Chapter 41

[Monica’s POV]

Monica Lawrence was not happy. Not. One. Bit.

She felt as though she’d become just another walking shadow in the house. Granted, the staff still tended to her needs, but she could tell that her presence carried a lot less weight since the day Mia first arrived.

‘Everything became ruined the day James brought that bitch home,’ Monica thought bitterly. ‘All that work I’ve been putting in, dissolved into nothing!’

Monica angrily sipped at the freshly made latte she’d gotten from one of her favorite cafes. Sitting across from her at the small metal table, was an older man that held a decent family resemblance.

Rudolf Lawerence, the Alpha of Arc Moon, sat with a discernible smile on his face, as he listened to every word his sister said.

‘I’ve done everything I could to make James notice me. Why couldn’t he see that I’m the one he’s meant to be with? Not some mousy, nobody that.’

While Monica would always mourn the loss of her sister, she wasn’t ashamed to own up to her feelings toward James. From the moment they first met, she found the man outlandishly attractive and incredibly desirable.

There were even times when Monica found herself venomously jealous of her sister for the fact that the marriage agreement was between the two of them and not her. When Evelyn had disappeared, Monica genuinely believed that she finally had her chance to be with James.

But all hope vanished when Mia appeared, claiming to be James’ new wife. It was utter madness—completely insane. How could someone as basic and average as her, possibly be chosen by someone like James Derek?!

Monica had lived in denial ever since.

She truly thought that Mia was capable of lasting longer than a week at James’ side because of just how different she and him were.

She’d purposely gone out of her way to make James see that Mia just wasn’t the right woman for him. Of course, none of her schemes worked, which only added to her already pissed-off state of mind.

“Now, now, little sister,” Rudolf hummed with a smirk. “Surely, you’re not still pining after someone as useless as James Derek? After all these years?”

Monica sat back in her chair and pouted. “You know I’ve always cared about James even when he and Evelyn were still together. I’ve done everything I can think of to try and make James see sense.”

“Ah, so, you’ve decided to reach out to me as a last resort?” he chuckled.

“Precisely,” she affirmed. “I want you to help me find a way to get rid of Mia so that James and I can finally have a chance together.”

Rudolf rolled his eyes and sneered at the thought of having to deal with James. “Why are you setting your ambitions so low? James Derek is not worth a single ounce of your attention. The bastard couldn’t even manage to protect Evelyn, what makes you think he’ll care about you?”

Monica was fairly aware of her brother’s deep hatred toward James. The man had never forgiven the fact that James failed to protect his sister. But it was never enough to deter Monica from pursuing him.

“You know that I’ve always liked James. It’s Mia Johnson that I want out of the way. I figured if I tried tarnishing her image a little bit, she wouldn’t want to stay with James.”

Rudolf raised a suggestive brow. “However?”

Monica bit the inside of her cheek and hissed. “However, everything I’ve ever tried ended up failing and fucking bringing them closer together!”

“Perhaps, that’s a sign for you to move on?” he said tauntingly.

Monica’s anger grew stronger. She hadn’t reached out to her brother just so he could mock her for her interest in James.

“I will not lose to some average nobody!” she complained. “I’m telling you, that bitch must have brainwashed him or something! James won’t even talk to me. He just listens to everything Mia tells him. For Christ’s sake, she practically made James break the business deal off that I had going with Crescent Moon!”

Rudolf shot his sister a pointed look. Something dark flickered across his eyes, making him straighten his shoulders back. A lethal growl tore from the man’s chest, causing Monica to shrink in her own chair.

Oh, boy.

Of course, she hadn’t exactly told her brother that she ended up failing to secure an actual business deal with Crescent Moon after all the strings he’d pulled for her. Family or not, Rudolf was not one for putting his own reputation on the line.

He had no idea that things had fallen through for his sister. He wasn’t too keen on wanting her to do business with James in the first place, but to hear that the bastard purposely turned her away because of some other chick? Unacceptable.

Rudolf glowered with intense anger. “Oh, is that right?” His voice grew menacing.

The man narrowed his eyes while the gears in his mind started to turn. He’d see James Derek ruined come hell or high water.

The way Rudolf saw it, James already neglected one sister and then he went on to ruin his other sister’s chances of building a possible career.

“Tell me everything I need to know about Mia Johnson,” he demanded.

The corner of Monica’s mouth pulled back into a devious smile. For the next hour, she rattled on about anything and everything she could think of that pertained to Mia. All of which Rudolf retained and kept in the back of his mind for later.

By the time they finished their coffee, Rudolf had already decided how he was going to get back at James for all the damage he’d caused his family.

Rudolf’s anger was laced with determination. “Don’t worry, little sister. I’ll make sure that James and his new toy are properly dealt with.”