Chapter 9
1005 Words
Claire’s voice cracked as she danced back, her hand shaking violently.
It took her a stunned moment to fumble with the faucet and shut off the stream of scalding water.
“Mommy!” Lillian’s voice cut through the chaos.
The little girl materialized out of nowhere, her eyes wide with horror at the sight of Claire’s red, blistering hand. Tears welled up, and she spun around, spotting Alpha Sean in the distance.
“Daddy… Daddy…”
Alpha Sean, who’d been engrossed in a phone call, immediately hung up.
He crouched down and scooped up the sobbing child. “Lily, what’s wrong?”
“Wahh, Daddy, Olivia burned Mommy’s hand!”
Lillian wailed, burying her face in his chest.
My blood turned to ice as Alpha Sean’s gaze landed on me.
He marched toward the break room, Lillian clutched tightly in his arms.
The door slammed shut behind him. “Alpha Sean…”
Claire whimpered, her voice thick with pain and false innocence.
His attention snapped to her, all tenderness and concern.
He rushed to her side, gently guiding her swollen hand under the cold water faucet.
Claire gasped at the contact, her lips quivering.
She looked so pathetic, a perfect picture of a victim.
“Hold on,” he murmured, his voice soft and soothing.
The more he comforted her, the more her eyes welled up, tears clinging to her lashes but never falling.
I rolled my eyes internally.
I had no stomach for this melodrama.
Without a word, I turned to leave.
"Olivia, stop!" Alpha Sean's icy command sliced through the air, but I kept moving.
I felt his anger before I saw his movement.
The sound of his footsteps thundered behind me, and in an instant, he grabbed my wrist, yanking me back with a force that made me stumble.
"Olivia, how could you be so vicious? You burned Claire's hand! Don't you know how important her hands are to her?"
I stared at him, at this man who'd already condemned me in his mind without a shred of doubt.
Once, his every harsh word had felt like a knife in my heart. I'd spent countless hours trying to defend myself, to make him see the truth.
But now? I saw clearly.
When someone was determined to hate you, no amount of evidence or explanation mattered.
"You say I burned Claire? Where's the proof?"
I challenged. In this room, devoid of cameras, Claire had calculated her move perfectly, knowing she could spin her web of lies unchecked.
Lillian's sobs filled the air.
The little girl clung to Alpha Sean's leg, her tear-streaked face a picture of false innocence.
"Daddy, I saw Olivia burn Mommy with the hot water!" she wailed.
"Wahh… Mommy taught me that pups who do wrong should own up to it. Why won't Olivia admit it?"
Alpha Sean's voice was soft as he comforted her, but his eyes remained cold and accusing as he looked at me. "Don't cry, Daddy believes you," he murmured, before turning his glare back on me.
"Lily's word is proof enough! She's only four, just a pup—why would she lie?"
“A pup would never lie?”
I scoffed internally.
The hypocrisy was sickening.
Who was the one who’d turned a deaf ear to Ellie, hurling accusations of dishonesty at her time and time again? He’d called her deceitful, scolded her for being a liar, branded her a bad seed—all because she was my daughter.
Talk about double standards!
The one time Ellie lied, it was out of desperate hope, waiting for the father who’d broken his promise. And that lie cost her everything. But in his eyes, my precious girl was disposable.
My vision blurred with hot, angry tears as I stared at Alpha Sean. “Alpha Sean, Lillian’s a pup, but my Ellie wasn’t? Huh?”
“Ellie can’t hold a candle to Lily!” His words hit me like a physical blow.
That was the truth he’d been hiding all along.
In his warped view, Claire’s daughter was perfection personified, just like her mother. But my Ellie? We were both unworthy of his love.
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, a dark, humorless sound.
“You’re right—they can’t be compared,”
“Because Lillian doesn’t even come close!” How could a child who lied so easily, who framed others without a second thought, ever measure up to my kind, gentle Ellie?
My heart ached at the thought of my daughter.
She’d adored her father, yearned for his attention. But his heart was sealed off to us, reserved only for Claire and her child.
“Alpha Sean, with a dad like you, Ellie’s probably turning in her grave—”
Before I could finish, Claire’s shrill voice cut through the air.
“Alpha Sean, is my hand ruined? Will I ever draw again?” She clung to him, her voice trembling.
Alpha Sean’s attention immediately shifted.
He didn’t hear my final, heartbroken words.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m taking you to the hospital now—don’t worry,” he cooed, scooping her into his arms.
Lillian trailed behind, looking every bit the innocent child.
As they passed me, Alpha Sean’s cold glare pierced through me.
“You better pray Claire’s hand is okay.”
I turned away and joined the other competitors for the on-site sketching round.
Despite the emotional turmoil, I focused, pouring my energy into my work.
When the results were announced, I’d secured the final spot in the fashion design competition.
Leaving Skyspire Tower, I made my way to the subway.
The sound of a motorcycle engine roared behind me.
I stood my ground as the bike skidded to a stop in front of me.
The rider swung his long legs off the bike, yanked off his helmet, and revealed a face that was almost too handsome for words.
- Writer
