Cecilia's pov

At 11:40 a.m.

My silhouette appeared in front of the Grimm family mansion, the territory of the Blood Moon Clan. The scent of pine and earth hit my nostrils, uncomfortably familiar.

This had been a second home, and now every visit made me feel like a stranger. The pack's werewolf steward's pupils went wide when he saw me at the door.

"Lu...Luna Cecilia." He stammered out, his eyes darting around nervously. Obviously he knew someone was coming today, but didn't think it would be me. He was already sweating bullets.

In the social circle of the wolves, our civil marriage was like a dirty little secret.

The marriage certificate was hidden away, as if it were some kind of embarrassing liability, known only to both parents, Beta Henry and a few inner circle members.

In the world of the wolves, one is never truly accepted without a formal mate ceremony. For the past eight years, I've been nothing more than an oddity, a barely tolerated human woman. Every time I attended a wolf gathering, the dirty looks reminded me: you're just an outsider, someone who could get tossed aside at any time.

"Please... Follow me." The butler approached reluctantly, as if he was about to walk to his execution.

Before we could reach the living room foyer, a sickeningly sweet flirtation pierced the air: "I win again! Xavier, are you going easy on me?"

My footsteps stopped cold. My brain went blank for three seconds before all the clues clicked into place. This was why he bailed on our weekend date - the so-called "business trip".

"Ha." A cold laugh escaped my lips as I continued to walk forward.

Xavier's eyes went huge when he looked up and saw me, "What are you doing here?" His tone sharp as a blade. "Your mother invited me." I said coldly, sarcasm dripping from my voice, "That's rich, shouldn't you be in Hong Kong right now? Since when did you develop teleportation powers?"

His eyelashes fluttered rapidly - a telltale sign of guilt I knew by heart after our years together.

The Shadow Pack she-wolf on the couch - Cici White - deliberately sauntered over to extend her hand.

The room reeked of her mingling with Xavier, and the nausea made my stomach lurch. "Hi~ I'm Cici!" She flashed a fake smile, clearly trying to get under my skin.

I didn't even look at the outstretched hand. In the pack hierarchy, even as a human, I'm still nominally the Luna of the Blood Moon Pack - even if it's just a title.

No point in stooping to her level. Dora Green, The Blood Moon Pack' elder Luna, appeared at the door right on cue.

She gave Cici an affectionate, warm greeting before looking me up and down with trash-can eyes: "Having fun dear? Just make yourself comfortable." her voice to Cici was sweet as honey.

Turning to me, her tone immediately turned to ice, "This is a manager from our company, Cecilia, here on work stuff." Everyone in the room knew my identity perfectly well, but she deliberately demoted me to a regular employee.

This was her way of announcing to everyone that for Xavier and Cici's possible marriage, I, a human wife, wasn't even a speed bump.

Cici lifted her chin smugly, "Oh~ so she's just an employee." Every word carried the attitude of a wolf marking territory.

I ignored their stares, locking my gaze straight onto Xavier's face. I wanted to see how he would react-would he stick up for me? Would he acknowledge my position?

But his face was cold and hard as marble, he didn't even flinch. He didn't care that his mother had publicly humiliated me.

"Luna Dora," I looked directly at Dora, keeping my voice level, "Since you brought me here on purpose, why don't you just say what you want to talk about?"

"Some other time." She dismissed me arrogantly, as if shooing away a servant, "Since you're here, stay here for lunch." She didn't even look at me when she said this, as if I only deserved this kind of brush-off.

"Thanks, but I have plans." I felt a dull ache in my chest as I turned, but I still kept my spine straight. For eight years, I had gotten used to pretending not to see their contempt in this house.

"When an elder tells you to stay and eat, what's with the attitude? No manners whatsoever." Dora Green snapped behind me, her voice loaded with contempt and disdain.

I stopped. Twenty days, I silently calculated to myself. Twenty days left to file the divorce papers. What was another twenty days of humiliation?

"Fine, I'll stay." I turned to meet her eyes and sneered. I walked straight to the table and sat down off to the side.

But Dora clearly had no intention of letting me off the hook. She looked around proudly and suddenly said, "Why don't you make yourself useful and pour tea for everyone."

A few snickers went around the dinner table. I balled my fists - that's what she really wanted me to stay for, to serve tea like a servant was a deliberate demotion, a public stripping of my status.

"What, you won't even do that much?" She scoffed, "Humans really can't be trusted, they don't even know the most basic etiquette."

I slowly stood up, picked up the teapot, and walked over to her with a sweet smile. To everyone's shock, I poured hot tea over her perfectly styled hair.

"I'm sorry, Luna Dora," I said, setting down the teapot in the sweetest voice, "my human hands are just so clumsy. Hope you enjoyed this cup of 'tea'?"

The dining room went dead silent, save for the sound of tea dripping down Dora's frozen cheeks.

Cecilia's pov

The rain had stopped by the time I drove off the property.

In the rearview mirror, the gates of Blood Moon Pack disappeared.

For the first time in eight years, I felt true relief.

Pulling out my cell phone, I sent Dora a message, "Dear Dora, I assume you've received that little surprise. Remember our agreement - the five million must be transferred into my account by noon tomorrow. Otherwise, I don't mind letting everyone know how the Luna of Blood Moon Pack pulled dirty tricks against a human daughter-in-law."

The phone quickly vibrated. Dora's reply came surprisingly fast, "You bitch!"

I laughed softly and sent another message, "Is the tea hot enough? If it needs more heat, I can always come back and add some fuel to the fire."

Turning off my cell phone, I took a deep breath. I might be destined to be the underdog in this game with the wolves, but I would never make it easy for them. Xavier betrayed me, Dora humiliated me, so in return, I would make them pay what they owe.

Money? It was pocket change to them. But it was worth the deal to make that arrogant Luna suffer, and to show the man who betrayed me what his mother really was.

"Goodbye, Blood Moon Pack," I said, hitting the gas.

...

The road stretched before me as I drove through the increasingly heavy rain. My thoughts scattered like the droplets hitting my windshield, memories of eight years flashing through my mind-eight years of being treated like garbage, eight years of hoping for a mating ceremony that would never come.

Suddenly, a flash caught my eye as a yellow motorcycle cut dangerously in front of my car. My heart jumped into my throat as I slammed on the brakes.

BANG--

The impact came from behind, sending me flying forward. My forehead connected with the steering wheel hard. Sharp pain radiated from my temple, and when I looked up, everything was blurred red.

I grabbed a tissue and frantically wiped the blood from my eyes. The yellow motorcycle was long gone, vanished into the downpour like a ghost.

"Tap, tap-"

Someone was at my window. I lowered it, raindrops immediately splashing onto my lap.

Outside stood a classy-looking man in his early fifties, wearing glasses and holding a sleek black umbrella. His expression conveyed genuine regret-something I hadn't seen from a wolf in forever.

"Miss, I'm terribly sorry. We're totally at fault for rear-ending you," he said with unexpected politeness. "My employer is in a rush. Would you consider exchanging contact information? You can send us a list of damages, and I assure you we'll take care of everything."

"I'd prefer to call the cops," I replied, my voice strained.

The day's events had pushed me past my breaking point-the confrontation at Xavier's, discovering his betrayal, and now this accident.

I was done playing nice today and didn't have the extra energy to accommodate anyone.

I stepped out into the rain, wincing as droplets hit my wound. The back of my car had a huge dent where the Bentley had smashed into it.

Annoyed, I took photos for evidence and called the police.

The man accepted my decision without argument and returned to the Bentley to report to whoever waited inside.

The rain got worse, pounding against the pavement. My white blouse clung to my skin as I stood exposed to the elements, one hand pressed against my bleeding temple while I spoke with 911.

I returned to my car to escape the downpour, but my clothes were already completely soaked. Within minutes, police arrived, followed by a silver Maybach that pulled up at the same time.

Stepping out again into the rain, I noticed another person exiting the Bentley besides the older man-a tall, lean figure with a silhouette like a Greek god. With aristocratic indifference, his eyes were sharp and deep, in which something wild underneath.

When he caught me staring, he returned my gaze with an intensity that made me shiver, awakening something primal within me.

A weird sense of déjà vu washed over me...

"Give it to her," his deep voice commanded, removing the suit jacket from his arm and handing it to the older man. Without another glance in my direction, he strode to the Maybach and disappeared inside.

The older gentleman hurried over with the jacket. "Miss, you're drenched. Please take this."

Looking down, I realized with horror that my blouse had become see-through. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I gratefully accepted the jacket and slipped it on. "Thank you."

The older gentleman spoke quietly with the police officer while the Maybach drove off, cutting through the curtain of rain. I caught only a fleeting glimpse of the stranger's refined profile, but it stuck with me.

The jacket still held his body heat and carried a distinct scent-sandalwood mixed with something wild and untamed that instantly calmed my frayed nerves.

After the police finished their report and we exchanged information, the older gentleman offered to take me to the hospital for my head wound.

I declined politely, my initial anger having subsided. "I apologize for being such a pain earlier. I've had the worst day, and I took it out on you. It wasn't even your fault." I gestured to the jacket. "I'll have this cleaned and returned to you."

The older gentleman nodded graciously.

...

As I drove myself to the hospital, Xavier was blowing up my phone.

I laughed coldly - this man was always like that, vanishing when I needed him, and then showing up when I didn't want to see him. Just like now, knowing that I hated his "white knight" attitude, he had to play hero at a time like this.

After eight years, he never learned to understand me, or rather, he couldn't be bothered to understand the feelings of a human being. When he should have been by my side, he chose someone else; when I had already decided to let go, he acted like he cared.

What a clueless idiot.

Cecilia's pov

I sat in the emergency treatment room, wincing slightly as the doctor cleaned the cut on my forehead. The antiseptic stung, but it was nothing compared to the emotional wounds I'd been nursing all day.

Suddenly, the door burst open with such force that the doctor jumped. Xavier stormed in like a territorial alpha defending his claim, his eyes wild with a mixture of anger and concern. The scent of his distress and dominance filled the small room instantly.

I glanced over my shoulder, meeting his intense gaze. "It's okay," I assured the startled doctor. "He's my... boss." The word 'husband' had nearly slipped out from habit, but I caught myself. He wasn't my husband-he never truly had been.

Xavier's throat worked visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed whatever words he'd been about to growl out.

"How serious is it?" he demanded of the doctor, his voice rough with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Just a superficial wound," the doctor replied professionally. "Nothing to worry about."

The medical professional showed no interest in our complicated relationship, finishing up the bandage on my temple before prescribing some topical medication.

I thanked the doctor and left the room, feeling Xavier's presence behind me like a shadow. In the hallway, he pushed ahead to pay my bill and collect my medication, performing the role of the dutiful husband with an audience present. The irony wasn't lost on me.

I didn't bother arguing. What was the point? My bond with Xavier had been severed the moment I'd seen those messages on his phone.

Outside the hospital, I pulled out my phone to call a rideshare. Xavier snatched it from my hand with the swift reflexes. His arm wrapped around my shoulders, guiding-no, forcing-me toward the parking lot. The possessive gesture might once have made me feel protected; now it felt like chains.

He opened the passenger door and practically shoved me inside before stalking around to the driver's side. The door slammed with enough force to make the car shudder, sealing us in a bubble of tense silence.

"You blocked my number," he finally said, turning to face me with a stormy expression. "Were you trying to kill yourself to punish me?"

I stared at him, momentarily shocked into silence. Then, against all odds, laughter bubbled up from my chest. It was either laugh or cry, and I'd shed enough tears.

The absurdity of his statement-that I would risk my life just to make him feel guilty-was peak narcissism. In eight years together, how had I never noticed this side of him?

"Rest assured," I said, reaching for my phone, "you won't have that burden on your conscience. Now give me back my phone."

Xavier pulled it away from my grasp. "I admit I lied to you today, but you ignored her like air, embarrassed her. You even disrespected my mother! Don't you think that's a problem? She's just a young girl who's been spoiled all her life. Why take offense?"

Oh, Xavier. If only you could see yourself through my eyes right now.

After a long silence, I spoke, my voice hollow. "I won't confront her anymore. I won't interfere with whatever is between you two. But please, keep her away from me. I don't need her 'spontaneity' in my face."

"She's like a sister to me. Cici and I are brother and sister." Xavier insisted, his brows furrowing. "Wolves are loyal to their mates. Our relationship is not what you think it is."

"Mmm,loyalty," I echoed, fighting the urge to pull out my phone and show him the evidence I'd collected-the late-night calls, the intimate texts, the hotel receipts.

"Fine. I overreacted. I misunderstood. Congratulations on your new sister."

The cold silence hung between us like a physical barrier.

"Just drive," I said, wrapping the borrowed suit jacket tighter around myself. The fabric carried that intoxicating scent-sandalwood with wild undertones-that somehow brought me comfort.

Xavier's gaze shifted to the jacket, noticing it properly for the first time. His nostrils flared slightly-a wolf sensing another male's scent on his territory.

"Whose jacket is this?" he demanded, jealousy darkening his features.

I turned toward the window, deliberately using his own words against him. "My brother's. My newly adopted brother."

Something dangerous flashed in Xavier's eyes. With lightning speed, he reached over and yanked the jacket from my shoulders, throwing it out the window .

"No!" I shouted, unbuckling my seatbelt and scrambling out of the car. That jacket was one of the few kindnesses I'd experienced today. I'd promised to return it.

Xavier growled low in his throat and pulled me back into the car. Before I could protest, his mouth crushed against mine, demanding submission.

I kept my lips firmly sealed, refusing to yield. This only angered him more. He gripped my jaw, forcing my mouth open, his kiss a punishment rather than an expression of love.

When he finally pulled away, his breath was hot against my face, his eyes glinting with possessive fury. "Don't try to make me jealous like that," he warned. "You should think about how your actions affect others."

I stared at him in disbelief. In all our years together, I'd never truly seen this side of him-or perhaps I'd chosen not to.

The jacket remained on the wet asphalt, abandoned.

I promised I'd return it clean, I thought hopelessly. Now what am I supposed to do?

The weekend's events took their toll on my body. By evening, I was burning with fever, my human immune system weakened by stress and the rain.

Xavier stayed home, playing the role of attentive mate-making porridge,feeding me medicine, caring for me with such tenderness that for brief, delirious moments ,I almost believed he still loved me. Almost.

By midnight, my fever hadn't broken. I drifted in and out of consciousness ,aware of Xavier's presence beside me on our bed-a bed that no longer felt like a sanctuary.

A buzzing sound cut through the silence.

I forced my heavy eyelids open, pushing myself up on trembling arms. Xavier and I both turned toward his phone on the nightstand. The time read 12:35 AM.

The name flashing on the screen: "Sugar Baby."

Such an intimate nickname. My stomach twisted with nausea that had nothing to do with my fever.