Chapter 2
Esmeralda’s pov
“Esmeralda… “Adrien looked like he wanted to say something, but he ran his eyes down my frame, probably noticing I had dressed up for the first time in a long time. “Is there sort of occasion I seem to have missed? Why are you dressed like that?”
He was acting as his cold self, but I was too in shock as my focus was on Diane whose eyes were travelling proudly around the room. My eyes met her arms which were curled around my mate’s arm.
Their positioned seem intimate, and yet, I had so many questions.
“You’re alive.” I said out loud without thinking.
Her eyes finally met mine, and I see that same false gleam of happiness as she rushed into my arms and hugged me. “Oh Esmeralda. I missed you too. It’s been so long!”
I pulled away, moving my gaze to Adrien. His cold face, housing the most beautiful features I had ever seen stared down coldly into mine.
“What is going on?” I move back from the pair, my heart beating when my eyes landed on her bulging tummy before I turned to Adrien.
“I deserve to know, don’t I? I’m not a fool Adrien so don’t lie to me!”
“Mind your tone when talking to me.” His brows furrowed, but he suddenly seemed calm when Diane reappeared by his side.
Those same eyes finally softened for the first time in many years, but he wasn’t looking at me but Diane.
“Take it easy on her, dear.” She turned to me. Her voice seemed calm, but I’ve known Diane much longer than anybody, and there was nothing calm about her. She was like the devil’s incarnate, and now, she was back? “Esmeralda, I know you want explanations, and to tell you the truth, Adrian wanted to tell you this but I was the one who insisted he kept it away from you until the right time.”
“So you’ve been alive all these time. Did you remarry?” I looked from Adrian and back to her.
“I thought I died, but Adrian had me still at the hospital. Under strict supervision. He left no stone unturned to ensure I came back to alive. My mate saved my life. I finally took my first breath last year, and we finally rekindled.”
“What do you mean rekindled? You were alive for a whole year and no one thought to tell me? Did Laura know about thus?” My eyes were gradually filling with tears.
This can’t be, this can’t be… no…No…
“My dear mother in law was the happiest when she learnt of the news, I wonder just how she’ll be when she learns I’m almost due with Adrien’s child?”
The bombshell finally dropped. My legs, weakening from the impact of the shocking news suddenly gave way, and I dropped heavily to the floor.
“Esmeralda…” My vision was blurred with tears, but I could make out Adrien reaching out to hold her back.
“She was bound to learn of it sooner or later, Diane. Leave her be. I am an Alpha and getting an heir to rule in my place is my priority. I was not willing to wait all my life for a worthless omega like her. Let’s go. The Maids will take your things in...”
With that, the two, arm in arm walked past me, leaving me sitting me there on the floor, tears rolling down my cheeks in waves until I couldn’t see anything anymore but flashbacks of my misery which I had endured.
And for what?
For what?
For his first life to just reappear in his life again, heavily pregnant.
He didn’t even think to tell me all these while when I thought she was in the grave, that he was investing millions into trying to recover her. Millions… yes! That’s where he had been spending most of his money to which I was always wondered what for.
I shook my head, feeling bitter. I was such a fool. All those times I had prayed for Adrian to even cast upon me a softened gaze as he would casually do to Diane, he was probably fucking her.
All those times where I would cut myself from the frustrations of not being able to mate with him during my heat, Diane had him whenever she pleased.
With rage burning in my veins, I finally got up. I approached the dining table, and to my shock, I see them both seated there, Diane seated on his lap as he gently fed her.
My hard work? My sweat? Everything I worked for. And for what?
Without thinking, I reached forward, holding onto the drapes of the table and I pulled with all my might.
All the food on the table came crashing down. Diane gasped, screaming in pain as she moved away from the table. I knew nothing had touched her, but Adrien was quick. In an instant, he had closed the distance between us and had me raised in the air with his hand around my neck.
He growled, and I saw a flash of crimson red and blue before he let go of me. I staggered and fell back on the floor, wincing as the shards of glass from the broken glassware pierced my hands. Adding to the blistering chokehold from earlier that almost killed me, I was in so much pain
But no pain surmounted to the realization that your mate had just tried to kill you. With a crumpling pain to my stomach, I reached up to hold my cheek, feeling an acidic taste burn the back of my throat as I forced myself not to cry.
I was bleeding profusely, but Adrien didn’t seem to care. He was quickly at Diane’s side, comforting her and whispering sweet nothings to her.
“Adrien you shouldn’t have slapped her. She’s still your mate, remember. Without her, you wouldn’t have been ascend your father’s throne in my absence. I’m sure she made a mistake.”
“Well, I don’t need her now so she could die for all I care. She hasn’t even given me one child to show for the miserable time I have been with her. And this is no mistake…” He turned towards me, a finger pointed towards my pitiful state on the floor. “She did this to harm the child. You’re evil Esmeralda.”
One by one his words tore through the flesh of my heart till it finally tore through it, leaving it as it once had always been until tonight. A layer of torn fabric matted in blood.
For a second, I let out a loud painful cry, shaking in anger and turmoil, my hands gripping a piece of glass until it went into my skin and I bled out more.
Rage in my eyes, I met his eyes.
“You don’t need me anymore right? That’s fine.” I got up, not minding I had been sitting in a pool of my own blood. I didn’t care.
“Esmeralda you’re bleeding. Stop this nuisance of yours and have the maids tend to you.” For a brief second I thought I saw worry in his eyes, but Diane inched close to him and he turned to her without casting me another glance. Her eyes held malice as it met mine briefly.
Without a word, I marched up to my room. Tear filled eyes cast a blurry vision in sight but I didn’t care. I packed up everything and son had my bag trailing after me down the stairs.
‘I was done.’
As I left my room, hoping to catch even a glimpse of his cold handsome face one last time, I had a moan from his room. It grew louder, accompanied by familiar heavy breaths as I grew close, and a stillness downed in my heart. Was I stupid? Was I expecting a hug from him or a kiss goodbye? You heard him, he didn’t even cared if you died. So what was the use?
With a calm smile, I dragged my box downstairs. I encountered Beta Ray downstairs. He seemed to even detest me more than Adrien did. No one had ever Truly accepted me. I had always just been a substitute Luna waiting until the real Luna came And she would take over while I would be cast away into the shadows.
“Aww, you’re leaving.” He sounded sarcastic, a gleam to his eyes. “We’ll miss you terribly. I’ll let the new couple of Bridgton pack know about your leaving.”
I flashed him a warm smile which threw him off a bit. “Thank you Ray.” I pulled off my ring and handed it to him. “Have him give Diane this. It was his grandmother’s ring and I wouldn’t want to take it with me. It’s not mine anymore.”
And with that, I left. I left the pack without looking back.