Chapter 1

Isabella Greaves looked at her reflection from the car window, making sure there were no strands of hair in the way. Nathaniel Hayes, her fiancé, invited her to have high tea. And it seems some of the guests have arrived.

After ensuring she looked presentable, Isabella decided to walk into the Red Moon Pack foyer and meet her future in-law, Mr. Hayes.

"Isabella, you made it!"

“Hello," she greeted her future in-law and waved her hands at Nathaniel when he descended the stairs before kissing her on the lips.

Since when did Nathaniel wear a lip gloss?

“How have you been feeling? I heard what happened from my father," she asked him, concern lacing her voice.

Nathaniel sighed. “I’m okay. But there’s nothing I can do.”

Isabella feels sorry for Nathaniel. From what her father had told, Nathaniel had lost the alpha seat to his long-lost uncle. Mr. Hayes has been trying to confront his father about this matter, but so far there doesn’t seem to be any news yet. 

Isabella wrapped her arms around Nathaniel and told him words of comfort. She knows for sure that he’s devastated by the news because Nathaniel has been preparing himself to take over the alpha position from his grandfather.

“Thank you for being here, Isabella. I don’t know who else to go to. I feel like my world is caving in. You’re the only one who listens to my worries.”

Isabella smiled. They spend time together while enjoying their tea before he has to go somewhere with his father. 

“Isabella, it’s been so long. How are you?”

Isabella was surprised to see a few of her old classmates from the academy also attending the high tea. 

“I’m great. Come, sit down. Join me. Nathaniel has somewhere to go with his father. Thank the goddess you’re all here.” The girls look at each other before one of them grabs her hand.

“Oh honey, you’re as clueless as Blue's Clues. Isabella, there’s something I need to say to you. But please don’t think badly of us, okay? After all, we’re all friends here.”

Isabella is beginning to think that there’s something wrong. 

“What... is it?" The girls look at each other before they tell her that they saw how Nathaniel and his stepmother seem close, and they don’t seem to share the mother and son relationship. 

At first Isabella laughed it off, but there were signs that indicated such concerns of hers too. She smiled at her friends and thanked them for telling her. She knows they’re just worried about her.

After spending some time with her friends, Isabella decided to look for Nathaniel. She was planning to confront him about all the rumors she heard about him. She knows he’s worried about his position, but she just needs to make sure her concerns mean nothing. And she hoped her confrontation would clear Nathaniel's name.

Before she could knock on his door, Isabella heard sounds coming from the empty guest room. As a dignified lady, she was taught not to be so shameless, but her guts told her otherwise. It seemed like her legs had a mind of their own, and she couldn't help but look for the owner of those voices.

“Fuck, mommy! Yeah, you like that, do you?”

Isabella froze when she heard a familiar voice coming from the room. She didn’t want to believe it until she saw Nathaniel giving a hard thrust to a woman from the back. When that woman arched her back to provide Nathaniel with a kiss, she placed a hand to cover her mouth. 

“Oh baby, I like it very much! Make it harder!" 

Isabella's heart dropped when she saw her fiancé screwing his young stepmother. How did this happen? Has she ever neglected Nathaniel's needs? Why would he cheat on her with his stepmother?! And that woman—isn’t she married to Mr. Hayes?!

Isabella stood there as her fiancé finished inside his stepmother before they continued to copulate again, this time in a different position. She wants to confront them, but she's scared. She wants to leave, but her legs are too heavy to lift.

What is she supposed to do? 

How could Nathaniel even think of doing something so disgusting? She thought they had something special? She has been there for him since the beginning, and she has never thought of betraying him for another man!

No, it’s not her fault. What’s the point of crying for someone who betrayed your trust?

Isabella wipes the tears from her cheek before kicking the door out with her foot.

“Nathaniel!” Both Nathaniel and Jessica were shocked to see Isabella standing by the door.

Isabella couldn’t hold her tears any longer when she saw them together as if they had been together for years! Even Nathaniel wasn’t as tentative when he was with her! 

“Isabella—I can explain. Jessica was the one who seduced me! ”

“Jessica?” Her voice cracked. “So you two are on a first-name basis?! ”

Nathaniel didn’t say anything as he covered himself with a pillow while Jessica didn’t seem to care that she was buck naked in front of Isabella.

“No, honey, please. That’s not what I mean. We were just... I was..." Just as she thought. 

No words could describe her feelings right now. It feels like someone just forced themselves inside her chest and grabbed onto her heart before pulling it out, leaving her hollow. 

“I’m... I’m sorry.”

Sorry? That’s it? 

“You broke my heart, and the only thing you can say is sorry? Is this a game for you?”

“You really can’t blame me, can you? " Nathaniel aggressively rubbed his head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! You were always busy! It wasn’t meant to go this far! I swear!"

That’s it? Is that what it takes to make it all better?

This man broke her heart into tiny bits and pieces, and he just sat there and didn’t even try to pick it up and reattach it himself.

Isabella's knees give out, and she just slumps on the floor, sobbing her heart out at the fact that her fiancé cheats.

“Please tell me that... when you said you loved me, it was real..." She muttered while keeping her head low. 

“It was real the first time. But nowadays, you're drifting away from me, Isabella. But do we have a choice? We have to get married because of our parents. So let’s just forget what you saw and let’s continue our relationship—"

Isabella pushed Nathaniel away when he tried to help her off the floor. She finally broke down with the sound of her ugly, painful cry.

“Get away from me.” She felt dull inside. It’s impossible for her to continue this relationship knowing he’s screwing his stepmother. Everything was a lie.

This relationship was a lie. The moments they shared together in the cafe, brushing off bread crumbs from our cheeks, were all a lie.

Then, when Nathaniel brought her to their favorite spot, they spent their night together admiring the night sky while whispering lovely words and discussing their future together, which was all an act. He was able to say such things while he was sleeping with that woman, his stepmother.

“Don’t act this way, Isabella. We have our own responsibility. It doesn’t matter if I slept with as many women as I want. It’s natural.”

She finally looked up at Nathaniel with her tears down her cheek and ruined makeup. 

“You made me hate love more than anything. How did you do that?!” She screamed murderously at him before grabbing her chest as if she's trying to pull her own heart out.

Isabella feels like the only thing she can do now is wail as loud as she can until she feels better. In the end, she's not the woman he fell in love with. She's just a piece of his unwanted memories.

“Isabella..."

“I trusted you—with everything! And you throw me away like a piece of rag! Do our moments together not mean anything to you, Nathaniel?!”

She has to know. Even if it hurts her, she needs to know.

With pursed lips, Nathaniel shrugged his shoulder. “It meant something before, but now it’s nothing. I just want to make our parents happy..."

Isabella threw the engagement ring that was given to her at him as hard as she could. With what strength she had left, she got up and left Nathaniel in that room without saying anything.