Chapter 4

"You shameless home-wrecker. You even have the nerve to call someone your mother? Using her as an excuse to get sympathy. Disgusting."

The woman's voice was vicious. Her eyes were full of contempt.

The slap left my face burning. Dizziness hit me. Despair and fury tore through my whole body.

Then the hospital security pushed through, shouting.

"This is a medical facility. Get out or we're calling enforcement."

In the gap they made, I ran.

I burst through the ward door.

Everything inside me collapsed.

Margaret lay still on the bed. Her face was the color of paper. Her lips had no color left.

The doctor stood at the bedside, his face full of regret. He looked up at me and exhaled slowly.

"Miss Fairfax. I'm so sorry. We did everything we could."

My vision went dark. I grabbed the doorframe to stay on my feet.

A nurse steadied me and spoke quietly.

"Your mother was fine just an hour ago. A woman came to her room, said a few things, they had a confrontation, and she went into cardiac arrest."

"When you didn't arrive to sign the authorization, we activated the emergency protocol. But the donor backed out at the last moment."

Grief pressed down until I couldn't breathe. I made no sound.

I stepped free of the nurse's hands and moved to the bedside. I took Margaret's cold hands in mine.

The person who gave me warmth when there was none left in the world would never open her eyes again.

I carried her to the cremation hall and saw to everything myself. Then I had her buried in a quiet stretch of the memorial ground.

After I'd paid my respects, I dragged my numb body to the river bridge. I stood at the railing and recorded a short video, set it to post on a delay, uploaded it.

Then I jumped.

Across town, Ethan was at the prenatal clinic with Serena. They were talking about what to name their pup.

His assistant called. The voice on the other end was urgent.

"Alpha Sterling — Nora Fairfax just jumped off the bridge."

The smile froze on Ethan's face. He stood up fast.

"What did you say?"

His assistant forwarded a video — bystanders filming the rescue operation at the bridge.

Ethan's stomach dropped. He started toward the door.

Serena grabbed his wrist.

"Babe, where are you going? We're not done with the checkup. I don't feel safe without you here."

He stopped. He looked at her red-rimmed eyes and forced the panic down.

"Something urgent came up at the Pack. I have to deal with it myself. I'll have someone here with you right away. Be good."

"I won't be good."

Serena cut him off, her voice sharp with jealousy.

"Don't lie to me. You're going to find Nora. You promised me you wouldn't see her again."

"Ethan Sterling, you said you'd keep your word."

Serena was irritating him beyond anything he could stand. He shook her hand off.

"I told you it's Pack business. Can you stop making scenes."

He walked out.

He called Nora. No answer.

He tried again. Sent a message.

【Stop this. If it's money you need, just say so.】

【Pulling a stunt like this — what's the point?】

Nothing came back.

The dread in Ethan's chest grew until it was hard to breathe.

Behind him, Serena had followed him out. She watched every move he made, hatred pooling in her eyes.

She let herself drop to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and cried out in pain.

"Babe — my stomach. Something's wrong. I think we're losing the pup."

Right as she said it, Ethan's phone went off.

He thought it was Nora. It wasn't.

It was his assistant.

【Alpha Sterling. Just confirmed — Miss Fairfax's foster mother passed away last night from sudden cardiac arrest. Nora carried her to the cremation hall and buried her herself.】

【She recorded a video before she jumped. It posted on a delay — one minute ago.】

【Everything she said in the video has been verified. It's all true.】

【Also — the posts calling your mate a mistress were arranged by your mate herself. And the heart donor who backed out — she bribed them.】

The blood drained from Ethan's face. His hands shook as he opened the video.

Nora stood at the edge of the bridge. Her shoes and hands were caked with dirt. Her frame was thin. Her eyes were decided.

She spoke carefully, one sentence at a time.

"Hello. I'm Nora Fairfax — the one you've all been calling the unstable, lovesick home-wrecker."

"Today, I'm using my life to clear my own name."

"I was with Ethan Sterling for five years. In the fifth year, he had an affair with his secretary, Serena. When I found out, he faked his death and Bonded with her in secret."

"After I found out everything, Serena had my foster mother killed. In thirty minutes, the evidence will post alongside this video."

He tapped the cloud link.

Everything was there. Five years of their relationship. Every piece of proof of his affair with Serena. Every message Serena had sent to Nora — every taunt, every threat.

And then the videos.

In one, Serena leaned over Margaret's hospital bed and spoke low, her face twisted with cruelty. Within minutes, Margaret collapsed.

In another, a mob of reporters cornered Nora on a stairwell. She was frantic, desperate to get through, crying. One woman hit her in the face. Someone screamed that she didn't deserve to call anyone her mother.

In another, Nora moved through the cremation hall with Margaret's body on her back, one step at a time. Her eyes were empty.