Chapter 157 The Gift and the Wound

    Leslie’s POV

    Unexpected.

    He hadn’t even tried to inte the price.

    What he asked for didn’te close to Summer’s true value.

    I turned to Melina with a smile. “Melina, consider this my gift to you.”

    Then I quickly followed after Darian, afraid he might change his mind.

    Lyana’s POV

    On the way back, the smile on Melina’s face made something twist in my chest.

    That Summer–Leslie’s gift–clearly delighted her.

    The more I saw that satisfied glow on her face, the more unsettled I felt.

    Why was it always Leslie?

    Why did she always draw every gaze with so little effort?

    As the Alpha of the Smoke Pack, I couldn’t let her keep stepping on me like this.

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    Finished

    I pushed down the irritation boiling in my chest and put on a concerned tone. “Melina, from what I’ve heard, the real Summer was once auctioned for over a hundred million credits. Leslie and Darian are quite close… are you sure the one she gave you is authentic?”

    Melina’s smile faltered, a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

    “What… what do you mean? Are you saying Darian would give her a fake?”

    I immediately waved my hand, voice soft butced with hidden barbs. “Of course not. I just mean–they’re teacher and student. Maybe what she gave you wasn’t the original Summer. It could be a personal copy, still worth something, sure… but notparable to a genuine masterwork.”

    Melina’s expression shifted. Her pheromones betrayed a thread of unease.

    I masked my satisfaction with a gentle smile.

    “I’m sure it’s fine. I heard Darian always leaves a soulmark in the lower–right corner of his real

    Chapter 157 The Gift and the Wound

    works. One nce should confirm it.”

    She nodded slowly, forcing a smile, but suspicion had already taken root in her eyes.

    I lowered my gaze, hiding the smirk creeping up my lips.

    Leslie, if you dared give her a fake, the truth wille out sooner orter.

    ?. 02

    Finished

    To verify the painting’s authenticity, Melina decided to host a family dinner at Frost Pack’s estate–dragging poor, ‘sick‘ Eric out of bed for it.

    I arrived early, chatting confidently with the Frost Pack elders and Melina, my pheromones calm and poised.

    Melina was growing warmer with me by the second–clearly seeing me as the ideal candidate to be Eric’s partner.

    Leslie arrived fashionablyte, bringing Summer with her.

    When she handed it to Melina, I caught the Luna nce toward the bottom right corner. Her expression stiffened for a split second–then smoothed out again.

    My chest tightened with triumph. There was a problem.

    Leslie didn’t notice. She went to greet the elders, poised and elegant as ever–infuriatingly perfect.

    Eric heard her voice from upstairs and came flying down like a lovesick fool. “Leslie! Come quick! I found photos from when we were kids–remember when you wore a wedding dress?”

    Leslie froze, then shot him a sharp look. “That was a costume for the school y, not a wedding dress!”

    Her tone was tinged with embarrassment. She even nced at me–as if afraid I’d get the wrong idea.

    Something stabbed in my chest.

    Eric’s eyes sparkled like starlight, gentle as moonbeams.

    But that glow… it had never been mine.

    Whenever he looked at Leslie, it was always joy. Always patience.

    I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms, like I was sinking in a swamp with no bottom, breathless and heavy.

    b15:49 /bWedb, /bbSep /b17

    Chapter 157 The Gift and the Wound

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    Finished

    Melina’s brow furrowed, her tone sharp. “Eric, show some manners. Lyana’s been here for half the night and you didn’t even greet her?”

    I forced a smile, pretending it didn’t bother me. “We’ve known each other for ages. No need to stand on ceremony.”

    But inside, the bitterness swelled to the brim.

    I dropped my gaze to hide it—but the sourness in my pheromones was impossible to contain.

    Send Gifts

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