Chapter 3

“Welcome home, ma’am.” The maid greeted me lightly as she helped me with my coat, slipping it off my shoulders and folding it over her forearm, “Your father’s been asking where you’ve been.”

“Really? I didn’t know he was home.” I hummed. My father, Sir Oliver, had always been out on business trips for as long as I could remember, and it honestly felt like a rarity for him to be home at all. “Alright, well… Let him know I’m going to rest for a bit and then I’ll come and see him.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The maid nodded, and I gave her a smile of acknowledgement before turning to head down the hall. After my visit to the Wolf Reproductive Center this afternoon, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit sleepy. So much had happened within these last few days, and all I wanted was to take a short nap, to briefly forget about my cheating husband and the fact that I could become a single mother soon. I placed a hand on my stomach as I made my way down the hallway to my bedroom, and-

“Bianca,” Father’s deep voice rang out from his office, stopping me in my tracks. I let out a small huff – I’d hoped he wouldn’t recognize the sound of my footsteps passing by his doors. “Come in here for a second.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, contemplating whether or not to tell him about my divorce from Mason. I knew that I had to tell him sooner or later – he definitely wouldn’t like the unexpected news, but in my defense, none of this was my fault. If he had a bone to pick, he could do so with Mason and Vera, not me.

Okay, Bianca. Just be calm and collected.

I cleared my throat quietly as I smoothed down the front of my dress, knocking on the slightly parted door gently before pushing it open with a creak.

“Father,” I greeted, bowing my head slightly as I entered the room. Father nodded in acknowledgement from where he sat at the desk before beckoning me forward, taking his glasses off and setting them down on his desk. “I didn’t realize you were home, but I’m glad you are as I have something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

I could feel my heart thrumming steadily in my chest, a little nervous under the unwavering gaze of my father. I just had to get this over with – it would be like ripping off a bandaid: a little sting at first, but then I’ll be glad I did it at all.

“And what’s that?”

“Mason and I will be getting a divorce.” I announced as calmly as I could, folding my hands in front of myself as I stood at his desk. Father always said that speaking calmly and clearly exuded confidence, and in this moment, I had to be confident. “We-”

“You don’t have an option to do that.” Father interrupted, his tone distant and icy as he picked his glasses back up, propping them up on the tip of his nose as he brought his attention back to the book he’d been reading before I came in, “Divorce? Please. Don’t bring shame upon this family. You must maintain your dignity. The Lycan Prince will be visiting soon and you will attend the social dinner at Mason’s side as his loyal wife.”

“I- What?” I blinked owlishly at Father, letting out a light scoff and resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Are you kidding me?” Mason had betrayed me by having an affair with Vera, and yet, in the name of ‘dignity’, I didn’t have the option to divorce him and I had to attend the event with him?

“Father, Vera is pregnant!” I exclaimed, “And you know, if she wants to steal my husband, I’m perfectly fine with that. Let her be with Mason! The two of them can live happily together, I don’t care-”

“You’ll cause a scandal, and I won’t allow you to destroy the family’s reputation.” Father’s eyes flickered from his book back up to me, and I found myself shutting up instantly – somehow, no matter how old I was, I always felt like a petulant child under his gaze. “I am the Werewolf President, and you are my daughter. Upholding the family’s dignity is your duty! You will care for Vera’s child, Bianca.”

Though Father spoke as if this was all for the sake of ‘dignity’, his immediate defense and lack of discipline for Vera made me realize just how unconditionally he’d favored my stepsister. I couldn’t even be surprised, as this had always been the case. I’d spent my entire life shackled to dignity, constantly striving to please him and my whole family – sacrificing everything and doing anything they expected me to. Meanwhile, Vera had grown up freely, completely unbound by any such constraints. It wasn’t fair. It simply wasn’t fair.

“If it were Vera standing in front of you accusing her husband of cheating with her sister, what would you do?”

Father remained quiet, flipping to the next page of his book nonchalantly. I felt my posture deflate slightly – I didn’t need him to say anything to know what his answer was, to know what choice he would make. It isn’t fair. My mother immediately came to mind, and I felt my eyes glaze over slightly at the memory of her – she would have supported my decision if she were still here. At this very moment, I could hear her voice telling me to stay strong, to not let anyone push me around.

“I’ll attend the dinner.” My jaw clenched as I spoke calmly once again, though my closed fists trembled slightly at my sides. I dipped my head before excusing myself quietly, not even bothering to wait for Father to acknowledge me. I’d had enough of him for one night.

A million thoughts ran through my head as I shut my bedroom door behind me, leaning back against it and letting out a breath. My chin trembled as tears of rage prickled at my eyes. I didn’t want this life – I couldn’t just be a passive puppet for the rest of my life, letting Father and Mason and even Vera tug at my strings whenever they wanted. Was this just how the rest of my life was going to be like? Could I really live this way?

It was at this moment that I realized what I had to do, my eyes opening suddenly as a lightbulb appeared above my head. “Yes.” I whispered to myself. I quickly rushed over to my desk, fumbling for a notepad and a pen.

On the night of the event, with all the media present, I would expose Mason’s affair with Vera and reveal to the world that my step-sister was pregnant with her brother-in-law’s pup. I’d tear away the false veil of dignity covering this family and then use the public’s opinion to force Mason into signing those divorce papers – there was no way the people would want me to stay and take care of the child of my husband and my step-sister.

I couldn’t stop the smile growing on my face as I scribbled my plan down: I would finally be free of their puppet strings.

***

The evening of the Banquet…

Two lines.

“Two lines?” I blinked down at the pregnancy test in my hand, my eyelashes fluttering slightly in disbelief.

For the last couple of days, it’d felt like I was out of tune with my body. My limbs had been weirdly sore, I was sleepy all the time, and this morning I’d even felt a little bit nauseous after breakfast. All this time, I’d thought the insemination hadn’t worked, but…

“Two… lines.” I whispered to myself, placing a hand flat over my stomach. Pregnant. I was pregnant. Almost instantly, I felt a swelling of joy inside of me, the apples of my cheeks rising as I beamed down at the pregnancy test. I was pregnant – after all these years of wanting and waiting, I was finally pregnant. My dream was going to come true, and I was going to become a mother.

“Bianca!” I jumped at the sound of four firm knocks on the door followed by Mason’s gruff voice, “What the hell’s taking you so long?!”

“Oh, relax!” I snapped, turning to glance at the door, “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Well, hurry up! The Lycan Prince will be arriving soon.”