Chapter 5 Object of contempt

"What is she doing here?" The question, punctuated by laughter, was asked by a man standing near the drinks table. He glanced at Grace, who stood frozen like a statue.

That night, the Xanders' house was filled with laughter, music, and the buzz of conversation. Grace stood in the corner of the large room, surrounded by people who looked down on her. Her heart was pounding, not because she was in awe or fascinated by those present, but because Grace was completely unaccustomed to such crowds and noise.

Even now, Grace was still wondering why she was there. Why was she forced to join them, only to stand and watch? She tried to calm herself, hoping her presence in this large house would end without any embarrassing incidents. But that hope quickly faded when she saw Lucas smile slightly, signalling to his friends.

"Hey, Grace, come entertain us!" Agnes ordered her in a mocking tone, the dark-haired woman looking as though she had come to a prom in her overly flowing dress and low-cut neckline. "Come on, don't be shy. We all want to see an omega like you make us laugh."

Laughter erupted from Lucas's friends. They laughed as if Grace were an inanimate object, a doll ready to be manipulated according to their whims. Grace clenched her fists, bowing her head, holding back the shame that burned her face.

Meanwhile, Lucas stood not far from them, staring at her expressionlessly, simply observing.

Grace felt like an object in an experiment he was observing, an animal he had placed in a situation to see how she would react.

Lucas's friends became more excited. Agnes and Brix, who were also there, surrounded Grace, cheering her on with loud voices and sharp taunts. "Sing, Grace!" they shouted.

Grace didn't know how her two friends could be friends with Lucas, as she knew they weren't in the same group before.

Brix smiled slyly. "Why? Are you embarrassed? He leaned closer, his face contorted into an exaggerated smile. "You shouldn't be embarrassed. You're just an omega; you don't need to feel superior and humiliated just because you were given an order."

Their laughter grew louder, more mocking, and more suffocating. Fear mixed with anger began to burn in her heart. But Grace knew she couldn't fight back. As an omega, she had no right to speak out or defend herself. For her, every day was a battle to survive in an environment filled with hierarchy and oppressive power.

Agnes and Brix kept pushing her, forcing her to do something humiliating. They demanded she dance, sing, and perform silly movements that made the entire room laugh. Grace felt her self-worth crumbling before their eyes. Every laugh and mockery felt like a knife slicing through her heart, reminding her of her position as nothing more than a slave.

"Come on, Grace. Don't just stand there like a statue," Agnes mocked, folding her arms across her chest with a triumphant smile. "You're here to entertain us, not to stand around like a useless statue."

Grace stared at her, holding back tears, remembering Lucas's orders to make sure her friends didn't act out of control.

Brix, standing beside Agnes, began to approach, roughly touching Grace's shoulder, making her body shudder in fear. "Ah, don't you know you're here to entertain?" he said in a surprised tone. But then he laughed foolishly. "How could you not understand, Grace? You're really slow."

Grace tried to hold herself back. She knew that even though she felt extremely angry and hurt, fighting back would only make things worse. However, their rough treatment made her chest feel tight. Lucas, who was standing not far from them, simply watched with a blank expression, doing nothing to stop his friends.

"Lucas asked me to keep an eye on people here, so you don't get out of control." She mustered up the courage to answer in a soft, almost inaudible voice.

At the other end, Lucas, who was sitting on the edge of the table with his arms crossed over his chest, smirked slightly as he saw and heard her answer.

"What?" Brix leaned closer as if he hadn't heard her. "Say it clearly, you have a habit of mumbling like an idiot, Grace."

"Forget about it." Suddenly, Brix became more daring. He touched Grace's arm in a way that made her feel uncomfortable, even humiliated. "How about you try dancing for us? Do something with your body," he said with a scornful laugh.

Grace felt her entire body tremble, not out of fear, but from a mix of shame and anger she was trying to hide. She looked at Lucas with hope, hoping the alpha who had called her here would say something to stop all this. But Lucas just stared at her, cold and expressionless, as if he didn't care about the humiliation Grace was experiencing.

"Lucas," Grace finally mustered the courage to speak in a low voice, hoping her voice would be heard by Lucas amid the laughter of his friends. "Do I... really have to do all this?"

Lucas shrugged, looking unconcerned. "Yeah," he replied briefly. "Do whatever it takes to calm them down, Grace. That's your responsibility."

Those words hit Grace like a hard blow to the chest. There was no pity or empathy in Lucas's eyes. Instead, he looked as if he was enjoying his power, enjoying how he could make someone like Grace submit and obey without being able to fight back. With that cold stare, Lucas made it clear that he was an alpha who didn't care about the fate of an omega like her.

Finally, the unbearable shame and humiliation pushed Grace to her limit. With trembling hands and laboured breath, she reached for the apron and servant's attire she had been wearing since she arrived. She removed them swiftly, then threw them to the floor without hesitation. The action startled everyone in the room, even their laughter halted momentarily, replaced by a sudden, oppressive silence.

Lucas stared at her in shock, but said nothing.

He only saw Grace standing there with tear-filled eyes, glaring at them with heavy breaths. "I'm not your toy," Grace said, her voice trembling but firm. "And I won't let you keep humiliating me."

Without waiting for a response or permission from anyone, Grace turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lucas's friends looking confused and shocked. Her steps were steady despite the pain and unspoken hatred filling her heart. She knew her actions might have consequences. But for the first time, she chose to protect her self-respect.