hapter 12
“What’s wrong, darling?” His voice was soft, soothing, like he was speaking to a child having a bad day. “Are you upset about something?”
I froze internally, my stomach churning. This was worse than I remembered. The lies, the facade, how easily he could switch between masks. I had almost forgotten how expertly he played the role of the doting fiancé to win over my family, to gain control of our wealth.
“No, Ryan,” I replied, forcing a smile to match his tone. “But she says I’m bullying her.”
Ryan hesitated, clearly scrambling for a response. “There must be some kind of misunderstanding… Sophia, I know you. You wouldn’t do something like this. But you should think about your reputation. Maybe it’s best to just apologize and move on.”
I laughed inwardly. There it was–the same predictable script. Always making me the villain, always asking me to back down.
“No,” I said, my voice cutting through the air like a knife. “There’s no misunderstanding. You saw it with your own eyes. I was bullying her because she deserves it. I beat her up because I wanted to. And now, it’s your turn.”
Ryan blinked, visibly thrown off. “What?”
“Now, you slap her.” My voice was cold and commanding. I didn’t leave room for negotiation.
“Twice. Harder than I did.”
Linda gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You’re insane,” she spat, her voice trembling. “You’re completely insane.”
I didn’t acknowledge her, keeping my gaze firmly on Ryan. “Well? Are you going to do it or not?” I took a step closer to him, narrowing my eyes. “If you don’t, we’re done. Right here. Right now.”
Ryan’s expression wavered. For a split second, I saw the fear flicker in his eyes. He hesitated, caught between two impossible choices.
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s it going to be, Ryan?”
By this time, Ryan and I had been dating for what felt like an eternity, but almost no one at school knew about our relationship. Ryan always had an excuse to keep things hidden–a private man, he said, or too focused on his studies. But in time, I figured out the truth. He wasn’t trying to keep our relationship low–key for the sake of privacy. He was afraid of hurting Linda, the girl who had once
The Alpha’s Substitute Luna: A Heart Claimed. A Soul Reborn
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been his light, and the one who, even now, held some unspoken claim over his heart.
Ryan’s story was something of a tragic tale. He was the unacknowledged illegitimate son, a child born from scandal, and abandoned by his mother at an amusement park when he was just a boy.
Left to fend for himself, he was eventually taken in by an orphanage. There, among the bleak walls
and endless loneliness, he met a sunny, cheerful little girl who shared his bed and gave him a single
candy–a small gesture that became the brightest moment of his young life. That girl was Linda. For
him, she was more than just a friend. She was hope in a world that offered none.
But fate had its cruel way. Ryan was taken away by the Stardust Pack, and they lost contact. Years
later, on her first day at our school, Ryan recognized Linda instantly. It was as if time had stood still for him. She was the same girl, the one who had once been his only beacon of kindness. And when
Linda spun her tale about me being her tormentor, about how I bullied her relentlessly, Ryan didn’t
question it. He hated me for it, deeply, but his hatred stayed hidden behind layers of politeness. His illegitimate status meant he needed to marry me, to secure his place within the family. He couldn’t afford to break things off, not when everything he’d planned would collapse around him.
But today, the tension was at its breaking point. I could see the war going on behind Ryan’s eyes as
he stood between me and Linda, torn between his emotions and his ambitions. Seeing him hesitate, I
pushed him further, my voice cold and unwavering.
“Ryan, are you going to do it or not?” I repeated, my words sharp as glass. “If you don’t, we’re done.
I’ll walk away right now.”
Ryan clenched his jaw, his eyes flicking between me and Linda, who sat on the ground in a pitiful state, her tear–streaked face pleading with him. For a moment, I thought he might actually choose her, might finally defy me. But then, with a deep breath, he walked toward her, his steps heavy with
reluctance.
He reached out, his hand trembling as it hovered by her face. When his fingers finally made contact,
it wasn’t a slap. It was more like a caress, soft and almost apologetic. Linda looked up at him, her eyes wide and full of tender affection, as if they were the only two people in the world. As if, in that moment, nothing else mattered.
“Didn’t you eat?” I said icily, watching them both with disdain. “Or do you actually want to break up with me?”
The Alpha’s Substitute Luna: A Heart Claimed. A Soul Reborn
