Chapter 6 Allison's Wicked Stepmother

Alice let out a deep sigh, her face contorted in pain. "Ahhh," she groaned, clutching her lower abdomen. "It hurts," she muttered. "I didn't know that losing my virginity would be this painful." She stumbled into her room, grateful that no one had noticed her absence last night. Her legs trembled as she made her way to her bed, collapsing onto the soft mattress with a heavy thud. "I still need sleep," she thought to herself, "and to replenish my strength." Her body felt weak and drained as if all her energy had been sapped from her. As she lay there, memories of the previous night flooded her mind. "That werewolf," she muttered bitterly, "didn't stop until I was unconscious. How barbaric. Tssk." But despite the pain and the trauma, there was something else that lingered in her mind. "His body temperature is high," she mused, remembering the heat that radiated from the werewolf's skin. "And he is so muscular," she added, recalling the way his powerful arms had wrapped around her. "I felt so small when he hugged me," she admitted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Although he is rude and vulgar, his touch was soft and warm." As Alice lay there, lost in thought, her mind wandered back to the last thing the man had said to her before leaving. "We will meet again," he had promised. She couldn't help but pause and consider his words. "Again, huh," she muttered to herself, her skepticism evident. "That's absurd," she continued, her voice growing more resolute. "We will never meet again. Never." Despite her initial disbelief, Alice found herself laughing at the mere thought of seeing that mysterious man again. She didn't even know his name, and everything about their encounter had felt like a dream. "I need to let go of any memories with that beast," she resolved, her tone firm. "After all, I will die soon." As the weight of her thoughts settled heavily in her heart, Alice closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. After Alice's brief, passionate encounter with the male werewolf, a week passed by. "Good morning, Miss Alice," a maid named Mary greeted Alice politely. She was the only one who was polite to her. Alice then returned the greeting, "Good morning." "Are you on your way to the dining room?" the maid asked. "Yes," she replied. "Madam Jaymee told me to call you," the maid continued. Alice's heart pounded at the mention of her stepmother's name. She had hoped to avoid her as much as possible. "Me? For what?" Alice asked, trying to keep the apprehension out of her voice. "She said that she has gifts for you," the maid explained. "So, you need to come to her room." Alice's stomach churned at the thought of facing her stepmother so early in the morning. She knew that Madam Jaymee was not one to give gifts without expecting something in return. The last time she had received a gift from her stepmother, it had come with strings attached. "Are you all right, Miss Alice?" the maid asked when she saw Alice's pale expression. Alice took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied, though her voice trembled slightly. Without another word, Alice made her way to her stepmother's room. As she entered, she felt her body stiffen, and her chest heaved with heavy breaths. The closer she got to Jaymee, the more her anxiety grew. "Mom," Alice mumbled. Jaymee looked up from her book and smiled. "Oh, my daughter. You came," she said, her voice warm and welcoming. Although Jaymee's voice and appearance resemble an angel's, Alice knew that her stepmother's kindness was often a façade. "Why are you looking for me, mom?" Alice asked anxiously. Jaymee's response was unexpected. "Your fiancé sent you a gift," she said, holding out a small box. "I met him yesterday, and Thomas told me to send this to you." Alice's heart skipped a beat as she opened the box and saw the glittering diamond necklace inside. "Oh my!" Jaymee exclaimed, her eyes widening in delight. "Isn't it so beautiful? How sweet of Thomas to buy you something so expensive!" Alice felt a sense of discomfort. Still, Jaymee urged her to try on the necklace. "Quick, try it. I wanted to see how good it looks on you, my dear." She reluctantly reached for the necklace with her trembling hands. Just the thought of wearing the necklace given by her fiancé has made Alice a dreadful experience. And she clasped the necklace around her neck, feeling the cold metal against her skin. Her body felt cold. Alice looked at herself in the mirror and imagined herself being bound by shackles. However, she knew that she couldn't show her true feelings in front of her stepmother, who was watching her every move. "It really suits you!" Jaymee exclaimed. "No! It was made for you, Alice. You should thank your fiancé for giving that. Okay?" Alice forced a smile and replied, "Yes, mom." She couldn't wait to take off the necklace and be free from its suffocating grip. Happy to see Alice wearing the necklace, Jayme smiled. "Then, shall we go eat breakfast together?" Clearly taken aback by the proposal, Alice gasped, "What?" Jaymee, noticing Alice's reaction, tried to reassure her. "Weren't you on your way to the dining room? We can all eat breakfast together." Alice does not want to spend any more time than necessary with her stepmother. Nonetheless, she couldn't refuse the invitation. "O-Okay. Let's do that," lacking enthusiasm, she agreed. As Jaymee and Alice went to the dining room, Alice paid careful attention to her movements, trying not to make any mistakes. Jaymee is a perfectionist, and a little mistake might result in a punishment! "Unfortunately, Cesar couldn't join us for breakfast. Your brother played golf with a potential investor, working hard to save your father's company." "I see. You must be proud of him," Alice uttered. "Of course! After all, he will inherit the business," Jaymee said with a laugh. Alice sat in silence, her thoughts consumed by the injustice of her situation. Despite being the rightful heir to the family business, her gender had cost her the position which had been given to her stepbrother, Cesar. To add insult to injury, she had been forced into an engagement with a wealthy man named Thomas Huxley, essentially being sold off to save her family's failing business. 'Why should I have to marry that old man just to bring money into the family? I'm the only one who can truly revive the company,' she cursed silently in her head and clenched the cutlery in her hands while waiting for the meal to end. Finally, dessert arrived, and Alice's eyes fell on the sweet pudding sitting on the table. She wanted to have a taste of it. And so, she courageously stretched out her hand. But... "Alice." Jaymee's voice cut through the silence, calling out Alice's name. The sound of her voice caused Alice to freeze in her tracks, her body tensing up as she turned to face Jaymee. The two women sat facing each other, their eyes locked in a tense stare. "What are you trying to do?" Jaymee asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Alice. "You are going to eat sweets?" she continued, her voice rising in pitch. Alice's response was hesitant. "Can't I just have a small bite?" she asked, her eyes pleading with Jaymee to understand. But Jaymee was having none of it. Her response was firm and resolute. "NO," she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. Alice's hand, which had been reaching out towards the sweets, pulled back as if stung. She looked down at the ground, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Don't you remember what your fiancé wants?" Alice furrowed her brows, trying to recall what Thomas had said. "He wants me to be beautiful on our wedding day," she replied. Jaymee nodded, her eyes fixed on her stepdaughter. "Exactly. And that means you can't neglect your diet, especially when you have your wedding coming up. You have to try, Alice. Thomas might cancel the wedding if he sees you oozing with fat. Oh dear~ Just thinking of that makes me dizzy." "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll be careful." Alice felt awful that she couldn't eat a sweet dessert even if she was going to die soon. "Anyway, I have to remind you that your father will bring a special guest tonight." "A special guest?" Will it be Thomas?! Alice feared seeing her fiancé. So, she prayed that it would not be Thomas Huxley. Alice inquired, "Who is it?" to which Jaymee responded, "It's a foreign investor." "Dad found a foreign investor?" Jaymee confirmed, "Yes, he did. "The investor wanted to stay in our country and observe the business before making any investment decisions. He had promised to stay for several months before making any commitments." "Sweetheart, we have to be very careful and make sure our guests feel welcome," Jaymee said. "I have a lot on my plate next week and the month after. Can I count on you to take care of the investor?" "I will do my best, Mom," said Alice. "That's wonderful to hear. I heard that the investor is from a country with a completely different culture." "Where is the guest from?" "Saya." Alice's reaction was immediate. She leaped out of her seat, and her eyes trembled with fear. "Saya?" she muttered. "Our upcoming guest is from Say?" Jaymee was perplexed by Alice's reaction. "Yes, and why are you so shocked?" she asked. Alice was taken aback because there were rumors of werewolves living in Saya. When Jaymee mentioned that their guest was from Saya, the first thought that came to Alice's mind was the man she had given her virginity to. "Please don't let it be him," Alice prayed silently.