Chapter 4

I watched the foolish comments, taking a sip of my black coffee.

Nobility and elegance? In a dog-eat-dog world, nobility was the most useless thing.

I needed a weapon that was razor-sharp and would never turn against me, not some sentimental saint.

A month later, the annual high-society charity gala of Silver Creek took place.

I turned down all other male companions and made a grand entrance with a completely transformed Kael.

The moment we stepped into the ballroom, the buzzing crowd instantly fell silent.

"Is that the new guard beside Alpha Victoria? His aura is terrifying..."

"I heard Liam was banished. I thought she'd be mourning him for a while, but she replaced him so fast."

"This new guy looks way fiercer than Liam. Classic Victoria Sterling..."

I grabbed a glass of champagne, effortlessly mingling with the guests.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a commotion in the corner of the hall.

I turned my head and locked eyes with someone filled with shock and humiliation.

Liam was wearing a cheap, ill-fitting suit, looking like a low-rent bouncer as he shielded a trembling Sophie from the bustling crowd.

The moment our eyes met, Liam turned pale as a sheet.

His gaze locked onto Kael, who stood proudly by my side—in the very spot that used to belong to him.

The sheer drop in status and the intense humiliation made Liam's body tremble uncontrollably.

Sophie saw me, too.

Her eyes flickered, and she intentionally dragged Liam over, limping as they approached.

"Alpha Victoria..." Sophie spoke, her voice trembling like a victim.

"I know you hate me. You banished Liam from Silver Creek, and our lives have been so hard."

"We only came here tonight to beg for a job. Please, show some mercy. Stop blocking us from getting hired..."

Her words were laced with tears, painting me as a tyrant trying to ruin a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Several guests around us started throwing judgmental looks my way.

Seeing Sophie cry, Liam instinctively shielded her. "Victoria Sterling, if you have a problem, take it out on me. Don't make things hard for—"

Before he could finish, things escalated.

Kael, who had been standing silently by my side, suddenly took a massive step forward.

His movement was like lightning. Before anyone could react, a loud *BANG* echoed through the room!

Kael pinned Liam against the marble wall by his throat with a single hand.

The impact made Liam gasp in pain. He desperately tried to pry Kael's fingers off, but Kael's arm was like solid steel, unyielding.

"Ah! Murder! Let go of Liam!" Sophie screamed.

The room fell dead silent. Everyone was paralyzed by the sudden violence.

Kael tilted his head, his voice dripping with deadly coldness:

"Who do you think you are, calling Alpha Victoria by her name?"