Derek's POV
"You don't trust me at all, right?" I instinctively asked.Later, I saw a mocking expression on Tabitha's face.I knew that my question was unnecessary.Tabitha was so clever that she figured out who was behind it when she discovered Nightshade Grass in the drink.She also knew that I would come to save her.Just now, she was playing for time by greeting me and pretending to sprain her foot.Now, Lyrique was being held captive, able to deliver the message to Daphne.Daphne's goal would fall through.I looked at Tabitha with mixed feelings.I didn't mean that I'd spare Daphne, but Tabitha would get herself targeted by the public if she kept this up.I kept hearing Daphne's voice in my earphones.She happily invited many people to have a meal together.Then I heard a familiar voice, it was Tabitha's mother, Holly.She affectionately called out Daphne's name.Holly was very kind to Daphne, but I knewTabitha's POVWhen Daphne came in with her entourage, I wanted to look up and see her reaction.But the hand pressing on the back of my head was like an iron clamp, not allowing me to move even a bit. It was infuriated.I wondered, 'It must feel terrible to be lifted high and then dropped hard.'Just a moment ago, she was Mrs. Greenwood, the envy of everyone.'But then she became a pitiful laughingstock.'Soon, the words of Derek's affair at his son's birthday party would spread. That was exactly what I wanted—to ruin Derek and Daphne's reputation!'As I expected, there was already a chorus of laughter echoing around us."I really thought Derek spoiled her to the moon.""This is such a slap in the face. If my boyfriend dares to cheat, I'll go give him and his mistress a slap each.""Tsk, if your husband were Derek, would you do the same? To be Mrs. Greenwood is everyone's envy. I can imagine your regretful tears if he dumps you
Tabitha's POVI didn't recognize the person in this photo. It was unfamiliar.But according to my good memory, I had seen this person somewhere before.Where?"What's wrong? Do you think of something?" whispered Obadiah.A flash of light crossed my mind. Bruto Street in the southern district.The day I went to look for Vilda.She rushed towards me like a mad person.At that time, I ran across the street and when I turned around, I saw someone behind Vilda."I..." I was about to say but swallowed it, afraid of being heard.I hurriedly said to Obadiah, "Alpha Obadiah, you have helped me a lot this time. Can you help me check again? I suspect that I am being followed by someone."I would be exposed if I made a move. But nobody would suspect Obadiah.Obadiah got it immediately.He was about to leave. With a polite smile, he said, "Okay, see you later.""Okay."After Obadiah left, I recalled the incident involving
Derek's POV Leaving Tabitha, I headed to the private lounge on the second floor. I didn't know why, but recalling the expression on Tabitha's face before I left made me uneasy. If it weren't for dealing with Daphne's mess, I definitely wouldn't leave Tabitha's side. I felt like staying with her, protecting her. Walking into the reception room, I saw Daphne causing havoc and tearing the place apart. She stopped only when she saw me walk in. "Derek, what did it mean? You held Tabitha in your arms in front of everyone?!" Daphne shouted at me, her eyes filled with doubt and anger. I looked at her coldly. "Daphne, you planned all of this, and now you question me?" My voice was calm, but every word carried undeniable authority. "I just wanted to expose her true nature!" Daphne defended, but her voice had already lost its edge. "Expose her? You are only bringing shame on yourself," I replied with disdain in my tone. "Do you think you can ac
Tabitha's POVDerek left after saying some words that I couldn't figure out.There was no reproach, no madness, and no question.What did that mean, the most correct choice?The door slammed shut, and a new round of fireworks soared into the sky again.I watched the fleeting brilliant fireworks, which resembled my barren life.Apart from the transient brilliance, all that remained was endless desolation and darkness.While everyone was immersed in the lively atmosphere, I suddenly heard a woman scream."Kyrian!"Did I hear it wrong?I rushed out of the room, only to see several men hurriedly running downstairs, passing by my door.One of them was holding Kyrian!I didn't know what had happened, but by the time I realized, I had already chased after them.Kyrian's mournful cry echoed through the corridor, but at that moment, everyone was immersed in the fireworks feast, even the wolf guards had been called away to set o
Derek's POV I had Alvin and Rolf call Alphas of the surrounding packs in the banquet to figure out a search plan in the meeting room. Afterward, I contacted some of the bosses who had cooperated with my company. All of this didn't make me feel relaxed for a single moment. Though a little restless, Leo did not affect me at that time. Finding Kyrian and Tabitha was our common goal. Kyrian, the little boy, had never left his family before, while Tabitha, though with Alpha blood, had to confront rogues. I frowned upon thinking of this and became even more uneasy. I blocked the news of Kyrian's missing. After the fireworks display, I ended the banquet ahead of schedule. The guests were still unaware of what had happened, but the Black Thorn Pack guards quickly arrived at the Rikta Manor to evacuate them. When everyone else had been sent away from the Rikta Manor, Daphne immediately started causing a scene. "Why not let someone g
Tabitha's POV While I was in a coma, I heard the call of Crystal. At the same time, I also felt my body constantly jolting. It seemed as if I was constantly floating and sinking in the sea. Her sound grew closer and closer, and when I finally heard it clearly, I gradually became conscious. Afterward, I felt sore all over my body. I opened my eyes, recalling the image before passing out. Oh! Kyrian. How is that child doing? I suddenly opened my eyes and got up, only to find a dagger pressed against my neck. "Don't move!" the person holding the dagger hoarsely reminded. I suddenly realized that I was in a dilapidated small wooden house, which should not be far from the seaside. I could hear the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. I glimpsed the man standing beside me dressed in black. The blade of the knife he held against my neck was very sharp, and there was no Kyrian in the room. I tightened my nerves and spoke
Tabitha's POV Upon hearing the conversation between Aiden and Noah, I was instantly speechless. They probably didn't know that Derek had spent tens of millions on Kyrian's birthday party. The Black Thorn Pack could be said to be the most powerful wolf pack in Seattle. If they had directly asked for 500 thousand, Derek would probably have left them with a whole body. But they kidnapped Kyrian, and Derek would definitely have thrown them to feed the sharks. For the first time, I felt that these rogues were a bit naive. Seeing that I remained silent, Noah weakly spoke up, "Um, can't they afford five hundred thousand? Then two hundred thousand is fine, right?" I sighed helplessly as I heard them lowering the ransom. "Oh my God, I heard before that these rich people owe a lot of money to the bank. Could it be that Derek is a poor guy? Then kidnapping his child is of no avail." I sincerely advised, "Why not jack up the price a bit? Otherwi
Tabitha's POV I took out my phone without any signal and opened the photo album reluctantly in front of those people. There were many candid photos of Derek that I took in the past, whether he was working, sleeping, or drinking coffee. There were also one or two photos of him sleeping while I made funny faces and took selfies beside him. These photos all reveal one message that we used to lead a happy life. There was another set of photos that were taken after I became pregnant, but by that time, Derek was no longer around. Only I held my bulging belly, with a faint smile on my mouth. "My story is true, but there is indeed one thing I lied to you about. Although I hate Derek and Daphne, their child is innocent. Last night, when I saw you leaving with the child in your arms, I didn't think much and followed along." I took a deep breath and said, "I didn't want to hurt the child, I wanted to save him. But I didn't expect to faint due to ex
Third person's POVDespite the overwhelming sense of shame, Tabitha found herself with little choice in the urgency of the moment.Her only thought was to shield her face, unwilling to let anyone catch a glimpse.The long dress cascaded down like a waterfall, making her appear as a wounded mermaid, pitifully appealing.Derek strode forward with determined steps, swiftly leading her away from the venue.Forrest followed closely behind, carefully holding Ayla and matching their pace."Get the doctor over here right away," Derek commanded urgently."Yes, Alpha Derek," Forrest responded promptly.Derek's mind was a whirlwind of turmoil. His desire for Tabitha was undeniable, but not under the current humiliating and perilous circumstances.Moreover, he was uncertain about the exact nature of the drugs Matilda had administered to Tabitha and the potential harm they might inflict.As the doctor conducted a thorough exam
Third person's POVThe entire venue erupted into an uproar as if a bomb had been detonated, shockwaves rippling through the crowd.Minds raced with speculation—where had this ultra-wealthy individual come from, willing to spend a staggering three hundred million dollars on a woman?Was this person out of his mind?This was Derek's first time bidding, and Matilda, who had been eagerly anticipating a chance to mock him after the auction, was caught off guard by the swift turn of events.Three hundred million dollars—did he even comprehend the magnitude of such a sum?"Sir, we have very strict penalties on this ship for the act of bidding falsely," Matilda warned through gritted teeth, her tone laced with a hint of menace.Derek calmly lowered his head, quickly wrote out a check, and held it between his fingers with an air of composure. "Here's three hundred million dollars."There was a bank on the ship, operating aro
Third person's POVHer words, laced with provocation and temptation, were like adding fuel to the fire, causing the flames of Derek's long-suppressed anger to burn even more fiercely.Matilda seemed to be walking further and further down a dangerous path from which there seemed to be no return.Forrest did his best to hold Derek back, preventing him from acting impulsively, while silently praying for Matilda.His demeanor was akin to lighting a stick of incense that foretold impending misfortune for her.He knew all too well that the higher she climbed, the harder her fall would be.Under Matilda's inflammatory rhetoric, the crowd began a new round of fierce bidding.This round was significantly more intense than before. The starting price was set at ten million dollars, but it doubled rapidly as if by magic, soaring to forty million dollars in the blink of an eye and continuing to rise like a rocket.The giant electronic scree
Third person's POVThe intense spotlight shone directly on Tabitha's face, highlighting her slender figure and accentuating the delicate depth of her features.Derek, who had always known of Tabitha's exceptional beauty, nearly lost his breath at the sight of her under the spotlight, his heart pounding with a mix of awe and admiration.Tabitha's eyes were adorned with silver contacts, a touch that transformed her entire aura, setting her apart from the woman he knew.The subtle shimmer of glitter on her exposed skin conjured images in Derek's mind of a mysterious mermaid stranded on the shore."Damn it, I should have kept bidding," Baxter muttered, his face a mix of annoyance and regret.The person beside him quickly offered consolation, "Mr. Rios, while the woman is indeed stunning, she's not an innocent young girl, as you can see from the age of her daughter. It's just a kiss; what does it matter? Once you have her in your grasp, you can d
Third person's POVIn this social circle, it was well known that Baxter Rios was always keen on various entertainment activities and was notorious for his indulgence in them.The Rios family was wealthy and had a deep foundation that left many in awe. However, when it came to certain matters, Mr. Rios was known to be particularly stubborn.Derek was deeply concerned. He really didn't want to get entangled with the Rios family.He was well aware that once things got out of control, the elder of the Rios family, Spike Rios, would become an extremely troublesome problem.Standing in the corner, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with worry, he occasionally looked warily towards the direction of the bidding.At this moment, Derek's hands unconsciously clenched and relaxed, his inner unease surging like tidal waves.At this time, only Mr. Rios was still continuously raising the bid, and just for the cost of unmasking, it had soared all
Third person's POVMatilda was eagerly anticipating the sight of Derek's frustration and agony.The conditions she set were deliberately tricky. If Derek didn't pay, there would certainly be other men willing to bid.Thus, the initial unmasking fee was a must for Derek.The ten million was merely the starting price and, in reality, a clever way for Matilda to test the depth of Derek's wealth.She pondered to herself that if Derek could easily come up with the money, it would only buy a kiss, and the subsequent bidding for the right to use would undoubtedly require an astronomical sum. What would he use to continue competing then?On the other hand, if he saved the money for the later bidding, Tabitha would inevitably be kissed by other men.No matter how Derek chose, Matilda was determined to disgust him thoroughly and make him suffer in this cruel game.However, despite all her scheming, Matilda never expected that Derek had b
Third person's POVDerek took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.Tabitha and Ayla, dressed in silver gowns, appeared grand, vintage, and exquisite.With silver chains as accessories, they had a unique beauty.Ayla's face was unobstructed.When her innocent and angelic face appeared on the large screen, many were captivated by her heavenly appearance.She wasn't drugged, her large eyes clear and bright.Adorned with crystal and feather headpieces, she looked like an exotic princess.Her innocent eyes didn't understand what was happening. She didn't cry but stared curiously at everything around her, like a curious fawn that had wandered into a den of wolves.Her tender pink lips were slightly parted, and Derek could read her lips from the screen."Mommy, Wilmot."Derek's fingers had already touched his weapon. At this moment, he wished he could draw it out and shoot Matilda on the spot.The r
Third person's POVDerek's fingers dug tightly into the armrests of his chair. During the time Tabitha had been taken from him, he worried about what might have been done to her and the child.Although he was aware of the rule that "merchandise" must be kept clean before delivery, he couldn't help but feel anxious.When the host announced the first item for auction, his heart raced, and he breathed a sigh of relief when it had nothing to do with Tabitha.It seemed as if he had imagined Matilda would save Tabitha for last.His grip on the armrests tightened.As time ticked by, the audience's enthusiasm for the early items was lackluster, their attention fixed on the finale. They had been promised something special, and they were waiting for it.Forrest passed Derek water a few times, but he didn't take a sip.When it came to the grand finale, Matilda made her personal appearance.She wore a red, form-fitting dress and hig
Third person's POVDerek entered the auction venue with an upright posture and steady steps, blending into the bustling crowd.The auction had not officially begun, but the venue was already filled with noise and excitement, a cacophony of excited and thrilled voices rising and falling."I heard there will be a stunning beauty featured tonight," one voice said."I've heard that too. It's said to be a rare sight," another chimed in."These past few days on the ship have been utterly boring. With the ship about to dock, we must seize the last chance for some real fun," a third voice added.Everyone in the venue wore masks of various kinds, as if they were shields hiding their true selves.However, in Derek's eyes, beneath those masks lay ugly and filthy faces, immersed in this sinful transaction, chasing twisted desires.Derek had barely settled into his seat when a man approached hurriedly, his steps slightly rushe