Category: English

On my eighteenth birthday,my grandfather laid out profiles of several eligible men in front of me and asked me to choose one for an engagement. Without hesitation,I chose Julian Howard from the Howard Family Group. Everyone present was stunned. After all,it was common knowledge in our circle that Shirley Lennox,the heiress of Lennox Corporation,had been deeply in love with the eldest son,Miles Howard. At my coming-of-age banquet,I had even publicly declared that I would marry no one but Miles Howard. In my previous life,I got my wish and married Miles Howard. But just three days into our marriage,he couldn’t wait to tell me that he planned to take my stepsister,Mia Sullivan,under his wing as well. My mother was furious and immediately arranged for Mia Sullivan to marry one of my father’s protégés. Miles Howard was convinced that I had sabotaged his plans and came to despise me. From then on,he was constantly embroiled in scandals,and every one of his companions bore a striking resemblance to Mia Sullivan. He allowed those women to humiliate me in every possible way. Ultimately,on the day he inherited the family business,I was poisoned to death. Reincarnating with a second chance at life,I decided to stay far away from him and let him be with Mia Sullivan. But to my surprise,as soon as the news of my engagement to Julian Howard was announced,he lost control and publicly opposed the marriage. … After leaving the chairman’s office,I didn’t expect to run into Miles Howard. He had just concluded an important company meeting,surrounded by executives and industry elites. Upon seeing me,the group burst into laughter,teasing,“Shirley Lennox,are you chasing General Manager Howard all the way to the company headquarters?If your father knew how persistent his daughter is,he’d probably have a hypertensive crisis and take a sick leave!” Miles Howard looked at me with disgust,his tone icy:“You came to the company—did you think my father would directly order us to get engaged?Let me warn you,without my consent,don’t act crazy again.” I was all too familiar with that look of disdain in his eyes. Suppressing the sting in my heart,I spoke calmly:“The chairman asked me here to arrange an important coming-of-age ceremony for me.It has nothing to do with you.” No sooner had I finished speaking than the room erupted:“Coming-of-age ceremony?” I knew why they were shocked. The company founder,Miles Howard’s grandfather,had left a will stating that the fiancé chosen by the youngest daughter of the Lennox family at her coming-of-age ceremony would become the next heir of the company. My words had effectively announced that the successor was already decided. After the shock wore off,everyone rushed to congratulate Miles Howard. “It seems it won’t be long before we have to call you Chairman Howard,”they said. A look of satisfaction crossed Miles Howard’s face,but when he looked at me,his tone was filled with mockery. “Shirley Lennox,you’ve chased after me for so many years,and now that you’ve finally gotten your wish,you must be over the moon.” As he spoke,he stepped closer,lowering his voice in my ear:“I won’t repeat the same mistakes,so there’s something you must agree to before I even consider marrying you.” “The day we get married,I’ll have Mia be my assistant and enter the company with you,”he paused,his tone growing even deeper. My heart sank in disbelief. It was clear—he too had been reborn. Before I could respond,a delicate voice came from behind:“Sister.” It was my stepsister,Mia Sullivan.She looked frail as she walked over. Her face was pale,and Miles Howard immediately stepped forward with concern,gently supporting her:“Mia,why did you come to the company?” Mia Sullivan covered her mouth and leaned into his chest,her voice trembled with tears:“Today is sister’s coming-of-age ceremony.I couldn’t not come.But my health isn’t great—I’ve caught a bit of a cold.I hope sister won’t blame me.” Miles Howard glared at me sternly:“How could you be so heartless?Just for a coming-of-age ceremony,you had to bring someone who’s ill?” With that,he swept Mia Sullivan into his arms:“Mia,let’s go to my office.I’ll have a doctor check on you.” Before leaving,he didn’t forget to warn me coldly:“Shirley Lennox,reflect on your behavior.If you keep acting so arrogantly,our wedding will be put on hold.” And with that,he carried Mia Sullivan away without looking back.

On my grand birthday banquet,Miles Howard arrived late with Mia Sullivan,looking as if they had just finished some mischief. Most of the guests had already left,leaving only a group of trouble-loving second-generation heirs,all waiting for me to lose my temper. Mia Sullivan’s hair was disheveled,her eyes dazed,and her cheeks flushed—a clear sign that something was off. Miles Howard,on the other hand,wore a look of triumph,with a fresh strawberry mark on his neck. Anyone with a clear eye could tell where the two of them had been,and they were all waiting for me to erupt. In the past,I would have thrown a tantrum,crying and making a scene. But now,I simply picked up my teacup and took a gentle sip. Miles Howard had already placed Mia Sullivan behind him,waiting for me to kick up a fuss so he could scold me. Unexpectedly,I acted as if nothing had happened,seemingly oblivious to them,and even gently set my teacup back down. His brow furrowed,clearly displeased. But then,as if remembering something,he laughed and said,”Shirley Lennox,are you pretending to be a lady now,fearing that I might call off the wedding?Not bad.To be my fiancée,you need to be more magnanimous.After all,today is your birthday.” As he spoke,he pulled a cheap pendant from his pocket,about to hand it to me,when Mia Sullivan snatched it away. “Brother Miles,this pendant is so shiny,”Mia Sullivan said in a cooing voice. Miles Howard immediately replied,”If Mia likes it,then it’s yours.” Mia Sullivan feigned reluctance,glancing at me with a smirk that she couldn’t quite hide:”But that’s the gift you were going to give your sister.What will she do if I take it?” Miles Howard disdainfully glanced at me:”Her?She’s easy to deal with.” He casually grabbed a disposable plastic fork from a passing waiter’s tray and threw it in front of me,his tone contemptuous:”This is for you.”Then,with a smile,he said to Mia Sullivan,”Anything I give her,she’ll accept.” The fork knocked over my drink,splashing liquid all over me. The onlookers stifled their laughter behind their hands. Looking at the fork in front of me,I suddenly felt utterly tasteless. In the past,I used to pester him for gifts. He would buy me a plastic bracelet from a street stall for just a few dollars,and I would be overjoyed,wearing it every day. Everyone in the circle mocked me,saying that even if Miles Howard gave me trash,I would treat it like a treasure. I took a deep breath,not wanting to ruin my own birthday banquet.I handed the fork back to the waiter and said softly,”The young master was just joking with me.You may leave.” The waiter,frightened,quickly retreated. Seeing my indifference,Miles Howard became even more displeased,his expression darkening. He pulled Mia Sullivan to sit beside me,and the two of them flirted shamelessly,completely ignoring me. While indulging in their affection,he stealthily observed my reactions. I found it all incredibly tedious,stood up,and prepared to leave. Miles Howard noticed and grabbed my arm,smirking triumphantly:”What’s the matter?Already jealous?Shirley Lennox,you’d better get used to it.I’ll never be yours alone.Jealousy is a cardinal sin in a wealthy family.” I hastily shook off his hand and said coldly,”There’s a distinction between men and women.Young master,please behave yourself.” He paused,then suddenly laughed again:”What’s this new act?We’re about to be engaged.You’re already mine.Can’t I even touch you?” I was so angry I almost laughed.If it weren’t for my uncle’s warning not to reveal my choice yet,I would have slapped him hard. For now,I could only retort,”Miles Howard,how can you be so sure that I chose you?” He froze for a moment,then burst into laughter. The crowd around us,unable to contain themselves any longer,joined in the mockery. Tears streaming down his face from laughter,Miles Howard said,”Not to mention that everyone in this circle knows you’re determined to marry me,but even if we look at the other eligible young men—Number Three is already married,Number Four has a prearranged marriage with a foreign tycoon’s daughter.Surely you’re not considering being their mistress?As for Number Two,he’s in poor health;who knows…could you be aiming to be a widow?So,Shirley Lennox,tell me,who else could you possibly marry besides me?”

Everyone was waiting for me to embarrass myself,eager to see how I would respond. Recalling my uncle’s warning,I lost all interest in arguing with him. After all,it wouldn’t be long before everyone knew who I was going to marry. On the way home,I shared a car with Mia Sullivan. She looked at my dress,soaked from the spilled drink,and laughed loudly. “Even if you become the president’s wife someday,what does it matter if you can’t win Miles Howard’s heart?You’re still worse than a lowly assistant.” Now that she no longer had Miles Howard’s support,she finally dropped her act of vulnerability. Looking at her smug face,I recalled my past life. My mother forced her to marry my father’s assistant,a man of humble origins who later achieved great success. Grateful for my father’s mentorship,he doted on Mia Sullivan in every way. Her life was far more comfortable than mine as the president’s wife. In this life,I would absolutely not allow my mother to meddle in her marriage. I couldn’t wait to see what fate had in store for her. Thinking this,I ignored her taunts and simply said,”Then I wish you and Miles Howard a lifetime of happiness together.” She froze,her arrogance deflating like a punctured balloon. I ignored her further and got off the car. At my uncle’s birthday banquet,I followed my mother to pay respects. To avoid the young masters attending the banquet,I found a quiet corner in the garden to rest. Unexpectedly,I ran into Mia Sullivan there. I heard that recently,Miles Howard had been sending her various luxury gifts nonstop. She was now decked out in jewels and dressed more flamboyantly than I,the legitimate heiress. Seeing me,she swayed her hips and walked over,speaking in a coquettish tone:”Sister,isn’t my dress beautiful?Brother Miles had a designer create it specially for me—it’s a one-of-a-kind global limited edition.” I completely ignored her,but she persisted in showing off:”Brother Miles also said that my wedding dress has to be top-notch!He promised that mine will definitely be shinier and more dazzling than yours!” As I was about to scold her to be quiet,my gaze was drawn to the bracelet on her wrist,and my heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand. That bracelet was identical to the one my grandmother left me before she passed away. I loved the Ruyi(a traditional Chinese ornament symbolizing good fortune)design,so my grandmother had a skilled craftsman carve the bracelet into the Ruyi pattern. I cherished it so much that I couldn’t bear to wear it myself. Just as I was about to take a closer look,Mia Sullivan suddenly covered her face and screamed:”Sis!What are you doing?I know you’re jealous that Brother Miles dotes on me,but you can’t just hit me!” My wrist was grabbed tightly by someone. A cold voice came from behind:”Shirley Lennox,what are you doing?” Miles Howard glared at me:”What’s gotten into you now?” I shook off his hand and stared straight at Mia Sullivan,asking,”Where did you get that bracelet?” A flash of panic crossed Mia Sullivan’s face,but seeing Miles Howard standing by her side,ready to defend her,she straightened her back:”Brother Miles gave it to me.” “You’re lying!That bracelet was custom-made for me by my grandmother,one of a kind in the world.” “Fiona,go take it off!” My assistant,Fiona,started to step forward to remove the bracelet from Mia Sullivan’s wrist. But Miles Howard slapped her to the ground. “You wretched woman,who gave you permission to touch Mia?!” He roared at me like an enraged lion,pointing his finger in my face:”Shirley Lennox,I never expected you to resort to such despicable tactics to smear Mia and drive a wedge between us!I,Miles Howard,declare here and now that I personally gifted this bracelet to Mia!” After hearing his words and seeing the blood at the corner of Fiona’s mouth,my anger flared. This jade bracelet was a gift from my grandmother,and Miles Howard had seen it before. Now,he was blatantly lying to protect Mia Sullivan and even resorted to violence against my assistant. “Miles Howard,hitting my assistant is equivalent to slapping me in the face,”I said.I had never raised my voice at him before,and my sharp gaze stunned him,making him instinctively want to explain. Mia Sullivan theatrically wiped the corner of her eye,feigning distress as she took off the jade bracelet and held it out to me:”If sister likes it,take it.Don’t quarrel with Brother Miles anymore.” She pretended to push the jade bracelet into my hands but deliberately let it slip,causing the bracelet to shatter into pieces on the ground with a”clack.” I was so enraged that my whole body trembled,and I raised my hand to slap her,only to be pushed aside by Miles Howard. “Shirley Lennox,you are forbidden to harm Mia!Look at you now,acting like a shrew!”he roared. I stumbled from the push and fell to the ground,sitting there in disarray. Mia Sullivan weakly leaned into Miles Howard’s embrace,a triumphant sneer curled at the corners of her mouth. Seeing me fall,a flicker of panic crossed Miles Howard’s eyes as he reached out to help me up. But Mia Sullivan clutched his hand tightly. With tearful eyes,she whimpered,”Brother Miles,my chest hurts so much…” Miles Howard immediately became anxious,lifting her into his arms and urgently called for a doctor. Bystanders,witnessing the drama,began to point and whisper. “Isn’t that the daughter of President Lennox?Causing a scene over a man and fighting with her own family’s illegitimate daughter—truly disgracing the Lennox family name.” Miles Howard stared at me,his face livid:”Shirley Lennox,have you had enough of your theatrics!Apologize to Mia right now!You madwoman,you’re unworthy of being my fiancée!” The group of second-generation heirs behind him burst into laughter. “Miss Lennox,if you’re this jealous,just wait until our General Manager Howard has multiple wives and concubines—won’t you be literally worried to death?” Amidst the cacophony of mocking laughter,Miles Howard strode up to me,his tone oozing certainty. He looked down at me and said leisurely,”I heard that my father is announcing our wedding today.If you still want to marry me,you’d better behave.” “After the news is made public,you can plead with my father to allow Mia to marry into the Howard family alongside you,as my mistress.” “I’ll magnanimously overlook this incident and even let you earn a reputation for being‘virtuous and generous’—killed two birds with one stone.” I stared at him in disbelief.Although I had always known what kind of person he was, his shamelessness still shocked me. Seeing my silence,he assumed I had acquiesced and said triumphantly,”If my father agrees to this arrangement,I’ll consider preparing a dowry for you on par with Mia’s,so you won’t lose face when you two marry me on the same day.” His smug expression was as if he had already cornered me and was certain of his position as the future head of the Howard Family Corporation. Fiona ran over,crying,trying to help me up. The surrounding colleagues all covered their mouths,waiting for my humiliation. Just as the farce was escalating,a thunderous rebuke cut through the air:”What is going on here?!” Everyone turned to see Julian Howard and Secretary Fitzgerald approaching. Julian Howard quickly stepped forward,carefully helping me to my feet,and looked at my soiled dress with concern,asking,”Are you alright?” Secretary Fitzgerald,on the other hand,announced sternly,”The chairman has something to say—” Hearing this,Miles Howard and the group of rich second-generation heirs knew the announcement of the marriage news was imminent. The crowd beamed with anticipation,clustering together to await the good news. Miles Howard cast a triumphant glance my way,as if to say,”You’ve lost.” He didn’t forget to lower his voice and threaten me,”Don’t forget what I just told you.Hurry up and plead with my father to let Mia Sullivan marry into the family with you!” One of the heirs beside him was already whispering congratulations to Miles Howard,”Congratulations,General Manager Howard,on inheriting the family business and securing two Lennox heiresses as your wives.Double joy indeed!” However,the jubilant atmosphere didn’t last long. “The chairman has declared that Shirley Lennox,the Lennox Corporation heiress,is talented and virtuous,and is to be wed to Julian Howard. An auspicious date will be chosen for the wedding,”Secretary Fitzgerald announced. Everyone present froze in shock. The engagement the chairman had announced was between me and Julian Howard.

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My husband was marrying someone else. And his new bride hired me to do her make up. Right before the wedding ceremony began, I received the payment. And the memo read: [Final payment for Miss Tedd’s bridal makeup. Settled by groom Carl Lanion.] Carl Lanion. My husband’s name. I immediately pulled up the client file. Sure enough, his name was also listed under the bride’s emergency contact. Relationship: Husband. I stared at that single word, my fingertips going cold. At that exact moment, Carl sent me a message: [Honey, don’t wear yourself out today. I’m working late at the office.] I replied: [Okay.] Then I took screenshots of every chat, every transfer record, and the entire client contract, saving them all. Half an hour later, the groom arrived to fetch the bride. Carl pushed open the door, beaming, dressed in a crisp white suit. The moment he saw me, his step faltered. But the bride was already clinging to his arm, all sugar and affection. “Sweetie, this is the MUA I told you about.” I lifted my head and extended my hand with a smile. “Mr. Lanion, congratulations on your wedding.” “I received the final payment. And the evidence.” … The color drained from Carl’s face in a single heartbeat. The smug, breezy smile he’d worn just seconds ago now stiffened into something that looked like cheap plaster. Heather Tedd noticed nothing amiss. She even pouted and gave him a playful shove. “Sweetie, what’s gotten into you? She is congratulating you.” Carl swallowed hard, his throat bobbing painfully. He forced himself to take my hand. His palm was slick with cold sweat. “Th… thank you.” I tightened my grip, still smiling. “My pleasure. Mr. Lanion looks dashing today. The suit fits beautifully.” “I just wonder whether the fabric will hold up under closer scrutiny.” Carl yanked his hand back, his eyes flashing with warning and panic. He immediately turned to Heather. “Sweetheart, all the guests are here. Why don’t we let her go? She doesn’t need to stay for the rest of the ceremony.” He was desperate to get me out of that room. Before I could speak, Heather objected. “Absolutely not!” She flung Carl’s hand aside and sat back down at the vanity. “I’m only getting married once in this life. Every single detail has to be perfect.” “This eyeliner she just did—the more I look at it, the more uneven it seems.” Heather shot me a sidelong glance in the mirror, her tone laced with condescending disdain. “You. Come over here and redo it.” I didn’t move. My voice stayed level. “Miss Tedd, you confirmed it was fine just a moment ago.” Heather slammed her palm on the vanity. “So I didn’t look carefully the first time. What of it?” “You’re just the hired help. Shut up and do your job!” “My husband paid double the final fee. He bought your service, and you’d better serve me properly.” Carl was beside himself, sweating bullets. He kept dabbing at his forehead, trying to pull Heather to her feet. “Sweetheart, let it go. The makeup looks great. The ceremony’s about to start—we can’t be late.” Heather shook him off, her face darkening instantly. “Carl, what’s your problem?” “It’s our wedding day and you’re taking some outsider’s side?” “Don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for her because she’s got a pretty face?” Carl flinched and waved his hands frantically, scrambling to prove his loyalty. “How could I, sweetheart! You’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me!” “She’s nothing—just some makeup girl. How could she ever compare to you?” To pacify Heather, he didn’t hesitate to throw me under the bus. I looked at his groveling face and felt my stomach turn. This was the husband I’d been married to for three years. The man who made me breakfast every morning, who swore up and down he’d only ever love me. “Well, since Mr. Lanion says so…” I stepped forward, picked up a makeup brush, my voice utterly devoid of warmth. “Miss Tedd, how would you like it changed?” Heather lifted her chin in triumph, like a rooster crowing over its defeated rival. “Take it all off. Start over.” “I want the look of a rightful wife—something with presence. Got it?” “Not whatever cheap, sneaking-around mistress look you’ve put on me.” She was clearly aiming her words at me, eyes flashing with provocation. I quietly switched on the voice recorder on my phone and set it down on the vanity. “Of course. As you wish.”

Throughout the entire redo, Heather had no intention of making it easy for me. The moment I picked up the powder puff, she jerked her head around. “Gentler! Do you even know how to do makeup? You’re going to rub my skin raw!” I paused and looked at her evenly. “Miss Tedd, you were the one moving.” “You’re talking back to me now?” Heather shrieked. Several bridesmaids swarmed in immediately, all chiming in at once. “You hired help really have no professionalism at all.” “Right? Taking our money and putting on airs—who does she think she is?” “Heather, why don’t you just file a complaint with her studio? Make sure she loses her job.” Heather watched me in the mirror, a mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Forget it. It’s my big day. I can’t be bothered with someone of her class.” She looked me up and down, eyes brimming with contempt. “Judging by your age, you must be pushing thirty?” “Out here baking under the sun day after day doing other people’s makeup, and you can’t even afford a decent piece of jewelry.” “No ring either. Don’t tell me you can’t even land a boyfriend?” I dampened a cotton pad with makeup remover, my tone perfectly flat. “I’m married.” Heather blinked, then burst into exaggerated laughter. “Oh my, married? Then why are you out here doing servant’s work?” “Your husband must be useless—can’t even support his own wife.” Carl stood by the door, his face twisted like he’d just bitten into something rotten. He kept shooting me desperate looks, begging me to shut up. I pretended not to notice. As I wiped her face, I drawled lazily. “He is pretty useless.” “Can’t earn a dime, but loves playing big shot in public.” Heather snorted, drunk on her own superiority. “That’s exactly why I always say—for a woman, marrying well beats working hard.” “Take my Carl. Young, accomplished, runs his own company.” “For this wedding alone, he dropped over a million without blinking.” “That’s what a real man does—shelters his woman from every storm.” My hand paused mid-stroke. A crucial detail had just registered. Over a million? Carl’s salary card had been in my keeping the entire time. His meager monthly paycheck barely covered the mortgage. Where on earth would he get over a million for a wedding? “A million is no small sum,” I prodded carefully. “Mr. Lanion must really dote on you.” Heather assumed I was eaten up with envy. She preened even harder. “Of course. Carl didn’t just cover the whole wedding—he even gave me five million as a gift!” “A washed-up divorcée like you wouldn’t run into a man this good in ten lifetimes.” The bridesmaid beside her covered her mouth, snickering. “Heather, why bother telling her? Her kind has probably never even seen what five million looks like.” “Who knows—maybe she got caught playing mistress and got tossed out without a cent.” Their laughter was shrill and grating. Carl could barely stand. He strode over and grabbed Heather’s arm. “Enough, Heather! We’re really running out of time. Just leave the makeup as is!” Heather shrugged him off, irritated. “What is wrong with you today? Why do you keep taking her side?” Carl was drenched in sweat. He blurted out the first excuse he could think of. “The MC is rushing us. Several VIPs are already here—we can’t keep them waiting!” The mention of VIPs finally got Heather to rein it in. “Fine. Leave it then.” She turned and shot me a vicious glare. “Hurry up and do my hair. If it’s not perfect, I’ll make you cough up double the fee.”

I redid her updo and pinned the veil into place. Ten minutes left until the ceremony. A bridesmaid walked over and handed Heather an exquisite red velvet jewelry box. “Heather, time to put on the necklace.” Heather took the box, her face lighting up with smug anticipation. She deliberately turned toward me, snapping the box open with a flourish right under my nose. “Open your eyes wide. Take a good look at what real jewelry is.” Inside lay a sapphire and diamond necklace, resting on the velvet. The light caught it and threw off a blinding glare. I’d only meant to glance over. But in the next instant, my gaze locked onto that necklace and wouldn’t let go. The rage in my chest detonated like gasoline meeting flame. I knew that necklace. I knew it better than anything. It was the heirloom my grandmother had passed to my mother—the one my mother had fastened around my own neck with her dying hands. Last month, Carl had suddenly remarked that the necklace looked a little dull. He’d offered to take it to his friend’s high-end jeweler for cleaning. At the time, I’d actually been touched by his thoughtfulness. I never imagined he would take my heirloom and pass it off as a gift to his new lover. I fixed my eyes on that necklace, my voice cold as ice. “What a beautiful necklace.” Heather thought she’d stunned me into silence. She laughed scornfully. “Naturally. Carl had someone bid on it for me at an auction in London.” “The starting bid alone was three million.” She lifted the necklace and held it against her throat. “A peasant like you couldn’t afford a single chip off this stone if you worked your whole life.” I whipped my head around to look at Carl. The moment his eyes met mine, he stumbled back half a step and slammed into the door frame. His face was paper-white, his lips trembling. He couldn’t get out a single word. “A London auction?” I advanced on Heather one step at a time, my gaze nailed to that necklace. “Which auction? What’s the name of the auction house?” Heather flinched at my sudden intensity, then exploded with rage. “Are you insane? What business is it of yours where my husband bought it?” She shoved me away. “Who do you think you are, interrogating me?” The bridesmaids closed in around me at once. “What are you doing? Trying to snatch it?” “I noticed her staring earlier—I knew she was up to no good!” Then one of the bridesmaids suddenly screamed. “Heather! Your Cartier diamond ring—the one you set on the table just now—where did it go?” The room erupted. Heather looked down. The table was indeed bare. She spun on me, jabbing a finger viciously at my face. “You thief! No wonder you kept eyeing my jewelry—you were casing it the whole time!” “Hand over my ring!” I watched their performance coldly. “I didn’t take anything of yours.” “Still trying to lie!” A bridesmaid grabbed at my clothes. “There’s no one in this room but us and you. Who else could it have been?” “She was the closest to the table!” Heather’s arrogance hit its peak. She pointed straight at my makeup case. “Search her case! If we find it, I’ll have your hide!” The bridesmaids lunged at my makeup case like a pack of rabid dogs.

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

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

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

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On my wedding day, my wife’s crew of guy friends cornered my little sister in the bridal suite. I grabbed a chair and tried to smash the door down to save her. My wife wrapped her arm around my throat and threw me to the floor. “It’s our big day, babe. The boys are just having a little fun.” Her father sat on the couch across the room, rolling a pair of walnuts in his palm, watching like it was entertainment. When the door finally opened, my sister stumbled out — clothes torn, blood running from her mouth. She had bitten through her own tongue trying to end it. Her father called in favors to have it ruled an accident. They told me to keep my mouth shut for the sake of both families’ reputations. I came at them with a kitchen knife. My wife kicked me square in the chest. I choked on my own blood and died right there in the hallway outside the bridal suite. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment the wedding cars pulled up. The first thing I did was send my sister away — told her to go find our aunt. I watched her walk out the front gate of the estate and finally let myself breathe. I thought we were safe. I thought we’d escaped. Then, a few minutes later, a scream tore through the ceiling above me. I looked up in horror at the locked door of the bridal suite. My sister was gone. So who the hell was inside? A scream from upstairs. Then a heavy thud — the kind that vibrates through the floor and makes the crystal chandelier in the foyer sway. My head snapped up toward the second-floor landing. The door to the bridal suite was shut tight. I straightened my jacket and bolted for the stairs. An arm shot out from nowhere and shoved me hard in the shoulder. I lost my footing and slammed my lower back into the banister, the pain punching the air out of my lungs. Linc was leaning against the railing, chewing gum, casually wiping his hand on the lapel of his groomsman suit. “Easy, brother-in-law.” He grinned. “Big day like this, you don’t wanna go killing the vibe upstairs, do you?” “Something goes wrong up there and you cause it? That’s on you.” I stared at the grease on his face and said nothing. Another sound from above — glass shattering, clean and sharp. Then fabric tearing. Then a woman’s muffled, broken sobbing. The sounds filtered through the door like they were coming from underwater — heavy, suffocating, hopeless. I shoved Linc aside. “Move. Someone up there is screaming for help.” He didn’t budge. He shoved me back, his knuckle dragging a raw line across my forearm. “Help?” He laughed. “That’s just Zane giving the place some good luck. That girl should be thanking him.” “Half the women in Florida would kill to get Zane’s attention, and she just stumbled into it. Lucky her.” “Especially since it’s your wedding night. She’s riding your coattails.” I shook from head to toe and raised my fist. Someone caught my wrist mid-swing. Cassidy — my bride — reeking of champagne, wrenched my arm down and stepped between us. I stumbled backward and nearly went down. She adjusted the neckline of her wedding dress, her expression flat with irritation. “Ethan. What the hell is your problem?” “That’s the boys blowing off steam. Why would you go up there and ruin it for everyone?” “They came out today as a favor. You should be grateful.” “The more chaos, the more blessing. It’s tradition, babe.” I pointed at the ceiling. “Tradition? Tradition is rape?” “That is a crime, Cassidy. Open that door. Right now.” She let out a cold laugh and planted herself at the foot of the stairs. “Rape.” She said the word like it tasted ridiculous in her mouth. “That’s just fun. That’s just a good time between grown-ups.” “Your uptight little sister has been acting holier-than-thou her whole life. I bet she’s having the time of her life up there.” “Getting Zane’s attention? She won’t have to worry about money for the rest of her life.” Her father — Hector — was spread out on the leather sectional, cracking open pistachios with his thumbnail, dropping the shells on the floor. He didn’t look up. “Enough. You’re embarrassing yourselves.” He gestured lazily. “This is a gift. That girl getting Zane’s attention? That’s good fortune for this family.” “You’re her brother and you’re standing there screaming like a lunatic. You’ve got no manners.” Then the scream from upstairs shifted — higher, more animal, ripping through every wall in the house. “Help me! Please — somebody help me!” My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I lunged again. “I’m calling 911.” Cassidy’s eyes went hard. She spun and drove her stiletto heel straight into my gut. I folded, gasping. My phone skidded across the tile. She crossed to it in three steps and brought her heel down on the screen. The crack was clean and final. She picked up the broken shell of it and dropped it into the fish tank by the entryway. It sank slowly, trailing a string of small bubbles. Cassidy walked to the front door and turned the deadbolt. She pocketed the key. Then she got in my face, her cheeks flushed and shaking. “Nobody leaves this house. Not until Zane is finished. You hear me?” “If you do anything — anything — to mess this up for me, I will put you in the ground myself.” Hector spit a pistachio shell at my chest. “Pathetic. You married into this family and the first thing you do is try to sic the cops on your own wife.” “Men like you deserve everything coming to them.”

The noises from the second floor went on for a full ten minutes. I tried to get to a window to signal someone outside. Linc grabbed me by the collar and hauled me back. Buttons popped off my shirt and scattered across the floor. I gritted through the pain and drove my fist into the side of his face. He yelped. His cheek went red immediately. Cassidy came at me from behind, grabbed my shoulders, and slammed me onto the couch. Hector was up now, wielding a feather duster like a whip, raining it down on me. “You hit my nephew? In my house? On my daughter’s wedding day?” “You piece of trash — your own parents didn’t even want you!” He kept swinging. The feathers hissed with every stroke. I covered my head and pushed into the corner of the couch. And then the sounds upstairs changed. A single dull impact. Like a skull meeting a wall. Then a faint, faint trembling — barely audible. Then nothing. Total silence. The kind of silence that makes your skin crawl. Linc straightened his jacket, grinning. “Well. Sounds like she finally came around.” “Told you. They all act tough. Then they get in the room and their whole attitude changes.” “Brother-in-law, your sister knows a good opportunity when she sees one.” “When she’s rolling in Zane’s money, don’t forget who set it all up.” Hector dropped the feather duster on the coffee table and picked up his drink. “Young girls today.” He sipped, satisfied. “They say no with their mouths and yes with everything else.” “Zane’s a real man. Not every guy can handle a firecracker like that.” I stared up at the closed door, my palms slick with blood from where my fingernails had dug in. I had watched my sister walk out the gate with my own eyes. But what if she’d come back? Cassidy checked her watch, smoothed out her gown, and smiled like she’d just closed a business deal. “All right. We’re about due. Zane’s probably wrapping up.” “I’ll go check in. We’ll bring him down for a toast.” “The construction contract hits our account by Monday. Vega Construction is going to own this whole city.” She started up the stairs. Each step she took landed somewhere inside my ribs. She reached the door — painted a deep colonial red — and turned the handle. A click.

The door swung open. Cassidy stepped inside and disappeared. Several seconds of absolute silence. Then a shriek — not a scream, a shriek — from upstairs. Cassidy’s voice, completely unraveled. “Oh my God—” Then Zane, furious and snarling. “Would you shut up? Jesus Christ. What is wrong with you people?” “The girl is out of her mind. She threw herself headfirst into the damn wall.” “I barely touched her and she loses it. I almost got blood all over my shirt.” Downstairs, Hector’s hand jerked and tea sloshed down his front. He was on his feet. “What happened? Is someone hurt? Oh God, don’t tell me someone’s dead in this house.” He scrambled for the stairs. Linc followed, loosening his tie. “Cass! Talk to me!” I was alone in the foyer. I dragged myself to the front door. Still deadbolted. No key. I grabbed a vase from the console table and hurled it at the window. Glass exploded outward — but the security bars bolted to the frame didn’t move. I turned and stared at the staircase. Five minutes passed. Footsteps coming down — uneven, stumbling. Cassidy came first. Face drained of color. Sweat on her forehead. Hector behind her, clutching the railing, knees buckling. Linc last, hand pressed over his mouth, gray-faced. Zane came down with his shirt hanging open, something dark spattered across the fabric. He didn’t look at anyone. The woman from the room — she wasn’t with them. Cassidy reached the bottom of the stairs and sat down hard on the couch. Her hands were shaking too badly to unlock her phone. She tried three times before the screen responded. Zane dressed himself with aggressive, impatient movements, like the whole thing had just been an inconvenience. “Cassidy. Your girl has problems. I barely touch her, and she starts acting like she’s dying.” “She ran her own head into the wall. I couldn’t even stop her.” “If this gets out, people are going to think I’m some kind of psycho.” I crossed the room and grabbed Cassidy by the neckline of her gown. “Where is she? Why didn’t you bring her down? I need to call an ambulance.” Cassidy jerked her head up. Her eyes were red, wild. “Shut up. There is no ambulance.” “She’s resting. She passed out. Nobody goes in that room.” Linc was across the room, pressing his hand to his chest like he’d nearly had a heart attack. “Scared me half to death. Face all swollen, blood everywhere. I couldn’t even tell who—” He stopped. “Brother-in-law, your sister is one dramatic girl.” “Is she trying to set up a lawsuit? Destroy her own face just to get money out of Zane?” “She’s trying to trap him. Has to be.” Hector straightened up, his triangular eyes narrowing. “Exactly. Classic shakedown. Trying to use this to claw her way into Zane’s world?” “Zane, this has nothing to do with you. She lost her footing. We all saw it. We’ll all swear to it.” Zane pulled a card from his wallet and slapped it on the coffee table. “Five hundred thousand. Get her face fixed — or don’t. That’s not my problem anymore.” “Cassidy. Clean this up. If even a whisper of this gets out, your whole family disappears. You know what I mean by that.” Cassidy stared at the card. Her eyes went from terrified to hungry in the span of a second. She snatched it off the table. “Done. Handled. Nobody will ever know.” “This was an accident. A family matter. You have nothing to worry about.” I lunged for the landline by the kitchen. “There’s a woman bleeding out upstairs. I am calling 911.” Cassidy grabbed an ashtray and brought it down on the phone like a hammer. Plastic and circuitry exploded across the counter. She spun on me, her mascara running in dark rivulets. “Ethan. Do you want to get us all killed?” “Zane is running for president of the Chamber of Commerce. This cannot come out.” “We handle this in-house. Private doctor. No hospitals.” “Until the doctor gets here, that door stays closed.” A sound from above — barely there. Like a fingernail, scraping slowly across hardwood. In the dead silence of the house, it sounded like a scream. Hector flinched so hard his glass hit the floor. “That girl is… she’s still moving? After all that blood?”

Cassidy pulled a notepad and pen from the kitchen drawer and started writing. When she finished, she dropped the paper in front of me. It was a settlement agreement. “She pressed the pen into my hand, eyes flat and cold.” “You’ve seen how this sits, Ethan. Zane cannot be touched. I cannot be touched.” “You sign this — you confirm it was consensual, confirm it was an accident — and I call the best private doctor in the state right now.” “You don’t sign it, and she bleeds out up there. That’s your choice.” Linc crouched down to my eye level with a fake-sympathetic look. “What are you waiting for? Every second you don’t sign, that’s on you.” “Half a million dollars. She could buy a house back home. Even with a messed-up face, she finds a good man, she’s set.” “You love her? Sign the paper.” Hector was staring at the card in Cassidy’s hand, practically drooling. “Sign it. We’re helping her. This is us looking out for her.” “Stop being dramatic and put your name on it.” The scraping from upstairs had stopped. The kind of silence that feels like a door closing. Linc glanced up at the ceiling and made an exaggerated face. “Uh oh. She’s gone quiet, brother-in-law.” “You better hurry up, or you’re going to be signing a death certificate instead.” My hands were shaking. I picked up the pen and signed my name. Pressed my thumb in the ink. Left a print. Cassidy ripped the paper from the table and actually kissed it. “There you go. Smart man. We are going to be rich.” “Zane, we’re good — it’s done.” Zane gave a single approving nod. “Good. Now I’m going to walk out that front door, and this never happened.” I was on my feet immediately. “You said you’d call the doctor. Call him.” Hector grabbed Cassidy’s arm before she could dial. “A private doctor costs a fortune. You know what those house calls run?” “The girl isn’t even that bad. Shock, probably. Let her sleep it off upstairs, and in the morning we drive her to the walk-in clinic and they stitch her up.” “The face is already done. What difference does it make where she heals?” I stared at him. “You just promised—” Cassidy slipped her phone back into her pocket and looked away. “Dad’s right. The doctor might report it. We wait. She’s not going to die.” “Don’t push it, Ethan.” While the three of them started talking about how to divide the half-million dollars, upstairs the person in that room was alone and bleeding. And then — three hard slams against the front door. BANG. BANG. BANG. Like someone trying to take the door off its hinges. Cassidy’s head shot up. “Who is that? Who’s here?” Linc swung around toward me. “Did you tip someone off? I knew it — I knew you had a backup plan—” The person outside started kicking. “Cassidy Vega, you open this door right now!” Cassidy, afraid the neighbors would hear, had no choice but to go to the door. “Who is it? This better be important!” She unlatched the deadbolt and the door burst inward, catching her across the forehead. She staggered back with a cry. In the doorway stood seven or eight people — some of them holding bats. My relatives. The ones I’d quietly called to the wedding from out of town. Cassidy took one look at them and immediately shrank. “Oh — hi, everyone. Today’s been a little chaotic, it’s not really a great time to—” She was already sidling toward the stairs, trying to block the bottom step with her body. Linc ducked behind her and poked his head out. “You can’t just break into a private residence! This is trespassing!” “We will call the police on every single one of you!” I stood in the center of the foyer. “I asked them to come.” I said it quietly. “They’re here to take someone home.” Hector jumped to his feet, pointing. “Nobody is taking anyone anywhere! My family’s guest is resting upstairs!” “Get out of this house! All of you!” The group parted. A clear voice came from just behind them. “Resting upstairs?” A young woman stepped through the door, grocery bags looped over both arms, looking around the room with open confusion. “Sir, who exactly are you talking about?”

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To spare his omega mistress the agony of delivering pups, my alpha father had bound a witch’s curse to my mother — a pain-transfer spell. The ninety-seventh transfer had just completed, and all of it had been dumped onto Mom. Inside the hospital room, she lay barely conscious, crumpled like a rag doll someone had wrung out and tossed aside. Out in the hallway, my father and his mistress were laughing — full-throated, shameless laughter — celebrating the birth of their child. My eyes burned red. Despair settled over me like a second skin. His mistress, Serena, looked down at me with pure contempt. “Save the pitiful act. Your mother owes me this.” “She’s just taking on a little pain. It’s not going to kill her.” My father’s voice was ice-cold, each word landing like a blade. “Your mother brought this on herself. She’s the one who pushed Serena down the stairs and nearly caused a stillbirth. A little pain is getting off easy.” I thought of every time Mom had screamed and writhed alone in a room while they celebrated outside. I curled my fists until my knuckles went white. I wanted to burn everything down with them still inside. And then — I heard it. A voice, crystalline and otherworldly, rising inside my mother’s mind. “My child. I offer you the gift of rebirth, and the power to return every wound to those who gave it.” “From this moment forward, when the one hundredth pain transfer is complete —” “All harm will be returned to its source, doubled.” “The witch’s curse will shatter. Every fortune, every title, every glory belonging to those who hurt you — all of it will be surrendered to you.” Silence. Then, slowly, color crept back into Mom’s pale cheeks. The despair that had clouded her eyes dissolved. Serena noticed. She let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Damien, what did I tell you? She’s faking. Look at her — color in her face already. She’s been performing this whole time.” My father stared at the woman in the bed. Whatever flicker of guilt had been in his eyes went out entirely. “Elara Voss, you disgust me. Pulling a stunt like this just to make me feel sorry for you?” “Since your body’s so fine, drag yourself out there and kneel in front of Serena. You stay on your knees until she forgives you.” My face went cold. A year ago, Serena had heard that winter swimming could help with weight loss. She had waded into a frozen lake, pushed herself too hard, and spiked a fever of a hundred and four. She could barely stand. My father had coaxed my mother with honeyed words, transferred Serena’s fever and pain directly into her. Mom had spent three days and three nights unable to sleep, rolling across the bed in agony. She never fully recovered. Her joints ached every time the temperature dropped. And now he wanted her to kneel on cold stone floors with those ruined knees. He knew. He knew exactly what that would do to her — and he was asking for it anyway. There had been a time he was gentle with her. All of that gentleness now belonged to Serena. Over the years, he had transferred pain into Mom for everything — Serena’s surgery recoveries, Serena’s gym injuries, even once when Serena clipped her fingernail too short and nicked the skin. Every ache, every inconvenience, tunneled straight into my mother. Mom, who had once had bright, clear eyes — she had grown dim under the weight of it all. I was about to step forward and say something. Mom caught my arm and shook her head, once, quiet and firm. She looked directly at my father, her voice low and hoarse. “Damien Ashford. Sever the bond.” He blinked, startled. Then his hand shot out and he yanked her upright from the bed, his grip vicious. “Is that a threat, Elara?” Her face went paler. He saw it. His grip loosened just slightly, his voice dropping half a degree. “You are and will always be my luna. But the fact remains — you put Serena in danger. You nearly cost her and the baby their lives.” “Kneel before her and mean it, and I’ll have ginger broth and a heating salve sent up. I’ll protect your legs.” When she heard that, Mom let out a smile — hollow, heartbroken — as though she had just remembered the punchline to a very old joke. The rage I’d barely tamped down flared back to life. Even now, after everything, he was still dangling the title of luna over her head like bait on a hook. Hadn’t that title already taken enough? Because of it, she had run every ceremony in Ashford Pack — every coming-of-age ritual, every pack feast, every full moon gathering — organized by her hands alone, while he stood at the front and took the credit. Because of it, she had taught herself to cook from scratch, never having set foot in a kitchen before the bond. Her hands were maps of old scars from burns and cuts. And Serena — Serena had everything except the title. Money. Devotion. His time. His protection. And when it came to bearing his children, he wouldn’t even let her feel the pain of it. I had begged him. On my knees, I had begged him not to put Mom through it again. She was a werewolf — she could heal — but there were limits. Do it enough times and it would kill her. He had told me Mom had already been through childbirth. She could handle it. Serena, he said, was too delicate. Too delicate. Serena was a full year older than my mother. She only looked younger because she had spent years wrapped in his affection like a hothouse flower, while Mom had aged in his shadow. I tightened my fists. Every nerve in me screamed to go at him. Mom held me back again. Then she reached for the fruit knife on the bedside table and pressed it to her own throat.

“Kneeling isn’t enough. Take my life instead. Will that satisfy you?” The blade was thin but sharp. A line of red opened across Mom’s neck, and blood slid down the pale column of her throat. My father’s pupils blew wide. For the first time tonight, he looked genuinely afraid. “Elara, have you lost your mind? Lyra — don’t just stand there! Do you want to watch your mother bleed out?” Mom looked at him, and the bigger his panic grew, the calmer her smile became. “Damien, wouldn’t it be easier if I were gone? Then there’s nothing standing between you and Serena.” His face tightened, words stumbling over each other. “That — you’re being ridiculous. I have never thought of Serena as anything but a sister—” A sister. Right. A sister he had shared a bed with for three years and fathered a child with. “Elara, stop making a scene. If someone reports this to the Lycan King, we’ll lose our honored pack status before the year is out.” And there it was. Three years he had been with Serena. Three years, and now he wanted to play devoted mate? No — he was afraid of the scandal. Afraid the rumors would reach the throne and undo everything he’d spent years building. His reputation. His pack’s standing. His perfect image as a faithful, noble alpha. He wanted Mom to stay because she kept everything running and made him look good. He wanted Serena because she made him feel good. He didn’t want to lose either one. I looked at the blood on Mom’s neck, my eyes burning, and pressed a fold of gauze against the cut to slow the bleeding. “Mom. Don’t do this to yourself. He isn’t worth it.” She lifted her hand — slow, effortful — and brushed the hair from my forehead. She looked at my red eyes, and gently wiped the corner of one with her thumb. “Don’t cry. It will all be over soon. And then… we’ll be free.” She swayed. I caught her before she could fall. But Serena wasn’t finished. “Damien—” Her voice went honeyed and pitiful. “It hurts. I think my incision tore open.” Damien crossed the room in three steps. He lifted the hem of Serena’s hospital gown, and there it was — the surgical wound, split open in a way that did not look accidental. His jaw hardened. He spun toward the nurses. “Transfer Serena’s pain to Elara Voss. Now.” And in the same instant, the voice returned — crystalline and cold — inside my mother’s mind. “The ninety-eighth transfer is complete.” Serena sagged against Damien’s chest and pressed her fingers delicately to her eyes. “Elara, I’m so sorry. I hate to keep putting this on you.” Mom shuddered — the full-body kind, the kind that meant the pain had arrived in a wave. Her face went white as paper. But she clenched her jaw and made no sound. Her lips curved into a cold, anticipatory smile. I understood. She had done this on purpose. She had pushed them — goaded them — into triggering the transfer. Two left. Only two more. But God, the thought of her enduring two more— I gripped the hem of her sleeve, blinking hard against the sting in my eyes. “Mom… we can walk away. Leave everything. I don’t care about any of it.” Mom tried to smile. Serena cut in before she could speak. Her voice dripped sweetness, laced with poison. “Elara, I know you blame me for taking Damien away from you.” “But what could I do? We fell in love. I gave up everything — I didn’t even ask for the title of luna. I’ve been so patient. And then you nearly killed me on that operating table.” She paused and sighed, theatrical as a stage actress. “All I’m asking for is an apology. Why play the victim?” “Fine. Maybe it’s my fault for everything. Maybe I deserve to die.” She turned — and her foot swung, hard and deliberate, straight into my mother’s body.

“Ahh—” For the first time all night, Mom couldn’t hold it in. The cry tore out of her, raw and broken. My father flinched. He started to raise his hands toward her — Then Serena threw herself into his chest, eyes shimmering, bottom lip trembling. “Damien — it hurts—” One look at her face, and whatever fragment of conscience had stirred in him was gone. “Elara! She stepped back to give you room and you shoved her? After everything she’s done to accommodate you?” “Transfer the pain. Do it now.” He never even glanced at my mother. He didn’t see her face going the color of ash. He just held Serena and murmured into her hair while the nurses scrambled to carry out his order. Within minutes, Mom’s breathing had gone shallow and ragged. My eyes flooded red. I fixed my gaze on Serena, still nestled in my father’s arms, and watched the corner of her mouth pull up in a small, triumphant smirk. I was already moving when Mom grabbed my wrist and held on. Her lips barely parted. Four words, barely a breath. “One more. Just one.” I stopped. My whole body went still. One more transfer. That was all that stood between us and one hundred. Serena caught the pause. She shifted deliberately in my father’s arms and pressed a hand to her abdomen, right over the incision, rubbing it in slow circles. My father tensed immediately. He opened his mouth — Mom lifted her eyes. The ruin of her face held no expression at all. Her voice came out like iron. “Damien Ashford. After this one, there is no going back.” Serena’s eyes filled on cue, her chin wobbling. “Elara, even if you don’t want to take on my pain, you don’t have to keep threatening Damien with things like that.” She turned to him, voice breaking. “Damien, let’s just stop here. I can’t keep watching you be torn apart like this.” She made to walk away. My father’s brow creased. He looked at Mom with open disappointment, then immediately reached out to pull Serena back against him, his voice a sharp crack aimed at Mom. “Elara, enough. If you don’t want to be luna of Ashford Pack, fine — I’ll release you from it. But even if I dissolve the bond, you’re not leaving this pack. You will continue to take on Serena’s pain. That is what you owe.” He paused, and his eyes hardened further. “I was going to authorize pain medication for you. I’m rescinding that.” “Let’s see how long you can hold out.” He had them lock us in the room next door. No food. No water. No medication of any kind. I pressed cloth against Mom’s wounds, watching them multiply — wounds that had no source, opening on her skin from nowhere, blooming red. “Mom, let me stop the bleeding—” “Silly girl. Don’t cry. It doesn’t hurt. Not compared to the other ninety-eight times. This is nothing.” She could barely lift her arm. But she tried again and again until her hand found my face, and she touched my cheek — so softly. “Lyra… when it’s done… I’m taking you away from here.”

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With more than ten patents, I smoothly earned me my tenure. At the faculty honors ceremony, my husband Ryan suddenly turned on me in front of everyone. “Does this university have no standards? You’d give tenure to someone who abuses animals?” I had no idea what he was talking about, but Ryan pointed to the dog beside him, his voice dripping with contempt. “The vet said the dog had internal injuries, obvious signs of deliberate abuse. Do I need to throw the proof in your face?” “Stella, what kind of person beats an animal behind closed doors? A sick one.” “Now it all makes sense, you keep a dog nobody else wanted just so you have something to hurt when no one’s watching.” The room exploded. My tenure was revoked on the spot. I was suspended, reprimanded, and within the hour, I was everyone’s target. I pushed through the crowd and got in Ryan’s face. He looked back at me, unbothered. “You should’ve let Zoey have the award. Consider this a lesson.” “She’s young. You’re a grown woman. Stop being so petty.” Zoey? That talentless pretty girl? I stepped away and called my father overseas, the anger burning through my chest. “Dad. It’s time to bury his company.” — The students who used to greet me in the hallways now had fire in their eyes. “Get out of Columbia! Get out of this country!” “Sick freak! Someone punishes her!” Reporters swarmed me with cameras and microphones. Rotten eggs and garbage rained down. I was soaked, my forehead split open and bleeding. Zoey pushed through the crowd, clapped a hand on my shoulder, and put on a show. “Stella, just admit what you did. Don’t worry. I’ll put in a good word with the president.” She turned to face the crowd, all righteous and composed. “Everyone, please go home. I’ll talk some sense into Professor Stella.” The rage shot straight to my head. I wanted to rip her apart right there. “Save the crocodile tears, Zoey.” My vision blurred at the edges. My voice came out louder than I intended. “I did not do anything illegal.” “If you have actual evidence, take it to court—stop throwing accusations with zero proof.” Ryan crossed his arms, jaw tight. “Evidence? You think I’d make this up?” “Stella, marrying you is the biggest mistake of my life.” Everyone praised him for it and said he had the guts to expose his own wife, that he’d torn off my mask and saved more innocent animals from me. Seven years. And he was hell-bent on burning me down for that girl toy. All those years, when Ryan wanted to start his company, I stayed in this city under a false name, feeding him patents, technical support, everything I had, working myself into the ground for his business. The early days were tight, but back then, his whole world was me. I still remembered his arms around my waist, his voice quiet and certain. “Stella, you’re going to be the youngest tenured professor at Columbia. And when that day comes, I’ll light up the whole city for you.” I could still hear it. But that man was gone. I slipped away from the crowd and headed to the president’s office. But the situation was already out of control. People online had dug up my phone number, my home address, everything. My phone wouldn’t stop ringing the entire walk over. “You call yourself a teacher? You’re not even fit to be human.” “I swear to God, if I see you, I’ll cut you myself.” When I finally walked into the office, President Janet took one look at me and covered her nose, disgust all over her face. “You have the nerve to show up here?” Something sour rose in my throat. I kept my voice level. “President Janet, I understand the school needs to act. Suspend me—I’ll cooperate. But you cannot publish a formal disciplinary notice. That’s a false accusation.” She slammed her hand on the desk, grabbed a folder, and threw it at my face. Her finger jabbed at my nose. “False accusation? Your own husband said it. How is that false?” “Stella, either shut up and take it or get out.” “Columbia isn’t appropriate for someone like you.” I pressed my back teeth together. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Then the door opened. Zoey walked in on Ryan’s arm, chin up, heels clicking like she was walking into a room she already owned. President Janet’s whole face rearranged itself. She scrambled forward, voice slick. “Mr. Ryan, you didn’t have to come yourself—” “I promise, Zoey will have the tenure offer locked in within three days.” “As for Stella, she’s already suspended. Whatever happens next is entirely your call.” Ryan gave a slow, satisfied nod. “I’ll add three million on top of the original donation.” I stood there, frozen. There was nothing left to figure out. This wasn’t just a suspension, wasn’t just a disciplinary notice—they had planned the whole thing. The goal was to destroy my reputation and clear the way for Zoey. But none of Ryan’s success would exist without me. Where did he think all those patents came from? Years of my work turned into the knife they used to stab me. My chest heaved. I bit down and said it through my teeth. “Forgetting qualifications, Zoey graduated from a third-rate school, has zero patents, zero research output. She doesn’t meet a single requirement for this award.” “And this is bribery. This is a crime. You think I won’t take you to court?”

Zoey’s face crumpled into something wounded. “It’s all my fault, Ryan. I don’t deserve this honor. I’ll step down and give it back to Stella—” She wiped at tears that weren’t there. Ryan’s face flooded with concern. He turned and shot me a hard look. “Take us to court? With what?” “Even if the cops showed up, all they’d find is you smearing innocent people.” “Apologize to Zoey. Right now.” President Janet looked me up and down, voice flat with contempt. “Stella, you can’t win this one. Apologize to Mr. Ryan and maybe you’ll still have a place at Columbia. Otherwise—” I looked at all three of them. Then I laughed. “No need. I quit.” Janet ran her mouth plenty, but she got one thing right—Columbia wasn’t good enough for me. I turned and walked out through their cursing without looking back. When I got home, someone had spray-painted my door. The smell burned my eyes. The hallway was full of neighbors staring at me like I was something that crawled out of a gutter. “Living next to something like this is so disgusting.” “Anyone with pets, keep them far away from this freak.” I walked in without expression and pulled the divorce papers out of the desk drawer. When I’d given them to Ryan before all this, he’d been too busy throwing Zoey a birthday party to even look at them, just scrawled his name and handed them back. I picked up my phone and scrolled straight into Zoey’s latest Instagram post. [Grateful for Ryan’s incredible gift! As Columbia’s new tenured professor, I’ll keep working hard and won’t let anyone down!] In the photo, she was leaning against a Maybach, grinning ear to ear. The comments were a pile of praise. [Insane!! Youngest tenured professor in history!] [So talented! Professor Zoey, please look after us!] I zoomed in. It was the car I’d ordered last week. I hadn’t even picked it up yet. My blood ran hot. I typed a comment. [Stealing cars now? Do Columbia professors really make that little?] I hit post. Ryan called before the screen even dimmed, his voice sharp. “What is that comment supposed to mean?” “Do you know Zoey just got publicly announced? She can’t have any scandals right now.” “Delete it. Record a video apology. Now. Or we’re getting divorced.” I almost laughed. Why? Why did I have to hand over everything I had to that woman? I gripped my phone. “Fine. Let’s get divorced. I’ve been waiting.” “And if that car isn’t returned to me within two hours, I’m calling the police.” I hung up. In the comments, my Columbia colleagues had already picked a side. [Someone is just bitter. Can’t earn tenure yourself so you trash-talk everyone else.] [Oh she definitely earned something. The dog can confirm.] I pressed my palm flat on the table and started packing. A while later, the restaurant called to confirm my reservation. I’d booked a private room to celebrate my tenure. But Ryan had burned that. And my colleagues had scattered the moment the wind changed. I went alone, sat down in front of a full table of food, and drank. Shot after shot. The liquor went down hot, and everything from that day got sharper, not duller. From the private room next door, cheering broke through the wall. “Congratulations, Professor Zoey, Columbia’s newest tenured professor!”

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It was past midnight outside the bar when I got the Uber request from my ex-wife. When she climbed into the front seat and saw my face, her jaw dropped. “Ethan.” Her voice cracked. “Ethan Cole — you’re out. Why didn’t you come find me?” But Vivian had barely finished speaking before the drunk man beside her hauled her into his arms and pressed his mouth against hers. She fumbled to steady him, and that was when I recognized him. Derek Walsh. My best friend. The man who had accused me of sexual assault and put me behind bars. I tugged my cap lower and opened the rear door on autopilot. “Sir, let’s get you in. Please leave a five-star review when we’re done.” Vivian’s control shattered. She slapped the keys out of my hand, tears already streaming, and grabbed my shoulder with both hands. “Ethan, come home with me right now. Do you have any idea how much Mom, Dad, and I have missed you all these years?” I quietly pulled her hand off me and turned to pick up the keys from the ground. My prosthetic knocked against the bumper. Vivian stared at my leg. The tears came harder. I couldn’t understand what she was crying about. After all, she was the one who had believed I assaulted her best friend — and as a lawyer, she had personally handed me over to the police. ——— “Ethan, what happened to your leg?” Vivian’s question broke through Derek’s drunken haze. He squinted at me, a sneer curling his lips. “Well, well. If it isn’t brother Ethan.” “When did you get out? You should’ve told me, I would’ve come to pick you up.” Derek leaned against Vivian’s shoulder, eyes bleary with liquor. Vivian wiped her face and shot him a reproachful look. “Derek, you’re drunk. Stop talking nonsense.” Derek just shrugged, then hooked his arm around Vivian’s waist and pulled her against him. “What nonsense? Ethan did wrong, went in, and I was praying every single day he’d turn himself around.” He swung a kick at my fold-up walking cane. Vivian gasped and reflexively steadied Derek before he could topple over. “Derek, you’re drunk — stop moving around.” The tenderness in her voice was identical to how she used to speak to me. Once Derek was settled, she looked back at my prosthetic. “Your leg… Ethan, what did you go through in there?” Her eyes were red-rimmed. I ignored her and bent to pick up the cane from the ground. “Excuse me. Could you move?” The movement was clumsy, and a gust of wind lifted my trouser leg, exposing the cheap metal brace. Vivian pressed a hand over her mouth, tears falling freely. “Ethan, please. Come back with me. We need to talk — we need to clear everything up…” She reached for me. I stepped aside. “Ms. Grant, are we still doing this ride? If not, I’ll cancel it.” I held up my phone, businesslike, and looked at her. Derek let out a short, contemptuous laugh and yanked Vivian into his chest. “Vivian, why are you wasting your breath on this rapist?” “He couldn’t even keep his hands off your best friend Sophie. He got what he deserved.” “If you ask me, losing a leg is getting off easy.” Derek spat the words reeking of alcohol, every one of them driving straight into my chest. Five years ago, this man — my closest friend — had gotten me blackout drunk and left me in a hotel room. By the time I woke up, Sophie had run out in tears, her clothes in disarray. And Vivian had walked in with the police right behind her. She hadn’t let me say a single word. She slapped me right there in the doorway. What made it truly absurd was that she — the sharpest attorney in the city — had personally served as Sophie’s legal representative and put me away. I pulled myself back to the present and looked at Vivian. She was still pressed against Derek’s side. She frowned, but she didn’t push him away. “Derek, enough.” A soft reprimand. Then she turned to me. “Ethan. Let’s just do the ride.” “You need the money.” I didn’t say anything. She wasn’t wrong — I was broke. I adjusted the seat out of habit. By the time I finished, Vivian had already helped Derek into the back. The car was silent the entire way. Only Derek mumbled now and then. “Vivian… my head hurts… can you rub it…” Vivian murmured back to him, coaxing and gentle. I stared at the road ahead, expression blank, keeping the accelerator perfectly steady. Half an hour later, I pulled up in front of a gated luxury villa community. It used to be Vivian’s and my home. “Here we are. One hundred and eighty dollars.” I held out the receipt toward the back seat. Vivian handed me two hundred. “The twenty’s a tip.” I took it without a word. Derek pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills and flung them at my face. “Thank your lucky stars. Someone like you still getting paid — consider this charity. Buy yourself a decent prosthetic.” “Stop dragging that leg around in public like you’re begging for sympathy.” He smirked, then steered Vivian out of the car. Vivian stood there staring at the money scattered across the ground, her brow creased. “Ethan, don’t take it personally. Derek’s just like that when he’s had too much.” “Take the money. Tomorrow, come by the firm. I’ll find you something proper to do.” I stepped out and collected only my $180. “I’m not worth much, Ms. Grant. But I’m not worth Derek Walsh’s dirty money either.” “Don’t forget to leave that five-star review.” Derek lunged forward to swing at me, but Vivian caught his arm. And I started the engine, drove the car back to the rental company before dawn, and let the dark swallow me whole.

December in Houston. The wind cut like a blade. Where the prosthetic met my residual limb, blood had already soaked through. I gritted my teeth and made it back to my rented room. When I undid the harness, the stump beneath was raw and mangled. In the first weeks after my conviction, Derek had come to see me in the visitation room — grinning like he’d won the lottery. “Ethan, you have no idea how good Vivian is in bed.” “Don’t worry about a thing in there. Your wife, your house, your firm — I’ll take real good care of all of it.” I had thrown myself against the glass partition screaming until my throat tore. That same night, three inmates dragged me into a blind spot with no cameras. They used an iron rod. They broke my leg, inch by inch. “Somebody paid good money for this.” I spent six months flat on my back. The infection spread. In the end, amputation was the only option. I had hated, back then. But five years in prison had hollowed that hate into something closer to despair. The next morning I was woken by urgent knocking. I thought it was the landlord again about the rent. It was Vivian. “Ethan, I made lasagna. With the crispy pancetta you always loved.” She let herself in. “Don’t let Derek’s words get to you. That’s just his way.” “I came today to talk about your future.” I leaned against the doorframe, watching her coldly. “What future does an Uber driver have?” “Ms. Grant, you should head back. Don’t want to get that designer outfit dirty.” Vivian turned around and sighed. “Ethan, stop being stubborn. If you go to Sophie and apologize — sincerely — I’ll bring you back to the firm.” “You can’t practice law, obviously. But there’s a cleaning position. Five thousand a month. Enough to get by.” She raised her chin slightly, waiting for my gratitude. A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Vivian. You want me to apologize to the woman who fabricated the entire thing?” The color drained from Vivian’s face. “Ethan! You still refuse to take responsibility?” “If I hadn’t argued for leniency — out of respect for our marriage — do you think you’d have gotten only five years?” She stepped toward me, reaching to drag me toward the door. I shoved her hand away. “Vivian. Did you ever actually read the case files carefully?” “Why did the security camera in that hotel corridor go down at the exact right moment?” “And what exactly was in the drink I had that night?” My questions made her hesitate. Then her impatience flared. “Enough, Ethan! Are you seriously suggesting Derek and Sophie conspired to frame you?” “I came here to help you. Don’t throw it back in my face.” I pointed at the door. My voice was flat. “I don’t need your help. Get out.” Vivian’s eyes went wide, as if she couldn’t believe I was speaking to her this way. “You are completely unreasonable! Do you think you’re still the hotshot lawyer you used to be?” “You’re a convict, Ethan. A cripple.” She slammed the door behind her. That afternoon, just as I was about to log back in to take rides, I got a notification from the platform. My Uber account had been permanently deactivated following a customer complaint. The stated reason: disabled pervert driver attempted to assault female passenger. I didn’t even need to think about who was behind it. Derek. He couldn’t even wait a day.

I hadn’t even locked my door before the landlord arrived with two large men blocking the entrance. “Ethan Cole, someone offered ten times the rent. Get your stuff and get out. Now.” Before I could process it, I was standing on the sidewalk. My belongings were thrown out after me. It had started raining. A downpour. The prosthetic throbbed in the cold water. A Maybach rolled up and drenched me in a wave of muddy runoff. “Look at that. The great attorney, brought this low.” Derek exhaled a lazy ring of smoke. “You really are an embarrassment, Ethan.” Vivian jumped out and held an umbrella over my head. “Ethan, stop fighting it. One apology. That’s all.” “I’ll give you a job. I’ll sort out your housing. Why do you keep driving yourself into a corner like this?” I pressed my palm to the wet ground and forced myself upright. “I don’t need any of it. So could you two please get the hell away from me?” Vivian flinched. “Ethan. When you went to prison, Derek was the only one who was there for me. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it through.” “I’m trying to help you. Why do you have to act like a wounded animal?” “Even if you don’t want my help — at least think about your parents. They’ve been looking for you.” As if on cue, two figures came running from the far end of the street. My parents. No umbrella. Rushing straight toward me. But the first thing they did when they reached me was each raise a hand and slap me across the face. “How dare you show yourself out here! You are no son of ours!” “Derek is our son now — you rapist. You should have rotted in that cell.” All this time, I hadn’t dared visit them. I was afraid the rumors had reached them, afraid they were being hurt by the talk. I hadn’t imagined they’d already adopted Derek as their own. Derek hurried over and guided my parents toward the car. “Mom, Dad — Ethan still hasn’t come to terms with what he did. He won’t even apologize to the victim.” “Let’s not worry about him. With me and Vivian running the firm, you two can retire in peace.” My parents looked at me with withering contempt. “Ethan. If Derek hadn’t been managing the firm all these years, our life’s work would’ve been gone.” “If you still won’t take responsibility, then you’re on your own from here.” The Maybach pulled away. I walked alone into the dark. Even my own parents didn’t believe me. What a failure I’d made of being alive. But to survive, I made my way to a construction site and asked for labor work. The foreman took one look at my prosthetic and shook his head. “No. We don’t take injured workers. Liability.” I grabbed his arm. “I’m strong. Half wages. Just feed me.” The foreman was about to shove me off when a cleaning woman nearby suddenly let out a sharp sound. “You… are you Mr. Cole?” I froze. I studied the woman. She grabbed my arm and pulled me around the corner, glancing left and right first. “Mr. Cole, I’m so sorry. Five years ago, Derek paid me a hundred thousand dollars to break the camera.” “But I secretly made a recording. The conversation between him and Sophie — where they planned the whole setup — it’s all there.” “My conscience wouldn’t let me destroy it. Please don’t tell anyone it came from me.” That night, I held the voice recorder in my hands. The tears came without warning. So that was how it was. Five years behind bars. A missing leg. A life in pieces. And now, finally — the truth.

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When the broke campus heartthrob confessed to my best friend for the tenth time, she pointed at me. “Elara’s poor too. You two would be perfect together.” He looked at me. The dead eyes flickered to life. Ten years later, he hit the Forbes list. The first thing he did was thank me for standing by him. Everyone knew he spoiled me rotten. Until he saw Jade pole dancing at a club. Turns out her rich husband had gone bankrupt and blown his brains out. Silas slid the divorce papers across the table. “If I hadn’t married you, she could’ve come to me.” We had our first fight in ten years. He froze my bank accounts. I’d rather die than sign. Then Mom’s condition turned critical. He wouldn’t give me a dime. I watched her die. Dad shoved me to the ground, tears streaming down his face. “Why did you fight him? If you hadn’t fought, your mother would be alive! The wrong person died. Why are you still breathing?” My brother Alex stared at me, eyes red and raw. My five years old son Leo tugged at my sleeve, sobbing. “Where’s Grandma? Where is she? Why didn’t you save her, Mommy?” That night, Silas smirked at me. “How much longer are you planning to insist?” I handed him the signed papers. I was done insisting. I was going to find Mom. …… When I pushed the signed papers in front of him, his hand went rigid, cigarette still between his fingers. He didn’t even notice the ash burning his skin. “Being obedient for once?” “Yeah.” He leaned in close. “What’s your game? Just say it.” “I’m going to find Mom.” Silas laughed. “What, transferring her to a new hospital?” I froze. Shock rippled across my face. “Your mother’s condition—only the hospital I set up can treat it. Where are you moving her?” He… didn’t know Mom was dead. A bitter smile ghosted across my lips. “Don’t worry about it.” I stood up and dragged my suitcase over. I didn’t own much. One suitcase wasn’t even half full. After all this fighting, I’d sold almost everything valuable. Still couldn’t scrape together Mom’s surgery fees. Maybe Dad was right. I killed her. Time to pay for it. I opened the door. A hand clamped around my throat. Slammed me against the wall. “Playing games?” Silas towered over me. “You wouldn’t sign for months. Now you’re so easy about it. What, gonna do something to Jade the second you walk out?” Always like this. He always assumed the worst of me. I used to smash things around the house just to remind him I’d been his wife for nearly a decade. But now I smiled. “Kill me. Perfect. You’ll be a widower. Marriage over.” His hand jerked back like my skin’d burned him. He stared at me, disbelief written across his face. I didn’t flinch. He spat out “Psycho” and walked away. I found a cheap apartment. I’d been stockpiling sleeping pills for months. Swallow them all, and I’d leave quietly. I stared at the gray branches outside the window. Smiled faintly. Twisted the cap off the bottle. A crash. My hand jerked. The bottle hit the floor. Pills scattered everywhere. Silas grabbed my arm, his grip bruising. A cold smirk twisted his mouth. “I knew you gave in too easy. You’re going after Jade, aren’t you?” Before I could speak, he dragged me out. The car stopped in an empty lot on the outskirts. He yanked me out and threw me at Jade’s feet. Her sequined mini skirt barely covered anything. Bruises covered her arms and legs. She glared at me through red-rimmed eyes. “Elara, I may have fallen on hard times, but I still have morals. I never tried to wreck your marriage. Why did you have those animals kidnap me and humiliate me? If Silas hadn’t shown up in time, they would’ve killed me!” I looked at the strangers surrounding us. “I didn’t do this.” “Still lying?” Silas grabbed my jaw. “These guys already said you hired them. What, you think Jade set herself up?” Jade shot the thugs a quick look. They broke into exaggerated sobs. “Mrs. Cross! You can’t just back out now!” “Yeah, Mrs. Cross! You said you’d cover for us if anything went wrong!” “You called her a whore! Said there’d be no consequences! If we’d known she was Mr. Cross’s woman, we never would’ve touched her!” Jade whimpered softly. Silas’s grip on my jaw tightened until I thought the bone would crack. “Keep lying, and you can forget about your mother’s medical bills. Forever.”

I stared at him, eyes burning. Then I laughed. “My mother? She’s dead. What bills?” Silas’s pupils contracted. The next second, his palm cracked across my face. “You’ll say anything now just to deny your crime, won’t you?” Jade suddenly spoke up. “Elara, Silas might have problems with you, but he’s never taken it out on your mom. Even I know he set up a medical account for her. He puts in hundreds of thousands of dollars every month.” I went still. Slowly looked up at Silas. His expression was ice-cold. Same as always. A man like him would never give Mom hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. If he had, she wouldn’t be dead. They were both lying. Threatening me with a fake account to force the divorce. Lying… Silas’s voice was arctic. “Gonna keep denying it?” I took a deep breath. “What do you want?” “Get on your knees. Apologize to her.” “Oh, there’s no need, we used to be frie—” Before Jade could finish, I dropped to my knees. Pressed my forehead to the ground. “I’m sorry.” Silas stared at me like I’d grown a second head. I stood up. Dusted off my knees. “If that’s all, I’m leaving.” The pills at the rental were still waiting. “Stop.” A knife clattered onto the table. Silas’s voice was flat. “Jade got hurt because of you. An apology doesn’t cut it.” I turned back. He sneered. “She got cut. So will you.” Jade clutched her scratched arm, eyes welling with tears. “Fine.” Dying was the goal anyway. I picked up the knife. Drove it straight toward my heart. “ELARA!” A hand clamped around mine, gripping the blade. Silas fought against my strength. I stared into his eyes. The tip inched closer to my chest. “ELARA!” I held the handle. He held my hand. “You want your kid in an orphanage? Then go ahead. Do it!” I froze.

“I’m not raising that bastard, Elara.” My mouth opened. Blood trickled from the corner of my lips. “You—” He cut me off. “If you really wanna die, take the brat with you. Looking at his face—looks just like yours—makes me sick.” Right. Silas hated me. So he’d hate Leo too. If I died, no one would protect Leo. Silas might even hurt him. I yanked the knife out. Coughed up blood and stumbled. He caught me. The last thing I heard before I blacked out was his voice, sharp with panic. “Ambulance! Get a fucking ambulance!” When I woke up, I was in a VIP room. Silas sneered down at me. “Getting smarter with your tricks. Even faking suicide now.” I looked at him. His lip curled. “Jade was right. You should’ve been an actress.” He left. I lay alone in the white room. Stared at the ceiling. Pressed my hand to my chest. That afternoon, I knocked on my brother’s door. Mom’s photo still sat on the table. On the couch lay the unfinished scarf she’d been knitting for him. Winter was coming. She’d wanted him to wear it. When Alex saw me, he moved to slam the door. I shoved my hand into the gap. “I need to ask you something.” He turned his head away. I stepped inside. He sat on the couch and lit a cigarette. He never smoked. Never drank. After Mom died, he did both. “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you from the start.” He exhaled smoke. Said nothing. “I shouldn’t have held on for those ten years. I shouldn’t have fought with you and Dad over Silas. I should’ve let Jade have him when you first said so. I’m sorry.” My brother laughed bitterly. “Sorry? Will sorry bring Mom back?” My throat closed. He stared at me. “You were so obsessed with keeping him, Mom died because of you.” The last words came through clenched teeth. “Why do I have a sister like you?” I lowered my head, voice shaking. “But… I’m begging you. Take care of Leo.” He went still. “I’m not asking you to love him like your own. Just… don’t let anyone hurt him.” My brother stared at me. Then laughed coldly. “What, guilt-tripping me now?” I said nothing. “Leo’s unlucky to have a mother like you.” “Please.” “Get out.” “Please—” “GET OUT!” An ashtray shattered at my feet. “Get out! Don’t stand there and disrespect Mom’s memory!” I turned. Mom’s photo smiled gently at me from the table. I knelt. Pressed my forehead to the floor. Stood. Knelt again in front of Alex. “Please.” I left without looking back at his shocked face. Outside, I’d already reached the car when his voice rang out. “Don’t ever come back! Go die wherever you want! Don’t tell anyone you’re my sister! This family doesn’t have a sister like you!” I gripped the steering wheel. Tears slid down my cheeks. It was okay if he cursed me. I knew. In the end, he wouldn’t abandon Leo. I started the car. Drove away. The sleeping pills lay quiet on the table. I stretched out on the rental bed. Set a delayed message to the landlord. To send in twenty-four hours. Asking her to contact the funeral home. I’d sold my last pieces of jewelry. Twenty thousand dollars. Not enough for Mom’s surgery. But enough to cover the landlord’s trouble. I brought the pills to my lips. The door exploded inward. Someone grabbed my throat. I choked. Spat the pills out. Silas’s jaw clenched, his eyes wild. “What did you do? What did you and your mother do to Jade?!”

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I’d been in a secret relationship with my childhood best friend Ethan for six years when he dumped me without warning. A month later, my mom brought up gossip about him while taking jabs at me as usual. “Ethan’s about to be a father, and you still haven’t even held a guy’s hand.” “If I’d made you smarter or prettier, maybe he would’ve actually wanted you.” I scrolled through my work messages, barely paying attention. “He’s way out of my league anyway.” I remembered that day. Lying in a hospital bed with my leg in a cast, angry enough to end things. He didn’t try to stop me. Just let out a cold laugh. “Whatever. I’ve got plenty of girls throwing themselves at me who are better than you anyway.” “Besides, who else are you gonna find without me?” …… Hearing my self-deprecating comment, Ethan’s mom Mrs. Harrison immediately brightened up. “Don’t say that! If you two could make it work, I’d be thrilled!” “Ethan’s always been so withdrawn. I’ve never heard him mention a girlfriend once.” Mrs. Harrison sat down next to me, carefully fishing for information. “Maya, you two are close—has he ever talked to you about his girlfriend?” I shook my head. “We don’t really keep in touch much.” Which wasn’t exactly a lie. After all, Ethan hadn’t contacted me once in the month since we broke up. Mrs. Harrison turned to my mom with a sigh. “Daughters are so much easier. Sons are nothing but headaches.” “If I hadn’t been looking through his phone photos the other day and accidentally seen that ultrasound picture, I wouldn’t even know I’m about to be a grandmother.” My mom brought out a plate of strawberries and set them in front of Mrs. Harrison. “Ethan’s always been smart and capable. He knows what he’s doing. Don’t worry.” Mrs. Harrison’s face lit up. “Just the other day someone tried to set him up—apparently the girl’s father is a state senator. Thank god I turned it down, or this would be awkward as hell.” I stared at my phone for a long moment, completely forgetting who I’d been about to message. My mom suddenly kicked my foot. “The doorbell’s been ringing forever. Can’t you get the door?” I shuffled over in a daze. Ethan stood outside, looking down at his phone, a slight smile on his lips. Right before his screen went dark, I caught a glimpse of the pinned chat at the top—a pink profile picture. “Here to pick up my mom.” Not that he needed to explain. I already knew he wasn’t here for me. I looked down, fumbling for slippers for him. “I’m not coming in. Leaving in a second.” I looked up and met his cold stare. For a moment, I felt completely lost. The same person who’d whispered sweet things to me a month ago could barely look at me now without ice in his eyes. I turned to go back inside. He suddenly grabbed my hand. Shoved a paper bag at me. “These absorb better. Take them with vitamin D.” Mrs. Harrison’s voice drifted over. I yanked my hand back. “Don’t you have a flight assignment today? How do you have time to pick me up?” He smoothly tucked the paper bag behind his back. “Got canceled. Had nothing else to do, so I came to get you.” My mom came over too, chatting away as she walked Mrs. Harrison to the door. Ethan stood to the side, quietly waiting for them to put on their shoes. Mrs. Harrison suddenly noticed a pin on his bag. She asked casually, “That’s a unique pin.” “Old classmate gave it to me.” “A girl?” “Yeah. She’s a flight attendant for a private airline. Ran into her at the airport yesterday when we landed.” It clicked. That pinned chat with the pink profile picture—Michelle Shaw, our high school’s queen bee. Over the past six years, I’d given Ethan watches, wallets, ties. He never used any of them. Every time I asked, he’d say he couldn’t bear to use them, wanted to save them. But I knew the truth. He just didn’t want anyone knowing he had a girlfriend. Yet Michelle gave him a pin, and the very next day he’d clipped it to his bag. How desperate was he to show off his new relationship? Mrs. Harrison and my mom exchanged a meaningful look. “It’s good to stay in touch with old classmates! Tell her to come over for tea sometime!” Ethan looked at me, something challenging in his eyes. “What do you think?” I crossed my arms, forcing my lips into something resembling a smile. “I think it’s great. She’s gorgeous. You two look perfect together.” He froze. Something dark flickered across his face.

I started to head back to my room, but my mom called after me. “Maya, grab that bottle of wine for Mrs. Harrison. Take it down to the car so Mr. Harrison can try it too.” By the time I found the wine gift box, my mom and Mrs. Harrison were already at the elevator. Ethan let out a sigh and walked over. He knelt down, gently taking my ankle in his hands. Rested my foot on his knee. His hands were warm. The touch sent an unwanted shiver up my leg. “When did you get the cast off?” “Is it healing okay?” He examined my ankle with this serious, concerned look. The wrong ankle. He was holding the foot that was never injured. I could tell he was trying to make things right between us, patch things up. But what was there left to patch up at this point? He was about to be a father. The front door was wide open. My mom and Mrs. Harrison were right outside chatting. One glance back and they’d see us. I jerked my foot away, panic rising as I turned to put on my shoes. “Don’t worry about it.” He gripped both my shoulders, forcing me to turn and face him. “I had back-to-back flights that week. The next day I flew to Brussels—” I shoved his hands off. “Don’t. If someone saw us, they might get the wrong idea about our relationship.” He lowered his voice. “Maya, what the hell is that supposed to mean?” I finished putting on my shoes quickly. “We already broke up. No point letting people get the wrong idea.” “Especially now that you’ve got a new role to play.” Irritation crept into his voice. “What role?” I watched him play dumb, the words on the tip of my tongue. I swallowed them back. The whole thing was pathetic, really. Ethan didn’t have a single photo of us together on his phone. Not a trace of me anywhere on his social media. When we traveled together, he never let me post anything. Before, he always said our families were too close, that we’d go public when the timing was right. It wasn’t until we broke up and I heard what he really thought that I understood—he’d always been too embarrassed to be seen with me. Ethan frowned, forcing patience into his voice. “Maya, I just got back from an international flight yesterday. First thing this morning I went to buy you calcium supplements.” “You’re at a stage where you’re prone to calcium deficiency—” His phone cut him off mid-sentence. He pulled it out. Michelle’s name flashed across the screen. My voice came out flat, emotionless. “Better answer that. Don’t keep her waiting.” He stared at me, then deliberately hit speaker phone. A woman’s laugh came through first. “Ethan!” “Why’d you leave in such a rush yesterday?” “Your co-pilot got my number and texted me all night.” “He asked me to go to this bar tonight. You should come with me!” Ethan didn’t respond. Just watched me with an amused look, waiting. “Why are you looking at me? What does this have to do with me?” A soft laugh escaped his lips. “You’re the one who said it had nothing to do with you. Don’t regret it later.”

After they left, I grabbed the watering can and started watering the plants on the balcony. My mom chopped vegetables in the kitchen, calling out to me. “That Michelle girl—she’s a classmate of yours?” I answered without much interest. “Yeah.” “How come you’ve never mentioned her? Is she pretty?” “Gorgeous. Drop-dead gorgeous.” The chopping stopped abruptly. “Figures. Handsome pilots always end up with beautiful flight attendants.” “If they have kids, can you imagine how good-looking they’d be?” I zoned out for a second. Ethan probably thought the same thing. Last month at the high school reunion. Ethan deliberately sat half the table away from me to avoid looking suspicious. The moment Michelle walked in, she swapped seats with whoever was next to him. “I heard you made captain?” “Let me get a good look at you. Eye candy for the day.” “All the captains at my airline are ancient.” They had so much in common. Air traffic control, hotels, restaurants—they could talk for hours. Someone at the table teased Ethan. “I heard pilots always marry flight attendants. Is that true?” He answered completely seriously. “Yeah, there’s definitely some internal matchmaking that happens.” I shot him a glare and texted him under the table. **[Matchmaking my ass.]** **[angry emoji]** When everyone started leaving, my best friend Sarah and I walked ahead. Ethan and Michelle followed behind. Michelle was laughing about something, nearly doubled over. I glanced back without thinking and missed a step. Went tumbling down the stairs. “Maya! Are you okay?!” Sarah rushed over. My ankle swelled up almost immediately. A sharp, drilling pain shot through my leg. “Ethan…” His name left my lips on instinct. He started toward me, then stopped several steps away. I looked at him, silently begging. Even then, he chose to keep his distance. Sarah was freaking out. She had her husband carry me to the car and rushed me to the hospital. I gripped Sarah’s hand, my whole body shaking. “Sarah, I’m scared…” She held me tight, trying to soothe me. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the bone’s fine.” I clutched my stomach, tears streaming down my face. “I’m… I’m pregnant.” I’d just gotten the ultrasound confirmation a few days ago. Hadn’t had the chance to tell Ethan yet. But now this. My leg in a cast, a cold probe moving across my stomach. I silently prayed nothing was wrong. Then I heard the doctor’s verdict. “I’m sorry. There’s no heartbeat.” Lying in the hospital bed, I couldn’t sleep. Just stared at the ceiling, tears running silently down my face. Late that night, I saw Michelle post on Instagram. **[It’s been forever since a hot guy drove me home~ happy]** The next day, while Sarah was handling my discharge paperwork, Ethan finally showed up. I lay there numb, refusing to look at him. “Leave.” He didn’t say anything. Just moved to lift me into the wheelchair. I kicked him hard, voice rising. “Where were you when I actually needed you? What’s the point of showing up now?” He frowned. “Everyone from school was there yesterday. I didn’t want them to suspect anything if I acted too close to you.” “Besides, Sarah was with you the whole time. I didn’t think I should get in the way.” I stared at him as tears slid down my cheeks. “Ethan, how worthless am I to you? You’d rather leave me there bleeding on the ground than let anyone know I existed.” He took a deep breath. “It just happened so suddenly. I wasn’t prepared.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t worry about being prepared. We’re done anyway.” I shoved him aside and threw myself clumsily into the wheelchair. He stood there and let out a cold laugh. “Whatever. I’ve got plenty of girls throwing themselves at me who are better than you anyway.” “Besides, who else are you gonna find without me?” Then he turned and walked out. Disappeared from my life completely.

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I clutched the pregnancy test results in my hand,heart pounding in my chest,the word“positive”still ringing in my ears like a distant melody of hope.I had to tell him—William had to know. I rushed toward the construction site of the amusement park he was overseeing.The carousel gleamed in the distance,spinning slowly under the early morning sun. That’s when I saw them. William…and Quinn. His arms were wrapped tightly around her,his face buried in her hair.And her belly—Swollen.Pregnant. I froze. His voice floated toward me,sharp and careless.“So what if she finds out?” The ground shifted beneath my feet.Loose stones crunched,giving me away. Both their heads whipped in my direction. William’s eyes widened when he saw me.He let go of her like he’d just been caught stealing.“Caroline?What are you doing here?” Quinn turned too,a smug expression blooming across her face like a poisonous flower. William stepped forward,his voice trembling with guilt—or maybe just fear. “How long have you been standing there?Look,it’s not what it looks like—don’t misunderstand—Quinn and I,we just—” “Save it.”I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand.“What exactly are you going to explain,William?That you’re just comforting her?That this is all some…big misunderstanding?” “I—Caroline,I—”He stuttered,scrambling for excuses,but the look in his eyes said everything. I raised the envelope in my hand,shaking slightly. “I used my money to save Ember Claw Pack.I didn’t do it to buy you.If you didn’t want the Moon Ceremony,why didn’t you just say so?Why go through with it and then do this behind my back?” His mask slipped.The lies,the shame,the rehearsed apologies—he dropped them all. “Caroline,please,”he said,his voice quieter now.“I never meant to hurt you.I didn’t plan for this to happen.” I stared at him,my chest hollowing. “When did it start?”I asked,my voice barely more than a whisper. William looked away. “After my brother died,”he said finally.“Quinn jumped into the river.Everyone thought she drowned.” I nodded slowly. “So you started sleeping with her after that?After we were married?” His silence was an answer enough. A bitter laugh escaped my lips.Of course. I had been a fool—believing that love could grow where betrayal already had roots.I thought if I worked hard enough,sacrificed enough,he’d eventually see me.If I became his Luna,his mate in every way that mattered,he would learn to love me. I was wrong. I was always the second place.A consolation prize.Gratitude in the shape of a bride. The wolf inside me howled in pain,clawing at the walls of my soul.But the grief was too heavy.It choked out my shift,drowned out my strength.I could feel something breaking inside me—something deep and primal. A year ago,William’s brother died of cancer.And Quinn—his fated mate—threw herself into the river in grief.Nobody was ever recovered.William spiraled into a darkness I couldn’t reach. So I tried.God,I tried. I organized search teams,begged elders for blessings,scoured the banks myself until my feet bled.I searched for her,mourned her with him. All this time…she wasn’t dead.She was alive.Living in secret.Sleeping with my mate. And now she was carrying his child.

William watched the rage bloom in my eyes,shifting from hurt to fury.Finally,he opened his mouth,as if that could fix what was already broken. “Don’t twist things into something they’re not,”he said,his tone sharp and defensive. He looked at Quinn,then back at me. “She was alone.Wandering the streets.I only took her in because she loved my brother so much.I pitied her—nothing more.” “And what?One drink too many and you accidentally slept with her?”I snapped,my voice rising. His lips parted.“I wasn’t thinking clearly.I—I thought she was you.” I stared at him,stunned.But he wasn’t finished. “It wasn’t intentional,”he continued,his voice cracking.“Just think of it as me…forcing myself on her.It’s all my fault.Every bit of it.” Quinn’s eyes welled up with tears as she clung to his arm. “Don’t say that,William!This isn’t your fault,”she cried,the picture of innocent guilt.“If anyone should be blamed,it’s me—for being stupid enough to jump into that river in the first place!” I snapped.“Shut up!” My voice echoed through the open space,stopping her fake sobs in their tracks. “You don’t get to speak.This isn’t your business—it’s ours.” I turned back to William,my blood boiling. “You’re unbelievable.You waited until she was almost due to show me this?To rub it in my face like I’m nothing?” “I’ve spent the past year tearing myself apart trying to find her,thinking she was dead.Comforting you.Nursing your mother like she was mine.And this—this—is how you repay me?” “You’re despicable.” When his older brother died,William’s mom collapsed from grief and ended up in the hospital.For over six months,I stayed by her side,practically living in that cold hospital room.I bathed her,fed her,watched over her night and day. In her second month there,her organs started to fail.The hospital issued a critical notice.It was touch-and-go.I was terrified. I called William all night.He didn’t answer.Not once. I paced outside the operating room alone for hours,clutching my phone until my fingers went numb.And when he finally showed up the next morning,he reeked of whiskey—and there was a hickey on his neck. A goddamn hickey. He’d told me he was at a client banquet.He looked me in the eyes and lied. Then he saw his mother and started sobbing—calling himself a bastard,slapping himself in front of me. And I forgave him.Because I loved him.Because I was stupid. I didn’t even realize Quinn was already back…already in his bed. William said nothing now.Just stood there,head bowed,letting me pour it all out. I pulled myself together and met his gaze with ice in my veins. “You want to fix this?”I said,my voice low but clear.“Then get rid of the pup.Tell Quinn to leave.” “Or I swear to the goddess,I will never forgive either of you.” Quinn gasped like she’d been stabbed.She bolted toward the door—but William grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him like a shield. “Caroline,are you outta your mind?”he snapped.“The pup is almost full-term!You want her to abort it now?” “You’re acting like some bitter woman—jealous that someone else can give me what you can’t!” I blinked,stunned.“What…did you just say?” “My brother is gone.You can’t have children,”he said,like it was some damning fact.“Do you want Ember Claw Pack to lose its only Alpha heir because of your insecurities?” “You’re cruel,Caroline.And selfish.There’s a limit.” His words hit me like a slap across the face.Each syllable was a poisoned dagger. I laughed.A bitter,broken sound.Then tears came. “Tell me something,”I whispered.“Why can’t I have a pup?” He didn’t answer.He didn’t need to. “You don’t remember?”I asked softly.“That day…You were an hour late.That was all it took.An hour.” “Your mother was attacked.By a rogue.If you’d been there,William—if you’d shown up when I begged you to—I wouldn’t have had to jump in front of her.I wouldn’t have been stabbed three times by a Feral Wolf.” I lifted my shirt slightly,revealing the scars along my abdomen. “The Pack Doctor said I was lucky to survive.That if he hadn’t arrived in time,I would’ve died.And even if I lived,I’d never be able to shift again.” “You cried at my bedside,remember?You held my hand and told me you didn’t care.You said we didn’t need children.That we could adopt.That you’d walk away from the Pack if the Council didn’t accept us.” “You swore to protect me.To fight for me.” “But now?Now I’m cruel?Selfish?”I shook my head,my voice trembling.“No,William.You’re the one who’s changed.You’re the one who betrayed everything we built.” The man standing in front of me wasn’t my mate. He was a stranger.

After William’s brother passed,everyone in Ember Claw Pack whispered the same thing behind closed doors:William needs an heir. And I heard every word. I watched the pressure weigh him down,and even though my heart broke for him,I pushed my own pain aside.I became a woman on a mission:hunting down every Pack Doctor,every healer,every witch rumored to possess ancient magic.I paid in blood,gold,and sleepless nights. And for what? To earn his love? To become more than just a placeholder in his life? To thank me,William handed over all his passwords—his phone,his laptop—telling me he wanted transparency,that he had nothing to hide.I believed him.Goddess,I believed him. When I found out I was pregnant,I thought…maybe now,he’ll see me.Maybe now,he’ll be happy. But nothing could have prepared me for what came next. William’s eyes were ice-cold when he turned to me. “I’ll do anything you want,”he said flatly.“Except ask Quinn to abort the pup.” Then he actually added,like it was a gift,“Once she gives birth,I’ll let you raise him.He’ll carry my bloodline,and it’ll be like you had him yourself.” He was serious. “And from now on,you won’t have to see any more doctors or take those disgusting herbs.This is the best outcome for everyone.You’re not losing anything,Caroline.Nothing.” He stepped closer,eyes hard.“Unless you want to be cursed forever as the Luna who couldn’t bear an Alpha heir?” I felt the air leave my lungs. Then he had the nerve to check his watch. “I still have to prep for Mom’s discharge banquet,”he muttered.“You should head back.” Like we’d just had a polite conversation. Quinn stepped toward me,her voice syrupy and fake.“Please don’t be mad at William.This was all my idea.I—I didn’t mean for things to get so messy.” “I promise,once the pup’s born,I’ll disappear.You won’t ever have to see me again.” Behind her,William paused and looked over his shoulder.For a split second,guilt flickered in his eyes. Then he took her hand and walked away with her. And just like that…the sky darkened. Thick clouds rolled in,throwing shadows over the half-built amusement park.It felt fitting.The place we once dreamed of building together now stood hollow,just like us. I bent down and picked up the crumpled pregnancy report from the dirt,brushing it off with shaking hands. I walked away. Alone. — The recovery banquet was held at Ember Claw Pack’s luxury estate hotel.I sat silently in the back of the taxi,watching the familiar streets blur past. It all looked the same.The city hadn’t changed. But I had. Memories hit me like a wave. I’d chased William for four years in college.He was already the crown jewel of Ember Claw Pack—the Alpha heir every she-wolf wanted.To stay close to him,I turned down a prestigious graduate program my parents had arranged.I worked at his side,watching him shine,while he barely noticed I was there. Then the crisis hit.Ember Claw Pack nearly collapsed. And me? I sold everything—my parents’inheritance,my future—to keep the pack from falling apart.To save him. When the deal closed,and Ember Claw Pack was safe,William dropped to one knee and proposed with a diamond ring. I thought it was love.I thought I had finally earned my place beside him. But now I know…it was gratitude.Nothing more. Our Moon Ceremony was broadcast for three days.Three whole days of joy I thought was real.I stepped into the role of Luna,ran the pack’s affairs,buried my own dreams just to stand by him. And now…I was just another disposable woman he had to manage. A pawn to be blamed for her own broken womb. Tears welled up,but I blinked them away. I picked up my phone and made the call. “Hello?I’d like to schedule a termination.” — By the time I arrived at the hotel,the banquet was already winding down. Laughter echoed through the hall.But when I stepped in,it died. My mother-in-law was beaming.She grabbed Quinn’s hand like it was a lifeline. “Quinn is a blessing to this family,”she declared,loud enough for everyone to hear.“She’s carrying the only Alpha heir Ember Claw Pack has left!” She cast a sharp glance in my direction. “Not like some people,”she snapped.“Three years of marriage,and not even an egg to show for it.” The crowd laughed. Then she reached down and removed a gleaming jade archer’s ring from her finger—Ember Claw Pack’s Luna ring. She placed it into Quinn’s hand with reverence. “From this moment forward,”she said with pride,“you are Ember Claw Pack’s Luna.And if anyone dares question it,they’ll answer to me!” Applause broke out.Cheers.Congratulatory words. And then silence,as everyone turned to me. Their expressions were a mix of disgust and pity. “She’s actually here,”someone muttered. “How shameless can one woman be?” “I heard she’s barren.Poor William,he must’ve been suffering these last three years.” “She should’ve left ages ago.She’s clinging to the Pack like a leech.” “She’s cursed.I swear it.Everything went wrong the moment she showed up.” My nails dug into my palms until they bled. But I didn’t flinch. Because I had already made my decision. This was the last time they’d ever look down on me. The last time they’d ever laugh behind my back. I may have walked in alone…But the next time I came back—They’d all kneel.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260619dtBu3cXMfA 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni952611”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix