Chapter One
Marigold
When I first opened my eyes, everything around me seemed blurry and unfamiliar, and it was like I was bonded. My mind was blank and I couldn’t think of anything, the only thing that seemed to be functioning were my eyes as I could see where I was.
The room was dim, with a soft light filtering through the curtains. I tried to move, but my body felt so weak, so heavy, as if I was being held down by invisible weights. I couldn’t even lift my arms. I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to understand where I was.
There was a strange smell in the air, something sterile, something that tickled my nose and made my stomach churn. That’s when it hit me—I was in a hospital. The beeping of machines, the distant murmur of voices in the hallway, the cool air that seemed too clean—it all began to make sense.
The last thing I remembered was being held by a strange man after I had been dumped by the man I spent three years of my life loving and caring for.
Three good years of my life was wasted on the wrong man who seemed right to me at first. Everything felt so right that I forsook my identity as the daughter of the wealthiest alpha in the territory, my father was the number one alpha of all other alpha. But I left all of that, and took up an identity as just a common person, thinking he loved me just as I was.
He was nothing, he had no single thing to his name except for his little pack at the side of the city. He doesn’t know my true identity, yet he goes out with me and I took all of that for love. Because of this I decided to leave my family and take up a new identity as just a common person and I helped him raise his pack without him knowing, thinking it was for our benefits, but he showed his real self after rising to the top.
How dumb of me to think a man like Emeric would love me after rising to the peak. He got blinded by all the wealth and forgot that I was there for him when he had nothing, in fact, I made him.
He threw me off and sent me out of his life the moment he was able to stand on his feet. He didn’t just do that, he and his b***h beat me up until I was at the verge of death and dumped me.
I wished my body weren’t as weak as they were, the one thing I wanted to do so bad was to go out in search for Emeric and his damned b***h and pay them back for every single thing they did to me, but I couldn’t even move. My whole body felt weak and heavy.
I turned my head slightly, the only movement I could manage, and that’s when I saw him. My father was sitting in a chair beside the bed, his head resting in his hands, his shoulders slumped like the weight of the world was pressing down on him. He looked so tired, so worn out.
I wished I had listened to him, I wished I didn’t walk out on him when he advised me about Emeric, but I was too desperate, I was blinded by the love I had for him that I couldn’t see the truth.
I left my father and my family to go be with him but he dumped me and left me to die after doing this to me.
I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, and all that came out was a weak croak.
He must have heard me because he looked up suddenly, his eyes wide with shock and relief. “Oh, my goodness,” he whispered, jumping to his feet and rushing to my side. “Thank heavens, you’re awake!” His voice was thick with emotion, and I could see tears welling up in his eyes as he grabbed my hand gently, holding it like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go.
I did so many wrong things, I made so many stupid decisions in the past, but I was still my father’s little princess and it was still evident in the way he looks at me.
He squeezed my hand gently, sniffling and trying hard to force his tears back. I could see his pain, I could feel it as well.
“Dad…?” My voice was barely above a whisper, and it hurt to even get that much out. “What happened? How long have I been here…?”
He choked on a sob and squeezed my hand tighter. “You’ve been gone for three years,” he said, his voice breaking. “Three long years.”
The words didn’t make sense at first. Three years? How could that be? It felt like I had just closed my eyes for a moment, and now everything had changed. My mind was spinning, trying to grasp the reality of what he was saying, but all I could do was lie there, staring up at him, trying to process it all.
Three years. I had been gone for three f*****g years.
Tears filled my eyes as the weight of it all began to sink in, and I realized just how much I had lost, how much time had passed. My father’s face blurred as the tears spilled over, and all I could do was cry, weak and helpless, as he leaned down and kissed my forehead, whispering over and over how much he loved me, how thankful he was that I had finally come back to him. But none of that made sense at that moment, other than the rage and anger that overtook my whole body.
I was gone for three good years, all thanks to Emeric. He repaid my three years of loving him with three years of being unconscious, three years of being between death and life, three years of fighting for my life. Three long years.
My life was on hold, my entire existence was standing on the hope that I would open my eyes again and there was no other person to be held responsible for this other than Emeric.
I looked up at my dad. “Phone.” I demanded. “My phone.”
He sniffled and dipped his hand into his pocket. “Here.” He handed it over to me.
I immediately went online to search for Emeric’s page and my heart sank with the first thing I saw. Emeric was getting married. He was going to get married!
For a moment, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My mind refused to process the image, as if it were some cruel joke. Emeric… married? No, it just can’t be. A fearful chuckle escaped my lips and I shook my head multiple times, hoping I wasn’t seeing right, but I sure was.
After everything he had done to me? After he dumped me, left me to die, and walked away as if I meant nothing? How could he move on so easily, so coldly? How could he be so inhumane? How could he? The same man I had shown nothing but love? I just couldn’t believe it.
My entire body shook violently with rage as the pain hit me like a wave, crashing through my chest and sending a searing heat up to my throat.
I looked down at the phone again, the image setting my whole body on fire, and with all the strength I could muster, I hurled it against the wall. It shattered on impact, the sound of glass breaking echoing in the room as I screamed out in pain, a raw, guttural cry that seemed to come from the depths of my soul.
“Why?!” I screamed, the question tearing from my throat. “How could he do this to me?!” I grabbed my hair, it was as though I was going crazy.
How could he?
I buried my face in my hands, my tears soaking my palms as my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. The betrayal, the hurt—it was all too much. I couldn’t hold it, I just couldn’t.
I wasted years loving this same man, I wasted years spending and making him who he is today, and all I got back was three years in coma and a shattered heart.
I felt my father’s strong arms wrap around me, pulling me close as I cried. I wrapped my hands around him, I desperately needed that comfort and warmth, the pain was too much for me.
He held me tight, his hand gently running his fingers through my hair as he whispered soothing words. “Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, his voice shaking. I was sure he was as hurt as I was. “I know this hurts, but you’ll get through it. You’re strong, my girl.”
I wished. I wished it was easy to be as strong as the words came out of his mouth, I wished it was that easy.
He pulled back gently and looked into my eyes, his expression calm and serious at the same time. “I didn’t want to say this now,” he began, “but Emeric… he was never the right man for you. I tried to tell you, but you didn’t listen.”
The truth of his words stung, cutting through the fog of my emotions. I had ignored every warning, every sign, all for a man who never truly loved me. And now, I had seen it for myself. He and his new wife beat me to the verge of death and left me to die. My whole life was on hold for three years all because of him only for him to move on with his life, leaving me with the pieces of my life that he shattered.
“I wish I had listened.” I whispered, holding on to my father as though my life depended on the grip.
“I know.” He murmured, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. “But you shouldn’t give him the chance to ruin your beautiful life.” He pulled back and looked into my eyes. “You are worthy of every love and respect, my girl.”
I just held on to him, tears rolling down my eyes non-stop. If I could turn back the hands of the clock, I would have listened to my father and not left everything for Emeric. I wasted years of my life loving him, but now, I wouldn’t waste time regretting my actions but seek the joy and satisfaction in revenge. No, I wouldn’t let him go scot free after doing all of these to me, I would get my revenge and take back every single thing I did for him, even in multiple folds.
The only thing that could amend my broken heart was revenge and even if it would cost me my life, I would be sure to get Emeric on his knees, begging for mercy. The reason the heavens saved me was to make Emeric pay.
I pulled away from my father and wiped my tears. “Dad, get me married to the wealthiest and most powerful alpha you know.”
A big smile fell on his face and he held my hands, placing soft kisses on them before looking back up. “Consider it done!” It was what he always wanted.