Chapter 3

Eleanor POV

My body stiffened. I instinctively hung up the phone, but couldn't help sighing internally. Why did these people all like standing behind others and suddenly speaking up?

I turned around and immediately saw Lucas's not-so-pleasant expression.

After hesitating for a moment, I explained, "It's nothing. Just a former coworker asking what I planned to do after quitting. I joked with them about going home to inherit the family business."

Lucas frowned. Just as he was about to speak, I had already walked several steps away and called back to him. "Aren't you coming? There are still a few items that haven't been displayed yet."

Hearing this, Lucas stopped and nodded, following me.

After returning to the auction venue, Lucas bid high prices on all the remaining jewelry items, had them wrapped, and sent them to my hands.

I looked at the boxes in my hands and said softly, "I don't wear this jewelry."

Lucas smiled and ruffled my hair. "Get used to it gradually. Don't worry about wasting money. I'll buy you diamonds for a lifetime."

I moved my lips but in the end didn't say the rest.

I didn't wear these tens-of-millions jewelry pieces.

Because I didn't need to use them to display my value.

Moreover, my parents had already prepared enough precious jewelry for me.

The auction had ended, and people were gradually leaving. Lucas and our group didn't linger either.

Everyone had driven their own cars, so normally we'd just each go home. But just as we got in the car and before it even started, someone knocked on the passenger window.

The window slowly lowered, revealing Isabella's shy face. Her voice was equally coquettish, completely different from her sharp and mean appearance in the bathroom earlier.

"Lucas, my car broke down. Can you give me a ride home?"

Lucas frowned, about to refuse, but she spoke again. "Alpha Kieran and my father told you to take care of me. You haven't forgotten, right?"

Lucas thought of something, his expression darkening slightly, but he finally agreed.

Seeing him nod directly, her smile became more obvious, and she became even more demanding, looking at me. "But what if I don't want to sit in the back seat?"

Lucas looked at me. Before he could speak, I had already pushed open the car door and got out, directly switching to the back seat.

My movements were so quick that Lucas didn't even react before I was already seated in the back.

His words got stuck in his throat.

He seemed to want to say something but stopped, wanting to say it was just a seat and not to mind it that much. When his gaze swept to the back seat through the rearview mirror, I had already closed my eyes, looking like I wanted to rest.

Just then, Isabella had also gotten in the car. After closing the door and seeing me in the back seat with my eyes closed, a smug smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

She could use a pinched voice to speak in an extremely gentle tone. "Is Eleanor tired? Then let her rest for a while."

Perhaps sensing my unusual behavior, Lucas didn't talk much with Isabella, only nodding before silently starting the car.

I don't know when I actually fell asleep. When I woke up again, the car had already stopped in the garage, and Isabella had long since left.

Lucas touched my face. "You're awake? You were sleeping so soundly I didn't have the heart to wake you."

My consciousness was still a bit unclear. I nodded and opened the car door to get out, not waiting for Lucas as I walked straight toward the front door.

When Lucas got out of the car, I had already reached the entrance. He caught up in a few steps and blocked me at the door. "Are you angry? Isabella is really just my father's friend's daughter. Don't mind it."

I hummed in acknowledgment.

Lucas thought I was still angry and pulled me toward him, helplessly coaxing, "Really just my father's friend's daughter. Honey, I only love you. You know that."

After speaking, smelling the rose scent on my body, his Adam's apple moved. He lowered his head to kiss me but was pushed away by me.

Looking at his surprised expression, I went straight through the door.

"I'm not feeling well. I'll rest in my room first."

After speaking, I locked the door directly, completely cutting off Lucas's chance to enter.

The next morning, in the first-floor dining room, I was eating breakfast with Lucas when my phone on the side suddenly rang.

It was a timed alarm I had set some time ago, labeled "Day of Revelation."

Lucas also saw those words.

Before, I had planned to be honest with him about my identity, so I suggested he come home with me to meet my parents. He had agreed.

The two of us looked at each other. I was thinking about how to cancel this meeting when, the next second, his phone also rang.

It was Isabella calling.

I don't know what was said on the other end, but his expression changed slightly. When he approached me again, he apologetically canceled the meeting.

"Ellie, something suddenly came up that I need to handle. Next time I'll accompany you to meet your parents, okay?"

I nodded calmly. "Actually, I also have something to do today."

Not long after Lucas left, I also went out.

I went shopping at the mall and prepared a gift for each of the friends I was about to meet.

They had all helped me when I was hiding my identity and being discriminated against for not having my own wolf.

Some were even human.

When we met at the designated place and everyone opened their packages, they immediately cried out in surprise upon seeing that each box contained a brand new luxury item.

"Ellie, where did you get so many knockoffs? They look so real!"

"They're all real." Seeing their delighted expressions, I couldn't help but laugh and explain. Seeing they all looked unconvinced, I revealed my true identity.

"Actually, what I told you before about my father hating me and kicking me out was fake. My real identity is the Alpha King's daughter. This time I'm saying goodbye to you because I'm going home to fulfill my responsibilities as heir."

Hearing me say this, everyone was first stunned, then shocked, and finally overjoyed.

They exclaimed that I was actually the Alpha King's mysterious heir, their screams almost lifting the ceiling of the entire restaurant.

After celebrating, someone remembered Lucas and quickly asked, "But if you go back, what about Lucas? Does he know your real identity?"

Mentioning Lucas, the smile on my face faded. "He's planning to enter an alliance marriage with someone else."

"How is that possible!" Hearing this, my friends were full of disbelief. "In our eyes, he's a rare devoted rich man. And aren't you two Mates?"

"Three years ago, you mentioned night-blooming cereus. He bought all of it. Just for you."

"Two years ago, you were sick. He dropped a hundred-million-dollar deal. Flew back that night. Stayed awake by your bed until dawn."

"Last year, rogues took you. He took a poisoned blade in your place. Coma for three days. Nearly died."

"Now he's getting married. How could the bride not be you?"

Hearing my friends mention those past events, my heart still felt deeply moved. Back then, Lucas truly loved me to the point where he could give up his life, but now...

I shook my head and smiled lightly.

"He does love me, perhaps also influenced by the Mate Bond. But his Pack thinks my status doesn't match his and is forcing him into an alliance marriage. From what I gather, after the marriage, he probably wants me to be his mistress."

Upon hearing this, my friends went off.

"What? A mistress?!"

"Making the Alpha King's heir a mistress? He's insane!"

"Good! He'll regret this!"

"Exactly. If he found out you left. If he found out your real identity. Wouldn't he lose his mind?"

Just then, Lucas and Isabella walked in from outside. Hearing our conversation, he frowned.

"What real identity?"

Seeing them walk in together, my friends were furious. Before they could say anything, I stopped them.

I looked at the two newcomers, my expression cold. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas shifted uncomfortably, guilt flickering across his face. His eyes darted away.

"Sunward and Moonclaw Packs have a collaboration. We're just here to talk about it."

I laughed. Of course I knew about their "collaboration." An alliance marriage.

Because they needed to discuss their "collaboration," Lucas and Isabella didn't sit with us.

Instead, they sat at a separate table nearby. Not far, just close enough for me to see the intimate interactions between them.

For instance, him cutting her steak, her sharing food she liked with him, him handing her napkins, her wiping the corner of his lips...

The two of them went back and forth, making my friends extremely angry.

And I sat in my seat, personally witnessing the pain of my mate's betrayal spreading through my body, to the point where I didn't even have the strength to eat.

But I still tried hard to maintain a calm expression.