Chapter 69
Sophia & Ella
Sophia
“Sophia, darling, please-*
“Don’t ‘darling’ me!” Sophia hurled the intricate vase at the window, watching with satisfaction as both vase and
window shattered. “You promisedAlex would be mine! You swore you could make it happen!”
Richard stepped into the room, holding his hands up in surrender. “Sweetheart, we're still working on it. These
things take time-"
“Time?” Sophia's voice went shrill. “It’s been five fucking years! Five years of watching him with that pathetic
little mouse while you two sit around making empty promises!”
She grabbed a framed photo of herself and Alex from her high school graduation-back when he’d still smiled at
her, still looked at her like she might have a chance-and threw it as hard as she could. The glass exploded
against the doorframe, right next to her father’s head.
“Sophia!” Margaret gasped. “You could have seriously hurt Daddy!”
“Good! Maybe that would motivate him to actually do something useful for once!”
Sophia had always gotten everything she wanted. Always.
When she’d wanted the lead role in the school play, her parents had donated enough money to the
department to ensure she got it.
When she’d wanted to get into the most exclusive university, Richard had made a few phone calls and suddenly
her mediocre grades were no longer an issue.
Every holiday, every birthday, every fucking other week, she got piles and piles of gifts. Cars, phones, laptops,
clothes, anything she set her sights on, it was hers.
But Alex... Alex was the one thing they couldn’t seem to give her.
“The leak about the mating mark was supposed to destroy their marriage,” Sophia said, her hands clenched into
fists. “It was supposed to be the final nail in the coffin!”
“It would have worked if they hadn't cup with that fake mark nonsense,” Richard said defensively. “Who
could have predicted they'd be clever enough to-"
“Shut up!” Sophia screamed. “Just shut up with your excuses! Do you know what happened today? Do you
know what your brilliant plan accomplished?”
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Chapter 69
Her parents exchanged worried glances.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Alex kickedout of his house. Again. While his precious little wife stood there laughing atlike | was some
kind of joke.” The memory made Sophia’s cheeks flwith humiliation. “She was laughing, Daddy. Laughing at
“We'll figure something else out,” Margaret said desperately. “Maybe if we approach him and ask directly-"
“No.” Sophia's voice was suddenly calm, which somehow made it more frightening than her screaming. “I'm
tired of your pathetic schemes. I'm done waiting around for you two to grow a spine.”
She pushed past them and headed for her walk-in closet, grabbing a leather jacket and her car keys.
“Where are you going?” Richard asked.
“To handle this myself. Since you two are apparently useless.”
“Sophia, wait-"
But she was already storming down the hallway. Her parents‘ voices faded behind her as she slammed the
front door.
Her red convertible roared to life, and she peeled out of the driveway. She had no destination in mind, just the
need to drive and think and figure out how to get what she wanted.
Because she would get Alex. She'd been in love with him since they were teenagers, and she wasn’t about to let
snobody steal him away permanently.
The winding roads through the forest were empty at this tof evening, which suited Sophia perfectly. She
needed space to think and plan. Her parents’ approach had been too subtle, too political. What she needed
was something more direct.
Something more... permanent.
Suddenly, she spotted a lone figure walking along the side of the road. Even in the fading light, she could
tell he was a rogue. His clothes were dirty and torn, his hair was unkempt, and he had that feral look about
him that said he would likely do anything for a bit of money.
Perfect.
Sophia pulled over and rolled down her window. The rogue looked up.
“You look like you could use shelp,” Sophia said, her voice sweet as honey.
The rogue approached the car cautiously and scratched his neck with his dirty nails. “What kind of help?”
Sophia reached into her purse and pulled out a thick wad of cash. She held it up so the rogue could see it,
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Chapter 6
and his eyes went wide.
“Want a job?” she asked, waving the cash in his face.
Ella
Saturday morning ctoo slowly, but it finally caround, and | was determined to keep my promise to
Lilith. She'd tried to protest when I'd told her we were going shopping, insisting that she didn’t need anything
new and | needed to rest, but | wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Besides, | had to get out of that fucking house.
“You spoiltoo much already,” she said as we walked through the downtown shopping district. “I don’t need
you spending your money on me.”
“It’s my money, and | can spend it however | want.” | linked my arm through hers, steering her toward a nearby
clothing boutique. “Besides, when was the last tsomeone bought you something just because they wanted
to?”
Lilith’s steps slowed. “Ella, dear, you don’t have to-"
“I want to.” | stopped walking and turned to face her. “Lilith, you've been more of a mother toin the past five
years than anyone has been in my entire life. You heldwhile | cried over that stupid music box. You bring me
soup when I'm sick. You actually care about whether I'm happy or sad.”
Her eyes started to glisten.
“So yes,” | continued, pulling her toward the shop, “I'm going to spoil you today, and you're going to let me.
Because that’s what daughters do for their mothers.”
We spent the next two hours going from shop to shop. | bought her a beautiful silk scarf in deep blue that
brought out her eyes, a pair of soft leather gloves for the coming winter, and a delicate silver bracelet with tiny
charms in the various phases of the moon.
Around lunchtime, we found a bench in the small park across from the shopping district and sat down to rest.
The afternoon sun was warm on my face, and for the first tin weeks, | felt almost normal. Not like a dying
Luna trapped in a loveless marriage, just like a young woman out with her... mother.
“Lilith,” | said softly, “can | ask you something?”
“Of course, dear.”
“Why are you so good to me? | mean, really. You could work for any family in the territory. Wealthy Alphas who
would pay you twice what Alexander does, probably treat you better too. So why stay? Why put up with all the
and chaos that comes with this house?”
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Chapter 69
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Lilith was quiet for a long moment, staring down at the new bracelet on her wrist. When she finally spoke,
her voice was soft.
“Because you feel like a daughter to me,” she said simply. “From the moment | met you, you felt like the
child I never had.”
The words made my chest tighten. “Really?”
“Really.” She reached over and laced her fingers through mine.
| felt tears prick at my eyes. “I love you, you know,” | whispered, dabbing the tears away before they could fall.
“But... didn’t you ever have children of your own?”
The question seemed to freeze her. Her hand went still in mine, and something painful flashed across her
face.
For a few moments, her mouth opened and closed as if she were struggling to find the words. But then,
suddenly, she stood and pointed across the street.
“Look! There's that new restaurant everyone's been talking about. Why don’t we get slunch there?”
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