Chapter 2 ~ Vain Confrontation

{Isla's POV}

“Cayden!” I yelled, drawing all the glares at the table to my person. Cayden’s expression still remained straight as he didn’t bother sparing me a look, but in that instance, I wasn’t intimidated by it. I was there to pour out my heart and get answers, and that was what I did.

“Who is she?” I started with a solid tone, aiming my finger at the crafty lady on his side.

“For the past few days, this woman has been staying in this house and nobody has bothered saying anything? She and Cayden are suddenly so close, and everyone is chill about it? Don’t any of you think I deserve, at least, an explanation for all this muddle!” I was doing so well until my tears betrayed me and began trailing down my cheeks. However, I couldn’t blame the tears because, with the heat in my chest, even my heart was threatening to leap out.

“You don’t get to talk to us that way!” Cayden’s mother, Sassaba, voiced as she shot to her feet. “Who do you think you are!”

Who am I? Who is she!

I motioned to reply to her but was promptly interrupted by an obvious charade. The nameless lady had stood up to guide Cayden’s mother back into her seat. “Mother, don’t stress yourself because of her. You need rest.” She said withi a calm volume as she guided Sassaba back into her chair and I grew a glower at once.

What a snake, already playing her cards so deviously!

“The woman you refer to as ‘she’ is Cayden’s new wife, thus the future Luna; once you decide to sign the papers and get the hell out of here!” Lucil, Cayden’s kid sister, added with a scoff.

So they all knew about this? The whole freaking family was involved in this vile scheme?

I shifted my blurry gaze to Cayden in anticipation of his contribution or voice or anything! But no, the chap just sat there staring into the blank air, not still bothering to spare me a look.

What did I do to deserve such ill-treatment from him?

“You’re lucky my son doesn’t want to publicly reject you, else you would be out of here by now. Ivanka here is the royalty my son needs, not some filthy lowlife picked up from a Cabbagetown simply because she’s the fated mate to a nobility.” Sassaba avowed furiously again and tears poured out my eyes in response to my growing sobs. The woman was really aiming for my heart. 

My lips jumbled a few words but they weren’t audible and even I didn’t know what I wanted to say. So I remained mute as Sassaba continued throwing audio daggers.

“So don’t you dare think that he can be yours because the moon goddess matched you with him. You are nothing but a beggared Omega, while Ivanka is of an Alpha blood, like the rest of us, so she’s everything! With her and Cayden’s union and our packs’ alliances, GreyStone can finally be noticed by the Lord Alpha and Cayden can be promoted. So, like it or not, you’ve lost!” She shot and I felt my pulse drop to a dangerous level. 

Once again, the Ivanka lady played the humble hero, urging Sassaba to calm herself while simultaneously giving me a scornful look. 

I knew it. Devil!

I felt like saying a million things in defense but all my strength was spilling along with my tears. 

“I’m…” was all my lips could manage before the conversational chaos continued.

“It’s time you leave, Isla. As Mother said, you’re lucky my brother is being merciful. Sign the papers and you can finally have what you want.” She averred and Cayden finally reacted with a twitch in his gaze.

What does she mean by ‘have what I want’?

Impulsively, I dipped my gaze to the divorce papers in my hand and I straightened up their folds. For the first time, I realized that there was a compensatory contract document along with the divorce ones. Cayden had consented to give me two million dollars if I signed the divorce papers and forfeited the Luna title.

Suddenly, two fine Edgar black leather shoes appeared before my field of view, so that I inched my gaze back up and realized Cayden was before me.

Almost immediately, his lavender savor mixed with his sweet sandalwood scent and his blissful aura overwhelmed my being so that all my worry and grief disappeared momentarily.

He wore a navy blue suit tailored to perfection as the fabric embraced his frame with precision, accentuating his broad shoulders and tapered waist. The lapels, adorned with a subtle sheen, gracefully framed his crisp white shirt beneath and I could literally feel the heat his whole dress ensemble was emanating.

I looked up at his face since he was moderately taller than me, and I was reminded why he was the most stunning man I’d ever seen.

Cayden was a moderately tall, cashmere-skinned, muscly artwork of a man… but this was just the basics of his actual charm. Cayden had a face and a semblance so divine that it could intimidate even the gods. The delicacy of his features was something that could effortlessly claim the amazement of any onlooker. 

His snatched jawline, appealing lips, and ocean-blue eyes all expressed nothing but warming tranquility as they all faultlessly complemented his already faultless face, making him possess a celestial guise. 

I stared at his appealing lips with the hope that the words that were about to come out of them would somehow make all this make sense, and just then he said my name.

“Isla...” He started with his deep rumble that was his voice which always sent animating chills down my spine, and I looked more eagerly at him, my anticipation keen as ever!

“You can keep one of my mansions if you still don’t feel satisfied.” He mouthed and all my glee fell at once!

No no! No, he didn’t just…

“No, you didn’t… you didn’t just say…” My thoughts became loud but they also tangled up on my tongue as I staggered backwards in utter terror. 

“You can—” He started to say but I immediately curtailed his attempt.

“Stop!” I yelled as loud as my lungs permitted while my tears increased their pace.

There was a following silence in respect to my venting but it was promptly interrupted by Sassaba’s voice. 

This woman!

“What right does she have to talk to my son that way? She has gone mad! Guards take her away!” I could hear her say, but I couldn’t care less, as my attention was still very fixed on Cayden who had grown a tight frown.

“Cayden, y… you can’t…” I tried talking but my words were failing me once again. It was almost as if I was expressing them as tears instead.

“What!” Cayden rejoined as he dismissed the guards that had assembled to carry out Sassaba’s bidding with a wave of his fingers. “I’ve given you the popularity you wanted, and now I’m adding riches to it…” He affirmed and I felt my heart scatter into a billion pieces.

“Stop it, please...” I muttered in a barely audible volume as my sobs were choking me up, but Cayden?… he just continued his rambling.

“Take this.” He took hold of my left palm and slammed a note in my hands. “This is another two million dollar check for your addition.” He offered and I felt my temper build up at once!

“I don’t want your fucking money!” I roared throwing every single paper piece that was formally in my grip to the ground.

“What do you want then!” Cayden voiced, gesturing his hands loosely in the air. “More money? More fame? You’ve always been so interested in my properties, my money, and my assets, and now I’m giving you enough money for you to own and fucking leave!”.

“I want your love! I just want you to fucking love me, Cayden!” I returned tearfully but sank to my knees as my chest suddenly bore a draining weight.

My tears spilled as heavy sobs overwhelmed me, attacking my breathing. But from my puling, my ears still managed to pick up the chatter of that one, vile voice— Ivanka’s.

“Yes, mother. I also think she’s a fake. She just wants more money. You should just have her thrown out and not give her a dime.” The loose wretch alleged and I felt like going over to her and ripping her face off.

I promptly rose to my feet in my attempt but I halted as I noticed Cayden’s unwavering expression. He looked unmoved by everything. Everything I had said or done didn’t seem to move him in the slightest and I was forced to realize he wasn’t worthy of my tears.

I lowered myself to the ground again and carefully, I gathered all the papers and checks, while my tears busied themselves with drenching some of them.

Standing back up, I looked straight into Cayden’s eyes— his blue-tinged ones against my probably-bloody ones, and said, “I was only interested in helping you build your wealth so that you could notice me, and maybe start loving me as a result.” I slammed the papers against his chest so that he was forced to grab hold of them. “But turns out that decision was my greatest mistake! You don’t need to pay me to leave your life.” I glowered and straightened up my pose.

“I, Isla Canmore, reject you, Alpha Cayden Hunter, as my fated mate!” I announced very sternly and noticed the blow in his expression as I circled around. And with that, I had left the room… and his life. 

I had known from the very start that Cayden didn’t love me as much as I did him, but I had settled for perseverance and patience, hoping that with time, he would come to love me… and so far, look where that has gotten me; a really creepy forest with rogues trailing behind me with the hope of making me their Prisoner.

Now, I could only wish Cayden and my ‘Royal replacement’—scoff, a lovely matrimony, and focus on what was left of my woeful life. 

On the bright side, I was about to be captured by these Rogues. Hopefully, they would treat me less cruelly…