Chapter 3
Although I was shocked, I wasn’t surprised. Roland had always been partial to Brianna. Seeing him go to such lengths for her, my wolf felt nothing but calm. It wasn’t without warning.
If this had happened in the past, I might have felt hurt. But now, I simply responded calmly, “Alright.”
After all, I would be leaving soon.
Whether I burned the wedding photos now or later, it made no difference to me.
Seeing my reaction, Roland froze for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He had said those words in anger, upset that I hadn’t given him the respect he
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thought he deserved. He had once believed I would cherish these things, so how could I so easily agree now?
I called for the maid, had the photos removed from the wall, and burned them in the garden until they were reduced to ash.
“Brianna just returned from Selundra Pack” Roland said, his voice casual. “She hasn’t yet made arrangements to move into her own place, so I asked her to stay here at the villa temporarily.”
I didn’t hesitate to respond. “Of course.” I even instructed the butler to prepare the guest room next to Roland’s for Brianna. Quietly, I moved my things into a small room downstairs.
As I sorted through my belongings, Roland’s voice came from behind me. “Please, don’t
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be petty. I know you’re just jealous, but Brianna will only be here for a short time.”
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Aren’t you the one who hates sleeping alone? How are you going to sleep down there?”
He hesitated for a moment, his tone softening. “About those photos… I overreacted. If they really mean that much to you, we can take new ones sometime.”
He moved closer, reaching out as if to wrap his arms around me from behind, but I deftly stepped out of his reach.
I turned to face him, my gaze steady and clear. To be fair, Roland had treated me well over the past three years. He had made me believe that perhaps our mate bond could last. Yet, every time Brianna appeared, he
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never hesitated to choose her.
My wolf loved him–really loved him. But she didn’t want love with conditions, and she certainly didn’t want to be second choice.
“I’m not jealous,” I said calmly. “Lately, you’ve been working late. Sleeping alone actually helps me rest better.”
Roland’s face darkened instantly. He wasn’t used to being contradicted, especially by me. He had dropped his Alpha pride, and I was supposed to soften in return.
“Do whatever you want,” he said coldly. “By the way, what’s the document you want me to sign this afternoon?”
I replied, “It’s a little anniversary gift for our third year. You’ll find out soon enough.”
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At that, Roland’s expression softened just a little.
“I know you’re concerned about Brianna, but she just got back to the Rhoskar Pack. I’m only helping her out as a friend. Once her apartment is renovated in a few months, everything will go back to normal,” he said, as if he still planned on us living a normal life together.
“Well, it’s getting late. You should rest,” he added.
As I passed by him, he instinctively reached out, expecting his usual goodnight hug. But I walked straight past him, not sparing him a glance.
He watched my retreating figure, sensing that something had changed, but unable to pinpoint what.
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By midnight, I had fallen asleep, only to be roughly yanked out of bed.
My shoulder slammed into the wall, the impact taking my breath away. Dizzy and disoriented, I heard his voice–cold and harsh.
“I know you’re jealous of Brianna, but drugging her? Nadia, that’s a line you should never have crossed.”
I looked up, my vision blurry.
In the bed, Brianna was pressed up against Roland’s arm, her cheeks flushed, her breathing rapid.
“I didn’t do it!” I protested loudly.
The words were barely out of my mouth
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when Brianna began to sob. “I only drank the milk you gave me… I didn’t drink anything else…”
My mind snapped into focus. I turned a sharp, accusing gaze toward Brianna. “You asked for that glass of milk yourself! I drank it too–why am I fine?”
“What would I gain from drugging you?” I scoffed. “Brianna, you should use your brain a little more. If you’re going to frame me, at least put some thought into it.”
I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t going to take the fall for this.
But as soon as I spoke, Brianna’s sobs grew louder. “Fine… if she says I’m faking, then… maybe I am. I don’t have anything else to
say.”
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I clenched my fists, the wolf’s fury burning inside me like wildfire. It felt like my punches were landing in water–no resistance, no justice.
Roland finally couldn’t take it anymore, his tone turning even colder. “Enough, Nadia. This isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this. You know what happened three years ago. You know it better than anyone.”
His words were heavy, like the weight of a thousand stones.
“You really think someone with a past like yours deserves trust?”
One sentence, and it felt like I was being condemned.
I glared at him, gritting my teeth, choosing
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my words carefully. “I’ll say it again–I didn’t drug you three years ago.”
Back then, I’d heard Roland was alone at the bar, and worried something might happen to him, I went to find him.
What I didn’t know was that someone had drugged him. Yes, I loved him. Yes, things got out of hand. But no, I didn’t orchestrate any of it. He never believed me.
Since that night, it had become a wound that could never heal.
“Roland, I can’t take it anymore. Please… help me…” Brianna moaned, clinging to him, her nightgown slipping off her shoulder.
Roland frowned and pushed her away, but could only watch as she pulled a small knife from the drawer and dragged it across her
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arm.
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“I know I’m a burden,” she sobbed. “I should just disappear. That way, you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Blood quickly poured from her pale arm, staining the sheets red.
Roland gritted his teeth, snatching the knife from her hand.
“I’ll help you,” he said.
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