Chapter 5 Exposed

Aurora's POV

As soon as the doctor finished confirming my clean test results, Alpha Keith's eyes narrowed sharply at me. But instead of letting the matter go, he shifted the conversation.

"Change into something pretty," he ordered coldly, as if commanding a servant. "At least look presentable while you stand here."

I looked him in the eye. My voice came out flat, but steady. "I have no money."

I knew no one would believe what I said. They never did.

Alpha Keith frowned. "Don't lie."

I let out a quiet, cold laugh. "Lie? Living in a doghouse. Paying for my own tuition. Tell me, Alpha Keith, where exactly would the money come from?"

I hadn't planned on making trouble tonight. I didn't care enough to. But his arrogance, his constant need to humiliate me, pushed something sharp inside my chest.

If he wanted to start something, I might as well let it burn. After all, I had already lost everything.

My dignity was gone. But his pride? His precious Donald family reputation? That might still hurt.

Keith's face darkened. His voice raised slightly, attracting even more eyes from the surrounding guests. "You're still lying to make us look bad."

I sneered, my voice cold as ice. "Then let's clear it up, shall we?"

Keith's temper snapped. His alpha aura pulsed with frustration as he turned to the butler standing near the edge of the room. "Come here," he barked. "Tell them how much money she has. Explain this nonsense."

The butler, an older wolf who had served the Donald family for years, approached carefully. His eyes flickered nervously between us, aware of the audience gathering.

Keith glared at him. "Did my father or mother cut her off? Has she been receiving her allowance?"

The butler hesitated for only a second before lowering his gaze. "After Alpha Frank took away Miss Aurora's guardianship due to her mental illness," the butler said carefully, "he also seized full control of her personal finances."

The room stirred. A few gasps escaped from nearby guests.

The butler continued, "All of Miss Aurora's income of thirty million dollars was seized under the Alpha's control. She was left with nothing for personal use."

More murmurs filled the room as the truth dropped like a stone into still water.

The guests whispered among themselves. "Thirty million dollars? Gone?"

"She's the Alpha's daughter, how can she not have even one dollar?"

"Living like a rogue, in a doghouse, while the family lives like royalty?"

Keith's face flushed red, his Alpha aura pulsing with embarrassment and anger. Inside him, his wolf bristled at the growing whispers, the sting of humiliation worse than any blow.

His voice sharpened. "Then tell me," he snapped at the butler, "why was Aurora made to live in the doghouse? The Donald family has dozens of rooms!"

The butler swallowed hard, glancing nervously toward Frank and Melissa, but he answered honestly.

"Luna Melissa said the rooms were all full. She claimed Aurora's courtyard was under construction. However, during that same period, a separate villa was purchased and furnished for Miss Helen."

More gasps. Louder this time.

I saw it in their faces, the shock, the quiet disgust, and the thinly veiled judgment as they processed what kind of family they were truly dealing with.

"A wealthy Alpha family..." one woman whispered.

"...and they made their daughter live with dogs."

"Unbelievable."

Keith tried to keep control, but the room was slipping from him. His eyes darted toward Frank and Melissa, desperate for support.

"You must have given her money," Keith said, turning sharply toward our parents. "You wouldn't just leave her with nothing, right?"

Frank adjusted his cloth, looking annoyed more than anything. "I thought your mother was handling her allowances."

Melissa stiffened, clearly caught off guard. "I assumed your father took care of it. I was focused on Helen's education."

They were quick to deflect, passing blame back and forth like it was nothing. No shame. No guilt. Just careful calculations to protect their image.

For the first time that night, Melissa reached out and took my hand gently. Her voice softened, full of practiced sympathy. "Aurora, we've always treated you and Helen equally. You know that."

I looked down at her hand on mine, then back up at her face. For a moment, I almost laughed. "Equal? Do you truly believe anyone here would buy that?"

I pulled my hand away and spoke calmly, clearly. "A biological mother who hasn't given her daughter a single penny for five years, but makes sure Helen gets everything she wants."

My eyes looked at alpha Keith for a moment and back to Luna Melissa as I continued "A mother who watches her own child live with dogs and says nothing. And now, you stand here and call that 'treating equally?'"

Her face paled slightly. She tried to keep her soft expression, but her hand trembled when I pulled away.

Of course, my mother knew where I was living. She always knew. She simply chose to ignore it. Just like she ignored everything else when it came to me.

This sudden show of concern was nothing more than an act for the guests. She wasn't trying to protect me. She was trying to protect their reputation.

But I had long stopped hoping for warmth from this family. The truth was simple. If you hold no expectations, you will never be hurt.