Chapter 4 Mrs. Everett

Aeris' POV

"Aeris, are you alright?" Blake's worried gaze lingered on me.

I tugged at the corner of my lips and forced a smile, wondering what I should do.

"How's my dad now?" I asked.

"He made it through, but he's still under observation. His condition is relatively stable for now, as long as he gets through tonight," Blake informed.

He sighed, reaching out to pat my shoulder.

"I know how hard this is for you…" His voice faded toward the end, and he was unable to say anything more.

I knew he was concerned about me, but words meant nothing in the face of life and death.

I closed my eyes briefly and thanked him again, "Thank you, Blake. Without you, I wouldn't have made it this far. Also, did anyone visit my dad today?"

Dad had been stable for a long time after countless resuscitations. Why had his condition suddenly worsened?

Blake paused for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe he was agitated somehow. You can check the visitor log."

When I went to the visitor desk, the nurse glanced down at the records and shook her head. "Sorry. No one visited Mr. Brown today."

"Oh, by the way," she said, looking up at me, "has Mr. Brown's bill been paid? The healer was asking earlier."

Embarrassment coursed through me, causing my cheeks to flush. The humiliation of being unable to pay the bills gnawed at me. Caius had hung up on me, and my balance barely covered a tenth of what was owed.

"I'll pay it soon… Thank you."

I hurried out of the hospital, not daring to look back.

…

When I rushed back to the altar, it was empty. I had no choice but to call Caius again. After a long wait, he finally answered.

"Where are you? I'm at the altar entrance," I asked anxiously.

"I'm at the pack house, handling the pack affairs," Caius replied.

"I urgently need money to settle the hospital bill. Could you please come now to have our mate bond severed? The sooner the better."

I had no other option but to beg again. The bill had to be paid quickly, or the hospital might stop treatment at any time.

Caius sneered indifferently. I heard papers rustling as he turned the pages of some document.

"Aeris, do you really think you're more important than the affairs of the Darkclaw pack?"

"I can wait until you're done. Please, Caius. You know the situation. My dad is—"

"If he dies, I'll hold a grand funeral for him."

He hung up on me again. I took a deep breath and called back, but it went straight to voicemail.

I stood stiffly at the street corner as helplessness and despair overwhelmed me. Tears blurred my vision. My chest hurt so badly that I could barely breathe. I clutched it tightly and sank to my knees, trying to ease the pain.

Rain fell again. But this time, it was a fine drizzle that wet my lashes slightly.

I regretted everything.

Back when Blake and I studied under the same teacher to become healers, I had been our teacher's favorite student. But then I got pregnant, so I had no choice but to give up my studies and mate with Caius in haste.

Soon after, Dad was gravely injured in a battle against the Rogue pack. Then came the crushing debts.

Caius, who once loved me, started shunning me after Freya's return. He acted as if those past memories between us had never happened. Treating me with contempt and indifference, he forced me toward severing our mate bond. I had refused and bore the burden of Dad's medical costs alone.

But now I had nothing left. All the money I had was 2,000 dollars.

Suddenly, a glitter on my hand caught my eye. I lowered my head and saw that it was my diamond ring. This was the only valuable thing I owned right now.

Thinking of Dad's condition, I made up my mind. Wiping the rain and tears from my face, I stepped into the jewelry store nearby.

The saleswoman eyed me for a moment. She looked at me as if she were staring at a beggar who had wandered in.

"Hello, miss. How can I help you?" She smiled, but her eyes swept me up and down with disdain.

I forced myself to ignore it and asked, "I want to sell this ring."

"Miss, we'll need to authenticate it first. Results usually come by tomorrow."

I licked my dry lips, my anxiety prickling at the thought of the hospital bill. "Could you rush the process? I need the money urgently."

"I'll try. I'll ask the manager."

She reached for the ring I had set on the counter. But before she could touch it, another pale hand darted out and snatched it away.

"It looks lovely. I'll buy it."

As I looked up, my eyes widened in shock, and my pupils constricted.

It was Freya.

I had to admit that she was beautiful. In fact, she was so much more dazzling than I ever was.

Cascading blonde waves framed her face, and her pale blue eyes gleamed. She wore a pale gold silk dress, which looked smooth and flowy. It hung just above her knees. She topped her outfit with a white shawl. A pair of oversized pearl earrings and a matching necklace adorned her ears and neck.

I had seen that very set on a magazine cover once. It cost 80 million dollars.

In contrast, I was gaunt and had a head of messy hair. At the moment, I was unable to even scrape together even 200,000 dollars for Dad's treatment.

The saleswoman's demeanor shifted instantly upon seeing Freya. Gone was the disdain. Instead, her face lit up in a smile, and she even nodded slightly.

"Long time no see, Mrs. Everett. Why isn't Mr. Everett here with you today?"

My entire body stiffened upon hearing this.

Mrs. Everett? If she was Mrs. Everett, then who was I?