Chapter 6

• Riley’s POV
• Scarlett's elegance was paid for—in full—by wealth, privilege, and attention.
• Me? I had nothing.
• The Ebonclaw Pack never gave me their love, nor their resources. Yet somehow, it was still my fault I didn’t turn out "graceful" enough. They brought me back into their home, but never into their hearts.
• Sometimes, I wondered if my only purpose here was to make Scarlett—the impostor—look more beloved.
• They say the unloved one is always the outsider. That fit me perfectly.
• I stood in the cramped storeroom I'd called home for three years. My eyes landed on the only outfit I had left—a blue-and-white high school uniform. The same one I wore the day I was dragged away in handcuffs.
• Five years ago, I’d received an offer from the country’s top university. Instead of celebrating, the Ebonclaw couple threw a lavish send-off party for Scarlett.
• The entire city’s elite had been invited. Scarlett wore a million-dollar designer gown and a diamond tiara, smiling like the fairytale princess she always pretended to be. I stood nearby in plain clothes, watching it all fall apart as the police led me away. That night should’ve been my beginning. Instead, it marked the end of everything I thought I knew.
• Five minutes later, still in my uniform, I made my way toward the Ebonclaw estate’s ballroom.
• Servants passed by, throwing confused glances my way.
• “Who’s that girl? Why is she dressed like a schoolkid?”
• “Probably some part-time server from the hotel. Looks like a summer job.”
• “Mr. and Mrs. Vale really went all out for Miss Scarlett—inviting the Empire Hotel’s head chef and all.”
• “Yeah, they really adore her.”
• One of them stopped as they walked past me. “You’d better change into the proper uniform. The guests are important—don’t embarrass the household.”
• Then she walked off, just like that. As if I was invisible.
• I stood still.
• Kael told me this was a welcome-back dinner. He didn’t say they’d invited outsiders.
• Was this really meant to honor me? Or was it just another twisted way to parade my shame?
• They arrested me in front of the city’s elite. Now they wanted to welcome me back in front of the same people?
• I turned to leave.
• But Kael appeared at the end of the hall.
• His eyes fell on me. His face twisted.
• “I told you to change,” he barked. “What the hell are you wearing? Do you even understand what kind of event this is?”
• I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off.
• “You came out of prison looking like a disaster, and now you want to stand here looking pitiful again? Trying to make people pity you, to paint us as monsters? Riley, you’re disgusting. You haven’t changed one bit.”
• He reached for my arm.
• I stepped away.
• He missed.
• “You’re seriously dodging me now?”
• I looked him in the eye. That same hateful, disgusted glare I’d endured for three years. Back then, it tore me apart. Now, it felt… empty.
• “I don’t have a dress,” I said.
• “Then buy one!” he snapped.
• “I have no money.”
• Kael’s face turned red with rage.
• “You lived here for three years. We gave you everything—food, a roof, clothes. You got half a million transferred into your account every month. That’s eighteen million in total! Don’t tell me you couldn’t afford a damn dress.”
• I didn’t flinch. “I never got a single cent.”
• He sneered. “Liar. You think I won’t prove it?”
• He pulled out his phone and called the finance department.
• “You're on speaker,” he said. “Tell me how much we transferred into Riley’s account each month.”
• A pause. Then: “Miss Riley? Sir, we never made any deposits into her account.”
• “What?” Kael’s voice cracked.
• “Luna Zara said Miss Riley came from… a less privileged background. She was concerned money would lead her astray. Since Miss Riley lived on the estate with all her basic needs covered, the allowance was canceled.”
• I stood silent.
• But I felt him cracking beside me.
• “And… Luna Zara raised Miss Scarlett’s allowance to a million a month. Said it was to compensate for Riley’s return. Surely you were aware of that, sir?”