Ivy

"Alex... help… please…" I tried to whisper, but no sound came out. I saw them, Alexander had his arms wrapped around Sophia, who was clutching him like her life depended on it. She was pressed against his chest, her face buried in his neck, and she wasn't letting go. "Don't look at her," Sophia whispered loudly. "You'll only make yourself sick with guilt. This isn't your fault. She did this to herself by being dramatic." That's when I heard the scream. "Oh my God! Mrs. Sterling!" Rosa, one of our housemaids, came rushing into the dining room. "Mrs. Sterling, what happened to you?" Rosa dropped to her knees beside me, her hands fluttering over my body like she didn't know where to start. "You're bleeding! There's so much blood everywhere!” I was bleeding? I couldn't feel anything below my waist anymore, but when I managed to glance down, I saw the dark stain spreading across my dress. "Mr. Alexander!" Rosa shouted, her voice cracking with an anger I’ve never seen in her before. She looked ready to commit murder. Did I look that bad? “Your wife is dying! How can you do this to her? How can you stand there holding another woman while your wife bleeds to death on the floor?!" Rosa snarled. "Rosa, lower your voice," Alexander snapped, but I could hear something different in his tone. Uncertainty. "Take Ivy to the hospital and stop making a scene, or you'll be looking for another job." Rosa shot back, tears streaming down her face. "¡Sos un bueno para nada! What kind of man are you?" I was going to die. Right here on my dining room floor, wearing my mother's blood-stained dress while my husband comforted another woman.

PAG-IBIG Animo'y naubusan ng dugo sa putla si Mia nang ipakilala ng mag-asawang Fuchs si Phineas. Ang estrangherong kaniyang sinuntok at tinadyakan thirty minutes ago sa loob ng airport. Hindi naging maganda ang nagdaang araw ni Mia sa mansiyon simula nang dumating si Phineas. Inis na inis siya sa ginawa nitong pagkuha ng litrato habang magkatabi silang natutulog. Nawindang pa siya nang bigla nalang nagbakasyon si Miss Ivy at ibinilin nito sa kaniyang gumawa ng paraan para hindi umuwi ng Germany ang kaniyang mainiping unico hijo. Hindi alam ni Mia kung ano ang gagawin kay Phineas na palagi nalang siyang iniinis at hindi siya sineseryoso. Sabi pa nito’y she effortlessly beguiled him with her cute curves on her lips na mas lalo pa niyang ikina bwesit ang tono nitong sarkastiko. Sa pagdaan ng mga araw ay nagamay din ni Mia kung paano pakisamahan si Phineas. Hindi niya akalaing aabot sa puntong hindi niya naasahan ang pusong pigilan ang nararamdaman at naisuko ang lahat sa lalaki. Akala ni Mia ay maayos ang lahat hanggang sa isang umaga’y naabutan niya si Phineas na nagmimilagro sa sariling kuwarto kasama ang isang babae. TRAHEDYA Pinatay ni Mia ang kaniyang sarili sa mata ng lahat ng nakakakilala sa kaniya. Sinabayan niya ang isang trahedya na kinasangkutan niya at ng kaniyang pamilya. Upang paghandaan ang paghihiganti sa walang awang umubos ng buhay ng kaniyang pamilya ay umalis si Mia ng San Martin dala ang nakakakilabot na karanasan at ang sakit ng pag-ibig na kaniyang labis na pinagsisisihan. Paano kung sa pagkalipas ng tatlong taon ay dalahin si Mia ng kaniyang paghihiganti pabalik sa San Martin at makitang muli si Phineas? Mapanindigan kaya niya ang binuong bagong mukha at pagkatao? O tuluyan ng susuko ang kaniyang puso?

Pour la centième fois, mon compagnon Alpha, Ryker, avait usé de son autorité sur moi, me menaçant de rejeter notre lien si je ne me sacrifiais pas pour ma sœur jumelle, Ivy. Je n'avais ni pleuré ni protesté. J'avais simplement signé les documents de rejet du lien de compagnon. J'avais cédé l'Alpha que j'avais aimé pendant dix ans à ma sœur. Quelques jours plus tard, Ivy avait provoqué un scandale lors du banquet de l'Alliance des meutes, humiliant la fille de l'Alpha de Silvermoon. Une fois encore, je m'étais avancée pour prendre sa place, supportant la douleur d'une marque d'argent défigurante. Plus tard, lorsqu'ils avaient exigé que je teste moi-même la sécurité du rituel de régénération de l'Esprit du Loup pour ma sœur, j'avais accepté avec un sourire. Mes parents, tous deux Bêtas, les yeux rougis, m'avaient dit que je devenais enfin la grande sœur que j'étais censée être. Même Ryker, qui s'était toujours montré si distant avec moi, s'était tenu devant la cave. Il avait doucement caressé ma joue — pour la première fois depuis si longtemps — et avait murmuré d'une voix tendre : « Harper, n'aie pas peur. Dès que l'épreuve sera terminée, je t'emmènerai voir les aurores au lac de la Déesse de la Lune. » Mais il ne savait pas que, quelle que soit l'issue de l'épreuve, il ne me reverrait jamais. Mon esprit-loup était déjà en train de s'éteindre. Plus rien ne pouvait me sauver. Cette fois, lorsque je fermerais les yeux, ce serait pour toujours.