Charlotte's POV

I thought I was dead. But when I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a bed I knew well.

Rain was falling outside the window, a fire crackled in the hearth, and the air was filled with Layson's distinctive herbal scent. He was sitting next to the bed, his clothes rumpled and his chin covered in stubble. His bloodshot eyes made it clear he had been keeping watch over me for days.

When he saw that I was awake, relief flickered across his face.

"Charlotte, you're finally awake! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

I only looked at him in silence. After a long pause, I said quietly, "Your Majesty, you don't have to stay with me. Go be with Grace. She needs you more than I do."

"Are you still upset with me?" he asked.

I gave a slight smile and said, "I can take care of myself."

He was a bit stunned, looking as though he couldn't quite understand. His expression was complicated as he stared at me.

"I'll arrange for the maids to be here around the clock. If you need anything, just call them."

With that, he got up and left.

…

Three days later, I was almost fully recovered. During that time, I hadn't seen Layson at all.

I wanted to go outside, but the maids kept coming up with excuses to stop me from leaving my room.

When I slipped out through a side door, I discovered the real reason—it happened to be Grace's birthday that day, and Layson clearly didn't want me around. He was throwing her a grand party, and countless expensive gifts were piled in the corners.

He held Grace in his arms and spun her around the dance floor while romantic music played.

A large screen showed their sweet memories on a loop. The guests were moved to tears by their love story.

Suddenly, the screen went dark.

Then, one by one, handwritten letters, childish drawings, and photos of me and Layson over the years appeared for everyone to see.

"I'll do my best to become the kind of woman you love."

"I hope that one day, you'll proudly say I'm your mate."

"I love you, Daddy. I'll grow up exactly how you want me to."

The whole place fell dead silent, and my face went pale in an instant. Those things... I had torn them up long ago. Why were they here now?

Everyone in the werewolf pack seemed stunned, and the whispers around me grew louder and clearer.

"Layson has already chosen his future Luna Queen, but she still clings to him. How shameless."

"She brought out these love letters at Grace's birthday party. Is she trying to provoke her?"

"They're 20 years apart. This is practically incest. Charlotte has no shame!"

"She's been trying to crawl into the Alpha King's bed since she was a kid by using her father's connections."

"Poor Grace..."

The chattering was so loud it drowned out the music.

On the dance floor, Grace definitely heard what people were saying. She looked up at the images on the big screen, and her face went deathly pale. She trembled from head to toe, tears flooding her eyes.

She pushed away from Layson's arms, her eyes rimmed red, and ran from the banquet hall in her gown.

"Grace!"

Layson's chest tightened. He immediately went after her. But as he passed by me, he suddenly stopped. In the next second, he raised his arm and slapped me hard. My ears rang, and the hall went quiet.

Layson's eyes were dark with anger, and he growled in a low, furious voice, "Charlotte, so that's why you've been acting all docile. You were just waiting to humiliate me!"

He had hit me so hard that I fell to the floor, my cheek burning and my ears buzzing.

He stood over me, his voice cold as ice. "Charlotte, remember this. I'm never going to like you. It'll never happen between us!"