CHAPTER 5

Clara does not hide her displeasure at seeing Gabriel, a frown immediately contorting her face, knowing the reason why he is here.

“Have you seen the video of you that’s trending?” Gabriel asks in a curt voice, his eyes cold, a nasty frown on his face, “have you seen what people are saying about the Alpha because of you?”

“What video? What are they saying?” Fiona, Clara’s mother asks frantically, her fear filled eyes darting between Clara and Gabriel, clearly hearing from the tone of Gabriel’s voice that there might be trouble.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Clara replies in a cold tone, crossing her arms against her chest, “if this is some—”

“You may want to get off your high horse, woman. This is serious,” Gabriel cuts her off, takes out his phone and shoves it in her face.

Clara freezes, staring at the video of her burning her wedding dress with shock in her eyes and her heart thuds.

She had no idea there were cameras on her that day.

A pang of guilt slices through her heart knowing this will indeed look bad for Jace’s image and that was not her intention at all, she was only giving an outlet to the rage she was feeling that day.

No one knows how she felt when she got that picture from Luci with Jace in Luci arms the same day he called off their wedding.

She scrolls through the comments and surprisingly, the slanders are for her and not for Jace at all.

[Needy Bitch]

[What a waste, she was never fit to be Luna.]

[I hope the Alpha rejects her, she doesn’t deserve him.]

She scoffs bitterly and thins her lips. Well, the people are saying a lot more about her than Jace even if she is the one who was wronged but of course, no one will see it like that.

“What is—” Fiona impatiently snatches the phone from Clara.

Fiona’s eyes widen and she gasps, clasping her hands around her mouth at the sight of the video.

“You silly child, why would you do this? Why?” Fiona asks in a shaky voice, glancing at Clara with shock and disappointment in her eyes.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry about this,” she turns to Gabriel with fear and worry deeply etched in her eyes, “I don’t know what must have come over her.”

“I’m not the one owed an apology,” Gabriel replied coldly, “it’s the Alpha but he’s willing to forgive everything as long as she returns home with me right now.”

“Really?” Fiona asks in a hope filled voice, “she’ll come with you, she’ll come with you right now.”

“I’m not going anywhere with him,” Clara replies.

She does not owe Jace an apology nor does she need his forgiveness and since this video already went viral, Jace has the perfect excuse to leave her and go be with Luci, the woman that he actually wants.

“Give us a minute,” Fiona pulls Clara forcefully into the corridor, away from Gabriel.

“Have you gone mad Clara, what the hell is wrong with you? Have you suddenly forgotten everything Jace has done for us since you got together? This house that we live in, your siblings getting scholarships to study in the best schools, your father’s business getting back on its feet, it’s all because of him. Do you want to throw all that away? Think about your family my dear,” Fiona says in a slightly raised tone but her countenance is more sad than angry.

Clara looks at her mom in the eyes, hating how she has to be the one to sacrifice her peace and happiness for theirs.

She never wanted any help from Jace when he offered, she refused to allow him buy her parents a new house as her engagement gift but her mom went behind her and accepted it and now she has to suffer for it.

She never wanted the wealth, fame or power that came with being the Alpha’s fated mate, all she wanted was a man that would love and cherish her, not one who would treat her like she barely mattered.

“Clara, you have to go back,” Fiona says in a much calmer voice, gently rubbing the side of Clara’s arms.

Clara looks down at her arm and then at her mom. For once she wants this woman to see things from her perspective, to take her side but it’s never going to happen, her mother seems to care more about status than her own daughter.

She peels away from her mother, goes into the room and comes out with a single bag to see her mother standing beside Gabriel.

“Let’s go,” she says to Gabriel in a cold voice.

He stares at her bag and then at Gabriel before looking back at her, disappointment and anger shifting in his eyes.

“Cla—”

Her dad puts his hands up. “You can go but this door will not open to you anymore. I thought I raised a daughter with some self respect.”