Chapter 8 : Farewell to the Past - 2 The director paused , studying me for a moment . I could see him weighing my words , perhaps wondering about the real reason behind my sudden resignation . Finally , he nodded with understanding . " Well , alright then . I wish you the best for the future ." Leaving the lawyer center , I wandered the city streets as dusk deepened . The neon lights of Harbor City began to shimmer through the gathering darkness , painting the sidewalks in pools of blue , red , and yellow . A cool breeze rustled the treetops , carrying the scents of the city - food from nearby restaurants , exhaust from passing cars , the faint sweetness of blooming trees along the boulevard . A pang of loneliness swept through me . I was about to leave Harbor City , which had been my home for three years , a place of both hardship and growth . When I'd first arrived , my father , Richard Winters , had frozen all my accounts . It was his way of forcing me to return home after I'd refused to accept his remarriage to my mother's best friend just two years after her death . I only had a few thousand dollars in my mobile wallet , barely enough to last three days in a hotel . Within those days , I found a position at the lawyer center , rented a tiny room near my workplace , and borrowed money from my cousin Alexander just to eat . The tiny rental was in a chaotic neighborhood with poor security . Soon after moving in , a drunken man began pounding on my door at night . I remember hiding under the covers , trembling , my wolf instincts screaming at me to either fight or flee . But I couldn't shift - not there , not then . I was alone in human territory , with no pack to protect me . Complaints to the landlord were useless . He shrugged me off with a dismissive attitude , suggesting I was " too sensitive " and should " learn to live in the real world . " In desperation , I moved again , only to have the unscrupulous landlord refuse to return my deposit . When I confronted him , he hurled insults at me , calling me a " spoiled rich girl playing at independence . " He had no idea who I really was - that I was the daughter of Alpha Richard Winters of the Riverdale pack . If my father had known how I was being treated , the man would have faced consequences far worse than legal action . < Chapter 8 Farewell to the Pa +25 Puntos > But I handled it my way . Furious , I reported him to the local authorities for safety violations and filed a formal complaint for breach of contract and verbal abuse . Before the court even accepted the case , the landlord returned my deposit . Yet I refused to withdraw the defamation complaint . I pursued it to the end , eventually winning compensation . Later , I heard the drunken troublemaker had been driven from the neighborhood - justice , I thought with a small smile - and the landlord had disappeared . That was my lowest , yet most resilient , moment . I survived it all alone . Memories flooded back of the day I first met Ethan Grey during a legal consultation . I was still an apprentice then , following a senior lawyer to a subsidiary of Ethan's company . Coincidentally , Ethan was there conducting an inspection . According to him , it was love at first sight . He pursued me fiercely after that , showing up at my workplace with coffee , sending flowers to my tiny apartment , finding excuses to " accidentally " run into me . He was attentive and generous , always appearing when I needed support most . We shared genuine sweet times together . He took me to quiet restaurants where we talked for hours . He listened to my opinions with genuine interest , something I hadn't expected from an Alpha heir with his reputation . Until the night of our one - year anniversary : we'd both been drinking wine , sitting close on his couch , the lights dimmed low . Ethan's eyes had darkened as he pulled me close , lowering his head to kiss my lips . Something inside me panicked . I shoved him away forcefully , nearly knocking over the wine glasses on the coffee table . " Why ? " His voice was hoarse with hurt and confusion . I stammered , unable to explain the sudden fear that had gripped me . " I … I'm just not ready yet . Please , give me some time . " After that , he became distant . Our relationship continued , but something had changed . He never pushed me again , but the warmth between us had cooled . I never crossed that boundary with him , nor even accepted his advances willingly , I wasn't sure why - maybe because it was my first relationship , maybe because I subconsciously found him overwhelming , knowing how many women he'd been with . < Chapter 8 : Farewell to the Pa +25 Puntos Whatever the reason , I was now deeply grateful I had kept my distance . The thought of having given myself completely to someone who saw me as nothing more than a replacement was unbearable . Returning to Moonlight Manor , Ethan was nowhere to be seen . Perhaps he was with Cassandra , celebrating their reunion now that his mother had successfully driven away the inconvenient girlfriend . I took a long shower , letting the hot water wash away the day's emotions . As I slipped between the cool sheets of my bed , exhaustion overtook me . There were only ten days left before I could leave this place behind , along with the heartbreak and humiliation . " How wonderful , " I thought quietly as my consciousness drifted away . 2 Comentarios Ver anuncios ( 0/20 ) > Votar 246 373