Chapter 1 On Independence Day , I went with my mother - in - law , Margaret Cross , to evaluate the new ultra - luxury afternoon tea service that my husband , Nathaniel Cross , had just launched at the Grand Regency Hotel . The cake they served was full of ice crystals , and the moment Margaret bit into it , her front tooth cracked . I snapped a photo and asked the manager if the cake was just a frozen pre - made one served straight out of the box . Ignoring my question , she snatched my phone , flung it into my coffee cup , and sneered with pure contempt . " Who do you think you're photographing ! What are you two old hags doing here , pretending to be high - society ladies just to scam us ? " " Couldn't earn enough on your backs ? Now you're here , probably carrying diseases ! Five grand for sanitation fees . Pay up , or we're not done today ! " I fought to keep my anger under control and demanded , " Is this how Nathaniel manages his staff ? Get him here . Now . " She planted her hands on her hips and smirked mockingly . " Oh , so you came here just to hit on my husband ?" A little boy , barely three feet tall , grabbed a chunk of ice from the table and hurled it at us with all his strength . " Stop bullying my mom ! " I forze , staring at the child's face - it bore an uncanny resemblance to Nathaniel's . So this was what all his " holiday overtime " was about . Not work . Not business . He was running a sham of a restaurant to bankroll his mistress and an illegitimate son . Before I could process it , she dialed the phone , her voice breaking into sobs , " Honey , hurry to the hotel tearoom ! Two wannabe fake heiresses are bullying me and our child! " Chapter 1 C 10.00 % 4.4 FREE Installed I looked at my hand still oozing thick sticky red liquid . I'm a werewolf . Open Dreame - Read Romance Stories D She jabbed her finger toward the promo board at the entrance , lifting her chin high . " See that ? It says right there- ' Wannabe socialites and dogs are not allowed inside . ' Can't you read ? " out ! " " Trash like you lowers the tone of our entire afternoon tea ! Settle your bill and get the hell " What , cat got your tongue ? Planning to pay off your bill with your bodies instead ? Please . Even beggars wouldn't want you two ! " She pinched her nose dramatically as if we stank . " Look at you - wearing cheap knockoff designer dresses , probably shared with ten other women . Disgusting . " " Or are you hoping to act out a scene here and lure in some rich man ? Trying to run a romance scam , huh ? " Her shrill voice drew curious stares , followed quickly by disgusted looks from all around us . I slapped her across the face , the sharp crack echoing in the room . " Who are you calling an old hag ? Who the hell are you to compare us to dogs ? " " Your mouth stinks . What , never brushed your teeth before ? Let me fix that for you . " Another slap landed hard , this time splitting her lip . Blood beaded at the corner of her mouth . She clutched her face , eyes wide , but as if something strangled her throat , no words came out . The boy , trembling with rage , grabbed a knife and fork from the table and lunged at my leg . " Anyone who bullies my mom deserves to die ! " Pain seared my thigh as instinct forced me to shove him away . He stumbled back , fell hard to the ground , and burst into wails . A wave of gasps rippled through the tearoom . " Did she just shove a little kid ? How vicious can you get ? " " These fake socialites are getting worse - can't land a man , so they attack a child ? " Their voices faded into a distant buzz . My eyes were locked on the mother and son clinging together . My blood ran cold . Chapter 1 Dreame - Read Romance Stories I looked at my hand still oozing thick sticky red liquid . I'm a werewolf . 4.4 FREE Installed Open 10.00 % Around the boy's neck hung a family heirloom locket - the one thing my mother had left me before she passed away . She had once pressed it into my palm with a smile . " This is for my future granddaughter . May she grow up safe and happy . " No wonder I'd never been able to find it . Every time I asked Nathaniel , he'd fumble some excuse . It had been around his bastard son's neck all along . I surged forward , ready to rip the locket back , when a brutal kick slammed into my spine . I hit the floor hard , pain exploding across my body . A group of hotel staff swarmed around me , eyes glinting with malice . " You're finished ! You dared lay a hand on the little master ? Mr. Cross will never forgive you ! " " Be smart - apologize to our boss's wife , pay up , and leave . Otherwise , when Mr. Cross shows up , your fate will be ten times worse . Three years ago , Nathaniel had announced with great fanfare that he was opening the most luxurious afternoon tea in the city . Back then , he had looked at me with such tenderness . He said he was worried about me eating unsafe pastries outside , so he'd built this place just for me . He even said that when we had kids , we could bring them here and feel safe . The restaurant's slogan was plastered everywhere . [ Made with clean ingredients - because when Dad bakes , you can trust it . ] son . And yet in the end , it wasn't built for me at all . It was for his mistress and their illegitimate A numb laugh escaped me , my lips curling into a bitter smile , " Fine . I can't wait for this ' Mr. Cross ' to arrive . Let's see exactly what kind of miserable ending he has in store for us . Chapter 1