Ruby:
I stared at the picture as if I had seen a ghost-or rather, I wished it was a ghost, because what I was facing was something far worse. The boy’s words echoed in my ears, causing my heart to skip multiple beats.
How could this be possible? I searched his face for any trace of deceit, but all I found was a raw vulnerability that mirrored my own.
“You mean she’s your mother?” I questioned, my voice barely above a whisper. The boy nodded eagerly, wiping away his tears.
“So, are you going to help me find her?” He asked with a hopeful tone, his eyes pleading for assistance. But before I could even nod or respond, a loud noise jolted me, making me spin around to see Mr. Smith standing at the doorway, his face twisted with anger and disdain.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he snapped as he strode into the room, his gaze fixated on me.
“You’re fired,” he declared bluntly, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. Fired? I couldn’t believe it. What had I done to deserve such swift punishment? Sure, I knew I shouldn’t have been snooping around, but firing me seemed extreme.
Before I could even protest, Mr. Smith grabbed my clothes, clearly intent on escorting me out.
“Get out of my house. You were warned to stay out of things that didn’t concern you, but you couldn’t help yourself, could you, Jane?”
Damn it.
I couldn’t just let him kick me out like dirt, especially when I hadn’t accomplished what I set out to do. I refused to go down without a fight, to let him cast me aside like yesterday’s garbage. A surge of defiance coursed through me, sparking a determination to fight back.
“Wait!” I exclaimed as I took a step forward, locking eyes with him in a silent challenge.
“You can’t just fire me without cause. I’ve done nothing wrong; you have to tell me the reason for firing me at least,” I said boldly, my heart pounding with anticipation as I gazed at him dead in the eyes before continuing.
“Or perhaps I stumbled upon something I wasn’t supposed to find? Is that why you’re firing me?” I smirked, hoping to provoke a reaction that would reveal the truth. The woman in the picture, whom the boy referred to as his mother, was Lilith. Putting the pieces together, it seemed Mr. Smith had a secret relationship with her, resulting in the birth of his son and perhaps earning him punishment from the moon goddess. Yet, I wasn’t certain if his wife was aware of the situation or how she agreed to care for another child that wasn’t hers.
But Mr. Smith remained unmoved, his expression unyielding as he levelled a cold gaze in my direction.
“I don’t need to justify myself to the likes of you-a disgusting mutt. I am going to report you to the academy for invasion of privacy; have you investigated; and make sure you lose your job officially at the academy,” he spat.
Disgusting mutt?
The insult hit me like a slap in the face, igniting a fiery rage within me. How dare he degrade me like that? Disgusting mutt? Anger boiled inside me at his audacity, but I fought to maintain my composure, refusing to stoop to his level.
Though my jaw clenched and my fists tightened at my sides, I forced myself to take a deep breath, knowing that losing control would only play into his hands. But deep down, a fierce determination bubbled to the surface-I would not let him get away with this disrespect. If he wanted to play dirty, then I would show him just how formidable a “disgusting mutt” could be.
But before I could voice my protest, a hand gripped my shoulder, pulling me back from the brink of confrontation. It was the boy, his eyes pleading with mine, a silent plea for understanding.
“Please,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“You have to help me. She’s my mother, and I need to find her.”
His words cut through the haze of my anger, and an idea immediately popped into my head. It was evident that Mr. Smith was acting this sensitive because I had found out something I was not meant to find, which was this boy whose mother was Lilth, and I could use this to my advantage and get what I wanted.
“Let the bitch go, and I have told you to never mention her again as your mother. Your only mother is Becca, my wife.” Mr. Smith growled as he shot a fierce glare at the little boy. The boy flinched at the harsh words, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
“Father, please,” he muttered, his eyes pleading desperately with his father. But Mr. Smith’s expression remained stern, his features etched with anger and frustration.
Feeling courageous, I straightened up and met Mr. Smith’s gaze directly, refusing to flinch even as he glared at me. I was determined not to give in, even though things felt tense.
“I don’t care if you fire me,” I declared, my voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside me. “Or if you report me to the academy, I don’t give a damn. But I’m not leaving until I get the answers I came for.” I paused, a smirk playing on my lips as I locked eyes with Mr. Smith.
For a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossed Mr. Smith’s features, a brief glimpse of vulnerability that belied his stoic facade. But then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, replaced once more by an icy mask of indifference.
“You’re an imposter, aren’t you? Probably came here pretending to be a nurse to manipulate your way,” he sneered.
I held my ground, refusing to flinch under Mr. Smith’s anger. “You can find out if you want, but trust me, discovering my name shouldn’t be your priority right now. I’ll be the one asking the questions. You cheated on your wife, didn’t you? And that’s why the moon goddess cursed you with this incurable disease.” I chuckled as I forcefully pushed away his hands that gripped my clothes, seeing his anger boil.
“I’ll ruin you, Jane, or whatever your real name is. You have no idea how powerful I am. I’m the council president, and I will destroy your life.”
His words nearly made me laugh, knowing that my life had been shattered seven years ago.
“Exactly. You’re the council president with a reputation to uphold. Imagine the scandal when people learn that you cheated on your wife and hid a child, locking them away like some dirty secret. Between us, I think it’s your life that will be ruined,” I retorted, watching his eyes widen in fear once more. His composure faltered briefly before he regained control, but I could see the truth behind his facade-the fear gnawing at him from within.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he spat, his voice laced with venom as he struggled to regain his footing. “You have no proof.” I met his gaze head-on, my own eyes burning with determination.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he spat, venom dripping from his words as he struggled to regain his footing. “You have no proof.”
“I don’t need proof; all I need is the power of the alpha, who will give me the pot of thunder, and also the authority to summon you before the rest of the council members to swear. Let’s see if you retain your power after that. No one would want a cursed man as council president,” I countered.
“Fine, what do you want? Everyone has a price,” he grumbled, and I pretended to ponder for a moment, a smirk playing on my lips, before I responded.
“Simple. I want to be your successor, the next council president.”
“What?” Mr. Smith burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face, infuriating me. His mocking laughter sent a chill down my spine. “You must be joking, right?” he scoffed, his tone dripping with derision.
“I’m not joking, Smith,” I muttered, my frustration boiling over as I waited impatiently for him to calm down. His laughter grated on my nerves, but I refused to show weakness.
“Do you have any idea what it takes to become the council president? It’s not something you can just ask for,” he challenged, his icy tone cutting through the air.
“I know what I want, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it,” I declared, meeting his gaze with steely resolve. His laughter faded, replaced by a cold, calculating gaze.
“And what exactly do you think you have to offer? You may blackmail me, but the council will never allow a nobody like you to assume such an important position. Besides, I already have a candidate in mind, and she is far superior to you,” he sneered, regarding me with thinly veiled contempt.
“You mean your mistress? The one you cheated on your poor wife with, leading to the curse from the moon goddess?” I chuckled, running a hand through my hair, satisfaction evident in my smirk.
“I’m not a nobody, Smith. I’m a Luna with enough information and healing abilities. I believe your council members will agree that I’m a better option. And if people discover your candidate is the one you had a fling with in your bed, what will they say about you?” I replied cryptically, knowing his son was in the room listening to our conversation. Mr. Smith’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he considered my words.
“And what makes you think I would trust you not to reveal my secrets?” he demanded, suspicion tainting his voice. I shrugged nonchalantly, feigning indifference.
“You don’t have to trust me,” I countered smoothly. “But you do have to consider the consequences if you don’t. That’s all I ask,” I replied confidently.
“It’s not up to me to decide who becomes the council president. I can only nominate you, and the right candidate is chosen by the other members,” he snapped.
“Nominate me, and I’ll take care of the rest,”
“Very well,” he conceded with a resigned sigh. “I’ll nominate you as a candidate for the next council president. But remember, it’s not up to me to decide. You’ll have to convince the council members yourself, and I hope you fail,” he added with a hint of bitterness in his tone.
I couldn’t help but smirk at his words, a sense of amusement bubbling within me. “I won’t let you down,” I replied mockingly, bowing my head slightly in exaggerated deference.
Before Mr. Smith could respond, the voice of his wife rang out from the hallway, breaking the tension in the air.
“Darling, we have a visitor!” she called out urgently. “Hurry down for dinner!”
“I’m coming, honey,” Mr. Smith replied, sending a glare my way.
“Why don’t you invite me for dinner then? After all, I would be the next council president, so an early celebration isn’t out of the question,” I teased, a smirk playing on my lips. He rolled his eyes and, without saying anything, turned to make his way back down the hallway, leaving me standing there with a sense of victory coursing through my veins.
As I watched him disappear from sight, excitement surged within me at the prospect of what lay ahead. With Mr. Smith’s nomination secured, the path to the council presidency was now within my grasp, and I was determined to seize it with both hands.
I turned to look at the little boy, who had obviously listened to all our conversations, though I doubted he understood.
Lowering myself to his level, I smiled warmly, observing as he hesitantly returned the smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix everything that’s keeping your dear mummy away from you and bring her back to you,” I reassured him gently, my grin widening as I patted the little boy on the head affectionately.