CHAPTER THREE

VIVIAN

“Remember this document you signed before getting married to Mr. Connor?” the lawyer asked, handing me a familiar sheet of paper.

I frowned and my hands trembled as I took the document. “Yeah. He said it was to make sure I really loved him, so I signed it. I didn't even care to check its content,” I replied.

Confusion made me break into a sweat. Where was this conversation going?

The lawyer’s lips curled into a smug smile that made me uneasy. “So you signed a document without reading it?” His tone was as sharp as a blade.

“Well,” he continued, barely giving me time to respond, “you signed away everything you own. And now that this company belongs to you, that means Alpha Ronald Connor is the owner.”

My heart stopped.

The words hit me like a thunderstorm. I staggered, the ground beneath me tilting as my vision blurred. My fingers loosened, nearly dropping the document.

My breath hitched, and I felt my knees buckle. Just as I was about to collapse, someone’s hands steadied me. The arrogant man from earlier whom I liked to call Mr Rude, held me but I was too weak to react .

My mind was spiraling, crashing into the horrifying realization that I had single-handedly destroyed everything my family had built. The pride of my family. Our legacy. Gone. All because of my blind trust.

The lawyer’s voice faded into the background. People’s lips moved, but the world had slowed down into a cruel, mocking silence. I’d been so stupid. So blind.

I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened as if the very air was rejecting me. Dark spots clouded my vision, and then there was nothing but blackness.

---

I woke up to the sound of muffled sobs. My eyes fluttered open, and there they were—my mom, dad, and my sister, Wendy. Relief and worry painted their faces as they rushed to my bedside. Mom’s tears spilled over as she crushed me into a hug.

“The company…” I croaked, but I couldn’t finish the sentence.

Mom pulled back, her face crumpling as fresh tears fell. “It’s gone, Viv. Your ex-husband now owns the company.” Her voice broke as she started sobbing again.

My dad and Wendy stood nearby, both looking like the weight of the world had just crushed them. Wendy’s usual fierce expression was replaced with one of sadness. They went to comfort Mom, but my heart felt like it had been cleaved in two. This was all my fault.

I'd handed the company they had spent their entire lives building over on a silver platter.

No, I hadn’t been tricked. I’d been foolish.

A big, blind fool.

I had the chance to read that damn document, but I didn’t, because I trusted Ronald. I had loved him. And what had that gotten me? Betrayal and ruin.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I shook my head. “This is all my fault,” I whispered. The shame was unbearable. “If I’d just read the content of the document—”

“Vivian, no!” Mom rushed to my side, cupping my face in her hands. “Look at me,” she said firmly. I couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Vivian Miller, look at me!” Her commanding tone left no room for disobedience, and I finally looked up, tears blurring my vision.

“This isn’t your fault. You loved and trusted him, as any mate and wife should. He used that against you. This is his fault. Do you understand me? His fault. I don’t want you blaming yourself,” she said. Her words were steel-wrapped comfort, but they didn’t pierce through the guilt choking me.

I nodded for her sake, but deep down, I couldn’t stop blaming myself. She wiped my tears away and I looked at the three of them. The ache in my chest turned into something else.

Revenge.

“No,” I said, my voice trembling but strong. “This isn’t the end. I’m going to get the company back. I promise you. Ronald won’t get away with this.”

They exchanged worried looks before pulling me into a group hug, ignoring my declaration. But I meant every word. Ronald Connor had made a huge mistake thinking he could destroy me.

---

Weeks passed, and my life felt like an empty shell. Jobless, humiliated, and still nursing a shattered heart, I threw myself into job applications. But none of the companies had responded yet.

It wasn’t about money—our family wasn’t broke—but I couldn’t stand sitting idle at home. Mom’s constant bugging didn’t help.

She kept checking on me, worried I might do something drastic. I appreciated her concern, but it only made me feel weaker.

“Vivian Miller, you’ve spent a second too long in that room,” Dad’s voice called from downstairs. “If you’re not down here in the next minute, I’m dragging you out myself.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Coming, Dad!” I shouted back, shaking my head.

After a quick once-over in the mirror, I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. Today was the wedding of the mysterious Alpha of ScarletMoon pack. The one I didn't couldn't get to see at the meeting that day because I passed out.

No one had ever seen him, and today, he was finally revealing himself. Everyone was curious, including me.

A woman nursing a broken heart like mine had no business going to a wedding, but this was different. It was a distraction.

“You took forever!” Wendy huffed as I joined them. “If all the seats are taken, it’s on you.”

“Relax, baby sister,” I teased, smirking when she glared at the nickname.

The drive to ScarletMoon pack took an hour, but when we arrived, the sight stole my breath away.

The venue was nothing short of magnificent. Every inch of the hall screamed wealth and power. No wonder they called him the wealthiest Alpha.

“Back to earth, Viv,” Wendy snapped her fingers in front of me, snapping me out of my daze.

We headed inside, and I suddenly felt a familiar wetness between my thighs. My period. Fucking great timing, I sighed. Thank goodness for the tampons in my purse.

“I’ll catch up with you guys,” I told them, hurrying off to find the bathroom. After sorting myself out, I was about to leave when voices from the hallway caught my attention.

“Zander, the contract is ready for the bride. Should I take it to her to sign now?” one voice said, tinged with urgency.

“She’s not answering my calls,” another voice replied. “Wait, she just texted.”

There was a pause.

Then came a groan. “Shit. She’s backing out. Says she doesn’t want to be a surrogate or a contract bride. She says that she is searching for ‘true love.’”

True love? My brows shot up. What kind of drama was this?

“Shit. Everyone’s already gathered for the wedding. What do we do?”

“You’re my beta. Think of something!”

“And you’re Alpha Zander of ScarletMoon pack. This is your mess!”

Alpha Zander? The infamous, mysterious Alpha? And a contract bride? What the hell was going on?

My pulse quickened as an idea struck me. Since I had already lost everything, there was nothing to loose if I became Alpha Zander’s contract bride and surrogate.

Rather there was alot to gain. He could help me exert my revenge on my ex-mate and get my family’s company back.

I reached out for the door knob to open the door to tell Alpha Zander that I was interested, but hesitated, making me retract my hand mid-way.

The thought of being a mother was what made me hesitate a bit. I needed to think this through because there was no turning back if I ventured into it.

Was I ready to carry a child? Worst of all with someone I didn't love? Was I ready to leave my child with Alpha Zander when the baby was born? Because clearly that was what was going to happen when the contract terminated.

But then I remembered that I could get back my family’s company if I did this. I decided to sacrifice everything if meant getting the pride of my family back.

Making up my mind, I pushed the door open, startling the two men.

“I’ll do it,” I blurted. “I’ll be your bride. And your surrogate.”

Both men turned to me, stunned. Then my jaw dropped.

“Mr. Rude? You’re the Alpha of ScarletMoon pack?” I gasped, recognizing the man from the company.

“Shhh!” Zander rushed forward, covering my mouth. “Keep your voice down.”

Oh, this was about to get interesting.

For reasons I couldn't fathom I found his scent highly alluring.

“You can't possibly want to be a substitute bride without a reason. So let’s hear it,” He added with his arms folded on his chest.

“You’re the wealthiest Alpha and your pack is the biggest. I want to get back at my ex-husband and also to get my company back. I don't need your money. If you can help me get back my company and make my ex-husband pay for what he did, then we are even,” I said.

Was being a surrogate mother and going into a contract marriage worth what I demanded from Alpha Zander? If you ask me, then yes it was worth it.

I was willing to do anything to get the company back, I mean except killing anyone.

Just when Alpha Zander was about to talk, we began to hear everything we discussed playing from goddess knows where.

Shit, shit, shit. We had been caught.

“I need 50 million dollars and if you don’t want me to walk into the hall and play this recording for everyone to hear, you better give me the money right now,” A voice then spoke, much to our dismay making us turn to check who it was.