Chapter 1: Ruined

Elysia

He was going to like this, I said, smiling at the pocket watch in my hand. I sat at the edge of the bed, waiting for the perfect moment.

I ran my fingers through the watch in my hand. It had belonged to my late father. I’d had it for so many years, and I never thought I was going to part with it until today.

Derek was the perfect person to own this, and I knew he was going to love it, and my father would be proud seeing me hand over this to someone worthy of it. I smiled, and it was the perfect day—his birthday.

I just couldn’t help but imagine the smile on his face. I walked towards the chocolate cake on the table and picked it up. It had taken me almost all day to make this, but I knew he was going to love it.

Sliding the door open, I stepped out into the corridor. Steam-powered lamps shined through the hallway of the manor.

My heart raced really fast when I got close to his chambers, but when I reached it, surprisingly, he wasn’t there. I paused for a moment. Where could he have gone when I told him I had a surprise for him? I sighed.

I headed straight for his study. Surely, he would be there, receiving documents and working himself off.

That was odd, I murmured, standing outside the door to his study. I could hear faint sounds that instantly made my stomach twist. I heard a laugh that sounded… way too familiar. What the hell was going on?

My pulse quickened, and the noise grew louder, and it was… unmistakably intimate. When I pushed the door open, the cake I held in my hand fell to the ground.

It was Cathy… my… my stepsister, bent over his desk. She had nothing on… neither did he.

He was all over her, one hand on her left breast, him perfectly aligned behind her. No… no, this isn’t happening.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. I just stood there, frozen. No… this isn’t happening. Goddess, please no. I kept wishing to myself over and over and over again. It felt like I was trapped in a horrible nightmare I could not wake up from.

Derek stared at me, his eyes wide with surprise… but it wasn’t what I expected. There was surprise, but no remorse.

Cathy stared at me with satisfaction and a wide smirk on her lips. “Oh, Elysia, perfect timing,” she said, her smile widening.

Derek stuttered as he spoke. “Elysia, I… I can explain.”

“Explain what?” I said, cutting him off. My voice was low, shaking. I didn’t expect to be this calm. I wanted to scream and yell at him, but I didn’t. I just stood there, my hands trembling as I tried to convince myself this was not real.

“How long?” I asked. I felt the air in my lungs leaving, making it harder to breathe. “How long has this been going on?”

Cathy smiled, getting up and covering herself. “Longer than you think, dearest sister. Someone has to keep him… entertained while you do—I don’t know—whatever you do.”

I tightened my grip on the pocket watch in my hand. I felt it crack. “You both disgust me,” I spat.

“Come on, Elysia,” Cathy said, stepping closer to me. “You know he needs a real woman, and you could never satisfy him the way I do.”

I was using everything in me to fight back tears. They were not going to see me cry. I stared at Derek, expecting him to say something, but he didn’t—not even a single word in my defense.

“You know, sister,” she said, now standing only an inch from me, “maybe if you had a wolf… I don’t know… maybe things could have been different. But tragically, you don’t.”

As those words left her mouth, something in me snapped. I didn’t think or hesitate. My hand moved on its own, and it landed directly on her face.

The sound of the slap echoed through the study. Cathy’s hand instantly flew to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock.

The room was quiet for a brief second. “How dare you? How dare you speak to me like that,” I said, using everything in me to keep my voice steady.

Her shock slowly twisted into rage, and before I even got the chance to drag in another breath, a slap landed on my face.

My head snapped to the side as pain shot through me. I stumbled back, almost losing my balance. The slap was so harsh that I lost my sight for a brief second, and when I looked up, my heart shattered all over again.

It was Derek.

He… slapped… me. My mind was still trying to process what had just happened.

“Don’t you ever touch her again,” he snapped, his voice totally cold. He stepped in front of Cathy, shifting her from me. “You had no right—no right,” he yelled furiously.

I stared at him. My cheek was burning, but it didn’t compare to the pain I was feeling in my chest.

“Derek… you… you hit me.” My voice cracked as a tear rolled down my cheek. “After what you did, you still hit me.”

Cathy scoffed. “Derek, see? This is why I told you she’ll never be good enough for you.”

His gaze slowly turned to meet mine. “Elysia, I’m tired. I’m tired of you and everything that has to do with you. And can you stop acting like the victim every damn time? It’s annoying.”

My heart felt like it was being ripped apart layer by layer. “Victim?” I whispered. “I walked in on you with my… stepsister.”

“You should have known your place,” he snapped.

“You really think we were going to end up together? Really, Elysia? Read the handwriting on the wall. You are weak and useless, and I choose Cathy.”

“What…?”

“Yes,” Cathy said, clearly pleased. “You would never be good enough for him.”

“I need you to leave, Elysia,” Derek said coldly.

My heart was racing so fast I could hear it in my ears.

“Leave my house. Our engagement is over, and I never want to see you again.”