Chapter 3

Hearing the notification, I sat up.

Lucas's messages kept coming.

[I saw Genevieve's post. Don't overthink it—I only stayed with her for a little while.]

Then came another transfer.

Hinting that I should take the out he was giving me.

But actually, ever since I fell in love with him, I'd stopped actively taking his money.

Each time, I only reluctantly accepted after he reminded me several times.

But this time, I accepted it calmly.

[Thank you, Alpha.]

After I sent the message, a call came immediately.

The man's voice sounded somewhat surprised:

"Why did you accept it so quickly this time?"

Before I could speak, Genevieve grabbed the phone, laughing as she asked me:

"Eleanor, if you're not asleep yet, could you bring some hot French onion soup to the hotel? I suddenly really want some."

"Lucas says your cooking is excellent. You don't mind making a trip for me, do you?"

I was about to refuse when Lucas transferred more money to my phone, with a note: Service fee.

In the past, this was the kind of reward only the housekeeper Agnes would receive.

Now it was my turn as Luna?

I laughed sarcastically, hung up the phone, and accepted the money.

We were about to divorce anyway. Might as well earn what I could.

By the time I arrived at the hotel suite with the insulated food container, braving the heavy rain, it was already two in the morning.

The door was ajar.

Genevieve's voice came from inside:

"Lucas, I heard before that you once rescued Eleanor and punished the people who bullied her. Is that true? Did you fall in love with her?"

I froze in place, instinctively holding my breath.

Even though I'd already decided to leave, my heart still raced uncontrollably.

I remembered that night again, the night I fell in love with Lucas.

Lucas, would you remember it too?

In the room, Lucas looked out at the heavy rain, somewhat lost in thought.

Six months ago, it had been a rainy night just like this...

Genevieve pushed him, somewhat dissatisfied:

"Lucas, you still haven't answered me."

The man came back to his senses, his clear voice carrying an indescribable complexity:

"No... I just... pitied her."

"Just like pitying a stray dog on the side of the road. No different."

Even hearing him speak so heartlessly, my heart seemed unable to feel pain anymore.

I walked in carrying the food container. Lucas looked at me in surprise, seemingly somewhat guilty.

"You... when did you get here?"

I didn't answer.

Genevieve had already spoken first.

"You brought it? Let me see." She reached out to take the container, but accidentally knocked it over.

The scalding hot soup spilled mostly onto my hand and lower leg that I hadn't pulled back in time.

Sharp burning pain came from my skin. I groaned and stepped back two paces.

Lucas stood up abruptly, about to step forward to check, but Genevieve cried out softly and hid behind Lucas.

"Oh my god, I really didn't mean to! Eleanor, are you okay?"

Lucas's steps stopped.

Soon, he picked up his phone and operated it a few times.

My phone vibrated immediately, the screen lighting up with another substantial transfer.

The note clearly read: Medical expenses and service fee.

He looked at my scalded hand, his tone flat: "Handle it yourself. Let me know if it's not enough. Genevieve... didn't mean to."

In his heart, it seemed everything could be solved with money.

Genevieve pulled several tissues from her purse and tossed them to me like charity.

I didn't take them.

In the past, because I loved Lucas, I'd already given up too much dignity.

But now that I'd decided to leave, things were different.

"Thanks." I said quietly, preparing to leave.

But Lucas stepped forward and grabbed my wrist, his expression displeased: "Eleanor, aren't you angry at all?"

My pupils trembled slightly. I really wanted to ask him: What should I be angry about?

Or rather, did I have the right to be angry?

I was just a pitiful little dog he'd picked up from the roadside when he was in a good mood.

When his mood was good, he'd pity me and comfort me a little.

When his mood was bad, he'd just throw money at me to make me go away.

"It's just a minor burn, it's fine. I'll go back and treat it." I tried to pull my hand back.

But my tact didn't earn me a better expression. Lucas blocked the doorway, his eyes complex:

"You weren't like this before."

"Before, you wouldn't have just stood there and let people bully you."

Two years ago, Lucas's cousin mocked me for not being fit to be Luna because I didn't have my own wolf.

After Lucas found out, he directly kicked him out of the Pack and never allowed him to appear in front of me again.

He explained to me that he didn't care about those things.

A year ago, at a partner pack's banquet, I was framed and fell into a pool.

Lucas immediately pressed the person who pushed me into the swimming pool and made them stay there all night.

Except for not loving me, he'd really treated me well.

Lucas seemed to remember the past too, his eyes somewhat dark.

"I..."

But I had already finished remembering. I nodded politely to both of them and moved to leave from the doorway.

As I was about to exit, Lucas's voice came from behind:

"Eleanor, I know you went to the hospital."