Chapter 3

I laughed—out of anger this time.

"Ronan, I suggest you wash your brain. If I remember correctly, Tia is twenty-three this year, a few months older than me, right?"

"I hate two things: man-children and scheming women who steal other people's things. She happens to be both."

Provoked, Tia's tears fell immediately.

"Ronan will spoil me no matter how old I am. You're just jealous!"

"You haven't even married Ronan yet—what right does an outsider have to take things from Ronan's family? You're the shameless one!"

Though Tia had been taken in by Alpha Orion, she'd never been legally adopted or changed her surname, so she wasn't an official family member legally or within the pack.

Ronan had made a fuss about making Tia a true member of the Ronan family, but Alpha Orion made his position clear and refused, so he had to give up.

That's why he felt guilty toward Tia.

Now seeing Tia upset, he felt sorry for her.

He frowned.

"Tia is different from you. She has no parents, only me. Father won't agree to let her officially join our family, so she feels insecure..."

I cut him off with a suggestion.

"Want to make Tia your family? That's simple."

"Just marry her. I'll gladly give her this necklace as a wedding gift. Alpha Orion's daughter-in-law would truly deserve to wear it."

I took off the emerald necklace from my neck and held it out to Tia.

Tia's eyes widened in shock, then filled with unconcealed delight. She immediately reached out to take it.

"No!"

Ronan snatched the necklace away and clutched it tightly in his palm.

"What nonsense are you talking? Tia is just... just my adopted sister. You're the one I want to spend my life with!"

"You can be jealous of anyone, but not Tia."

"She's family, and you're my lover. Stop saying these angry words, or I really will get mad."

Being stared at by those affectionate eyes, I felt no emotion—only nausea.

Not wanting to waste more words, I turned and walked away.

Ignoring whatever Ronan was saying behind me.

Walking out the airport doors, a low-key Maybach pulled up right in front of me. The driver got out and opened the door for me.

"Layla, Leo asked me to pick him up later. Should I take you to Alpha Orion's house first?"

Leo had been on this business trip for half a month. Alpha Orion knew he was returning today and specifically told us both to come to his house for dinner tonight.

Suddenly, someone pushed past me and got in the car first.

After Tia sat down, she sneered.

"Didn't you say you're married? Why are you hitching a ride in Ronan's family car? Go take your husband's car!"

Tia recognized this Maybach—it was Leo's.

Ronan clearly recognized it too. He seemed flattered, since Leo usually didn't handle these small matters, much less send a car to pick someone up.

He sat down next to Tia, helped her fasten her seatbelt, then turned to me.

"You sit up front. Tia's used to sitting next to me. I'll have the driver drop you off at your place first."

"No need, I have my own car. Driver, please take them home. I have other plans."

I pulled out my car keys and pressed unlock. In the distance, a Lamborghini Veneno's lights flashed twice.

Seeing me drive off in a supercar, jealousy flashed in Tia's eyes.

Ronan sighed. "She came specifically to pick me up—she must be mad I didn't take her car."

Then he asked the driver:

"Did Leo send you to pick me up?"

The driver answered honestly:

"No, I'm here to pick up Leo."

The air froze for two seconds before Ronan said:

"...What a coincidence. So where's Leo?"

"Flight delay."

I went to a beauty salon for a spa treatment, enjoying myself thoroughly. Seeing it was almost dinnertime, I drove to Alpha Orion's house.

As soon as I got out of the car, I saw two people kneeling stiffly like wooden stakes at Alpha Orion's front door.

Turns out, after the driver brought them home, when Alpha Orion heard it was Ronan and Tia who'd returned, he threw his cane on the spot and wouldn't let them in the door.

"Get out! Why didn't you just die out there instead of coming back?"

Ronan bet on Alpha Orion softening, so he dropped to his knees at the door with a "thud." Tia, to accompany him, knelt too.

Seeing me arrive, Ronan stood up and blocked my way. His previously dejected expression vanished instantly, replaced by a beaming face.

"I knew you couldn't let me go."

"Did you rush over because you heard Father punished me?"

I turned my face away in disgust, trying to go around him.

But he blocked me again, looking like he was "doing me a favor."

"Don't go in. Father's still angry—I'm afraid he'll take it out on you."

Tia somehow sidled over too. She pointed at my nose, sternly questioning:

"Are you still holding a grudge about Ronan running away for me that year?"

"You stirred things up, didn't you? Father usually dotes on Ronan most—how could he not let him in the house?"

"You came here just to laugh at us!"

She rushed at me to grab me, but I sidestepped and she face-planted.

Tia fell to the ground, her knee hitting a sharp stone, instantly cutting open a wound. She looked completely aggrieved.

Ronan pressed his lips together, his smile fading. He crouched down first to check Tia's wound.

Seeing she was fine, he skillfully picked her up in a princess carry and coaxed her for a long time before a smile returned to Tia's face.

Only then did Ronan remember me. He sighed.

"Layla, you're making me feel like I don't know you anymore."

"Tia speaks without thinking. If you're going to marry me, you must learn to tolerate her."

"Apologize to Tia this time and we'll call it even. In the future, I hope you can change your personality."

What?

My vision darkened. I sneered. "Should I also give her some compensation to soothe her fragile heart?"

Greed flashed in Tia's eyes.

"I still need a car to get around. The one you drove today barely catches my eye."

A Lamborghini Veneno—only 3 in the world, 23 million dollars each.

Tia had quite the appetite.

Ronan started making decisions for me again.

"Since Tia rarely likes something, give her the car. Consider it compensation for hurting her."

I flat-out refused. "Impossible!"

I pushed past Ronan and walked straight toward the house.

"Stop!"

Ronan realized he'd been played. His face turned ashen as he threatened:

"Layla, I'm saying this once—if you don't apologize to Tia, forget about marrying me, forget about stepping foot in Dubois pack!"

"BANG—"

Suddenly, a cane flew out and hit Ronan square in the head.

From several meters away, Alpha Orion's vigorous voice reached everyone's ears clearly:

"Get out! She's Leo's wife—of course she can enter Dubois pack!"