Chapter 2

Jason sent me a message saying something urgent had come up and he wouldn't be able to come home to keep me company.

He told me to make sure I ate properly.

I didn't reply.

That afternoon, I went shopping on Fifth Avenue for a new suitcase.

The moment I stepped into a luxury boutique, I spotted Jason sitting on a sofa. The little girl was standing beside his knees.

She noticed me first and tugged at Jason's sleeve.

"That's the lady from the hospital today."

Jason turned around. The smile on his face froze.

He looked flustered and quickly pulled the little girl behind him.

"Chloe? What are you doing here?"

Just then, a sweet voice called out.

"Darling, I can't zip up the back of my dress. Could you help me?"

I turned toward the voice.

Jason's tall frame stiffened instantly.

A second later, his childhood friend noticed me. Her body visibly trembled, and she hurriedly changed her words.

"Excuse me, is there a sales assistant around? Could someone help me with my zipper?"

A sales assistant started walking over.

At that moment, the little girl blinked her big eyes and tugged at Jason's sleeve.

"Daddy, why aren't you helping Mommy?"

The moment those words left her mouth, the air around us seemed to freeze.

Jason couldn't bring himself to look at me. He quickly bent down and said sternly, "Lily, how many times have I told you? You have to call me Uncle!"

Lily pouted unhappily and pointed at me.

"Whenever that lady is around, Daddy always starts acting weird!"

I watched him calmly.

Lily seemed ready to say more, but Jason immediately covered her mouth with his hand.

He nervously reached for mine.

"She's just a child. She doesn't know any better. Don't take it personally, Chloe. Please, let me explain..."

"Lily is actually Vivian's daughter. Vivian is the friend I told you about before."

"Her husband passed away, and I felt sorry for her and the little girl. That's why I've been helping them. Lily just mistook me for her father."

I replied indifferently, "I see."

Seeing that I wasn't angry, Jason visibly relaxed.

"I just wanted to bring them into the human world today and buy them a few decent outfits."

I nodded and didn't ask anything else.

Vivian came out and avoided my eyes, pulling Lily into her arms.

"Come on, Lily. Let's go get some strawberry cake."

"Isn't Daddy coming with us?"

Vivian hurriedly glanced at me before pulling Lily away even faster.

"Wait."

My calm voice stopped them.

Both Vivian and Jason froze.

I stepped forward and took off my necklace.

"Would you like a present? You can have this."

The little girl hadn't liked me much before, but curiosity got the better of her.

She took the necklace and stared at it in surprise.

"A bullet?"

"That's right."

I gently patted her head.

"Years ago, there was a rebellion in the Pack. Jason was being hunted down, and I took a bullet for him."

"Wow! You're so brave, Auntie!"

Hearing me mention what had happened back then, Jason frowned. Something stirred faintly in his heart.

He finally couldn't hold back and spoke, trying to sound calm.

"Chloe, that bullet means a lot to both of us. Are you really going to give it to a child?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I turned to Lily.

"Do you like it?"

Lily giggled. "I love it!"

I looked up at Jason and replied calmly.

"As long as she likes it."

After all, that bullet no longer meant anything to me.

Once Vivian and Lily had left, Jason finally couldn't contain himself. He strode over and pulled me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Chloe."

His voice carried a trace of suppressed guilt.

"I've put you through so much."

Jason kissed the top of my head affectionately.

"I swear, today, I'm all yours."

His promises were worthless.

Before his embrace had even ended, his phone had already rung three times.

Jason's body stiffened.

I gently pushed him away and watched him hurriedly pick up his phone and decline the call.

Then he turned back to me with another apologetic smile.

"Darling, I..."

The shrill ringtone sounded again.

"Answer it," I said.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally picked up.

He deliberately turned his back to me and moved two yards away.

Vivian must have raised her voice, because I could still hear their conversation.

"Jason, I'm at the cake shop. I'm feeling really dizzy. Could you come over and check on me?"

Lily's crying came through the phone in broken bursts.

"What happened? Don't move around. I'm coming right now!"

His urgency was impossible to hide. Even the hand holding his phone seemed to tremble.

This time, he completely forgot about me.

He turned and rushed straight toward Vivian.

I hadn't intended to wait for him anyway.

I calmly watched him leave.

There were only three days left before I left New York.