Part 04.

Dante pulled Violetta into his arms, pleading with Mr. Laurent to forgive his daughter.

"Sir, please let Violetta explain what really happened." Dante pleaded, his eyes fixed on Violetta's tear-streaked face.

Violetta slowly shook her head. "There's nothing to explain, Dante. It's all true. I'm tainted. I'm no longer worthy of being a daughter of the Laurent family." She sobbed.

The corners of Seraphina's lips curled into a smug smile.

"Dante, you heard her yourself, didn't you? Violetta has admitted her mistake!" she snapped, clearly pleased with herself.

Seraphina then turned and approached Mr. Laurent. "Father, Violetta has disgraced the Laurent family. Why don't you let her take my place and marry into the Veyron family?"

Dante froze in shock.

"Marry?" he murmured in disbelief.

Mr. Laurent nodded in agreement. After all, Violetta had already tarnished the Laurent family's reputation. Getting rid of her would be the best solution.

"Sir, what are you saying? You want to marry your daughter off to the Veyron family's heir? Don't you know how cruel Young Master Lucian is?" Dante protested.

Mr. Laurent remained unmoved. He knew exactly what Lucian was like. But to him, power mattered more than anything else. If the Laurent family could form an alliance with the Veyrons, they would gain a powerful family to protect them.

"My decision is final. Violetta will take Seraphina's place and marry Young Master Lucian Veyron." Mr. Laurent declared firmly.

Violetta's eyes widened. She looked up at him in desperation.

"Father... please forgive me. I'm only a recessive Omega. The Veyron family will never accept me."

Mr. Laurent rose from his seat and walked away, completely ignoring Violetta's sobs. Dante hurried after him, hoping he could somehow make the older man reconsider.

One by one, the members of the Laurent family left the hall. Soon, only Violetta and Seraphina remained.

Seraphina clapped her hands dramatically before crouching down in front of Violetta. "Well? Wasn't that quite a performance? You're leaving the Laurent mansion, and I'll become the only daughter and heir to the Laurent family's fortune!" Seraphina laughed maliciously.

"Seraphina, have you thought this through? If Young Master Lucian finds out that I'm not you, he'll feel deceived and destroy the Laurent family!"

"Why should I care about that, hm? Before Lucian even comes looking for me, he might kill you first! Especially when he finds out that you're nothing more than a useless recessive Omega!"

Violetta clenched her fists tightly, desperately trying to keep her emotions under control.

As night fell, Violetta could barely think straight. She decided to escape from the Laurent mansion before the Veyron family came to take her away.

"I have to leave as soon as possible. Only an idiot would willingly stay here and wait to die at the hands of the Veyron family."

Violetta grabbed her backpack and stuffed a few changes of clothes inside. She was ready to leave the Laurent mansion.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

Violetta startled at the sound of knocking. Who could possibly be coming to her room this late at night? she wondered.

She cautiously opened the door.

"Violetta, it's me," Dante whispered from outside.

Violetta breathed a sigh of relief. She opened the door wider and let Dante inside.

"Why did you come to my room?"

"Violetta, where are you going? Why are you packing all your clothes?" Dante asked worriedly, staring at her distraught expression.

"I want to run away. I don't want to marry Lucian. I still want to live, Dante." She forced a smile.

Dante fell silent, his heart aching. "Can I ask you something?" He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled something out. It was a piece of women's underwear that Lucian had given him. "Is this yours?"

Violetta's eyes widened. Her face turned bright red. She immediately snatched the garment from Dante's hand.

"Dante! Where did you get this? Oh God! This is so embarrassing."

Instead of answering, Dante stared at her in shock, his expression filled with sorrow.

So it's true? ... Dante's thoughts raced.

"Violetta, who touched you that night?" Dante asked.

"Huh?" Violetta slowly shook her head.

"I don't know. The room was completely dark. All I know is that he was an Alpha. His pheromones were so strong that I couldn't fight back. Anyway, forget it. I don't want to remember any of it." Violetta frowned in frustration.

Dante swallowed hard. Now everything made sense. The girl Lucian had been searching for was Violetta.

If Dante told them the truth, Lucian would take Violetta away and marry her. And Dante would lose Violetta forever.

No. He couldn't let that happen. Violetta was his first love. No matter what it took, Dante had to keep her away from Lucian.

"Violetta, I'll help you escape from this mansion."

Violetta's face lit up. "Dante? Are you serious?"

"Hm. Of course."

"Dante, thank you!" Violetta instinctively threw her arms around him.

Dante secretly smiled, his heart pounding wildly. This was exactly what he wanted—to protect Violetta and make her depend on him.