Tabitha's POV
Joanna stood behind me, looking curious as I hesitated for a long time.
She shot me a confused look and asked, "Ms. Hartley, anything wrong with these clothes?"
"No, Joanna, the clothes are nice. It's just that they remind me of my past, and it stings a bit," I replied softly, trying to conceal the turmoil in my heart.
Joanna had no clue about the history between Derek and me, so obviously, she couldn't understand how I was feeling right now.
To her, I might have just been an unfortunate lady. But to me, those were unforgettable memories.
"Why don't you pick one for me?" I averted my gaze from those once familiar clothes, which could only make me feel awkward now.
They were a cruel reminder, telling me again and again that I was no longer the carefree Luna, but a woman who had been tortured.
Joanna stood in front of the wardrobe, glancing through the clothes while muttering, "Ms. Hartley, you have a great figure and good looks. Plus, your skin is fair. You're gonna look good even just in a sack."
Her words filled me with a hint of bitter pride.
There was a time when I was proud of my appearance, but now, what mattered to me more was my inner strength.
She took out a white dress, which was stylishly designed and well-tailored, exuding elegance in every aspect.
"This one will do. I think it suits you very well, Ms. Hartley."
I changed into that dress, and Joanna grinned. "Look, it fits perfectly. You totally look like a posh princess. Your elegance is just unique."
"Princess?" I chuckled bitterly, extending my left hand. The calluses on my palm were a testament to my struggles.
In the year when I lost my baby, Derek deliberately cut off all my sources of income to punish me.
The Silver Moon Pack went bankrupt, but Dad was lying in the hospital, and I had to pay for the enormous medical bills.
However, I couldn't even find a job that suited my major because in order to become Derek's Luna, I'd given up my education.
To pay for Dad's treatment, I, the once talented medical student recognized by my mentor, ended up doing some manual labor. That was how I got those calluses.
Joanna looked at my hands with even more confusion on her face. "Ms. Hartley, before the Silver Moon Pack went bankrupt, you were a privileged young lady. But it seems like you've done manual labor."
"Yeah, more than you know," I replied with a dry chuckle.
I saw sympathy in Joanna's eyes. Before she could dig deeper, I interrupted, "Why don't you help me with my hair? I can't do it now. You know, my hand's injured."
"Sure," said Joanna as she picked up the comb and changed the subject. "Ms. Hartley, you gotta lighten up. Although Alpha Derek is going to marry Miss Sutton, it's you that he loves, and everyone can see that."
Seeing that I had no intention to talk about that scum, she finally shut up and started braiding my hair for me.
"Ms. Hartley, your hair would look even better if it were a little longer."
In half a year, my hair grew quite a bit, but it only reached my shoulders.
She chose a pair of pearl earrings for me and said, "Even without makeup, you look very beautiful. Alpha Derek was lucky to have you as his mate."
I looked at myself in the mirror, seeing no signs of the baby fat I used to have on my face.
My chin was sharper, my features lost that spark, and a hint of sadness rested in my brows.
Joanna squatted beside me, smiling brightly as she looked at me. "You're younger than me, Ms. Hartley. Why do you always seem so down? You're so good-looking, and I bet you'll look even better when you smile."
Upon hearing that, I just realized that I hadn't genuinely laughed or smiled from the bottom of my heart for a long time. Even the simple act of smiling felt foreign to me now.
The woman in the mirror was so familiar yet felt completely strange.
I was no longer that naive girl but a woman weathered by life's storms.
Even Crystal was whimpering softly in my heart, sharing in my pain and helplessness.