I'D SAY I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN...

SCARLETT

Mom was introducing me to the 100th man in her life today and I wasn't even joking. If my memories were correct, then during the time I lived with Mom, she had changed men more than she had changed her hairstyle.

It was something I had grown used to. It was shameful and painful to watch my mom go around from one wealthy and powerful male to another. She didn't care and there was no on or off switch about who she seduced, as long as their pockets were loaded.

My cheeks stung as I remembered the slap and public embarrassment I'd suffered on high school prom day. It was from a friend because apparently, the man mom had gone on a month-long vacation with was her dad. And this was a friend who had confided in me that her happy family was falling apart because her dad cheating.

It was the end of one of the most genuine friendships I've ever had.

That night was also the last night I saw Mom. I couldn't handle her behavior anymore and I did that one thing I've always wanted to do. Our relationship has never been the ideal one, she has neglected me to go around frolicking with men for as long as I could remember but because I was young and she was my only family and I needed her, I couldn't walk away.

But that was the straw that broke the camel's back. We had an argument and she wasn't even ashamed, she told me blatantly that he was the one who moved to her first. And that was it. I was done. I packed my belongings and left.

I didn't have a plan when I moved out but from Mom's scarce pleas over the next couple of weeks, I knew I was never going to move back home, that I'd rather work multiple jobs and take out student loans to see myself through school and that was what I did.

It wasn't easy but I did it and over time, Mom seemed to realize that I was never going to move in with her again and she settled for the bits and pieces she could get; a curt thank you to her wishes during my birthdays and any festival and a once in a month video call. She still deposited money into my old bank account but I never used it.

That was our lives until two mornings ago when she broke the rules and called me. I wasn't even sure what propelled me to pick up but I did and nothing prepared me for the glee and absolute happiness in her voice.

I've known her for 25 years but she had never sounded that genuinely happy.

She told me she was now engaged to someone, that they were getting married soon, and because her new man was so invested in the relationship, he wanted to meet me.

She was even in my city when we've not been in the same city since I moved away 7 years ago.

She wanted me to come over for a family dinner to meet her man's family but I turned her down immediately. I had no interest in getting involved in Mom's messy relationships. She insisted and pleaded but my mind was already made up.

I will not be attending the dinner.

Yet here, I was, drenched to the bones and dripping ocean as I rang the bell to the address mom sent.

Eventually, her pleas and insistence won and after my evening shift, I changed into a dress worthy of a dinner and entered the same bus to the address that I was given. I knew it was a high-class area from the name but nothing prepared me for the glamor and wealth that the residential area screamed and I needed no one to tell me the type of wealthy people that lived there.

Just like nothing prepared me for the heavy downpour that suddenly started. There was no place to hide, no shed to take cover so I arrived at the mansion, drenched to my core.

The maids were weary of who I could be but soon enough, Mom was alerted of my presence and when she finally arrived at the patio, dressed in a black gown that screamed expensively, I realized that I was seeing her for the first time in seven years.

And I also realized that despite everything, I had missed her terribly.

"Oh my, Scarlett, how did you manage to get this drenched?"

First time I saw my mom in seven years and of course, this is what I got.

"It's raining," I managed tightly as if that wasn't obvious enough.

"Ohh," her eyes briefly swept over my entire frame and I saw the disapproval flash in them. I was used to that so I wasn't really surprised but it did make me feel like a failure. I had no tangible life since I left home seven years ago.

I'd barely managed to pay off my student loans and the store I took out a huge loan to start was torn down because a wealthy businessman wanted to erect a building where my store was located. My life was upended overnight and I was thrown into a life of debts with no means of paying them.

"Follow me," Mom said after giving me a huge duvet and I wrapped it around my body, "let's get you changed before it's time for dinner."

And with that, she led me into the most beautiful and extravagant house I've ever seen. Despite myself, I couldn't help but notice the sheer beauty that was in the house. I tried not to stare but that was impossible with the impeccable white walls, the sitting room that was almost a family house, the huge chandeliers, the chairs, the artwork, the decors, the... down to the air, everything felt wealthy.

And it made me wonder what kind of man mom was getting married to again.

"Come in," she beckoned to me as she pushed open a door and she stepped inside. I followed her.

"This is my room," she told me casually even though there was nothing casual about the room. It was almost times three of my entire apartment.

"Here," she pushed me towards a door, "that's the bathroom, have a hot bath while I bring our clothes for you."

Minutes later, I was looking at my reflection in the mirror and dressed in one of the most scandalous gowns ever.

Okay, maybe I was exaggerating because of my conservative self but this wasn't a gown I could wear, not with how it left my cleavage wide open and the slit was high enough to expose my thighs.

"I can't wear this, Mom," I told her as a matter of fact and I wasn't going to wear it.

She rolled her eyes so dramatically that I saw them roll to the back of her skull.

"Of course, you're going to wear it. You're not 18 anymore, Scarlett, it's time you find your style and allow your appeal to show. You're a lady for goodness sake, you should act like one."

I bite down on my lower lip, anger coursing through my veins. I wasn't 18 anymore so I shouldn't be having this reaction to Mom's words. I hadn't even seen her in years so I should have outgrown her by now but her words were like a sharp knife, reopening old wounds.

"If that's it, I should just take my leave," I started to pick up my bag, "I don't even know why I'm here. It's not like you need my permission to marry this man and we've survived the past 7 years without each other."

"Oh no," she jumped to her feet from the luxurious bed she had been sitting on, "I'm sorry Scarlett, you know I mean no harm, I'm just... I just want the best for you. Just sit through this dinner and we'd catch up on a lot of things," she squeezed my bare arms reassuring, "I know I've not been the best mom but allow me to make this right, hmm, just sit through the dinner."

Mom won eventually. Maybe because I was too tired to drag the argument out and I just wanted the night to be over so I agreed. I was just going to sit through the dinner and walk away without ever looking back.

"You look just like your mom," Mom's fiance, an old man with the aura of an Alpha and the sharp agility of a powerful male pulled me into a brief hug that felt like home, "I'm so happy to finally meet you, Anna has told me quite a lot about you."

I smiled wildly, not knowing what exactly to say. Mom hadn't told me anything about him but his face looked oddly familiar, as if I'd seen him before.

"Scarlett, meet my husband-to-be, Alpha Vaughn of the Night Shadow Pack, and..."

The words blurred out as the "Alpha Vaughn of the Night Shadow Pack" kept ringing in my head repeatedly. He was no mere Alpha, he was one of the most powerful Alphas in the city and his pack, the strongest and most formidable.

I know we were now living in a modern world and the pack structure was now archaic but still...

My thoughts took a sudden turn as my mind reminded me of what it should have immediately when I heard Vaughn. His sons... One of them was the reason why I was in this hellhole.

Was the reason why my store was dismantled because he wanted to build a shopping mall in the space my store used to be.

Was the reason why my dreams were shattered and my life was now shrouded in debts that I'd take forever to repay.

I suddenly started to hyperventilate as I heard and felt a strong male presence walking towards the dining room and without turning, I knew the man that had doomed me to hell was among the newcomers.