*Alexander*The melody that I heard from the voice recorder that Charlotte left for me was the same melody that saved my life. I could still remember the pain that I felt throughout my body when I was attacked by the wild animal when I got lost in the woods.My eyes were scratched by its claws and my eyesight went blind temporarily, and if I hadn’t heard the harmonica playing in the background, I wouldn’t have been able to find my way back home. I wouldn’t be alive today. All this time, I thought it was Sylvia who played the harmonica, but I was mistaken. All along, it was Charlotte. I remembered asking Sylvia before to play it for me again because that tune calmed my nerves, but she told me she forgot how to play it. I did not force her to play it; after all, I was made to believe that she was my savior. I didn’t have any reasons to doubt her before because I owed her my life, but tonight, everything changed. If my assumptions were true, Charlotte was my savior. She was my f
*Alexander*It had always been the plan. Get engaged to Sylvia, become the Alpha and Luna of Dragon Wing, and live happily ever after. That was the dream I’d been chasing for so long. But now that it was coming true, it felt more like a nightmare.I glanced stiffly at Sylvia, who shot me a victorious look. The gleam of greed in her eyes was visible for all to see like she’d finally won a prize she’d been striving to have for so long.And I don’t know why it took me until now to realize that was all she’d seen me as. Her entire act, pretending to be the girl who saved me, befriending Charlotte just to drive her away, was just for this moment. And I’d walked straight into her trap.I clenched my fists at my side, rage boiling under my skin as I realized what an idiot I had been all this time. Sylvia wasn’t the one I loved. She never had been. I’d love the facade she’d put up, the girl she pretended to be but even then, it had always been Charlotte in my heart. Now
*Alexander*“Come in,” I said firmly, not caring that the door to my office slammed against the wall as I rushed inside, the two girls exchanging a look before heading in after me. Mia shut the door behind her quietly, and I heard the turn of the lock in the door. Her lips were chapped, like she’d bitten them down repeatedly over the last few days, eyes rung with dark shadows as she turned to me with pleading guilty eyes. Jessica stood firm on her other side, holding a simple box of what I didn’t know in her hands that she quickly placed on the coffee table. Mia and Jessica sat down hesitantly when I gestured towards the couch and I leaned against my desk, facing them fully.“Speak,” I commanded.“The night of the banquet, Charlotte asked me to check the food because she suspected something was wrong. When I went to the kitchens to check on it, I saw someone trying to hide the glassware. I didn’t want to believe they were doing something bad at first because this was s
*Alexander’s POV*I should've felt bad for rejecting Sylvia in front of everyone, but I found myself indifferent to the physical and emotional pain my rejection might have caused her. It was exhilarating, liberating even, to know that she no longer had power over me. I looked at Sylvia’s face, which was covered with fear and anger, and I could not help but pity the woman who once held my heart. She was terrified.“Take it back, Alexander. Take it all back! It’s not true. We will be together, forever… please take it back.” She was kneeling on the ground, the result of my rejection manifesting into physical torture, and she could not help but wince in pain.I watched her as she crumbled in pain, and all I could feel was pity, guilt, and sadness. But mostly, sadness. Back then, I was so sure of Sylvia. I was so sure that she was my fated love. She was the only woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life and no one would dare to get her away from me because I would kill for her.
*Charlotte*“Get the fuck up, lazy ass bitch!” That was my morning greeting before the piercing ice cold water was dumped on top of me. I held in a scream, shivering as I opened my eyes, glancing up at my. The sky was still dark, the sun had not even risen yet but the thug that stood over me didn’t care one bit.He scowled down at me, holding the empty basin in his hands before he flung it to the ground, going for the whip on his belt. Still shivering, I threw myself out of the bed as his whip snapped in the air but I was too slow and the burning pain slashed across my back as I fell to the floor with a cry. “Get up and do your job,” He spat coldly at me before turning and walking away. Many of the other waiters, mostly women with thin and sallow appearances, gave me pitying glances as I struggled to my feet.I changed from the old ratty gown we were given for the night, quickly changing into the waitress uniform I had grown accustomed to. It was loose around my wa
*Charlotte*The icy blue eyes of the stranger flickered from me to the now passed-out drunk man who attempted to molest me as he laid out on the ground, bleeding from the injuries. The pieces of the teapot scattered across the floor crunched under his heavy boot as he took a step forward, a flicker of hesitance on his face as though he didn’t quite know whether to approach me or the man.It crossed my attention, though as I glanced over at the spot he had been sitting at all night, that he had gotten over to us suspiciously quick. Even at a full dead sprint, anyone would find it difficult to cover that distance in such a short amount of time. I breathed heavily, my heart still pumping with adrenaline as I clutched the handle of the teapot I’d smashed over my attacker’s head and for a moment, I swear as we both stared at each other, unsure of what to do next, I thought I saw a hint of pride cross his features.Like someone who had just seen their pet rabbit defeat a lion.
*Charlotte*My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I was sprawled out and pinned to the bed, my uniform in tatters and exposing more skin than I ever wanted to show anyone. Hot tears poured out of my eyes and down my face, tasting a mixture of tears and blood in my mouth as I screamed for help one last time. I was a mess. But despite all of that, the moment the door burst open and all eyes turned to the person who stepped over the broken door now lying in pieces on the floor, I could only think, ‘Please help me.’ to whoever had dared.The mysterious young man from downstairs stepped inside, a cold grim look on his face as he glanced around the room very carefully and then said, “Let the girl go.” His voice was like dripping ice but in a command so natural that immediately the thugs dropped me. I sniffed, wriggling my wrists that were bruised and throbbing, and taking the chance for what it was, I scrambled out of the bed and out from under the creditor, collapsing to
*Charlotte*The car pulled into a fast food restaurant, and as the car drove around the small building, Alexander pulled in through the drive-through, right up to a menu board and speaker. “Welcome to Buck’s Everything Hut. What would you like to eat tonight?” A bored droning voice came from the speaker at the drive-through. The glowing neon sign above the menu board declared brightly in mismatched colors, with a few letters having darkened ‘Open 24 hours.’It was surreal and absurd to think that I was sitting in this fancy car, my clothes still torn to tatters and covered in dirt and grime while this handsome, absolutely out-of-my-league guy, just drove up to the greasiest dirt-cheap fast-food restaurant in town, all because my stomach rumbled.I stifled a laugh behind my hand, unsure if it would be appropriate considering Alexander’s kindness as he stared daggers at the menu board, a look of disgust crossing his features as he saw its primary meals included ‘Hamburgers’,