Tabitha's POV
I used to think that I had lost my feelings for Derek, but the fact proved me wrong.
I'd been madly in love with him for so many years, so a few months wouldn't be enough for me to get over him.
I curled up in bed, with images of Derek and Daphne constantly playing in my mind.
The heart-wrenching feeling kept me up all night.
In the early morning, looking at the cold, empty bed beside me, I couldn't help but scoff at myself.
Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table rang, shattering the silence.
I reached out to answer it, and Holly's voice came through, a barely noticeable tremble in her tone, "Tabitha, good morning. Are you up?"
"It's not morning yet," I replied coldly.
"Oh, dear, I forgot. I must have woken you up, sorry," she quickly changed her tone, trying to hide her embarrassment. "But I've prepared your favorite breakfast. Wanna come over and try it? I got a big surprise for you, by the way."
Upon hearing her words, I sneered inwardly, 'My favorite breakfast? Does she really know what I like? We've never called or met for so many years.'
"What surprise?" I asked, skepticism in my tone.
"You'll know when you get here. I promise you'll love it." Holly's voice was filled with anticipation.
I hung up, wanting to go back to sleep, yet found myself uncontrollably getting out of bed.
It'd been years since I last had Mom's breakfast.
By the time I realized, I was already standing in front of Mark's villa.
A servant with a deadpan led me inside. Clearly, I was an unwelcome visitor.
The villa's interior was lavish. Every detail screamed luxury and expense.
But to me, everything here felt alien.
The ancient paintings on the walls depicted the glory of the Sutton family through history.
The family crest, embroidered in silver, showcased their status and pride.
I knew these luxurious decorations weren't just for show. They silently reminded visitors of the nobleness here.
Upon seeing me, Holly hurried over.
She took my hand, enthusing, "Here you are. Come on. You must be hungry. Let's have breakfast."
Mark seemed less stern today. Instead of his usual poker face, he wore a smile, offering, "Yes, go ahead and try it, Tabitha. Holly specially prepared it for you. Sorry about what happened to your dad. If you don't mind, you can consider me as your dad. And you're always welcome here. Just take it as your home."
Holly enthusiastically pulled me to the dining table, and then she placed a plate filled with fried bacon and sausages in front of me.
"Dig in. I remember you loved this as a kid," she beamed.
I stared at the greasy food, speechless.
I was never into oily stuff like this. Since I was little, I'd always preferred simple, light foods, like toasted bread with avocado.
Holly, oblivious to my embarrassment, once again presented a few dishes in front of me: waffles drizzled with maple syrup, fresh fruit salad, and English muffins.
I put down the utensils, giving a bitter smile. "If you don't love me, there's no need to fake it."
Holly frowned in puzzlement, muttering, "Don't you like it? I remember you enjoyed it when you were a kid. You've changed a lot."
Just then, Mark coughed into his fist, saying, "These are Daphne's favorites."
His words broke my heart into pieces.
Turned out she had prepped it for Daphne, not me. Was she doing it on purpose, humiliating me for Daphne's sake?
Feeling disgusted, I stood up, ready to leave this suffocating place.
As I turned around, however, I saw the door to the downstairs master bedroom open.
Out walk Derek and Daphne.
Noticing them, Holly piped up, "Derek, how did you sleep last night? If you're not used to it, I'll have someone customize a suitable mattress for you later. Now that you're getting married, consider this place as your home,and feel free to ask for anything you need."
Daphne, darting a triumphant glance at me, started to act like a sweet girl. "Mom, you are so thoughtful. Derek and I indeed didn't sleep well."
A hint of coyness flashed across her face, indicating that there was more to her words.
I finally understood why Holly invited me over.
She wasn't trying to reconnect but to send a warning. To make me give up and face reality.
How ironic. My birth mother was warmly greeting her stepdaughter, all smiles. She remembered all her stepdaughter's likes and dislikes, yet she couldn't recall a single breakfast I enjoyed.
I used to think she had her reasons not to contact me. After all, what mother didn't love her own daughter?
Now I realized such ruthless women did exist.
Because she had no feelings for Dad, she never liked me. And she never bothered to memorize my preferences.
Daphne, however, was the daughter of her beloved. So she'd go out of her way to please her.
Looking at the loving family of four, I felt like a complete outsider.
I withdrew my gaze, disgusted by the sight of them.
"Mrs. Sutton, congratulations on getting what you wanted. Now that you have a new life, please stop bothering me."
After I finished speaking, I turned to leave, but Holly came over and stopped me.
"Tabitha, you've misunderstood me. I'm just trying to resolve the tension between you and Daphne. Like Mark said, we're family. You know what I mean, right?" she whispered.
I sneered, "I'm the daughter of the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack. Members from the Amber's Eye Pack ain'tmy family."