Chapter 4

Three more days passed. Once the wound on my head had fully healed, I went home.

The moment I saw my parents, the tears poured out.

Mom pulled me into her arms. "What happened, sweetheart?"

Dad shot up from the couch, furious. "Who hurt you? I'll deal with them."

I didn't say a word. I just leaned into their embrace and soaked in the warmth I had missed for so long.

In my past life, after Lilith's staged death, Darian turned his hatred on me.

At first, I bore his coldness without complaint — partly out of guilt, partly because I still loved him.

I even defended him in front of my parents, boosting his standing within the pack.

And that was exactly why, when he framed my parents for embezzlement, no one dared to question it.

My parents were thrown in prison and tortured for confessions. To protect me, they took their own lives behind bars.

Without Alex, I wouldn't have even seen their bodies.

Not this time. I would never let that happen again.

"Mom, Dad — I want to dissolve the marking ceremony with Darian."

"When his parents return tomorrow, I need you there as witnesses."

They pressed for details, but I offered none.

From their eyes, I could tell they thought my decision was sudden and reckless.

But how could they know the depths of despair I had endured, the price I had paid, before I finally gave up on Darian?

My parents had always spoiled me.

So they agreed.

The next day at noon, I arrived at Darian's family home with my parents.

To my surprise, Lilith was there.

I walked in without changing my expression.

Darian's parents looked uncomfortable — he must have already introduced them to Lilith.

Dad glanced at Darian, then at his hand intertwined with Lilith's, and understood everything.

He was about to explode.

I placed a hand on his shoulder.

I produced the dissolution agreement I had prepared in advance and said evenly, "Sign it, Darian."

Darian stared at me, enunciating every word. "Don't come crying to me later, Grace."

He grabbed the pen and signed his name in a swift stroke.

A mocking smile spread across his face.

"Don't forget — we're fated mates. Without me, do you really think you could ever love anyone else?"

"Don't come crawling back begging me to take you."

I didn't even bother to look at him. I tucked the agreement away and headed for the stairs.

Lilith chased after me and blocked my path.

She dropped to her knees, eyes brimming with tears.

"Grace, now that you've dissolved the ceremony, please — I'm begging you — stop chasing after Darian."

"I'm carrying his baby. The child needs a father!"

I frowned and stepped back instinctively.

A strange smile flickered across Lilith's face. She grabbed my hand, pulled it toward herself — then threw herself down the stairs.

"Help! Darian help!"

She screamed as she tumbled down, blood pooling between her legs.

"Grace, just because you're jealous that I'm carrying Darian's baby doesn't mean you can push me!"

"My baby! Oh God, my baby!"

Darian came running. He saw the scene and erupted.

He slapped me across the face.

"You're evil, Grace!"

"Lilith is pregnant, and you did this to her? If I hadn't been here, what else would you have done?"

"Touch Lilith again, and I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"

Both sets of parents rushed over at the commotion.

Lilith, seeing the audience, wailed even louder, clutching her stomach.

Darian pointed at me and spat at them, "You all saw it! She's a vicious woman! She doesn't deserve to be my fiancée!"

"You hit my daughter?" Dad's voice was steel. "You've got some nerve."

He rolled up his sleeves and moved toward Darian.

I shook off the dizziness and held him back.

Not yet.

Dissolving the marking ceremony was only the first step in preventing the tragedy of my past life.

Darian still had the pack's financial records. As long as those books were in his hands, my parents weren't safe.

In my past life, he'd done those terrible things. In this one, he hadn't — yet.

I had planned to retrieve the records and then stay far away from him, leaving the old grudges behind.

But now, I changed my mind.

Darian, since you insisted on digging your own grave —

I would hand you the shovel.