One week before my bonding ceremony with Kane, he left to pick up my best friend, Lyra. They were traveling back to our sacred lands together. While I waited, I was scrolling a private forum for our kind. It was called “Moonshadow Whispers.” A thread popped up: “What’s the most reckless thing you’ve done this year?” The top comment was from my own tribe, Blackrock. “My bestie is about to become our tribe’s Luna. But I started a forbidden affair with her Alpha. It’s an amazing secret to have. I get double the attention, double the rare tributes. The thrill of being the secret favorite is intoxicating. He gave me his secondary sigil, the one representing the tribe’s treasury. My combat skills are nothing special, but I still outrank my ‘best friend’ on the council…” Someone in the comments asked why they didn’t just get together. “Are you kidding me? The entire tribe watched them for eight years. I’m not taking the fall for breaking a sacred bond. I’ll enjoy what we have until the ceremony. That’s more than enough for me.” A soon-to-be Luna. An eight-year relationship. A seat on the council… I tried to convince myself it was all just a horrible coincidence. In response to the doubters, she posted a picture. It was a photo of two hands, intertwined. “See this? He’d just returned from a border patrol. I complained my medicine box was too heavy. Without a second thought, he left his official mate in the freezing snow. Just to come back for me.” The memory of that biting wind hit me. My fingers started to tremble with rage. I zoomed in on the photo, my stomach churning. On their wrists were matching silver cuffs. The laurel pattern was unmistakable. I had forged them myself. She was clearly proud of her little games. “Besides, the forbidden fruit is always the sweetest. I can use his favor to climb the tribe’s ladder for more power, more resources. And powerful males? There are plenty of others out there.” The comments exploded, calling her shameless. Asking how she could do that to her best friend. “Sorry? For what? I’m the one who delivered his courting rune etched on birch bark. I played matchmaker for them in the shadows. She never would’ve landed a pure-blooded Alpha like him without me.” She deleted the picture of their hands. Then she posted a new one. A set of expensive leather armor, forged by a Dwarven master. “See? It’s not like I treat her badly. I just wanted some private time with him before the big day. After all, his days of holding back that final mark are almost over.” The notifications kept popping up. Each one felt like a hammer to the skull. The world started to spin. After our bonding date was announced, Kane moved out. He left the stone house we’d shared for years. His excuse was renovating the Alpha’s nest. And he said he wanted every detail to be perfect for me. Lyra would always tease me about it. She’d say how devoted he was, pouring everything into one woman. I remember them sharing a look then. A knowing, meaningful smile. Then he turned to me, his voice full of warmth. “My Elara deserves the very best.” For the last six months, he barely touched me. He claimed he was saving his primal energy for the ceremony. So our union would be blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. I was so confused that I even confided in Lyra. I asked if our passion was fading after so long. She just laughed and told me not to be silly. She said it was proof of how much he cherished me… So his “saving the final mark”… It wasn’t for me, was it? It was for her. Looking back, I must have looked like such a fool. Just a pawn in a game they played together. Played by the two people I trusted most in the world.

The thirty-minute drive felt like an eternity. The snowy landscape blurred in and out of focus. As their car pulled into view, I took a deep breath. I had to crush the rage boiling inside me. Kane rushed over the second he was out of the car. He wrapped my frozen hands in his, warming them against his skin. Then, he pulled a warm stone pouch wrapped in animal skins from his coat, still radiating heat. “My poor Luna, waiting out in the cold. The wind turned your eyes red.” Behind him, Lyra’s expression faltered at his words. But the moment I looked at her, her eyes were bright with joy again. She stepped forward, tying a handmade fur scarf around my neck. “Sorry, Elara! I promise I won’t dawdle at the market next time.” I smiled and took a step back, avoiding her touch. “It’s fine. Let’s just get back to the tribe.” “Good thing the trading post was still open,” Lyra added. “We almost missed getting Solstice gifts for the elders.” Kane shot her an annoyed look. “Oh, please. You say that every year. You’re better with the elders. Always finding out what they need, stealing my credit. We even bought the same enchanted massage stones this time…” Lyra always seemed so carefree, but she could be incredibly thoughtful. Her parents died in a tribe war years ago. My own mother and father raised her like a daughter. She always said she was my sister. She scoffed, turning back to Kane. “Enough chatter. Don’t let my sister freeze.” Kane put his arm around my waist, pulling me close. He opened the passenger side door for me. I saw the familiar leather armor on the seat. Next to it was a matching warm stone pouch. What truly turned my stomach was the smell. Their scents, tangled together, clinging to him. And the barely-hidden swelling on both of their lips. I snapped back to reality. Lyra was heading for the back seat. My hand shot out, grabbing her arm before she could get in. I needed to switch places with her. “Lyra, I’m tired. The back is bigger. I want to sleep.” She nodded instantly, grabbing a soft fur blanket for me. She even fluffed up a pillow. During the drive, she looked at Kane in the rearview mirror. “So, have you two set an exact time for the bonding ceremony?”

Kane hesitated, his eyes finding mine in the rearview mirror. “Whatever Elara wants,” he said softly. I stayed silent, letting the silence hang in the air. The mood in the car instantly turned to ice. Lyra scoffed, breaking the tension. “Always ‘whatever Elara wants.’ If other tribes heard Blackrock’s future Alpha was so whipped, they’d laugh themselves sick.” A frown creased Kane’s forehead. “They already know, don’t they? Thanks to your big mouth, you’re the one leading the tribe in teasing me.” They both laughed, moving on from the topic. Soon, they were swapping stories about the tribe council. My duties were hunting and defense, a world away from their politics. I didn’t know half the names they were throwing around. I used to think their constant bickering meant they clashed. Now, it just sounded like flirting. I could just imagine them, acting like this during council meetings. I was supposed to be promoted to Chief Strategist. My record was spotless—I’d repelled rivals and led successful hunts. I had earned the elders’ highest commendations. But my proposal for new hunting grounds got stalled. “Council procedure,” the head elder had told me, his face full of regret. “Our hands are tied, Elara. We’ll revisit it after the ceremony.” Meanwhile, Lyra joined Kane on a few border patrols. And suddenly she got a promotion for ‘outstanding performance.’ Straight into the tribe’s inner circle. The pieces started clicking into place. Two months ago, I saw scrolls on her table. Urgent plans for resource allocation. The runic script… it was undeniably Kane’s. That was when he started taking ages to answer my messages. Sometimes he’d just disappear for days. I actually felt sorry for him, thinking he was buried in tribe business. He’d hold me and whisper in my ear. “It’s for our bonding ceremony, for our future. It’s all worth it.” The next day, gifts would appear at my stone house. Gowns from Elven weavers, brilliant jewels. He’d arrive with the finalized ceremony plans, an apologetic look on his face. “This is to make up for being away so much, my love. I promise, our ceremony will be the grandest this tribe has ever seen.” All his hard work, all his grand promises. They were never for me. They were for Lyra.

And what a fool I was to believe his flimsy excuses. Kane’s father, the current Alpha, was still in his prime. There was no emergency big enough to keep a future Alpha working overtime. The thought was a cold knife twisting deep in my gut. Then came the white-hot rage of betrayal. Lyra was a wreck after she failed her adulthood trials. I was the one who got her a position on the Council, starting as a scribe. She had sobbed with gratitude. “Elara, what would I do without you!” Her skills were mediocre, at best. Even Kane’s parents, the current Alpha and Luna, had warned me. They said I was misusing my influence. I was exhausted back then, working myself to the bone. After a long day’s hunt, I would teach her for hours. I walked her through every complex scroll and rune. Until, slowly, she earned the council’s approval. And how did she repay me for all of it? My eyes burned, and I squeezed them shut. My parents were waiting at the sacred grounds for the ceremony. I just had to get through this. Then, I’ll settle this score. Maybe a part of me wanted to kill any hope that was left. On a dark impulse, I contacted a Shadow-Walker. He was a master of tracking and stealth. His mission: map out every move Kane and Lyra had made for the last six months.

I opened my eyes just as the car rolled to a stop. The first thing I saw was their hands, clasped together because they thought I was asleep. They snatched them apart the second they saw me. I pretended not to notice. My hands trembled, but I forced them steady and opened the door. I acted completely normal, walking with them towards my parents’ home with the gifts. “You’re back!” My parents met us at the door, their faces breaking into wide smiles. “There’s something we wanted to discuss with you!” My mother took Kane’s hand. “After the ceremony, tradition says you must take Elara to visit the elders of the branch tribes. Your announcement was so rushed, they didn’t really get a chance to meet her.” Lyra shrank into a corner, her face a mask of disappointment. Kane agreed to everything, but his eyes kept darting toward her. A flicker of irritation crossed his face. Only after my mother finished did Lyra manage to crack a smile. “Auntie, I can’t make the Winter Festival feast this year. My long-lost relatives are coming to visit.” My parents just nodded, handing her the generous festival gifts they’d already set aside. That night, Kane lay beside me, tossing and turning. He took my hand. “Elara, the ceremony is so close… I feel this strange panic.” I closed my eyes in the darkness. “Then let’s put it off.” His breath hitched, and his voice became urgent. “No! I meant we should move it up. I want to mark you sooner. I want to make you my true, my one and only Luna…” Those words made me think of the forum posts. I cut him off. “You said you wanted my help managing the tribe’s wealth, right? Then give me the secondary sigil, the one controlling the Alpha’s treasury.” Kane didn’t hesitate. He lit a moonstone, pulled the sigil from his coat, and gave it to me. It was the secondary sigil, alright. But my wolf’s intuition screamed at me. This wasn’t the original sigil he’d inherited from his father. He kissed my forehead. “There. Now I can finally relax…” In the middle of the night, Kane’s communication crystal began to glow. He slipped out of bed and into dark, traveling clothes. The soft click of the door sent my heart plunging into an icy abyss. The resignation letter I’d agonized over all afternoon… I no longer hesitated. I sent it to the Elder Council through our mental link, resigning all my duties. Once he was gone, I grabbed my father’s hornbow and quiver. And I followed him.

Waiting outside a tavern in the neutral zone, just beyond our borders… Was Lyra. Under the dim light, they fell into a tight embrace. The sight was a searing brand on my eyes. I captured the moment on a memory crystal. Then I turned and fled into the night. This was a thousand times more brutal than just reading words online. Out in the snow, a growl finally tore from my throat as tears froze on my face. By the time I stumbled home, dawn was breaking. In the stone refuse pit outside, I found them. The gifts my parents had so carefully picked for Lyra, tossed out with the trash. My fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms. To see their kindness treated like garbage… my heart broke for my parents. It was only then I truly understood. I never really knew Lyra at all. Maybe she hadn’t changed; she had just always been a master of deception. Just then, the anonymous account posted an update. It started with a complaint. “Her parents gave me such flashy, impractical gifts. It’s not even close to what I deserve for all my efforts…” Not even close? Those words sent a chill down my spine. My parents helped repair her stone house every single year. They cleaned for her before every festival, roasted her favorite cuts of meat… They knew she was alone, so they always gave her the best part of the hunt. The most precious herbs. And that was what she called “not even close.”

I watched in disgust as she listed her so-called favors for my parents. “Kane is the one who really treats me right! He gives me the best of everything. It’s just a shame…” The first picture was of her room, piled high with rare goods from him. The second picture showed the secondary sigil. Beside it, a man’s dark silhouette stood by a window. She liked and replied to a comment calling me inferior. “Everyone praises me for my beauty and my free-spirited nature.” “My so-called best friend is just an uptight bore. Kane’s always complaining she’s too intense. She never lets him lead. She’s so desperate for the current Alpha’s approval. Always trying so hard so that his friends won’t look down on her. She never has any time for him…” “It’s pathetic. She insisted on teaching me combat skills. She was worried I couldn’t survive in the tribe on my own.” “But why bother with all that? All you have to do is bat your eyelashes at the Alpha. Honestly, I think she just used me to look like some big-hearted saint.” More and more people joined the conversation. Some even started asking her for advice. She started a private group chat using a mental link, and my burner account got an invite. Someone in the group asked her if she liked Kane or was just using him. “Of course I like him! Why else would I bother breaking up a union blessed by the Moon Goddess?” “But honestly, I’m furious with him since we got back to the sacred grounds. He keeps talking about how he can’t wait for the ceremony, how he truly loves her.” “Then he tells me I’m his exception, his thrill… For once, his honesty is just sickening.” Back on her main account, the comments section exploded with hate. “All of you hating on me are just jealous. A powerful female uses every asset she has. And that includes my own body. Why in the world wouldn’t I?”

Her reasoning was garbage, but she was right about one thing. Even if it wasn’t her, it would have been someone else. Within a day, furious tribe members had her account shut down. But I’d already saved everything. The Shadow-Walker I’d hired was efficient. He sent back memory crystals filled with footage of their trysts. Every night they were on “patrol,” they’d book adjacent rooms and only use one. And Kane, to avoid any suspicion, would call me on our mental link right on schedule. He was a natural-born actor. If I hadn’t seen that forum, I would have walked blindly into that ceremony. But maybe it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly anyway. After all, Lyra had another “surprise” in store for me… I sat in my stone house until dawn, my eyes stinging. That’s when I realized the stress had left me with a burning fever. Kane returned with a feast for breakfast, but I was too weak to even move. He went pale, his face a mask of guilt. “This is all my fault. I kept you out in the snow too long the other day.” He gently wiped sweat from my forehead, fed me bitter herbs… Then he went to the kitchen, skillfully making a nourishing broth. My parents watched, praising him as the perfect partner. My heart just ached with bitterness. He looked utterly exhausted, but his face lit up instantly. The designer had delivered the ceremony invitations, embossed in gold thread. “Elara, you have to get better soon.” He pulled out a recording crystal. “You’ll look so beautiful in your gown. I’m going to capture the whole thing…” I didn’t say a word. I just closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

For the next few days, Kane was gone. He claimed there was urgent tribe business, so he lived in the council hall. I kept my replies short, not asking a single question. The night before the bonding ceremony, we young people gathered for a game. Truth or Dare. When they both lost a round, I asked them the same exact question. “Are there any secrets between you two that I don’t know about?” Lyra’s smile froze. “Of course not! We’re an open book. You know everything about me.” Kane couldn’t look me in the eye. “Nothing from me. You’re my future Luna. My partner for life. Trust is everything.” On the morning of the ceremony, he was nowhere to be found. He missed the sacred rites for our ancestors, leaving all our guests waiting. His message finally came through the link: “My love, there’s an emergency at the border.” My parents told him the tribe came first, then looked at me, words caught in their throats. “Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to say…” Just before she deleted her private group, Lyra sent one last message. “Let’s spend one last full moon together, just us.” The days flew by. I never went back to the council. Instead, I booked a caravan pass to the neutral city, leaving that very day. Kane handed me the official invitations. He just assumed I was on leave for ceremony prep. Never once asking why I’d vanished from my duties. Right before the ceremony, I handed a spare gown to Lyra. “Lyra, I have a little surprise planned. I need your help.” At the ceremony site. Lyra ran up to Kane, flustered, dressed in that stunning gown. She held up a communication crystal. “The Alpha and Auntie have both cut me off! I can’t reach them on the link. Where are they?” The color drained from Kane’s face. “That’s the gown I picked for Elara! What are you doing wearing it?” Before he could say another word, the enchanted screen behind the altar flickered to life. It was meant to show our tribe’s history. But instead, it showed Kane and Lyra’s secret life together. A collective gasp went through the crowd. Every werewolf in attendance stared in disbelief. But the final image was the real bombshell. An encrypted medical report from our tribe’s own healer, taken by the Shadow-Walker.

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Back in New York, my first surgery was on a young woman with fibroids. While signing the consent form, she was still whining to her boyfriend on the phone. “It’s literally a minor procedure. Did you really ditch a huge deal and fly back from London for this?” “And stop buying me bags and jewelry. I seriously have no room left.” She handed me the form. My eyes landed on the emergency contact line. Ethan Hayes. Same name as my boyfriend. I smiled politely. “What a coincidence.” She took my hand, looking utterly innocent. “Doctor, are all guys named Ethan this obsessed?” “I swear he did this to me. He’s so clingy. Like… scary levels of energy.” “I just wanted a few quiet days, but he found out and flew back anyway.” I froze, almost saying my Ethan wasn’t like that. My Ethan was composed. Polished. Married to work. An untouchable tech elite with a cold, almost ascetic edge. She held up her phone and showed me her lovesick boyfriend. My heart stopped. On the screen was my boyfriend of three years. Ethan Hayes. Smiling at her like she was his whole world. … But my Ethan was never clingy. Never the lovesick type. Even at our most intimate, he always held something back. Tiffany kept bragging. “Okay, Dr. Reed, consent form’s done. Do you need anything else?” I kept a professional smile. “I still need your allergy history before we can finalize the surgical plan and date.” She tapped her forehead and wrinkled her nose. “Oh no. I left my file at home after my premarital checkup. Looks like the surgery has to wait again.” I looked up and blinked it back. “You’re married? You look barely out of college.” She smiled at me innocently. “Yep. We got married on May 9 last year. It was my birthday.” “You have no idea how scared he was I’d run. I was still at Columbia—hadn’t even graduated yet—and he dragged me to the City Clerk’s office, like I’d marry someone else if he waited another second.” “Back in college, he bought a place right by campus to look after me. He’s so clingy it’s suffocating.” She flicked her wrist, looking mock-annoyed. Under the desk, my hand wouldn’t stop trembling. May 9th. The day my mother died.

I’ll never forget that date. That day, I called him over and over. Just wanted to tell him how shattered I was. How badly I needed him there. Even just one hug. What I got instead was a cold text. “Clara, I’m sorry. The company’s at a critical stage right now. I really can’t get away.” “Don’t worry. Once things calm down, I’ll make time to visit your mom’s grave.” So he wasn’t too busy. He was busy marrying someone else. “Doctor? Dr. Reed?” Tiffany’s voice pulled me out of it. She stood up and gave me an awkward smile. “So… should I go home and get the file?” I stood too. “I’ll come with you.” She blinked. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?” “Not at all. The sooner we do the surgery, the better. Delaying it won’t be good for your health.” We went downstairs together and got into her car. It was a custom-modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Luxury everywhere, but with soft, girly touches in every detail. On the drive, she just kept talking. She told me about the Caribbean islands they’d visited, the Michelin-starred restaurants they’d gone to, and the first night they crossed the line… Her smile was sweet. And unbearable. I stared out the window as the city blurred by, thinking about the future Ethan and I used to plan together. Then the car stopped in front of a luxury high-rise. Sutton Tower. One of the most exclusive buildings in New York. We used to say that after we got married, we’d buy the penthouse there. Turns out, before I ever got a wedding, someone else became the lady of the house. The second I stepped inside the apartment, I froze. The interior layout. The design style. Every single detail. It was exactly like the floor plans I had once sent Ethan.

“This place is gorgeous. Did you design it?” I thought maybe we simply had similar taste. She handed me a glass of water and laughed. “Really? Thanks. But Ethan designed it.” “He said he based it entirely on what I like. Guess he knows me pretty well.” “Look, he even added that little ledge next to the toilet so I can put my phone there.” I went still. That ledge was my idea. One winter night, I was curled up in our tiny rental, eating takeout and sketching our future home on my tablet. I pointed at the screen and walked him through every little idea I had. I thought he was listening because he was building our future. Turned out, I designed someone else’s love nest. Tiffany dragged me around to show me her “castle.” Another woman was living in the home I had designed. It felt like swallowing broken glass. On the second floor, a door swung open and a white poodle ran straight into Tiffany’s arms. “My baby!” she squealed, kneeling to pick it up. “Why are you always this excited to see Mommy? You sweet thing.” Then the dog turned. And ran straight at me. Its tail went wild. It rubbed its head against my leg and leapt up at me. My whole body locked up. The fur. The way it moved…

Tiffany walked over, laughing. “Dr. Reed, wow. Casper really likes you.” “At this rate, he likes you more than me.” My throat tightened. “His name is Casper?” “Yeah. He’s five.” She petted his head and said casually, “I’ve only had him for two years, though. Ethan got him from a friend.” “He said he didn’t want me getting lonely at home, so he found a sweet, gentle dog to keep me company.” I let out this awful smile. Of course it felt familiar. My grandmother gave me that dog before she died. I raised him for three years. Then one day he vanished. I thought I had lost him. I cried for a week straight. Ethan held me while I fell apart and said, “Don’t cry, Clara. I’ll always be with you.” He wasn’t lost after all. Ethan had given him away—just a gift to please his new girlfriend. Tiffany pushed open the bedroom door and started looking for her medical records. But my eyes got stuck on something mounted to the wall. A handwritten weekly schedule. It was Ethan’s handwriting. Clean. Sharp. Monday through Sunday, every day was packed with chores. Laundry. Vacuuming. Tidying up. “What is this?” I asked, and my voice shook. Tiffany glanced over and smiled. “Oh, that’s Ethan’s daily checklist.” “I’m kind of a clean freak, and I don’t like strangers in the house, so I have him handle all the chores.” She rested her chin on her hand, her eyes shining with happiness. “And honestly? He’s pretty good at it.” I stood there, a chill running through me.

When Ethan and I lived together, we had a cleaner. Sometimes I couldn’t even stand looking at the mess, so I washed his shirts and socks myself. Now he was happily doing all of it for someone else. “Found it!” Tiffany said, pulling out a file folder and handing it to me. “Doctor, is this the one?” I opened it numbly. Every signature line for spouse or family contact said the same name. Ethan Hayes. I knew his handwriting better than my own. I swallowed the pain in my chest and said evenly, “Yes. This is fine. I’ll let you know the surgery date.” I turned to leave. Tiffany grabbed my arm. “Doctor, don’t rush off.” “It looks like it’s about to rain, and it’s almost dinner time.” “Weirdly enough, I feel like we really clicked. Stay and eat with us.” “Ethan makes an amazing Beef Wellington.” He cooked? We were together for years, and that man barely stepped into a kitchen. Before I could refuse, she had already pushed me onto the couch. Then she called him. Her voice turned instantly soft and spoiled. “Ethan, where are you? Hurry home and cook.” The voice on the other end was familiar. And completely foreign. Gone was the cold distance I knew. In its place was warm, indulgent affection. “My little troublemaker, I was waiting outside the hospital with a thousand roses for you, and you just slipped away without a word.” A thousand roses. In five years, the most he ever sent me was a dozen. On my birthday. And his assistant bought them. Tiffany pouted into the phone. “That’s what you get for wasting money. Just get home. We have a guest, and she’s waiting to taste your famous cooking.” He laughed. A full, open laugh I had never heard in my life. “Okay, okay. Yes, Your Majesty. I’m on my way.”

I sat there on the couch, barely breathing. My nails dug into my palm until the pain turned sharp. A thousand roses. Picking her up at the hospital himself. Calling her little troublemaker. Laughing like that. None of that was ever mine. I couldn’t even picture the Ethan I knew in an apron, standing in a kitchen. I was still trying to come up with an excuse to leave when lightning split the sky outside. A second later came the low roll of thunder. I covered my ears on instinct. But the violent crash I braced for never came. I slowly lowered my hands. Tiffany smiled at me. “Doctor, are you scared of thunder too?” I nodded. It wasn’t fear so much as trauma-driven terror. She pointed proudly at the windows. “You’re fine in this apartment.” “Honestly, even if a bomb went off outside the door, you wouldn’t hear a thing.” “When Ethan found out I’m scared of thunder, he had the whole place upgraded with top-tier soundproofing.” “The thunder barely gets through.” I just stood there. And the way I’d covered my ears seconds earlier felt pathetic. When I was a kid, I survived a major car accident in a thunderstorm. After that, heavy rain and loud thunder always triggered me. I shake, break out in cold sweats, and want to curl into a ball. I told Ethan about it once over text. He just laughed it off. “Come on, Clara. It’s not that bad. You just miss me, don’t you?” “Baby, I’m about to jump into an international meeting. Get some sleep. Goodnight.” That was it. On those stormy nights, I wrapped myself in blankets and shook through it alone. Sweat soaking the pillow. Biting my hand so I wouldn’t cry out. So no, he did believe me. He just didn’t care. Because I wasn’t the one he cared about. Dazed, I reached for the glass on the coffee table. My hand slipped. Water spilled onto a stack of papers nearby. A title flashed across the page. Accident Investigation Report.

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On the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, Seraphina, my “best friend”, broke our promise. She said she was going to the Red Sand Desert for the Blood Moon festival. I stood at the portal to our pack’s Sacred Grounds, Ancestor’s Peak, in a panic. She had promised to come with me to Moonlight Lake on the Sacred Mountain. That’s where I was supposed to make my first-bite confession to Kael. It was the end of a ten-year crush. A ritual meant to bind our fates together. Uneasily, I looked at Kael, my childhood friend. Kael was polishing his silver dagger. He said casually, “Why don’t we go to the Red Sand Desert instead? I heard the Blood Moon there is incredible.” I stared at him, then shook my head. “Ancestor’s Peak has a moon too. If she doesn’t want to keep her promise, fine. We’ll go without her.” Kael looked up and turned his claw-phone toward me. The screen showed the payment page for a Blood Moon Feast pass. He smiled. “That’s the problem, Elara. I don’t want to go anymore either.” … “Why?” I bit my lip. Behind me, the pack Elders were already calling us forward. The portal to the Sacred Grounds was about to close. Kael glanced at his screen, smiling to himself. “Check Seraphina’s HowlNet. I just realized Red Sand might be worth it.” I opened her profile. “You may not go to Ancestor’s Peak with me, but the moonlight in Red Sand is beautiful. Scars, sandstorms, and wolf howls will all become part of my awakening.” Underneath was a photo of her bag and a one-way pass to the desert. I looked up at him. “So that’s it? You’re leaving me behind to go with her?” Kael sighed and rubbed my head, the way he always did. Like a big brother. “Elara, I can’t protect you forever. You need to learn to hunt on your own.” “I have my own instincts. My own wants. Those matter too.” “The Blood Moon there is rare. I want to see it for myself. So don’t look at me like that, okay?” He held my gaze. There was tenderness in his eyes. Resignation. Even pleading. But not the possessiveness I wanted—the fierce, instinctive claim of a mate. A bad feeling rose in my chest. Wolves with the same instincts always grow closer. I wanted to grab his arm like before. “Kael, can’t you choose our pack’s Sacred Mountain?” Can’t you choose me?

This time, he pulled his hand back without hesitation. “Just this once, okay?” Behind me, the Elders were already urging me on. I looked at him and said nothing. All I could think about was the ceremony I had prepared for him— the moon phases, the Sacred Grounds, the ancient rites, the seven-day plan I had rewritten countless times, all for one purpose: to tie my fate to his. Was I really supposed to give that up? Not just the ritual. But him. Just like that? I turned away, biting back a sob, with one thought stuck in my head: why had Seraphina chosen now to break our promise? If she hadn’t, would he have gone with me? Kael raised a hand, then lowered it again. My throat tightened. “Then let me go to the Red Sand Desert with you, okay?” He said nothing for a long time. At last, he began, haltingly, “All right—” I was already moving. Bag in hand, I ran into the portal without looking back. We had grown up together. I knew what his silence meant. His furrowed brow had always been more honest than his words. He didn’t want the desert’s Blood Moon. He wanted the one waiting for him there. In the end, we were the same. After the coming-of-age rite, we had both wanted to give our first bond to the person we loved. I ran as if I could leave betrayal behind.

The Sacred Grounds was too pure for a lone wolf like me. Its power hit too hard, and the wolf power inside me began to slip out of control. My body burned as if I’d been thrown into flame. A red glow pulsed beneath my skin. I’d even had three nosebleeds. I crouched by the mountain path, clutching a moonstone and drawing in its faint energy. At that very moment, in the Red Sand Desert, Seraphina twisted her ankle during the festivities, and Kael carried her to the healing tent. Later, she posted a message: Lucky I had you. You value my life more than I do. That was why he had taught me to hunt alone. So he could go take care of another wolf. I heard it from the other young wolves too. Kael and Seraphina had taken the same Griffin Express to the Red Sand Desert. So it hadn’t been impulsive. Maybe he had known from the start— I was going to confess to him at the Sacred Grounds. Maybe Seraphina had told him. During coming-of-age season, travel passes to the major territories were almost impossible to secure. Kael’s trip to the Red Sand Desert wasn’t last-minute. He and Seraphina had booked it together long ago. I covered my face, wanting to cry, but I was too drained to manage even that. I lay in a cave at the Sacred Grounds all afternoon. Only then did I have the strength to call Kael. The call connected almost immediately. Kael answered. Distance and interference blurred his usually gentle voice. The moment he spoke, tears spilled down my face. “Elara? What’s wrong?” “Are you having fun over there?” Fun? I had spent the whole afternoon miserable on a freezing stone bed. He must have heard the hurt in my silence. He sighed and gave in. “I’ll stay in the Red Sand Desert for three days. Then I’ll come to the Sacred Grounds for the other four, all right?” “Don’t worry. I won’t leave you behind.” I could hear howls and laughter in the background. Then Seraphina’s voice drifted over the line: “Which compartment did you put my silver-thread armor in?” I froze. My mind went blank with a roar.

They were staying in the same tent. I suddenly remembered that I couldn’t reach Kael for three hours before we left. Was that because he was helping Seraphina pack for the desert? After the call ended, I replayed everything like a maniac. When did those two, who supposedly couldn’t stand each other, get this close? Back in the pack, they were almost hostile. I was always the one stuck in the middle, smoothing things over. He was the disciplined future Alpha. She was the charming social butterfly. Kael was always glaring at her, complaining that she distracted me and pulled me into pointless social drama. While he trained me in combat, Seraphina kept distracting me with one novelty after another. It was like making Kael mad was her favorite hobby. And then it hit me. I had been stupid. That whole “sworn enemies” thing? It wasn’t hate. It was attraction with claws out. That edge between them was never disgust. It was chemistry. I covered my face as tears streamed through my fingers. My communicator buzzed again and again. Some friends who knew about my first-bite plan saw Kael and Seraphina’s photo on HowlNet and immediately messaged me: “What’s going on?” “Weren’t you and Kael supposed to be at the Sacred Grounds? Didn’t Seraphina say she was coming with you? How did the two of them end up chasing the Blood Moon in the Red Sand Desert instead?” “Oh my God. How did your first-bite ceremony turn into their little hunting trip? Elara, and you’re just letting this happen?” What could I do? I forced myself to reply calmly: “What else? They’re going to become mates.” The private channel erupted. Message after message flooded in, each more incredulous than the last. After all, how could a fated bond between childhood sweethearts lose to someone who came out of nowhere? That fairy-tale perfect match burst like foam in the moonlight. I didn’t know the answer.

On the second day of the journey, I finally made myself leave the cave. I slung on my pack, took an old hide map, and set out alone across the Sacred Grounds. I climbed the snowy peaks to watch the legendary golden sunrise spill over the mountains. I still couldn’t get used to Kael not being there. Sometimes I would be walking, and tears would fall before I even realized it. At a windy mountain pass strung with prayer flags, someone rode by on a massive black wolf. He noticed my swollen eyes and stopped in front of me. When I looked up, a white khata was already hanging before my face. I knew what it meant. I had read enough before coming here. It was one of the purest blessings in this land. In broken Common, he said, “Why sad? You are beautiful when crying. Beautiful when smiling too.” “Beautiful lady, why unhappy?” Kael had always known how to comfort me. This stranger clearly didn’t. His bluntness only made me more irritated. So I turned away and kept walking. Behind me, the giant wolf’s paws pressed steadily through the snow. Not too close. Not too far. The words I’d posted in our private channel kept spreading. Eventually, they reached Kael and Seraphina in the Red Sand Desert. That night, they both posted a response. “Not mates. Just friends with the same taste in hunting.” The moment I saw it, my heart steadied. Kael never lied. If he had truly chosen a mate, he would have told the whole pack. I sent the update to my friends at once, almost giddy with relief. Then came the blow. Both posts were visible only to me. It wasn’t a public clarification. It wasn’t an announcement to the pack. It was only meant for me— a quiet message telling me to stop.

Three days later, Kael finally came to the Sacred Grounds. Seraphina came with him. Whenever she saw me, she looked like she wanted to speak. In the end, she stayed silent. The trip grew stifling after that. Only Finn, the Northern wolf, ever broke the silence. Every day, he brought me a white khata. Kael caught him a few times. Every time, he looked annoyed and told him to get lost. He thought Finn was after something. He told me to stay away from him. But Seraphina reacted strongly to the Sacred Grounds’ pure energy, and Kael no longer had time for me. He stayed by her bed, carefully using his own power to steady hers. Watching him, I felt a sharp ache. I had been miserable when I first arrived too. No one had looked after me like that. Finn saw my tears and tried to comfort me in his clumsy way. “Want to ride Blackwind? He is very gentle. When you are done, he will take you back.” This time, I didn’t refuse. I didn’t even complain about how bad he was at comforting people. I rode the giant wolf to Moonlight Lake below the Sacred Mountain. They said the lake was like a mirror, able to reflect a werewolf’s past and present life. Kael and I had been called fated since childhood. All the grown-ups said our bond came from a past life. That was why I had chosen this place: to offer Kael my first bite. Finn didn’t understand the sorrow in my eyes. He only knelt by the lake and scooped water up for Blackwind. Still, he had listened to plenty of my complaints these past few days. He thought for a moment and ran a hand through his windblown black hair. His gaze sharpened. “Call him over and tell him how you feel.” “Wolves have to speak to understand each other. If you keep everything inside, it will make you sick.” I laughed despite myself. Then I lowered my eyes and sent Kael a message.

He took forever to pick up. When he finally did, his voice was a little rough. “Where did you go?” “Can you come to Moonlight Lake? I need to tell you something. Right now.” “Don’t go!” Seraphina’s voice cut through the communicator clearly. Then she took it from him. After all these days, this was the first time we’d spoken again. “Elara, please don’t do this. I really don’t want to hurt you.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, so now you’re doing this for my own good?” “You already told him, didn’t you?” Seraphina went quiet for a beat. Then she changed her wording. “We made this decision for your own good.” The second I heard we, my tears broke loose. I shouted so sharply it hurt. “What do you mean, ‘we’?!” “Put Kael on. Now!” The second he took it back, we both started talking. “I’m asking you one last—” “Elara, please stop pushing me—” I stopped cold. Then I hung up. I sat by the lake for a long time. Just letting the wind hit me. When I went back to pack my things, I saw Kael’s lips. They were swollen and red. There was a faint bite mark near his neck too. And then I got it. That was why he wouldn’t come. Kael grabbed my bag. His voice went tight with panic. “Where are you going?”

I told him I was going back to the pack. The portal was opening that night. He froze for a second. Then he let go. He didn’t stop me. But I never went back. I just switched to a different cave and stayed at the Sacred Grounds. I kept exploring. Later, they left the Sacred Grounds. I stayed. Every day, I rode around on Finn’s giant wolf. Seraphina was still posting on HowlNet. Her newest photo was taken under the Blood Moon in the Red Sand Desert. Two people. Same tent. Just their backs. Her caption said: “Stop asking. This is seriously the last one in my camera roll.” And under the photo, in tiny text, was one more line: “You came with me to the Red Sand Desert. The Blood Moon was beautiful. The scars, the sandstorm, the howls… and you. All of it will become part of my awakening.” I swiped past it like I saw nothing. After they got back, Kael put his big-brother act back on. Every day, he pushed me to come home. He asked if I was still upset. He told me to send him my location and kept sending soft messages. “Why don’t you want to come home? Do you hate me now?” “Elara, can you stop being mad? I’m not going to choose Seraphina as my mate.” “I swear. Without your yes, I won’t accept anyone’s first bite.” “Can you at least text me back? I’m worried about you.” I ignored every single one. I stayed quiet until all the newly adult werewolves had to choose which territory they’d serve. That was when I finally showed up in the pack chat. Kael had people asking around about where I was going. I casually said the Northern Territories. Seraphina also asked about my ceremony rating and where I wanted to continue training. I casually said the Southern Desert. One far north. One far south. She came at me angrily. “Are you seriously going to joke with your own future? Just to get back at Kael?” “So he stays guilty forever, throws away his own future, and follows you?” I almost laughed. And just to piss her off, I didn’t deny it. “Wouldn’t that be his own fault?” “He’s the one who swore he’d protect me forever.” Around three in the morning, she sent me another message. “I’m begging you. Don’t ruin Kael.” “His rating is top-tier. He should go to the Royal Capital and become the brightest Alpha there is.” “What happened before was my fault. If you’re angry, take it out on me.” I looked at it once. Then deleted it.

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My sister Serafina secretly met Aidan, the Future Alpha. She always took me with her to cover for them. Then word leaked. Queen Luna’s guards raided the glade and caught only me. The Queen ordered a forced mating. “Your bond already runs deep. Why hide?” I was forced to become Aidan’s Mate. Aidan blamed me for losing Serafina. He turned cruelly cold. Even during the mating ceremony, he pinned my wrists and forced me to admit I was my sister’s replacement. I opened my eyes. It was the day Serafina invited me to the Moonlight Glade. I buried my face in the furs and muttered, “I’m not going.” … Serafina froze. “Why not?” “I…” She bit her lip. “I already promised him we would come.” “Him” meant Aidan. In public, the Future Alpha was cold and distant. Nobody suspected a thing. He had been secretly meeting a Beta female for months. I was the Omega serving as their shield. Aidan talked to my sister. I counted leaves. He shifted to show off his wolf. I stood watch at the edge of the glade. Mother always asked about our absences. Serafina squeezed my palm. She lied with a straight face. “Ayla gets restless inside the territory. I took her out for fresh air.” She knew her place, and valued her reputation as the Future Alpha’s mate candidate above all. That was why, during that secret meeting on the Sacred Mountain— A sudden rainstorm hit. Queen Luna’s guards came looking for Aidan. She ran off into the rain without looking back. Left me all alone. I scrambled after her. My heart hammered. The mossy stone steps were slick with rain. My foot slipped. Aidan snatched my arm. “Careful.” A huge leaf umbrella appeared above us. Queen Luna’s most trusted elder stood underneath it. He glared down at us. “Found him.” “The Future Alpha’s secret lover is the second daughter of House Mooncrest.” Aidan’s face hardened. He dropped my hand. What a cruel mistake. One mistake turned the man who should have been my brother-in-law into my Alpha. In the long years that followed. Losing the mate he wanted made Aidan cruel and paranoid. Every forced mating was torture. Tears streamed down my face. He forced me to cry out Serafina’s name. Only then would he stroke my wet hair and bury his face in my neck, his voice hoarse with cruel possessiveness. “Good.” “My Mate’s sister.” The entire Pack thought the Future Alpha had fallen for his Omega at first sight. They thought he was fiercely possessive of her. Nobody knew the pure hell I endured behind closed doors. The memories made me shudder. The shame of living as her shadow nearly consumed me. I pulled the furs over my face. “I’m sick.” “I can’t go.”

Serafina reached out. She pressed her palm to my forehead. My skin burned. It wasn’t a fake fever. “Alright.” “I’ll stay here. Let me fetch the Pack healer.” My chest tightened. “Are you… skipping your meeting with him?” She let out a soft sigh. “I can’t go alone. Not without you.” Exactly. Serafina guarded her reputation above all else. She would never risk meeting the Future Alpha alone. I rolled over and closed my eyes. From this day on, whatever was between her and Aidan had nothing to do with me. My sickness dragged on for days. Spring rain fell relentlessly outside. Serafina lost her excuse to leave the estate. She sat on the porch, polishing her hunting bow and plucking the string in irritation. Mother guessed as much. She assumed Serafina caught a different sickness. Mating fever. “Do you know who your sister fancies?” Mother trimmed moonflowers by the hearth with a silver dagger. She watched me through the rising smoke. Nothing slipped past her. But I lied anyway. “I have no idea.” Mother smiled faintly. “I heard the Future Alpha chose his Mate. He meets her in secret. He covers his tracks well. Queen Luna sent trackers, but they found nothing.” “Why hide?” She sighed. “Her rank matches his. If she holds his favor, a Mating Ceremony is certain. I’m getting old. I’ll never understand young females.” I bit my lip. I didn’t know either. Serafina was always proud and reserved. What she had with Aidan felt more like politics than romance. They discussed the Pack’s future. They drew territorial borders. Aidan occasionally mentioned me and joked that I was a restless wildcat. Serafina never mentioned a Mating Ceremony. But the day I was forced to mate with Aidan changed everything. She wept openly. She glared at him with pure hatred. “You actually chose her.” “Ayla is my precious sister. You better treat her right.” Aidan couldn’t look at her. He stared at me through the ceremonial veil. He muttered a low, “I will.” She really was heartbroken that day. Mother kept talking. “The Future Alpha needs an official Mate. Queen Luna decided to grant his wish. She will expose his lover at the Full Moon Assembly. She will announce their mating.” In my past life, the Queen caught me before this assembly ever happened. But she never knew she caught the wrong girl. That single mistake ruined everything. Serafina died mateless. Aidan broke my spirit for good. Mother studied my face. “I thought it would do you good to socialize. But since your sister’s heart is taken, I will decline the invitation for her.” She turned to leave. I chased after her. I spoke fast. “Don’t decline it for her.” She looked back, and understanding flashed across her face. I took a deep breath. “Decline it for me.” She froze. “You?” She probably didn’t understand. They were in love. Their story had already started. Why hide? I didn’t care anymore. In this life, I would never cross paths with Aidan again.

The truth hit me when the assembly invitation arrived. Mother’s words were just a trap to test my sister’s heart. Queen Luna wanted to hunt down the secret lover. She gave no one the chance to decline. Moonlight washed over the sacred lake. Sky and water blurred into one. This was my first time seeing Aidan in this life. He wore silver-white Pack robes, his dark hair tied back with a leather cord. His eyes were cold and distant. Nobody could have guessed. Losing the woman he loved had turned him cruel and paranoid. Serafina crushed my hand. Sweat slicked her palm. “They say the Queen already knows about Aidan.” “Will she think I’m… shameless?” I shook my head. “No. Queen Luna is generous. She won’t look down on you for this.” She let out a long breath, but her face stayed tense. Aidan brought someone with him. A man in a dark green warrior tunic leaned against an ancient tree. He was striking, but lazily indifferent to the bustling assembly. He straightened when he caught my eye and adjusted his perfectly neat collar. Serafina didn’t recognize him. “Who is he?” Aidan kept his voice flat. “My cousin, Sentinel Captain Kael.” “You guard your reputation. We need a witness when we meet.” “In case anything happens…” Serafina managed a tight smile. “You are so careful.” “Ayla covered for us all this time. We never made a single mistake.” An ice-cold gaze fell on me. “No mistakes?” Aidan let out a soft laugh, with rare mockery. “You have a pure heart. You have no idea how deep a wolf’s ambition runs.” The blood drained from my face. He was reborn too. In our past life, Aidan humiliated me countless times. He never believed my fall on the stairs was an accident. “Isn’t that exactly what you are?” His fingertips brushed my ear and cheek before stopping at the corner of my eye. “You used to stare at me with those wet eyes right in front of your sister. A calculated seduction…” “And now you can’t even stand admitting you’re her replacement. Ha.” No matter how hard I sobbed, he just covered my eyes. His voice dropped to a rough growl. “Too late.” Those vile memories rippled through my mind. My head spun. I could barely breathe. Serafina missed the hidden meaning. “Aidan, what are you talking about?” I pulled my hand free, lowered my eyes and rushed out. “The Queen is about to announce it. Don’t worry anymore. I’m going for a walk.” She frowned. “Hey—” I bolted. She never got the chance to grab my sleeve.

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Every pack knew me as the perfect mate. I gave Ezra Sylvan six years. I stayed quiet and swallowed it all while he slept around. That day, in his den at Alpha’s Peak, I caught a scent that wasn’t mine—wild roses and desire. He wasn’t even sorry I caught him. Just leaned back against the stone wall and smirked. “Be a good girl. Go chase off that wild little bitch.” His Betas and inner circle were already betting on how long I’d last this time. Ezra, chin in hand, said, “She’s tame. Give her two days, and she’ll drop it.” He expected me to crawl back and beg. Just like always. But Ezra didn’t know: when noble females come of age, we send our souls out to seek our true mate, just as the old laws require. So while he sat there full of himself, I found the courage to ask the suitor my family had chosen for me: “If our pups must carry the Obsidian Moon name and bloodline, can you accept that?” … I showed up at Ezra’s den. The guards blocked the entrance. They told me the Alpha was “resting.” I stepped back against the cold stone wall, a heavy scroll in my arms— the latest trade map I’d drawn for the two packs. It dug into my shoulders. After a long while, the stone doors finally opened. Ezra stood there half-naked. Water on his chest. A pelt loose around his waist. Ezra leaned against the doorframe, his golden eyes narrowing. “Why not wait until the next full moon?” I held the scroll tighter and looked up. “Sorry. The border wards acted up. It delayed me.” Ezra stepped aside to let me in. He scoffed. “Does your little paperwork put meat on the table? Just quit already.” I slipped inside before the heavy doors shut. Then the scent hit me. I froze. Ezra’s den was a massive cavern. A long dark hallway led to the main chamber. I turned the corner. A silk dress lay torn to shreds on the fur rug. And scattered everywhere… lace lingerie that smelled of roses.

I always knew Ezra was wild, never truly mine in all six of those years. I told myself I could live with it, as long as I didn’t see it or breathe it in. So I avoided the traces of his intimacy with other she-wolves. Trained myself to forget and move on. When I looked up, he leaned against the liquor cabinet with a glass of bourbon in hand, the hot spring splashing behind him. No panic in his eyes. Not a shred of guilt. “You’re late.” He gave a lazy shrug. His voice was dead calm. I clutched the scroll tighter. If I let go, it would hit the floor with weeks of work inside it. I parted my lips to speak— The hot spring doors hissed open.

A shapely she-wolf strolled out, Ezra’s bathrobe hanging loosely off her shoulders. She barely reacted when she saw me, as if my presence meant nothing. “Alpha—” In a syrupy voice, she pressed herself to Ezra’s chest. “About that hunting territory you promised me…” Ezra gave a slight shift, peeling her off. He took a sip of his bourbon. “Go see my Beta. We’re done here.” The female flashed a blinding smile. “Thank you, my Alpha!” She reappeared fully dressed moments later. I watched her go. Selene—the latest favorite among the younger wolves. She reached the door. I stepped aside. Maybe she wanted to please Ezra. She paused, looked me over, and smirked over her shoulder. “Great taste, Alpha. You picked the ultimate obedient little Luna. A century ago, her bloodline would’ve been prized for bearing strong heirs.” Ezra didn’t even glance my way. He didn’t shut her down. Just let out an annoyed sigh. “Get out.” She grabbed her bag and strutted out.

Ezra got dressed, walked over, and took the scroll from my hands as if nothing had happened. He hooked an arm around my waist. “Hungry? What prey do you want tonight? I’ll hunt it down myself.” I didn’t move. He arched an eyebrow, like something had just occurred to him. He flashed a lazy smile, his fingers circling my hip. “Mad? You want me? I’ll have the guards prep another hot spring on the Moonlight Terrace—” None of this was new. I’d always known. I knew he slept around. I knew he was wild. But I walked into his territory anyway. I played the fool. I was the one who gave him the power to hurt me. So I couldn’t blame anyone. I didn’t hate anyone. Not even Ezra. I always knew we would end one day. But I kept holding on. Just a little longer. Now the end was finally here. And to my surprise, all I felt was relief. Maybe my heart had already gone numb. I pulled Ezra’s hand away. Took the scroll back without looking up. “Ezra.” “I am breaking our mating bond.”

The words hung in the air. The den went dead silent. I looked up at Ezra. He studied me as if weighing whether I was joking. Then he let out a low chuckle. “Break the mating bond?” He bent down. My reflection looked tiny in his golden eyes. “Cressida.” He clicked his tongue, as if thinking. “How old were you when you first saw me? Sixteen? Seventeen?” He shook his head. “I forget. Back then, obedience was the only thing you had going for you. You hid behind your brother Dorian like a scared little rabbit.” “I asked if you wanted to come with me.” He straightened up. He adjusted his cuffs. “You blushed. You nodded. You didn’t even hesitate.” “I also told you I’m a born conqueror. I don’t force females to stay. And they can’t force me to belong to just one.” He let out a sigh. He looked at me with a trace of pity. “What did you say back then? You said you were willing.” “And now you’re threatening to break the bond.” He brushed a tear from my cheek. He tilted his head. “Isn’t that a bit unfair to me?” “Alright. Enough crying. You’ve handled this just fine all these years. Today was my mistake. Next time, I won’t get caught.” He dug his fingers into my shoulders and turned me toward the massive obsidian mirror, where his smug face stood beside my tear-soaked one. “Know how old that little bitch was? Twenty. And you’re what… twenty-six this year? Stop using cheap tricks to keep me around. Spend your time waking up your Moon Goddess powers instead…” “After all, our bloodlines are the best match. Those other girls are just passing flings. They don’t matter.”

He had always been this awful. But his Alpha aura and beautiful face hid it so well that even words like these could sound like love. All the fight drained out of me. I felt like a puppet on invisible strings, with Ezra holding the ends. I slipped out of his grip. My voice was dead calm. “Ezra. We’re done.” He gave a lazy smile. “Fine. Break it.” He glanced at the heavy iron clock on the wall, grabbed his coat, and crushed his mouth against mine. “Be a good girl. Wash that foreign scent off. I’ve got an Alpha Council meeting.” “I’ll have the new moonstones and imported silks delivered to your room.” “I’ll make it up to you tonight. Properly.” Maybe we had used the words “break the bond” too many times. They had lost all weight. In the beginning, Ezra used it first. He weaponized those words long before I did. “Cressida. If you can’t handle this, the door is right there.” “You know I hate seeing you miserable.” I used to be easy to soothe. A smile and a few soft words were enough. But not this time. I made a vow to myself. No caving in. No backing down. Besides. Breaking an unblessed mating bond didn’t require his consent.

Emotional wounds cut fast and deep. A brutal fever hit me after I left Ezra’s den. My wolf’s energy was falling out of balance. I sank into a fever dream. I saw my sixteen-year-old self. The girl Ezra had already erased from his mind. Ezra Sylvan. A born Alpha. He didn’t need an elite bloodline. His power and charm alone were enough to make females flock to him. And to top it off, he was the undisputed leader of the apex pack. He had a type—wild and stunning. He slept with everyone from foreign envoys to his own frontline warriors. No one thought he’d ever look twice at a “good girl” like me. I had nothing to offer but obedience. But he had already had every kind of female he wanted. At the height of his power, he was bored. And then his eyes landed on me. Shadows stretched across the border valley the first time I saw him. He was flirting with Liana, the undisputed beauty of the packs. Liana wanted to become a movie star. Ezra pulled the strings to make it happen. As Liana clung to him and begged for his attention, I happened to glance up. Ezra’s face was unreadable. Thick smoke curled from the cigar between his knuckles. He looked bored. Then he jerked his chin in my direction. He cut her right off. “Who is that?”

Liana stiffened. She stepped into his line of sight. “Her? Just the little good girl from the Obsidian Moon Pack. She doesn’t run with our kind.” I ducked my head. I hurried past them. Ezra just flashed a lazy smirk. He didn’t say a word. Growing up, I was the easiest child to raise. My mom raised me alone. Her love came buried under layers of suffocating rules. Curfews by midnight. Hair no longer than my shoulders. Skirts down to the ankles. Under her suffocating care, I grew into exactly what she wanted—obedient in every way. Rigid. Docile. I followed every single pack law to the letter. I thought I’d live my entire life strictly by the book. Until Ezra reached out his hand. That hand was temptation itself. And like a fool, I took it.

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The day my mother became critically ill, my Alpha husband, Ronan Blackthorn, refused to lend me even a single dollar. He said coldly, “The pack already has enough projects draining its funds. Try the black-market lenders. Figure it out yourself.” Then he lifted the phone back to his ear. His voice softened immediately. “The five million in seed money is already in your account. Consider it a trial run. If you lose it, you lose it.” On the other end of the call was Selene Vale, a young Omega who had recently joined his investment firm. I gripped the medical bill so tightly that my nails dug into my palm. I didn’t cry. I didn’t argue. And I didn’t beg him again. He nodded in satisfaction. “You’re my Luna. You should know how to control your emotions. Stop acting like a helpless pup and expecting everyone else to clean up after you.” I gave a quiet hum and said nothing.Maybe it was time to end our mate bond. He still did not know that I was carrying his pup. By the time we finally severed our mate bond, the once-untouchable Alpha was on his knees before me, his eyes red as he begged, “Evelyn, please don’t do this. My wolf is going feral without you.” … It was nearly one in the morning when Ronan returned to the estate. I sat in the living room with the medical center’s invoice and my mother’s critical-condition notice spread out before me. Beside them lay the petition to dissolve our mate bond, already bearing my signature. He frowned when he saw me. “Why are you still awake?” His calm expression dragged me back to that afternoon, when I had begged him to save my mother. He had refused to pay for the treatment that could keep her alive, then turned around and wired Selene five million dollars. I had thought I was already numb. But seeing him come home as though nothing had happened still sent a silver needle straight through my chest. Ronan’s gaze fell on the table. “What is all this?” “A petition to dissolve our mate bond.” He stopped moving. A few seconds later, he looked as though he had heard an absurd joke. “Evelyn, What are you pulling this time?” I pushed the papers toward him. “I’ve already signed them.” He did not pick them up. He merely stared down at the words as his expression slowly hardened. Alpha authority edged his voice. “Because I refused to lend you money?” “No.” My voice was quiet. “Because today I finally realized that it isn’t that you have no money or that you refuse to help people. You simply refuse to help me.” Ronan’s face darkened. “I reviewed Selene’s proposal. It is a pack investment, not a personal favor. If it succeeds, it will generate substantial returns for the pack.” I looked at him. “The money came from your private account. You personally guaranteed it, and you agreed to absorb every loss. You call that a pack investment?” Six years ago, the first time Ronan caught my scent, his wolf had roared one word inside him: Mate. I was the fated mate chosen for him by the Moon Goddess. We had once believed the bond between fated mates was strong enough to withstand any betrayal. Only later did I understand that the Moon Goddess could arrange for two wolves to meet, but she could not force either of them to cherish what fate had given them. Now he had almost no patience left for me. “You went through my things?” I gave a faint laugh. His first instinct was not to explain. It was to blame me for discovering the truth. Ronan set his glass down hard on the table. “Evelyn, you’re emotional right now. I’m not discussing this with you.” “I understand that you’re under pressure because of your mother, but you don’t get to take your anger out on me.” I looked at him. “She is your family too.” Ronan looked away. “I never said I would do nothing.” “I simply don’t believe we should keep pouring money into a treatment plan with no foreseeable result.” As though realizing how cruel that sounded, he added, “I can help you contact better werewolf physicians and ask around for healing resources.” “But you will have to find the money yourself.” Ronan had not become the youngest Alpha in Nightfall Pack history because he was merciful. No matter who stood before him, he judged only results and value. Every decision was as precise as a business transaction. The pack praised him for his rationality. But he had not always treated me this way. Once, he had listened patiently to every word I said. If I so much as frowned, he would immediately ask what was wrong. I had believed I was the one exception to all his rules. Now even my mother’s life had become, in his words, a loss “not worth further investment.” I forced down the nausea twisting in my stomach, rose, and slipped the petition into its folder. “Be at the council hall at ten tomorrow morning. We’ll begin the bond-dissolution process.” Ronan stared at me for a long moment, clearly taking none of it seriously. “Evelyn, once you leave me, how will you pay for your mother’s treatment?” My fingers clenched the instant the words left his mouth. He knew exactly what terrified me most. He also knew exactly what I needed. So he was using it to force me to bow my head. I met his gaze. “I’ll find a way.” My answer seemed to offend him. His face grew colder. “Then you had better not come crawling back to me.” I knew he thought I was bluffing again. During past arguments, I had threatened to leave many times, but our mate bond had never truly been severed. This time was different. I turned and walked back to the bedroom. Before closing the door, I heard him answer a call in the living room. As if afraid I might overhear, he lowered his voice, but he could not hide the tenderness in it. “Selene, I reviewed the materials.” “Don’t be nervous. I’ll attend tomorrow’s pack pitch with you.” I closed the door and slowly sank against it. A dull ache pulsed low in my abdomen. I had been so consumed by my mother’s condition that I had not gone back for my follow-up appointment. A reminder from the medical center still waited on my communicator: [Ms. Evelyn Hart, you are seven weeks pregnant with a pup. Please attend your scheduled fetal-vitality examination.] I stared at the message for a long time before silently darkening the screen.

Ronan did not appear at the council hall the next day. I waited for him for two hours. I called him repeatedly, but he never answered. At eleven thirty, he finally sent a message. [Selene is presenting her project today. I can’t leave.] Another message appeared immediately afterward. [If you truly want to dissolve the bond, file a petition with the Werewolf Tribunal.] I stood outside the council hall with my appointment number still in my hand. The winter wind swept up the stone steps, stinging my eyes. I did not reply. I went straight to the medical center. The physician told me my mother’s condition was critical. Because yesterday’s bill had not been paid in time, several expensive healing medications had been suspended, leaving them no choice but to continue with the basic treatment plan. “Her family should settle the balance as soon as possible.” “The longer this goes on, the weaker her wolf spirit will become, and the greater the risk.” I quietly said I understood. I listed the studio apartment I had bought before the mating for sale and dropped the price almost as low as it could go so it would sell quickly. The real-estate agent fell silent for several seconds after hearing my price. “Ms. Hart, this is far below market value.” “Can it sell today?” “Yes, but are you absolutely sure?” “I’m sure.” After ending the call, I crouched in the stairwell of the medical center, my palms slick with cold sweat. A social-media notification appeared on my communicator. Selene had posted an update. In the photograph, she stood on the presentation stage in a white suit, the silver-moon emblem of Nightfall Pack pinned to her chest. Ronan sat in the front row, his gaze fixed directly on her. In his eyes was a patience I had not seen in a very long time. Her caption read: [Starting my first company, and someone is already willing to catch me if I fall. So this is what it feels like to be chosen without hesitation.] Someone commented: [I’m so jealous! Your Alpha spoils you!] Selene replied: [Not at all. He only wanted to help because I’m here on my own.] My fingertips trembled as I stared at the words. That afternoon, Ronan came to the medical center. He stood in the corridor in an immaculate black suit, holding a file. “My assistant compiled a list of lenders.” “You’re a Luna, after all. If you appeal to them, one of them might lend you enough to cover the immediate costs.” “And stop talking about dissolving our mate bond whenever you’re angry. You are the fated mate the Moon Goddess chose for me.” Yes. Even though I was his fated mate, he still would not spend a single dollar to save my mother. How absurd. I stared at the file without taking it. He shoved it into my hands. “What you do about the money is your decision.” Then he turned and left. I looked down at the loan documents, tore them apart one page at a time, and dropped them into the trash. A few minutes later, a nurse hurried toward me. “Luna, Ms. Maeve’s blood pressure has suddenly dropped. The physician needs you to come sign the consent forms.” My knees buckled, and I caught myself against the wall. The pain in my lower abdomen returned, sharper than it had been the night before. I was in terrible condition, and my pup was becoming increasingly unstable too.

My mother’s resuscitation lasted four hours. When the attending physician came out, he said, “We have stabilized your mother for now, but there can be no further interruption in her treatment.” I nodded, my throat too dry to produce a sound. The sale contract for my apartment was signed that same evening. Because I had priced it for an urgent sale, the buyer had barely hesitated. The moment I received the deposit, I went straight to the medical center to pay the bill. The woman at the payment desk glanced at me. “Are you her only family member here?” “Yes,” I answered. “Where is your mate?” I did not respond. In that moment, humiliation washed over me. I had an Alpha mate, yet I looked like a lone wolf with no family protection at all. I had even overheard people whispering about me. “She must be the most pitiful Luna in the pack. Her Alpha husband won’t even come to the medical center with her.” “Exactly. She looks like she might be carrying a pup too. A she-wolf is at her most vulnerable then.” … That evening, I returned to the estate to collect my documents. The moment I opened the door, a woman’s bright laughter drifted from the living room. Selene sat on the sofa with a celebration cake in front of her. Ronan was cutting it for her. The moment she saw me, Selene stood. “Luna, you’re back.” Her tone was sweet and obedient, while the moonstone-and-diamond necklace around her throat glittered beneath the lights. I recognized it. On my birthday the previous month, I had fallen in love with that necklace the moment I saw it in the jeweler’s display. Ronan had said at the time, “The brand markup is ridiculous. It’s impractical and doesn’t suit you.” Now it hung around Selene’s neck. Ronan frowned at me. “Why are you back?” I looked at him. “This is my home. Why shouldn’t I be here?” Selene’s expression stiffened. Ronan set down the cake knife, his voice devoid of emotion. “Selene’s presentation went well today. I brought her back to pick up some documents.” “We decided to celebrate while we were here.” While they were here? My mother was still lying in the medical center with tubes running through her body. I had sold the only property I owned to raise money, while he celebrated another young Omega in our home. Selene lowered her head, her voice gentle. “Luna, please don’t misunderstand. Alpha only thought it was brave of me to start a business that could generate income for the pack, so he bought a cake to encourage me.” As she spoke, she touched the necklace at her throat. “This was a team reward too. It isn’t what you think.” I glanced at the cake box on the table. Written across it were the words: [Congratulations on a brilliant first victory, Selene. Your future is limitless.] Ronan had written them himself. He had once called even a birthday cake for me a waste of money and said gestures like that were meaningless. I had argued with him then, and the fight had ended, as always, with me giving in. This time, I still said nothing. I simply returned to the bedroom, opened a drawer, and began gathering my documents. Ronan followed me in. “Who are you putting on this attitude for now?” I slipped our mate-registration certificate into my bag. “Move.” He blocked the doorway. “Evelyn, you’re becoming more unreasonable by the day.” “Selene is much younger than you. She only recently completed her first shift, and she came to Nightfall territory alone as an Omega.” “I am her Alpha and her employer. What is wrong with looking after her a little?” I looked up at him. “My mother is lying alone in intensive care. Have you ever looked after her?” For a moment, he had no answer. Then his expression hardened again. “Your mother’s situation is different.” “How?” “Selene is still young. With support, she can have a bright future. Your mother’s illness cannot be cured.” The room went completely silent. Regret flickered through Ronan’s eyes, and his tone finally softened. “Evelyn, that isn’t what I meant.” He pulled me into his arms. “Don’t look at me like that. I hate it when you look at me that way.” “What I mean is that investments have to be judged by their returns. Your mother’s medical bills could become a bottomless pit…” It felt as though someone had carved my heart from my chest. I pushed him away. Looking at the calm composure on his face, I could only find it ridiculous. In the end, my mother’s life was something he could measure by its value. And dismiss as unnecessary. I picked up my bag and walked past him. … In the living room, Selene was eating cake with a fork. When she saw me, she seemed to summon her courage before speaking softly. “Luna, you should learn to be more independent too. You can’t expect your Alpha to solve everything for you.” Ronan stood behind me and made no attempt to stop her. The approval in his eyes was unmistakable. I looked at Selene and suddenly smiled. “Did he teach you to say that?” The smile at the corner of her mouth froze. I smiled again. “Then remember it well. One day, when he decides you no longer offer a worthwhile return, he’ll say the same thing to you.” Selene’s eyes immediately reddened with grievance. Ronan spoke coldly. “Enough, Evelyn. If you have a problem, take it up with me. Don’t target her.” I did not turn around. As I went downstairs, a sudden dragging pain seized my lower abdomen. I caught the railing weakly. Ronan frowned. “What’s wrong with your stomach?” As though a thought had struck him, joy flashed in his eyes. “Are you carrying my—” “No,” I cut him off. Since I had already decided to end our bond, there was no reason for him to know I was carrying his pup. Ronan’s expression returned to normal. “As Luna, I expect you to give me a pup soon. The pack needs an Alpha heir.” The ringing of my communicator interrupted him. It was the medical center. “Luna, your mother’s condition has deteriorated again. You need to return immediately.” My vision went black, and I nearly collapsed inside the elevator.

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Ten years into our marriage, I was making the bed when I found a photograph tucked beneath my Alpha’s pillow. In the picture, he was cradling a pup with eyes identical to his own, one hand laced with the fingers of a woman whose face glowed with tenderness. That woman was his first love, the she-wolf Vanessa Sinclair. Photograph in hand, I drove straight to Damien’s company. But when I reached the door of his office, I heard tangled, breathless sighs drifting through the door. Vanessa was straddling Damien’s lap, arms looped around his neck, voice soft and coaxing. “I’m pregnant again. When are you going to throw out that worthless human bitch at home and make me your Luna?” It felt as though I’d been dropped into an icy pit, and the words he’d once said to me echoed in my ears. “I hate children.” That was why, in ten years of marriage, I had been pregnant three times—and each time, I had been forced to abort. I am human. Carrying an Alpha’s child is no easy thing, and every termination drained me to the bone. After the third procedure, the doctor told me my uterine wall had grown dangerously thin. The next surgery, he warned, could bring catastrophic bleeding. I begged Damien. I pleaded with him to let me bear the child and hand it over to my parents to raise. But he answered me with cold detachment. “If you keep it, we divorce.” And now, watching him stroke the woman in his arms with such doting affection, I heard him say: “Since you’re carrying it, then have it.” At last I understood. Damien didn’t hate children. He hated my children. I closed the door without a sound. Then I booked a flight out of the country for that very night. …….. I clutched the photograph and stumbled out of the building like a ghost. The downpour drenched me through and through. I saw Damien’s assistant shielding a small boy in a raincoat as they hurried toward the entrance. “Slow down, sir—careful, don’t slip.” The little boy turned, lifted his face into a beaming smile, and chirped in a sweet child’s voice. “I’m not scared of falling. I can’t wait to see Daddy and Mommy!” I stared at that face—an exact copy of Damien’s—and my breath froze in my throat. My hand drifted instinctively to my stomach. When I discovered the third pregnancy, the baby had already been five months along. The Pack Healer had performed a detailed prenatal scan, and on it I had seen a face whose brow and eyes were almost identical to Damien’s. Carrying the scan home, I had begged Damien on bended knee to let me keep the child. He hadn’t so much as glanced at the picture. He’d simply moved his things to the study. After that, we hadn’t spoken for half a month. I couldn’t bear the silent cruelty of his indifference. I scheduled the abortion. At last he was satisfied. The first words he spoke to me in two weeks were: “Good girl. I don’t like children.” I looked at the boy now. He had to be about five years old. And the fully formed child I had lost—that had been three years ago. So all along, the reason he refused my children was simple. He already had a child with his first love. Tears blurred my vision. I bit my lower lip until it bled, fighting down the urge to wail aloud. A moment later, Damien came out carrying the child. There was nowhere for me to hide. Through the curtain of rain, our eyes met. The boy frowned and shook the umbrella in his small hand. “Daddy, why is that lady standing in the rain?” “Can I give her my umbrella? She looks so sad.” I said nothing. I caught the warning in Damien’s eyes and stayed exactly where I stood. He had the assistant bring me an umbrella, then ushered the boy into the car. Vanessa appeared, schoolbag in hand. She took in the wretched sight of me and laughed in delight. Faintly, I heard Damien’s tender voice. “Liam, people who stand foolishly in a storm usually aren’t right in the head.” “They snap easily. From now on, if you see her, walk around her. She might hurt you.” The car rolled slowly past me, throwing up a spray of muddy water. Through the window, I saw Damien and Vanessa fingers intertwined while the little boy built blocks beside them in excitement. My phone vibrated. A message from Damien. “Go home first. I’ll explain everything.”

I scrolled through our messages. For half a year now, every message in the thread had been sent by me. “Dami, I made your favorite beef stew tonight. Coming home for dinner?” No reply. “Dami, I slipped on the stairs and sprained my ankle. Could you pick up some medicine on the way back?” Still no reply. With trembling fingers, I selected every message between us. And deleted them all with a single tap. At the same moment, a red dot bloomed beside a new contact—Vanessa. I hadn’t accepted her request, but as though pulled by some unseen hand, I tapped into her Instagram. Picture after picture of a blissful family of three. The day I lost my first child, Vanessa had posted a selfie, flashing a peace sign. In the corner, a trash can overflowed with empty cigarette packs. “We’re getting ready ~ my Alpha quit smoking. He promises to be the best daddy.” The day of my second miscarriage, there was a photo of Vanessa lying weakly in Damien’s arms, holding a wrinkled newborn pup. “Welcome to the world, my little one. My Alpha cried harder than I did during labor.” I traced the red rims of Damien’s eyes in the photo, and suddenly I remembered the trip we’d taken years ago to negotiate with another wolf family. There had been a sudden car crash. Without hesitation, I’d thrown my body over Damien’s. He had been untouched. A length of rebar had pierced clean through my chest. Damien had clutched my hand, his eyes anxious—yet still, somehow, distant. Even at the edge of death, he had called me by my full name. “Scarlett Rosewood, stay awake.” I had told myself he was simply cold by nature, unable to love, and I would warm him through. But the truth was, I had never set foot inside his heart. I couldn’t tell anymore whether what ran down my face was rain or tears. I only wanted to flag a cab and disappear. But I was soaked to the bone. Taxi after taxi refused to take me. So I walked. Tears slid down my cheeks. I slipped the wedding band off my ring finger and tossed it into a hedge. By the time I reached the house, there were just three hours until my flight. I shook my dizzy head, braced myself against the wall, and punched in the door code. The electronic lock buzzed, then released a piercing alert. “Incorrect password.” The next moment, the door swung open from inside. Vanessa looked me up and down with a provocative smirk, then offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I happened to mention that I couldn’t remember the password, and Dami just went ahead and changed it to my birthday.” I stood frozen in the doorway, staring as the household staff packed up and threw out the furniture and decor I had chosen with my own hands.

Damien took one look at my drenched, bedraggled state and frowned in displeasure. “I just had the living room cleaned. And now you’ve gone and dirtied it again.” My heart turned to ice. The tears I had only just managed to stop spilled over again. A gust of cold rain slipped in through the open door, and Vanessa sneezed. A flash of tender concern crossed Damien’s face. He immediately stripped off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. “Why haven’t you closed the door? What if Nessa catches a chill?” Numbly, I shut the door. Each step sent needle-sharp pain through the soles of my feet, blood seeping out with every footfall. Damien didn’t spare me a single glance. He instructed the staff to start a pot of beef broth. He guided Vanessa carefully into a chair, as if she were made of porcelain. She laughed coquettishly and pushed his hand away. “I’m not that fragile.” Then, as if only just noticing the blood on the floor, she gasped and covered her mouth. “Dami, Scarlett’s feet are torn up. Hurry, have someone bring the first aid kit.” At last the man’s gaze fell on my mangled feet. His brow furrowed. Just as I was bracing myself to refuse his help, certain he was about to call for the medicine box— He swept Vanessa into his arms with an expression of disgust and snapped at the staff. “Bring the alcohol! Disinfect everything.” The maid hurried over and poured alcohol all across the floor I had walked. It splashed into the wounds on my feet, burning like a thousand ants gnawing at the bone. The look Damien gave me was the look one gave a pathogen—as if he wanted nothing more than to throw me out at once. After a moment of thought, that was exactly what he did. “Housekeeper. Pack a few of Scarlett’s things and send her to a hotel.” Vanessa nestled smugly into Damien’s chest, fingers brushing her faintly swollen belly. “Sorry, Scarlett. He’s just worried you might carry germs that could harm the baby.” “You’ll have to put up with moving out for now.” I lifted my eyes. The home I had once known was now unrecognizable. Our wedding photo, once hung proudly on the wall, lay shattered in the trash. The custom fridge magnets I’d made from our pictures were strewn across the floor. Even the flowers I had planted on the balcony had been uprooted by someone’s hand. To make Vanessa feel comfortable, Damien had personally erased every trace of me—he’d even switched out the scent diffuser to mask my smell. I stared at the childish couple’s mugs on the dining table. It felt as though an invisible hand was crushing my heart, squeezing the breath out of me. After I’d induced labor at five months, I had hired a specialist to fashion my child’s ashes into a small silver crescent-moon amulet. I had wanted to keep it with me always, as though my baby had never left. I had hung it on my bedpost that night, and for the first time in a long while, I’d slept well. But when I opened my eyes, the amulet was gone. I had torn the room apart looking for it, finding nothing. Damien had emerged from the study and said, with casual indifference: “It was just a childish little trinket. I tossed it. It was an eyesore.” He had found my child’s ashes childish, an eyesore, and thrown them away without a word. And now—now he was using childish matching mugs with Vanessa, childish couple’s stickers… I curled my lips in a bitter smile and met Damien’s frigid gaze. “No need to trouble the housekeeper. I’ll pack my things myself.” “I’ll disappear soon enough. You won’t have to see me again.” I hurried upstairs, wanting only to grab my documents and the keepsakes my mother had left me and flee this loveless house. But as I rounded the corner, the sound of glass shattering rang from the bedroom.

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Ferran Moretti.Don of the Moretti family.My husband. At a Mafia gathering held on the Moretti estate, before the five great families, he ordered me to paint him in bed with his mistress, Nina Lombardi—an intimate portrait of the two of them tangled together. It was the eighteenth time he had paraded a mistress in front of me to provoke a reaction. Everyone expected me to lose my composure. Instead, I finished the painting, my face perfectly still. One of his friends drawled, half-joking, half-mocking: “Ferran, your Donna has nerves of steel. She isn’t even angry.” Ferran scoffed. “She wouldn’t dare.” “The Sheridans are nothing but ash. I paid off her debts. Her mother’s studio, the Rosa estate—they’re all in my name.” “Without me, she is nothing.” I set down my brush and quoted the price, the way I always did. “Custom commission, intimate setting—three million.” Ferran slid a check and a set of divorce papers across the table. “Nina is timid. She’s been with me without a title, without recognition, and she’s felt slighted because of it.” “So we divorce first.” “Don’t worry. Once she settles in, you can stay by my side as my mistress.” The whole room waited, hungry for my collapse. Instead, I picked up the pen and signed. The smile slipped from Ferran’s face. “You’re serious?” I nodded. “I’m serious.” “Ferran, may you and Nina be together forever.” Three years had been long enough for me to gather every shred of intelligence on him. I will never spare you again, Ferran. … Ferran’s fingers rested on the divorce papers for a long while. He looked up at me, as if only now realizing I wasn’t joking. After a moment, he twisted his lips into a sneer. “Fine.” “But remember this: nothing inside Rosa Manor is to leave with you. Not a single item.” “Understood.” I’d never intended to take anything from that house. I knew he hated me. I only wanted what my mother had left behind. For three years, Rosa Manor had been little more than a cage around me. The designer bags, the expensive jewelry, even the title of Donna—they were chains he’d thrown around my neck while calling them gifts. But my calm clearly didn’t satisfy Ferran. He was about to say something else when the Underboss beside him gave a soft laugh. “Ferran, Serafina knows exactly what she’s doing. Whenever Nina threw a tantrum, you softened. Now Serafina’s learned to sign her name and act unbothered—she’s waiting for you to come coax her back.” At those words, whatever complicated emotion had flickered in Ferran’s eyes vanished. He looked down at me, regal and contemptuous. “Sera, isn’t it a bit late to start playing this game?” “Nina is young. When she’s willful, it’s charming.” “You threatening me with divorce only makes you look pathetic.” He caught my chin and forced my face up. “Do you really still think you’re that pampered heiress of the Sheridans?” “The Sheridans turned to ash long ago. Without me, how exactly do you plan to live?” My fists clenched. I swallowed down the fury of hearing my family insulted, and kept my voice level. “I’ll paint.” “Paint?” He laughed as though I’d told a joke. “All of New York knows you’re my woman. After our divorce, who would dare buy a painting from you?” I’d heard variations of this so many times I’d lost count. Ferran hated me for breaking off our engagement when he had nothing. He hated that I’d once said, I don’t want to marry a man who has nothing. So after he rose, after he built his empire, he married me—just so he could grind me into the dirt over and over again. I didn’t want to argue. I simply met his gaze. “I signed.” “Now return my mother’s studio keys, and the deed to the Rosa garden.” Ferran sneered. “You want the keys? Fine. Nina wants a maternity portrait.” “Paint until she’s satisfied. Then I’ll give them back.” The room went still in an instant. Nina, leaning into Ferran’s chest, curled her lips into a delicate smile. “Ferran, don’t be cruel to Sera. She only just signed.” Ferran steadied her, his palm settling protectively at the small of her back. “You’re carrying a child. Don’t worry yourself over things like this.” At the word child, my hand stilled. Ferran caught it. He let out a low laugh. “Surprised?” “Nina isn’t like you. She can give me a family.” “You—you’re just a useless thing.” He led Nina to the main sofa and lifted his chin toward me. “Paint.” The servants brightened the lamps. Nina nestled against Ferran’s side, one hand on her belly, a small smile at her mouth. And I stood at the easel and, numbly, captured every inch of their intimacy. Someone snickered. “The ex-wife paints the future wife, and a maternity portrait at that. Don, you’ve won this round in spectacular fashion.” “If I were Serafina, I couldn’t hold the brush steady.” I might as well have been deaf. Then Ferran had a servant bring out a canvas draped in white cloth. The moment they pulled the cloth away, my pupils contracted. It was my mother Rosa’s portrait. Her final self-portrait, painted before her death. Ferran held out a palette knife to me, his tone light, careless. “Nina likes the composition of this piece.” “Change the face to hers.” The room fell utterly silent. Then someone laughed under their breath. “Don, this is crueler than a divorce.” “Making Serafina paint over her own mother with Nina’s face—that’s something else.” Nina nibbled her lower lip. “Ferran, don’t. Sera will hate me.” Ferran tilted his head and smoothed her hair. “She wouldn’t dare.” His eyes turned on me, cold as winter. “Serafina. When you finish, the keys are yours.” I looked at my mother’s gentle face in the painting, and something thick lodged in my throat. It was the last piece of her I had. And Ferran intended me to destroy it with my own hand. I drew a long breath and took the palette knife. Stroke by stroke, I scraped away her eyes, the bridge of her nose, the corners of her mouth. Soon, her face was buried under white paint. Then I painted Nina over her. When I finished, I set down the brush. “Mr. Moretti. Are you satisfied?” Ferran stared at me, something furious and unreadable churning behind his eyes. A few seconds passed. He took a manila envelope from his assistant’s hand and hurled it at me. The corner scraped my cheek before falling to the floor. The keys and documents inside scattered across the marble. “Take them and get out.” His voice had gone heavy with ice. “Let’s see what kind of price a woman cast out of the Moretti family can fetch for herself, without me.” I knelt and gathered the papers one by one, then turned for the door. Behind me, Ferran’s voice rang out again. “Serafina Sheridan.” “Walk out that door today, and even if you come crawling back on your knees, I won’t take you.” I smiled, faintly. “I won’t.” This time, I wouldn’t look back. I left with the studio that had been my mother’s. I left the cage that had held me for three years.

I returned to Rosa Manor. In the small studio at the end of the second-floor corridor, my mother’s belongings still waited. Studio was a generous word. It was really just the storage room Ferran hadn’t bothered claiming. After the wedding, the estate my mother had left me was seized by him. For three years, in either Moretti Manor or my mother’s Rosa Manor, I hadn’t had so much as a bedroom of my own. The master suite was Ferran’s—the same suite where he brought Nina home, again and again, and ordered me to paint them. He’d humiliated me in the very places my mother had left to me. I pushed open the door. By the bed sat a painting whose paint was still drying. Ferran, half-undressed, with Nina in his arms. She was curled against him, the corners of her eyes still flushed pink. That session, halfway through, she had melted boneless into his embrace. “Ferran, my back aches.” He’d bent his head to massage her. “Sitting too long? Or wore yourself out earlier?” Nina had glanced at me, blushing. “Sera’s still here.” I’d mixed paint behind the easel, my expression unchanged. She hadn’t been willing to let me go. “Sera used to be a prodigy, didn’t she? All those awards. Your parents must have been so proud.” Ferran’s face had twisted with disdain. “The Sheridans worship money. They sent her to study art so they could sell her off at a higher price when the time came.” “Now that she can’t get a cent out of any of it, they must be turning in their graves.” I’d nearly spoken then. I’d nearly told him that when the Moretti family was on the verge of collapse, it wasn’t his poverty that drove me away. That I had sold my own paintings, leveraged every scrap of Sheridan intelligence, mortgaged my mother’s studio—and funneled it all into his family, anonymously. That the cruel things I said were because I was terrified the Sheridan debts would drag him under. But Ferran would never believe me. In his eyes, I was filthy. Greedy. Deserving of every cruelty. There was one thing, though, that he’d been right about. I had failed my mother. After the Sheridan family was ambushed, our enemies hunting us day and night, the Morettis’ cash flow also broke. I sold my paintings in secret. I paid down both families’ debts. I hid the true strength of mine, and I sent the money to him with no name attached. When my mother discovered what I’d done, she was heartsick. She was already ill. The worry deepened, and within a year, she was gone. So when Ferran later rose to power and asked to marry me, I felt more shame than joy. My mother had died because of me. What right did I have to be happy? But I never imagined that he had married me only to punish me. I dug through the corner and pulled out an old suitcase. Inside were my mother’s well-worn sketchbooks, and an iron tin. The tin held mementos from when Ferran and I were young. The first time he secured outside investment, he’d written me a note. Sera, when I have money, I’ll build you the biggest studio in the world. I’ll make sure you only ever paint what you love. Back then I had believed our love was unbreakable. That was why, when the Sheridan family collapsed, I’d been willing to leave under a cloud of slander rather than drag him down with me. But now—I tossed the note into the ashtray. I watched it shrivel to nothing, then shut the suitcase and went downstairs. Outside, it had begun to rain. I had just reached the front door when two of the bodyguards stepped in front of me. “Donna. The Don gave instructions. Nothing inside Rosa Manor is to leave with you.” “What’s in this case belongs to me.” Behind me, Nina’s voice rose like silk. “Sera, if it’s only your own things, surely a quick check won’t hurt?” I turned. She had changed into a loose white dress, with Ferran’s coat draped over her shoulders, standing at the top of the stairs. Ferran stood beside her. “The studio keys and the deed—I gave those to you myself.” “Anything else in there belongs to me.” His expression was cold, his eyes scrutinizing me without mercy. “Whether or not it’s yours, we’ll see when we check.” I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle. “Ferran. Do you really need to take it this far?” His gaze hardened. His voice was a quiet command. “Open it.”

I clutched the handle of the case, my knuckles whitening one by one. “Ferran. There’s nothing from Rosa Manor inside.” He stepped closer. There was no warmth in his eyes. “Serafina. How much of what you say is still worth believing?” “You once swore you’d never leave me. And what happened then? When I was ruined, you ran faster than anyone.” I didn’t explain. Ferran didn’t want my explanations. He flicked a look at the bodyguards. The next second, the suitcase was wrenched from my hand and slammed onto the floor. The zipper tore open. Clothes, brushes, document folders spilled out. I reached instinctively for my mother’s sketchbook, but a bodyguard blocked my arm. The little book, with its grey-blue cover, rolled to a stop at Nina’s feet. She bent, picked it up, flipped through a page or two—and her eyes lit. “Ferran, these are beautiful. Could I have it?” The color drained from my face. I lunged forward and shoved her back. “Don’t touch it!” Nina jerked, as if frightened. Her fingers trembled. The sketchbook tumbled, thunk, into the rainwater outside the doorway. A buzzing filled my head. Inside that book were the last sketches my mother had ever made. I rushed forward to grab it. But Nina’s heel came down first—pressed firmly onto the cover. I looked up at her. Her eyes were full of venom, even as she affected innocence. “Sera, don’t look at me like that. You’re scaring me.” Ferran was at her side in an instant, sweeping her behind him. “It’s just a worthless book.” “I’ll replace it.” “Ferran. You can’t.” His face darkened. “Serafina. Don’t push your luck.” I didn’t look at him again. I bent down and reached for the sketchbook. The moment my fingers touched the cover, Nina let out a small cry and stumbled backward. “Ferran, she pushed me—” Before she finished, Ferran’s eyes had gone cold. He seized my wrist with a grip that felt as if it would crush bone. “Serafina. Are you done losing your mind?” I winced, but didn’t let go of the soaked book. “Let go.” He didn’t. He yanked. I lost my footing. My shoulder slammed into the glass cabinet beside the door. The cabinet shattered. Glass exploded across the floor. Instinctively, I caught myself with my right hand. Pain detonated from my wrist outward. Blood pulsed down my arm. The world went silent. The anger froze on Ferran’s face. He stared at my right hand, at the blood dripping between my fingers, vivid and red. For the first time, panic flickered behind his eyes. He moved to speak. I only looked at him. “Ferran. Are you satisfied now?”

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, I caught my husband kneeling in the VIP section of the mall, carefully helping his first love slip on a pair of flat shoes. The woman was five months pregnant, smiling sweetly at my husband. My hand trembled as I held the tray. The perfume bottle clinked against the glass with a sharp sound. He whipped around. The moment he recognized me, his smile froze. “What are you doing here?” He stood up, his tone thick with irritation at being caught. “Did you forget, Mr. Blackwell? I work here as a sales associate.” “Lillian just got back from overseas. Her husband passed away. I’m just helping her out.” He lowered his voice. “Don’t read into this.” I stared at the shoes he had put on her feet. Suddenly the two theater tickets in my purse felt like a joke. “Nathan,” I said. “Let’s get a divorce.” I stood at the counter on the first floor of One World Trade Center, pain shooting up from my heels. My calves felt like they were filled with lead. Today was my fifth wedding anniversary with Nathan Blackwell. In my purse were two theater tickets. I’d worked overtime for half a month straight, earned my full attendance bonus, just to afford them. Nathan used to love this play. But ever since his company in New York had grown and his net worth had skyrocketed, we hadn’t set foot in a theater together in three years. “Frost, what are you spacing out for? There’s a customer in the VIP lounge who wants to try the new perfume. Take this over there, quickly.” My manager pushed me from behind, her voice urgent. I responded and forced myself to focus, carrying the velvet tray toward the VIP area. As I approached the frosted glass door that stood slightly ajar, my feet froze in place. On the leather sofa in the lounge sat a pregnant woman. She was looking down at a product catalog, her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her profile was gentle, her entire demeanor radiating the kind of refinement that comes from being pampered. And Nathan was kneeling in front of her, holding a pair of flat shoes, carefully lifting her foot to change them for her. “These have soft soles. You’re not as mobile now. High heels will tire you out.” Nathan’s voice carried a tenderness I hadn’t heard in years. The woman laughed softly and touched her belly. “Nathan, you’re too anxious. The baby’s only five months along. It’s not that fragile.” “Lillian, how could I not worry about you?” Nathan looked up at her, his gaze so focused it made me jealous. My hand holding the tray trembled violently. The glass perfume bottle knocked against the edge of the tray with a sharp clink. Nathan turned at the sound. The smile on his face completely froze the moment he saw me. The air seemed to solidify. I looked at this man who’d shared my bed for five years and suddenly felt nauseous. Lillian. I knew that name all too well. She was Nathan’s first love. When he was at his lowest, struggling financially, she didn’t hesitate to leave the country and marry someone else. During the years she was gone, I’d been by Nathan’s side, soothing the hurt in his heart bit by bit. I’d stayed with him as he built his business, step by step, until now. The years Nathan’s company thrived happened to coincide with my brother’s serious illness. He needed ongoing hospital care and astronomical medical bills. I refused to be seen as a leech. I insisted on working, supporting my brother myself, not wanting to add any burden to Nathan. Because my background wasn’t impressive enough, I was afraid of embarrassing him. I kept myself hidden, careful not to draw attention. Few people knew I was Mrs. Blackwell. Only those close to Nathan knew. But even they looked down on me… I loved him. I didn’t mind the humiliation. I thought of him in everything. But what did I get in return? Lillian had come back, and she was pregnant. “What are you doing here?” Nathan stood up, his brow furrowing slightly. His tone instantly returned to its usual coldness, as if that tender, caring man moments ago had been my hallucination. I took a deep breath and forced a smile that looked worse than crying. “Did you forget, Mr. Blackwell? I work as a sales associate at this mall.” A flash of displeasure crossed Nathan’s face. He strode over to me and lowered his voice. “Lillian just got back to the country. Her husband died in an accident recently. She’s alone with a child on the way. It’s not easy. I’m just helping her out as an old friend. Don’t read into this.”

“An old friend?” I stared straight into his eyes, my gaze full of doubt. “So you need to personally change her shoes for her?” “Frost!” Nathan’s voice dropped noticeably. “Don’t make a scene in public.” Those words cut into my heart like a knife. Lillian stood up, supporting her waist, and walked to Nathan’s side. Her eyes looked timidly at me. “Frost, don’t misunderstand. Nathan only helped me because it’s hard for me to bend down. If it bothers you, I won’t ask him for help anymore.” “Lillian, sit down. Don’t stand.” Nathan immediately reached out to support her. When he turned to look at me, his eyes had gone completely cold. “Go back to work. We’ll talk when I get home tonight.” I watched their shoulders pressed together and suddenly felt like the two theater tickets in my purse were a joke. I set the tray down heavily on a nearby table. My voice was oddly calm. “Nathan, today is our wedding anniversary.” Nathan froze for a moment. Regret flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly covered by irritation. “I said we’ll talk when I get home. Lillian needs someone with her right now.” I didn’t say anything else. I turned around and walked out of the VIP area, step by step. The pain in my heels had gone numb. It was replaced by an unbearable ache in my chest. At eleven that night, I sat on the living room sofa. The two theater tickets I’d spent so much money on were torn to shreds, lying quietly in the trash can. The door lock turned. Nathan walked in, bringing with him a faint smell of disinfectant. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He loosened his tie and glanced at the cold food on the table, his brow furrowing. “You went to the hospital?” I caught the faint antiseptic smell on him. I didn’t look at him. My voice sounded especially jarring in the empty living room. Nathan’s movements paused. He walked over and sat across from me. “Lillian’s stomach wasn’t feeling well. I took her to the hospital for a checkup.” “Nathan, let’s get a divorce.” I raised my head and looked at him calmly. Nathan’s expression darkened instantly. He laughed coldly and leaned back against the sofa. “Frost, are you done throwing your tantrum? I told you, Lillian is a widow now, and she’s pregnant. What’s wrong with me helping her? Do you have to be this petty?” “You want to help her, does that require you to buy her a luxury apartment in the best part of New York?” I slapped a copy of a property purchase agreement on the table. I’d found it by accident in Nathan’s study that afternoon. Nathan’s expression shifted, but then he spoke defensively. “I used my personal funds for that apartment. I didn’t touch any of our marital assets. She just got back to the country. She needs somewhere to live, doesn’t she?” “Nathan, do you think I’m an idiot?” My eyes reddened. “Do you dare tell me that you and her are just friends?” Nathan fell silent. After a moment, he stood up and looked down at me. “Frost, the position of Mrs. Blackwell is yours. No one can take it from you. But I’m warning you, don’t go after Lillian. She can’t handle stress right now.” With that, he turned and walked into the guest room, slamming the door shut. I sat in the darkness. Finally, my tears fell. Turns out five years together couldn’t compete with one tear from his first love.

The next day, I went to work at the mall as usual. I hadn’t slept all night. My head felt heavy, and waves of nausea rolled through my stomach. I’d barely taken my position at the counter when a familiar figure approached. Lillian wore a loose silk dress and carried the limited edition handbag Nathan had bought her yesterday. She stopped in front of me with a smile. “Frost, Nathan told me your counter has great skincare. He asked me to come pick out a few sets.” I suppressed the nausea and handed her a product catalog with a blank expression. “Choose whatever you want, Ms. Reed.” But Lillian didn’t take it. Instead, she extended her pale wrist. “I’m pregnant. My skin is sensitive. You should test it for me.” I bit my lip and took out a bottle of serum. I dropped some on the back of my hand, preparing to apply it to Lillian’s wrist. Lillian suddenly leaned in close and laughed quietly, her voice low enough that only we could hear. “Frost, do you know? Last night when Nathan was in the guest room, he was actually on the phone with me the whole time. He said your marriage has been an empty shell for a long time. He never loved you.” My hand went rigid. “He also said that once I have the baby, he’ll give you some money and let you leave with dignity.” Lillian’s tone was full of a victor’s pride. My head buzzed. My fingers trembled. The glass bottle slipped from my hand and shattered against the glass counter with a crash, fragments scattering everywhere. “Ah!” Lillian suddenly screamed and clutched her hand, stumbling backward. Her eyes instantly reddened. “Frost, even if you’re angry at me, you can’t cut me with broken glass!” I froze. I hadn’t touched Lillian at all. Before I could explain, a cold voice cut through the crowd. “What’s going on?” Nathan appeared in a custom-tailored suit, striding toward us surrounded by a group of mall executives. He was here to inspect the World Trade Center today. The crowd automatically parted. Nathan’s eyes immediately found Lillian clutching her hand with tears streaming down her face. His expression changed drastically. He rushed over and pulled her into his arms. “Nathan, it hurts…” Lillian leaned against his chest and showed him her hand. There was indeed a small red mark on the back of her hand. Whether it came from glass fragments or she’d pinched herself, I couldn’t tell. Nathan’s eyes turned ice cold. He whipped his head toward me, his voice suppressing fury. “Frost, what did I warn you about last night?” His low roar drew attention from everyone around us. All my coworkers looked at this scene in confusion. “I didn’t touch her.” I straightened and looked directly into his eyes. My voice was hoarse. “If you didn’t touch her, how did she get hurt?” Nathan didn’t believe me. His eyes were full of disappointment and disgust. “You usually act out at home, fine. But now you’re hurting customers at work? Frost, when did you become so vicious?!” The onlookers gasped. This didn’t sound like a manager reprimanding an employee! I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. When I ate instant noodles with him, when we lived in a basement apartment, he’d said I was the kindest woman in the world. Now that he was successful, one tear from his first love and I’d become a vicious, jealous wife… Nathan, who’d never publicly acknowledged my identity in five years, was now losing control in public over a scratch on Lillian’s hand, letting strangers speculate about our relationship. It felt like being slapped across the face. My cheeks burned. “Mr. Blackwell, this might be a misunderstanding…” My manager stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. “A misunderstanding?” Nathan laughed coldly, his eyes boring into me. “Apologize.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “I told you. I didn’t do it. I won’t apologize.” “Frost, don’t make me humiliate you in public.” Nathan stepped closer and lowered his voice so only I could hear. “If you don’t apologize, you’re leaving the World Trade Center today. And that brother of yours in the hospital? He won’t be able to use any of my resources again.” My whole body shook. I looked at him in disbelief. He was threatening me with my brother’s life! For Lillian, he was willing to push me to the brink! My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. The pain made it hard to breathe. All around me, coworkers and customers watched like it was a show. Their whispered conversations rose like a tide, drowning me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, the light in my eyes had completely died. I bent at the waist and bowed deeply to Lillian. My voice was wooden. “I’m sorry, Ms. Reed. It was my carelessness.” Lillian hid in Nathan’s arms, a barely perceptible smile playing at her lips. But her voice remained aggrieved. “It’s fine. You didn’t mean it. Nathan, let’s go. My stomach feels a little off.” Nathan immediately grew concerned. He wrapped his arm around Lillian’s waist and turned to leave without giving me a single extra glance. I maintained my bowed position until their figures completely disappeared from view. I slowly straightened. My stomach churned. I covered my mouth and rushed to the restroom. Leaning over the sink, I dry-heaved for a long time but couldn’t bring anything up. I looked up at the pale, disheveled woman in the mirror. She suddenly seemed like a complete stranger. I took out my phone and called the hospital. “Dr. Stevens, how much more do we need for my brother’s medical bills?” After hanging up, I leaned against the cold tile wall and slowly slid to the floor. Nathan, since you’re this heartless, there’s nothing left between us worth holding onto.

After apologizing at the mall that day, I never spoke to Nathan again. I quit my job at the mall. During the day, I worked at a coffee shop. At night, I promoted drinks at a bar. I needed to save up enough for my brother’s medical expenses as quickly as possible and break free from Nathan’s control completely. Two weeks of nonstop work made me lose a lot of weight. Clothes that used to fit now hung loosely on my frame. Late one night, I dragged my exhausted body through the front door. The living room light was on. Nathan sat on the sofa, his expression dark enough to drip water. “You’ve been leaving early and coming home late for two weeks. What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?” Nathan slammed the documents in his hand onto the table. “You quit the mall too. Frost, are you trying to test my limits?” I didn’t stop changing my shoes. I didn’t even lift my eyelids. “Didn’t you not want me there anyway? I’m just doing what you wanted.” My cold attitude stung Nathan. He shot up and walked over to me, grabbing my wrist. “If you need money, why won’t you ask me? I’m your husband!” “Husband?” I laughed softly and looked up at him. “The husband who threatened me with my brother’s life?” Nathan froze. Regret flickered across his face. He softened his tone and tried to take my hand. “I was impulsive that day. I’ve already transferred this month’s medical expenses to the hospital account. Quit the bar job tomorrow. That kind of place isn’t suitable for you.” “No need.” I pulled my hand back. My voice was as flat as still water. “I haven’t used your money all these years. This time is no different. I’ll pay you back every cent.” Nathan’s brow furrowed again. He was about to lose his temper when the guest room door suddenly opened. Lillian walked out wearing an oversized men’s dress shirt, rubbing her eyes. Her voice was soft. “Nathan, you’re home? I’m a little thirsty.” My eyes fell on that shirt. It was Nathan’s favorite shirt. Even the housekeeper had to be careful when ironing it. Nathan noticed my gaze. He looked somewhat uncomfortable as he explained. “Lillian’s new place just finished renovations. The formaldehyde levels are too high, not good for pregnant women. I’m letting her stay here temporarily.” “Temporarily?” I looked around. The living room now had Lillian’s favorite lilies. Lillian’s maternity pillow was tossed on the sofa. Even the cup on the table had been replaced with Lillian’s personal mug. This wasn’t temporary. This was an invasion of my territory. “Also, the guest room mattress is too soft. Lillian’s back hurts when she sleeps on it. Move to the guest room and give her the master bedroom.” Nathan spoke in a tone that suggested this was completely reasonable. I looked at him. I suddenly found it funny. This was the man I’d loved with everything I had for five years. For another woman, he was trampling my dignity into the ground step by step. “Fine.” I didn’t make a scene. I simply nodded calmly. Nathan froze. The next day, I moved my things into the cramped guest room. When I came home from work that evening, my steps stopped short near the trash can. In the trash lay a pair of shattered ceramic mugs. They were cheap, the edges chipped with peeling paint. Five years ago, when we’d just gotten together, we’d bought these matching couple’s mugs from a street vendor for ten dollars. Nathan had pointed at those mugs and sworn he’d treasure me for the rest of his life. “Oh, Frost, you’re home.” Lillian came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of fruit. She glanced at the trash can and said casually, “Those two mugs were so broken and old. They really didn’t match the decor. I threw them out. You don’t mind, do you?” I crouched down, my hands trembling as I reached for the fragments. The sharp ceramic edges cut my finger. Blood immediately welled up, dripping onto the white shards, a shocking sight. The front door opened. Nathan walked in. Seeing this scene, he strode over and grabbed my hand. “Are you crazy? Why are you picking up garbage?!” “Garbage?” I looked up, my eyes red, staring at him intently. “Nathan, this was the first gift you ever gave me.” Nathan paused, his eyes falling on the pile of fragments. He seemed to finally remember something. But he quickly covered it up, his tone impatient. “It’s just a broken mug. It doesn’t matter. Tomorrow I’ll have my assistant buy you a set of Hermès tableware from the boutique. Don’t make such a big fuss over this junk and scare Lillian.” I looked at his cold face. Suddenly I laughed. I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. “You’re right.” I yanked my hand back violently, letting blood drip onto the floor. Right in front of Nathan, I picked up the largest fragment I’d been holding and threw it hard back into the trash. “It is garbage. Should have been thrown out long ago.” Along with my pathetic devotion from these five years. All of it should be discarded. An inexplicable rage rose in Nathan’s chest. “Frost, who are you putting on this show for?! Keep treating me with this attitude, and don’t blame me for being heartless!” I looked at his twisted face, feeling more and more cold toward this five-year relationship. I didn’t say another word. I walked past him and went straight to my room. The moment the door closed, I heard Lillian’s gentle voice comforting him outside. He’d already become heartless long ago.

My brother Sebastian’s condition suddenly deteriorated. He needed a bone marrow transplant immediately. The surgery plus post-op anti-rejection treatment would cost at least eight hundred thousand dollars. I went to every lending company. I even tried to sell our family’s old house. But the money still wasn’t enough. The hospital notified me that if I couldn’t pay within three days, the surgery would be postponed indefinitely. I had no choice but to go to Nathan. His phone went straight to voicemail every time I called. I had to call his assistant and learned that Nathan was hosting a dinner tonight at Nightfall, New York’s most exclusive private club. When I arrived at the private room, the lighting was dim and cigarette smoke hung in the air. Nathan sat in the main seat. Lillian was leaning against him, holding a glass of juice. Around them sat a circle of Nathan’s business associates, laughing and talking. The door to the private room opened. Every eye turned to me. I wore a faded old jacket. My hair was messy. My face was pale as paper. I looked completely out of place in this decadent setting. “Well, if it isn’t Mrs. Blackwell. What are you doing here dressed like that?” One of the wealthy men who’d always looked down on me spoke mockingly. “What are you talking about? Can’t you see who Mr. Blackwell is holding? I have been saying all along, only someone like Lillian, a true socialite, is worthy of our Mr. Blackwell.” “What is Frost? A sales associate. Like she belongs in our circle.” Another person chimed in, drawing laughter. “Mr. Blackwell, you should have listened to us long ago. Dump this sales girl already! She’s an embarrassment to you!” Nathan frowned, looking at me with clear displeasure. “What are you doing here? Who let you in?” I ignored the mockery and walked straight up to Nathan. My voice was hoarse. “Nathan, Sebastian’s condition got worse. He needs eight hundred thousand for surgery. Can you… lend it to me?” Nathan laughed coldly. He pushed Lillian aside and leaned forward to look at me. “Lend? Frost, weren’t you so proud a few days ago? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t spend a single cent of my money? What happened? Can’t keep up the act anymore?” I bit my lip hard. Humiliation gnawed at my heart like a venomous snake. But for my brother’s sake, I had to endure it. “I’m begging you. I’ll pay you back for sure.” “Pay me back? With what? By selling drinks at a bar?” Nathan’s words stabbed at my pain like knives. The laughter around us grew louder. Lillian tugged at Nathan’s sleeve, looking understanding. “Nathan, Frost is desperate. It’s someone’s life. Just help her.” Nathan patted Lillian’s hand. His gaze returned to me, carrying a hint of cruelty. “Fine. Since Lillian’s pleading for you, I’ll give you the money.” He poured a glass of red wine and pushed it to the edge of the table. “That day at the mall, you frightened Lillian. Then at home, you kept giving me attitude and making Lillian uncomfortable.” “Today, in front of everyone here, kneel down and pour Lillian a drink. Consider it a formal apology. As long as you drink it, I’ll have finance transfer eight hundred thousand to the hospital account immediately.” The room went silent. Everyone stared at me like I was part of a show. My whole body went stiff. I looked at Nathan in disbelief. He wanted me to kneel in front of all these people and pour a drink for his mistress? He wanted to crush what little dignity I had left under his heel! “What? You’re not willing?” Nathan looked at me coldly. “If you’re not willing, get out. Don’t ruin everyone’s fun.” Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced them back. An image of my brother in the ICU, tubes running through his body, flashed through my mind. What was dignity? Compared to life, it was worthless. I took a deep breath. My legs bent. I dropped to my knees on the cold marble floor with a thud. A few sharp intakes of breath sounded around me. Even the wealthy man looked away, unable to watch. With trembling hands, I picked up the glass of red wine and held it up to Lillian. My voice was numb, devoid of any inflection. “Ms. Reed, I’m sorry.” Triumph flashed in Lillian’s eyes. She reached out to take the glass. Just as our hands were about to touch, Lillian suddenly cried out. Her wrist twisted. The entire glass of red wine splashed across my face and body. The red liquid ran down my hair, as glaring as blood. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Frost. My hand slipped.” Lillian covered her mouth, putting on a look of panic. Nathan immediately grabbed Lillian’s hand to check it anxiously. “She’s definitely fine. Are you okay? You’re pregnant. Be careful.” From start to finish, he never once glanced at me, kneeling on the floor, completely humiliated. After confirming Lillian was fine, Nathan pulled a bank card from his wallet and tossed it at my face like he was dismissing a beggar. The sharp edge of the card grazed my cheek, leaving a red mark, before falling to the floor. “The password is Lillian’s birthday. Take the money and get out. Stop embarrassing me.” Nathan’s voice was utterly ruthless. I slowly lowered my head and picked up the wine-stained bank card. I didn’t wipe the wine from my face. I didn’t look at Nathan again. Supporting myself on the table, I stood up and dragged my stiff legs one step at a time out of the room. The moment the door closed, I heard Lillian’s sweet voice inside. “Nathan, weren’t you too hard on her?” “It’s the punishment she deserves.” Nathan’s voice held no warmth at all. I leaned against the hallway wall, gasping for air. My heart felt like it was splitting apart. Nathan, what you owe me, I don’t want it anymore. Consider this eight hundred thousand the price for my five years of youth. From now on, we’re even.

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I was the adopted daughter of the Ford family, New York’s most prominent household. No one knew that every night, I would spend the hours entangled with my uncle, Mark Ford. We had been in a secret relationship for three years, hidden from the world. In the attic, in his car, in his bedroom or mine. We did countless secret and wild things. “Mark, I…” The man, usually so cold and reserved, suddenly grabbed my waist, thrusting forcefully, and my words were shattered. Sweat dripped from his chiseled face onto my neck as I was sent soaring once more. After we were thoroughly satisfied, Mark held me close, speaking lazily. “Grandpa arranged an engagement for me.” “She and I are just putting on a show for Grandpa. Be a good girl, don’t get mad, okay?” I froze. He didn’t know that in two weeks, my biological parents would be taking me abroad. Aurora POV I was the only daughter of the Ford family, New York’s most prominent household. But no one knew that every night, I would spend the hours entangled with my uncle, Mark Ford. We had been in a secret relationship for three years, hidden from the world. In the attic, in his car, in his bedroom or mine. We did countless secret and wild things. “Mark, I…” The man, usually so cold and reserved, suddenly grabbed my waist, thrusting forcefully, and my words were shattered. Sweat dripped from his chiseled face onto my neck as I was sent soaring once more. After we were thoroughly satisfied, Mark held me close, speaking lazily. “Grandpa arranged an engagement for me.” “She and I are just putting on a show for Grandpa. Be a good girl, don’t get mad, okay?” His large hand casually stroked me, as if everything was under his control. I was exhausted and didn’t say anything. Yesterday, I had excitedly run to Mark’s study, wanting to tell him something important. As I reached the study door, I heard voices from inside. It was Mark talking with a few of his friends. I considerately didn’t interrupt. But I was so eager to tell him, I couldn’t bring myself to leave, so I waited outside the door. “Fiona Caldwell is coming back soon, Mark. How are you going to deal with Aurora?” “Yeah, you and Fiona grew up together, and you’ve been waiting for her all these years. The alliance between the Ford and Caldwell families is crucial. If Aurora finds out, can she handle it?” In that moment, I was completely stunned. Who were they talking about? Me? What alliance? A rush of blood went to my head, and my ears buzzed. Then another voice asked. “Didn’t you say she was just a plaything, and you’d get rid of her once Fiona came back?” “You even stayed in New York for college instead of going abroad, all for Fiona!” Mark’s unhurried voice drifted out. “Aurora is obedient, easy to placate. She won’t cause trouble.” I heard it. He said my name. They were talking about me. To me, the world might as well have ended. I wasn’t a true member of the Ford family. I had grown up in an orphanage. At the orphanage, I was always small and frail, easily bullied. One day, Mark’s older brother, Richard Ford, visited the orphanage for a charity event. He saw me being bullied by other kids and felt sorry for me. Richard and his wife, Eleanor, didn’t have children. So, Richard discussed it with Eleanor, and they adopted me. I was only eight years old that year. My adopted parents hadn’t expected that shortly after adopting me, they would receive a confidential research assignment that required them to be isolated for five years. Though Grandpa Robert, the Ford family patriarch, didn’t object to his son adopting a girl, he never quite warmed up to me, his non-blood-related granddaughter, and largely ignored me. Seeing that I had no one watching over me, the staff didn’t treat me well. They took advantage of my young age and innocence. When my adopted parents were home, they would pretend to be kind to me, but as soon as they left for their research, my treatment immediately declined. Breakfast was often stale leftovers, and no one made sure I had warm clothes in winter. Once, I developed a fever, and it took three days for anyone to notice. That winter was particularly cold. I was playing in the Ford family’s yard when I accidentally fell into the artificial lake by the rockery. The water was deep and bitingly cold. I struggled to swim but couldn’t surface. Just as I thought I was about to sink, Mark happened to come home. The young man saw me in the water and jumped into the icy cold without hesitation, pulling me to shore. Mark noticed that his non-blood-related niece was even thinner than when she first arrived. Mark was furious. The usually quiet heir punished the negligent staff and even fired the butler. He told everyone that I was the only daughter of the Ford family, and anyone who dared to disrespect me was disrespecting him.

Aurora POV From then on, he personally took care of my every need, meticulously. He insisted on coming home every weekend to help me with homework, explain complex math problems, and gently pat my back to soothe me when I cried. Even after high school, Mark, who was supposed to study abroad according to the Ford family’s arrangements, stubbornly stayed, attending a local university. I once asked Mark why he didn’t go abroad. Mark poked my nose and said, “I was afraid you’d be home alone and hide away crying again.” It’s fair to say I was raised by Mark. I was the princess he held in the palm of his hand. My walk-in closet was filled with designer brands’ latest seasonal collections, limited-edition bags, and jewelry worth millions. On my eighteenth birthday, Mark allowed me to drink alcohol. Drunk, I clung to Mark and wouldn’t let go. After Mark carried me back to my bedroom, he picked up a stack of my sketches from my desk and looked at them. My drunkenness instantly faded. I rushed over and snatched the drawings away. “Don’t get the wrong idea, I just drew them for fun.” I thought Mark would despise me, after all, it was morally wrong. But to my surprise, Mark pinned me between his arms, a slight smirk on his lips, and looked at me gently. “You like me that much?” In my panic, I forgot to answer, just staring blankly at him, my innocent eyes blinking. Moments later, a flood of kisses descended upon me. And then we were together. Mark had been my uncle for eleven years, and finally, on my eighteenth birthday, he became my boyfriend. But no one in the Ford family knew about it. We often spent the nights together, returning to our own rooms before everyone else woke up in the morning. This secret relationship lasted for three years. During those three years, Mark’s affection for me grew even stronger. Gifting jewelry and designer bags was just routine for him, and he also bought plenty of limited-edition sports cars, yachts, and villas. No one in all of New York dared to look down on me anymore. Mark said that once he inherited the family business and fully took over the company, he would help me become independent from the Ford family, change my name, and then publicly announce our relationship. I believed him implicitly. In my twenty-one years of life, Mark was everything to me. The conversation in the study continued. One friend scoffed, “Even the easiest woman to please can be stubborn when it comes to love. If she makes a fuss, it’ll be a mess. Aurora has been in love with you for so many years, you’d better be careful.” Another asked, “You haven’t actually fallen for her, have you? Everyone in New York knows how much you spoil your little niece.” My heart lurched violently, and I placed all my hope on Mark’s next words. However, my hope was quickly extinguished by him. “How could I? Fiona wasn’t here, and I was bored. Just messing around with a young girl.” I didn’t hear anything else they said afterward; that one sentence filled my mind. My body swayed, and I almost collapsed. I had originally wanted to tell Mark that my biological parents had found me yesterday. It was a family even more prominent than the Fords. Once I returned to my biological parents, I would no longer be his niece. His father wouldn’t be able to look down on my background anymore. We would have no more obstacles. We could be together openly. But I never expected that I was merely a distraction for him when the person he loved wasn’t around. Mark, you truly played me for a fool. Now, it seemed there was no need to tell him this news. After a moment to compose myself, I silently left the study. Wiping my tears, I called my biological father. “Dad, I’ll come home to the Sterling family. I’m ready to leave immediately.” “That’s wonderful, Aurora!” My dad was ecstatic. “I’ll start your paperwork right away. A private jet will pick you up in two weeks!”

Aurora POV The next day at noon, my adopted parents, Richard and Eleanor, surprisingly returned. I was delighted because their research assignments were demanding, and I rarely got to see them. Eleanor embraced me the moment she walked in, her voice soft and full of emotion. “Aurora, your biological parents met with us early this morning.” It turned out that after learning I was willing to go home yesterday, my biological parents had flown specifically to their research institute this morning to meet them. Richard patted my shoulder. “Aurora, Dad checked it out. Your biological parents are wonderful people, and they’ve been searching for you all these years. It’s a good thing you found them, and we’re happy for you too.” He paused, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “We were so busy with work all these years and didn’t take proper care of you. We always felt we let you down. Now that you can return to them, we’re relieved.” My tears welled up. My adopted parents had given me the best they could within their means. Regardless, I was grateful. “No matter where I am, you’ll always be my parents. You took me from the orphanage and gave me a home.” They both smiled. Eleanor wiped my tears. “Good, good. Come back and visit often when you have time.” Richard asked, “When are you leaving?” “In two weeks.” “Who’s leaving?” Mark walked in, habitually running his hand through my hair. My heart tightened. Why was he home so early today? Eleanor was about to speak, but I quickly interjected, “Nothing, we were just talking about a movie. The main character leaves in two weeks.” My adopted parents looked surprised and exchanged glances. They clearly didn’t understand why I wasn’t telling Mark. But they didn’t say anything more. Mark had only asked casually and didn’t think much of it. He quickly sat down and started talking about other things with Richard. I went back to my room. I called for the butler. “Please sell all my jewelry and bags.” The butler nodded and soon had people come to collect and itemize everything. I stood in my empty walk-in closet, lost in thought, when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind. “What are you thinking about?” I instinctively pulled away, stepping back two paces. “You’ve been smoking again. It smells awful.” Mark didn’t seem to care. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it nonchalantly, scanned the room, and his gaze finally settled on me. “Why are you getting rid of all these things?” I avoided his gaze. “I don’t like them anymore.” Mark smirked. “Then buy new ones.” He exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression growing a little more serious. “Fiona is coming over tonight. We’re having dinner at home.” He reached out and lifted my chin, making me look him in the eye. “Be a good girl, don’t make a scene.” So, he had rushed home early today specifically to warn me. The smoke made my eyes tear up, and I turned my head away, coughing violently. Mark watched me silently, seemingly waiting for my response. “Don’t worry, I won’t make a scene.” I said, still coughing. A faint smile finally appeared on Mark’s face. He put out his cigarette, ruffled my hair, and then went to pour me a glass of water. “Drink slowly. You cough like this from a little smoke. You’ll have to get used to it.” Get used to it? I took the glass but didn’t reply. There wouldn’t be a “later.” Before dinner, Fiona arrived. She lived up to her name. Tall, strikingly beautiful, clearly a socialite. Fiona and my adopted parents obviously knew each other. After a few pleasantries, she locked her gaze on me, smiling sweetly. “This must be Aurora, right?” I wasn’t in the mood and gave a few perfunctory responses. Mark came forward, saying softly with a smile, “Fiona, this is Aurora, my niece.” Ever since Mark and I got together, he never liked me calling him uncle, nor did he ever refer to me as his niece. I hadn’t expected him to change so quickly when faced with Fiona. I pulled a faint smile. Fiona, however, playfully pushed Mark, frowning. “You’ve been smoking again? It smells bad. You should quit.” Mark nodded. “Okay, I’ll quit.” With that, he tossed the half-empty pack of cigarettes from his pocket into the trash can. My hand, holding the water glass, froze. Everything became clear with a comparison. I had countless times asked Mark to quit smoking. Because I thought smoking was bad for his lungs, and because I truly couldn’t stand the smell of smoke. But each time, Mark would look at me like I was an ignorant child, gently ruffling my hair, as if he was tolerating my immaturity. Then he would still smoke, telling me to get used to it. Yet, a casual remark from Fiona, and he smiled, threw away the cigarettes, and quit. The result of the comparison was so stark, I had to admit it, however unwillingly.

Aurora POV At dinner, I looked at the table full of seafood and immediately understood. Mark had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare it for Fiona. Fiona loved seafood. Mark remembered Fiona’s preferences, her eating habits, and even arranged everything in advance. His thoughtfulness, it turned out, was never exclusively for me. I had misunderstood him for so many years. Fortunately, today I finally understood completely. I wouldn’t misunderstand him again. At the dinner table, Fiona was poised and articulate, chatting happily with my adopted parents. Mark sat beside Fiona, occasionally serving her food, his demeanor natural and intimate. I quietly ate my dinner, barely speaking throughout the meal. After dinner, Fiona stayed for a little while longer before getting up to leave. Mark picked up his car keys. “I’ll drive you.” Before leaving, Fiona added my contact details, smiling. “I’ll be coming over often from now on. Let’s keep in touch.” I nodded distractedly. After seeing them off, I returned to my room. My hand involuntarily clicked on Fiona’s Ins profile. Her earliest posts dated back to college. It turned out they had been together during their university years. Back then, they were inseparable, attending classes, going to the library, and traveling together every day. Their classmates called them the happiest couple. The Mark in the photos was a few years younger than he was now, but the smile in his eyes was more vibrant and alive than I had ever seen. For Fiona’s birthday, Mark rented an entire yacht and filled every corner with flowers. The caption read: The most romantic proposal rehearsal in the world. Someone said this was just a rehearsal, the real one would come later. I thought of the gifts I received on my birthdays. They were valuable, but they were always just bought and handed to me directly. He had never done anything so elaborate and romantic for me. On Valentine’s Day, Mark said he had a business trip and couldn’t be with me. It turned out he had taken Fiona to Iceland to see the aurora borealis. Mark had waited for several days with her until the most spectacular aurora appeared. The caption read: He said he would show me the most beautiful light in the world, and he did. On Fiona’s graduation day, Mark held a large bouquet of flowers and embraced her. All the comments below were well wishes, calling them a couple blessed by God. Mark had also come to my university graduation ceremony. But he sat in the parents’ section, his identity as my uncle. After graduation, Fiona returned to her family’s company to work. Later, the Caldwell family expanded into overseas markets, and Fiona had to go abroad to manage their overseas expansion. Mark couldn’t convince her to stay, and they had a big argument, eventually breaking up. And the time they broke up was right before my eighteenth birthday. So, I really was just Mark’s replacement. I felt a coldness on my face; tears had streamed down at some point. I was about to close Fiona’s Ins when one post caught my eye. It was last Christmas. Fiona had posted a limited-edition handbag. The caption read: Considering someone flew halfway across the world to bring it, I’ll reluctantly accept it. I recognized that bag. It was a global limited edition, only one piece. I had also wanted it at the time, and Mark had flown to France overnight to get it for me. That bag had been sitting in my walk-in closet, and I had just had the butler take it to be sold this afternoon. How could a globally limited-edition bag appear on Fiona’s Ins? A knock sounded at the door. The butler came in to report, “Miss, all the jewelry and bags you asked me to handle this afternoon have been taken care of, but…” The butler paused, saying cautiously, “One of the bags was identified as a replica.” My heart jolted. “Which one?” My voice trembled slightly. The butler handed over the replica bag. I didn’t take it. I turned my head, averting my gaze. “Since it’s fake, just throw it away.” The butler quietly exited. The room fell silent again. The single, globally limited-edition authentic bag, Mark had given to Fiona. The one he gave me was fake. For so many years, I had lived under Mark’s protection, in a fairy tale. Now that the truth was revealed, I found how rotten the inside of this happy facade was. Mark had certainly been good to me, but today I finally understood that his kindness came with a condition. That was, it had to be in situations that didn’t conflict with Fiona. My place and Fiona’s place in Mark’s heart had always been clear. That night, Mark didn’t come home. This was the first time he had spent a night away without a reason since we’d been together. In the past, no matter how busy he was or how late his business engagements ran, as long as he wasn’t on a business trip, he would always come back to me. He used to say, “Aurora is afraid of the dark, afraid of being alone. You’ll be scared if I’m not home.” But with Fiona back, he had forgotten all of it. I turned off the lights, lying in the dark with my eyes open, not sleeping all night. The next day was the anniversary of Richard adopting me, which we designated as my birthday. From the age of eight, every year on my birthday, Mark would personally organize it. He’d prepare gifts in advance, invite many guests, and throw a grand celebration. But this year, Mark forgot.

Aurora POV Without Mark’s planning, my birthday this year was much quieter. I only invited a few close friends. However, Richard and Eleanor specifically stayed home to celebrate with me this time. To avoid any discussion about my background, my biological parents, Arthur and Sophia, and my brother, Leo, purposely didn’t show up, only calling early in the morning and sending numerous gifts. A good friend asked as soon as she walked in, “Where’s your uncle?” I said, “He’s busy.” My friend added, “He never missed your birthday before.” I smiled and didn’t answer. I had seen on Fiona’s Ins that Mark was out shopping with her. In the past, no matter how good Mark was to me, he would never go shopping with me. When I asked him to go shopping, he would always ruffle my head and say that he’d have someone buy whatever I wanted because shopping was too tiring. But now, Fiona wanted him to shop, and he did. Although this year’s birthday wasn’t as extravagant as previous years, with the company and blessings of my dearest friends and family, I was still very happy. Richard personally cut the first slice of cake. My friends laughed and joked, teasing me playfully. It turned out that my happiness wasn’t contingent on Mark. Mark returned very late that day. Fiona had kept him company all day. When he entered the house, the guests had already left, only a pile of unopened gifts remained in the living room. He looked at the pile of gifts, puzzled, and asked the butler, “What’s going on?” The butler respectfully replied, “These are Miss Aurora’s birthday gifts.” Mark froze. Listening to their conversation, I turned and went back to my room. Mark seemed annoyed and quickly went upstairs. Without knocking, he walked straight into my room, only to find me busy, head down. “What are you doing?” Mark embraced me from behind. But I was hit by the unfamiliar scent of women’s perfume on him. I pushed Mark, but couldn’t get him off. Mark looked down and saw I was packing things. Those sketches of him, our secretly taken photos, my romance diary, and the small wooden carving Mark had made for me. All were being packed into a box. Mark panicked, hugging me tighter, and gently coaxed, “Are you mad? Are you taking it out on these things?” My tone was perfectly normal. “I’m just putting them away. Ms. Caldwell often comes over. What if she sees them and gets the wrong idea?” Mark, convinced I was just jealous of Fiona, relaxed. His hand restlessly explored under my clothes. “It was my fault for missing your birthday. I’ll make up for the gift next time. Don’t take it out on these things. What kind of gift do you want?” I didn’t want to waste any more words on the subject. “Anything is fine.” Mark lowered his head, trying to kiss me. I turned my head away, reminding him, “My parents are home. Be careful not to get caught. You should go back to your room.” Mark had no choice but to give up. Before leaving, he still seemed worried and picked up the box of packed drawings and carvings. “It’s safer if I keep these.” I watched his retreating back, gently clenching my hand. It was fine if he took that box. I didn’t need it anymore anyway. The next morning, my adopted parents rushed back to the research institute. In the afternoon, the butler informed me that Grandpa Robert was formally hosting the Caldwell family for dinner, and all Ford family members who could attend must be present. I had never been close to Grandpa and never actively went to the old mansion to bother him. But this time, I had to go, whether I wanted to or not. In the evening, I arrived at the old mansion. Fiona and her parents were there, and Mark was also present. I found a corner seat and sat down by myself. Grandpa Robert sat at the head of the table, chatting with Fiona’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell. “Mark and Fiona grew up together. I’ve been looking forward to their marriage for many years. When our two families unite, God will bless them.” Mr. Caldwell nodded repeatedly. “You’re right, these two children are a perfect match. Our Caldwell family feels the same way.” Mark unconsciously glanced at me. I was focused on eating fruit, not even lifting my head. As they spoke, Grandpa ordered someone to bring a delicate wooden box. The box opened, revealing a beautiful antique bracelet inside. I recognized that bracelet. Only the wife of the heir was permitted to wear it. My adopted father, Richard, was dedicated to scientific research and didn’t manage the family business, so my adopted mother, Eleanor, was never eligible to wear the bracelet. Once, I had even playfully asked Mark when I would be able to wear that bracelet. Mark had only ruffled my head and said, “You’re being naughty again.” It turned out he had never intended for me to wear that bracelet. Grandpa Robert smiled and called Fiona over, handing her the bracelet. “Fiona, from now on, you’ll be part of our family. Wear this bracelet.” Mr. Caldwell quickly said, “You’re too kind. It’s Fiona’s good fortune to marry into the Ford family.” Fiona happily accepted the bracelet and put it on. Then she turned and walked over to me, intimately taking my hand. “I’m only a few years older than Aurora. I’ll need your guidance in the future.” Her words were beautiful, her expression flawless. But her sharply manicured nails, hidden from others’ view, dug cruelly into my hand.

Aurora POV Blood immediately rushed to the surface. The pain was so intense that I instinctively shook off her hand. Fiona swayed backward, and the bracelet on her wrist hit the marble floor with a heavy clatter, shattering into several pieces. Silence fell across the room. Mark rushed to help Fiona up, his worry clearly visible. “Are you okay?” He glared at me. “Aurora!” I instinctively blurted out, “It wasn’t me, it was her.” “It’s not Aurora’s fault, I was just clumsy myself,” Fiona quickly interrupted me. “It’s just a shame about the bracelet.” Her eyes reddened as she apologized to Grandpa, appearing self-reproachful and wronged. Grandpa Robert angrily slammed his hand on the table. “Aurora was rude and made you suffer. How could it be your fault?” Mark looked at me, his face filled with disappointment. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain something, but facing the room full of accusing gazes, the words got stuck in my throat. No one saw the wound on my hand. Even though the injury was so obvious, blood dripping onto the floor. I was taken to the yard to be punished. It was the deep winter season, with temperatures dropping to below zero. My knees had suffered from the cold when I fell into the water as a child, making them sensitive to cold ever since. Kneeling on the icy, hard flagstones, the pain was excruciating. The coldness spread upwards from my knees, quickly permeating my entire body. I clenched my teeth, refusing to collapse. Beyond the wall, the old mansion was brightly lit and warm. Through the glass, I could see the scene inside. Mark was attentively serving Fiona food and pouring wine for her parents. Grandpa Robert looked kindly, Fiona looked bashful; they all seemed happy. Only I was kneeling in the snow. Throughout the entire night, Mark didn’t cast a single glance in my direction. Actually, Grandpa had never liked me, ever since I was a child. He thought I was of unknown origin, from a humble background, and would bring shame to the Ford family. When I was nine, I came to the old mansion to play and accidentally broke one of his antique vases. He also wanted to punish me by making me kneel. At that time, Mark pleaded for me. When his pleas failed, the young man simply took the punishment for me instead. Sixteen-year-old Mark knelt in the yard, his knees bruised and purple, but he turned back and smiled at me, who was secretly crying behind the door. He had clearly said then, Aurora, I’m here. I won’t let you be punished. I was cold and in pain. Perhaps I wasn’t a strong person. The pain stripped away my pride. I even thought, Mark, just look at me. If you just look at me, if you save me, I’ll forgive you. But then, Fiona’s laughter drifted from the window. Mark was leaning in, peeling shrimp for her. He didn’t see me, and I wasn’t in his heart. At this very moment, his eyes and heart were solely on Fiona. For more than ten years, Mark’s kindness to me had made him an indispensable part of my life. Cutting him out would kill me. But in this moment, I felt that the pain of cutting out Mark was far less than the pain in my knees, and even less than the pain in my heart. The night grew deeper, and the temperature continued to drop. My body began to shake uncontrollably, and my consciousness gradually blurred. I don’t remember when I passed out. When I woke up again, I was lying in my own bed. The butler said Mark had carried me back. I nodded faintly, saying nothing. What good was being carried back? He didn’t come when I was kneeling. He only remembered me when I collapsed. The family doctor examined me and said my old knee injury had worsened, and I had new injuries too. The doctor prescribed medication and advised me to rest well and stay warm. During my recovery, Mark never returned once. Lying in bed, I replayed the last three years’ events over and over again. Then, I had someone transfer all the sports cars, villas, and yachts Mark had given me back to his name. I didn’t want any of these things anymore. That day, Mark’s assistant suddenly arrived. “Miss Aurora, Mr. Ford asked me to bring you to him.” I asked, “Where?” The assistant said, “You’ll know when you get there.” From his demeanor, it seemed if I didn’t go, he would force me. My knee hadn’t fully healed, and walking still hurt. But I knew Mark’s temper. Not going would only cause more trouble. Helpless, I followed them into the car. The car drove to a private resort estate. A server led me through a long corridor to the door of a private room. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard voices from inside. “Mark really spoils Fiona. Fiona just said one thing, ‘Your niece is still sick,’ and he brought your niece over.” Mark took a sip of wine. “My niece is ignorant. She hurt Fiona last time, but Fiona doesn’t blame her and even wants to bring her along to have fun.” Fiona smiled gracefully. “Aurora is still young. How could I blame her? Why isn’t she here yet? Could it be that she resents me because of what happened last time?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “418495”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster