Chapter 3

ELISA'S POV

As soon as the words left my mouth, the room fell silent. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. I took in the looks on all their faces. Even Gina looked surprised. The shocked expressions on everyone's faces told me they hadn't expected this outburst or my words.

I was surprised myself. I loved Jackson with all my heart. I never thought of divorcing him. Never in a million years would I have thought I would say this. Even with the way he treated me, I was still willing to stay, still willing to try and endure I couldn't take it anymore. Every person had a limit and I had reached mine. Jackson along with my family had pushed me to the wall. Now, it's time for me to fight back.

I don't know where the sudden confidence came from but now, I knew my worth. I knew I deserved better. I tried so hard to be the perfect daughter, to be the perfect wife but now, I could see that my efforts weren't appreciated. They never would be, no matter how hard I tried. It felt like a veil covering my eyes just fell off. Why did I put up with this for so long? It would always be a competition between Gina and me, a competition that I could never win.

My mother's eyes narrowed in anger. She was the first to break the silence.

"How dare you!" my mom shrieked" What the hell is wrong with you, Elisa? Do you know what you are saying?"

My father stepped forward. He looked so angry that I could feel it radiating off him.

"Whatever your problem is, keep it to yourself. You should know that the pack's business comes first. Wait until the ball is over today. We can discuss this later"

I looked at them, feeling a deep, aching sadness. It was clear to me now that they cared more about the pack's image than about their own daughter. They didn't even care about the fact that I wanted to divorce Jackson. All they cared about was the pack.

Gina was right. I was nothing but a contract Luna. Why didn't I realize this sooner? The realization hit me hard. My life was nothing but a series of sacrifices for people who didn't truly care about me.

Wiping the sweat from my forehead with my good hand, I turned to Jackson.

"Do you still want me to be your Luna?" I asked. My voice tremblef with the effort to keep my emotions in check.

Jackson's face was filled with anger. "You are too bold, too reckless. You don't act like a lady should"

"And how should I act?" I snapped back.

"The way a good wife would. You should be submissive. How dare you talk to me that way?"

I shook my head. This time, I couldn't stop the tears from falling "Haven't I been submissive enough? I literally do everything I'm told to. I never argue with you or talk back. Can't you see how hard I try to please you?"

"Enough with your drama. You just want attention. Everything will wait until the ball is over. Now go out with me and greet the guests! They're already waiting."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Cold sweat ran into my eyes, making them sting and blur with tears. If my mind wasn't made up before, it was now.

I looked at everyone,. "Listen up, all of you. I want a divorce, and your opinions don't matter to me. If you care about your precious faces, go figure it out yourselves. I am not your puppet."

With that, I turned to the side and pulled open a nearby drawer, searching for a bandage. My hand hurt like hell. I didn't want to wound to get infected. I found one and began to wrap my injured hand, ignoring the shocked and angry looks from everyone around me.

My parents finally noticed my bleeding hand. For a moment, I could see the concerned look on my mother's face.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked.

Before I could answer, Gina, ever the opportunist, jumped in.

"She tried to hit me, so I defended myself. I may have accidentally hurt her hand." Gina cried out.

I chuckled sadly. I didn't even bother. Of course, Gina would turn this around in her favour. What else did I expect?

My mother turned back to me. The look of concern on her face was replaced with annoyance.

"If you didn't try to hurt Gina, your hand wouldn't be hurt." she said.

I felt so sad. There was an ache in my chest that throbbed deeply. I was hurt by the fact that my parents wouldn't listen to me. They couldn't even give me the benefit of the doubt.

I took a deep breath and spoke "Mom, Dad, I was wrong. I shouldn't have come back three years ago. I don't belong in this family." My voice broke on the last word, but I held back the sobs. I couldn't cry in front of them.

Without waiting for a response, I turned and left the room. They stared at me intensely, like I had grown two heads but I didn't care anymore.

I walked down the hallway, making my way to the venue. I didn't have enough time to get dressed. I knew I looked a mess. I was dressed in a casual gown which was now wrinkled. My face was stained with tears, and my hands still bleed despite the bandage. I just wanted to get away from them all.

As I stumbled down the hallway, my vision became blurred with tears. I clutched my chest, trying to soothe the pain I felt in my heart. The pain I felt was so intense that I started to get dizzy. I cried loudly as I walked. It hurt so much.

As I walked, I felt my strength being drained. Just as I was about to collapse, a strong hand caught me, preventing my fall. I looked up, trying to focus through my tears.

As I looked at him, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips.

He was the most gorgeous man I had ever laid my eyes on.