"Thalia Silverfang, have you been wronged?"

My brother's voice held a note of deep concern as he paused on the other end of the line. He must have sensed something in my tone, but I feigned indifference.

I forced a lighthearted smile, even though the bitterness in my throat felt like it might choke me. “No, I’m fine. I’ve just decided—if I’m going to marry anyway, does it really matter to whom?”

“Are you sure?” He pressed, his concern growing. “Thalia, if something’s wrong, you can tell me. Why this sudden rush to marry? You didn’t seem too eager about it before.”

Of course, I hadn’t been eager. My true desire was to marry Damien. But after everything that happened, I realized I was merely a replacement — a stand-in to fill the hole left by his true love.

I couldn’t live in that world, no matter how painful it was.

“I’ve told you,” I replied, forcing a chuckle despite the ache inside me. “I’ve just figured it out. I’m also at the right age now. Any longer, and no one might want me.”

“Don’t say that,” my brother said sternly, his voice firm. “Anyway, I’ll send someone to tell you about the one arranged for you. It’s better to know them firsthand.”

“There’s no need. I trust Mom and Dad’s judgment,” I continued, my voice steady despite the storm within me. “Even if it’s an arranged bond, I’m sure the candidate has been carefully chosen by all of you.”

Silence stretched between us before I heard my brother sigh, the sound heavy with relief and lingering worry. My rebellious departure years ago had left the pack uneasy, especially him. Now, with my return, he must have felt a measure of reassurance.

His voice softened. “I’m glad you’ve come to terms with this. When are you coming back? Are you sure you don't want to meet him before making the final decision?”

“There’s no need,” I replied, my tone sharp with practicality. “The sooner we agree, the sooner the pack can resolve its crisis. Start preparing the ceremony, and let’s set it for a month from now.”

“Understood,” he said, though a trace of hesitation lingered. “By the way, do you still speak with Damien? I heard his first love, Kaia, had returned. Perhaps you should reach out to him—invite him to the celebration. He might bring some luck.”

His words caught me off guard. So, he knew about Kaia. No wonder Damien had always insisted I keep our bond a secret from my family.

I lowered my gaze, hiding the pang in my heart. “Don’t bother him,” I murmured. “We’re not close.”

Just then, the sound of the door unlocking reached my ears. I hurriedly said my goodbyes and ended the call, bracing myself.

When I looked up, Damien stood before me, his smile radiant, his eyes shining with a brilliance I had rarely seen. It wasn’t for me. It couldn’t be.

“Not close to whom?” he asked, his tone playful.

“Not close to you,” I replied bluntly, though my voice wavered.

Damien’s brow arched, and before I could step back, he pulled me into his embrace. His grin was mischievous, his breath warmed against my ear.

“Really?” He murmured, his voice low and teasing. “Then tell me, how are we not close? Have we not shared enough nights together to be considered close, hmm?”

The intimacy that had once made my heart race now filled me with unease. I struggled in his hold, and as I did, my eyes caught the faint stain of lipstick on his collar.

The burns on my wrist throbbed, a sharp pain cutting through my composure. Tears welled in my eyes, unbidden and unstoppable.

“Thalia, what’s wrong?” Damien’s voice shifted, panic replacing his usual confidence. He rolled up my sleeve, revealing the angry red marks on my skin.

His expression twisted in alarm. “How did this happen? When were you burned? Why didn’t you tell me?”

His concern seemed genuine, but it only deepened the ache in my chest. Had he forgotten the events at the banquet so easily?

I said nothing, unsure whether I should remind him and watch his mask of false affection crack, or let him keep pretending.

"Alright, stop crying now. I’ll take care of it for you."

He gently patted my head, wiped away my tears, and kissed my cheek to comfort me as he stood up to grab some cooling herbs, muttering to himself.

"Look at you—such a strong girl, but still afraid of pain and always crying. What would you do without me?"

I stared blankly at the red burn mark on my wrist.

Yes, I had been spoiled for a full seven years. What would I do without him? But, Damien, I didn’t want you anymore. I didn’t want this fake bond anymore.

That night, I couldn’t sleep well, probably due to the pain in my hand, or maybe because of the sudden realization. I tossed and turned in bed, my body covered in sweat, hoping that sleep would take me away. It took a long time before I finally managed to drift off.

Just as dawn was breaking, Damien pulled me out of bed.

I grumbled, trying to push him away, but he just chuckled and leaned in to kiss me.

Instantly, all my sleepiness vanished. I almost slapped him, but barely managed to hold myself back.

Luckily, it was just a quick kiss.

"Awake yet, my sleepy mooncakes?"

I turned away, wiping my mouth in disgust.

"It’s the weekend. Why can’t you let me sleep in?" I grumbled, feeling the exhaustion weighing on me.

Damien looked at me helplessly. "Did you know you had a fever last night? Get up. I’m taking you to the healer."

I stared at him, wondering if this was just him acting the part of someone caring for another, or if it was me he was really thinking of. His face was full of concern, but it seemed like those eyes weren’t seeing me at all.

Although I felt mostly fine, I couldn’t argue with him, so I reluctantly got up.

In the healer’s corridor, we unexpectedly ran into Kaia. She seemed to have hurt her foot and was struggling to hop along the hallway on her own. Damien, who had been such gentle moments before, instantly frowned.

Forgetting I was beside him, he rushed over to Kaia, holding her with concern.

"What happened?"

Kaia smiled at him, glancing past him toward me.

"It’s just a sprained ankle. What a coincidence... You two are here for a checkup too?"

Damien’s expression froze. He glanced back at me, his eyes shifting. I could see a hint of guilt, something I had noticed before but ignored. Now, it was more obvious, especially in front of Kaia.

"Yeah, my ‘little sister’ here had a fever, so I brought her in for a check-up."

I wasn’t disappointed. Why had I expected him to change how he introduced me?

I have grown used to being called "sister" now.

From the moment Damien decided not to go public with our bond, he introduced me as his friend’s younger sister, someone he was simply helping. Everyone believed it, since he was close to my brother.

Only his closest friends knew the truth.

Kaia nodded. "She’s staying at your place, so of course, you have to take care of her. You two go on, I need to head over there."

She gestured toward the other side of the pack's grounds. Seeing her start hopping again, Damien didn’t think twice before scooping her up into his arms.

"Let me take you over. Thalia, wait here for me."

For some reason, the moment I saw Kaia, I felt weak, drained of all energy. Maybe it was because my fever was worsening, or perhaps it was the bitter feeling in my gut as I watched him worry over Kaia more than me.

My knees started to shake, and I couldn’t walk straight, but did it even matter? I leaned against the wall, saying nothing.

Damien hadn’t asked for my permission. After those words, he was already carrying Kaia toward the other healer’s chambers. I guess he didn’t think my fever was bad, or perhaps he just didn’t care as much about me. He never noticed my weakening state.

The truth was, no matter how well Damien acted, when Kaia was around, his genuine feelings slipped through, betraying the façade.

And Damien didn’t even realize it.

I forced a bitter smile, turned, and walked toward the designated healer's quarters to treat fever.

Apparently, it wasn’t just in my head. After checking my temperature, I learned my fever had risen to 41.3°C.

The burn had become infected, worsened by my emotional stress, leading to a viral infection that required some herbs to boil and drink. The healer said I needed an infusion as well.

Out of habit, I reached for my phone to call Damien, but stopped myself before dialing.

Habit was a terrifying thing.

I gave a self-mocking smile, put my phone away, grabbed my medication, and headed to the patient's rest area alone.

The morning dragged on as I finished the herbal medicine and infusion prescribed to me. Dizziness clouded my mind, and I could barely stand, nearly stumbling after a few unsteady steps.

I opened my phone to call Damien, but my heart sank when I saw there were no messages from him. No check-in, no updates, not even a word about where he was.

Reluctantly, I dialed his number, hoping to avoid any misunderstandings. When he heard I was still at the healer's hut, he hesitated on the other end.

“I’m sorry, Thalia. I was planning to come back for you once I took Kaia home, but... her stomach started acting up, so…”

Wait, so he took Kaia home?

Before he could explain further, I overheard a voice in the background, a server announcing, “Sir, your dishes are all served. Please enjoy your meal!”

I could hear the surprise in Damien’s voice as he quickly covered the receiver, but it was too late—I had already heard enough. He fell silent for a moment, as if realizing he had been caught.

With a sigh, I replied, “It’s fine. I can manage on my own.”

I wasn’t sure why I said it. Maybe I wanted to reassure him, or maybe I was just trying to convince myself that I was truly fine.

Just as I was about to end the call, he suddenly called my name, “Thalia, just head home. I’ll explain everything later.”

Explain what? More lies to string me along?

I ended the call without another word and arranged for a driver to take me home. But when night fell, Damien still didn’t come back.

I tried to sleep, but the sounds outside kept me awake. Through the window, I saw fireworks lighting up the sky, likely the result of someone’s romantic surprise.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

The noise from the fireworks kept me awake, so I grabbed my tablet and went back to sketching custom wedding gowns for a client. As I worked, my finger accidentally brushed against the chat app, revealing a recent post from Kaia.

It was a stunning photo of fireworks in the night sky, captioned with poetic words:

“After half a lifetime away, I return to you. And here, the fireworks bloom, a welcome in all its glory!”

I stared at the post for a while, my mind racing. It was only when I tried to log out that I realized Damien’s account was still open on my tablet.

I wasn’t interested in delving into their flirtations, so I quickly logged out and put the app away.

The next morning, I arrived at the office, feeling somewhat refreshed.

The manager handed me my approved resignation letter, and when she learned that the reason for leaving was because I was about to get a bond marriage and will leave the pack to transfer residence, her expression became a mix of happiness and sadness.

“I’m going to miss you. You’re one of my best team members.”

Unsure of what to say, I hugged her tightly and thanked her for all her support over the years.

Once I finished with the formalities, my colleagues insisted on a farewell lunch to celebrate my upcoming bond marriage. I didn’t decline and booked a table at a restaurant Damien and I often visited. It was one of the few places I knew well, and the food was always good.

Halfway through the meal, I excused myself to use the restroom, only to run into Kaia.

She greeted me with a bright smile, “Didn’t expect to see you here! This is the restaurant Damien first brought me after we reached our coming of age ceremony. We’ve been here so many times.”

I offered her a polite smile and started to walk away, not feeling the need for any small talk.

But she stopped me just as I was about to leave.

“I noticed last time that Damien always rinses the shrimp in water before peeling it for you. Do you also not eat spicy food?”

The word also made me pause.

The truth was, I did enjoy spicy food. But every time Damien peeled shrimp for me, he insisted on rinsing them in water. He always said it was better for my health and not to eat too many spicy foods. I had always assumed he was just being considerate. But now, I realized it wasn’t out of concern for me.

The one who didn’t eat spicy food—the one he was worried about—was Kaia.