Chapter 3

That night, Mary suddenly burst into wailing cries, her whole body burning hot.

I struggled to get up and carried Mary to the door, but was stopped by the bodyguards.

"Luna Clara, I'm sorry. Without orders from Alpha Gareth and Miss Ella, you cannot leave this room."

I held Mary tightly and shouted at the bodyguard,

"Move! My daughter has a high fever! She needs medical attention immediately!"

The bodyguard blocked me expressionlessly.

"I'm sorry. Alpha Gareth said until you repay the wedding gifts worth $880,000, you are not allowed to leave this room."

My whole body went cold. Something in my mind exploded in an instant.

Wedding gifts worth $880,000?

Before marrying Gareth, I was just an ordinary werewolf. Only because Gareth and I were fated mates could I date him, marry him, and become Luna of the Redmoon pack.

Everyone said I was incredibly lucky to marry Gareth, that I'd enjoy endless wealth and luxury for life.

But no one knew.

Because of one sentence from Ella: "Gareth, if Clara really loves you, she won't spend a penny of your money. Otherwise, what makes her different from those women who only want you for your money?"

From our wedding until now, my food, clothing, and expenses were never part of Gareth's daily spending.

The haute couture dresses and expensive jewelry I wore to banquets were all bought with money I earned myself.

Even when I rode in luxury cars with Gareth and Ella, Ella would ask me for gas money after the banquet ended.

In just three years of marriage, I had already exhausted all the savings from the first half of my working life. I didn't even have $100 in my account.

Where could I get $880,000 to give Gareth?

Mary cried herself hoarse from the fever, feeling so miserable.

Looking at the bodyguard pleadingly, my tone was as humble as dirt.

"I'll find a way to pay the money back."

"Please make an exception this once. She's a premature baby. Not being kept in an incubator is already dangerous. If the fever continues, she'll die..."

Three days ago, Ella's heart condition flared up.

The doctor scheduled surgery for three months later, which coincided with my due date.

Ella cried until she sobbed:

"Gareth, if my surgery happens when Clara gives birth, you'll definitely abandon me to take care of Clara, right?"

Gareth tried to comfort her.

But Ella cried even harder.

"Gareth! You've changed! After marrying Clara, you don't love me anymore. Your whole heart is with her. If that's how it is, I might as well die! I'll go to hell to find my dead father and tell him you bullied me!"

She set a fire in the house, and I was forcibly given labor-inducing medication.

Gareth wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Clara, she's my only adoptive sister. She's young and gets jealous easily. I need to put her mind at ease. You understand, right?"

"After the baby is born, I promise I'll make it up to you both."

"Don't worry. I've got everything under control."

But what I got instead was a forged DNA report and a poorly acted melodrama staged for Mary and me.

The two bodyguards looked reluctant, but still firmly blocked the door.

"We're sorry, Luna Clara. Alpha Gareth gave strict orders before he left. You must repay the money before you can leave."

In just a few minutes, Mary in my arms became burning hot like a furnace, her cries growing weaker.

Just as I was about to put a knife to my throat to threaten the bodyguards to let me pass, Gareth came over with a furrowed brow.

His expression was extremely dark.

"Clara, this is a hospital, not a marketplace. All this shouting and yelling—did you learn your manners from dogs? You even disturbed Ella's finger bandaging."

I followed his gaze and saw the Hello Kitty bandaid on Ella's fingertip, and the twenty-some doctors following behind her.

My heart felt like it had been stabbed with a knife.

No wonder I'd been calling for so long without seeing a single doctor.

Gareth had summoned them all to treat a finger injury.

I swallowed the bitterness, stepped forward with Mary, and choked out, "Mary has a fever. Get a doctor quickly."

Gareth's brow furrowed even tighter, his feet about to move.

Suddenly Ella clutched her heart and called out softly in pain,

"Gareth, I hurt so much. Am I going to die..."

Gareth's attention immediately focused on Ella.

He scooped her up in his arms and shouted at the group of doctors,

"Prepare for surgery immediately!"

I reached out to grab Gareth, looking at him urgently. "Our daughter..."

Ella wrapped her arms around Gareth's neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

"Gareth, I'm so scared. This is heart surgery. I won't die from the pain, will I?"

"Please have all the doctors operate on me, okay? More doctors means more security. My biggest regret in this life is not being able to repay you properly. I don't want to die like this."

Her tone was sweet and clingy.

Gareth was coaxed dizzy, his heart soft as cotton.

"Alright. I'll not only have all the hospital doctors on standby, the elite medical team I prepared for you will all arrive within ten minutes. I won't let anything happen to you."

"What about our daughter?"