Chapter 100
Chapter 100 Let It All Burn
Aubrey’s POV
Aurelia’s lips trembled, but no words came out. Her perfectly applied lipstick left a smear of crimson across her teeth.
their
I let out a low laugh, sweeping my gaze across this glittering crowd of finely dressed werewolves moonstone cufflinks sparkled under the lights, but none of it could shine into the nights I spent starving in the dark.
“Impossible… I gave her so much money every month. She told me most of it went to you…” My father looked at me in disbelief.
“To me?”
N
I scoffed. “No. In fact, she’s never given me a single cent.”
My voice echoed through the hall. “Over the years, my daily food portions weren’t even enough to feed a runt pup! Meanwhile, her precious daughter Bailey’s closet is bursting with limited edition designer coats!”
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
“Dad, remember how you always said I dressed like a bumpkin? That’s because those were the only clothes I had. When I asked her for money, she said she was the one supporting the whole family that I was eating her food, living in her house, and had no shame asking for more! You never truly cared about me, did you?”
My father’s face turned pale
—
as pale as Aurelia’s.
–
I turned to the murmuring guests. “What else did Aurelia say about me? Since we’re all here, why don’t we clear the air?”
This time, even my father stayed silent. The room erupted.
“She said you were a liar since childhood
—
always faking sick to skip class!”
“She claimed you were promiscuous, with multiple boyfriends even when you were young!”
“She said you were a thief – you even stole sanitary pads from your classmates!”
Each accusation fell like a hammer, dragging me back into those years of silent torment. Lies, whispers, wounds I could never forget. My vision bùrned red. In my mind, Ella raged and snarled.
I stared down at Aurelia with a bitter smile. “I skipped school? Funny – maybe that’s because you convinced my father to whip me with a wolfsbane lash until I couldn’t stand, let alone walk to class! ”
“I had boyfriends? Great – what were their names? How old were they? What did they look like? Strange that I don’t remember a single one!
“I’m a thief? Then tell me: who did I steal from? When and where?”
One question after another slammed down like thunder. Aurelia couldn’t even look me in the eye. She said nothing.
Finally, the event host arrived. Charles, hesitating, reached for my arm. “Aubrey, please… tonight’s the Lynn family’s ball. If there’s a problem, can’t you settle it privately?”
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Chapter 100 Let It All Burn
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I shook off his hand and gave a frosty smile. “ Privately? My family is on the verge of bankruptcy. You think i owe anyone silence?”
“ Do you know what your grandfather and father just told me? They said if I dared disobey Aurelia, the Lynn family would cut all ties and leave my dad to rot in bankruptcy! What a bold threat even Alpha Henry never spoke to me like that!”
“Enough!” Mr. Lynn stormed over, his face dark with fury. “Aubrey! Am I dead in your eyes?! How dare you talk like that under my roof?!”
Behind him, Hudson came charging in. He raised his hand, looking like he wanted to strike Charles but in the end, he didn’t.
“What’s wrong with you?! Letting someone bully Aurelia like this?!”
I had seen Charles earlier, lingering on the edge of the crowd. He hadn’t moved until now.
Hearing Hudson’s words, he looked at me with a strange expression and asked, “Isn’t Aubrey my cousin, too? ”
In that moment, I could smell it – the rot behind the Lynn family’s pristine mask was finally beginning to crack. Their fortress was starting to crumble.
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