Ashley's POV

Silvia faked her health issues to play the victim.

And the idiotic, arrogant Alpha—my ex-husband—willingly became her sharpest weapon, discarding me without hesitation.

My stomach churned violently, but this time, it wasn't because of pregnancy. No, it was pure, uncontrollable disgust. Brian, the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, could have uncovered the truth in countless ways if he cared to.

But he didn't. He didn't even doubt her for a second. He swallowed her lies whole because he wanted to believe them. Because those lies handed him the perfect excuse to dump me and rekindle his new flame.

I was deceived. My husband, my marriage, the three years of effort and pain I endured—everything was built on a ridiculous lie. That woman, with her fake tears and fragile act, not only stole my husband but also turned me into the laughingstock of the entire pack.

I bent down, picking up the papers one by one. I didn't rip them apart. Instead, I carefully placed them back into the brown envelope.

Why expose her?

No.

I'm not going to do it. Brian deserves this. The best punishment for him is to let him stay deep in those lies, give everything for her, and then finally discover the truth. He should understand what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you thought you loved.

I locked the file folder in the safe, taking a deep breath to force myself to calm down. Walking over to my desk, I pressed the intercom button.

"Leo, come in. We need to go over the Moonlight Salon plans."

A few seconds later, my assistant Leo knocked and stepped in. Full of energy and highly capable, he handed me a document. "Ms. Rebecca," he said, placing it in front of me, "here's the initial layout and guest list."

I took the folder, but my mind was elsewhere. Then, suddenly, Leo's phone rang, its sharp tone cutting through the silence. He glanced at the caller ID, hesitation flashing across his face.

"Ma'am, it's Alpha Brian."

My heart clenched, tightening painfully in my chest.

"Answer it," I said, my tone calm and devoid of any emotion.

Leo hit the speaker button. "Good evening, Alpha Brian," he greeted politely.

"I need your assistance," Brian's deep, commanding voice came through the line with that undeniable air of authority. "I want one of my wife's paintings to be showcased at the upcoming Moonlight Salon."

My wife.

For just a second, my breath caught in my throat.

He still remembers that I love painting? That passion he once dismissed as a "pointless hobby," the one I buried deep in my heart—he remembers? A faint, almost laughable flicker of warmth stirred in my chest for half a second.

"She's always loved painting," Brian's voice continued, carrying an uncharacteristic trace of gentleness. "Her work is incredibly talented."

But the next moment, that flicker was extinguished completely, doused by a bucket of ice-cold water.

Because I heard Silvia's frail yet overdone voice: "Oh, Brian, don't say that, you're making me blush..."

So, the "wife" he spoke of was Silvia. The "incredibly talented work" he admired belonged to another woman.

Leo, my assistant, responded with his usual professional tone, "I'm sorry, Alpha. All the submissions for this salon were finalized two weeks ago. If you're interested, you can apply for the next selection round."

"The next one?" Brian's voice chilled instantly, dripping with arrogance, as though he couldn't believe someone dared to refuse him. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Brian, don't be like this..." Silvia's voice came in right on cue, trembling as if she might break into sobs at any moment. "I... I might not make it to the next one... I just wanted... wanted to leave something behind before I go. Please, sir, just think of it as granting a dying woman's final wish, will you?"

What a performance. The Oscars seriously owe her a trophy.

Leo turned to me helplessly, his eyes filled with silent pleading for guidance.

I took the phone from his hand, walked to the window, and lowered my voice, speaking in that cold and distant tone that belonged to "Rebecca": "Miss, we don't know you. The gallery has no obligation to fulfill the last wishes of a stranger. Rules are rules."

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then Brian's anger erupted. "You're absolutely heartless! All she wants is to showcase one painting! Can't you have even a shred of compassion?!"

"Compassion isn't a valid reason to break the rules, Alpha," I replied, completely unfazed.

I had the final say in this matter, and I simply didn't want her painting displayed.

"I command you!" Brian's Alpha authority came through the phone, his voice carrying that familiar dominance, trying to force me to comply. "Give her a spot now!"

I let out a short, derisive laugh, dripping with disdain. "Let me remind you, Alpha Brian. The Rose Gallery, while under the wolf alliance, isn't part of Blackwood Pack. You have no authority to order me around."

And with that, I ended the call.

The world fell into silence. I leaned against the icy glass window, and memories came rushing back like a flood.

I remembered, back then, when I shyly told him I loved painting. He'd barely reacted, just frowned a little and said, "You're the Luna now. Shouldn't you focus on more meaningful things?"

From that day forward, I never picked up a paintbrush again. The grand Alpha Manor had a greenhouse, a gym, a home theater—but not a single space that could be called my studio.

And now, for Silvia, this woman who only knew how to disguise herself with lies and tears, he, the Alpha, had set aside his pride to plead with a "stranger."

The difference between love and indifference could really be that stark, that cruel.

My chest felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, the pain so sharp I could hardly breathe. I let out a bitter laugh. This was the man I had loved all these years.

"Ms. Rebecca?" Leo finally broke the silence cautiously. "Alpha Brian sent a message... He said, no matter what, he hopes you'll take a look at his wife's artwork."

Attached to the message was an image.

I was ready to delete it without a second thought, but against all reason, I clicked on it.

I froze.

The moment I saw the painting, I changed my mind.

I would accept Silvia's work for public display.

My fingertips slid across the cold screen of my phone.

The painting Brian sent me—it was nothing more than a disgusting copy.

The original piece? My artwork from three years ago, one I'd never shown anyone. A piece born from heartbreak. I have no clue how Silvia found out about it, but the painting she's now calling hers is identical to mine.

Three years ago, one night. Brian and I had agreed to have dinner together. I waited, full of hope, counting down the minutes until he'd come back.

But he didn't. I waited from day to night, and he never showed up. I ended up standing alone at the cliff behind the Blackwood Pack manor, the moonlight stretching my shadow long and thin. It wasn't until later I found out he'd been chasing after his first love—chasing a lie because the news he got that day wasn't even real.

That moment wrecked me. I was completely shattered. So, I went back to my room and poured all that loneliness and despair onto a canvas.

Now, Silvia's taken my pain and dressed it up as if it's her own masterpiece.

No, not exactly the same.

My painting, set where moonlight met the edge of the forest, held a small, curled-up wolf hidden in a deep, almost black shade of blue. That wolf was me—a soul without a wolf spirit, longing for a place to belong. But Silvia's painting? None of that. Hers was just an empty imitation, all surface-level moonlight and a wolf, no soul at all. She had no clue what the painting really meant. She wasn't anything more than a lousy thief—first stealing my husband, and now trying to steal my work.

"Ms. Rebecca?" Leo's voice pulled me from those cold memories.

His face showed a mix of confusion and hesitation. "Are we really... going to say no to Alpha Brian? He's the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. Our gallery might be independent, but openly offending him..."

"No." I turned off my phone, done looking at that sham of a painting. "We're not saying no."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean..."

"Reply to him," I said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "tell him the Rose Gallery would be honored to showcase his wife's masterpiece. The painting can be part of the exhibit.

"Not only that—give it the best spot. Right at the entrance, under the best lighting. Make sure it's the first thing every guest sees when they walk in."

Leo's face was full of questions, but he didn't press further. He simply nodded and said, "Understood, ma'am. I'll take care of it right away."

"Wait a second." I stopped him, the smile on my lips growing wider. "And one more thing—get that painting I did three years ago, 'The Waiting,' from my private collection. I'll be unveiling it myself."

Leo froze for a moment, his entire body tensing. Then, in an instant, his confused look transformed into one of pure admiration and excitement. "Got it, Ms. Rebecca."

Perfect.

Silvia, didn't you want to leave your mark on this world? Didn't you want to show off your "talent" and "kindness" in front of all the elite wolves?

Fine. I'll make it happen for you.

I'll let you stand at the very top, and then I'll be the one to push you off.

I could almost picture it now—the priceless look on her face when everything falls apart.

After Leo left, silence returned to the office. I poured myself a glass of water. The icy liquid slid down my throat, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.

Then, my phone buzzed again. The name flashing on the screen was one I could recognize in my sleep.

Brian.

I considered ignoring it entirely, but instead of calling, he'd sent a message. That familiar, commanding tone of his, like nothing had ever changed between us.

"My grandmother is visiting the estate this weekend. She doesn't know about our divorce yet. You need to organize the family dinner. This is what you're supposed to do as Luna. Don't even think about running away from it."

My... Luna... duties?

A laugh, sharp and laced with disbelief, surged up from my chest before I could stop it.

I laughed out loud. The sound echoed in the empty office, cold and cutting.

He threw me out of our bedroom like garbage, dumped my belongings on the lawn for everyone to trample on. He choked me, crushed me with that Alpha dominance of his—all because of another woman. He humiliated me.

This man. His selfishness and arrogance are unreal.

My fingers hovered over the screen, countless biting, brutal words swirling in my mind, ready to pierce through him like a sharp blade. But in the end, not a single one made it to the text.

Ignore him! I have to learn how to ignore him, like he's nothing.