Chapter 3

Hazel’s POV

It was a maid who wanted to use the toilet. “Get out now,” Adrian yelled at the top of his voice. “I’m sorry,” the maid said before hurrying out.

"Did you just call me a slut?" I asked, my smile hiding my anger. "Just because I have feelings for you doesn't mean you can call me names Adrian," I said, my voice low and even. 

I gripped my gown, my hands shaking with anger. I wanted to hit him very hard just so he could feel the slightest pain I felt in that prison, but I couldn’t.

I wanted to be in the arms of my mate, telling him how I suffered in prison even after my miscarriage, but he didn’t even care that we had a child together; it was really heartbreaking.

"It’s Thalia's day. Just remember to behave and don't cause trouble. Thalia is nothing like you." My heart sank at his words. To Adrian, Thalia was a precious treasure, while I was worthless, not even good enough to be his Luna. 

I smiled again, fed up with his words; I cleaned the tears that dropped from my eyes. And as I walked away, he held me back. “You don’t walk out on me,” he said, staring deep into my hazel eyes. 

“I’m not pregnant if that's what you want to know; now get your filthy hands off me,” I fired back, releasing myself from his grip. I couldn't listen to any more of his nonsense. 

With tears in my eyes, I walked to the kitchen, feeling hungry and needing something to fill the emptiness inside me. I had just taken a few bites when there was a knock at the door. 

It was the same maid who walked in on Adrian and I. “Your parents want you downstairs!" she said. I chewed slowly, knowing Adrian must have told my parents I was back. "I don’t feel well. I can’t go down," I replied.

The maid looked surprised, clearly not expecting me to say no. "Your parents will be upset if you skip today’s event and..." But before she could finish, I interrupted her. 

"Okay, I’ll be down in a bit.” After finishing my meal, I walked into the grand hall, which was still buzzing with guests. Even though Thalia wasn’t my father’s real daughter, she always got a big celebration.

The hall was filled with Alphas and Lunas chatting about the latest news. "Why does everyone treat Thalia like royalty when she’s not even Alpha Dorian's daughter?”

“Is there something we’re missing?" Someone asked out loud. "I heard Thalia has already made some big deals just three months after Hazel traveled abroad. 

Alpha Dorian was so impressed that he made her in charge, clearly showing she’s the one he wants to take over."

"But she’s still an outsider. Isn’t that like handing the company over to someone else? My fists tightened as I listened to them talk. I couldn’t understand why Thalia was given everything that belonged to me. 

I didn't know why my father sent me away when I was 7. But one thing was clear: the truth was more complicated than anyone knew. As some socialites chatted, their eyes quietly turned toward me. 

"Doesn't that woman look a bit like Hazel?" one of them said. The others followed her gaze. "Hazel? No way. She used to be stunning, but now she looks like a ghost. Seriously?" 

Once, I had been the kind of person who shone even among a crowd of beauties. Now, I was nearly unrecognizable. Realizing they were talking about me, I made my way to my stepmother, Elara Labrinth, who used to be my mother’s best friend. 

"Hi, StepMum," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. Elara looked at me with doubt before giving me a fake hug. I longed for a mother to hold me tighter, to show me the love I desperately needed. 

But deep down, I knew it was pointless. "When did you get out?" Elara asked, her tone cold and distant. I rolled my eyes, feeling a surge of frustration. "This is so ridiculous," I thought to myself.

"You've lost a lot of weight," Elara remarked, her brow furrowed. "A bit of struggle can be good for you. It teaches you important lessons." My irritation bubbled up. 

My evil stepmother seemed more interested in lecturing than in my well-being. "I'll go say hi to the person who made my life a nightmare," I said, turning my back on Elara and cutting her off before she could say anything more. 

I walked over to Thalia, who looked stunning in her fancy outfit and was surrounded by a group of wealthy young women. As a waiter passed by with a tray of wine, I snatched two glasses, ready to face the person who had turned my world upside down.

"Congratulations, stepsister," I said, handing Thalia a glass with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. "Thanks," Thalia replied, her grin sharp and sly. 

“How are you?" I was taken aback by the question. I knew it was all a game for Thalia, but I was curious about what was coming next. Just as Thalia raised her glass of white wine to her lips, a loud voice cut through the chatter. 

“Ms. Thalia Labrinth, don’t drink that wine! It’s been messed with!" 

"What?" Thalia exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean?" The maid glanced nervously at Hazel. 

"I saw her sneak into the kitchen and put something into your drink. It looked like a drug." Several faces went pale as the maid's words hit them hard.

Everyone in the Labrinth family remembered the issue that happened months ago when Thalia was taken after drinking something dangerous. Elara turned her eyes to me, her face hardening. 

"Still playing your old games?" It looked like Thalia was trying to twist this moment to blame me for something again. I had been trying not to laugh at how ridiculous this was, but I finally spoke up. 

"It wasn’t me. I did go to the kitchen, but I was just going to eat." The maid insisted, "But I saw you put something in it. I promise I'm telling the truth!" 

The maid's confidence was almost dramatic, like a hero standing up to a strong enemy. Around us, whispers and murmurs began to spread among the guests. Seeing her mother’s worry, Thalia offered a comforting smile. 

"Mom, I think there’s been a mix-up. Hazel spent three months in prison. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. I believe she’s innocent." Her words caused a stir because everyone thought I travelled abroad for a vacation. 

In our community, saying someone had been to the werewolf prison was a big deal—a stain that could ruin a person’s reputation and even hurt their family for years. The room filled with whispers.

Thalia suddenly realised she had made a mistake and tried to fix it, her face showing guilt. "I was just drunk and talking nonsense. Don’t take it seriously. How could my sweet sister have ever been to prison?"

But her effort to fix things only made it worse. Everyone could see her discomfort, which hinted that there might be some truth to what she said. I felt trapped, the crowd's eyes making me feel even more exposed.

It seemed like three months in prison wasn’t enough for Thalia. Bringing up my time in prison was meant to destroy my life. My anger bubbled up. If Thalia wanted to pull me down, maybe it was time to take everyone down with me!

With determination, I snatched the wine from Thalia and climbed onto the stage, grabbing the microphone. I forced a bitter smile and said, "Yeah, I was in prison, but I was framed." 

“Three months ago, if I had really wanted to kill Thalia, I could have made her vanish without a trace.”

“Why would I leave clues for you to find her?” My gaze locked onto Thalia’s as I raised the wine, my voice filled with challenge. “If I really poisoned you, I’d drink this right now.”

And in one quick move, I downed the wine, my smile hiding the anger boiling inside me. I knew it was a trap, a last-ditch effort to send me back to prison. But I wasn’t going to give up without a fight. 

As soon as the wine hit my stomach, a strange rush hit me. My vision began to fade, and the room started to spin. I tried to step back, but my legs wouldn’t listen. I collapsed to the floor, and then everything went dark.