach. Tears burned at the edge of my vision. I held them. Every second wasted was another second the women in that tunnel were closer to dying. I tried to push past him, ready to run back to the boat and go anywhere—anywhere—that might still listen. Marco caught me before I’d taken two steps. He pulled out a length of rope. “Not today, Wren. You’re not going anywhere.” He bound my wrists tight. His face was hard. He threw me into the back of his speedboat like a sack of cargo. The engine roared. The hull cut through the waves. I lay on my side, watching Pelle Island shrink. The one shore that could have saved them—slipping further away by the second. I closed my eyes. Not in despair. In my last life, I had closed my eyes at this exact moment because I’d given up. This time, I closed them to carve Marco Russo’s face into my memory. To add him to the list I was just beginning to write.

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I helped my best friend, Clara Bellamy, climb out of poverty and become a parish schoolteacher. Now she was glowing, graceful, confident. No one would ever guess that five years ago, she was still picking eggs in a backyard chicken coop. But she was still frugal. She always said money shouldn’t be wasted. So whenever I was too busy, she gladly took the things I couldn’t use: free couple vacations I’d won, movie tickets about to expire, romantic restaurant reservations I’d already booked. My fiancé, Vincent DeLuca, never complained when I canceled on him. Even though he was the next heir to the mafia family, he was always gentle with me. He always said, “I’ll support your work, no matter how long it takes. I’ll wait for you.” Until that day. I had just applied for a six-month leave from the hospital to prepare for our wedding. While helping Clara fix her computer, her photo album synced automatically. The screen filled with photos. My best friend and my fiancé sitting side by side on a ski lift. Her leaning on his shoulder during a midnight movie. The two of them kissing under an island sunset. So all those dates I missed, she had gone in my place. Then a Signal voice message popped up. Vincent’s voice came through, low and amused. “She’s sleeping at the hospital tonight. Bring a few boxes of condoms when you come over, baby.” My hands shook as I shut the laptop. Then I grabbed my car keys and walked toward the hospital parking lot. … I sped all the way to our wedding house. The second I pushed the door open, the air was thick with smoke and the smell of sex. The two people on the bed didn’t even have time to separate. Clara saw me first. She screamed, her face turning white. “Evelyn…” Vincent turned to look at me, then instinctively shielded her behind him. Clothes and wrappers were scattered all over the floor. I froze in place, so shocked I forgot how to breathe. I watched Vincent pick up Clara’s clothes from the floor and help her get dressed, piece by piece. He was gentle. Familiar. Then he walked her to the door and comforted her in a low voice. “Someone’s waiting downstairs. I’ll handle this.” I hadn’t even done anything yet. But he was already afraid I’d lose control and hurt his precious Clara. Something in my chest went hollow, like everything inside had been carved out. Then it was just me and him in the room. I stared at the face I had known since childhood. We had known each other for over twenty years. He once said he wanted to be my shadow and follow me forever. But now, that face felt so strange. Vincent took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag before looking at me. “You have nothing to say?” He was the one who betrayed me. So why was I the one standing there, lost and being questioned? “Vincent DeLuca. How could you two do this to me?” He flicked the ash from his cigarette. His tone was calm. “I admit I messed up. But Evelyn, ask yourself. What have you given me these past few years?” “You’re always busy. Always in surgery. I ask you to dinner, you have surgery. I ask you to watch a movie, you’re on duty. I can’t even argue with you unless I book a time three days in advance.” He sounded wronged when he said it. As if I was the one at fault. As if I was the one who cheated. “Clara is different.” His voice softened when he said her name. “She cares about how I feel. She remembers what I say. She does the things I want to do.” “She went on every date you missed.” “To her, I come first.” Every word cut into my heart. “Vincent DeLuca! I was already like this when you met me. I never changed!” He frowned, like I was being unreasonable. “Right. You didn’t change. But I’m tired of waiting.” My voice shook. “So you slept with my best friend?” He was silent for two seconds. “I told you. This isn’t her fault.” I took a deep breath, walked up to him, and slapped him across the face. “You really have no heart. How could you do this to me?” He didn’t dodge. The cigarette fell from his fingers, sparks landing on the sheets. He looked up at me. Finally, there was some emotion in his eyes. “Is that enough? If not, hit me again.” “When you’re done, don’t go after Clara.” I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, my phone rang. It was the hospital. “Dr. Moretti, surgery starts in half an hour.” Vincent suddenly gave a soft laugh. It was quiet, but it pierced my ears like a needle. “Go on, Dr. Moretti. Your fiancé just slept with your best friend, and you still have to go back for surgery.” “You really are the most tolerant woman I’ve ever seen.” I gripped my phone so tightly my fingers turned white. Afraid my tears would fall, I turned and left.

The lights in the operating room were blinding. I held back my tears and kept my hand steady on the scalpel. No one could tell that half an hour ago, I had caught my fiancé and my best friend in my bed. By the time the surgery ended, my wrist was so sore I could barely lift it. “Dr. Moretti, congratulations,” the anesthesiologist said with a smile while filling out the records. “I heard you’re taking six months off for your wedding. Everyone in the department is saying Mr. DeLuca, the man who sends you flowers every single day, finally got our ice queen Dr. Moretti to marry him.” My grip tightened around the paper cup. For the past few months, I had used up all my saved vacation days for that six-month wedding leave. I scheduled every surgery I could in advance. I worked until I passed out from low blood sugar in the changing room, then got up, drank a bottle of glucose, and went right back to work. One day, Vincent came to pick me up and saw how pale I was. For once, he frowned. “Can’t you be nicer to yourself?” I smiled and asked, “Worried about me, Mr. DeLuca?” He pulled me into his arms. “Eve, I can’t wait to marry you. I want to spoil you every day.” Now I realized, by then, those arms had already held someone else. Everything I had done these past few months was a joke. “Yeah.” I only said one word. I was afraid if I said one more, I would break down. I went into the changing room. The moment I locked the door, I slid down against it and sat on the floor. My shoulders shook hard. Tears slipped through my fingers, and I couldn’t stop them. I had never been able to get rid of Vincent since we were kids. He followed me everywhere like a shadow. When I was nine, I snapped at him, “Can you stop following me?” He lowered his head and said, “I want to be your shadow. Wherever you go, I’ll go.” At eighteen, he handed me a note. “I don’t want to be your shadow anymore. I want to stand beside you.” That was when we got together. From eighteen to twenty-eight, for ten whole years, he kept every promise. If I worked late, he came to pick me up. If I got sick, he took leave to take care of me. He remembered every word I said. Everyone said this was what love should look like. And I believed it. I took out my phone and saw the message Clara had sent two hours ago. Clara: Evelyn, I know I wronged you. But I really love him. I’ll do anything you want. Please let us be together, okay? I stared at those words and almost laughed. Clara must have forgotten how she got out of that chicken coop in the first place. Back then, her grandmother was seriously ill. She couldn’t afford the medical bills and knelt in the hospital hallway, crying helplessly. I paid for the surgery. I arranged everything for her. I paid her tuition and encouraged her to get her teaching license. She once said I was the person who changed her life. She said, “Evelyn, you’re the last person I would ever betray.” And now? She was sleeping with my fiancé, asking me to bless their so-called love. But who was going to give back the ten years I gave him? My phone screen blurred. I wiped my tears and was about to stand up. Just then, I heard nurses talking outside. “Did you hear? A patient came into the ER. She was pregnant and had heavy bleeding after sex.” “The baby survived. But her husband looked like someone important. He said if the baby didn’t make it, he’d make sure this hospital shut down.” “No wonder he’s mafia. So arrogant…” “That’s not even the point. The point is, that man looked exactly like Dr. Moretti’s fiancé!” “Oh my God. She’s already pregnant? Then is Dr. Moretti the mistress?” Their footsteps slowly faded away. I leaned against the door, my whole body cold. My nails dug into my palms so hard they drew blood. Then I shoved the door open and rushed out.

Through the glass window of the ward, I saw them. Vincent’s voice was soft, like he was coaxing a child. “Drink slowly. It’s hot.” I pushed the door open. Clara saw me first. “Eve… Evelyn…” Vincent turned around. The second he saw me, he instinctively shifted to block Clara behind him. His voice turned cold. “I told you. Don’t come after her.” I stared at Clara’s flat stomach. “You’re pregnant?” Clara’s tears fell. She turned her face away, too afraid to look at me. “Yes,” Vincent answered for her. “It’s mine. Three months.” Three months. Three months ago, Vincent said he had to go out of state for family business. Then an earthquake hit there. No messages. No calls. Nothing. I took leave overnight and drove there to find him. Halfway there, an aftershock hit. I was thrown forward, my stomach slamming into the steering wheel. The baby I hadn’t even had time to tell anyone about was gone in that chaos. When Vincent arrived, he knelt by my bed and held me, his voice shaking. “I’m sorry, Eve… We’ll have another child. We will…” That was the first time I saw him cry. I touched his hair and said, “As long as you’re safe. We can have another baby later.” So he hadn’t gone for business at all. He had been with Clara. That was when they had their child. And I lost ours on the way to find him. “Evelyn…” Clara’s voice pulled me back. Her eyes were red. She looked pitiful. “The baby can’t grow up without a father… Please let us be together…” Slap. My palm landed hard across her face. The ward went quiet for a second. Then Clara covered her face and started crying. Vincent shot to his feet and grabbed my wrist. “Evelyn Moretti! That’s enough! If you’re angry, take it out on me!” His eyes were full of rage. In twenty years, he had barely ever lost his temper with me. And every time, it was because I worked too hard and didn’t take care of myself. But now, he was angry at me because of the woman he cheated with. “Take it out on you? Vincent, do you even deserve that?” I shook off his hand and stepped back. Something slipped out of my pocket and fell to the floor. It was an Italian dagger. Vincent and I both froze. Three years ago, on the day he proposed, he put the ring on my finger. Then he placed that dagger in my hand. “Evelyn, you’re the only woman I’ll ever choose. If one day I betray you, take this knife and stab me to death.” I looked down at the knife, my head buzzing. Then I bent down and picked it up. In that moment, all the hurt and rage in my chest rushed up at once. My eyes burned red. I really wanted to stab him. I wanted to press the blade against his heart and ask him why. How dare he? I wanted him to hurt too. I wanted him to know what it felt like to be stabbed in the back by the person he loved most. Clara screamed and spread her arms in front of Vincent. “Evelyn, don’t hurt him! I’m the one who wronged you. This has nothing to do with him!” I held the knife and took one step toward them. Just one step. Vincent’s eyes changed. He yanked Clara behind him and shoved me hard. I flew backward. The back of my head hit the floor, and my ears rang. When my vision cleared, I saw him holding Clara in his arms. His voice was soft. Gentle. “Did you hurt your stomach?” Clara cried and shook her head. From beginning to end, he never looked at me once. The hallway was full of people. “Oh my God, is that Dr. Moretti? Poor thing…” “Dr. Moretti always seems so calm. Why is she acting like a lunatic…” I lay on the floor, the back of my head throbbing. When I was eight, my mother left me with my alcoholic, abusive father. I knelt on the floor, grabbed her hand, and asked her why until I cried myself unconscious. After that, I never broke down over anyone again. I didn’t cry when a surgery failed. I didn’t even cry when I lost my baby. Vincent was the one who warmed me little by little. He spent twenty years making me believe I could be loved and cherished too. And he was also the one who turned me back into a lunatic. I pushed myself up from the floor and walked out. It was fine. I only had myself left. And that was enough.

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