Two

Everest

“I’ll compensate you.”

Those words kept ringing in my ears as I picked my clothes. My whole body ached, but i could only think of a way to escape before I got caught. Meanwhile the man who put my mind in a state of peril was sleeping so soundly. He slept like he had no worries at all.

I moved closer to take a look at his face, and I couldn’t help admiring his beauty. He looked like he was freshly out of a painting.

As much as I would like to hate him for taking advantage of me, I couldn’t.

I couldn’t hate him because while he was at it, he explained to me that he was drugged. How do I blame him when he isn’t even at fault? He kept saying that he would compensate me, but who was I to think I’d get compensated. Besides, how does he plan to compensate me for ripping me off the only thing that was truly mine?

My honor.

My honor was the only thing that belonged to me. Everything else belonged to my step-mother including my life. She thinks that she owns my life because she raised me despite being the result of her husband’s infidelity.

I took one last look at the handsome devil lying on the bed as I rushed out of the room. I hopped into the elevator with my clothes in hand. I put them on hurriedly, praying that no one sees me here for I don't know how to explain spending the night here.

With my clothes in hand, I hurried out and got dressed in the elevator.

Life for me was hard enough, I wouldn’t want to complicate things by ruining Elena’s work.

Covering myself with the ripped dress, I hurried out of the hotel, hailed a cab and hurried home. It was the early hour of the morning, so I rushed to my room to get dressed and prepare for work.

I was lucky that I didn’t run into my stepmother or Elena. I did my chores for the day and prepared breakfast. I was leaving for work when I heard footsteps coming from the stairs. I looked back to see my stepmother, she frowned as soon as she saw me.

“Good morning, Mom,” I muttered, and moved to leave.

She murmured her response as she looked at me from my head down. “What time did you arrive home yesterday?”

“I…uh….”

“I hope you didn’t ruin my job, Everest?” Elena asked as she strolled down the stairs.

I shook my head and waved my hand, wearing my best smile. “Of course I didn’t.”

She studied me for a while before waving me off. “Alright, you may go.”

Though I'm a year older than Elena, She gets to order me around and I can do nothing about it. The last time I tried standing up for myself against Elena, my stepmother beat me up so badly. She starved and made me sleep outside for one week. She also didn’t forget to remind me of how superior Elena was to me.

As the legitimate child, Elena was superior to me in every way, according to my stepmother. And to keep a roof over my head, I had to endure.

My only wish was to find my mate and get married to him, then move to live forever after with him. However, that dream would end up unfulfilled since I don’t have a wolf. I mean who would want to be with a wolfless orphan like myself?

“Goodbye mother, bye Elena,” I smiled as I walked out of the door.

Even though my life is hell, I can't help smiling as it helps me feel light.

I resumed work as usual, dragging my tired body to carry out my daily activities.

My whole body ached, but I couldn’t afford to lag.

After the day's work, I was filled with glee when it was time to go home. I rounded up for the day and left for the house to finally get the rest that I crave.

However, I was met by an enraged Elena.

“Here comes the thief!” she yelled as I stepped in.

I looked behind me for the person she just referred to as a thief, but there was no one. It was just me.

Did Elena just call me a thief? Why would she say that?

“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused as to why she was so angry.

“You were supposed to work, not steal!” she yelled. “Why did you do that?”

“Answer her!” my stepmother dealt a slap to my face before snatching my bag.

I didn’t understand what they were talking about. I didn’t steal anything at the hotel, instead it could be said that I lost my most precious possession.

“What did she steal?” my stepmother asked as she searched my bag.

She didn't even know what it was, yet she snatched my bag to search.

"I don't know," Elena slapped her hands against each other.

"Then how did you know that she stole something?" My stepmother closed my bag and handed it back to me.

"Well...."

I bent down to pick my stuff that was scattered on the floor and I could hardly hear what she was saying. However, I managed to make out the part where she said that a very important customer claimed that he lost something important, and according to the description he gave, she knew that it was me, but she said nothing and pretended not to know me because she couldn’t afford to lose her job.

Really?

Did he lose something important or did he take mine?