Chapter 2

Chapter 2 I frowned. This reunion had taken a terrible turn. If I weren't waiting for someone, I would've left. Just as I was about to call security, Ethan stubbed out his cigarette and yanked the harassing guy by the arm. His long wolf fangs bared. "Back off." The man yelped in pain. Lyra tugged on Ethan's sleeve, "Ethan, what are you doing?" He replied coldly, "Doing the right thing. Don't forget this is a reunion, not your drama stage." Then he threw the man aside. The guy glared at me but dared not speak. I looked at Ethan, surprised he defended me. Lyra bit her lip but kept smiling. "I heard the young master and CEO of Thunder Group is upstairs. Maybe we'll see the Alpha of New York today!" The room buzzed. The New York Alpha was young, wealthy, and had a five-year-old son. His wife had never been revealed. "Will we see his wife today? I'm recording this for TikTok!" Soon, a group of bodyguards escorted a young boy into the hall. "Wow, he really is the Alpha's son! So handsome!" The classmate who had mocked me earlier still sneered. "Sophie, if it weren't for Lyra, someone like you would never see the Alpha's son. You should be thanking her! Maybe you'd get a good job. Heck, marry someone like me—six grand a month!" I ignored him and turned toward the little boy. Everyone rushed to flatter the boy, snapping photos and recording. Even Lyra put on a sweet smile and approached. "Hey, little one, want something to eat? I will pay." She tried to pinch his cheek. But to everyone's shock, the boy ignored them all and ran straight to me. He beamed and jumped into my arms. "Mommy, you finally came—" The boy, usually cool and distant, now looked so aggrieved. "Mommy, why didn't you come home yesterday? I missed you!" I softened instantly, comforting him, "Mommy had work. Remember I said I'd take you out today? Mommy has the day off." My son Jason nodded eagerly. "Yay! Mommy is the best." Everyone was stunned. Just then, a sharply dressed man rushed down from the upstairs conference room. "Honey, the hotel manager said you were here. Why didn't you tell me after work? I could've picked you up!" The manager stepped forward. "Everyone, this is Mr. Zachary Charette, CEO of Thunder Group. If you need anything, please let me know. We will do our best to serve Mrs. Charette's classmates." Shock rippled through the room. Those who had mocked me turned pale. A few girls who had been nice to me exclaimed, "Sophie, your husband is Alpha Zachary?" "Isn't it obvious? The kid calls her Mommy, the manager calls her Mrs. Charette—she's definitely the Alpha's wife!" "Wow, she's a real queen..." I smiled politely. Zachary glanced at my outfit, then gently pulled me into his arms. "Just finished your shift? Let's go home and rest after this." I nodded. "Okay." The cold man ignored Lyra's attempt to greet him and stared straight at Ethan with contempt. "You must be my wife's ex. Thanks for not marrying her. If you hadn't let her go, I never would've met such a wonderful woman." Ethan said nothing. His face twisted in disbelief. He demanded, "Sophie, is this your revenge? Are they actors you paid for?" I looked at my son, then took Zachary's hand. "This is my husband, Zachary." Ethan's expression shifted from shock to disbelief, and then to silence, his face blank. Perhaps in the past, I truly would have felt pain for every little thing he did. But he was right, what was gone was gone. Why hold on to the past? I had a new lover, a child, the happiness I could never have touched before, and the life I had always dreamed of. It seemed that this life of mine was far happier than the one I had lived before. 'How could you do this?!" Ethan roared. I turned to leave, letting out a soft sigh. 'I have my own family now. I'm not looking back. The vows of the past are nothing but illusions now." I walked to the door, with my husband and child, leaving the Thunder Hotel. The eyes of my classmates were all on me. After that brief moment of shock, they began to reassess me. But no matter how they looked at me, my life no longer belonged to the entanglements of the past. It belonged to the present, to my new family. I let Zachary take Jason to the car to wait for me. After all, November evenings could be quite chilly. Zachary said nothing, silently nodded, still respecting me and trusting me as he always had. Ethan's gaze was filled with complexity and confusion. 'How could you marry Zachary?"