Chapter 2

When I carried the moonlight berry pie out of the kitchen, I casually glanced at the living room.

The family of four was laughing and chatting together in a happy atmosphere.

My dad, Perry Arden, who usually claimed to be busy with pack affairs, suddenly didn't seem busy at all.

He leaned back against the fur-covered sofa. His eyes were full of affection as he patiently listened to Vivian talk about her experiences while studying in Royal City.

My mom, Gina Arden, held Vivian in her arms. She constantly patted Vivan's head while expressing how worried she was that Vivian had lost weight and suffered while living away from home.

Harlow, the captain of the pack guard, was completely focused on cracking open nuts for Vivian.

I stood there silently and watched them like an outsider.

The living room and dining room were only a few steps apart, yet they felt like two separate worlds divided by an invisible barrier.

On one side, it was warm, vibrant, and full of love. On the other, it was lifelessly silent.

"Ophelia, why are you standing there? Aren't you coming over?"

Vivian's timid, delicate voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Are you angry with me because my sudden return affected your marking ceremony?"

Only then did the three people in the living room finally notice that I was there.

Dad frowned, and his Alpha aura subtly filled the room.

"Why are you making the face for? Bring the pie over here!"

Mom looked impatient too.

"Your marking ceremony was canceled because you chose the wrong date. It's entirely your fault. How does it have anything to do with Vivian?

"Ophelia, if you're going to be angry with Vivian over something this trivial, don't call me your mom anymore!"

Vivian nestled against Mom's chest and pouted.

"Mom, Ophelia didn't mean anything by it. Don't yell at her anymore. She'll get sad."

It sounded as if she was defending me, but when I saw her eyes, they were filled with smug satisfaction.

Vivian had never been innocent.

Six months ago, I had already told her the date of my marking ceremony.

At the time, she told me that she would definitely give me an unforgettable gift.

This was certainly one.

She had been playing this game of forcing others to choose between the two of us since we were pups.

Whether it was dividing food, assigning rooms, or facing danger, I was never the one our parents or brother chose first.

I simply hadn't expected that even my mate, who had once knelt before Moon Goddess and sworn to spend his life with me, would abandon me without hesitation when faced with the same choice.

I should've been heartbroken, but perhaps my heart had already been broken too many times. The wounds had long since formed thick scars.

Despite hearing those words meant to pierce my heart, I felt nothing but calm.

"I'm not upset," I said calmly.

Everyone froze and stared at me in disbelief.

'Not upset? How could she not be upset?'

I took in every expression on their faces, and a bitter sense of irony rose inside me.

'See?'

They knew perfectly well how cruelly they had treated me, but they had done it anyway. They were completely convinced that they were right. They even turned around and blamed me for expressing my emotions.

Now that I was so calm and neither arguing nor making a scene, my parents and Harlow seemed uncomfortable instead.

The living room fell silent.

After a moment, Dad spoke.

"It's good that you're not upset. We're a family bound by blood. You shouldn't have been keeping score over things like this in the first place."

"I understand, Dad."

I nodded obediently and placed the moonlight berry pie on the table.

Seeing that I truly seemed not to care about my ruined marking ceremony, they finally relaxed and gathered around Vivian to begin eating.

Besides the moonlight berry pie I had baked myself, the long dining table was covered with all kinds of premium game meat and rare fruits carefully prepared by the maids.

Every single dish was something Vivian loved.

"Vivian, you probably couldn't get food that suited your tastes in Royal City. Eat more and make up for everything you missed."

My parents and Harlow barely stopped using their forks. Before long, Vivian's plate was fully piled with food.

She happily enjoyed being the center of everyone's attention and continued boasting about her accomplishments in Royal City.

She said her mentors had praised her for being their brightest student and that after graduation, she would surely become an outstanding healer.

My parents and Harlow listened with proud expressions. They praised her again and again.

As for me, I simply sat to one side while quietly chewing on a piece of dry, tough venison.

Perhaps because I was being far too quiet, Mom finally seemed to feel a little guilty and remembered the humiliation I had suffered that day.

She placed a slice of moonlight berry pie on my plate.

I looked up and met Mom's slightly awkward gaze.

"Eat. Stop secretly blaming us for favoring Vivian. See? I care about you too, don't I?"

I stared at that slice of moonlight berry pie for a long time. Even its scent was making my skin itch a little.

I put down my fork and knife before retrieving a napkin to wipe my mouth.

"No, thank you. I'm full."

Mom assumed that I was deliberately refusing her kindness. She immediately spoke in an angry tone.

"You ungrateful child. Why can't you appreciate my kindness?"

She was about to yell at me further when Vivian, beside her, suddenly threw up a mouthful of blood.