Chapter 143

[Evelyn’s POV]

I drew closer to Isabella and watched the woman actually stiffen. I had no doubt that I looked positively menacing. Good.

It felt as though a dark truth was finally coming to the surface. It practically vibrated my bones and shook every last one of my nerves.

“That’s it, isn’t it? My whole life, you made it a point to always ensure that Samantha got the better end of everything. Clothes, parties, attention...It all went to her. However, the one thing you couldn’t ensure for her was a decent marriage.”

My eyes never left her as I narrowed my gaze.

“So you made it your mission to try and sabotage mine.”

Isabella’s collected pose was cracking. I could sense the woman’s own levels of anger were gradually rising. She scampered up from the couch and curled her hands into tight fists.

“You have absolutely no idea what it’s like to have to fight for everything you have in this life,” she stated. “You’re the daughter to a respectable Alpha—all you have are opportunities. Me? My first husband fell ill and left me with nothing but debt and a daughter with no real prospects or skills.”

I watched Isabella begin to pace the length of the couch. Back and forth. Her eyes were starting to look as desolate and crazy as mine.

“So what if I latched on to the first available Alpha I could find? It wasn’t as though I had a son of my own who could have carried on my own family’s name and legacy. I had no choice but to start over. Yes, I made sure that Samantha was the center of attention. I made sure that she had the very best.”

“Yeah, and look where it got me.”

Both Isabella and I turned our heads to find Samantha standing in the doorway of the living room. She looked rough and noticeably sleep-deprived. She marched further into the room and stood no less than a few feet away from me.

“I was raised with the best because it is something that I expected to receive. When I married Liam, my life was supposed to be perfect. But because of you, it’s been nothing but a living hell!”

I gaped at her with an incredulous look. “Me?! How the hell is your failed marriage my fault? Did it ever occur to you that the reason you're failing as a Luna within your own pack is because you do not contribute anything of any use?”

Samantha’s eyes widened in fearful defense. “What the hell did Liam tell you? Huh?! How could you know what’s going on between us?”

I rolled my eyes. “Jesus Christ’s, Samantha. Liam hasn’t spoken a word to me and that’s purely because I refuse to give him an ounce of my attention. He used me merely to help get his pack’s affairs in order and then dropped me for you. However, I’m sure it came as a rude awakening to him when he realized the kind of person that you are.”

“Oh, really?” Samantha dared to move another step closer to me and pulled her lips back in a sneer. “And just what kind of a person am I?”

“You’re a self-centered, dim-witted primadonna who knows nothing about what it means to take care of anyone other than yourself,” I said clearly. “For crying out loud, you actually tried to use an aphrodisiac on your husband! Don't you have any idea how immoral and unethical that is?”

It was obvious that not a single word of what I was saying held any relevance to her. Samantha tilted her head to the side and waved it off.

“So what? It’s not like it ended up working anyway?”

“My God, that’s not the point,” I muttered into my hand.

“Why do you even care?” she fired back. “Your life has become utterly perfect! You’re wearing the best clothes, your face is in damn nearly every magazine I can get my hands on, and you’re actually married to a successful wealthy Alpha.”

Wow.

After all of these years, Samantha really hadn’t changed. Not one bit.

It was like I was looking at an older, personified version of her as a child. She still possessed that same ugly pout whenever she didn’t get something she wanted, which was always seldom.

I’d always assumed that she was angry at the fact that I was finally doing better for myself. But to hear her actually admit it was like being thrown into a whole other reality.

“You really think that you deserve to be in my place,” I said evenly. “I’ve got some breaking news for you, Alexander would not have tolerated having a Luna like you. He’s not mindlessly frivolous with his money and the two of us don’t do public appearances. And are we all really going to forget the fact that you’re the one who refused to marry Alexander in the very beginning because you would never settle for someone who’s bound to a wheelchair?”

Samantha let out a bothered groan. “Why are you even here?”

“I came here to tell all of you to stay the fuck out of my business and my life,” I said harshly. “I am not going to let you destroy the one good thing that has happened to me all because you’re not happy with how things turned out.”

Isabella bore a look that made it seem like she was getting ready to implode.

“Or what?” she threw out venomously. “What will you do?”

“You really want to find out?” I challenged. “I meant what I said last night, I will find the proof I need to prove that you tried to kill my brother. Until then, you would be wise to stay the hell away from me and Alexander.”

I turned toward the doorway to leave. I felt like I’d spent far too much time in that place and I needed to go before all the bad memories would start flooding back.

Just as I reached the archway, I heard the quick movements of someone rushing behind me. Right before I turned to glance over my shoulder, something flashed across my eyes and I was met with a heavy, sharp pain that snapped over the back of my head.

My entire world fell dark before I could let out an audible noise.

[Third-Person’s POV]

Samantha gawked at her own mother in sheer panic as she watched the older woman take a thick book to the back of Evelyn’s head. The women watched Evelyn stumble and fall to the ground, unconscious.

“Oh my God,” she gasped. “What on earth did you do?”

Isabella glanced down at her Stepdaughter and sneered. “I believe I just found a solution to all of our problems,” she answered softly.

“Is she dead?”

The older woman rolled her eyes and scowled. “Don’t be stupid, Samantha. She’s not dead. Not yet at least.”

Samantha watched her mother toss the book to the floor with a loud thud and proceeded to reach for her phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“I’m reaching out to someone who holds an even deeper grudge against this annoying bitch here,” she said.