PA

Alice's POV

"It's fine, Alice. I completely understand, and I'm not going to force you," Crownis voiced understanding, but his expression said the exact opposite.

Crownis looked so pitiful in his wheelchair; it was like he was disappointed by my revelation. I didn't blame him, though; it seemed like I was using him. It was then clear what had to be done; I had to step up just like he did for me. I couldn't be so selfish, sleeping with him and then turning my back on him like nothing happened.

Taking a deep breath, I said something that I might regret for the rest of my life, "Fine, I agree." I gave in, swayed by my own conscience.

Crownis smiled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Thank you," he said, gratified, caressing the back of my palms. "You won't regret it."

"I'm sure I won't, but I have three conditions, though," I informed, prying my hands from his grip. "Of course, name them," he said with a straight face. I took a deep breath and nonchalantly laid down my conditions in hopes that he himself would dissolve the marriage agreement.

"Firstly, I would like to sever all ties with my family. Secondly, I would like some money, just in case I want to start a business for myself, and lastly, you are not going to touch me without my permission."

"Done. Anything else?" Crownis said almost immediately, consequently stunning me.

"You agreed? Just like that?" I doubted, my blood running cold instantly. Crownis was the kind of person who took orders from nobody, so his kind gesture felt a little suspicious.

"Was I not supposed to agree?" he probed with a raised brow, and my words dried up.

"I mean... I thought... You know what, forget it," I quickly dismissed, unable to come up with a sustainable answer. "So, I will just go back to my house to get my stuff."

"I'll go with you," Crownis offered, putting his shirt on.

"That wouldn't be necessary. You need to rest," I beseeched, concerned.

"I insist," he declared with a straight face as he rode past me, opening the door for me. "Lead the way."

Inasmuch as I wanted to argue, I found myself quietly following his orders.

We rode down to my house alongside his beta. Fortunately, the rest of my family weren't home, so I quickly packed up my stuff, but just when we were about to leave, Dad, stepmother, Vera, and my half-sister, Fiona, walked in.

My heart skipped a beat upon seeing them. "Good... Good... Good evening, Dad," I mumbled, my voice trembling from fear.

"I see you brought your garbage home," Dad said, the last part directed at Crownis, who seemed to be unbothered by his insults.

"Dad, please stop," I beseeched, embarrassed by his cruelty.

"Why should he stop, Alice? The truth hurts, doesn't it? I mean, you really did fall from grace to grass in the twinkle of an eye. I mean, just this morning you were a healthy and powerful alpha's fiancée, and now you are the fiancée of a worthless, crippled alpha," Vera mocked, bursting into laughter with Fiona.

"Mom, please stop making a jest of him," I beseeched her, but my pleas just seemed to fuel her anger.

"I'm not your mother, curse," she insulted in her same condescending manner, before turning to Dad.

"John, this is all your fault. You are the reason why this wreck is disrespecting me. If only you chose Fiona for Justin, all of this would have been avoided."

"Well, it's not too late. I'm sure Crownis could put in a word for our little Fiona, after all, you owe us that much for all the trouble you caused, right, Crownis?" Dad mocked with disgust.

Crownis looked up at Dad, a faint smile on his face, and said, "I'm afraid that's not my decision to make. I'm not sure Justin would be inclined to take your second daughter as his wife, especially after the way his engagement broke with your eldest daughter." Crownis's words, calm as could be, seemed to have lit a fire underneath Fiona.

"This is all your fault, Alice. You ruined my chances of getting married to a reputable man, and for what, so you could shamelessly sleep with his good-for-nothing uncle..." Fiona spoke venomously.

As her words tore through the air, whatever was left of my pride was dragged through the mud. It occurred to me that I had nothing left; my pride was the only thing I had, and now it was gone.

I stared back at Fiona, who had an arrogant smirk on her face, and all I could do was shed silent tears for what I once had. Just then, Crownis's beta stepped forward, landing a vicious slap across Fiona's face.

Fiona fell to the floor, clinging to her bruised cheek as she burst into a fit of tears, but her tears were no match for mine.

"Watch your mouth!" he snapped, his face turning red with rage. "Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"

"You actually dared to hit me?" Vera questioned, as she ran to her daughter's side, her body trembling with uncontrollable rage.

"Claunis doesn't like rude people. If you speak out of line again, I won't mind teaching you some manners on behalf of your parents." Crownis's beta said in a demeaning tone, consequently angering Dad in the process.

"Are you in any way trying to say that I, Alpha John, am incapable of raising a child?" Dad questioned, his tone challenging, as his signature finding-fault look engraved on his face. As early as now, I knew there was going to be trouble, but its magnitude depended on the next thing Crownis's beta was going to say.

"Those are your words, not mine," Crownis's beta voiced, ruining every chance of peace.

"I would have your head for this, insolent fool..." Dad snapped, furious. Tension rose as the anger between the two of them became palpable.

As much as I wanted to beg them to stop, I knew my pleas would amount to nothing. Instead, I turned to the only person who could stop the war that was brewing on the arising, Crownis, who was still sitting quietly on his chair, watching every second of the scene unfolding before him. Crownis let out a soft sigh.

"I'm just an unwanted cripple. Let's not make a scene over someone like me," he requested, with his gentle, self-pitying tone. Crownis did have every right to feel bad; Dad was a horrible person. He had the ability to make even me, his own daughter, feel like trash, what more of him, who had been condemned to a wheelchair by fate.

I could hear my father's mutter under his breath, "If you're this arrogant while crippled, I can't imagine how insufferable you were when you were whole."

"Stop." I couldn’t stand hearing any more.