Chapter 3

He was willing to throw away our marriage, pretend to be the devoted mate, all for a letter of forgiveness for her.

And he even had a pup with her.

During dinner, my mother suddenly paused, her gaze lingering on the dishes before her. A heavy silence settled over the table as she wiped at her eyes, sniffling.

Joseph immediately set down his fork, concern etched on his face. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

My father sighed deeply, rubbing her back with a practiced gentleness. “This is Yolanda’s favorite dishes. It’s making her miss her.”

My mother’s lips trembled as she whispered, “That child… She made mistakes, but we raised her for over ten years. She didn’t deserve to die.”

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

Didn’t deserve to die?

And what about me? Did I deserve to be sacrificed for her? To pay the price for her caprice?

“Darling, it’s been five years,” Joseph said softly. “Yolanda was only nineteen back then. She was impulsive. She made mistakes.” His tone turned nostalgic. “She was always… intense. She thought you were trying to take everything from her.”

He exhaled slowly, as if bracing himself. “Five days from now is her death anniversary. I know you probably don’t want to go, so I’ll take Mom and Dad to visit her grave, okay?” His gaze flickered, clearly expecting me to snap.

I met his eyes calmly. “You should go.” My voice was steady, unreadable. “She lived in this house longer than I did. It’s only natural that you still have feelings for her.”

Joseph let out a quiet breath, relief barely concealed. “I knew you were kind-hearted. You’ve never been one to hold grudges against your late sister.”

My mother sniffled again, nodding. “My dear daughter, a child of our own blood will always be the most understanding…”

**Understanding?**

A sharp pain twisted in my stomach. So, they knew. They had always known I was their real daughter.

The pressure in my chest became unbearable. Pushing back my chair, I muttered, “I’m not feeling well,” and retreated to my room.

A while later, Joseph came in carrying my stomach medicine. “You shouldn’t skip meals,” he murmured, his voice gentle. Seeing that I had no intention of speaking, he didn’t push. Instead, he silently fetched warm water and, with practiced care, wiped my face himself.

If I didn’t already know the truth, I might have mistaken his concern for love.

After my biological parents found me, I had taken him out of the orphanage and brought him into the Blue Moon Pack house. He had always been my shadow, my playmate.

And later, when he found out Yolanda was his fated mate… she confessed her love to him.

He rejected her. Coldly.

Now, I finally understood why.

He never loved me. He only loved what I could give him—the title of Alpha heir to the Blue Moon Pack.

His love and his marriage had always been two separate things.

Late that night, when Joseph’s breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep, I reached for his phone on the bedside table. The password was my birthday.

His pinned contact was me, followed by my parents. I scrolled through his messages, but everything looked normal—until I switched accounts.

That was when I found it. An alternate account.

Only one name appeared in his chat list: **Yolanda.**

[Joseph, it’s been five years. How much longer do I have to keep hiding?]

[She has no proof that I colluded with the rogue wolves and kidnapped her, and now she’s disabled. She’s not a threat at all.]

[Our pup keeps crying for his daddy. Can you really bear this?]

Joseph’s response was sickeningly tender.

[My parents and I are already discussing a plan. Just be patient.]

I stared at the screen, my blood running ice-cold.

They had already brought Yolanda back. Changed her name. Given her a new life.

Just a few days ago.

They even registered a training ground in her name.

In five days, the grand opening would take place.

My hands trembled as I opened Joseph’s social media feed.

I scrolled, my breath catching in my throat.

For five years, Yolanda had been living in luxury abroad, funded by my family.

She wore a high-end, custom-made dress designed by the royal stylist of the Blue Moon Pack. The villa she lived in? One of the Blue Moon Pack’s overseas properties.

And Joseph? He had been by her side all along, using “business trips” as an excuse to fly over.

Even my own parents were in the photos, smiling like they belonged there.

At that moment, I understood.

They were the real family.

Not me.

Swallowing back the stinging tears, I took screenshots of the evidence and switched back to his main account.