Chapter 3

After resolutely handing Charlie my resignation letter, I handed over my work to my colleague Henrietta Pike, who was also a close friend.

She held my hand sadly when I told her I was leaving. "After you leave, I'll be forced to endure the incestuous PDA these two shameless and indecent people are shoving in my face every day!"

She leveled a disdainful look at Arnold and Erna, who were currently canoodling together.

Erna was obviously displeased, judging by how she was pouting at Arnold. To placate this difficult she-wolf, Arnold took out an expensive diamond necklace from his pocket and presented it to her.

She perked up immediately and had him put it around her neck for him.

When she noticed I was looking at them, Arnold met my gaze before averting his, looking somewhat panicked.

"Arnold is just giving me a thank-you gift, Hilary," Erna said as she got up and showed me the necklace. "Don't overthink it, okay?"

Everyone turned to look at her when they heard her. They then looked at me, their gazes filled with curiosity.

Throughout the six years of our relationship, Arnold had never given me any valuable jewelry. Now that he'd finally bought some, they weren't for me.

Everyone thought that I was wronged. Even Henrietta was indignant on my behalf. "You and Arnold are a couple, and you're his future mate," she said. "But from what I see, they're making you out as a fool."

I shook my head at her, motioning for her to not say more, then turned to meet Erna's gaze calmly. "It's gorgeous. It looks great on you," I said.

Erna was surprised to see how placid I was. Provocatively, she said, "This necklace isn't worth much, Hilary. There's no need to get mad at me."

I frowned slightly. I hadn't even bothered with getting mad. I had many necklaces like hers, but I didn't like any of them.

"You shouldn't be so petty, Hilary," Arnold admonished me, assuming that I was unhappy about it. "Don't overthink it."

I found all that ridiculous. Sighing, I said, "I'm not mad. Really. You're the ones who shouldn't overthink it."

Arnold seemed surprised, judging by his gaze, and he remained suspicious. "That'd be great."

He then took Erna with him.

"Are you going to let them off the hook just like that?" Henrietta asked, bemused.

I smiled derisively, shrugging with casual nonchalance. "They can do whatever they want to. I've decided to break up with him, so he can do anything he wants."

Arnold and I had tried to hold our marking ceremony 66 times without any success. When word of that got out, it'd sound like a joke.

Now, I was exhausted.

After I packed up my things at my desk, I prepared to leave for the day. It was then that Arnold walked up to me and looked at me earnestly. "I booked a table at the restaurant," he said. "We're having dinner together."

His gaze traveled to my wrist, where the bracelet was nowhere to be seen. Shocked, he asked, "Where's the pink crystal bracelet I gave you?"

"It's a bother when I'm washing up, so I removed it. It's at home."

He was obviously relieved, but he didn't seem that happy about it. "You were wearing it every day without complaining about how bothersome it was. What changed?"

I was trying to explain myself with a frown on my face when Erna came over, wiggling her hips as she walked to stand beside him.

"If you're going to dinner, I'm going too," she proclaimed.

Attracted to the cleavage she'd taken care to squeeze out, Arnold nodded.

I said nothing as I followed after them, then watched as Erna got into the passenger seat without thinking about who she was.

I'd never sat in the passenger seat throughout the past six years because Arnold had told me that he'd only allow his mate to sit there, and I could only do that after our marking ceremony.

When Erna turned back to look at me with that arrogant gaze of hers, I chose to ignore her.

Whatever.

I no longer had any expectations. I'd leave this place the next day, anyway.

After sitting down at our table, Arnold and Erna ordered without asking me what I liked.

It seemed my only purpose here was to get the couple started on their date.

When the food was served, Arnold passed me some food. "You're too skinny," he said. "You need to eat more."

My thoughts wandered when I picked up on the gentleness in his gaze. I'd never thought he'd show such concern to me.

Erna giggled, following suit. "Women look sexier when they put on some weight, Hilary," she said in a cloying voice, glancing at Arnold. "That way, it feels nicer for Arnold when he hugs and touches you—he'll get addicted to you."

Arnold blushed, coughing softly. "Cut it out, young lady."

Erna laughed as she leveled a suggestive look at him. "This is nothing, Arnold. You're the happy couple here; I just want things to be better for both of you."

Arnold passed her an appetizer, saying, "You should eat more too."

I watched as Erna rubbed her chest on Arnold's arm. As I looked down at the food on my plate, I couldn't muster up an appetite. I didn't want to eat anything.

I tried to take a bite, but I couldn't swallow anything. The next second, I bent down and spat the food back into my plate.

A silence fell over the room. Erna said, wrinkling her nose, "Oh, why would you do that? If you don't feel well, you should've gone home and rested instead of ruining things for us."

"My stomach feels a bit off," I replied.

"What's wrong with it?" Arnold asked worriedly. "Do you want to get it checked up at the hospital?"

I shook my head. "I'll feel better after a break."

I didn't have a stomachache—I was merely disgusted by the food they'd put on my plate.

They didn't ask any more questions. Famished, they dug in without a word.

After dinner, Arnold volunteered to drive Erna back to her place, and he told me to wait for him at home.

I didn't, though. I headed straight to the airport.

When I unlocked my phone, I saw that Arnold had sent me a message, saying he'd taken the initiative to plan our marking ceremony.

Perhaps he was feeling guilty and wanted to compensate me.

"The marking ceremony will proceed smoothly this time, and I won't be called away again. Believe me," his message said.

I calmly replied, "Okay."

However, I knew that the ceremony would not proceed. No matter what he'd said, it'd be canceled again, like all the previous attempts.

When I was walking over to my boarding gate, he sent over another message. "Erna's hands are hurting again, so I'll stay and take care of her. Remember to close the door before you go to sleep."

I scoffed. See? I'd figured him out.

"Sure. You don't need to travel to and fro all the time from today onward. Just have her stay at your house; I've moved out. We'll never talk to each other again.

"Good riddance, Arnold."

After sending this message, I blocked him on everything without hesitation.

The airplane rose into the skies. Outside the window, the Black Moon Pack’s territory became further and further away from me, like past dreams scattering in the breeze.

My heart was already set on my new journey.

…

On the other end, Arnold looked at the screen of his phone, rooted on the spot.