Chapter 88

3RD POV

"Your mom better not end up wasting my precious time once again!" Sandra snapped at her husband, her voice sharp—almost cutting through the warm afternoon air.

Dan leaned against the car, one leg crossed over the other, staring at his wristwatch. His brows pulled together.

"Why aren't they here yet?" he muttered, ignoring his wife's complaint.

Sandra scoffed loudly and folded her arms.

"Because it's another lie," she said, rolling her eyes. “She is scared. Last time I wasn’t prepared, but today? Today I’ll take a video and humiliate her properly.”

Dan turned to look at her, his expression stiff. Her sharp tone didn’t faze him anymore—he had lived with it too long.

She caught his glance.

"Don’t look at me like that!" she snapped quickly. "She embarrassed me in public. They threw eggs at me! Me! And why? Because she was looking for trouble! This is just a light payback."

Dan said nothing. Silence stretched between them.

If it’s real, he thought inwardly, "I can use it. I can finally advance at work."

A small glint flashed in his eyes. Ruthless. Calculating.

Before Sandra could rant more, a sleek luxury car slowly approached the house.

Sandra’s head jerked toward it.

“Honey… could it be fake?” she asked sharply.

Dan squinted. His heartbeat quickened.

“Probably not,” he said, though inside he already knew—the car wasn’t fake.

The car moved smoothly, confidently, and didn’t hesitate for directions. It headed straight for their house.

Sandra’s face twisted.

“Finally, that stupid sister of mine actually did something useful,” Dan muttered under his breath. “I just hope this man is the real deal… or she’s finished.”

A dangerous glimmer flickered in his eyes at the thought.

The car pulled to a clean stop at Mannie’s doorstep.

The door opened.

Clara stepped out first, her face bright and glowing with pride. Her back was straight. Her chin was lifted as if she had rehearsed this moment for years.

“Please come in,” she said warmly, stepping aside.

Then—

David emerged.

Tall. Calm. His steps confident but quiet. You wouldn’t even hear his footsteps if you did not pay attention. His eyes sharp and cold like polished steel.

A faint scent drifted around him—a scent only he could sense clearly.

His wolf stirred in his chest. This area smells off… too many emotions in one place. His skin prickled, but he kept his expression neutral.

Dan’s eyes widened.

His mouth parted slightly.

He froze.

Sandra misread his shock entirely. Her heels clacked loudly as she marched toward David.

To her, the man looked “too polished” to be real. In her mind, no real wealthy man could appear in this neighborhood.

She walked right up to David, arms crossed, chin lifted high.

“So,” she said with a sarcastic smile, “how much did my mother-in-law bribe you?”

David blinked.

Clara, who had already rushed upstairs, didn’t see the scene forming. She was inside, guiding the kids, unaware of the chaos outside.

Dan still couldn’t move. His mind struggled to process that Mannie—Mannie—could attract a man like this.

Sandra, believing she was exposing a “fake,” circled David slowly, her eyes raking over him as if he were an object.

“I’m sure it wasn’t much,” she said with a fake laugh. “She’s as broke as hell. She can’t even dress right, so I doubt she gave you more than pennies.”

David’s jaw didn’t even tighten. His eyes stayed calm.

His wolf, however, growled under his skin. This woman’s scent is irritating.

He forced the wolf down.

Sandra snorted and continued circling him, inspecting his suit, his shoes, his watch.

“You must have no pride left,” she scoffed. “That’s why you want to marry yourself to Mannie. Desperate men do desperate things.”

David inhaled slowly.

Truly, he thought, having a daughter-in-law like this is a curse. Thank God Mannie isn’t like this.

Sandra flipped her hair and walked toward the luxury car.

“And this fake car of yours—how much did you rent it? It looks expensive, sure, but only to people who don’t know real luxury.”

She walked around it, her hips swaying dramatically as she tried to mimic how wealthy women walked—failing miserably.

“I must applaud your preparation,” she said mockingly. “Sadly, you finally met your Waterloo.”

Her finger dragged along the door, as if testing how real it was.

David let out a soft breath.

“That car,” he said lightly, “is worth more than you and the posture you’re trying to imitate.”

Her head whipped toward him.

David continued, voice dripping with sarcasm, “Are you trying to mimic a class of people you can never reach?”

Sandra’s mouth fell open.

“As for the fools this car can deceive…” David added dryly, “…you’d be the first fool.”

His wolf smirked inside him.

Good.

Sandra froze, her face pale.

At that moment, Dan snapped out of his shock.

Realization hit him like a slap.

He rushed toward David, almost tripping over the uneven cement.

He bowed deeply.

“Please forgive my wife!” he blurted. “She is foolish and cannot see Mount Tai!”

David rolled his eyes. He had met many men like Dan—men who hid behind apologies instead of controlling their homes.

Clara stepped back outside then, confusion on her face.

She blinked when she saw Dan bowing. Her mood soured instantly.

She walked up to David, ignoring the chaos.

“Please, let’s go in,” she said politely.

David nodded. “Thanks, Mom.”

He gave her a small smile—one strong enough to charm most women effortlessly—and walked inside with an ease that came from power.

Clara followed him proudly.

Before stepping in, she turned to her son.

“I always told you to rein in your wife,” she snapped. “Now look at the opportunity she cost you.”

She snorted and entered the house.

Dan’s face darkened.

The moment David and Clara disappeared inside, his anger exploded.

Slap!

The sharp sound echoed across the compound.

He slapped Sandra so hard her head jerked sideways.

“Look what you’ve done!” he hissed. “Foolish woman! He’s the real deal—David Monroe! And you offended him!”

He pointed at the house.

“You better find a way to fix this!”

He stormed inside, leaving her standing there—frozen, humiliated, shaking.

Sandra’s mind spun.

David… Monroe?

Her stomach dropped.

She staggered slightly, her legs wobbling.

“If I collapse on these stairs,” she muttered weakly, “it’ll be an extra humiliation.”

She swallowed hard.

Why couldn’t God give me that kind of man? Why Mannie? What does that b*tch have that I don’t?

The more she thought, the more bitter she felt.

She rushed inside, trying to regain her balance.

She found Clara in the kitchen.

“Hehe… Mom, let me help,” Sandra said quickly, smiling nervously.

Clara didn’t even glance at her.

“No.”

Sandra stiffened.

Clara moved around her, dishing out food from heat-retaining flasks. Sandra tried to walk beside her, but Clara pushed her away gently—but firmly.

She placed David’s food on a tray and carried plates for the children.

She even dished food for Dan and Sandra—because she wasn’t heartless—but she didn’t give Sandra a single look.

Sandra Huffed.

“That old woman…” Sandra muttered. “She doesn’t know what is good for her. Does she think David will marry Mannie? It’s a pipe dream.”

But then—she panicked again.

How do I fix this? How do I salvage this?

“Sandra, come and eat,” Dan called from the living room.

Sandra inhaled deeply, straightened her dress, cleared her throat, and swayed her hips as she walked toward the table, trying to appear classy.

She sat down and flashed a fake smile.

“So… earlier I—”

Nobody responded.

Only Dan gave her a stiff nod.

Feeling cornered, Sandra quickly changed tactics.

She sighed loudly and said in a sad, delicate voice:

“I know I’ve made mistakes. But I’ve always been filial. I’ve always supported your mother. I only reacted like that because of stress…”

Dan rolled his eyes.

She stood up in a performance-like gesture.

“I’ll prepare milk for the kids. They deserve care,” she said softly, trying to appear nurturing.

She rushed to the kitchen, pretending to be touched by emotion.

Clara didn’t look impressed.

David didn’t even lift his eyes from his plate.

His wolf snorted.

Fake.​