Alpha King Chases Abandoned Luna

Chapter 23: A Slap in the Face

Chapter 23: A Slap in the Face

(Olivia's POV)

I stood frozen, Victoria's mocking voice still echoing in my ear. My fingers

tightened around the phone until my knuckles turned white.

“Emma wants to invite Lily to join us. I'll have Ethan pick you and Lily up now, okay?

The calculated cruelty of her words struck me like a physical blow. Victoria knew Lily was dead. She knew today was my daughter's burial ceremony.

This wasn't a mistake or oversight. This was deliberate.

My gaze fell to the freshly placed urn, Lily's final resting place. The memory of my sweet daughter's face flashed before my eyes - her hopeful smile when she'd asked Ethan to take her to Moonlight Fair, the disappointment in her eyes when he'd broken yet another promise.

Victoria was using my daughter's death as a weapon against me. Even now, she

was

celebrating Emma's third-place win at the Crescent Moon Training Den's running competition - flaunting Ethan's affection for her daughter while highlighting his neglect of mine.

My emerald eyes stung with tears of rage. How many times had Victoria used Ethan's

favoritism to hurt Lily? How many times had my daughter cried because Emma had received

the Crystal-Embroidered Ice Princess Gown she'd begged for, or the trip to Disney she'd

dreamed about?

Even in death, they wouldn't leave her memory in peace.

"Fine," I responded coldly into the phone. "I'll be there."

I ended the call before Victoria could respond. My decision was made in an instant I would

go to that party. I would no longer allow them to disrespect my daughter's memory.

"Lily," I whispered to the urn, my fingers gently tracing the moonwood carvings. "Mommy won't let you suffer any more."

With one last glance at the peaceful resting place, I turned and walked toward my car, purpose filling every step. Victoria Frost had pushed me too far this time.

The drive to Silver Crown Hotel passed in a blur of determination. I parked in the underground

garage, my hands steady despite the rage burning inside me.

Chapter 23 A Stap in the Face

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The hotel's opulent entrance gleamed with crystal chandeliers and polished marble. I could hear children's laughter echoing from the ballroom as I approached.

Victoria stood at the entrance, greeting guests with her perfect smile. When she spotted me,

her expression froze in genuine surprise.

She clearly hadn't expected me to actually come.

“Olivia,” she stammered, her composure momentarily slipping. “What are you doing here?"

Before I could respond, a commotion behind her drew our attention. Ethan had emerged from the ballroom, likely alerted to my presence by some watchful pack member.

His amber eyes narrowed as he approached, scanning the space behind me. I knew what he

was looking for - or rather, who.

Victoria, seeing Ethan approach, seized the opportunity. Her face transformed into a mask of

innocent concern.

"Olivia, why are you alone?" she asked, her voice carrying just enough to ensure Ethan heard

every word. "Where's Lily?"

Something inside me snapped. Five years of restraint, of maintaining dignity despite their cruelty, evaporated in an instant.

My hand moved before I could think, cracking across Victoria's perfect face with

all the force I could muster. The sound echoed through the entrance hall, silencing nearby conversations.

Victoria's head snapped to the side, a perfect red handprint blooming on her pale cheek. Before she could recover, I slapped her again.

"Victoria Frost, you know perfectly well that Lily is dead," I spat, my voice shaking with fury.

Victoria's eyes widened in shock - not at my words, but at my audacity. No one had ever dared to strike her, the Alpha's favorite.

"How dare you?" she gasped, one hand cradling her reddened cheek.

I moved to slap her a third time, but my wrist was suddenly caught in an iron grip. Ethan had reached us, his face contorted with rage.

"Olivia Winters, don't push me any further!" he growled, his amber eyes glowing with warning.

Victoria immediately seized the advantage, throwing herself into Ethan's free arm. Tears streamed down her face as she buried her head against his chest.

"She's gone mad, Victoria sobbed dramatically. "She's cursing Lily's death! She's jealous of

hapter & ban the Face

Emma's achievemental"

I stared at her in disbelief. The audacity of her lies knew no bounds.

"Let go of me," I demanded, trying to wrench my wrist from Ethan's grasp.

His fingers only tightened, bruising my skin. "Explain yourself," he ordered, his Alpha voice sending shivers down my spine despite my fury.

I glared at him, my emerald eyes cold and hard. "Ask your precious Victoria what she said to me on the phone today," I challenged. "Ask her why she invited Lily to this celebration when she knows our daughter is dead."

Victoria's sobbing intensified. "I was just being kind," she wailed. "I thought

including Lily might cheer you up!"

I lunged toward her, stopped only by Ethan's restraining grip. "If you mention my daughter again, I threatened, “I'll make you regret it.”

A small figure darted out from behind a nearby table. Emma, dressed in her

Crystal Embroidered Ice Princess Gown, ran toward us with a determined expression.

Before anyone could react, she sank her teeth into my free hand.

I gasped in pain and instinctively pulled back. The sudden movement caused Emma to lose.

her balance and stumble backward.

She fell directly against the Multi-Tiered Moonstone Celebration Cake that had been displayed near the entrance. The elaborate creation toppled, covering Emma in silver-blue frosting and

decorative sugar crystals.

For a moment, everyone froze in shock. Then Emma's face crumpled, and she burst into tears.

"Daddy, Emmy hurts!" she wailed, reaching out to Ethan with small hands covered in cake.

Victoria immediately turned on me. "You hurt a child!" she accused, her voice rising hysterically, "You pushed Emma into the cake!"

Ethan released my wrist, moving to comfort Emma. He lifted her effortlessly, seemingly

unconcerned about the frosting staining his expensive suit.

"What are you doing here, Olivia?" he asked coldly, one hand stroking Emma's

hair as she

buried her face against his shoulder.

I laughed bitterly. "Didn't Victoria invite me?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or was that just another of her little games?"

Victoria stepped forward, her perfect façade back in place despite her reddened cheek

invited you out of concern for Ethan,' she claimed. "He's been worried about you. But now i ass

that was a mistake."

She turned to Ethan, her expression pleading. 'She's ruining Emma's special day. Please ask

her to leave."

I glanced around the ballroom, taking in the shocked faces of the quests. Some were pack members I recognized, others likely parents of Emma's classmates.

All of them were watching the drama unfold with undisguised interest. This was exactly what Victoria wanted - to humiliate me publicly, to paint me as

the unstable, jealous woman while she played the perfect mother and companion to Ethan.noveldrama

But I was done playing by her rules.

My hand closed around the edge of the tablecloth covering a nearby refreshment table. If Victoria wanted a scene, I would give her one she wouldn't forget. "Victoria Frost," I said firmly, my fingers tightening on the fabric. "Have you ever heard the saying. It's easier to invite someone than to chase them away'?"