"Where did you go last night?" Lyra's voice sliced through the air, too bright, too falsely innocent. "I heard that some unknown man escorted you into a room. Is that why you're wearing a different dress today? And that scarf…"
Her lips curved into a soft smile, the kind that looked caring if you didn't know her. I knew better. I could almost taste the venom under her words. She wanted to destroy me, and now she thought she had the perfect chance to do it in front of everyone, in front of Callen.
Before I could even respond, my father's voice boomed. "Enough pretending, Serena." His tone was low but filled with restrained fury, the kind that sought to humiliate, not to correct. "Lyra told me everything. Callen's too kind to say anything, but we all know what you did last night. Stop the act. Who was that man?"
There it was. The plan. The trap.
I'd known Lyra would try something, but I hadn't expected my father to be in on it.
For a moment, all I could do was stare at him, he thought I fell into their trap. Let me act that way.
My hands trembled slightly, but I quickly hid them behind my back. "What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice steady.
He didn't answer immediately, just looked at me like I was something dirty he couldn't wash off his hands.
"She is acting like a slut…" I heard my mother utter under her breath.
Lyra clasped her hands together, her expression painted with false worry. "Father, please don't scold her too much," she said sweetly. "I only told you because I was concerned. She was with a man last night… and she didn't return to her room until morning. I thought something terrible might have happened."
Something terrible did happen. They did not deserve to know.
Mother's voice joined in, sharp and cutting. "Is this true, Serena? Who is that man? Don't you know how shameful your behaviour is? I know you hate Lyra, but to go this far, to ruin her engagement out of jealousy?"
I swallowed, forcing myself not to laugh. To them, it looked like I was trembling out of shame, fear, or guilt, perhaps?
They were so eager to make me the villain that they couldn't even hear how absurd they sounded.
"Calm down, dear," Father said with mock patience. "No need to get worked up. It's best if we handle this quietly. Serena, where is the man? I'll make sure he takes responsibility for his actions. You'll marry him. It's the only way to fix this."
There it was again, his real motive. Not concern, not protection. Control.
"But-"
"Enough! You have embarrassed yourself enough, leaving a mess for us to clean up. Be grateful you are not getting kicked out for this."
My fists clenched. His act did not even last long. His inner emotions showed. This is what he thinks of me, I will remember it well. And even if he begs for forgiveness in the future, I will not relent.
"Thank you for your concern, Lyra," I said, deliberately calm. "But nothing scandalous happened. I drank too much and fell asleep in one of the rooms we booked for the guests. It was empty, thankfully."
Lyra's smile widened, sharp and triumphant. "Come now, Serena. We won't be mad. But we can all sense it. Your scent has changed."
The words hung in the air, heavy and deliberate. A few people nearby turned their heads.
"I'm telling the truth," I said firmly. "Nothing happened. There was no man."
My gaze flicked to Callen then, tall, silent, unreadable. He didn't move. Didn't speak. Just watched me with that steady stare.
And that, somehow, hurt more than my parents' words.
After everything, he chose to be one of them.
He wanted to believe me. I could see it. But there was hesitation too, the doubt Lyra wanted to plant taking root in his mind.
"Why are you so insistent?" I asked quietly, my voice trembling just enough to sound human. "Don't you believe me?"
"No, of course not—" my mother started, her tone rising, but Father raised his hand to silence her.
"Lyra said she saw you with another man," he said coldly. "And I think I know who. Leonard, isn't it?"
Leonard.
The name hit me like ice water.
My father's business partner's son. He wanted me to be trapped by Leonard.
I remembered our last meeting.
"Well, if it isn't the wolfless daughter of Ashbourne," he drawled, straightening. "You've been hard to find tonight. Your father's been singing my praises, says we might make a perfect match."
I ignored him and tried to walk past, but his hand shot out, curling around my wrist.
"Don't be shy now," he said, his tone slick as oil. "I've heard rumours about you, Serena. That you've grown to be quite the beauty."
His thumb brushed the inside of my wrist. I jerked my hand away. "Let go."
He smirked, leaning closer until I could smell the alcohol on his breath. "You shouldn't act so pure. Women like you have to put out to please men like me."
I stepped back, but he followed, pressing me against the wall.
"Leonard," I was scared, he could easily overpower me. "Move."
He chuckled. "Or what? You'll cry? Maybe call for Callen? Oh, wait, he's already chosen your sister. Guess that leaves me."
He reached up and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, deliberately slow. My skin crawled.
"Don't touch me," I hissed.
He laughed, leaning closer until I could feel his breath against my cheek. "You should be grateful, Serena. Who would want you?"
This man… My father wanted me to marry this man? When I told him how Leonard behaved with me, he mocked me, "So what? You should be grateful he likes you. Who would want your wolfless, cursed self as a wife? What he did was merely a compliment."
"What if it happened to Lyra?"
Slap!
"Lyra is the pride of our house. Don't ever speak of her that way."
I stood stunned, holding my cheek. Not knowing how to react. I never told him anything after that day, he would only blame it on me.
"Come on, Serena, why are you lying. And what are you hiding behind that scarf?" Lyra reached forward to grab it and strip me.