CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

Ember woke to the sharp scent of disinfectant.

A hospital.

Before she could process anything else, a familiar face rushed into her view.

“Ember!” Pearl cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as she grabbed her hand. “You scared me to death. I thought you wouldn’t wake up.”

Ember blinked slowly, her head throbbing as if it were splitting apart. She scanned the room, the beeping machines confirming what she already knew.

“That bastard Alpha,” Pearl snapped, anger blazing through her tears. “How dare he treat you like that? And your father God, I wish I could kill him.”

Pearl paced beside the bed, fists clenched.

“You’ve never known injustice your entire life, but ever since you married him, it’s been nothing but humiliation. Over and over again.”

Ember tightened her grip on Pearl’s hand and managed a faint, bitter smile.

“I’m fine,” she said softly.

Then, after a pause, “At least this taught me something. I have no one but myself… and you. I don’t care about them anymore. If I never see any of them again, it’ll  be  perfect.”

Pearl’s chest ached as she looked at her best friend.

Who didn’t know Ember Valen?

The wild, untamed girl—fearless, radiant, always smiling.

But now, there was no light in Ember’s eyes. Only emptiness.

Pearl felt rage coil tighter in her chest.

All of this was that man’s fault.

“Who saved me?” Ember asked quietly. The last thing she remembered was the water closing in, her strength slipping away.

Pearl wiped her tears, her expression hardening.

“If Ryker weren’t an Alpha,” she muttered, “I would’ve scratched his face to shreds.”

Ember believed her.

But Ryker was an Alpha—and Pearl’s father was the pack’s Beta. That alone restrained her fury.

“It was that freaking Alpha,” Pearl said coldly. “Linda disappeared, and the whole internet went crazy. I got worried and rushed to the party venue. When I found you… you were unconscious on the ground, soaked, freezing.”

Her voice shook.

“I begged him to let me take you to the hospital. I cried. I pleaded. But he just stood there, watching you burn with fever like you meant nothing. Your family didn’t say a word. Not one.”

Ember’s fingers slowly curled into the bedsheet.

“It was only after he got a message saying Linda had been found that he finally allowed it. Turns out she was just throwing a tantrum because he left her to be with you at the party.”

Silence filled the room.

Ember’s heart went numb.

So she had nearly died…

All because his precious childhood sweetheart had gone missing.

Just how cold could one man be?

“Pearly,” Ember said calmly, her voice stripped of emotion, “buy me a plane ticket.”

Pearl froze.

“You want to travel?”

“I’m not staying here to die,” Ember replied quietly. Today was the day she would collect her divorce papers. Today was the day she would leave Ryker Hale for good.

“I’ve always repaid every injustice done to me,” she continued. “And Ryker Hale will get his. The first thing I’ll do is divorce him. I want nothing to do with that bastard ever again.”

Pearl’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Say no more. I’ll book two tickets.”

Two tickets?

Ember exhaled slowly.

Having Pearl with her wouldn’t be bad. Who knew what Ryker might do if he didn’t find her?

Pearl left to prepare their luggage.

Ignoring the nurses’ protests, Ember discharged herself and went straight to court. When the divorce papers were finally in her hands, she returned home.

She packed everything that belonged to her—every dress, every accessory, every trace of herself. She gathered every photo they had taken together and burned them until nothing remained but ashes.

Before leaving, she placed the divorce papers neatly on the living room table.

As she dragged her luggage toward the door, her gaze caught on their wedding photo.

In it, she was smiling brightly, her arm slung carelessly over his shoulder. Ryker had one hand around her waist to steady her, his face expressionless as if the moment meant nothing to him.

How ironic.

He had married a woman he didn’t love… just to protect another.

Without hesitation, Ember lifted the frame and threw it to the ground.

Crash.

Glass shattered, scattering across the floor like fragments of her heart. The noise drew the maids and guards running in panic. One look at Ember—standing alone, luggage at her side—told them everything.

They tried to stop her.

She didn’t listen.

At the gate, Pearl waited in the car.

Ember paused, glancing back at the villa that had once felt like home. She felt no sorrow. No regret.

Only emptiness.

Turning to see Pearl waving excitedly, Ember got into the car and slammed the door shut.

Ryker Hale, in this life, let us never meet again

At the same time Ember's car drove to the airport Ryker’s car stopped in front of the hospital.

He stepped out holding flowers and a transparent box filled with money.

Last night, he had misunderstood Ember again, believing she had kidnapped Linda. That was why, when he saw her struggling in the water, he had watched coldly from the beginning.

This time, he brought gifts. Surely Ember would forgive him.

But when he reached her room, the nurses informed him that the patient had discharged herself and gone home not long ago.

Ryker walked back to his car, a strange unease tugging at his heart.

Just then, the housekeeper called him.

A panicked voice came through the phone.

“Mr. Hale! Something terrible has happened! Mrs. Hale—Mrs. Hale left the villa after overturning everything!”

Ryker listened calmly, his brows not even twitching.

“It’s fine. Let her go. She’s angry. After her anger subsides, she’ll come back.”

He hung up and drove to a jewelry shop.

Ember was angry he needed to buy her a new, expensive piece of jewelry. She had always loved jewels. She would definitely like it.

A second call came in. It was the director of a top auction house, his tone respectful yet nervous.

“Mr. Ryker, sorry to disturb you. Ms. Valen has commissioned us to publicly auction all the jewelry, accessories, and luxury bags you gifted her. The amount involved is enormous, so we wanted to confirm with you.”

Ryker’s expression remained unchanged.

“Let her do as she pleases.”

He hung up and signaled for the jewelry to be wrappedto be wrapped.

If she didn’t want those, he’d buy her more.

A third call rang.

“Ryker! Are you insane?” a friend shouted. “How did you let a woman like Ember go? If you don’t want her, I’m stepping in.”

Ryker frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t checked I*******m?”

Ryker opened the app.

The first post was Ember’s.

Two photos.

One an open divorce certificate.

The other a selfie of Ember and Pearl at the airport lounge, sunglasses on, red lips smiling, a flight board glowing behind them.

The caption read:

Finally free from a toxic marriage.

Happy single life to me.

Wanna be my new boyfriend? Get in line and sign up.

The comments exploded beneath it rich heirs, celebrities, powerful men desperately fighting to be first.

For the first time…

Ryker Hale’s expression cracked.