My mind involuntarily drifted back to the darkest chapter of Alpha Gorge's life.
His family, once a paragon of wealth and prestige within our pack, had been maliciously framed by their rivals.
I remember the day the news broke as if it were yesterday.
The entire pack was abuzz with rumors and speculation. But for Gorge, it was the beginning of a nightmare.
Overnight, their fortune evaporated into thin air. Their grand mansion was seized, and all their possessions were sold off to pay their mounting debts. Their reputation, which had been built over generations,plummeted to the depths of disgrace.
Friends who had once flocked around him like moths to a flame now vanished without a trace.
Relatives, too, turned their backs on him.
He was left alone, with no one to turn to.
I defied my parents' desperate pleas.
They begged me to stay away from him. But I couldn't abandon him.
We ended up sheltering under a bridge.
The cold, hard ground was our bed, and our meager bedding offered little protection against the biting cold of the night.
For an entire month, instant noodles became our only sustenance.
Day after day, I watched as we swallowed those dry, tasteless noodles with icy mineral water.
To make matters worse, Alpha Gorge, weighed down by chronic depression and the combined effects of hunger and cold, fell ill.
I scoured every nook and cranny of the area, searching for inexpensive herbs to brew into a remedy.
Day and night, I remained at his side, my eyes never leaving his face, constantly monitoring his condition.
When hunger pangs gnawed at me, I would munch on a few pieces of dry, stale bread.
I didn't care about my own discomfort.Eventually, my body gave out, and I, too, succumbed to illness.
Once Alpha Gorge made a spectacular comeback and regained his wealth and status, I, who had been by his side through thick and thin, I remained nothing more than a low - paid nanny in his household.
Now, I was in my room, packing my luggage.
As I folded a shirt that held memories of better times, a knock suddenly echoed through the room.
"Come in," I continued with my packing, my hands mechanically moving as if on autopilot.
Alpha Gorge pushed the door open and stepped in.
In his hand, he carried an elegant bag.
I didn't look up at him right away.
I just kept folding the clothes in front of me.
He cleared his throat softly and said, "Well, Lora, I admit my tone was a bit harsh. Here, this is for you as a gift for apology"
As he spoke, he extended the bag towards me.
I paused in my packing and took the bag from him.
When I opened the box, a delicate bracelet lay quietly inside.
In the past, I would have been overjoyed at receiving a gift from Alpha Gorge.
I knew all too well that this bracelet was merely a freebie when Alpha Gorge purchased an expensive watch.
Previously, in the luxury store, when I accompanied Alpha Gorge to choose a gift for Salina, I had witnessed firsthand the salesperson presenting this very bracelet as an added bonus for high - value purchases. In his eyes, I was only worthy of such a casually - brought - along item.
I lifted my head and looked straight at Alpha Gorge. "Thank you. I'll take it," I said, my voice flat.
I placed the box with the bracelet on the table beside me and resumed my packing.
"Oh, right. I'm going back to the countryside these two days," .
Alpha Gorge nodded emphatically.
The truth was, he didn't want me to cross paths with his fiancée.
Alpha Gorge added,, "Come back early. Be careful on the way..."