I returned home late at night to avoid Emily's birthday party. I didn't want to be a part of this party because I didn't want to see Darek and Mike happily celebrating the day and doing all sorts of funny things for Emily on which my father died. But, when I came back, I didn't find anyone at home. It turned out they hadn't returned from the hospital.

‘Is Emily’s condition really that bad?’ I thought. I remembered she wasn't injured much. She caught only a few scratches on her body. Though it was enough for my two friends to completely ignore me and think only about her whose worlds once revolved around me.

I took my phone out to call Emily and ask if she was alright. But, I was amazed by the number of messages she sent me earlier. She sent me several pictures of the birthday celebration in the hospital with a message that read [Doctor said I couldn't be discharged for two days. Hence, Darek and Mike planned to celebrate my birthday here. It's really fun to have two suitors crazy about you, isn't it Janette?]

Her texts were provocative. She had been doing it since the day she arrived at my home. First provoking me and then becoming a pitiful soul, painting me as villain before Darek and Mike. But, I was surprised with my two friends. How could they be so blind to always trust her and blame me? Didn't they know me well? Didn't they know my personality before? How could they be so easily fooled by her?

Even thinking that frustrated me. I had stopped explaining myself to them or trying to show Emily’s true color. I just let them be.

Since she had already answered my questions in her previous texts, I let go of the idea of calling her. Besides, she had Darek and Mike at the hospital to take care of her the whole night. What impact would it cause if I called her or not?

In the morning I received a call from my Dad's studio. Since I was secretly planning to leave this pack for good, I wanted to hand over his studio to his trustable person, his beta, Mathew to take care of it. One of the old employees of his studio called me and told me there was a minor issue in the paperwork. He asked me to go to the studio and look into it as soon as possible. I immediately got ready to leave for the studio. I was already getting late and my phone started beeping. Emily left me several calls. When I picked her call, she said, “Janette, my clothes got dirty since Darek and Mike kept rubbing cake all over my body. Can you please bring some clean clothes to the Hospital?”

I knew she called me just to show off her fun with my two childhood friends whom she snatched very easily. She wanted to continue talking but I cut her off and said, “ Emily, I have urgent work at my Dad’s studio. I can't talk to you right now and about the clothes, I’m sorry I can't help.”

Before she could say anything or show off to me, I hung up and left for the studio.

I handled the work at the studio and when I returned home I found Darek and Mike waiting for me in the Hall. They were my childhood sweethearts. So, I had shared the keys with them. They could easily come and go at my home. There was a time when they kept lying at my home and chill with me but now their arrival only meant for Emily. I ignored them in the hall, thinking it might be another visit related to Emily.

“Janette,” Darek called me from behind. I turned back to meet their gaze. With just one glance I could guess something was wrong. Mike walked up to me, saying, “Janette, how could you be so inconsiderate towards Emily?”

“What happened now?” I asked, trying to remember if I did something wrong.

“Emily asked you to bring clean clothes for her in the hospital but you refused rudely.” Darek accused me.

“You didn't even visit her in the hospital or call her for once to know how she is doing. How can you be so inconsiderate towards her, Janette? She is after all your cousin?” Mike added.

“I had some work,” I replied flatly.

“Which work could be so important that kept you from asking your cousin’s health?” James asked with a pair of dark eyes. I smiled sarcastically before saying, “Work like visiting my father's grave on his death anniversary, handling an issue caused in his studio. Do you want me to explain more?”

Darek and Mike glanced each other before looking at me with a pair of eyes that laced with guilt and surprise. Darek asked, “ Janette, why didn't you remind us that it was Uncle Max’s death anniversary? We would have accompanied you there.”

“Since when you have started creating drama out of everything, Janette? You didn't tell us anything just to make us feel bad for you and blame Emily for everything, isn’t it?” Mike threw an absurd accusation on me.

Before I could say anything, Mike’s phone rang. It was Emily’s call. They then completely ignored me and walked upstairs to bring her clothes. So, the guilt and concern in their eyes for me was just for seconds.

They came back with Emily’s clothes and were ready to leave. But, I stopped them.

“Wait… I have something for you two.” I said in indifferent voice.

I led them in my room and opened my wardrobe. I took out the bracelets they had presented me on my birthday. I had kept them very safe. But now, I took those bracelets and gave them back because saying, “Please take it.”

They looked up at me in confusion and asked why I was returning their birthday gift.

“The style no longer suits me. I might need a new one.” I replied in a flat voice.

“You are right. After you said this, I also think this bracelet doesn't look very good on your wrist. I think It will look good on Emily's wrist. What do you think, Mike?” Darek said while looking carefully at the bracelets. Mike eyes' shined brightly as he said in an excited voice, “You are right. It was one of the latest collections and very expensive. Emily would surely love it.”

Darek then turned to me before saying, “ Janette, you didn't give any gift to Emily on her birthday yesterday. I think it can be the best present you can offer to your cousin.”

“ Darek is correct.” Mike added.

They didn't go to the depth of my words and promised me to buy a new one for me that would suit me better.

“Alright,” I said flatly before turning to my wardrobe to close it. Only now did they notice my wardrobe that was all vacant.

Darek narrowed his eyes as he asked, “Janette, why is your wardrobe empty? Where are your belongings?”

“What is going with you, Janette? Is everything alright?” Mike asked in a concerned voice.

After my father’s death, his home was a heartache to me. It has always been difficult to live here without him. However, Darek and Mike were my biggest support. With them, I never felt alone. However, after Emily's arrival, their feelings for me had been shifting slowly. Most of the time, I stayed at home crying day and night, missing my father. Meanwhile they were busy making Emily feel comfortable in a new place. Seeing them moving around Emily day and night who was the cause of my father's death, my heartache. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. So, I decided to move out from this place.

I remained silent. I didn't want to tell them all this. Seeing me like this, they were worried. Darek asked in a more concerned voice, “Janette, are you having any trouble? Or you are going out on a trip? You can tell us. We will help you.”

Before I could say anything, Mike's phone rang. It was again Emily's call. He picked up the call and her pitiful voice sounded from the other end,

“Mike, where are You and Darek? I’m at the hospital alone. I’m feeling really bad. Can you please hurry up? I want to move out immediately.”

“Don't be scared, Emily. We are coming soon.” Mike comforted her before hanging up as if she was a kid who was scared in the hospital.

Both of them left immediately to bring Emily home, completely ignoring me.

I sighed and shut the door. At that moment, my phone rang. I picked up the call. It was my Mom.

“Janette,” she called me in a soft voice, “It was the death anniversary of your father yesterday. How are you now? I wanted to call you but I thought you had your friends to accompany you. I know they will never let you cry.”

My mother’s words brought tears to my eyes, but I suppressed them. She then continued, “Janette, I met with an accident yesterday and got hospitalized. I want to see you. Can you please come over and visit me when you have time?”

“Mom,” I called her anxiously, “ Why didn't you tell me earlier? How did this happen? How are you now?”

“I’m okay, dear. Don't be so worried. I didn't call you yesterday because I didn't want you to be so worried about me. It was already a hard day for you. It's just that I’m getting old. I don't know how many days I have left. I want to spend some more time with you.”

“Mom, please don't say that. You will live long and don't worry, I’ll immediately book a flight to come see you.” I replied.

“Janette, there is one more thing I want to tell you.” She paused for a while then continued, “ You see your father is no more and I’m getting old. It's time that you should also settle down and find a suitable husband for you so that your mother can rest in peace.”

“Mom, please don't worry about me so much.” I tried to stop her but she cut me off and continued,“Janette, hear me out please. I have fixed a date for you with Sebastian Moore. He is the Alpha of Knighthood pack, one of the most powerful packs among the kingdom. Earlier I didn't interfere in your personal affairs because I always thought you would pick one of your childhood friends as your husband. But, after knowing Sebastian, I think he will be the best choice for you.”

“ Janette, your father's pack was not strong enough and after his death, it's so hard on you to handle pack duties alone. Besides, many people in the pack oppose you because you are a girl. After you get married to Sebastian, your position in the pack will never be challenged and he will even help you in handling pack duties.” She added.

I remembered how my parents used to celebrate my birthday together every year, even after their divorce. They will joke how close I was with Darek and Mike that made them think I would surely marry one of them after growing up. On this, Darek and Mike would fight. They both used to take their names and say that I will choose them. Now, my father was gone and my two childhood friends had shifted their feelings.

“Janette, why are you not saying anything? Please, don't get anxious about what I said. If you already had someone in your heart, I would surely not force you. After all, both Darek and Mike are nice kids. I just wanted you to consider Sebastian as well. But, if you don't want…”

“I will consider it.” I replied in a stern voice and hung up.

After hanging up, I began searching for the flight and immediately booked one to visit my mother. I wanted to see her as soon as possible. Once I was done, my phone rang. It was a call from my father's beta, Uncle Mathew. I received the call and greeted him.

“Janette, yesterday I forgot to tell you something. Before dying your father had designed a beautiful piece of jwellery. He said it was the best design of his career. He said he would gift it to you on your wedding.” He paused for a while before adding, “He gave that pendant called Diamond Jade to me to keep it safe and the next day he died. It’s very expensive. I thought a lot about it and I think it can be the biggest gift for your upcoming birthday, the last piece of your father design.”

“Thank you so much Uncle Mathew for telling me this. I’ll keep his last design till my last breath.” I said with hoarse voice.

“I have sent the pendant at your home with my son. He may reach your home anytime soon.” Uncle Mathew said.

A few minutes later, Darek and Mike brought Emily with them. They busied themselves in taking care of her. One was feeding her with his own hands while the other was applying medicine on her wounds. I glanced them from upstairs and then go back to my room. I didn't want to part of this beautiful scenery. I was just waiting for Uncle Mathew’s son to see my father's last design. I heard the sound of door bell and immediately came out of my room. While walking downstairs I saw Emily collecting the jwellery from Uncle Mathew’s son. She didn't bother herself in asking for my permission and immediately opened the jwellery box. When her gaze fell on the beautiful pendant, she wanted to try it on.

“How beautiful this is! I want to see how it will look on me…” she exclaimed, her eyes filled with greed.

“Don't even think about touching it.” I yelled from behind before walking up to her. She had already snatched my two childhood friends from me who were so close to my heart. Now seeing her having ulterior motives towards my father's last gift to me, I couldn't hold myself anymore.

“Why are you being so angry, Janette? I just want to try it once. It's not like I'm taking it for real.” She pouted, still holding the jwellery box tightly.

“You don't deserve that.” I said in a cold voice while raising my hands to take the jewellery box from her hand. But, she was too stubborn. She held it tightly, not letting me take it.

“Leave it, Emily.” I struggled.

“No, I'm gonna try it first.” She replied rudely while snatching the jewellery box. In result, the pendant fell off the floor and broke down into two pieces. Tears were formed in my eyes while seeing the pendant lying on the floor. I pursed my lips as I looked up at Emily with a pair of furious eyes. Meanwhile, she began sobbing while apologizing to me, “I’m sorry, Janette. I-I was just looking at it. Why did you push me this way? You know I was just discharged from the hospital and my wounds are still fresh. If I knew you would be this angry, I hadn't touched the jwellery box at first place.”

I was surprised to see her reaction. A few minutes ago, she was being mean to me and now suddenly she turned into this. However, hearing Darek’s voice from behind I understood everything.

“Why are you being so mean to her, Janette?” Darek said while coming between me and her.