Chapter 1

In the hotel lobby, Alexander Sterling walked in with Clara Hayes on his arm.

A sharply tailored suit accentuated his tall frame, every move radiating the easy confidence of a powerful Alpha.

The crowd quickly recognized him and swarmed over, practically glowing with eager smiles.

"Alpha Sterling, so great to see you at the pack business summit! Taking your company public in just three years is amazing!"

"Are you here today to meet that royal investor too?"

Alex gave a subtle nod, and everyone got the message instantly. After all, most of the people there were aiming for that exact same investor.

Someone turned toward Clara, buttering her up with a flattering smile:

"And this must be your future Luna? You two look like a match made in heaven!"

Clara immediately leaned closer to Alex, beaming with a soft smile:

"We’re not officially married yet. We’ll hold the mating ceremony right after the company goes public. We hope you’ll all come celebrate with us."

Alex’s expression stiffened for a fraction of a second before forcing a tight, unnatural smile:

"We’ve both been swamped with pack affairs. We’ve been locked in since day one anyway, so a formal ceremony can wait."

The crowd showered them with congratulations all over again.

I was genuinely surprised. They were still not married?

Five years ago, right after we broke up, he turned around and proposed to Clara, announcing their high-profile engagement just days later. They were childhood sweethearts for years; by all logic, he should have made her his Luna long ago. How could pack business keep delaying it until now?

Just then, a waiter marched up to me, his face cold as stone.

"Ma'am, this is a five-star resort hotel. Not just anyone can wander in here."

He scanned me up and down, making no effort to hide his utter disgust.

"Digging through the trash is strictly forbidden. Please leave at once."

I had just finished a training session with my son, so I was covered in mud with mess in my hair. I definitely didn't look the part of a hotel guest.

I quickly tried to explain, "I'm sorry, my son's thing was accidentally knocked into the dumpster. I'll head back to my room the second I find it, and I'll clean up whatever mess I made..."

The waiter cut me off, completely out of patience. "Someone dressed like you couldn't possibly be staying here. Get out now, or I'm calling security."

He didn't lower his voice, quickly drawing eyes from the crowd around us.

Right then, Alex casually glanced over his shoulder.

Our eyes locked, and he visibly froze. "Mia?"

The waiter looked at him, caught off guard. " Alpha Sterling, you know her?"

Alex quickly pulled himself together, his tone dropping to deadpan indifference. "Not really."

With that, he looked away like glancing at me was beneath him—the exact same way he looked at me back then when he sneered and accused me of scamming him for cash.

Seeing his reaction, the waiter stepped up and shoved me:

"I know your type—sneaking in here acting like a beggar to score a handout. Get lost!"

I side-stepped his hand, snapping back with an edge in my voice:

"I told you, I'm leaving as soon as I get it back. Any damage I cause, I'll pay for."

He let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Pay? You?" He pointed at the dumpster right beside him. "Do you even know what this is? It's a custom imported trash bin worth a hundred grand! You think you can afford that?"

"Stop talking big. A broke loser like you can't even fathom what things cost in a place like this!"

He reached out again to grab me.

"Enough."

Alex, who was already at the elevators, turned around. He walked over with a blank face, his eyes icy and detached.

"What are you looking for? Name a price, and I'll pay you out in cash."

"Stop pulling these pathetic stunts just to get my attention. I feel nothing for you."

Clara instantly tightened her grip on his arm, flashing me a sweet, gentle smile:

"Mia, Alex and I are getting married soon. I know you were bitter about how things ended, but you can't force love. Try to keep a little dignity, okay?"

I offered a polite, faint smile and said with total sincerity:

"I wish you two a lifetime of bliss."

I didn't waste another second on them, dropping back down to search for my son's crystal.

"Mia, don't be like this. Are you really still holding a grudge just because I couldn't lend you that grand back then?"

Alex pulled out his phone, his thumb tapping quickly across the screen.

"Look, I'll transfer two hundred thousand dollars to your account right now. Take it, get yourself cleaned up, and find a decent place to live. Consider it my way of making things right."

All of a sudden, his fingers stopped dead.

"Your bank account is frozen... You actually ended up as a deadbeat?"