Lennox studied me, his jaw clenched tight. For a moment, I thought he might strike me, but instead, he turned and began tearing through the room, pulling open drawers, throwing clothes onto the floor, and overturning furniture searching for the necklace.
I stood there, my lips pressed together as I fought to hold back my tears. The Lennox I had known as a child, the boy who had taught me to climb trees, The boy who used to teach me how to swim, who used to protect me from his brothers’ pranks, was gone. In his place was a cold, bitter man who saw me as nothing more than a thief and a liar.
Minutes later Lennox stopped searching, his breathing heavy as he stood amidst the chaos he had created. The necklace was nowhere to be found. He turned to me, his eyes blazing with frustration.
“I can’t find it, Olivia. It’s gone. That was a gift I got for Anita, a gift I wanted to give her on her eighteenth birthday. Do you know how much that cost me?” he asked in anger.
I swallowed hard in fear but stood my ground. “I did not take it…”
“Lies!” he angrily cut me off.
Lennox exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. “This doesn’t make sense,” he muttered. “You cleaned my room. You were the last one here.” His gaze hardened. “Don’t lie to me, Olivia. Where is it?”
When I remained silent, his eyes blazed.
“You are a thief, just like your father! A thief!” he cursed, and I pressed my lips together, holding myself back from answering him.
Lennox’s words hit me like a blow to the chest. A thief. Just like my father. It didn’t matter how hard I worked, how much I tried to keep my head down and stay out of trouble, this pack would always see me as the daughter of a disgraced warrior.
“Only two people came into this room yesterday,” Lennox continued, his voice low and sharp, like the growl of his wolf ready to pounce. “You and Anita. So, tell me, Olivia, who else could have taken it?”
I stiffened at his words, the pieces clicking together in my mind. Anita. Of course. She had been in his room yesterday. I remembered seeing her standing by his dresser, pretending to admire a framed photograph.
I knew Anita better than anyone else. She was cunning, always looking for ways to get what she wanted. I remembered the time she stole a pack warrior’s silver bracelet, only to cry her way out of trouble. Or the time she framed a servant for breaking the Alpha’s Favorite vase, earning the poor girl a week in the dungeons.
And now, she had done it again. But this time, I was her scapegoat.
Who would dare enter Lennox’s room and steal something so valuable?
No one.
No one except Anita.
But the words were heavy on my tongue. I couldn’t say it. Not to Lennox. If I accused Anita, I’d only make things worse for myself. No one would believe me. Lennox would defend her, just like everyone else did.
“I didn’t take it,” I said again.
Lennox let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “You think I’m stupid, don’t you?”
I bit back a retort, my wolf growling in frustration. I wanted to scream the truth at him, to tell him that Anita was far from the innocent, perfect girl he thought she was. But I couldn’t. Not without proof. And even if I had proof, it wouldn’t matter. Anita had the triplets wrapped around her finger.
“You know what, Olivia?” Lennox sneered, taking another step toward me. “I’m done wasting my time with you. If that necklace doesn’t turn up by the end of the day, I’ll make sure you and your mother are punished. Severely.”
His words sent a chill down my spine, but I stood my ground, meeting his gaze. “I didn’t take it,” I repeated one last time, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me.
Lennox glared at me for a moment longer before turning away, his shoulders tense with rage. “I give you until the end of today to return that necklace. Get out,” he growled.
I didn’t need to be told twice. I turned and left the room, my heart pounding as I walked down the hallway. Once I was far enough away, I leaned against the wall, my legs trembling beneath me.
Anita. She had to be the one who took the necklace. I knew it in my gut. But how could I prove it without putting myself in even more danger? The triplets wouldn’t believe me, and Anita would just deny it, twisting the situation to make me look like the villain.
“Here you are, Olivia,” a guard said as he walked over to me. “Levi is looking for you, and he doesn’t seem happy.”
The guard’s announcement made my heart sink in fear.
“Why? What happened?” I asked, terrified.
Joshua, the guard, shook his head. “I don’t know, Olivia, but he is really furious and demanding for you.”
Shit! What could it be this time?
Olivia’s POV
“Start talking, Olivia… before I lose my patience,” Levi demanded, his voice laced with anger.
I stood frozen, unable to form words as I struggled to process the accusation. Again. I was being accused of stealing-again.
“Olivia!” His voice thundered through the room. “Don’t make me lose my patience! Where is the bundle of dollar notes I kept in my drawer? Speak, you thief!”My eyes widened in shock. But Before I could respond, the door to Levi’s room burst open, and Louis stormed in, seething with rage.
“Olivia, where is the money I kept in my drawer?” Louis demanded.
I took a step back, my breath hitching as both Levi and Louis glared at me with fiery rage. My heart pounded in my chest-not out of guilt, but out of sheer disbelief. This wasn’t happening. Not again.
“I didn’t take anything,” I managed to say, my voice trembling.
Levi scoffed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Really? Then tell us who else could have taken it. Who else enters our room if not you?”
Louis folded his arms, his frown deepening. “Don’t play innocent, Olivia. Just return the money and save us all the drama.”
Tears gathered in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. At least not now.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced myself to speak. “I didn’t take your money,” I repeated, louder this time, my voice shaking with suppressed emotion. “I would never steal from any of you.”
“Liar!”
I flinched at the new voice and turned to see Lennox standing at the doorway. His eyes, filled with cold hatred, locked onto mine.
“The necklace I bought for Anita is missing too,” he announced, turning to his brothers.
All three of them-Levi, Louis, and Lennox-looked at me as if I were the worst kind of filth.
Levi was the first to walk toward me, and out of panic, I tried to run away, but it was useless. I was surrounded by the triplets.
Levi pinned me against the wall, lifting my hands above my head while his burning glare was staring right into my eyes.
“This is your last chance to confess and return what you stole, or you’ll be dealt with accordingly,” he threatened.
A tear slid down my cheek as I met his angry gaze. I knew, regardless of what I said, they would never believe that I didn’t steal from them. They would never believe that their precious Anita was the one stealing from them.
“One… two…” Levi began counting, and all I could do was shed more tears.
I sobbed silently, knowing the punishment for stealing in this household was brutal. Some thieves were thrown into the dungeons, like my father. Others had their hands chopped off. Some faced even worse fates.
As Levi counted, my mind raced. Would I end up like my father, rotting in a dungeon? Or worse?
“Ten.”
He released my wrists and took a step back.
“She’s just like her father-a stubborn thief,” Lennox sneered. More tears slipped down my cheeks.
“Guards! Bring some maids!” Louis ordered sharply.
As we waited for the arrival of the maids, my heart raced in my chest. What were these men going to do to me? Why were they sending for maids?
My gaze met Lennox’s, and he glared at me with so much hate, which made me wonder-did he really hate me just because my father was accused of stealing? Was this all about it, or was there something else involved? How could a man who once cherished me now look at me with such disgust?
Three maids walked in and bowed their heads to the triplets.
Levi was the one to usher the punishment. “Take her to the mansion rooftop. Strip her and apply pepper to her naked body. Make sure she kneels under the sun.”
A tear slid down my cheek, but I didn’t say a word. Compared to what was done to anyone accused of stealing, this was a lesser punishment for me.
“Take her away,” Lennox demanded coldly.
The maids took hold of my arms and led me out of the room. I didn’t struggle. There was no point. As we walked through the mansion, I saw my mother. She was sobbing, her entire body trembling, but she didn’t dare approach me. If she did, she’d share my punishment.
When we reached the rooftop, the maids let go of me.
“Please undress,” one of them urged softly.
I hesitated, my entire body trembling, but there was no escape. Swallowing hard, I began removing my clothes, my tears falling freely.
One of the maids picked up a bowl of ground pepper and moved closer. My body tensed.
The moment the first handful of pepper touched my skin, an agonized scream tore from my lips. My body convulsed as the fiery sting spread across my skin. They rubbed it everywhere-every inch of my exposed flesh except for my face. The burning sensation was unbearable. My knees buckled, but I forced myself to stay upright.
“You have to kneel,” one of the maids said.
I hesitated, but my body was already giving in. Slowly, I sank to my knees, my sobs wracking my entire being. The scorching sun hit down on me, intensifying the torment. My entire body felt like it was on fire.
How could anyone be so cruel?
I wanted to scream, to beg for the pain to stop, but I knew it would only make things worse.
It was as if the sun was against me because it began to heat even more. My whole body was burning with pain, and it felt like I would pass out soon. The pain was unbearable. I had never imagined I would go through such torture.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.