Chapter 57: The Other Woman
Ivy
I pushed open the door to Leo’s house, expecting to find the quiet warmth I had come to associate with him. Instead, I was met with the sight of a woman—elegant, poised, and far too comfortable—lounging on his couch as if she owned the place.
She was wearing his shirt.
My stomach twisted at the sight, jealousy threatening to overwhelm me. I took a shaky step forward, my voice cutting through the room.
“Who the hell are you?”
The woman glanced up lazily, a slow smirk curling on her lips. She set her wine glass down and crossed one leg over the other. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I clenched my fists. “I practically live here.”
She tilted her head, amusement flickering in her sharp eyes. “Oh? So, what are you? His assistant? His housekeeper?”
A sharp, bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Excuse me?”
Paul, one of Leo’s guards, stood off to the side, looking stiff and uncomfortable. I turned to him, my voice sharp. “Paul, who is this, and why the hell is she wearing my fiancé’s shirt?”
Paul hesitated. “Miss Ivy, I—”
Before he could get a word out, the woman interrupted, lifting a hand dismissively. “Don’t you dare say a word, Paul,” she said smoothly, her eyes never leaving mine.
Paul froze.
Something cold slithered down my spine. Who was she to hold that kind of authority here?
I took a shaky breath. “Who are you?”
The woman leaned forward, her gaze piercing through me. “I am the lady of this mansion. Leo Ashton’s mate and Luna. Who the heck are you?”
The words slammed into me like a physical blow.
My breath caught. My legs wobbled beneath me. My lips parted, but no words came out.
Mate? Luna? What?!
The room blurred. My mind reeled.
Lila’s warning echoed in my head.
“Leo Ashton is not who you think he is.”
I had tried to defend him. But now, I’m paying the price. I should have made investigations on my own rather than blindly trusting love.
A horrible realization clawed at my chest. Maybe Lila had been right. Maybe I had been foolish to think Leo—an Alpha, someone destined for greatness—would ever truly choose someone like me.
A wolfless wolf.
I should have called things off when I found out that he’s a werewolf. My fingers curled into trembling fists. What was I thinking? That someone like him could love me? That I was enough? That I could stand by his side?
My eyes burned with unshed tears. I blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. But the memories came crashing in—years of rejection, of being told I was worthless, of never being
enough.
I turned on my heel, storming toward the door. I needed to leave. Now.
But I barely made it two steps towards the door before I collided with a solid chest.
I knew that scent. That warmth.
Leo.
I stiffened, refusing to look up, refusing to let him see the tears brimming in my eyes.
“Ivy—” His voice was laced with confusion. His hands reached for me.
I wrenched away.
The betrayal stung like a fresh wound, raw and unforgiving. My vision blurred with fury and heartbreak. Why is this happening to me again?
He reached out again, grabbing my waist. I raised my hand before I could think.
The crack of my palm against his cheek echoed through the room.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Leo didn’t flinch. He just stood there, looking at me as if trying to piece together what just happened.
“I’m going to say this once and once alone,” I growled, my voice shaking with rage. “Leave me the hell alone.”
I shoved past him.
If I thought that would be the end of it, I was wrong.
Before I could reach the door, Leo moved—his speed near inhuman. One second, I was leaving. The next, he was blocking my path.
“What is this about?” he demanded, his voice tight. “What did I do wrong?”
I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “I can’t believe I fell for this. For you. I should have known better than to trust any fucking werewolf.”
His brows furrowed. “What—”
“You must’ve had a good laugh, huh?" I sneered. "Was I just a joke to you? Some silly little game to pass the time?"
His face darkened. “Ivy, that’s not—”
I moved past him and sped towards the car. I yanked the car door open and climbed inside, slamming it shut.
Leo’s hands pressed against the window. “Ivy, get down and talk to me.”
I ignored him. My voice was hoarse when I spoke to the driver. “Drive.”
The car sped off.
The moment we were away, I shattered.
Tears streamed down my face, hot and unrelenting. Why? Why did I let myself believe I could have something good? Why did I trust him?
I gritted my teeth. This is all the Moon Goddess’s fault. Why does she hate me so much?
Maybe I was cursed.
Maybe my mother had been right all those years ago. ‘How can a murderer experience true happiness?’
I squeezed my eyes shut. I just needed to get away from this wreckage. I needed to get away from all of it.
The car sped into the tunnel, shadows swallowing us whole. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered past in rapid succession, casting an eerie, rhythmic glow inside the vehicle. The air felt heavy, thick with exhaust fumes and something else—something suffocating.
I shifted in my seat, unease curling in my gut.
Then—
The car lurched violently.
A deafening crash.
My body jerked forward, the seat belt digging into my chest as another car slammed into ours from behind.
For a moment, everything was disoriented—metal grinding, tires screeching, the sharp scent of burning rubber.
My head snapped up. Through the windshield, I saw them.
A black van.
Three masked men pouring out. My heart slammed against my ribs. Panic surged.
“Joe!” I screamed.
But my driver was slumped over the wheel, unmoving. Blood dripped from his temple.
My door was yanked open. Rough hands grabbed me.
I fought. I kicked, punched, clawed.
A cloth was pressed to my face.
The sharp, sickly scent filled my lungs.
No.
I thrashed, struggling to free myself. But my strength was slipping.
The world tilted. Darkness closing in. And then—
A voice. Faint. Trembling.
A whimper, like a child lost in the dark.
Help me.
My mind swayed, consciousness slipping like water through my fingers.
Was it the drug? A hallucination?
Or was someone else trapped in the void with me?
Then—nothing.