* * * * * Omniscient Narrator * * * * *
The next day, Crystal woke up in the morning. She went outside and discovered that the bag of trash had gone missing. She was left in shock.
She had intended to sell it today, in order to raise money, but now it was gone. She has also run out of cash and food. Her baby milk had run out too, so she had to knock on the only door which she believed could help her.
Her step-parent’s house.
On arrival, Mary was the one who opened the door for her.
“Ma’am, it’s you!” The maid exclaimed.
She hadn’t seen Crystal in a while.
“Yes Mary, are my step parents at home?” Crystal queried.
“Of course, come inside ma’am” Mary said and left the way.
Crystal was amazed with how the maid was treating her, like she was some special guest. This was still her home.
She walked into the sitting room and met her parents there.
“Hi Mum-two and Dad-two,” she said with a smile.
The couple grumbled a barely audible reply.
Crystal did not understand why, but she went ahead to tell them why she had come.
“I really need your help, my baby’s milk has run out and I don’t have money to get another, could you please lend me some money?” Crystal requested.
Her stepmom shot her a mean glance and laughed in mockery.
“Really? So now you remember us, what happened? I thought you had started earning big? You even moved to a new house, so now why have you come here seeking help?”
“Yes Crystal, we thought you are better off on your own, or is your boss no longer taking care of you?
Actually you don’t need to answer that question. From how pale and skinny you look, I can tell you haven’t had a good meal in days,” her stepdad mocked.
Crystal was dumbfounded. She didn’t see it coming.
Why was her loving step parents suddenly being rude and harsh to her?
“Mum… What… What are you saying?” she asked amidst stutter.
“Yes that’s right, aren’t you old enough to provide for yourself and your son? You should have thought about it before leaving this house, you can’t walk out and come back whenever you wish, also we don’t have a tree that produces money so take care of your own problems yourself!!” her stepmom replied.
The poor Crystal was shocked. Not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine that such a thing was possible.
The family that loves her so much and took care of her even when her real parents sent her away, now they were abandoning her too?
Crystal, not knowing what to say, silently stood up and took her leave.
She was hurt that she couldn’t get money to buy her baby’s milk, but what hurt her most is that she had lost her only family.
Now she had no one else to rely on, it was just her and her son to face the cruel world on their own.
** ** ** ** **
Crystal returned home to meet her hungry baby. Aidan being a werewolf was adding to her problems. He has a super appetite and consumes a lot of food.
Crystal pinned no blame to the little child, if there was someone to be blamed for all this, she believed that it’s the Alpha Wolf. Logan Stewart!
She believes that he is solely responsible for ruining her life.
Crystal walked to her little child and caressed his face with affection. The poor boy has to go through a lot, all because of her one costly mistake.
“Aidan, are you hungry my boy?” She asked for confirmation, and the little boy nodded.
Crystal thought of meeting her neighbors and begging from them, but since her own family has rejected her, why would strangers want to help her out?
Just then, there was a knock on the door. She wondered who it could be.
Crystal opened the door and was surprised to see her step parents standing there.
Just a few minutes ago, they had mocked and made rude comments about her life, so what are they doing here now?
“Mum-two, you… You are her?” She stuttered.
“Please forgive us Crystal, we were in a very bad mood when you came around, that is why we said such harsh words to you,” her stepmom pleaded.
“No, please don’t apologize mum, come inside!” She ushered them in happily.
She was glad that she hadn’t lost her family as she thought earlier.
Her step parents came into her little room and her stepmom sat on the bed, while her step dad sat on the plastic chair in her room.
“Look who has become a big boy,” her stepmom played with Aidan, softly pinching his chubby cheeks, then she turned back to Crystal.
“Listen Crystal, it’s no secret that we don’t have much, but we want to assist you in every way we can, that’s why we have decided to loan you some money from our business,” her step mother said.
“Yes Crystal, and don’t worry about Aidan. We will assist you in taking care of him, until we are financially capable of doing so,” her stepdad added.
Crystal was very excited to hear that, but she was still surprised with their sudden change of attitude.
Fifteen minutes ago they had mocked her, and now they were being very nice to her.
Her step parents loaned her some money, they spent little time with her before the old couple left.
** ** ** ** ** **
What crystal didn’t know was that there was a reason behind their actions. They didn’t suddenly become nice to her because they realized their mistake.
Earlier today when Crystal woke up in the morning, she didn’t care to take her bath before leaving to see her step parents.
So when she was about to leave their house, after being mocked. Her step parents suddenly caught the scent of an Alpha pheromone on her body, it was that of Logan.
He had left his scent on her, the previous night that they met.
Crystal’s step parents, being cunning, confirmed that she was still in contact with the Alpha wolf who was responsible for her baby.
They needed a huge favor from the alpha so they decided to play their cards well. They wanted to get to him through Crystal and his son.
The truth is that they never really loved Crystal, they had only pretended to do so this far for a particular reason. A secret which only them and her real parents knew, they wanted to exploit it for their own benefit but for that, they had to be patient till when the time was right.
** ** * * * * * *
Her step parents went back home feeling accomplished. They asked Crystal to bring Aidan along later in the day. It was the weekend, so Crystal needed to go to the market.
She was happy, feeling that her loving family was back again, only if she knew how wrong she was.
To be continued!!