Chapter 3 The Truth Revealed

LILIANA Ethan gave me a cold smile, but before he could turn and leave, the sound of heels clicking on the floor echoed from the doorway. We both turned to see a woman standing there. Her face was somber, a stark contrast to her elegant and poised appearance. Sophia Lennox, the woman who was at the center of all this, stood at the threshold accompanied by a beta. Sophia’s glassy eyes met mine. “Lili, I treated you like a sister. How could you steal the man who was meant to be mine while I was out fighting for our pack in the far territories?” she asked, her voice dripping with disappointment. “Sophia, you’re wrong. I never—” I tried to defend myself, but my trembling body betrayed me. Her sudden appearance completely threw me off, leaving me at a loss for words. My father, Alpha Duran Lennox, had cast my human mother aside when he found Alina, his fated mate. Their union gave birth to Sophia a year after I was born, followed by Raymond two years later. Growing up, I lived among humans. I was raised and educated as one of them, and honestly, I was thankful that my wolf hadn’t emerged even after my 18th birthday. It meant I wouldn’t be bound to my father or his world. But fate always seems to have other plans for me. When I turned 18, my father showed up unexpectedly, demanding I return to the pack to train and awaken my wolf. My foolish, naive mother was ecstatic, thinking he genuinely wanted me. So, she let me go, sending me to live with him, Alina, and my two half-siblings in the Snow White pack. For two years, I endured life in the pack, constantly overshadowed by Sophia. To the outside world, she was perfect, while I was treated like a servant behind closed doors. Eventually, I gave up and told my father I wanted to return to the human world. I thought I was never meant to have a wolf, and honestly, I was fine with that. But fate dealt me another cruel hand—I was sacrificed, sold to Alpha Ethan Darnell to save the pack. Sophia raised her hand, cutting off my words. Her tone was firm, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor. “Enough. Don’t say another word! I’m deeply disappointed in you. If you have even a shred of decency left, leave Ethan and give me back the position that rightfully belongs to me!” I froze. Her words hit me like a dagger to the heart. I knew Sophia was the legitimate daughter of the Lennox family, while I was just the unwanted offspring, living in her shadow. But hearing it directly from her lips? That was a different kind of pain. Ethan turned his wheelchair toward Sophia, and his demeanor shifted entirely. The hatred that had filled his gaze moments ago was replaced with softness—a tenderness I never thought he was capable of. He reached out and took Sophia’s hand, holding it with care. “Sophia, you have nothing to worry about. I’m so glad I recognized you at the party last night. I’ll make sure everything goes back to the way it’s supposed to be. Liliana will no longer interfere in your life,” he said, his voice dripping with affection. I stared at the scene before me, my eyes wide with disbelief. My heart shattered. I’d always known Sophia’s type—she would never love someone like Ethan. A crippled Alpha with no wolf wasn’t her ideal partner. But seeing her act so caring and loving toward him? It was still hard to swallow. What kind of act was she playing this time? It seemed I had to reassess my opinion of Ethan Darnell. He wasn’t as sharp as I had thought. He was just like any other man, blinded by love. Strangely, I felt sorry for him. Was it because we were alike—both wolfless, both incomplete? “Ethan, you don’t understand,” I finally said, my voice shaking. I was worried Sophia would use him and throw him away. “I never intended to take anything from Sophia. I only—” “Enough!” Ethan snapped, his face contorted with anger. “Don’t you dare use Sophia’s name to justify your actions. You know damn well you don’t belong here.” Tears streamed down my face. I wanted to defend myself, but every word I tried to say felt meaningless against Ethan’s hatred and Sophia’s smug, knowing smile. After a tense pause, Ethan instructed his beta to escort Sophia out, leaving the two of us alone. The room was suffocatingly quiet as Ethan stared at me with icy disdain, while I stood frozen, unable to move. “You know, Liliana,” Ethan finally spoke, his voice low but sharp. “I regret keeping you here for a month and letting you into my life. From now on, I won’t let you destroy what I have with Sophia.” I couldn’t hold my emotions back any longer. “You… you met me once and ruined me!” I shouted, my voice rising. “You’ve never even tried to see things from my perspective, Ethan. To you, I’m just an enemy, just a tool. But I’m not!” Ethan let out a dry laugh, one devoid of humor. “Your perspective? What’s there to understand about a woman who used marriage as a bargaining chip for her family’s gain? There’s nothing to understand, Liliana.” I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from crying. I knew Ethan would never listen to me. To him, I was nothing but a lie. “You’ll regret this, Ethan Darnell! You really are blind!” I yelled. “What?” he shouted back, his voice booming with anger. I heard his roar of frustration behind me as I stormed out. But I didn’t care. Wasn’t this freedom exactly what I wanted? * ETHAN DARNELL “She said I’m blind?” I gripped the armrest of my wheelchair tightly. I was alone now—Liliana had just left. My anger still simmered, clouding my thoughts. To me, this marriage was nothing more than a tool to maintain the Darnell family’s image. From the start, I never intended to let Liliana into my heart. Making her the penance for my beta’s death wasn’t entirely true either. My family and pack members had been pressuring me to produce an heir. But who would willingly become Luna to a crippled Alpha like me? Frustrated, I hissed under my breath. In the end, they used my beta’s death as leverage to arrange this marriage. “Ethan, if you let this opportunity pass, our pack will lose even more respect!” my uncle had urged two months ago after learning of my beta’s death. “Didn’t you always want Sophia Lennox? This is the perfect chance to secure the marriage without tarnishing our pride!” At first, I hesitated. I’d admired Sophia Lennox for a long time, but was it right to bind her to me like this? The marriage deal had been finalized while I was busy with pack affairs. I didn’t even know Sophia had agreed to it and was already living in my villa. I had avoided meeting her, hesitant and unsure—until last night, at the party. A woman approached me, claiming to be the real Sophia Lennox and my destined mate. It couldn’t be true—Sophia was supposed to be at my villa. She challenged me to uncover the truth, to find out who had been posing as Sophia and married me. Frustrated and confused, I drank too much, got drunk, and ordered my beta to take me home. I wanted to confront the woman who now bore the title of my wife. I needed to know the truth. When she touched me, undressing me, I knew immediately she wasn’t Sophia, the woman who had lived in my wildest fantasies. I should’ve stopped her, but… something about Liliana pulled at me. She unsettled me, in a way I couldn’t ignore. I hated to admit it, but there was a part of me that couldn’t entirely dismiss her. And that night, I wanted her—again and again. For the first time, Sophia didn’t occupy my thoughts. I sighed deeply, trying to push those thoughts away. I turned my wheelchair, heading downstairs to meet the real Sophia, who was waiting for me. “You’ll regret this, Ethan!” Liliana’s voice echoed in my mind. But Ethan Darnell never regrets his decisions.