Chapter 3

Vivienne came in carrying a bowl of soup. "Mrs. Thorne, I made this for you. You just got home — please have some."

"No."

Aria turned to look at her. "Get out."

"That's not very kind." Vivienne raised an eyebrow and dropped the act. "I spent hours on this. You could at least pretend to be grateful."

"Done pretending?"

Aria's voice was flat. "Vivienne. After everything I did for you, why did you destroy my family?"

"Because I wasn't satisfied." Vivienne stepped closer, eyes going cold. "We both came from nothing. Why did you get to be the high-and-mighty Luna of the Thorne Pack while I was just your hired instructor? You think paying me a decent salary makes you better than me? From the moment I walked into your house, I wanted Ethan."

"When you left for your business trip, I made sure to practice yoga every day where he could see me. The moment he came home, I had him. Every day while you were away, I was by his side. He told me I was amazing — that he loved how I was with him."

"So yes, we've been sneaking around for two years. I gave him a son. Aria, you were just too blind to see what was right in front of you. I left you so many clues and you never suspected a thing. You should have figured it out sooner — you're almost pathetic. And your pup? He's better off dead."

Before the last word landed, Vivienne moved to throw the entire bowl of scalding soup over Aria's newborn.

Aria lurched forward to shield her son.

But the next second, Vivienne tipped the bowl and poured it directly on her own hand.

The bowl shattered on the floor. Vivienne screamed.

"Ow! That burns! Mrs. Thorne, why would you do that? I was just trying to help with the baby — if you didn't want me to, you could have just said so. Why throw hot soup at me?"

The door exploded open. Ethan stormed in, took one look at Vivienne's reddened hand, and spun toward Aria.

"What the hell, Aria? Are you out of your mind?"

"Vivienne, are you okay?"

Vivienne shook her head, sweat already beading on her forehead from the pain. "Don't be angry with her. I was just trying to hold the baby because he was crying. I thought I could help. She just —"

Aria laughed. "What an actress."

Ethan looked up. "You deliberately hurt her. Apologize."

"I didn't do anything. Why should I apologize?"

Aria looked away and went back to settling her son. "Shh, it's okay, Mommy's here."

"Since you won't apologize, don't expect me to go easy on you." Ethan's voice went hard. "Someone come take the baby. Until Aria apologizes to Vivienne, Vivienne will be caring for the child."

"What did you just say?"

Aria's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

"Ethan. She says jump, you ask how high? Why won't you listen to my side? I'm telling you, I didn't do it."

"Then why would Vivienne burn herself? Aria, choose: apologize to her, or the baby goes with Vivienne. Your choice."

Vivienne tugged at his sleeve. "Don't do this. She's still the Luna. I'm nobody. Don't fight over me — it makes me feel terrible."

"If she insists on acting this way, then she can give up the title." Ethan repeated himself, quiet and final. "Aria. Last chance. Kneel and apologize. Or lose the baby."

Aria held her son tighter, then bit her lip and dropped to her knees in front of Vivienne.

"I'm sorry, Miss Holloway."

Vivienne's mouth curved into a satisfied smile. She rushed forward as if to help Aria up, and in a voice only Aria could hear, she whispered: "Now you know what I'm capable of. Take your pup and get out while you still can. Otherwise, I'll make sure he becomes mine."

Then, louder: "Oh, I'm hurting so much!"

"Let me take you to get that looked at," Ethan said, wrapping his arm around her. He glanced back at Aria, still on her knees. Something crossed his face — discomfort, maybe. But he turned away and they left.

Watching his back disappear, Aria thought about the old days at the office.

Because she'd come from nothing, whenever something went missing at the Pack headquarters, she was always the first one blamed. Every time she tried to defend herself, no one believed her.

Ethan had been the one to step in back then. He'd pulled the security footage, questioned every witness, and cleared her name.

He'd once told her: even if the whole world doubted her, as long as Aria said she didn't do it, he'd believe her without question.

Now he didn't believe her anymore.

That night, Ethan didn't come back to their room.

Aria didn't mind. She put her son to sleep and didn't close her own eyes until nearly dawn.