Chapter 5 You Stole My Money

As I witnessed Joe kneeling before my sister, my mind went blank. It felt as if someone had struck me hard on the head with a baseball bat. A deafening ringing in my ears left me dizzy, almost unable to stand.

I took a step back, covering my mouth, staring at them in disbelief. I heard my sister, using her deliberately sweet voice, utter the words that were meant for me, addressed to my boyfriend— yes, my boyfriend, Joe.

"Of course I do, my dear," she pretended to glance at me casually, then eagerly extended her hand for Joe to slide that sparkling ring onto her finger. "I'm more than willing. In fact, I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

How could this be?

l I had dreamed about this proposal for a long time, and now my sister stole my lines and my happiness.!

There must be some mistakes, I thought.

An overwhelming sense of absurdity made me involuntarily burst into laughter. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Mrs. Smith looked at me with a mix of astonishment and concern—perhaps my reaction was beyond her expectations.

I struggled to maintain composure, clutching my dress tightly, and with a trembling voice, I questioned them, "Tell me, what is going on?"

"Well, it's pretty much what you see," Cathy shrugged indifferently, a mocking curve forming at the corner of her mouth. "Joe and I are together now. Because we are each other's fated mates."

'You, loser.' I saw her mouth the words to me.

My heart felt like it had been whipped harshly.

The sweet memories I had shared with Joe flashed before my eyes, turning those moments of happiness and joy into steel knives piercing my heart.

This was the first time I experienced convulsing pain in my heart. If agony could materialize, my heart would have shattered into countless bloody fragments.

Under Cathy's triumphant gaze, I turned my head towards the other protagonist in this betrayal, and with a sharp and plaintive voice, I cried, "How dare you betray me, Joe, and get involved with my sister!"

Joe remained silent. He licked his lips, avoiding my gaze. I noticed his feet shifting slightly in the direction of Cathy, as if seeking refuge behind his fiancée.

At that instant, my hatred for him even surpassed my anger towards Cathy.

This... feeble, despicable, shameless bastard!

The audience, who had initially intended to applaud, stopped in their tracks. Some of the werewolves who knew Joe was my boyfriend started whispering to each other. I watched the tender image of Joe and Cathy standing side by side, feeling like a clown in the world.

"Calm down, Claire," my stepmother Rachel walked over, feigning concern. "We know you're hurting, but Cathy is your sister. You should bless them. And Joe is still becoming a part of our family, isn't he?"

"Shut up!"

I gritted my teeth and yelled at her, then fought back the urge to break down, shifting my gaze away, placing my last hope on my father.

"Father..." I pleaded.

I longed for him to speak up for me. Though we were not close in our everyday interactions, he was indeed the only blood relative I had left in this world. But as I spoke, I chose to overlook one crucial detail: as the head of the household, he couldn't be unaware of Joe and my sister's situation.

"Calm down, Claire," my father said, betraying me once again.

His words came with an icy command, "Joe is indeed the next Alpha I have chosen, but your sister Cathy is his fated mate. Therefore, she will become the next Luna of our pack."

"You already have the inheritance your mother left you. Be sensible and stop competing with your sister about these things."

Choked with emotion, I gasped for air, gripping the table behind me as I confronted him, "Tell me, father, who has been competing? During all the years, I have been the one who compromises! Since my mom passed away, I have endured countless grievances in this house. Have I ever said anything? Have I ever complained to you?"

Being exposed by his daughter in front of so many guests, my father clearly felt humiliated. I knew he was an Alpha who cared deeply about his reputation and status. He valued his own image above all else.

"Claire, I believe you must be intoxicated. Don't speak nonsense and come back with me before everything is okay. Do you understand?" My father said in a low, slow voice.

As he spoke, he glared at me with a terrifying gaze, as if he wanted to tear me apart. It seemed like a warning, that if I continued speaking, he would make sure to punish me once we returned home.

Memories of the unbearable violence I suffered at his hands during my childhood resurfaced. A faint pain throbbed on my left cheek, and the humiliation and agony of those moments were still vivid in my memory.

But this time, I chose not to be quiet.

I straightened my posture, lifted my chin, and defiantly locked eyes with my furious father. Even though I didn't want to admit it at this moment, the Alpha genes from my father did flow within me—we both had the same competitive spirit, refusing to surrender.

Since he had made the choice to abandon me first, there was no need for me to continue this charade with him. I had wanted to say these words for a long time. Ever since he brought that woman into our home, I wanted to tell him face-to-face.

"You disgust me, father," I said to him sincerely.

Upon hearing these words, my father's face twisted.

"Claire, how dare you say such words to your own father!"

Before he could say anything else, Cathy and my stepmother jumped in, berating me loudly.

Just then, my phone, which I had kept in my bag, vibrated.

Who would be texting me at this time? I felt very upset. Almost everyone I know is in this hall. No one would send me a message at this time unless he wanted to tease me.

I ignored it.

But the phone vibrated again.

Who the hell is that? Was it Joe or Cathy's man playing a prank?

Angrily, I opened my handbag and took out my phone.

But in the next moment, my gaze froze upon the phone screen.

It was a message from a bank.

It says I spent 500,000 yesterday.

I jerked my head up, incredulously locking eyes with a slightly guilty-looking Joe. Suddenly, it all came rushing back to me. Just a week ago, I shared my bank card password with him. That day, Joe had been overjoyed, tightly embracing me and speaking sweet words of affection and promising to marry me. And then...

Yesterday, Olivia and I spotted him at the jewelry store.

In other words, this bastard not only betrayed me but also used lies to deceive me, stealing my money!

My gaze fell upon the sparkling diamond ring adorning Cathy's hand, and a surge of anger clouded my mind.

"Joe Russo, you used my card to buy a ring for another woman?!" I exclaimed in fury.