Category: English

At the auction, my fianc└ bid 8.88 million on an emerald ring. It was a keepsake from my grandmother, and just as I was about to take it, he tossed the ring to a student from a poor family whom I had been sponsoring. “I had no choice. She wanted to smash it just to hear the sound, and she forced me to come clean, demanding I choose between you two.” “Guess who I chose?” My head was spinning; I didn’t dare to guess. All I could hear was my own trembling voice demanding, “Why? Our wedding is in just one week.” He casually played with the underprivileged student’s hand. “Vivian, because I’ve already made my choice.” “I plan to replace you with her as the bride. She’s fresh, young, and wild！and she’s very open in bed.” A wave of utter absurdity washed over me, leaving me cold to the bone. The next second, Mary walked up to me, threw the ring on the ground, and crushed it. “Sis, you’re going to be without a husband now~” “And this ring！listen to how beautiful the sound of it shattering is.” The ring, shattered into pieces, was the spitting image of our relationship. I suddenly laughed. If he’s switching brides, then I’ll switch grooms. I picked up the microphone and announced, “We have a last-minute addition to today’s auction: I, Vivian, am publicly auctioning off my marriage. The highest bidder wins!” ´´ As soon as the words left my mouth, the previously silent venue erupted in waves of mocking laughter. [Auctioning off her marriage? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Who’d have thought Vivian, who looks so innocent, would have such an open mind!] [Young Master Lucas, after seven years, you’ve probably worn this woman out. Auctioning off her marriage！who’d dare marry her?] In the auction hall, the men exchanged knowing glances and hurled taunts´ My fingertips grew cold, but I still forced myself to remain calm. Lucas pulled away from Mary’s lips and looked at me, bursting into laughter. “Is this how you’re trying to force me to come back?” “Fine!” He stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and raised the bidding paddle beside him. “I’ll bid one yuan!” “Hahahahaha´” His words sparked even louder laughter and mockery. [Young Master Lucas, we knew your fianc└e was cheap, but we never imagined she’d be this cheap!] [One dollar, hahahahaha! Even the street dancers outside the White Horse Club charge 200 dollars a go!] A young playboy in the back row whistled, his tone both flippant and malicious. [Young Master Lucas, how exactly did you ruin her, that she’s now worth nothing more than a penny?] Lucas curled his lips slightly and raised an eyebrow. “Her? She came to me when she was 18. Even back then, she was already a used-up woman.” The entire room erupted in an uproar once more! My hands trembled as I stared at Lucas in disbelief. That was a pain I’d never voiced to anyone, yet now he was using it as a joke, publicly humiliating me. Tears slid down the corners of my eyes. Lucas ignored my distress and continued, “Are you guys going to bid or not? Don’t let her actually end up back in my hands.” The men looked at me with amusement. “I’ll bid two!” “I’ll bid three!” “I’ll bid five!” ´´ I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms, using that pain to keep myself going. “Brother Lucas, since Sister is auctioning off her marriage, we should at least let everyone know if she’s worth it.” “I propose that Sister come up on stage first to introduce herself and talk about her good points?” Mary pushed me onto the stage and handed me the microphone. The sea of people below！some looking down on me, others mocking！stared at me as if I were a clown. “If Sister won’t say it, then I’ll say it for her.” She gave a sly smile and snatched the microphone. “Sister Vivian is very soft in bed´!” The crowd below burst into laughter. “And she’s very sensitive, too!” “Brother Lucas, am I right?” She turned playfully to look at Lucas. Lucas ruffled her hair and smiled affectionately. “Go on! Vivian has more than just these virtues.” “But she has a sex addiction！she’s hard to satisfy. Does that count?” Someone in the crowd immediately chimed in: “No problem. I guarantee she won’t be able to get out of bed.” “Brother Lucas, I’m done. It’s your turn!” Mary ran playfully into Lucas’s arms and planted a kiss on his lips. My heart shattered into countless pieces, bit by bit. Lucas took the microphone. “No amount of words can compare to seeing it with your own eyes.” Mary interrupted Lucas, jumping up excitedly: “I agree! Why don’t we showcase Vivian’s figure in full on the big screen? How about that?” “Brother Lucas, don’t you have a lot of private photos of Vivian on your phone?” “Alright, I’ll do as you say!” Cheers erupted throughout the venue.

“That’s a great idea. If you want me to bid high, fine！but at least let me see her figure first.” A sleazy man rubbed his hands together, drooling. “Clothed photos won’t do！I can’t get a good look. I want uncensored, high-definition shots!” Lucas stood up and handed a portable hard drive to the host. “There are over ten thousand of her private photos in there. I guarantee that after you see them, you’ll definitely want to marry her.” I lunged forward to stop him, but he shoved me to the ground. “Aren’t you trying to sell yourself off as soon as possible? I’m doing you a favor here！don’t be ungrateful!” The next second, the revealing private photos Lucas had coaxed me into taking suddenly appeared on the big screen. “High-definition, uncensored photos！3,000 dollars. Bidding starts now!” The entire venue erupted. “That’s hot! I’ll up the bid！5,000!” “I’ll go 50,000!” The shouts of bidding and mockery ringing in my ears threatened to swallow me whole. As more explicit photos were revealed, the lewd comments grew louder. “Wow, that pose is hot. Young Master Lucas sure knows how to treat a girl.” “Don’t be jealous！if you buy her, you can have her too!” Lucas suddenly grabbed my chin in a fit of rage, his eyes swirling with an unreadable emotion, and demanded harshly, “Selling yourself for such a high price！shouldn’t you thank me for that, hmm?” Tears welled up in my eyes. My body trembling, I slapped him hard across the face. “Lucas, you’re shameless!” He touched the cheek I’d struck and smiled. “Is that what you call shameless? The real shamelessness is yet to come!” No sooner had the words left his mouth than a high-definition, uncensored video blasted across the giant screen, shaking the entire venue. But it stopped abruptly after just five seconds! “Her technique is passable, but her moans are what really make it worth it!” Lucas looked at the crowd with a smirk. “Want to see the full video? Starting bid: 100,000!” Countless vulgar remarks were hurled at me. “Who knew Vivian was so wild in bed? It’s fine for a fling, but if you marry her, won’t your head be a veritable green meadow?” “Exactly, exactly. I’m out!” Someone rubbed their hands together eagerly: “You guys can back out if you want, but I’m in for sure. I’ll bid 150,000!” “I’ll bid 200,000!” “300,000!” Countless bidders raised their hands in a frenzy. Fighting back the lump in my throat, I tried to appeal to the host: “Publicly broadcasting and auctioning off this kind of video is illegal.” Lucas pinched my cheek and sneered, “In all of Oakville, I, Lucas, am the law!” “Keep your eyes peeled, everyone！the best is yet to come!” Immediately afterward, countless videos of Lucas and me making love were played one after another. “That body is fucking hot. I’ve seen countless videos, but I’ve never seen such scorching positions. I’ll bid 500,000!” “I’ll bid 800,000. Not for anything else, but just because I love the look in her dazed eyes.” “1 million!” “1.3 million!” I bit down hard on my lower lip, my teeth sinking into the soft flesh. I wanted to run, but my wrists were clamped so tight I couldn’t move. “Lucas, do you really have to be this ruthless?” All my strength had been drained from me, and I asked him with a cold expression. “Ruthless? Weren’t you the one who humiliated yourself by auctioning off your own marriage? I’m just showing you mercy by giving you a hand!” The filthy words choked the air, leaving me gasping for breath. I tried to run, but Mary grabbed me by the arm.

“Sis, don’t go! You haven’t sold yourself yet. Let me give you a hand!” With a sharp “ripping” sound, Mary slashed my skirt with a sharp object. I hurriedly reached out to cover myself, but Lucas grabbed my hands tightly. The sound of tearing fabric exploded in my ears. Before I could even react, I was already standing under the spotlight. The stares around me pierced my skin like needles. All my dignity and composure shattered completely in that moment. Lucas dragged me toward the stands. “What the eye sees is limited. I propose that anyone who wants to marry her come up here and measure her measurements themselves.” He held up the tape measure in his hand. “No, let me go!” I struggled to resist, but he held my hands tightly in a vice-like grip. Humiliation surged through every fiber of my being, and tears streamed down my face. “Lucas, why are you doing this to me!” “Why?” He clamped his hand over my chin and whispered, “Everyone knows you’re my woman. How dare you publicly auction off your marriage? You’re the one who slapped me in the face first.” My throat went dry. But clearly, he was the one who betrayed me first. Lucas saw the hurt in my eyes, yet chose to ignore it. “Who’s first?” The crowd erupted once more. “Damn, Young Master Lucas, you’re serious. You’re just like my own brother! I’ll go! I’ll go!” A potbellied fat man from the crowd rushed forward and groped me from head to toe. “Get lost!” I tried to crouch down to hide myself, but Lucas yanked me back up. “Holy shit! Such a tender, supple figure！you’re a real stunner! Young Master Lucas, you’ve really been living the high life.” “I’ll bid 3 million. Don’t anyone try to outbid me!” “5 million!” The bidding drew even more people. Men surged forward, countless lecherous hands roaming over my body. “That body’s worth 10 million!” “She’s got a great body, but I’m worried about down there´” Someone muttered, immediately sparking even more mockery. “That’s only because she’s been played with so much by Mr. Lucas!” “It’s not just that. She once bore a child for Young Master Lucas, but the child didn’t live long！it died before it was even a month old!” Mary shrieked, deliberately speaking loudly for everyone to hear, then immediately covered her mouth: “Brother Lucas, I’m sorry! You told me not to say that, and I forgot!” The blood in my veins froze instantly. That child was a hurdle I’d never been able to get past. I’d even suffered from severe depression because of it. It was Lucas who stayed by my side every step of the way, guiding me and pulling me out of that quagmire bit by bit, promising that neither of us would ever mention it again. Yet he went and told Mary about it. Rage surged through me, and with all my strength, I kicked Mary to the ground. But I was met with a resounding slap from Lucas. I clutched my cheek and wept uncontrollably: “You said that dead child was our shared secret！why? Why did you tell someone else?!!” He snorted, yanked Mary into his arms, and said, “Mary isn’t just anyone！she’s my fianc└e. Naturally, she should know about my past!” Mary raised an eyebrow at me triumphantly. Then she pressed herself against Lucas, her voice syrupy: “Brother Lucas, this is such a spectacular show. I want more people to see it.” “Tell me, what do you want to do?” Lucas looked utterly doting. “I’ll do whatever you say.” “I want to go live!”

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I lay on the birthing bed, contractions coming one after another. My mate Kieran gripped my hand, his eyes soft with tenderness. “Hold on a little longer, Elara. Soon we’ll meet our pup.” Pain soaked me in sweat, but I forced a smile for him. Until the midwife walked in holding a syringe—I thought it was moonshade tincture for the pain. But Kieran suddenly released my hand and stepped back. The needle pierced my skin, and I heard Kieran say: “Get the dosage right. She has to wait until Vivienne delivers before going into labor.” I stared at him wide-eyed, but he only checked his pocket watch. “Vivienne’s dilated to six centimeters. Just stall for two more hours.” I tried to scream, tried to struggle, but the drug was already flooding my system. The violent contractions in my abdomen felt like an unseen force suddenly choking them off. They stopped. Just stopped. …… I was dragged into a makeshift cell in the healer’s cellar. Kieran’s sister Lyra stood in the doorway, playing with a scalpel. “Elara, don’t blame Kieran.” “Vivienne’s carrying my eldest brother’s posthumous pup—the first male pup of the Frostwood Pack this generation.” “No matter how early you deliver, yours is just a daughter. Worthless.” I clutched my belly as another wave of contractions fought the drug. Pain darkened my vision. “Get the healer—I’m in labor, really…” Lyra laughed. She walked over, crouched in front of me, and tapped my face lightly with the scalpel. “Labor? What labor?” “The drug will hold for three more hours. Vivienne’s already in the birthing chamber.” “You wait here like a good girl. Once her son’s safely born, you can deliver however you want.” She stood and barked orders at the guards by the door: “Watch her. If she screams, gag her.” The door slammed shut. The cellar had only one dim oil lamp. I lay on the floor, blood already soaking through my dress. My mind-link had been severed when I entered the healing hall. Kieran said it would drain my strength, bad for the pup. Now I understood—he was afraid I’d reach anyone outside. I curled into myself, trying to breathe through the pain. But all I could see were Kieran’s eyes. Cold. Calculating. Like I was a thing. Not his mate. Not the woman about to bear his child. Three months ago, his eldest brother died in a border raid. He left behind his widow Vivienne, three months pregnant. At the funeral, the Old Alpha wept, gripping Vivienne’s hand: “You must deliver safely. The Frostwood Pack can’t end here.” I’d felt sorry for Vivienne then and offered: “Father, don’t worry. My pup with Kieran will honor you too.” The Old Alpha glanced at me and said nothing. From that moment, my child was already abandoned. “Ahh…” Another contraction hit, fiercer than before. The drug was wearing off. The pup was coming. I clawed at the door, pounding with everything I had. “Someone—I’m in labor—save my pup!” Silence from the other side. Only when my voice went hoarse did I hear a guard’s irritated voice: “Shut up already. Miss Lyra said wait.” “But my pup…” “If it dies, that’s fate. Who told you not to carry a son?” I collapsed on the floor, my body going cold. Not fate. Someone wanted my child dead.

I don’t know how long I suffered in that cellar. More blood kept coming, everything beneath me soaked through. As my consciousness faded, the door suddenly opened. Not Lyra. Not the guards. The pack healer, Bennett. When he saw my condition, his face went white. “Luna? What are you doing here?” “The Alpha said you were resting in the recovery chamber.” I tried to speak but couldn’t make a sound. I could only point at my belly, tears streaming down. Bennett rushed over and knelt to check me. The moment his hand touched my abdomen, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Fully dilated! Your water broke!” “She needs surgery immediately!” He tried to lift me, but the second I moved, a hot gush came. Blood. So much blood. Bennett’s hands were shaking as he yelled toward the door: “Someone! Anyone! She’s hemorrhaging!” The hallway was empty. This private healing hall was owned by the Frostwood Pack—tonight they’d cleared it for Vivienne’s delivery. Every healer and midwife was on standby in the third-floor birthing chamber. Bennett reached for the mind link, but it was blocked. “I’ll carry you up. Hang on!” He gritted his teeth and lifted me, stumbling toward the exit. The stairway was long, every step jarring me toward death. I could feel the pup dropping lower, but it wouldn’t come out. The drug was still working, contractions coming and going. This was the most dangerous situation. “Bennett…” I grabbed his collar, voice barely a whisper. “Save the pup. Please.” “Don’t talk nonsense! You’ll both be fine!” He finally burst onto the first floor and ran toward the surgery chamber. But when we reached the entrance, we both froze. The surgery chamber door stood wide open. Inside was empty. The enchanted healing lamps—gone. The birthing table—gone. Monitoring crystals, oxygen apparatus, all the medical equipment—everything was gone. Only an empty room and a few anchoring runes on the wall remained. Bennett stood frozen in place. I heard a choking sound come from his throat, like someone was strangling him. “How is this possible…” “I checked the equipment this afternoon…” Footsteps echoed from the end of the hall. Lyra walked over with two midwives, raising an eyebrow at us. “Bennett, what are you doing here?” “Vivienne’s in the third-floor chamber. Why’d you come down?” Bennett pointed at the empty surgery chamber, voice shaking: “The equipment? Where did all the surgical equipment go?” Lyra looked completely innocent: “Moved to the third floor, obviously.” “Vivienne’s having a C-section—she needs the best equipment. What if there’s an emergency? How could a regular chamber be enough?” As she spoke, her eyes landed on me and she smiled. “Elara’s ready to deliver?” “You’ll have to wait. Vivienne’s not done yet.” “Just be patient.” I stared at that perfectly made-up face. Suddenly remembering six months ago when she’d linked arms with me at the market, saying sweetly: “Elara, you’re so good to me. Better than my own blood sister.” I’d bought her enchanted accessories worth over a hundred thousand gold that day. Now it all seemed like a sick joke.

Bennett frantically tore through the healer’s station, searching for emergency equipment. But the cabinets were empty. Not even basic hemostats or gauze. “Equipment? Where’s the bloodclot potion? Birthwort tincture?” A midwife whispered: “Everything was sent to the third floor.” “The Alpha ordered all resources go to Lady Vivienne first.” Bennett slammed his fist into the cabinet. He looked at me with red-rimmed eyes, lips trembling: “I’m sorry, Luna, I’m so sorry…” “There’s nothing I can do…” Lyra walked over and patted his shoulder: “Bennett, don’t panic.” “Elara hasn’t delivered yet, right? Once Vivienne’s done, the equipment comes back down.” She glanced at my belly and added: “Even if she does deliver, it’s just a girl. No loss if it dies.” “The Frostwood Pack doesn’t need another one.” I stared hard at her. At this person I’d treated like a real sister for three years. Then, using every ounce of strength, I forced out two words: “You monster.” Lyra’s expression darkened. She bent down, leaned close to my ear, voice dropping low: “Call me whatever you want. Go ahead.” “Once you deliver and your body’s weak, I’ve got plenty of ways to shut you up permanently.” “Then Vivienne gets to be Luna.” “As for you…” She straightened up, smile bright: “For Kieran’s sake, I’ll let you live. You can be a servant.” Bennett couldn’t take it anymore: “Miss Lyra! This is murder!” “Murder?” Lyra scoffed. “Bennett, watch what you say.” “Women dying in childbirth—isn’t that perfectly normal?” “Besides, this is Frostwood Pack family business. What’s it to you, outsider?” She waved at the guards: “Take Bennett to rest.” “I’ll personally look after my dear sister.” Two guards stepped forward and dragged him away. Bennett struggled, shouting: “Luna! Apply pressure to your lower abdomen! Massage in circles! It triggers contractions!” “Don’t give up! The pup can still be saved!” His voice faded down the hall. Lyra shut the station door and turned to face me. She pulled out her scrying mirror and activated a vision spell. “Kieran, Elara’s about to deliver. Don’t you want to watch?” Kieran’s face appeared in the glass. He stood outside the birthing chamber, healers bustling in the background. “Elara, quit being dramatic.” “Vivienne’s in bad shape—the pup’s heartbeat dropped.” Lyra turned the mirror toward me: “Look how much blood Elara’s losing. Is she dying too?” Kieran frowned, glanced once, then quickly looked away. “Make her wait.” “Once Vivienne delivers, the healers will go down.” “Elara, you handle things. I can’t leave.” The vision faded. Lyra shrugged and pocketed her mirror. “You hear that?” “In Kieran’s heart, Vivienne comes first.” “You’re just a breeding tool.” “And once a tool’s used up, it gets thrown away.” I closed my eyes, done looking at her. My hand crept behind me to the lining of my dress. Sewn inside was a button-sized talisman. Father had given it to me. He’d said: “Elara, the Frostwood Pack isn’t what it seems. If something happens, press this.” I’d laughed it off back then. “Dad, Kieran treats me well. The whole pack treats me well.” Now I realized how stupid I’d been. I used my fingernail to pry open the protective seal. Pressed down gently. No sound. No light. But I knew—the signal was sent. Father had promised—press this, and help arrives within thirty minutes. But thirty minutes… Could my pup survive thirty minutes?

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They called me barren. Five years as Luna to Alpha Killian, we’d never once consummated our bond. The gossip had spread like wildfire— servants whispering in corridors, merchants trading stories at the market, nobles discussing it over wine. Some said I was as plain as dirt. Others claimed Killian’s heart belonged to a dead first love. The most ridiculous version? That I was barren—unable to bear the Alpha his heirs. I walked through the estate gardens, catching fragments of conversation from the servants trimming hedges nearby, my expression unchanged as I continued my path. Lily’s eyes reddened with rage. “Luna, how can they spread such lies about you? I’ll—” “Let them talk,” I interrupted softly, keeping my voice calm. “The worse they make it sound, the safer the Alpha stays.” Only I knew the truth. On our mating night, Killian stood by the bed, his face twisted with shame. After a long silence, his voice came out hoarse: “Maeve, I have… an affliction. I cannot fulfill a mate’s duty.” He told me he suffered from what the healers called Mate-Shame— A psychological condition that made him recoil from intimate touch since childhood, let alone consummate our mating bond. The condition was rare. If word got out, he’d be mocked across the realm, and the Pack’s honor would be ruined. “If you’re unwilling, I’ll petition the Lycan King tomorrow to dissolve this arranged mating.” Back then, his words were sincere. He’d been the only one to extend his hand when my family was slaughtered, my father murdered. I remembered Father’s dying words: The Winterpeak Pack can be trusted. Gently, I reached for his sleeve. “I didn’t accept this bond for that reason, Alpha. If you trust me, I’ll protect you.” That protection lasted five years. Five years of blocking every attack, swallowing every insult. Outsiders said I wasn’t favored. Said I couldn’t breed. Said this Luna was nothing but decoration. I never defended myself. Hell, I encouraged the rumors, shaping myself into a jealous, useless mate so everyone would believe I was the problem—not him. I thought we were protecting a secret together. Until three days ago. Killian came to my quarters for the first time in months, his eyes bright with something I hadn’t seen in years—hope. “Maeve, I found a healer. Says there’s a seventy percent chance he can cure me. I need to leave the Pack for a few days.” My heart jumped. Five years. I’d long stopped hoping for a real mating, but if he could heal, if we could be like normal mates— “Good.” I gripped his hand, smiling softly. “I’ll wait for you.” I waited three days. On the third evening, Killian returned. I heard the news and rushed out, barely smoothing down my dress. Then I saw him. Killian was holding a pup, maybe two years old, giggling as he tugged at Killian’s collar. Beside Killian stood a she-wolf in a pale green dress. The she-wolf was delicate, fragile-looking, with one hand resting lightly on Killian’s arm. My feet froze on the porch. Killian saw me. Something complicated flickered across his face. He walked forward with the pup and the she-wolf, his voice still gentle but carrying a new, unfamiliar distance. “Maeve, this is Bella.” He paused, looking down at the pup with soft eyes. “And this is my son. Leo.” The winter wind cut through the courtyard like a blade. I stared at the pup’s features—an exact copy of Killian’s. Stared at how Bella nestled against him. Suddenly, these five years felt like a complete joke. Mate-Shame. An affliction. Bullshit. He’d just been saving himself for her. And I—I’d spent five years shouldering every insult, every humiliation, all to be his fucking shield while he protected his true love. Killian kept talking, like he’d rehearsed this speech a thousand times. “Bella saved my life. Leo was… an accident. I’ve wronged her all these years.” “Now that I’ve brought them home, I want to give them proper status. Since Bella bore my heir, I need you to step down as Luna—” Every eye in the courtyard locked onto me, waiting for the show. But I just smiled softly. I raised my head, my gaze sweeping over Killian, over Bella, finally landing on the pup’s face. “Alpha, the healer cured you, didn’t he?” Killian’s expression shifted. He couldn’t find words. I didn’t wait for an answer. My voice stayed light. “Then congratulations, Alpha. As for the Luna position—whatever you say.” Killian froze. He’d expected tears, accusations. He’d already prepared excuses. But not this. “You really agree?” He searched my face, irritation rising in his eyes for no reason I could name. “Yes.” I nodded slightly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” I turned without another word and walked back to my quarters. Lily hurried after me, voice trembling. “Luna…” I didn’t stop. “Get ready. We’re going to see the King.” I changed into my simplest dress and pulled out a dusty wooden box from a hidden compartment. Holding it close, I walked straight out of the estate. When I left the Royal Court, the box was empty. In exchange, I carried a sealed decree—effective in seven days: formal dissolution of the mate bond. In the carriage home, Lily finally broke. “Luna, you really asked for Rejection? After all this?” I nodded. “But I’ve seen it—these five years, you loved him. You’re just gonna walk away? Let that rogue bitch win? Can you really let go?” I stared at the swaying curtain, silent for a moment. These five years, yes—I’d felt warmth when he remembered to bring me soup from the West End on cold nights. When I’d poisoned myself testing medicine and he’d stormed the Royal Healers’ Hall in the middle of the night, staying by my bedside without sleep, I’d almost believed in happily ever after. But all those small sparks, all that warmth—today crushed them to dust. I remembered why I became his Luna. And I’d never forgotten this was never my real home. “I bonded with him to honor my father’s dying wish. That debt’s paid. We’re done.” “My mother’s apothecary—I never abandoned it these five years.” “Leaving here just means doing what I should’ve done all along.” I glanced at Lily, a faint light in my eyes. “Besides, someone is waiting for me.”

When we returned to the estate, Killian was already waiting outside. Bella was beside him with red-rimmed eyes. “You’re back?” Killian’s tone was mild, but his eyes scrutinized my face. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “The Royal Court sent word you saw the King. Did you go to complain? Force Bella and Leo out?” “You’re joking, Alpha.” I met his gaze, my lips curving in the faintest smile. “Everyone knows I can’t serve my mate. Now she’s given you an heir—that’s cause for celebration. Why would I force them out?” Killian’s face went white. He knew what they said about me out there. But five years, and I’d never complained. He must’ve assumed I didn’t care. His voice came out stiff, avoiding my eyes. “Ignore the gossip. The innocent are innocent.” The innocent are innocent. My chest went cold. Right. He was innocent. All of the Northern Territories thought Alpha Killian was devoted, honorable—refusing mistresses, refusing brothels, staying faithful to his barren Luna. A rare gentleman. And me? I was the jealous, useless one who couldn’t give the Pack an heir. The villain. Five years. I’d sacrificed my reputation, swallowed every degradation, and got four empty words in return. My throat tightened. I opened my mouth— But Bella’s soft voice interrupted. “The Alpha’s right, Luna. You’ve endured so much slander for the Pack these years. It must have been hard.” “From now on, I’ll help shoulder your burdens. If anyone speaks ill of you again, I’ll set them straight.” Looking at the two of them, I suddenly laughed. “Bella, save your energy. Play your act for the one who needs to see it. No need to perform pity in front of me.” “As for defending me—don’t bother. Lies stay lies. And the truth always comes out eventually.” Killian’s face flushed with embarrassment and anger. “Bella’s just trying to help. Why be so cruel?” I ignored him, walking past them both into my residence. Back inside, I began quietly packing my belongings. My gaze swept the cold, sparse room, landing on a rosewood box on my vanity. Inside, neatly arranged, were all the gifts Killian had given me over the years. Earrings. Necklace. Bracelets. And a seal he’d carved himself, engraved with my name. He’d said: “Maeve, keep my private seal. Seeing it is the same as seeing me.” I’d treasured it back then, thinking it meant trust. Now I knew better. It was charity. I picked up the seal, stared at it for a long moment, then walked to the brazier and dropped it in. Then the jewelry. One by one, five years of memories turned to ash in the flames. Lily knelt by the brazier, tears streaming. “Luna, these were your most precious things.” “They were. Not anymore.” My voice came out flat. The fire died down slowly. I stood there a while longer before turning to Lily. “Pack. We’re leaving.” As we sorted through my belongings, I realized that after five years, the only things truly mine were a few old personal items. I looked at the half-empty trunks and felt lighter. The less I carried, the clearer the path ahead. Now I just needed to settle things at my mother’s apothecary.

The next day, I left the estate alone. Passing the West Market tavern, raucous laughter spilled into the street. A drunk’s voice carried through the open door. “Five years that Luna’s been warming his bed—nothing! Then some stray bitch waltzes in with a pup, and suddenly the Alpha’s got an heir. Heard the Luna’s face went white as a sheet when she saw the pup!” Another voice chimed in: “Right? If I were her, I’d hang myself. How’s she got the nerve to be still breathing?” The filth hit me like barbs, my face going pale. Five years of this. I’d heard it countless times. But right now, something inside my chest felt carved out, my fingers going numb. I quickened my pace, turning onto West Street. The apothecary was just ahead. But before I got close, I spotted Killian and Bella standing outside the cosmetics shop across the street. Bella held up a box of rouge, leaning close to show him. Killian bent his head, their postures intimate. I immediately turned around. “Maeve?” But Killian had already seen me. He crossed the street with Bella, blocking my path. “What are you doing out here alone?” Bella’s soft voice followed. “Luna, did you follow us? The Alpha’s just helping me adjust to the Pack—please don’t misunderstand.” She pressed closer to Killian’s side. I didn’t bother responding. I turned to leave. Suddenly, a horse’s scream split the air. A slop cart spooked it—it charged straight toward us. People scattered, screaming. Killian’s instinct kicked in—he yanked Bella hard into his arms, shielding her as they stumbled backward. His elbow slammed into my shoulder. I staggered back, falling. The cart flew past, missing me by inches. The next second, an entire barrel of rancid slop dumped over my head. The street went silent. Everyone stared. Someone covered their nose. Others looked disgusted. Then laughter exploded. “Oh my Goddess, isn’t that the Luna?” “Look at her—pathetic…” I sat frozen, slop dripping down my hair. Rotten vegetables, moldy bread crusts tangled in my hair and on my face. My vision blurred. A few steps away, Killian steadied a shaken Bella, his eyes full of worry and tenderness. When he finally registered my condition, he instinctively moved toward me—then seemed repulsed by the filth covering me, stepping back, frowning. “I told you not to go out. Now look at you. Get up.” Bella coughed delicately. Killian immediately looked down at her. “Are you scared? Let’s get you home.” He glanced back at me, his expression uncomfortable, impatient. “Clean yourself up and come back to the estate. Bella’s not feeling well. We’re taking the carriage.” Without another look, he helped Bella turn and walk away. The carriage disappeared in a cloud of dust. I slowly stood, and with the entire street watching, walked home step by step, covered in stinking refuse. From West Street to the estate—half an hour on foot. Even back at the estate, servants avoided me wherever I went, whispering and stifling laughter. Lily saw me and screamed, rushing over. “Luna, what happened?!” I waved her off. “Draw a bath.” Lily nodded, eyes red, and ran to make arrangements. But the hot water that usually took fifteen minutes never came. After a long wait, two servants finally appeared with a single bucket of lukewarm water. “Luna, the kitchens said the Alpha ordered household expenses reviewed. Hot water’s rationed. This is all they could spare…” I looked at the pathetic bucket, barely steaming, then down at the filth coating my body. I smiled bitterly. “Fine. This’ll do.” Lily’s tears spilled over. “How can the Alpha treat you like this? Even if he didn’t protect you, to deny you hot water…” “It’s deliberate.” My voice cut through the quiet.

Lily looked up, eyes wide. I lowered my gaze. “That cart was timed perfectly.” “I leave the estate, and he just happens to be there. The horse spooks at exactly the right moment. The barrel tips at just the right angle.” Lily’s mouth opened soundlessly, cold dread crawling up her spine. “Leaving me alone in the street, letting the servants disrespect me—that’s deliberate too.” Lily’s voice shook. “Why would the Alpha do this?” “Why?” I opened my eyes, staring at the darkening sky outside. “He needs me dirty. Needs me humiliated. Needs everyone in the Pack to see me as trash—so worthless even street slop can be dumped on me.” I took a slow breath, the last warmth in my chest freezing solid. “That way, no matter what Bella’s background is, as long as she stands next to me, people will heap all their scorn on me instead.” Once upon a time, Killian would frown over a scratch on my finger. Would go cold if anyone spoke ill of me. He’d promised to protect me for life when my family was slaughtered. And now, he orchestrated my public degradation for another she-wolf. How easily hearts change. That night, I spiked a fever, delirious for two days. On the third day, when I finally recovered enough, I headed out to the apothecary as planned. But stepping outside, I realized the estate gossip had gotten worse. “Cook told me herself—the Alpha’s ordering rare herbs from across the territory just for Bella’s tea!” “And yesterday? He took her jewelry shopping himself. Getting some expensive piece made for the kid—probably a christening gift.” “Since our dear Luna got doused in slop, the Alpha won’t even step foot in her courtyard. If I were her, I’d be too ashamed to keep living.” Lily’s eyes reddened with rage. She started forward—I gently stopped her. “Let them talk.” At the apothecary’s back courtyard—where we dried and prepared medicines—Healer Willow hurried over the moment I arrived. “Luna, we have a problem.” “This morning’s inventory—several rare herbs were swapped with inferior goods. Even the prepared medicines are contaminated.” My heart sank. “When did this happen?” “These past few days.” Willow lowered her voice. “Only four wolves have access to the storage: me, Bennett, and two apprentices who just started.” Before she could finish, screams erupted from the front hall. A she-wolf burst in, clutching a feverish pup. “Help! My son took your medicine and now he’s burning up, breaking out in rashes!” I rushed forward to examine the boy. His face was flushed, the rash bright red—clear signs of an allergic reaction. I checked the medicine packet the she-wolf brought. One ingredient—the goldenseal root—was dark, moldy-smelling. My head snapped up. “This root is rotten. The Moonwell Apothecary would never dispense this!” “It came from HERE!” the she-wolf wailed. “If my son dies, I’ll kill you all!” The crowd outside grew, pointing and whispering. In the chaos, a carriage stopped at the entrance. Killian strode in, his expression dark, eyes landing on me. “What trouble are you causing now?”

I gripped the moldy root tighter. “Someone switched the apothecary’s herbs.” “Evidence?” Killian’s tone was cold. “Every time something goes wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault. Does the Moonwell Apothecary just attract trouble?” He stepped closer, lowering his voice but making each word crystal clear. “Maeve, shut it down. What does it look like—a Luna spending all her time in an apothecary?” “Bella’s right. There’s a new incident every other day. You’re making us a laughingstock.” I looked at him and suddenly felt like laughing. “Is that why you came today, Alpha?” “I’m doing this for your own good.” He frowned. “And for the Pack’s reputation. Close the apothecary. If you need coin, I’ll compensate you—” “No need.” I cut him off, turning to Willow. “Request the royal herb examiner to verify the medicine on site.” “Maeve!” Killian’s voice turned sharp with anger. “Are you really going to defy me in public?” Just then, a servant burst through the door, panicked. “Alpha! Bella’s having chest pains, can’t breathe!” Killian’s face went white. He grabbed my wrist, fingers digging in. “What did you put in the tea you gave Bella? She’s never had episodes like this before!” I froze. “What tea?” “Bella said she couldn’t sleep. She came to your apothecary yesterday for medicine!” His eyes went ice-cold. “If anything happens to her, Maeve, your apothecary will never open again!” He released my wrist roughly and rushed out. I stood there, a ring of red marks blooming on my skin. Willow approached, worried. “Luna, Bella never came here for medicine. We’ve never even seen her…” “I know.” My voice came out quiet. I watched Killian’s carriage disappear down the street and laughed—soft, bitter. Turns out when someone doesn’t love you, even framing you comes naturally. The next day, the Moonwell Apothecary barely opened before a mob stormed in. Leading them was the mate of yesterday’s she-wolf. He slammed his fist on the counter, sending bottles flying. “Poison dealers! My son vomited blood last night. He’s still unconscious. You’re going to pay for what you did!” A dozen men who looked like hired muscle followed, smashing everything. Medicine cabinets toppled. Herbs scattered across the floor. Grinding mortars shattered into pieces. “Shut down this death trap!” I tried to protect the wooden plaque my mother had left—the one engraved with “Healing Hearts, Saving Lives”—but someone shoved me hard. I fell, my elbow scraping across broken pottery. Blood welled immediately. “Stop!” I tried to stand, but the chaos pressed in. Someone stepped on my skirt, and I stumbled again. “Everyone freeze!” The territory guards arrived. The captain surveyed the destruction, frowning. “The Moonwell Apothecary is under investigation for medical malpractice. By order, this establishment is sealed. No one enters or exits!” “Captain!” I crawled to him, my voice shaking. “You can’t seal the apothecary. We have evidence the herbs were tampered with. Give me three days—” “Maeve.” A cold voice cut through from the doorway. Killian stood in the morning light, Bella meek and docile behind him. His gaze swept the ruined apothecary like he was looking at garbage. “Are you still making a scene?” “You think the apothecary stayed open all these years because of your skill? You survived on the Winterpeak Pack’s name. No one dared investigate too closely.” “Now someone’s been hurt, and you’re still playing stubborn?” I looked up at him. At the undisguised irritation in his eyes. At the fleeting smirk on Bella’s lips. Suddenly, I understood everything. Slowly, I stood and brushed the dust from my dress. “You’re right, Alpha.” “The apothecary only existed because of the Pack. Now that you want it closed, then it’s closed.” Killian blinked, like he hadn’t expected me to comply so easily. “Good. You understand.” His tone softened slightly. “Go back to the estate. Stay inside where you belong. I will handle the rest.” I said nothing. I watched the guards nail the official notice to the door, sealing it with wax. Watched my mother’s life’s work dissolve with Killian’s casual dismissal. The last thread of attachment snapped. I walked out of the apothecary quietly, passing Killian and Bella without stopping. But as I did, I murmured under my breath. “Three more days.” Killian frowned. “What did you say?” But I was already gone.

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Everyone in New York knows Victor Roccanti is a bloodthirsty killer who never touches women. Julian was terrified his adopted sister Mia would suffer if she married him. so he forced me to impersonate her. “Just act like a slut. He’ll be disgusted enough to call off the engagement. Then I’ll come get you.” One reckless night. I walked out of the Roccanti estate barely able to stand. Julian rushed over to check my body. My collarbone and chest were covered in hickeys.He lost it, screaming: “I told you to act! Who said you could actually fuck him?” “You that desperate for dick? Even the goddamn Grim Reaper?” I calmly fixed my collar. “You’re wrong, Julian.” “Victor… he was gentle.” … Julian stared at the hickey on my neck. His hand shot out and grabbed my throat, squeezing like he wanted to crush my windpipe. “Gentle? That monster’s buried three fiancées and he wrecked you like this—you call that gentle?” “I sent you there to ruin the alliance, not to actually spread your legs for him!” “You’re mine. How dare you let him touch you?” My head tilted back from his grip, face turning red. But I didn’t fight back. I just looked down, watching his rage. “Julian… you promised me money…” Julian let go like I’d burned him. My legs gave out and I stumbled into the shelf behind me. He pulled out a handkerchief. Wiped his fingers clean, then threw it in the trash can nearby. Flames swallowed it instantly. Three years ago, my father’s embezzlement was exposed. He took a bullet for me and swore to protect me for life. Now he has personally pushed me into another man’s bed. He is even stingy with my brother’s medical bills to keep him alive. He stared at me, eyes full of pain: “If Mia weren’t terrified of Victor’s violent temper and refusing to marry him, I would never have sent you…” Seeing my numb expression, the guilt in his eyes instantly turned to anger. He pulled out his wallet, yanked out dozens of crumpled hundred-dollar bills, and threw them viciously in my face. He ripped the cash from his pocket and threw it at me. Hundred-dollar bills mixed with checks scattered on the floor, rolling into the dusty corners. “Take your money and go clean yourself up. ” “Victor’s paranoid as hell. ” “If he finds out you impersonated Mia, you and that half-dead brother of yours will be at the bottom of the Hudson feeding the fish!”” He turned to leave. I held onto the cabinet and slowly crouched down, fingers searching the cold floor. One. Two. I picked up each scattered bill. Blew off the dust and carefully tucked them away. Julian stopped at the door and looked back at me. The contempt in his eyes deepened. “Born cheap. Even when it’s money from selling yourself, you think it smells sweet.” It does smell sweet. This money keeps my brother Leo alive. I just looked at him calmly. “Julian. Where’s the Plan B?” Julian stopped, turned back to look at me. Something complicated and painful flashed in his eyes. Like he remembered the socialite who once dazzled New York. Then my humiliation seemed to hurt him, turning into deeper disgust. “What? Scared you’ll get pregnant with Victor’s kid? ” “Relax. The private doctor said after your miscarriage hemorrhage, your uterus is ruined. ” “You can never get pregnant.” “Stop worrying about things that won’t happen!” The door slammed shut. Cold air rushed in. I gripped the money tightly. This money, plus what I’d saved before, was just enough for Leo’s medication for one month. I walked to the table. Poured a cup of cold water and swallowed the cheap painkillers from my pocket. Bitterness spread in my throat. I didn’t care what Julian thought of me. As long as Leo could live, even if it meant being Victor’s mistress forever, I’d do it.

Next morning before dawn, the maid dragged me out of bed. “Miss Vance, Boss says you need to dress up. There’s a gala tonight at the Plaza, you’re going as Miss Mia.” The maid’s grip was rough, hurting my arm. I forced myself up despite the soreness. Let them paint makeup on my face. Mia was Julian’s adopted sister, his precious darling. She was too delicate for these exhausting galas. Julian always made me go as her stand-in. We looked similar enough anyway. Just wear a veil, stay quiet, and nobody would notice. In the car, Julian kept his eyes closed. Didn’t even glance at me. Only when we reached the hotel ballroom did he finally speak. “Victor will be there tonight. Behave yourself.” “If he sees through this, you can start planning your father’s funeral.” My father. He’d been dead in prison for two weeks. Julian knew, but still used him to threaten me. I couldn’t expose the truth. Leo still needed money for treatment. I lowered my head. “Yes.” At the gala, champagne flowed. I sat beside Julian, eyes down, peeling grapes on my plate. A burning gaze stayed fixed on me. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Victor sat at the head table in a black suit, dark hair slicked back. The Don of New York’s largest crime family. The man every mobster in this room answered to. Even radiating violence, his face was devastatingly handsome. He played with his wine glass. But his eyes never stopped roaming over me. He raised his glass toward Julian, but his gaze licked across my collarbone as he smiled. “You’re a lucky man. Your sister may be fragile, but that body…” “I’d recognize it anywhere. Unforgettable.” Julian’s face went pale, but he could only force a smile and drain his glass. Under the table, he dug his fingers into my thigh. The pain made my hand shake. The grape I’d peeled rolled onto the floor. “Useless piece of shit.” Julian cursed under his breath. After three rounds of drinks, Victor stood to leave. As he passed our table, he paused. A lighter slipped from his pocket, landing right at my feet. Heavy platinum Zippo. Everyone around was talking, nobody noticed. I bent down instinctively to pick it up. The metal was warm, silky smooth against my fingers. Long and thick, with just enough heft. Victor didn’t walk away. Instead, he used one finger to tilt my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes. Right in front of Julian. His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, slow and deliberate. “Such skilled hands.” His voice dropped to a rasp. “You know exactly how to handle things.” He leaned closer, breath hot against my ear. “Keep it. Take it home and… practice with it.” “Get yourself familiar with the shape. The weight. How it feels.” His eyes gleamed with dark amusement. “I want you well-trained.” Julian’s wine glass shattered in his grip, liquid spilling everywhere. I didn’t dare look up, just pressed my lips together. This lighter is worth a fortune, enough to cover three years of Leo’s treatments. In the car going back, I carefully hid the lighter in my sleeve. “Hand it over.” Julian’s voice suddenly cut through. I froze, didn’t dare disobey, and gave him the lighter. Julian held the lighter. Examined it by the car’s interior light, then let out a cold laugh. “Custom Zippo? Victor’s feeling generous.” He glanced at me dismissively. “Think this is some kind of love token? It’s just how he plays with women.” “Something like this, only someone as cheap and desperate as you would treasure it.” He casually flicked his wrist. The lighter arced through the air, out the window, falling into a gutter on the side of the road. “No… that was…” I cried out, trying to stop him, but Julian pulled me into his arms. “Shut up! It’s just a piece of junk, contaminating my car.” I didn’t care about dignity, threw myself at the window staring at that puddle of filth. Cold spread through me from my feet upward. That wasn’t just a lighter. That was Leo’s medicine. Leo’s last breath, the lifeline he was desperately clinging to at death’s door! Julian watched my agony and seemed pleased. “Remember this. You’re just a substitute.” “Victor wants Mia Moretti, not you, Clara Vance.”

We got back to the estate late at night. Before I even walked in, I heard suppressed coughing from inside. It was Leo. My heart tightened and I rushed through the door. Only one dim lamp lit the room. Leo was skeletal, curled up on the bed, his cheeks burning red. “Sis… I feel awful…” He called out in a daze. I touched his forehead. Burning hot. The medicine we bought before was gone. The doctor said if we didn’t get the serum in time, he wouldn’t make it through winter. I searched my entire body. Aside from the cash Julian threw at me last night, I had nothing. That money couldn’t even buy a single dose. I gritted my teeth and ran to the main house. Mia’s room was bright with lights. I knelt in the hallway, kowtowing toward the room. “Julian, please have mercy. Leo can’t hold on much longer…” “You promised before, as long as I did what you said and went to see Victor, you’d keep Leo safe.” “Please give me one dose of serum to save his life!” “As long as Leo lives, I’ll do whatever you want, I swear!” Laughter came from inside. After a long time, the door finally opened. Julian walked out with Mia in his arms. Mia wore thick furs, her face glowing, looking nothing like someone sick. “Clara Vance, what are you freaking out about now?” I crawled forward and grabbed Julian’s clothes. “Julian, my brother is dying. He needs serum to survive.” “Please, for all the times I stood in for Mia, save him!” Julian frowned. “The storage still has a few vials,” he said. Mia suddenly interrupted him, covering her chest and letting out a soft, fragile cough. “Jules, the doctor said I need regular medication too.” Julian immediately tensed and supported her. “Your health comes first. Those vials are for you.” He turned back to me, his tone cold. “Leo’s condition is a bottomless pit. Even with treatment, it’s just pouring money down the drain.” I stared at him in disbelief. Mia treated it as routine care. For Leo, it was life support. “Julian, Mia just needs maintenance. My brother needs this to survive…” Julian absently stroked Mia’s hair, not even looking at me. “How can your brother compare to Mia?” “Don’t even think about it—if Mia needs any vial in this house, she gets them first.” Mia leaned into his arms and gave me a smug smile. “Clara, it’s not that I won’t help.” “I’ll have them save the leftover doses for you. If there’s anything still worth using.” Humiliation. Pure humiliation. I stood up from the ground and wiped my tears. “No need.” If the estate wouldn’t give me a way to live, someone else would.

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I am Ethan’s wife. He stole me from his best friend Ryan. A man who took another man’s woman watches every male around her. When I started feeding a stray on our block, he confirmed the dog was female and that its owner was also female before he relaxed. Then a new intern started at the office. Some kid who brought me coffee for a few days. Ethan said he didn’t care. That night he scrolled through my phone until three in the morning and broke out in hives. On the way to the ER, face flushed and burning, he pulled up the intern’s Instagram and shoved it in my face. “Those pecs are obviously photoshopped.” “And this height? He’s five-eight in lifts, max. No way he’s six feet.” The doctors around us were biting back laughter. I squeezed his mouth shut and pushed him into the exam room. On the way to pick up his prescription, the doctor mentioned it casually. “For contraception, we recommend the pill or condoms. This male contraceptive just hit the market and the side effects are severe. The rash is the least of it.” “He’s taken it three times in one week. I understand not wanting to put the burden on his partner, but this is reckless.” I stopped walking. I was three months pregnant. … He was asleep when I picked up his phone. The passcode was my birthday. His photo gallery was all me. His search history was all me too. “How to get your wife’s attention back” “Wife thinks I’m too clingy. Does she have someone else?” “How to help wife who misses her dead mother” His notes app. All me. “March 20. She had a nightmare about her mom again.” “March 21. She can’t keep anything down. Morning sickness getting worse.” “April 1. Tracked down her old nanny. Learned her mother’s pot roast recipe. She cleaned her plate.” My eyes burned. I told myself it was the hormones. Then a notification popped up from the navigation app. “Based on your frequent routes, we’ve planned your trip home. Estimated arrival: 30 minutes.” The destination was Unit 7B, 280 Park Avenue. We lived in Unit 3A. My fingers opened the route history before my brain caught up. For the past three months, every day at noon, he drove to that address and stayed for roughly two hours. The morning sickness had hollowed me out. Fifteen pounds gone in three months. The only food I could keep down was whatever Ethan cooked. The office was far. Between taking care of me and dealing with the sharks at the company, working until two in the morning was normal for him. I felt bad. I told him to eat lunch at the office and rest. He took it as me not needing him anymore. We had a huge fight. No matter what I said, he refused to stop making me lunch. I had to pretend the morning sickness was getting better and swear I’d take care of myself before he finally agreed to stay at work. Except he hadn’t stayed at work. Every day, for three months, he’d been one door down in another unit with someone else. My hands shook around the phone. A message came in. “Babe, I left a pair of panties at your place yesterday. She didn’t find them, did she? I left them on purpose. Unwashed.” “They’re my favorites. Bring them for my birthday?” I stared at the profile picture. My hands were trembling when I tapped it open. Bianca. My father’s bastard daughter. The girl whose mother drove my mother to her grave and moved into our house before the funeral flowers had wilted. She spent her whole life grabbing everything I had. My clothes, my jewelry, my father’s love. Even my ex-husband. I caught them in our bed. That’s how that marriage ended. The day the divorce went through, I wanted to die. Ethan held me and said it word by word. “Babe, I will only ever love you. I don’t care what she does. I won’t give her a second look. Believe me.” And he’d proven it. When Bianca sent him nudes, he went straight to the police. She got seven days in a holding cell. He made sure her university found out. They expelled her. Her future, gone. I thought leaving that swamp and finding Ethan was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me. So why her. Why was it always her. I opened their messages. Ethan calling her babe. Bianca threatening to tell me everything and Ethan shutting her down cold, blocking her, punishing her, taking the punishment to bed. Me in the hospital, crying over a bad prenatal result, and the two of them in the room I’d decorated with my own hands, Bianca wearing my pajamas… My whole body shook. Nausea hit the back of my throat. Behind me, the bed shifted. “Babe?”

He saw my red eyes and reached for me. I smelled it on him. Something faint and sour. I shoved him back and ran to the bathroom, doubled over the sink. “Babe!” He was right behind me. The second his hand touched my back I flinched, grabbed the glass ashtray off the counter and hurled it at him. “Get away from me!” The ashtray caught him on the temple. Blood ran down along his brow. He didn’t touch it. He just looked at me, eyes full of panic. “Is it the baby acting up again?” “Or does something hurt?” I sat on the floor and watched him bolt out of the bathroom. He came back with water and pills. Blood dripped onto his white collar and spread into a small red bloom. He didn’t notice. He just held out the pills. “Open up, babe.” “Why?” I looked into his eyes. The tears came before I could stop them. Days ago we were picking out names. We were talking about the future. The three of us. Taking her to the coast and the mountains and every place we’d been when we first fell in love. Minutes ago he was raging jealous over some kid bringing me coffee. “Why did you betray me?” I stared at him through the blur. Ethan froze. His hand tightened around the pills. “You know.” I waited for him to explain. I told myself I would believe anything he said. As long as he said it, I could forgive him. “I’m sorry.” He stepped closer, voice shaking. “I know having the intern fired behind your back will upset you. But I can’t stand another man being near you every day, seeing you smile.” He crouched down and looked up at me. “You have no idea what it took to take you from Ryan. How hard I fought just to stand beside you. And some nobody gets to walk in and hand you coffee like it’s nothing.” “I know I’m obsessive. I know I’m not normal. But I don’t regret it.” “Babe, hit me, scream at me, punish me however you want. Just don’t hurt yourself. Don’t leave me. I’ll die.” He looked up at me with red eyes, like an abandoned dog. I looked at him and knew I should turn around and walk out. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t give up his tenderness. I couldn’t give up these happy days. So as long as I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I could pretend none of it was real. As long as I didn’t see it. I looked at him and smiled. “I want pot roast.” His eyes lit up and he turned toward the kitchen. But his phone rang. He glanced at it, face apologetic. “Sorry, babe. Something urgent at the office. I’ll make it for you when I’m back.” He was out the door before I could answer. I got in my car and followed him. 812 Sutton Place. I stood under the trees and watched Bianca take his arm and walk him through the front door. The second it closed, I took out my phone and called him. Through the living room window I saw him stand up and reach for his jacket. Then Bianca rose on her toes and pressed her mouth to his. Through the phone I heard wet sounds and his breathing. My grip on the phone turned my knuckles white. “Ethan. My stomach hurts.” He shoved Bianca away and grabbed his coat and headed for the door. “Babe, don’t be scared. I’m coming right now.” Then a muffled sound came through the line. Bianca doubled over. The call went dead. Ten seconds later, a text came in. “Babe, emergency meeting at the office. I have to be there. I’ve already called the doctor, he’ll be at the house any minute. Don’t be scared.” I looked up. Through the window, I watched him carry Bianca toward the bedroom. Something in my chest died. I took out my phone and called the clinic. “I need to schedule an abortion.”

I was pulling out when I saw someone standing in front of my car. My father. We looked at each other. Then I followed him into the house I’d grown up in. The living room was the same room. But nothing in it was mine anymore. The photos of me and my mother on the wall had all been replaced with Bianca and her mother. My mother’s orchids were gone. Stiff red roses in their place. I stood in the middle of the room like I’d walked into the wrong house. My father pointed at the sofa. I sat down and he got straight to it. “Leave Ethan.” “No. Ethan can’t live without me.” Once, when I found Bianca’s number in his phone, I packed a bag and headed for the door. He got there first. Didn’t say a word. Just grabbed a knife from the coffee table and drove it into his own stomach. Blood poured out and he didn’t move. He just stood there between me and the door. “You want to leave? Then I die first.” My father said nothing. He just looked at me. Then he pointed at the wall behind me. A photo wall. All Bianca and Ethan. Cuddled on a gondola in Venice. Holding hands under cherry blossoms in Kyoto. Kissing beneath the Eiffel Tower. “He wasn’t on a business trip last week. He took her around the world.” He stood up and walked to the wall and pointed at the photo in the center. A wedding photo. “They got married overseas. Had a ceremony. Invited everyone.” “Including his parents.” “To get his parents to accept her, he knelt outside their door for seven days.” “Remind me, did anyone come to your wedding?” My mouth opened but nothing came out. Ethan’s parents despised me. They thought I’d seduced their son and made him break up a friendship and ruined his reputation. They didn’t come to the wedding. They refused to see us after. But in the photos, they were smiling and accepting tea from Bianca’s hands. “I heard you had a car accident a few days ago.” “You didn’t tell Ethan because you didn’t want him to worry.” My father let out a short laugh. “You know where he was?” “Right down the block from you. Shopping for a diamond ring with her.” My skull buzzed. “He watched the whole thing. Watched the other driver get in your face. Watched that man shove you to the ground. Watched you lock yourself in your car and cry. Watched them bang on your window and scream at you. Watched you sit there shaking and call the police.” “He didn’t move. Because she was thirsty and he wanted to get her a drink.” “That’s a lie!” I was on my feet, shaking. I refused to believe that the man who agonized over a scratch on my finger could watch me get pushed to the ground and do nothing. “You’re making this up because you want me away from Ethan.” My father looked at me in silence. The look in his eyes made my skin crawl. After a long time, he spoke. “Bianca’s pregnant.” “The baby’s name is Julian.” Julian. Something inside my head snapped. That name. Ethan and I spent a whole month on it. We went through every baby name book and argued and laughed and finally agreed. It was our baby’s name. Only our baby’s name. “A man knows a man.” My father’s voice came again. “All he has left for you is obligation. Keep going like this and you’ll end up exactly like your mother.” My mother. When she found out about the affair, she refused to leave. My father brought the other woman into our home and kissed her in front of my mother. My mother couldn’t take the humiliation. She killed herself. Would I end up the same way? I didn’t know. I just felt tired. I stopped listening to the man in front of me. I pushed the door open and walked out. The sun hit my skin and I couldn’t feel it.

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The night I died in the basement, my skin was falling off in sheets. My husband was upstairs in bed with the woman who put me there. In my last life, the orphan my husband took in gave me a necklace. After I put it on, I couldn’t stay awake. My body broke down in ways no doctor could explain, and by the end I was rotting from the inside out. I didn’t learn the truth until after I died. She was a corporate spy planted by a rival conglomerate. After her side lost, she used her face and her body to get Julian to bring her home. Once she was inside the estate, she used that necklace to destroy me. The pendant contained a trace amount of radium, enough to poison anyone who wore it against their skin day after day. Slow, invisible, impossible to diagnose until it was too late. Julian spent every night in her bed. He let me die in a locked room in the basement, alone, on a bare mattress that smelled like bleach and mold. After I was gone, they rolled me into a body bag and dumped me at a county crematorium. No service. No marker. Nothing. The only person who came for me was Seth, a housekeeper from Beatrice Sterling’s household. He pulled strings to get my remains out of that crematorium and buried me himself. All because I’d smiled at him once at a company gala. That was all it took. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment she handed me the necklace. She wanted what I had. I’d make sure she got it. —– “Julian really pulled it off. The board’s going to hand him the CEO seat after this.” “A full acquisition in three months. The Thornes don’t play around.” Guests raised their glasses and turned toward the head of the table where Julian sat beside me. Crystal and candlelight everywhere. The grand hall of the Thorne Estate packed with every name that mattered. Seraphina didn’t have a title or a ring, but she moved through the room like she already owned it. She walked over to me with a glass of champagne in one hand and a small velvet box in the other, all grace, all warmth. “I know how much you worried while Julian was away. I went to St. Catherine’s and had this blessed for you. For good luck.” She opened the box. A simple chain with a small pendant, nothing flashy. The last time, I was so happy Julian had come home victorious, so touched by her gesture, that I let her clasp it around my neck right there at the table. I had no idea what it really was. The pendant was laced with radium. Sealed under a thin coating that wore away with daily use, leaching radiation into the skin at the back of my neck. A little every day. Not enough to set off alarms. Just enough to kill, slowly. First came the fatigue. Then the aches I couldn’t explain. Then the sores. And Seraphina? She glowed brighter every day. The sicker I looked, the more radiant she appeared, and the more Julian turned to her. By the time I woke up from a week-long haze, my body was falling apart. Open sores, the smell of decay. Seraphina stood at the foot of my bed, fanned her nose, and draped herself over Julian like a silk scarf. “Oh my. She looks awful. What happened to her?” Julian’s face went cold. “Get this woman out of my sight. Lock her downstairs. Anyone who brings her food or water gets fired on the spot.” I tried to speak. My mouth opened and nothing came out. All I could do was watch him walk away. Up until the moment I choked on my own breath in that basement, I never understood how the man who once loved me could turn into that. It wasn’t until my mind was floating above my own corpse that I pieced it together. She’d been a spy all along. Embedded by a rival firm, using her looks to hook Julian and using that necklace to put me in the ground. She didn’t need to be sick herself. She just needed me to wear it. I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear her apart. But I was nothing. Just a thought with no hands. The clink of glasses brought me back. I was standing in the grand hall again. The gala. The same faces, the same laughter, the same chandelier light bouncing off Julian’s cufflinks. Seraphina’s eyes flashed with something sharp and hungry, and then she smiled, soft as cashmere, and held the necklace out to me. “Here, let me put it on for you.”

I stepped aside before she could reach me. She froze. Then the tears came, instant and perfect. “You don’t want it?” “I spent weeks going to St. Catherine’s for this. I prayed for you and Julian every single day.” “I get it though. I’m just the girl Julian took in off the street. Why would you want anything from me.” The women at the table were already whispering. “Wow. She goes to all that effort and can’t even get a thank you.” “That poor girl has nothing and she’s still thinking about everyone else. Honestly, it’s a little embarrassing for the actual wife.” I forced a smile and said I loved the thought, and I’d absolutely keep the necklace. But I was already wearing one tonight and it would look odd to switch mid-dinner. Seraphina wiped her eyes and looked at me like a kicked puppy. “I know mine’s nothing compared to yours. But I knelt on that chapel floor so long my knees were raw.” “Just try it on? For me? I promise it’ll look so pretty.” She wasn’t going to let this go. Right then, a young man stepped into the hall and approached Julian with a polite nod. “Mr. Thorne, sorry to interrupt. Mrs. Sterling asked me to come get Mrs. Thorne. She’s expecting her for tea.” My heart slammed against my ribs. Seth. The one who pulled my remains from a county crematorium and buried me with his own hands. He glanced at me, just for a second. Something careful in his eyes. I was about to use this as my exit when Seraphina latched onto my arm. “Oh, put the necklace on before you go. You don’t want to show up at Mrs. Sterling’s wearing something nicer than hers, do you?” She was already reaching for my neck with the chain. Seth spoke up. “Hang on. I feel like I’ve seen you before. Were you at the Harrington Group event last fall? I swear you were with their team.” Seraphina went still. Then she laughed, light and easy. “Oh no, you’ve got the wrong person. Julian rescued me. I don’t exactly run in those circles.” Seth let it go. I jumped in. “Mrs. Sterling’s waiting, I shouldn’t keep her. Seraphina, I’ll wear it tonight, I promise. It’s not going anywhere.” I turned to leave and Seraphina grabbed my wrist. “It takes two seconds. Why are you making this so hard? Unless you’re just trying to get away from me.” Then she stumbled sideways and crashed right into Seth. “Get off me! He just grabbed me!” She clutched her side and the tears poured down. The women at the table went off. “Did he seriously just put his hands on her?” “God, that’s vile. Someone get him out of here.” Seraphina was shaking, tears streaming, the whole performance pitch-perfect. “I don’t care where I come from, no one gets to touch me like that. I swear to God I’ll call the police.” She lurched toward the edge of the marble bar counter and Julian was on his feet in a second, pulling her into his chest. Seth backed up with both hands raised, palms out. “I didn’t touch her. She stumbled into me. My hands were up the whole time. I never made contact.” Seraphina buried her face in Julian’s shirt and sobbed louder. Julian’s jaw was locked. “Get him out. Now. Call security.” I stepped forward. “Julian, Beatrice Sterling sent him. This is going to get back to her.” He didn’t even look at me. Seraphina lifted her head from Julian’s chest, eyes red and wet. “Why are you taking his side? Unless you liked it when he touched you. Is that what this is?” Pure poison. She was putting the image in Julian’s head that Seth and I had something going on. Julian looked at me and his eyes went cold. Whatever I’d said about Beatrice didn’t matter anymore. I opened my mouth but Seth cut in, hands still raised. “Mr. Thorne, do whatever you want to me. But Mrs. Sterling is still waiting for an answer. Let me do my job and I’ll be out of your house.” Something inside me cracked. If I said one more word in his defense, it would look exactly the way Seraphina wanted it to look. Seth knew that. He was taking the hit so I wouldn’t have to. I was shaking. My eyes landed on the necklace in Seraphina’s hand and something clicked into place. She wanted to poison me and take my place. Fine. I’d give her a taste of her own medicine. I looked at Seth and wondered what he would choose.

I could hear them downstairs. Muffled voices, something heavy hitting something soft. Last life he carried my body out of a crematorium. This life he was getting beaten for me. What could I do for him? Get him out. Get him free. Give him the life he actually wanted. One of the housekeepers rushed in. “They’re still going at it. Seth passed out and nobody told them to stop.” My chest tightened. “What did Julian say?” “He’s with Seraphina. He hasn’t said anything.” Hasn’t said stop. Which meant they’d keep going until Seth couldn’t get up again. Seraphina wanted him silenced. He’d recognized her face and she couldn’t risk him remembering where from. I turned toward the stairs and Seraphina’s voice hit me from the end of the hallway. She was standing there with two of the older housekeepers flanking her like bodyguards. “If you go down there right now, you’re proving everything I said at dinner.” I almost laughed. “You’re right. Why would I care what happens to the help.” I glanced at the necklace still in her hand. “You still want me to wear that?” Her eyes lit up. She held it out like an offering. “You’ll actually put it on?” I took it from her and sighed. “Tomorrow’s the anniversary of my mother’s death. I’m going to St. Catherine’s to light a candle.” “If you really mean all this, come with me. Put it on me there, in the chapel. In front of God.” Something flickered in her eyes. Suspicion. But it was gone in a second, swallowed by the thrill of winning. She probably thought I was caving to save face after the scene at dinner. “Of course. I’ll go with you tomorrow.” She smiled. The same smile she had in my last life when she got what she wanted. I nodded and turned to walk away. “You’re not going downstairs?” “No.” Seth was already unconscious. Going down there wouldn’t save him. Begging for him would only hand Seraphina exactly what she wanted. But I had another way. Back in my room, I typed out a message and had someone deliver it to Beatrice Sterling’s office. Beatrice might not care about one housekeeper. But she cared about her reputation. Someone roughing up her staff at a party? She’d want a word about that.

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My husband locked our son in the trunk—just so his childhood sweetheart’s cat could have the entire back seat to itself. My son was terrified, pounding on the trunk lid, crying hysterically. His desperate banging drew honking warnings from passing cars, but my husband just held his childhood sweetheart in the passenger seat, laughing and flirting. “What’s with all these cars honking? Are they sick or something?” It wasn’t until I scrolled through social media and recognized our car in a video posted by netizens that I called him in a panic. He finally picked up on the fifteenth call. Through blaring music and girlish laughter, his annoyed voice came through. “I’m driving! Why the hell are you calling? So annoying!” “Our son’s in the trunk crying so hard he can barely breathe! Pull over now!” I screamed into the phone. His response was casual, almost bored. “Kids cry. He’s not gonna die. I’ll let him out when we get home.” “That’s ten more hours! It’s a sealed trunk—you’re going to kill him…” He hung up. When I tried calling back, I found he’d blocked me. Almost immediately, his childhood sweetheart posted on social media. Her cat was curled up in my son’s car seat. The caption read: [Sean said that for ‘our son’s’ comfort on this trip, eliminating unnecessary people was essential. ♡] I was crying so hard I almost passed out when suddenly, I heard my son’s clear voice behind me. “Mommy! Uncle and I are back from the amusement park!” I spun around. My son stood in the entryway, clutching his toys. Then who the hell was locked in that trunk? *** I pulled my son into my arms, holding him tight until I felt his warmth and heartbeat. Only then could I believe this was real. But the video, those cries, Cindy’s social media post… None of it could be fake! “Mommy, why are you crying?” My son wiped my face with his little hands. “It’s nothing, sweetheart.” I forced a smile and handed him to my brother. “Jake, watch Leo for a couple days. I have an emergency to handle.” After settling my son, I got in my car and drove straight toward Sean’s hometown. I had to find out—who the hell was in that trunk! At a rest stop, I grabbed a hot Americano during a brief break. A few truckers nearby huddled around their phones, and their conversation drifted into my ears. “Still hasn’t let him out? It’s been hours!” “According to the latest updates, the kid’s still in the trunk. The banging sounds are getting weaker. It’s terrible!” “Word is there were several accidents on the highway, massive traffic jam. The cops can’t even get through yet.” “Is that father insane? I heard he did it just so his mistress’s cat could sit comfortably…” A chill crawled up my spine. My hand trembled, spilling hot coffee. How dare Sean! That could be a life! I couldn’t sit still any longer. I rushed back to my car and switched the GPS to take back roads. Just then, my mother-in-law called. “Alice, I can’t reach Sean. I don’t know if Leo gets carsick…” My throat tightened like I’d swallowed waterlogged cotton. “Mom, probably bad signal on the road. I can’t reach him either.” “Leo’s probably asleep by now. You should get some rest.” I hung up quickly, and tears immediately burst out. What could I say? That your son would lock your grandson in a trunk to die, all for his childhood sweetheart’s cat? Sean had requested time off a week early to drive Cindy home for the holidays. I couldn’t get away from work, so he suggested taking Leo back first. How could I have trusted him! Thank God. Thank God Leo was safe. Otherwise, I would’ve dragged Sean straight to hell with me! The back roads were rough, and I drove with my heart in my throat. Three hours later, my phone’s tracking showed Sean’s car stopped at a roadside motel. Seven hours had passed since I’d first seen that video! Eyes bloodshot, I switched the GPS and drove like a maniac toward that motel. I burst into the lobby and pointed at the black sedan parked outside, my voice hoarse. “The owner of the car with license plate ending in 7X9—what room?” The desk clerk glanced at me and went back to scrolling on her phone. “Sorry, we can’t disclose guest information.” “There’s a child in that trunk! He’s been locked in there for seven hours!” I slammed my hand on the desk. The clerk remained unmoved. “Then contact the guest yourself.” With no other choice, I dialed Cindy’s number. “Ring… ring…” It rang forever. Just when I thought no one would answer, she picked up. The first thing that spilled from the receiver was sticky, intimate panting mixed with the creaking of bedsprings. Then came Cindy’s deliberately sweet voice, trembling slightly. “Sean… shouldn’t we… shouldn’t we bring Leo up here?” “It’s been seven or eight hours now, and it’s pretty cold at night…” Next, Sean’s impatient voice came through, mixed with heavy breathing. “Bringing him up will just interrupt us. Forget about him!” “Besides, sleeping in the trunk is the same as sleeping anywhere else, right?” “Don’t waste time, hurry up…” The call abruptly ended. Buzzing filled my ears. All the blood in my body went cold.

The clerk saw my face go pale and asked quietly. “Ma’am, are… are you alright?” “There’s a child in that car…” My voice was hoarse as I pointed outside. “You can’t just ignore this!” The clerk’s face showed a flicker of hesitation, but she still shook her head. “Ma’am, I… we can’t leak guest information. Why don’t you try contacting them again?” Cindy had just blocked me. How was I supposed to contact them! I quickly scanned the motel layout and pretended I needed the bathroom. “Where’s the restroom?” The clerk pointed in a direction. I turned and headed that way, then quietly slipped upstairs. The moment I reached the second-floor landing, Cindy’s moaning drifted from the end of the hallway. I held my breath and inched forward, step by step. Muffled voices came from inside the room. Sean’s voice. “Damn, you’re exhausting. I need to sleep…” “Sean, what about Leo…” Cindy’s voice. “Tch, why do you keep bringing him up?” “We’ll deal with it after I get some sleep. He’s not gonna die anytime soon anyway.” Even though I knew Leo was safe at home right now, Sean’s words were like poisoned seeds taking root in my mind. I couldn’t control the vision that forced itself into my head—I “saw” my Leo being shoved into that dark, suffocating trunk. His little hands pounding until they turned red, his cries going from loud to hoarse, finally reduced to weak whimpering. Cold. Dark. No oxygen. His tiny body curled up, slowly going still. Every detail felt so real, as if it were happening right before my eyes. Even though logic told me it was a hallucination, it was fake. But that imagined despair squeezed my heart and choked my breath. Without thinking, I raised my foot and kicked the door with all my strength! “BANG!” The door flew open. Inside, Sean was naked, wrapped around an equally naked Cindy. His face twisted with shock and rage as he looked up. Cindy shrieked and grabbed the blanket to cover herself. “Alice Miller?! Are you fucking insane!” He grabbed his clothes, his face turned grim. My eyes swept the room quickly. Clothes and used condoms scattered across the floor. The air reeked of something nauseating. Cindy’s damn cat was curled up at the corner of the bed, lazily licking its paw. I ignored his piercing shouts, my gaze sharp as a blade cutting straight through him. “Give me the car keys. I’m opening that trunk!” Sean’s face flashed with confusion, then greater fury. “I just put Leo in the trunk—did you really drive hundreds of miles to chase me down? He’s not dead!” “Give me the keys!” I repeated, extending my hand. “Now!” “Psycho! You’re a complete psycho!” Sean cursed furiously, grabbed the car keys from the nightstand, and hurled them at me. The keys flew through the air and smacked into the cat at the corner of the bed. “MEOW!! REOWWW!!!” The cat’s fur stood on end as it leaped up. “Whiskers!” Cindy, wrapped in the blanket, lunged forward and clutched the cat to her chest. “Baby, are you okay? Does it hurt?” Her eyes reddened with concern as she held the cat up to Sean’s face. “Sean, look—Whiskers is terrified!” Sean immediately bent down, gently stroking the cat’s back. “Whiskers, don’t be scared, Daddy will make it better.” “That’s right, Mommy and Daddy are here. Whiskers is so brave.” The two of them cooed over the cat like they were comforting a precious child who’d suffered the world’s greatest injustice. I watched this absurd, grotesque scene and let out a bitter laugh. “Ha… how touching.” My gaze moved from them to the whimpering cat, finally landing on the car outside the window. “So in your eyes, is the child in that trunk worth less than a single hair on this animal?”

Sean’s eyes flickered, his voice dry. “Leo’s my son. Of course I care. I’ll go down with you…” “Alice! You deliberately didn’t catch those keys so they’d hit Whiskers, didn’t you?” Cindy interrupted him with a sob, clutching the cat and glaring at me through tears, “Leo wanted to play hide-and-seek in the trunk himself—that’s why Sean agreed!” She turned to Sean, her voice even more pitiful. “How can you blame this on me! And even if you’re mad at me, why take it out on Whiskers!” The faint wavering on Sean’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a sinister look directed at me. “A cat is a life too! If you’re this cruel to an animal, how are you any different from one yourself?” He bent down, picked up the keys, and gripped them tight, his voice dripping with disdain. “Like mother, like son! Leo can stay in that trunk and reflect on his behavior. And you—get lost!” “Reflect?” I trembled with rage, tears streaming down my face. “Sean, that child has been locked in there for almost eight hours!” “He’s scared! He could run out of oxygen! He could die—have you thought about that?!” Sean’s face remained dark, but his eyes softened for just a moment. “Sean, look! So many people are calling me a mistress, a homewrecker…” Cindy pulled out her phone and shoved it in his face. The screen showed comments calling her a “mistress.” She turned, tears pooling in her eyes as she stared at me. “This is your doing, isn’t it? You work in media—you’re best at manipulating public opinion…” “From the beginning, you didn’t want Sean to drive me home. You’ve been planning to destroy me this whole time, haven’t you?” “You’re lying!” I was so angry I nearly laughed. “Random people posted those videos online. What does that have to do with me!” “Really?” Cindy’s gaze sharpened. “Because I had someone check—the ‘concerned citizen’ who first posted the video is an intern at your company.” “You plotted this from the start to frame us and ruin our reputations!” “From the moment you objected to Sean driving me and my brother’s family, you’ve had this whole thing planned out, haven’t you?!” Sean’s eyes turned completely cold, looking at me like I was a venomous snake. “Alice Miller, you disgust me.” “Get on your knees right now and apologize to Cindy. Bow your head and admit everything you’ve schemed!” “Otherwise, tomorrow my lawyer will slap divorce papers in your face! And you’ll never see your son again!” My heart sank. Yes, when he proposed driving Cindy and her brother Derek’s family home, I’d argued with him because I couldn’t handle work and watch Leo alone. In the end, he compromised and said he’d only take Cindy and Leo. But now, this had somehow become evidence of my “premeditated setup.” I had no interest in explaining to him. I lunged for the keys in Sean’s hand! “Ahhh!” Cindy, who was blocking the way, suddenly screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her stomach. “Alice, why did you kick my stomach!” I froze. I hadn’t even touched her! “Alice Miller! You fucking dare lay hands on her?!” Sean’s eyes bulged with fury. The next second, Sean viciously kicked me in the abdomen! “Ugh—ahh!” I flew backward, my spine slamming against the wall before I slid to the floor. Every organ felt displaced. I curled up in agony, my vision going black. But it wasn’t over. Sean charged over and kicked me again and again! I couldn’t even scream—only broken gasps escaped me. “Stop! Stop it!!” A terrified shout came from the doorway. It was the desk clerk—and behind her stood several police officers!

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“Let me loosen your dress. Don’t embarrass us at the banquet.” My mother approached my waist with scissors. In my past life, she snipped the seam. I was exposed in front of the entire Sterling family. My sister draped her coat over me and stole the marriage contract. I was exiled to the countryside and froze to death in a shack — only to learn on my deathbed that my sister was my father’s secret love child, and my mother was her accomplice. This time, as the scissors came down, I lunged into her arms. The blade sank into her own palm. My sister rushed to help her, and I tugged loose her belt. “Does your hand hurt, Mom?” I wiped the blood from her fingers. “In my last life, I hurt a thousand times more than this.” …… After finally finding my biological parents, they arranged for me and my adopted sister to meet the heir of the Sterling Group. Before we left, my mother personally straightened my collar, but she secretly pulled a loose thread from my dress’s waistline. The moment we arrived at the Sterling manor, I leaned over to change my shoes, and the side of my dress burst open, exposing my slip. Mrs. Sterling sneered in disgust, “Blood-related or not, she’s so indecent she can’t even dress herself—what an embarrassment!” My sister, Maya, draped her designer coat over me right then, earning praise for her grace and sisterly love, which effortlessly secured her the marriage contract. Back home, I knelt and begged for justice. My father only snorted, “You couldn’t even keep your clothes together and humiliated the entire family; how dare you blame others?” My mother added with fake concern, “Since you returned, Maya has been crying every day out of guilt; you only lost a marriage, so stop acting like it’s the end of the world.” Later, Maya had a grand wedding while my reputation was ruined, and I was exiled to a derelict farm in the countryside where I eventually froze to death in a drafty shack. It was only before I died that I realized that thread had been intentionally snipped by my mother’s scissors. I have been reborn. My mother is smiling again, reaching out to straighten my collar: “The silk is slippery, honey; let me tighten this so you don’t look unrefined.” I snapped back to reality, seeing that same fake smile on her face. “The silk is slippery, honey; let me tighten this so you don’t look unrefined.” As she spoke, her fingers brushed toward my sleeve, revealing the tip of a tiny blade. In my past life, these small scissors snipped the seam of my waistline, leaving me exposed and humiliated in front of the Sterlings. In the freezing midwinter of my past, I had shivered in that shack. Maya had stepped on the back of my hand, mocking me: “Sister, I didn’t expect that just because I said I was afraid you’d outshine me, Mom would personally cut your future to pieces.” The cold wind of that shack seemed to still linger in my bones. I stared at my mother’s well-manicured hands, my heart hammering against my ribs. She continued to smile as she adjusted my collar, her fingers ready to strike my waistline with the scissors. Suddenly, my knees buckled, and I lunged forward. “Oh!” I let out a cry and crashed into my mother’s arms. Caught off guard by my sudden fall, her hand slipped. The scissors sliced through the air and stabbed directly into the back of her own hand. “Ouch!” My mother shrieked in pain, and the scissors hit the floor with a loud clang. I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around her waist, squeezing tightly from behind. Using my body as a shield, my right hand reached out to the side. Maya was standing nearby, waiting for the show to begin. She was wearing a limited-edition dress my mother had custom-made for her, cinched with an exquisite leather belt. Before she could react, my fingers hooked onto her belt buckle and gave it a sharp pull. The fastened buckle instantly came loose. I stood up quickly, feigning total panic. “Mom! Are you okay? It’s all my fault, I slipped!” I held her steady, looking deeply concerned. My mother clutched her bleeding hand, hissing in pain, and shot me a venomous look: “Clumsy girl! We’re going to the Sterlings, and you’re acting like a savage!” Maya stepped forward, pulling out a silk handkerchief to wrap my mother’s hand. She rolled her eyes at me with contempt before pretending to speak up for me: “Mom, Elena is just nervous, don’t blame her. She just got back from the countryside and hasn’t seen the world, so it’s natural for her legs to go weak.” My father, Arthur, stood at the door with his hands behind his back, glancing at the clock with a scowl: “Enough! Stop wasting time! We’re going to be late, and if you keep Mrs. Sterling waiting, can either of you handle the consequences?” Father didn’t even glance at me; his eyes only softened when they landed on Maya: “Maya looks elegant today, truly sophisticated. Once we’re at the manor, keep an eye on your sister so she doesn’t humiliate us.” Maya nodded obediently: “Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll take good care of her.” She straightened her back, puffing her chest out like a proud peacock. I lowered my head, a cold smile touching my lips.

My mother’s hand was still seeping blood, staining the handkerchief. Since time was running out, she didn’t have a chance to mess with my waistline and instead grabbed a jewelry box. “Maya, this was a gift from your grandmother; I’m giving it to you now for good luck.” She took out a sapphire pendant and personally fastened it around Maya’s neck. “This blue suits your skin tone; it’s beautiful but subtle for the Sterlings.” Maya touched the pendant, her eyes curving with delight: “Thank you, Mom, I’ll treasure it.” I stood to the side with empty hands and a plain, cheap belt. My mother finally noticed me and rummaged through a corner of the box, pulling out a handful of old hairpins with peeling gold paint: “Elena, wear these so you can’t say I’m biased. Your outfit is plain, so these will provide some contrast.” She shoved them into my hand, not caring if they even matched. Father watched and, instead of finding it unfair, nodded in approval: “Maya was raised in London; she has the class for that pendant. Elena spent her life in the dirt; wearing fine things would just look ridiculous on her.” I squeezed the cheap hairpins until they bit into my palm. The countryside? Why was I even there? It was because they threw me away to some distant relatives years ago to hide from their creditors. Now they only brought me back because the Sterlings insisted on the “biological” daughter to fulfill the old marriage pact. Even though Maya was the favorite, she was legally just an adopted orphan. They needed to use me as a stepping stone to get Maya into the Sterling family. In my past life, I never understood why my own parents were so heartless. Until the moment before I died, I heard the neighbors gossiping. “Mr. Blackwood is truly cruel, leaving his real daughter to die for the sake of an adopted one.” “Adopted? That’s his secret love child with his mistress!” “Mrs. Blackwood knew all along, but to keep her husband happy, she raised the bastard as an ‘adopted’ child and trampled her own daughter to pave the way.” So that was the truth. One was the precious child of a mistress. The other was the unwanted burden of a legal wife. My mother sacrificed her own child just to keep her husband’s favor. My father treated me like trash for the sake of his hidden affair. I gripped the hairpins until they bent and broke in my hand. I looked at the three of them—Maya holding my mother’s arm, my father looking on with fatherly love. They were a happy family, and I was the intruder. “Dad, Mom, it’s time to go.” Father gave me a look of pure annoyance: “What’s the rush? No manners at all. When we get to the manor, speak less and follow Maya’s lead. If you ruin this marriage, I’ll send you straight to a strict boarding school in the middle of nowhere!” I lowered my gaze and said nothing. A boarding school? I’ve already been to hell; that’s nothing.

The car drove toward the Sterling estate. Maya sat in the prime seat, constantly fidgeting with her sapphire pendant. The Sterling’s head housekeeper, Rachel, was also in the car, officially as an escort but actually to observe our character. Maya didn’t stop talking the entire way. “Rachel, I heard the Sterling gardens are the finest in the country.” “Rachel, I’ve learned a new piano piece; do you think the Mistress would enjoy a recital?” “Rachel, look at this pendant; my mother gave it to me specially.” Rachel grew pale, her brow furrowing as she pressed her hand against her temple, clearly in significant pain. I watched this and smiled inwardly. In my past life, Maya was just as noisy, but she got lucky because Mrs. Sterling happened to have a migraine that day. Maya had used a scent recipe she stole from my notes to relieve the headache and won the Mistress’s favor. This time, I wouldn’t give her the chance. I took a small, elegant box from my bag. Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was a slender glass vial with a rollerball tip. I had spent my three years of exile apprenticing with an old-world apothecary, mastering the art of therapeutic botanicals. This was my own signature blend. “You look pale, Rachel,” I said, uncapping the vial. A crisp, clarifying scent of peppermint, eucalyptus, and something deeply green filled the air. “I made this for tension headaches. Just a touch on your temples or wrists should help.” Maya immediately glared, her voice a low hiss. “Elena! What is that stuff? Are you seriously giving Rachel some homemade concoction? If you make her condition worse, can you even afford the doctor’s bill?” Rachel was already nauseous, and Maya’s screeching made her head feel like it was exploding. She shot Maya a look of pure annoyance, then ignored her completely. Turning to me, she gestured toward the vial. “May I?” I handed it to her. She held it under her nose for a moment, inhaling deeply. The crisp, clarifying scent of peppermint and eucalyptus, grounded by a hint of sandalwood, seemed to cut through the stuffy air in the car. “This is lovely,” Rachel admitted, a touch of surprise in her voice. She dabbed a small amount onto her wrists as I had suggested. I moved closer. “Forgive the intrusion, Rachel.” My fingers found the tense muscles at the base of her neck and behind her ears. “There’s a pressure point here.” Using a specialized technique, I applied firm, rhythmic pressure to the knots of tension. In moments, Rachel’s tightened brow relaxed, and she let out a long sigh of relief. The sallow, strained look on her face began to fade, replaced by a healthier flush of color. “That’s an excellent technique,” Rachel said, opening her eyes. Her gaze, now clear and sharp, was filled with a new kind of scrutiny and respect. “Miss Elena, where did you learn that? That’s not something just anyone can do.” I paused, letting my hands fall away. “Just some basic acupressure I picked up from a physician while I was away,” I replied calmly. “Nothing to make a fuss over.” Rachel smiled, a genuine, appreciative smile this time. “You’re far too modest. If that’s ‘basic,’ then most of the city’s top massage therapists should be ashamed of themselves.” Maya sat beside us, twisting her napkins in a silent rage. She didn’t expect me to have this skill and tried to cut in: “Rachel, she just got lucky—” Rachel shot her a cold look: “If you’re tired, Miss Maya, perhaps you should rest your voice. Mrs. Sterling likes peace and detests those who are too noisy.” Maya’s face stiffened as she shut her mouth. Rachel ignored her and whispered a tip to me: “Not only is the Mistress here, but the young master is home too. Master Julian is cold by nature and dislikes girls who are overdone or fake. Character is what matters most here.” I nodded slightly: “Thank you for the advice, Rachel.” The car slowed to a halt; we had arrived at the Sterling manor.

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On my wedding night, my husband Kael forced me to drink liquor laced with a heat inducer, then threw me into a rogue den. The drug plunged my body into a state of shameless, uncontrollable need. I was pinned down by those feral rogues who had lost all reason, their bodies slamming into mine again and again in waves of agony. And Kael simply stood to the side, watching with a cold smile. As I drifted toward unconsciousness, I could not understand how I had gone from a bride that everyone envied to a she-wolf that anyone could use. That year I was eighteen years old, and my father, Alpha Howard of the Red Moon Pack, had decreed that I would be assigned as Kael’s chosen mate. I had counted down the days to the ceremony with a full heart. Because Kael had rejected his fated mate for me, and had sworn before the entire pack that he would be faithful to me forever. Everything shattered so fast, the fall from bride to pack whore taking no more than half a night. I dragged my ruined body back to Red Moon Pack, and my wolf told me we needed an answer. I needed my mate to tell me why, but what I received was not an explanation. It was exile. My entire family was destroyed along with me, and my pack was renamed Autumn Moon, the name Kael’s pack had carried before it was wiped out. I knelt in the mud. Kael tilted my chin up, his gaze cold. “If your father had not framed my father, my pack would never have been slaughtered by rogues.” “One hundred and eight wolves in my family, all destroyed because of your father’s greed.” “I endured years of humiliation in Red Moon Pack, living like a stray dog, all so that one day I could make your entire bloodline pay in full.” “What you owe me has only just begun to be repaid.” Red Moon Pack was erased from existence. I was stripped of my name and my identity, discarded into the most desolate stretch of the border, reduced to the most degraded shared omega in the entire outpost. Five years later, Kael came to inspect the border. I was draped in nothing but a sheer, tattered piece of gauze, straddling a Beta’s lap with lazy, provocative eyes. I took a mouthful of sharp liquor and passed it mouth to mouth into the man’s lips in full view of everyone present. The moment I turned my head, I met his cold, indifferent gaze. Kael sat in the seat of authority, and the look he gave me was thick with contempt. Five years apart, and he had not changed at all, still carrying the sharp composure of a top-tier Alpha, the arrogance of someone born to command written into every line of his face. It was nothing like the filthy, broken creature my father had brought back to the pack all those years ago. I curved the corner of my mouth, my gaze lazy and provocative. “Alpha Kael, looking at me like that, does it mean you want me to serve you the same way?” Kael’s face darkened as he let out a cold snort. “A degraded omega, fit to serve me? You don’t find yourself disgusting, but I find you filthy.” I ignored his contempt and leaned against the Beta with deliberate softness, letting my fingertips trail across his chest until his breathing grew ragged. The Beta exhaled roughly, plastering on a fawning expression as he looked toward Kael. “Alpha Kael, she’s the best piece we have out here, the kind that knows how to pull a man apart. If you don’t want her, I’ll take her out right now.” The room erupted in laughter. The warriors mocked without restraint. “Shev’s been too long at the border. Looks like he’s desperate for a release.” “As if Alpha Kael would want something like that. You’re the one getting lucky in the end.” “I heard Leah used to be the heir of Red Moon Pack. She’s a plaything now, but there’s still that proud streak underneath. Bet she’s a different kind of ride. Shev, leave some for the rest of us when you’re done.” I buried my face in Shev’s chest with a show of shy hesitation, using it to hide the humiliation burning behind my eyes. Five years of living worse than death, drowning in degradation, and I had never once been able to go numb to it. The wolves at the border were rough and careless, and no one would ever treat a traitor’s daughter with anything resembling tenderness. Every time they threw me out, I was covered in wounds. The worst time, I lay in the snow through an entire night and nearly did not survive it. My body was a map of bite marks and lash scars without a single unmarked patch of skin. The pain reached all the way into my bones, but I had no choice except to endure it in silence. No one cared how badly a worthless omega was hurt. I had thought about dying, more than once. But I could not. My younger sister Mia had been exiled alongside me. Her wolf had not yet awakened, and her body had been weakened by the silver dust that seeped into her blood the night our pack was destroyed, slowly eating through her healing ability from the inside. As long as I stayed alive and kept these wolves satisfied, I could earn enough to keep her going. I smoothed the pain out of my expression and gave Beta Shev a slow, seductive smile. “Tonight, whatever you want, I can give it to you.” Shev had already lost what little patience he had, and he scooped me up and headed for the door. In the next instant, someone seized my wrist and wrenched it hard. I cried out and fell, sprawling across the ground before I could rearrange my expression into something safe. Kael looked down at me with eyes full of vicious intent, and he drove his boot into me and sent me rolling across the floor. —

The taste of blood filled my mouth. I bit down and refused to let myself make a sound. After years of navigating these brutal border wolves, I knew better than anyone that crying and begging brought no mercy. It only made things worse. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and let my smile grow more inviting. “So Alpha Kael likes it rough. I promise I can give you exactly what you want.” Kael fixed his crimson eyes on me without blinking. After a long pause, a cold smile surfaced at the edge of his mouth. He pressed his boot down on my chest and held me flat against the ground. “Leah. A few years gone, and you’ve sunk to this. I really did underestimate you.” Sunk. But when I had tried to die alongside my parents, he was the one who arranged everything and made sure I ended up thrown into the border outpost instead. I still remember kneeling in front of my parents’ bodies and begging him to give me a clean death, while he wrapped his hand around my throat and let his smile go cold. “Die? It won’t be that easy.” “Your father destroyed my entire pack, but he left me alive, and then played the generous savior by taking me in and bringing me into Red Moon Pack, forcing me to swallow my rage every single day while the hatred ate me alive.” “He wouldn’t give me the mercy of a quick end. So what gives you the right to die?” “Leah. Children pay the debts of their parents. I will make sure you can neither live in peace nor die in peace.” Now I was exactly what he had intended me to be, and yet he still looked at me with that disgust. Seeing that I kept my jaw locked and made no sound, the fury in Kael’s eyes deepened. He ground his boot harder against my chest, and the thin gauze I was wrapped in tore apart beneath it, leaving me exposed, the last scrap of dignity shredded along with the fabric. I reached to cover myself by instinct, but he grabbed me by the hair and wrenched me upright. Alpha Kael let his mouth curve in a cold, deliberate arc, his eyes full of cruelty. “Cover what? There’s no one in this room who hasn’t seen you like this before.” “Get on your knees. Let me see exactly how far you’ve fallen.” I ran my tongue over the bleeding corner of my mouth, then knelt at Alpha Kael’s feet with a look of perfect compliance, bending forward and pressing my face against his shoe like a broken stray. “Whatever Alpha Kael wants to do, I can take it.” “If you want me to be your dog, that works too. Why not have someone bring a chain and collar, and walk me around on a leash?” Kael gripped my jaw and forced my face up. His eyes were full of something I could not read. After a moment of silence, he raised his hand and struck me hard across the face. The corner of my eye split open and my vision flooded red. I smiled as though nothing had happened. “Does that feel better, Alpha Kael?” “If it’s still not enough, you could always have someone bring a whip.” Kael kept his face blank as he took the handkerchief a wolf guard held out and scrubbed the blood from his fingertips, his expression flat but his tone soaked in contempt. “Filthy. Leah, why don’t you just die.” I pulled one corner of my mouth up in something that was almost a laugh. “Alpha Kael seems to have forgotten. You’re the one who said I would be allowed neither peace in life nor rest in death.” “You were so afraid I might find a way to die that you had Mia sent here alongside me.” “And it was you who told the people here that if I ever died, she would take my place.” “Her wolf is unstable and the silver dust from the night our pack was destroyed is still in her blood, eating through her healing from the inside. The only reason she’s still alive is that the wolves here are reasonable enough to give me a few copper coins when I perform well, so I can buy her medicine.” “So how could I ever dare to disobey you? You have made sure I can neither live nor die on my own terms.” “If Alpha Kael feels any pity for me at all, why not let me serve you for a night. With your resources, whatever you give me will be more than what I earn from the others.” The moment the words left my mouth, a gold coin struck me across the face. —

The force of it was enough to leave half my face swollen and hot. But I did not cry. I smiled and bent down to pick up the gold coin, pressing it tight against my chest with both hands. The day Red Moon Pack was purged, I held my parents’ severed heads and wept until I nearly lost consciousness. I had no fight left in me then, only the single desperate wish to die. When the pack guards raised their blades toward me, I closed my eyes and refused to move out of the way. It was Nara, my father’s lover, who threw herself in front of me and took the blow with her own body. Her daughter Mia was right there beside us, screaming as someone tore her clothes from her body. Nara did not even look. She only held me tighter and reached up to wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes. “Leah, Alpha Howard and the Luna were always so kind to me. I have no way to repay that kindness except this.” “Please. If there is even the smallest chance of surviving, do not let it go.” I assumed she wanted me to survive for Mia’s sake, but her smile was full of a grief that ran too deep for that. “Your sister has always been sickly. If she dies, she dies. But you are different. You are the only one who can make sure this debt in blood is never forgotten.” I watched Nara be cut apart in front of me. She would not release her hold on me even at the very end. I could not leave a debt like that unpaid. So when I learned that Mia had not died, that she had been sent to the border outpost as well, I bit down until something cracked, and I let go of the idea of dying. I could be used and degraded until nothing clean remained. But I wanted Mia to live with her dignity intact. Alpha Kael would never know that a single gold coin thrown carelessly at my face was enough to keep Mia alive for half a year. Mia had been growing weaker by the day, and I could not afford the moonlight herbs that might have helped, so I could only brew ordinary herbs to keep her breathing a little longer. Every day Mia drank the medicine I made without complaint, smiling at me like nothing was wrong. But I knew she spent every night writhing in pain. I had already planned to do whatever it took today to satisfy the border warriors and earn enough for her medicine. I had not expected to walk straight into Alpha Kael. I pressed my forehead to the ground in practiced gratitude, gathered the coin, and began making my way toward the door on unsteady legs. Behind me came his voice, cold enough to stop blood. “Stop.” “When did I say that coin was yours to keep?” I turned around, numb all the way through, and when I saw the hatred in his eyes my whole body began to shake. I was still forming the words of a plea when the corner of his mouth curved into something amused. Alpha Kael reached over and picked up a meat cleaver, then sent it skidding across the floor to land at my feet. “You can keep the coin. But I should get something in return.” “I never operate at a loss. Since you are willing to do anything for money, how about this: one finger for one gold coin.” Kael and I had grown up together, and he knew I had always been afraid of pain. What he did not know was that after years at this border outpost, I had been pushed to the edge of death more times than I could count. The pain of losing a finger was nothing to me now. I picked up the cleaver and gave him a smile that had nothing behind it. “Alpha Kael is being so generous. I wonder, if I cut a few more, would you give me a few more coins?” While he stared in shock, I raised the cleaver without hesitating and took off three fingers in a single stroke. Blood poured out in a rush, but my smile did not waver. I held back the pain that flooded through my bones all the way to their roots and prepared to collect what I was owed. Then a soft, sweet voice drifted in from outside the door. “Kael, Ella has been waiting so long, I had to come find you myself.” My head snapped up and I found myself looking into a face I knew too well. Ella was dressed in fine, expensive clothing, barely resembling the girl from five years ago. She threw herself into Kael’s arms, and the look she directed down at me as she turned her gaze was full of triumph. “Leah. What are you doing here?” “What happened to your fingers? You’re bleeding so much. Kael, I’m scared.” Kael covered her eyes gently with his hand, and when he looked at me he made no effort to hide his revulsion. “Don’t look, Ella. It’s too filthy.” I could not hold back a laugh that came out wet with tears. When I had first been assigned to Kael, Ella was my personal attendant. The night our pack was destroyed, I was afraid of her being caught in the fallout, so I freed her from service, gave her everything I had, and told her to run as far as she could. She had not run at all. She had found her way into Kael’s pack, and into the place closest to his heart. The world turns in ways no one can predict. She was the one standing above me now. I looked away without expression and pressed my forehead to the ground in front of her. “Leah greets the Luna.” “This was Leah’s fault for frightening you. Please punish me however you see fit.” Ella bent and helped me up, her smile full of provocation beneath a mask of sweetness. “Leah, what a thing to say. How could I ever punish you?” “We shared so much together. When I was your servant I spent plenty of time being scolded by you.” “Seeing you end up somewhere like this, Ella truly hurts for you.” She reached out and took hold of my injured hand with a smile, and then squeezed it hard. Every nerve lit up at once and the pain nearly took me off my feet. On instinct I pushed her away. The force was nothing, but she staggered backward and went down hard, her hand landing directly on the blade and opening a shallow cut across her palm. Kael swept her into his arms, his eyes red at the edges with concern. He turned and drove his boot into my chest. “Leah. You are the lowest shared omega in this outpost, and you dare lay hands on what belongs to me. It seems I have been far too lenient with you.” —

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My husband, Preston finally agreed to spend Christmas with my family. I was so happy that I booked the red-eye flight that same night. But by midnight at the airport, his seat was still empty. My phone buzzed two minutes before takeoff. Babe, I’m so sorry. The investors flew in unannounced — emergency board meeting. I’ll make it up to your parents next year, I swear. I wasn’t even mad. Seven years of marriage had trained me out of that. I texted back a quick okay and decided to swing by his parents’ place in Pinecreek instead. Christmas Eve dinner with the in-laws. He’d appreciate it. Six hours later, I was standing on the front porch of the Hayes house in Montana, arms full of gift bags — a humidor of Cubans for his dad, a bottle of Macallan 25 for the cousins, a cashmere wrap for his mom. The whole back of my car was packed with it. I was about to ring the bell when I heard his father laughing inside. Come on, sweetheart, sit down, sit down. Let me get you another glass. A woman’s voice answered, light and pleased. Dad, you’re spoiling me. The shopping bags hit the porch with a hard thud. The door cracked open. A woman stuck her head out — late twenties, silk robe, hair loose, holding a glass of red wine like she owned the place. Can I help you Her tone was already a slap. She looked me up and down, then sneered. Christmas Eve and you’re skulking around someone’s porch What, you here to steal the packages off the steps I knew her face. It took me a second, but I placed it. Seven years ago, when Preston was hiring his first round of staff, this girl had walked into the interview. He wanted to pass — said her résumé was thin. I told him she had hustle. I’d been the one who told him to give her the job. Preston’s father called from inside. Honey, who is it Quit messing with the porch pirates and come finish your wine. One sec, Dad! Just chasing some trash off the lawn. She turned back to me, smiling now. Sweet as poison. I opened my mouth. Couldn’t get a word out. Honey. He’d called her honey. She stepped forward when I didn’t answer, irritation flashing across her face. I asked you a question. Do you have any idea whose house this is She straightened her shoulders. The smirk turned into something uglier — proud, contemptuous. My husband is Preston Hayes. CEO of Hayes Tech. So unless you want me calling the sheriff, get the hell off this porch. I’d been bracing for it the whole walk up the steps. Hearing it out loud still hit like ice water down my spine. I had to force the words past my throat. You said Preston Hayes is your husband. Are you deaf I lifted my chin and stared her down. That’s funny. Because I’m Vivienne Hayes. Married to Preston seven years ago. License filed in California, signed in front of a judge. She laughed in my face. Sweetie, the whole town knows the Hayes daughter-in-law. That’s me. Serena Croft. Has been for years. So whatever scam you think you’re running, pick another house. Her voice carried. The neighbors were already drifting out onto their porches, Christmas lights blinking behind them. Who’s that woman yelling on the Hayes porch That ain’t Serena, is it Where’s Serena Serena’s right there, that’s the wife. They come every Christmas, real sweet couple. Some homeless girl trying to scam the rich folks, you ask me. Christmas brings the crazies out. Each word landed cold. Seven Christmases. Seven excuses. The investors flew in. The Series B is closing. The team needs me. I’d believed every one of them. I’d felt sorry for him. I’d quietly wired a hundred million of my own money into Hayes Tech under shell investors so he wouldn’t drown — ninety percent of that company’s revenue traced back to patents I wrote in our basement. He’d been bringing this woman home every Christmas. To my in-laws. Pretending to be her husband. Serena tilted her head, savoring it. Listen carefully, you broke little nobody. One phone call to Hayes Tech and I can ruin your entire life. Don’t test me. Ruin my life. Seven years I’d buried my last name. Seven years I’d turned down my father’s company to write code in a basement so this man could chase his dream. I built Hayes Tech into the biggest name in the Valley, and this woman was standing on my front porch threatening me with it. I didn’t think. I swung. My fist caught her square in the mouth. Bone crunched. She went backwards into the door frame with a scream, blood pouring down her chin onto the white silk. She’s hitting me! Somebody help! That’s the Hayes girl! She’s beating up Serena! Three or four men came stumbling off the neighboring porches, beers still in their hands, faces red. Get the crazy bitch off her! They were on me in seconds. I got an elbow into someone’s ribs before two of them pinned my arms and a third drove me down onto the frozen porch boards. The cold burned through my coat. Serena wiped the blood off her chin and looked around. Her eyes locked on a snow shovel propped against the railing. She picked it up. You stupid bitch. You actually thought you could come at me She raised it over her head. The front door banged open behind her. Preston stepped out onto the porch. He saw me on the ground, the blood, the shovel — and the color drained out of his face all at once. Vivienne. What the hell are you doing here

The shovel froze mid-swing. Preston’s parents stumbled out behind him, faces flushed from wine. His mother squinted at me through the porch light, confused. Preston, who is this Why is there a woman bleeding on my porch His father’s voice was harder. Some lunatic showing up Christmas Eve to start a fight. Get her off my property. I laughed. It came out hoarse. Three years of Christmas cards. Three years of holiday baskets I shipped you from California. And you’re going to stand there and pretend you don’t know my face Something shifted in his mother’s expression. She caught it fast and went hard. I have never seen you before in my life. Don’t you dare try to attach yourself to this family. His father jumped in, pointing at me for the neighbors to see. Our son has one wife. That’s Serena. Standing right there. Everyone in this town has known her for years. You hear that The man kneeling on my back leaned in close. His breath smelled like Coors. Even the family don’t know you, sweetheart. Have some shame. Preston wouldn’t look at me. He stared at the porch boards. Vivienne. Just — go. We can talk about this later. Later I twisted under the man’s grip. He pressed harder. I lifted my head until I could lock eyes with my husband. Right now. In front of all of them. Say it out loud. Am I or am I not your wife Preston’s mouth opened. Nothing came out. His eyes kept skating away from mine. The neighbors had gone quiet. Even the men holding me down had stopped grinning. A little voice cut through the porch. Bad lady! Don’t hurt my mommy and daddy! A boy ran out from behind Preston’s legs. Maybe five years old. Light brown hair, big eyes. He flew straight into Serena’s arms, then turned around and threw his little body in front of her, arms spread wide. You’re a bad lady. Go away. Don’t touch my mommy and daddy! Mommy and daddy. I stared at him. Then I turned my neck slowly, because the cold had locked it up, and looked at Preston. He bent down. Pulled the kid into his chest. Buried his face in the boy’s hair. It’s okay, buddy. Daddy’s right here. Daddy’s right here. Preston had told me three years into the marriage that he couldn’t have kids. We’d cried about it together. The boy in his arms had his jawline. I started laughing. It came out wrong, somewhere between a laugh and a sob, and I couldn’t stop. The neighbors were whispering now. Louder. Wait — is the husband actually cheating She came all this way Poor thing if it’s true. Serena’s a sweetheart. They got the boy and everything. Preston always seemed so put-together. Goes to show. His mother’s face went purple. She lunged forward and jabbed a finger at my face. You shut your mouth! My son is not that kind of man, you hear me Her chest was heaving. She turned to the neighbors, voice climbing. Look at her! Showing up in some beat-up Volvo, dressed like a bag lady. My son runs a tech company in California. You really think he’d touch trash like this His father piled on. Some homewrecker tramp who saw a rich man and got ideas. Our daughter-in-law is Serena. Her father’s a major business contact of Preston’s. Money. Class. Everything this one isn’t. They tore me apart in front of fifty neighbors and propped Serena up on a pedestal in the same breath. But one piece snagged in my head. Her father’s a major business contact. Every supplier and partner Hayes Tech had ever signed with traced back to a Vance Global subsidiary. I’d vetted every one personally. There was no Croft on any of those boards. I didn’t have time to think about it. Preston had snapped. He shoved the boy back into his mother’s arms, stepped to the edge of the porch, and pointed down at me. Vivienne, enough. How many times do I have to say this We were over years ago. I have a wife. I have a son. You need to stop showing up at my life like some psycho. Do you hear yourself Do you have any self-respect Serena’s jaw dropped. Then it clicked. She tore across the porch and slapped me across the face so hard my ear rang. The crack of it echoed off the houses across the street. She leaned down, finger in my face, voice shaking with righteous fury. You’re her You’re the crazy ex he’s been telling me about for years The one who won’t leave him alone Preston barely even mentions you because it upsets him so much, and you have the nerve to drag yourself out here on Christmas Eve She pulled back and kicked me in the stomach. Everything inside me lit up. Something tore. I tasted copper, then spat blood onto the porch boards. I dragged my head up. Used everything I had left to wrench an arm free. Preston. If she’s really your wife, show me the marriage certificate. Right now.

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