Dear Mate, You're Mine！

Chapter 9 Take your time.

IRENE'S POV

Knowing that someone was willing to offer a high price to buy my house. The news came as a shock, the kind that sent a jolt through your entire body.

The house had been on the market for only a short time, and I hadn’t expected it to sell so quickly, let alone at such a high price. It was both a relief and a strange twist of fate, considering how desperate I was to sever my ties with Matthew.

At the agent’s office, I carefully read every clause of the contract. Each word seemed to hold the part my past, my memories, and my future. I couldn’t afford to miss a single detail. The agent, a middle-aged man with a kind smile, patiently waited as I went through the document.

“Take your time, Ms. Irene,” he said, all smiles. “It’s important that you feel comfortable with everything.”

I nodded, appreciating his understanding. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I signed at the bottom of the contract. The moment the pen left the paper, a mix of emotions washed over me. There was a pang of reluctance, a sense of loss for what the house represented. But there was also a budding anticipation, a hope for what the future held.

“Congratulations,” the agent said, extending his hand. “You’ve made a great sales.”

“Thank you,” I replied, shaking his hand.

The process of transferring the house p*****t to my account via telegraphic transfer was swift. Watching the numbers change on my bank statement brought a surreal sense of closure. The money felt like a tangible representation of my decision to move forward, to leave the past behind.

A week later, I was sitting in my human community apartment, catching up on the news, when a particular report caught my attention. My former villa had been burglarized. The headline flashed across the screen, and my heart skipped a beat. Almost simultaneously, my phone rang. It was the police.

“Ms. Irene, we received a report about a burglary at your former residence,” the officer on the line said. “We need you to come down to the villa to assist with the investigation.”

I agreed and quickly made my way to the villa. As I pulled up to the familiar driveway, a wave of nostalgia hit me. But it was quickly replaced by another feeling I couldn't pinpoint.

Stepping inside, I was greeted by chaos. The room was in a mess—furniture overturned, items scattered everywhere. It was clear that this was the result of the plan Leon and I had orchestrated.

An officer approached me with a grave expression.

“Ms. Irene, we understand this is difficult, but we need your cooperation to understand what might have been taken.”

I nodded, playing my part. “Of course. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

Walking through the house, I made a show of inspecting the damage. The burglars had been thorough, taking a variety of items to cover their true objective—the documents on my laptop. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

“I can’t believe this happened,” I said, my voice trembling just enough to convey the right amount of distress. “This house... it holds so many memories.”

The officer gave me a sympathetic look. “We understand, Ms. Irene. We’ll do our best to find out who did this.”

As the officers continued their investigation, I took a moment to step outside and call Leon. He picked up on the first ring.

“It’s done,” I said, keeping my voice low. “The police are here. Everything looks convincing.”

“Good,” Leon replied. "On to the next." He uttered and I bet he must be smirking behind the phone.

*

*

Sitting in my apartment, the city lights shimmering outside my window, I felt a rare sense of peace. That tranquility was shattered by the abrupt ringing of my phone. I glanced at the screen and saw Thea’s name flashing. Reluctantly, I answered.

“Irene,” Thea’s voice dripped with a forced sweetness that made my skin crawl. “Why didn’t you and Luke come to our wedding? Do you not care about us at all? Matthew is furious. Without your blessing, our marriage—and the reputation of the pack—will plummet.”

I bit back a laugh at her audacity. “Thea, I’ve been a little busy, as you might have noticed.”

“Busy?” she scoffed. “You owe us this much, Irene. Especially after everything.”

For heaven's sake, I owe them nothing. Her words ignited a spark of anger, but they also gave me an idea. A brilliant idea.

“I understand, Thea. How about I make it up to you right now?” I suggested, my voice laced with an undercurrent of mischief. “Let’s FaceTime. I have a sensational wedding gift for you and Matthew.”

Thea hesitated, probably sensing something amiss, but her arrogance got the better of her. She was at the wedding reception obviously and she needed something to create her stance so she could be respected as the Luna.

“Fine. Call me on FaceTime.”

I quickly ended the call and initiated a video call. When Thea’s face appeared on my screen, she was standing in a lavishly decorated room, surrounded by wedding guests. She put the video on the big screen, the picture-perfect bride pretending to greet me happily.

“Irene!” she exclaimed, her voice artificially cheerful. “So good to see you! Everyone, say hello to Irene!”

I forced a smile. “Hello, everyone. Congratulations, Thea and Matthew. I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”

The guests murmured their greetings, their eyes fixed on the screen. I reached beside me and grabbed a box containing some of Matthew’s belongings that he hadn’t bothered to take with him—and Thea’s underwear, which she had left behind intentionally as a mark of her conquest.

“Thea, I wanted to give you something truly special for your wedding,” I began in a low tone as my heart pounded. “A reminder of the love and fidelity you and Matthew share.”

Thea’s smile faltered. “What are you talking about?”

I held up the box, making sure the camera captured every detail.

“These are Matthew’s belongings that he left behind. And, Thea, this is your underwear, isn’t it? You left it at the house.”

A collective gasp echoed through the room. Thea’s face drained of color, her eyes wide with horror. She stood frozen, unable to move or react. Like, everybody was there. No doubt, she must be embarrassed. Exactly what I wanted.

“Thea?” I asked, feigning concern. “You look pale. Is something wrong?”

She finally found her voice, but it was shaky and panicked. “I-Irene, stop this!”

“Oh, but I’m just getting started,” I said, my smile turning predatory. “Everyone, I’m sure you’ll be interested to know that Thea and Matthew have been having an affair behind my back. Isn’t that right, Thea?”

The room erupted in shocked whispers and gasps. Thea tried to shut off the phone, but in her panic, she fumbled. By the time she managed to end the call, the damage was done. The guests had seen everything. They knew the truth now rather than the lies they spewed to people of the pack all along.

As the screen went dark, my phone rang again. It was Matthew this time. His voice was low and menacing.

“Irene, you will pay for this,” he hissed. “You think you’ve won? I will seek revenge, and you will regret ever crossing me.”

“Matthew, I think you’re mistaken,” I replied calmly. “You’re the one who should regret ever underestimating me. Enjoy your wedding.”

I hung up, feeling a surge of triumph. Yes, I had burned every bridge with Matthew, but that was inevitable. This was my final act of defiance, my way of reclaiming my dignity and showing him I was not to be trifled with.