Chapter 3

The arrogant voice sent a sharp jolt of recognition through Bella Moonshadow, forcing her to stop in her tracks. She turned slowly, and there, standing in full view, was a woman wearing far too much makeup, her face painted like a mask. Bella recognized her immediately, though she wished she hadn’t. "Yelena—Samantha's best friend," Bella thought, her expression hardening as she recalled the trouble Yelena had caused in the past. The sight of her stirred a mixture of annoyance and disgust, but Bella maintained her composure, refusing to show any weakness.

Yelena, on the other hand, seemed equally shocked to see Bella. Her eyes widened as they scanned Bella from head to toe, taking in the sight of her wearing a plain server’s uniform. For a brief moment, Yelena was speechless, but her surprise quickly morphed into a smug, triumphant grin. “It’s you?” she gasped, her voice oozing disbelief. Her words were sharp, and her tone carried an unmistakable air of mockery, as though she couldn’t believe Bella’s fall from grace.

Bella didn’t respond. Instead, she turned away and focused on her work, determined to avoid a confrontation. But Yelena wasn’t about to let her off so easily. She stepped directly into Bella’s path, blocking her way with a smirk plastered across her face. Her voice dripped with mockery as she sneered, “So, you’re a server now? This is priceless! I never thought I’d see the day.” Her words echoed in the room, sharp and cutting, as she reveled in Bella’s perceived humiliation.

Bella’s eyes narrowed as she responded calmly, her voice steady and cold. “Is it really that funny to you?” she asked, refusing to show the irritation bubbling beneath her cool exterior. She wouldn’t give Yelena the satisfaction of seeing her anger.

“Oh, absolutely. It’s hilarious,” Yelena said, her grin widening. “Look at you. Once so high and mighty, walking around like you were untouchable. And now? You’re reduced to this. A simple waitress. Life sure has a way of humbling people, doesn’t it? Why don’t you be a dear and fetch me something to eat while you’re at it?” Yelena’s words were cruel, designed to hurt, and her laughter rang out like a slap to Bella’s face.

Yelena was clearly basking in her newfound power. For years, she had harbored jealousy and resentment toward Bella. Bella had always been the beautiful, admired mate of Alpha Xavier, something Yelena could never compete with. But now, with Bella disgraced, abandoned, and working as a server, Yelena saw the perfect opportunity to humiliate her. She wanted to relish every moment of her perceived victory.

Bella felt disgusted by Yelena’s behavior, but she refused to let herself be dragged into the pettiness. Without a word, she stepped around Yelena, determined to continue her work and ignore the woman’s taunts. Bella knew she had far more important things to focus on than someone like Yelena.

But Yelena wasn’t done. She raised her voice, ensuring everyone in the room could hear her. “Do you think you can just walk away from me? Don’t you dare ignore me, Bella. Do you know who you’re dealing with? I could have you fired in an instant,” she threatened, her tone laced with arrogance. She seemed to enjoy the attention her outburst was drawing.

Stopping in her tracks, Bella slowly turned her head and gave Yelena a cold, piercing stare. “You think you have that kind of authority?” she asked, her voice calm but sharp. “You flatter yourself far too much, Yelena.”

“How dare you speak to me like that!” Yelena snapped, her face turning red with anger. Her voice rose in pitch as her frustration grew. Once, she wouldn’t have dared to confront Bella, knowing that Alpha Xavier’s protection made her untouchable. But now, with Xavier out of the picture, Yelena saw Bella as nothing more than a vulnerable target, someone she could crush without consequence. To her, Bella was just another powerless person she could step on.

“I’ll inform the Alpha right now and make sure you’re thrown out of this place!” Yelena yelled, her voice echoing loudly. She crossed her arms, fully expecting Bella to cower or beg for mercy.

“What’s going on here?” a soft yet commanding voice interrupted.

Yelena’s face lit up with malicious delight as she turned. “Samantha! Perfect timing,” she said, her tone dripping with mock excitement. “Look who’s here!” She gestured toward Bella with a dramatic flourish, eager to stir up more trouble.

Bella met Samantha’s gaze and held it, her expression hard and unyielding. For a brief moment, shock flickered across Samantha’s face, but she quickly masked it with a polite, practiced smile. Samantha was a master of appearances, and she wasn’t about to let her surprise show.

“Bella,” Samantha greeted smoothly, her voice warm but fake. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, sister?”

For a moment, Bella considered responding, but she quickly decided against it. Her voice was flat and emotionless as she replied, “I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” Her tone left no room for argument, and her eyes burned with quiet defiance.

Samantha’s smile didn’t falter, though her eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh, Bella, I know you’re still upset with me. But you know, none of this was my fault. Alpha Xavier chose me. If you’re angry, you should be mad at him, not me.” Her words were calm, but the smugness in her voice was unmistakable.

The words pierced Bella’s heart like a dagger. Even though three years had passed, the betrayal still hurt as though it had happened yesterday. Bella clenched her jaw tightly, refusing to let the pain show on her face. She wouldn’t give Samantha the satisfaction of seeing her hurt. Without a word, she turned on her heel and walked away, determined to leave the conversation behind.

But Yelena wasn’t about to let her go so easily. Emboldened by Samantha’s presence, she rushed forward and shoved Bella from behind. The sudden push caused Bella to spill the drink she was carrying, some of the liquid splashing onto Yelena herself. Yelena let out an exaggerated screech. “Look what you’ve done!” she shouted, her voice shrill.

Her eyes sparkled with malicious glee as she realized she could use this incident to humiliate Bella further. Bella’s hands tightened into fists, her anger bubbling just beneath the surface. In the past, she would have immediately retaliated, but now, she forced herself to remain calm. She reminded herself that she was no longer Alpha Xavier’s mate, no longer untouchable. She was just a server, and she couldn’t afford to lose her job over someone like Yelena.

Bella tried to walk away again, but Yelena wasn’t finished. She grabbed a glass of red wine from a passing tray and, with a vindictive grin, tipped it over Bella’s head. The cold liquid trickled down Bella’s neck, soaking her uniform and making her shiver. Before Bella could react, Samantha stepped forward with a fake look of concern and “accidentally” spilled another glass of wine onto Bella’s face.

The stinging sensation in Bella’s eyes made her wince, and the humiliation burned even more. She had tried to walk away with her dignity intact, but their relentless taunting left her no choice. If they wanted a fight, she would give them one.

Without a second thought, Bella grabbed the plate of food she was holding and dumped it onto Yelena’s head.

Yelena screamed as spicy sauce dripped into her hair and ran down her face. The burning sensation in her eyes made her claw at them desperately. Bella, unfazed by Yelena’s cries, turned her attention to Samantha.

Before Samantha could react, Bella delivered a sharp, resounding slap across her face. The sound echoed through the room, leaving Samantha frozen in shock. Bella calmly flicked some leftover sauce from the plate onto Samantha’s designer dress, ruining the expensive fabric and leaving bright red stains in its wake.

Samantha stumbled backward, her face pale with disbelief. “Someone! Help me!” she shrieked, her voice frantic as she clutched at her ruined dress.

Bella stood tall, her eyes blazing with anger and defiance. She had had enough of their games. If they wanted to make her the villain, she would wear the title with pride.