STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT

Irene panicked at the authority her mother-in-law carried. It made her feel like her heart might leap from her chest.

Who could help her? No one could save her from this situation.

"No, Mother, I'm not thinking of anything. A lot of things have been on my mind lately. You know, for Simeon and me, it's our first time, and I'm not very comfortable... you know."

Irene hated herself for saying such a big lie to her mother-in-law. Even if she was stubborn, her principles didn't let her carry deceit this easily.

Mrs. Kings smiled at Irene after hearing her words. "That's it, dear. I understand. First times can be really hard and uncomfortable at the beginning, but with time, you will get used to it. I'm very happy that you and my son have gotten this far. Now I'm only waiting for my grandchild. Dear, you'll give me a grandchild, won't you?"

As her mother-in-law said this, her face, tense enough to freeze rain in summer, instantly melted like haze.

Irene's face fell again, for the ninth time. How was she to tell her mother-in-law she wouldn't be giving her a grandchild? She'd have a grandchild, but not from her. Simeon would divorce her one day, and if he didn't, she'd find her own way of escaping this marriage.

"Yes, Mother-in-law, a grandchild... we can't rush things, right? I mean, Simeon and I just started. You wouldn't expect us to make a baby so quickly."

Irene calmed her gloomy heart as she said this with a bright smile, making the mood between her and her mother-in-law seem playful.

Mrs. Kings nodded at what Irene said. "Yes, dear, I shouldn't rush you," she beamed wider. "These things take time. I wouldn't rush you to give me a grandchild. That wouldn't be healthy at all."

Irene took a deep breath, grateful her mother-in-law didn't push further on this topic. She didn't want to feel more uncomfortable than she already did.

She had told enough lies for today.

"Dear, should we go shopping? It's been so long since we both went out."

Mrs. Kings smiled, bringing up a topic that made Irene recall.

Her mother-in-law had always forced her to go along with her to the fancy parties of wealthy families, and she felt just as uncomfortable there as she did at home.

In her heart, she hated such events a lot and always wanted a way to get away from them. Luckily, she had, after she started building her career as a poet, and now she had reasons to excuse herself from these wealthy gatherings.

"Irene, would you go with me?" Her mother-in-law asked, smiling at her in a way she couldn't refuse.

But Irene knew if she gave in, she'd be the one suffering and enduring everything.

"Mother, so sad. But I can't go with you. I have somewhere to be... Today I'll be signing autographs for my new children's poetry book," she smiled. "Kids seem to love them a lot."

Her words matched her body language as she spoke. She was already on her toes, ready to leave. She was certain her mother-in-law wouldn't have a problem with her excusing herself when it was for work-related matters.

Mrs. Kings just smiled politely at Irene. "Come back soon... I'd love for you and Simeon to come back together... Will that be okay? Please, dear, you both come back together. Maybe go on a romantic dinner or something."

Irene's expression threatened to crumble as she listened to her mother-in-law's words, but she forced herself to keep her emotions from breaking.

She controlled herself instead.

Why did everyone keep pushing her to be together with Simeon?

Her thoughts almost took over her, but she snapped back to reality.

"I'll be sure to do just that, Mother-in-law," she said, her face hurting from the forced smile she'd worn since breakfast, hiding her sad feelings.

Mrs. Kings nodded, and Irene finally left the house.

...

"I thought I was going to suffocate in there... Mother-in-law is too much. Why can't she just find a werewolf female for her dear son? It has to be me, Irene, who's married to her son," Irene mumbled to herself in the car, carrying a frustrated mood as she complained about her mother-in-law.

Her phone rang, pulling her out of her sour mood. She looked at her phone and saw it was Simeon calling.

"End it." She refused to pick up her husband's call. He never called her, so why now? Irene's emotions felt like a restless dragonfly in the sky, her actions as turbulent as storm clouds. Her current mood wouldn't allow her to face Simeon. It would end in an argument if she answered his call.

...

At the office, Simeon dialed Irene's number countless times, but she didn't pick up.

Each time he dialed her number, his emotions shifted from cold winter to autumn breeze, then back to cold again.

Jason, his assistant, standing beside him, was the one who faced it all. Irene wasn't picking up, and she didn't know the serious matter at hand.

"Jason, have you gotten those rumors off the social network?" Simeon asked, rubbing his head, visibly tired from it all.

This problem was what had pulled him away from the dining table. When he received the call, it was about Irene.

For reasons he wasn't sure of, rumors had spread over the network accusing Irene of cheating on him, a lie he knew wasn't true.

The only truth that might support it was that Irene had been with another man yesterday, which was never her intention.

But people with ill intentions didn't care about the truth. They enjoyed topics that could destroy someone's life or marriage.

Throughout the day, he'd been working on solving this issue, and he was afraid of Irene facing the media if she went out.

That was why he'd been calling her, but Irene refused to pick up.

Was she angry with him? Had he done something wrong without realizing it? Irene could easily get mad over the smallest things, so he was unsure why she was refusing his calls.

As Simeon drifted into his thoughts, his assistant, Jason, brought him back.

"Alpha, the rumors have been cleared... for now," the assistant hesitated slightly, seeing that Simeon wasn't in the best mood and choosing his words wisely.

Simeon, as a human, was gentle, but he didn't forget he was a person with two spirits.

The Alpha Werewolf, the Alpha, wasn't the kind to be gentle. He could rip him apart if he wanted to.

"Alpha, you should take a rest. You've worked hard enough," Jason kindly advised, noticing that Simeon's mood was highly unstable.

Jason looked at his perfectly shaped, thick brows battling with themselves.

"Excuse me, Jason. I really need to rest."

Jason understood Simeon's intention, as he saw him placing his head on the desk, almost asleep.

Assistant Jason shook his head as he left the office. "What sort of wife does my boss have? The boss is suffering because of her, but she doesn't care!"

Assistant Jason walked away reluctantly. There was nothing he could do about it.

...

In a dark black and gray room, Joe Quar gazed at the face of the woman in the photo.

"So she's my one-night stand?" he said, a playful smile tugging on his lips.

"How interesting."