Chapter 4

As the first layer was peeled back, a contract was revealed within the hidden compartment.

*Asset and Identity Isolation Protection Agreement.*

Dated two years ago.

The agreement spelled out everything clearly.

My father possessed an ancient, powerful werewolf bloodline, which was the very reason he was hunted and killed. My mother had spent years running and hiding with me.

But eventually, word leaked out.

We faced threats, stalkers, and break-ins.

So, she traded the secret of our bloodline to Jack in exchange for two years of absolute protection for me.

Once I turned twenty-two, my own wolf would awaken, and I would finally have the power to protect myself.

I stared at the lines of text, my fingers trembling violently.

So that was the truth.

My mother had refused to tell me anything because she was carrying such a heavy burden.

She hadn't suddenly thrown me to a strange man.

She had used her very last bargaining chip to buy me a chance to survive.

*Clause 7: During the marriage, no offspring shall be permitted.*

*Clause 9: Upon termination of the agreement, Jack must pay Emily Foster a compensation sum of no less than eight figures.*

And in the addendum, there was a handwritten note:

"Two years from now, regardless of the Moonstone Pack's political situation, Emily must be allowed to leave the pack and regain her absolute freedom."

My mother hadn't sold me out.

She was using her final breath to secure my escape route.

Staring at the clause forbidding offspring, a sharp pain pierced my chest.

It turned out that from the very beginning of the agreement, that child was never supposed to exist.

We both crossed the line.

Only, he later pretended that the boundary had never been breached.

I continued peeling back the paper.

Beneath the second thin layer lay the *Emotional Isolation Addendum*.

*Clause 1: Do not respond to any emotional expressions from Emily Foster that exceed the scope of the agreement.*

*Clause 2: If she develops emotional dependency, actively enforce a cold-shoulder policy.*

*Clause 3: On the day of expiration, Jack must initiate the termination. No softness, no explanations.*

On the final page, there were two lines written in Jack's own handwriting.

"All warmth is strictly limited to protective needs."

"I promise, I will never fall for her."

Staring at those words—*I will never fall for her*—I wanted to laugh.

So all those cherished moments I held so close to my heart had already been defined and packaged as mere 'protocols.'

I forced myself to peel back the very last page.

It was the *Emotional Monitoring Report of Emily Foster*.

There were monthly records, each bearing Jack's signature.

And each one was stamped with Olivia's seal of approval.

The words burned my eyes.

*Month 3: Signs of attachment detected. Cold-shoulder policy enforced.*

*Month 7: Subject crossed the boundary and entered the study. Warning issued.*

...

My fingers stopped on the page.

Just the night before, I had stood outside his study, begging him not to reject me.

It turned out that his long silence was just him calculating the best "protocol-approved" script to use on me.

Every single month, I was monitored, reviewed, assessed, and systematically cut out of his life.

At the very bottom of the last page, a line had been chemically erased.

I applied more of the revealing solution, letting it soak into the fibers.

Slowly, the handwriting bled through.

*Month 12: Jack exhibits signs of reverse dependency.*

*Behavior: Unprompted companionship increased, shows high concern for her diet and sleep, altered schedule to accompany her to prenatal checkups.*

*Assessment: Suspected emotional compromise.*

*Action Plan: Olivia to intervene and orchestrate Emily's voluntary withdrawal.*

And the final line was a handwritten note from Jack himself:

"Do not let her know."

I stared at those five words.

Strangely, my heart went entirely quiet.

He did love me. But every single time he was on the verge of loving me, he chose to hurt me first.

Suddenly, the door of my dilapidated apartment was slammed open.

Jack stood at the threshold, his face deathly pale.

His eyes locked onto the papers scattered across the table, his voice incredibly hoarse.

"Emily... don't look at that."

Olivia stepped out from behind him.

She looked at me, a cold, mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Why shouldn't she look, Alpha Jack?"

"Hasn't she always wanted to know if you ever loved her? I left that report behind on purpose."

I ignored her entirely.

Slowly, I stood up and looked Jack straight in the eye.

"So you did love me. Yet, you still repeated the script they wrote for you, forcing me to give up on you with your own lips. Tell me, Jack... is that true?"