I sank onto my worn-out bed, feeling the ache deep in my bones. After cleaning the mansion for the third time today alongside the other maids, I could hardly keep my eyes open. My stepmother, always ready to find another speck of dust, didn't seem to care that I, too, was Mr Dean Morgan's daughter. To her, I was only a maid's daughter—a reminder of the scandal she'd rather forget. My mother was once a maid here, but then she and my father crossed a line, and I was the result.When I was born, my mother threatened to go to the press. She was ready to bring the truth to the world if he didn't acknowledge me. So he took me in, reluctantly. But days later, my mother vanished, as if she'd never existed at all.Growing up here was anything but normal. I went to school, but even there, Diane and her friends made my life miserable. Diane, my beautiful, cruel half-sister with her long black hair, green eyes that sparkled with mischief, and a body that looked sculpted by an artist. She was set
"Diane, please," my father said, turning to her with desperation. "This is the only way we can save the company. Without this… without him… we're finished. The company can't even stand another week. I don't have any money left to pay my staff. The complaints are piling up. But if this man invests in our company… if he just says yes, he'll save us."He sounded defeated, worn thin from nights of worry and the crushing realization that everything he'd built was at risk of crumbling. My heart ached watching him, but it was Diane's response that brought another layer of tension into the room.Step-mom didn't hesitate to voice her disgust. "Dale, are you suggesting that Diane marry some crippled man? There are plenty of men out there who'd take care of her, who would invest in the company without a marriage tied to it. Someone other than… him."She glanced at the lawyer, Mr. Adams, who'd been sitting stiffly at the end of the table, clearly uncomfortable with the rising argument. My stepmot
The next morning, the mansion was nearly eerily silent. I woke up and moved through my usual routine with mechanical precision: a long, hot bath, the soft scent of lavender filling the air, before I dressed and settled in for a quiet breakfast. Of course, I ate it in my room; being the "mid-daughter" meant there was no place for me at the formal dining table anymore. I couldn't exactly join the staff in their quarters, either, and I certainly didn't belong with my family at the polished, pristine dining hall. Not that it mattered—no one was even there. The silence that wrapped around the house felt more oppressive than peaceful.Charles was long gone, his cars no longer parked in the driveway, and a strange sense of satisfaction swirled in my chest. Diane had locked herself away, undoubtedly brooding in her room, and my stepmother was likely doing the same—either fuming over her daughter's ruined plans or concocting a new scheme. My father's anger seemed to have burned itself out, and
Charles had said, "Let's go to the hospital," and for a moment, I froze. The hesitation was instant, sharp.Why would I go see my father? The man who had barely acknowledged me as his daughter? The man who had always put Diane first, while I was left as an afterthought? It didn't make sense, and yet…he was my father. No matter what he had done, no matter how much he had hurt me, that bond was undeniable."Fine," I muttered finally, though the word felt heavy on my tongue.Charles waited patiently, but I wasn't about to leave looking like this. "Give me a minute," I said before heading to my tiny, cluttered room. Quickly, I changed into something less embarrassing. My reflection in the cracked mirror looked…decent enough.By the time I made it downstairs, Charles was waiting by his brand-new Mercedes, looking every bit the golden child. Without a word, I slipped into the passenger seat, and we drove off.As we pulled into the hospital parking lot less than thirty minutes later, the air
After I signed the contract, my head was still boiling, wondering if I had just made the best decision of my life or the worst. I knew it had to be one of the two, and I could only hope it was the positive one.A knock came on my door. When I opened it, it was the same maid who had delivered the stack of files to me earlier. She said she'd been sent to collect the file and check if I'd signed it. I nodded and handed it over to her. She hesitated, studying me for a moment."Are you okay? Are you good, Evelyn?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.I forced a smile. "Yes, I'm good. No problem.""Why are you signing this? Is there something wrong?" she pressed.I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a light rub. "I'm fine, I promise. It's just… something."She seemed to understand more than I was willing to admit because, without another word, she pulled me into a hug. "It's all going to be fine," she said quietly.That was what I needed. I had no idea how much I needed
The night before the wedding, sleep was nothing but a dream itself. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts and memories, churning endlessly. Something about the wedding gnawed at me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. By the time I finally gave up on finding rest, it was 6 a.m., and my father walked into my room for the first time ever.The moment he stepped inside, his face twisted in a mix of disgust and disbelief. His gaze roamed over the tiny, dilapidated space I had called home for years. For the briefest second, there was a flicker of something—regret, maybe?—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.Behind him entered an entourage of bridal stylists, makeup artists, and hairdressers, their tools in hand. They wasted no time, bustling around me like I was their latest project. My long, tangled blonde hair was brushed and styled until it cascaded down my back in soft waves. Makeup was applied meticulously, hiding every imperfection and bringing a glow to my pale face.By the ti
I stood at the altar, staring blankly ahead. My thoughts swirled like a carousel, repeating the same question: Did I just get married, or did I simply sign a piece of paper? Everything felt surreal, almost laughable in a cruel way.Then my father approached, his expression unreadable. "Get ready," he said firmly. "You'll be leaving with his people in the next ten minutes. Go grab anything you need or say your goodbyes."Goodbyes? The word echoed in my mind. Who would I even say goodbye to? Aside from the maids who had been my only solace growing up, there wasn't a soul in this house I would miss. My belongings? Just old rags and memories I'd rather leave behind.Still, in my heavy wedding gown, I made my way to my room with Eleanor and a few other maids helping me up the stairs. Their presence was comforting, like a tether to the world I was about to leave behind. Once inside, Eleanor lingered by the door, her eyes brimming with unshed tears."I can't believe you're leaving, Evelyn,"
The clap of his hands echoed sharply, snapping me out of my thoughts. Without a word, Artemis—the girl with the fiery red hair from earlier—entered. Her presence was just as commanding as before, and she didn't waste time waiting for pleasantries."Take her to her room," he said simply, his tone cold, clipped.Artemis nodded once, motioning for me to follow. Her pace was brisk, her footsteps echoing in the long hallways. The silence between us was deafening, and I couldn't help but notice how perfectly she moved, as if she had been trained to command every step she took.We passed through what felt like an endless maze of corridors. The first hallway was dimly lit, with walls lined with ancient paintings that seemed to watch us as we walked. The second was brighter, its windows offering glimpses of the night sky and a vast, moonlit garden below. By the time we reached the third floor, the air felt colder, heavier.When Artemis finally stopped in front of a massive door, she didn't say
"You can't remove that yet! Not unless your doctor says it’s okay to do so." Michael’s voice was firm as he stood beside Evelyn, watching her with a gaze that allowed no room for argument.Before she could reply, the door swung open, and a woman in a white coat stepped in. Her sharp eyes landed on them, catching the tail end of Michael’s words."Actually… it’s perfectly fine for her to remove it," the doctor interjected with a calm smile. "Sir."Evelyn lifted a brow, shooting Michael a knowing look. Her eyes practically shouted, See?Michael let out a slow, heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if fighting an unseen battle. "Fine," he muttered. "But let the doctor do it." His voice was still firm, but he stepped back, allowing the doctor to proceed before he turned and exited the room.By the time everything was settled and Evelyn was ready to leave, she saw Michael speaking with the doctor, his tone low and controlled. When she shifted to stand on her own, he was there in an
Michael couldn’t relax. Even after Lorna had given her diagnosis, even after the room had settled into silence, his body remained taut with tension.His reaction earlier had been… unexpected. Shocking, even. He hadn’t anticipated it—not the panic, not the overwhelming force of emotion that had slammed into him the moment he saw her tears. Evelyn had done it again. She had shattered whatever semblance of control he thought he had over himself.It was infuriating.To think that just seeing her cry could shake him so deeply… that just the touch of her cold skin had sent something dangerously close to fear spiraling through him. Fuck. He was in too deep. This woman had thoroughly and utterly ruined him.Now, he didn’t know what to do.Didn’t know what to say.He could only hold her. Could only pull her into his arms, press her close, and hope that his warmth seeped into her body. Because anything else—any words, any action—felt like it would only make things worse.He didn’t want to see h
The moment Evelyn turned her back to him and walked away, the dam that had been holding strong all this time finally crumbled. Her tears, long restrained, gushed forth like a deluge of rain.It had been so long since she had allowed herself to cry outside the suffocating confines of her darkened room. She had trained herself to never shed tears in the presence of others. Crying made her feel exposed, fragile—something she had fought against for years. Especially in front of her father and Brandon Haze, she had refused to break. No matter how deep their words had cut, no matter how much pain they had inflicted upon her, she had never given them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. Silence had always been her weapon, a shield stronger than any steel. And she had wielded it perfectly.But with Michael… everything was different.She did not understand why, but around him, it was unbearably difficult to hold back. She had thought she could at least hold in her emotions until she reached
Evelyn fell silent. The lump in her throat tightened when he mentioned a condition. Her anger toward him hadn’t vanished—she had simply forced herself to swallow it down. But now, hearing that he was about to set another rule, another ridiculous demand, had her emotions surging once more.However, what Michael said next rendered her mute.Snow White?She hadn’t expected him to bring up the wolf, let alone sound so sour about it. Why did he seem irritated now? Hadn’t he helped her save the poor creature? So why was he suddenly acting like he despised Snow White?A quiet hesitation lingered in the air. But eventually, she nodded.If this was all he wanted, then fine. It wasn’t like he was asking for much—not letting Snow White sleep in their bed? That wasn’t so bad. It still meant she could cuddle the wolf anywhere else. Perhaps Michael just had an issue with wolf fur in his sheets.“Fine… I’ll keep him off the bed,” she relented, her voice clipped. “Now, talk. Explain.”She didn’t want
Micheal just stared at her in silence. The words she had spoken moments ago seemed to echo in the air between them, heavier than before. Evelyn had dropped her gaze, almost as if afraid to meet his eyes again, and now leaned her forehead against the wolf curled in her arms. It was as though she were trying to shield herself, wrapping around the creature like he was her only anchor.The sight of it made something dark and unfamiliar stir within him.Her small shoulders trembled faintly, her fiery hair spilling over the wolf’s thick white fur. The contrast was striking—like blood on snow, something pure being swallowed by something far too heavy, too painful. And yet, she clung to the animal with a quiet desperation, as if letting go would mean losing the only thing grounding her in this moment.Micheal pulled back slightly, his movements slow and measured. He didn’t want to startle her. Not when she already looked so fragile. Not when he could sense something in her that felt too close
Michael stood frozen at the threshold of the dimly lit bedroom, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the floor. His grey eyes, sharp as a blade’s edge, landed on the scene before him, and something inside him coiled tight—dangerously tight.Evelyn lay curled on the massive bed, her body wrapped around something—or rather, someone.Snow White.The large white wolf, with his thick fur and unsettlingly intelligent eyes, lay beside her, his breathing slow and steady. But Michael barely spared the animal more than a glance. His focus was on her. On the way her delicate fingers were buried in the wolf’s thick fur. On the way her body pressed so trustingly, so intimately, against the creature’s warmth. And worst of all, the way her face—so serene, so utterly content—was nestled against its back.Michael’s expression did not change at first. He was too stunned to react.Seconds passed. Then, his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line.His jaw ticked once. Then twice.A slow, simmerin
As soon as Evelyn pulled open the cage door, she stepped back, her fingers gripping the doorknob tightly. Just in case Snow White decided to lunge at her, she wanted to be ready—ready to dart out and call for Rion and Raven to help put the wolf back inside its cage.Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears like a war drum. Snow White remained inside the cage, his pale eyes watching her with an unreadable expression. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t baring his fangs, wasn’t doing anything she had feared he might do.Evelyn swallowed, uncertainty gripping her. Had she made a mistake?Then, slowly, the wolf tilted his head. The movement was so small yet so deliberate that it almost seemed… questioning.Somehow, that made Evelyn feel guilty.She let out a soft breath and, instead of standing there frozen, crouched near the open door. She extended her hand, palm facing up, voice gentle as she coaxed him. “Come here, baby…”For a moment, the air hung still between them.Then, to her shock, Snow White
The wolf stilled at her touch.Evelyn had hesitated before finally gathering the courage to extend her hand and brush her fingers against its snowy white tail. The soft texture surprised her—it was thicker and woolier than she had expected, a mix of coarse and silky strands that seemed to shimmer under the dim lighting.Holding her breath, she waited for a reaction. She thought the wolf would jerk away, snarl, or even bare its teeth at her for daring to touch it. But none of that happened. It remained completely still, unbothered. Almost… indifferent.Cautiously, she stroked its fur again, this time moving her fingers in a slow, gentle rhythm. Still, there was no response.Her tense shoulders finally eased a little. If the wolf had been aggressive or hostile, it would have made that clear by now, wouldn’t it? Or was it just too exhausted to react? Was it still in pain from its injuries?“Hey… Snow White, baby?” Evelyn murmured, softening her voice, instinctively trying to comfort the
A distant howl broke through the silence of the night.Evelyn paused, her fingers tightening around the blanket draped over her lap. The sound echoed through the castle walls, low and mournful, stirring something deep inside her.Wolves.It shouldn’t have been surprising. The Reigns estate sat atop a forested hill, surrounded by sprawling wilderness. The occasional howl wasn’t uncommon. And yet… this was the first time she had truly heard one since she arrived.Her mind immediately flashed back to the snow-white wolf they had rescued.She had forgotten about it completely in the whirlwind of everything that had happened. The secrets. The lies. Michael locking her away like a prisoner. But now, hearing that call in the night, she couldn’t help but wonder.Where was the wolf now?It must still be healing, right?Michael had assigned a medical team to tend to it—an elite one, no doubt. They would have done their job well. The wolf had to be getting better by now. Right?A sudden urge gri