Chapter 180
180
Third Person’s POV
But the truth was far more brutal than Zara ever imagined.
Finished
During her cesarean section years ago, Alabic had bribed the healer–secretly removing one of her kidneys without her knowledge.
And all these years, Zara had poured unconditional love into Scarlett, her supposed adopted daughter. She had even forced Riley, her true–born daughter, to take the fall for a crime she never committed–all so Scarlett could stay safe and untouched. Riley had suffered alone in the dungeons of Mooncrest for five long years, branded a criminal, tortured by both fate and family .
Now, she finally knew–Scarlett wasn’t an orphaned pup the Moon Goddess had gifted her in her grief. She was Alabic’s illegitimate child, born of his secret affair with the very she –wolf who’d stolen everything from Riley.
Each revelation struck Zara like a hammer to the chest, crushing her until she could hardly breathe. Her world collapsed in. an instant. The hospital room blurred before her eyes as despair and helplessness surged over her like a tidal wave.
Her thoughts spiraled back to Riley–her real daughter, the one she had discarded. After returning to the Ebonclaw Pack, Riley had been treated like an intruder, a stain on the family name. She had endured scorn, humiliation, and constant
forment.
While Alabic’s bastard daughter was cradled in luxury, her own daughter had been left to bleed–abandoned, humiliated, and betrayed .
Were Alabic and that woman–Blackthorn–smirking all these years, proud of their manipulation?
“ Aaah !” Zara suddenly clutched her head and screamed.
Alabic… How could you be so heartless?
Everything she had done to Riley now rebounded on her, each act of cruelty becoming a blade turned inward.
Shame. Regret. Remorse. They wrapped around her throat like a noose.
It took a long while before she could lift her tear–streaked face and meet Riley’s eyes. Despair filled her gaze, and for the first time, so did pain and guilt.
“I don’t believe it,” Zara croaked , her voice trembling . “You forged this, didn’t you ? You hate that we loved Scarlett more than you so you’re taking revenge . That’s it. That has to be it”
Her head shook violently as if trying to fling the truth away. Her golden hair whipped about, and her eyes stared desperately at Riley’s face, looking for a crack, a flicker of falsehood
But all she found was indifference–Riley’s expression was as calm and cold as a frozen lake , not even a ripple of emotion in
She was right about one thing
Riley was here for revenge
That’s why Riley had deliberately hidden the truth about Scarlett’s parentage She wanted Zara to suffer wanted her to feel the pain of rasing someone else’s child with love and pride while discarding her own blood like trash
She would not allow Zara the satisfaction of knowing Alabic had been used and played for a fool by Blackthorn and her lover. No lu Kiley i eyes those who had hurt her dulu deserve truth . They deserved torment
Aud night now, Zara was unraveling
The man she mated with had stolen her kidney . The father who raised her had died by Alabic’s claws. Her daughter had been turned into a scapegoat and sent to prison–only to have her own organs harvested to save the hte of Alabic’s mistress’s chuld.
180
Finished
“ Alabic , how could you do this to me!” Zara cried, her voice breaking into a jagged wail that pierced the silence like a dying. wolf’s howl
It was a cry of agony, soaked in betrayal and anguish.
Her heart was being shredded, piece by piece , every truth tearing through what little strength she had left.
Riley watched from afar. She felt a flicker of satisfaction, but it quickly faded into a familiar emptiness.
There was no joy in this victory–only sorrow.
Sorrow for having a mother like Zara .
Zara, the once–revered Alpha’s daughter, had been reduced to a deluded, love–blind woman –one who had fallen prey to al lowborn manipulator like Alabic , a wolf who wore charm like a mask and built empires atop the corpses of others
If she had been born into an ordinary family–just one free of power, pride, and schemes–perhaps her life wouldn’t have ended in such ruin.
Riley no longer wanted to look at her.
She turned to leave.
But Zara, in a frenzy, reached out and grabbed her wrist with all the strength she had left, tears pouring down her face.
“Riley–don’t go! Please! You’re all I have now. I was wrong–I know I was wrong! Please forgive me…
Her voice cracked with every word, her entire body trembling with desperation.
But Riley’s face remained unchanged–cold and unyielding.
“Forgive me. She’d heard it too many times. The words had long lost their weight
Her gaze dropped to Zara, and for the first time, there was no pity in her eyes–only clarity.
“Luna Zara,” she said, voice calm as steel, “you did nothing wrong. The mistake was mine–believing in you, believing in all of
you
“But don’t worry. I’ve seen your true fares. I’ll never believe again .”
“ You don’t have to worry. Even if I die out there alone , I won’t come crawling back. I’ve already returned the favor of giving me life–with blood. From now on, we are nothing to each other.”
She yanked her wrist free and walked toward the door without looking back,
“No–Riley, please! Please, just one more chance!” Zara’s scream tore through the room.
She ignored her injury , tried to crawl out of bed, tried to chase after her daughter–but it was too late.
Deep down, she knew it.
If Haley walked out now there would be no more second chances
Their bond as mother and daughter had been severed.
Send Gifts
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B