Austin has been by my side right from childhood.

What were we then?

Maybe we could be called a duo of unfortunate kids?

He chased me for two decades. He loved me with all his breaths and cherished me.

One mount ago,he cheated on me.

I pretended not to know anything, pretending to be the clueless wife he wanted me to be.

That was till I erased details that leads to my existence and it was then that the scum searched for me desperately.

The clerk looks up at me, her brows perching up questioningly.

"Are you sure you want to delete all traces, ma'am? It is easy to do that now but it would be pretty hard to get things back.

If you're currently going through turbulent times and you think disappearing would do it, then maybe you need counseling and we have just that service available to our people here." She tried to dissuade me.

"I'm twenty - nine." I replied simply.

I believed tbat was enough to shut her up.

She looks a bit embarrassed before nodding.

She took the form I had just filled from the counter and nodded.

I know how Austin is. He would stop at nothing to find me and for that not to happen, I have to cancel all my official and non official documents.

"Miss Leo, it is done." The clerk informed after few minutes.

I let's out a sigh of relief before I grabbed my bag and walked out of the building.

When I got back to the pack, I slipped my phone out to have a check at my future plans.

On my phone's lockscreen was the picture we took on our wedding day.

It felt as if a dagger was thrusted straight into my chest.

The Alphas wedding are always ground breaking, but with Austin going a bit off the grid with his dramatic ideas, it's safe to say we had the most grand and talked about wedding in the country!

Every friendly specie- vampire, wolves, humans,etc were present!

Today,the main reel of our wedding on Instagram has hit millions of views.

He even procured a private island and named it "longing for Augustina"

This news threw the internet society into a frenzy.

The story of him donating one of his bone marrow to me also surfaced.

We were known as the lovers that defied - death couple.

Back then, I was truly happy but right now all that envelops me are sour feelings.

He had kept asking me out on a date, to be his Luna for twenty years.

My mother was diagnosed of a genetic diseases and dad left her in the hospital with the little me.

Since then, I've had trust issues….

I felt everyone was going to leave me eventually so I never really opened up quite well to people.

I thought to myself that if I have less expectations, there's no way I would be disappointed.

Without deep relationships, my heart wouldn't be splitted into pieces.

Mom couldn't be cured so she ended up dying.

At her funeral place, Austin was beside me.

He was also a child then.

He comforted me and promised to stay by my side without leaving.

I just thought he was a clueless kid.

Having seen how coward of a man dad was and how mom died without help, I have grown multiple times my actual age.

I looked past all his kind gestures for the next fifteen years.

I believed that he would eventually give up on me after futile efforts.

But a day came where I badly needed a bone marrow donation.

I had lost hope and started drawing circles around the dates on the calendar to keep track of my death's time.

When we couldn't find a donor on time, Austin signed the papers, consenting he was going to transfer one of his to me.

The surgery saved my life, no, he did.

He was half - conscious after the surgery when he came into my wardroom to ask how I was doing.

"You look okay, I'm glad you are. I did it for you, Augustina."

He confessed his love for me but I didn't accept him even in that situation then.

Five years later and he was still all over me with love letters, flowers, love messages, gifts….

There was no method of confessing to a girl that he didn't utilized.

One day,I spotted gray strands in his hair and that broke my heart.

I accepted him. The look on his face is still fresh in my head.

He brought out a ring box from his pocket instantly which got me quite startled.

He handed all his assets to me, everything he had.

If it were possible,he would have made me the alpha of Emerald Pack.

But, i rejected all of them.

"I said yes now but I can turn my words back any day. If you leave me for a minute, I'll disappear and you won't ever find me." Tears prickled out of my eyes as I said those.

Deep in my heart, I already trust him a lot and don't mean a word in the statement.

Until a month ago when he cheated on me.

I wasn't going to wait around like a waitress waiting tables and get dumped like mom so I began making plans.

I booked a flight and printed out a divorce paper that gave me none of his money or property and it was to be delivered to him in three days time.

As I got into the house, I found him in a black apron, making dinner.

He is a well respected man, a billionaire…but he still insists on getting his hands on some household chores like a loyal husband.

But even the most loyal husband could be tempted to cheat on his wife.

He wiped his hands on his apron and came to plant a soft kiss on my forehead.

His familiar scent hit me. It was warm and nice but there was a light smell of lavender under it.

My heart tweaked in pain - that's not my scent.

My heart moves in erratic motion in my chest.

A fierce object seems to be stuck in my lungs and that rendered me breathless.

I took my face to the side, trying to hide my reddened face.

"You shouldn't have stayed out so long,sweetpie.

And what about your driver? I thought I'd instructed him to make sure you return to the pack on time?" He took my palm and rubbed it in the most loving way ever.

I snatched my hand from his on impulse.

I don't ever want to be in body contact with him anymore.

He squat down to remove my shoes for me.

I squeezed a sigh out of my lungs and caress my temple as he rubs my cold feet.

Before,I used to feel tingling sensations in my tummy but everything was void now.

"I strolled around the neighborhood. It isn't that cold."i remarked with a snort.

He slides the slippers in my legs when he has warmed my feet up quite well.

He stood up and held my face in his hands.

"I got you something,you will love it."he rubs the place close to my ears slowly with his thumbs

"How about you donate the money you use in buying me brand deals every week to the pack still in ruins from the last war?"i retorted and he smiles.

"We've already helped them. My wife deserves to get surprises from me every day. Now,wanna guess what it is this time around?"

I scoffed in my head. His presents are so predictable. "Definitely a high heel brand."

He giggles like a kid before planting a kiss on my forehead.

"Exactly. You're so smart now, aren't you?"

I would have melted away into his touches before but they're so itchy now!

He doesn't buy gifts,instead he purchase a whole brand!

Thanks to his thoughtfulness, I now have stakes in almost hundred companies.

If I watch an advert for too long, a contract would get thrown in my face the next hour.

"I have a present for you also. It's so precious and it should arrive three days from now."I forced my lips to stretch into a smile.

An exaggerated awed expression took over his face before he swept me off the floor, woohoo'ing like a kid that just passed his elementary exam at first try.

"It's great to have lived this long to see you get me a gift,wifey." He laughed melodiously.

"We still have decades ahead of us. I'll get a book and start documenting moments like this.

It would serve as tales for our children. I could have them inscribed in my headstone one day even." His excited voice sounded so distant to me.

There's no another decade for us, Austin.

I was almost sad for him for being too happy.

After dinner, he handed me the contract for the high heels brand and asked me to sign it.

"Sweetpie, I've discussed with the brand. They said they have limited edition designs this season.

They're going to set aside your sizes and I'll take you there tomorrow to check them out. You'll love them" his face brightens up in delight.

I nodded, signed the contract and mouthed an emotionless thanks to him.

Since he was busy looking at his phone,he didn't noticed the indifferent look I had on.

"From now on, allow the driver take you, alright?

Heels are nice but they might not be that comfortable.

If I am around,I could take you to your workplace and bring you back myself." He stated as he mindlessly scroll down on his phone.

"Austin, you don't have to do all these for n-"

He looks up at me and placed his finger on my lips.

"It's only right I do this, sweetpie. You lit up my world so this is the least I can do.

Besides, if I don't take care of you, given how awesome of a woman you are, what if you get stolen away from me?"

The chandelier hanging down the ceiling casts an illustration on his gray hair which he got after he transplanted his bone marrow to me, making it look celestial.

My heart ached; he would never understand that a lady like me holds his gifts up to no value, they simply do not matter.

No one needs to steal me away because I am going to leave on my own accord.

Our once burning love was long gone.

After saying those words, his gaze fell back to his phone.

A smile coyed up on my lips.

"Still working by this time?"

He looks up at me,his eyes twitching in guiltiness.

"Yes"he replied.

"For this long?"I crossed my arms on my chest.

"Right? We recently partnered with other companies controlled by a pack like us and there has been so many to do."he explained.

"You can go ahead to sleep first. I'll head in after I'm done."he smiles.

I nodded.

I peaked at his phone's screen as I walked past him to the bedroom.

A crying emoji from another woman.

He has lied to me again.

I didn't utter any word, just go into the room and throw myself on the bed.

I grabbed my phone, about to check out my husband's mistress.

I hurriedly created a new account with fake details and went through Serienne Hibly's newsfeed.

She posted pictures of new heels that were yet to be released - they were from the same brand Austin has said he purchased my gifts from.

She said she was soon going to be announced as the brand's ambassador, going ahead to say her boyfriend has finalized everything and the high heels were gift from the brand.

People doubted her,some going ahead to call her a fake princess trying to act like Augustina Leo - me.

She's a rising actress, so it's expected that people wouldn't believe her.

She defended herself,saying there was going to be some kind of shoot.

Finally,an anonymous user also supported her.

*I wonder when people will start minding their words on here. I know miss Serienne's boyfriend.

He is one of the executives and he has already made calls for her to be the ambassador.

If you don't believe,wait for the official photoshoots tomorrow*

Some people disagreed with the user.

*An upcoming actress with such a boyfriend? Sounds so untruthful!*

*Creating a dummy account to clear out your name? Let's wait and see how you get embarrassed tomorrow if there's no shoot and how you dodge a lawsuit for posting these products before their release time!*

Within two minutes,the same anonymous account posted a picture of a signed endorsement deal.

The comment section fell silent.

The person, as if to rub chili powder on their wound, added *wait and see the shoots for yourself tomorrow*

Tired with all the brouhaha happening,I logged out.

I got up to use the restroom and i overheard Austin losing his temper on the phone with someone.

"I don't care whatever schedule you have to cancel,fvcking make sure she takes that photoshoot tomorrow!

Unless you all want me to fire every single worker there would you delay her shoot by one second!"

My chest knotted up and I clutch it tightly,a loud alarm ringing in my head.

I held the wall,allowing my tears drop to the marbled floor.

So,it was him?

Austin was the lover boy defending his woman?

My whole body went numb as I observed the way my life disperse into the air like dusts, everything I'd loved and craved for….

Austin noticed me and he flinched back.

He looks taken aback by my presence,more still,the tears steaming out of my eyes.

"S..swe..sweetpie, what's going on? Why are you crying, my love?"he rushed to my side and placed his palm on my forehead to feel my temperature.

My body weakened as he scooped me up in his arms and rushed me to the couch.

He gently put me down on the bed.

"I'm.. I'm fine,I..I got teary while reading a sad novel. You have so much work to do, go, I won't hold you back." My voice quivers.

Austin placed my head on his thighs, patting my hair slowly.

"I don't like seeing your tears. I've already told you to stop reading such stories. They are not real and would never be. Isn't our life together the best novel of all time?

Our happiness spreads all over the earth, why would you want to torture yourself by reading those stories?" He cooed.

He doesn't like to see my tears?

But he is hurting me in every possible way!

His soft words and gestures somehow made me get a bit of warm chills but that disappeared when his phone kept vibrating, indicating incoming messages.

He smiles nervously.

"As soon as we end the meeting, I promise that I'm coming straight up to cuddle you."he grins after saying the last part.

I got up from the couch and walked to the bedroom without replying him.

I guess him coming to cuddle me up seems to be a medal to him,one I would tightly hold on to.

But I couldn't deny that deep within me,I wish he would fulfill his promise.

"And if he does? You'll change?"Aurora almost screamed at me.

I sighed. "Maybe." But I know that's all but a fanciful dream. If I don't want to have any nightmare again, I'd better get myself outta his sight.

Just when I was about to immerse my senses deeply into sleep in the midnight,I heard the sound of a car driving out and i knew immediately that that was Austin.

Talking on the phone with her isn't enough so now he is going to her.

I jumped out of the bed and pulled a face cap over my face.

I was in my pajamas but I wouldn't care.

I tailed behind him as he wandered through the streets in the neighborhood.

Soon, he stopped before an apartment and rang the bell.

He looked sideways, exactly what a suspicious partner would do!

The door opened and a leg slips out, seductively.

She brought her other leg out and pulled his collar.

Serienne!

She was dressed in a gown too short for a sane human being.

"I will still be under the media's fire if it weren't for your support."she locked her lips with his in a snug smile.

My hands balled up beside me as I fought the urge to pounce on her and rip her limbs apart!

Austin hands went around her waist and they both went inside,shutting the door loudly behind them.

My heart rate drops to zero. I was going to collapse before my eyes changed to golden brown.

Aurora is here,using my body.

She pulled us away from there.

At least with her, I didn't get to cry useless tears again for a total nutcase of an husband!

We got back home and just stared, the urge to sleep gone!

The next morning,Austin's call entered my phone.

"Good morning, sweetpie. I couldn't come home last night, work took most of my hours and I feared sending a text or calling could disrupt your sleep.

How does a shopping sounds? Anything you want, it's on me! I'll come pick you up."

He's really a good actor!

And it's amazing how he could keep a balance between two women!

I stared at my reflection in the restroom's mirror after splashing some water on my face to hold myself so I won't break up any further.

I went down after some minutes and found his car parked outside the pack's gate.

His face squeezed up in worries as he took my appearance in.

"You didn't slept well, sweetpie? You do look not-so-good, or is it a nightmare?"

"I was going to take you on a shopping today, but you look like you could use a breather. Should I just have everything brought down here?"

I was determined to see how he would throw the world upside down in name of a surprise to me.

"I can manage. I could use a fresh air also."I refused his offer.

When we got to the boutique,he made me sit on the couch then went around, getting drinks for me - milkshake,coffees, anti - aging tea - those were all my favorites but I was rather indifferent towards them today.

He noticed and immediately reproached himself instead of being angry.

"I left you alone last night when it was extremely cold. I know how lonely that must have been. I was inconsiderate of your feelings. Scold me however you want." He held my hands.

I slowly withdrew my hands from his and shook my head.

"I just do not feel like taking a sip of the drinks today,I guess since I've been taking them much recently,I have become tired."

The manager of the boutique has a stunned look on his face.

"I guess the rumours are right. Mr Leo sure takes his wife as his life." He flickers the ashes of his smoke on a plate before pulling another one out and stretched it towards Austin.

Austin shook his head. "My wife doesn't like me smoking. Besides,she can't handle the smell and her health is my wealth."he looks at me affectionately.

The manager withdrew the stick and gave a smile and nods his head.

The workers exchanged talks among themselves,giggling and admiring our love that seems like a romance novel to them

Little do they know the quiet storm going on in my home.

The shoes were brought by the staff.

Austin got into action,pointing out the ones I should try first and those I didn't really need to try as he already saw it won't look good on my legs.

He even went down on his knees, rolled his sleeves up and wore them for me, complimenting me every second.

"Everything looks so good on you. How about we get every pieces of them? You could wear a pair every hour."

He was really working hard in his eye - service job.

Just then,he got a call.

His gaze shifted upon seeing the caller and he went outside to receive it.

Some minutes passed with Austin still not in sight.

I stood up, put on the shoes I had came in back on my legs and walked out.

Austin saw me emerged out of the boutique and unconsciously covered the screen of his phone.

"It's freezing outside, sweetpie. Go on inside and keep trying the shoes on. I'll be right back."he gestured with his other hand, speaking in low tone.

"I am not feeling well before so it's fine. I am heading home. You should attend to your busy schedule." I replied weakly and left before he could stop me.

When I was out,I curbed into a corner where I would get a clearer view of the boutique.

A sleek yellow Porsche car slid up before the building and Serienne alighted from it.

Austin hugs her tightly before they both walked in.

The staffs handed over my stuffs to him but he just dumps them in a corner and instructed them to focus on the shoot Serienne was going to take there before going to the studio.

They mooched off each other lips, doing all sorta things a good husband shouldn't even dare to do out with another woman,and if he dares dared,he wouldn't do them openly!

However,that wasn't what was surprising.

My chest pinched up in pain as I watched the staffs and supervisor smile with no ounce of shock.

They have known about his affairs,I was just the stupid clueless wife!