Chapter 3 Finding love with my enemy's son

"You don't mean that, Emerald. I'm your mommy," Zenab cried out, her tears flowing uncontrollably.

Why did it feel like her heart was being torn to shreds, like it was being turned into minced meat?

"You are no longer my mommy. I only have one mother, and that is Mommy Miles!" Emerald declared firmly, then turned her back on Zenab and ran to Miles.

Miles enveloped Emerald in her arms, glaring at Zenab while whispering soothing words as if she were the biological mother, leaving Zenab feeling like an outsider, the woman who had ruined their happy occasion.

Zenab couldn't believe Emerald had just denounced her in front of guests. How could her daughter do this to her? And how could Dave allow it? How could they choose Miles over her? The remaining fragments of her heart crumbled even further; she doubted anything could ever mend it.

Before Zenab had a chance to collect her dignity, Dave was suddenly at her side. He seized her arm in a painful grip, dragging her away.

"Please, Dave..." she pleaded as they neared the door.

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid cunt!" he roared, his anger palpable as his eyes shifted from black to yellow.

Zenab fell silent, shocked by his harsh words, feeling reduced to a mere nuisance trying to disrupt his happy family. The pain cut deep.

His grip loosened from her arm only to tighten around her neck, squeezing hard and choking her, his claws digging into her flesh. She could feel the warm trickle of blood trailing down her neck and soaking her blouse.

"Let this be the last fucking time I see you near Emerald or even me. Don't touch her, don't look at her, and don't even breathe the same fucking air as her. If you come anywhere near us, I'll fucking kill you," he threatened, his voice cold and unyielding.

"But she's my daughter," Zenab whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"You heard her," he replied, his tone final and devoid of warmth. "You mean nothing to her, and you mean nothing to me."

Without another word, Dave forced Zenab out the door before shutting it behind her. She tried to break her fall by landing on her hands and knees, barely registering the bruising pain. Even as her neck, although healing, continued to bleed, the physical wounds paled in comparison to the agony in her heart. How was she supposed to fight when she felt so utterly broken? Should she even bother fighting for them, or simply give up? After all, they had turned their backs on her and shown her nothing but hatred. What was the point? They no longer wanted her, nor the family they once had. The ache, deep beyond repair, retreated to the recesses of her mind.

"Hey." A sweet, young voice pulled her from her trance.

A boy, around ten years old, stood next to her car. With blonde hair and striking grey eyes, he was an undeniably handsome child who looked surprisingly familiar.

"My daddy says that pretty girls shouldn't cry. And you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he said earnestly.

Zenab's heart warmed at the boy's compliment, especially since her own daughter failed to see her beauty. She knelt to his level despite the pain it caused her.

"Thank you, handsome. What's your name?" she asked, forcing a tearful smile as she wiped away her tears.

His smile was infectious, lighting up his entire face.

"I'm Justin, and you're Emerald's mom. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't like Emerald much right now. She was mean to you, and that made me angry. I also don't like my mom or Emerald's dad. What they're doing to you isn't nice. They're the ones who should be punished," he added, his small fists clenched in indignation.

Realization struck Zenab as he finished speaking. This boy, trying to comfort her, was Miles's son. It also crossed her mind that she could easily poison his thoughts against his mother, planting seeds of hatred. But she wouldn't do that; it simply wasn't in her nature. She could never wish such pain upon another mother.

"I know, sweetie, but she's still your mom, no matter what. You should love and respect her," she replied gently and calmly.

He studied her intently for a moment before saying, "Okay, but just know that even though they don't love you, I do—and you're the best."

With that, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek before walking away. Zenab felt an inexplicable connection to Justin, as if their lives were somehow intertwined.

She climbed into her car and drove away from her daughter and mate, feeling a warmth in her heart for the first time in months. It was all thanks to the son of her enemy.

.....  

Zenab walked through the nearly empty hallways of her company, once flourishing alongside her best friend, now facing a steep decline. Crystal's collection had been built from the ground up and had once ranked among the top ten fashion brands. Now, however, it was crumbling under the weight of adversity.

Dave had remained true to his word, doing everything he could to destroy her. Magazines and gossip columns had dragged her name through the dirt, painting her as the villain. She was depicted as the wicked woman who had come between old flames, the treacherous wife unwilling to let go of a man who no longer wanted her. The narrative portrayed her as a sad, bitter woman clinging desperately to her past.

Zenab had been subjected to relentless name-calling and cyberbullying, vilified more than anyone could imagine. Her once positive reputation in human society lay in ruins, as the majority of both humans and wolves distanced themselves from her.

Investors had withdrawn their support, profits were plummeting, and employees were leaving in droves, unwilling to work for someone they viewed as a monster.

In the eyes of the world, she was the devil while Miles had taken on the role of the angel. The public believed she was the one trying to sabotage their relationship, rather than the other way around. Zenab loathed the chaos surrounding her but felt powerless to halt its progression.

Just like the other days, her secretary was absent, and a sense lingered in the air that she, too, might be preparing to leave the company.

When Zenab entered her office, she came to a sudden stop. A man she recognized from magazine covers stood in her space, commanding the room as if it were his personal kingdom.

Sander Ford was a formidable figure, wielding significant power in both the human and wolf worlds. He bore the unspoken title of alpha of alphas, and his wolf could only be described as a terrifying beast, conjuring images that haunted the minds of many. To make matters more complicated, he was also Miles's former mate.

"How can I help you, Mr. Ford?" Zenab managed to ask, finally finding her voice.