Return of The Alpha Heiress-Chapter 52: Clarissa – Basement

WARNING! The beginning of this Chapter is very dark and may be triggering.

Down here, it is very cold. Maybe as cold as the orphanage in Brown Pack.

But there, Luna Thalia used to bring me food. Tasha used to play with me.

Here, there is no one.

The silence is broken only by my shaky breathing and the squeaking of rats.

The darkness is so thick that I sometimes wonder if my eyes still work.

They do. I know because I can still see light whenever the door opens just a little and a food box is thrown inside.

Several times, my hands ache after touching the box. I believe it is made of crimson oak.

Down here, I sleep on the floor. I do not even know what lies beneath my body.

One morning, my leg becomes unbearably itchy. Something long and slippery is wrapped around it.

On another day, I feel something wriggling inside my mouth while I am eating.

Sometimes the food is rotten meat, completely inedible. Sometimes it is nothing but spoiled cucumbers.

There is no clock here. The only way I count days is by counting how many times food is delivered.

Over time, I stop caring about whatever crawls near my legs or hands.

I stop caring about the foul smell too, whether it comes from me or from the dead animals down here.

Occasionally, I hear Luna Eileen’s voice. Larry’s voice. Shannon’s voice.

Unexpectedly, the voice I hear the most is Alpha Will’s.

He must be afraid someone might free me. He checks on me personally.

I think a lot down here. Being completely alone forces me to rethink everything.

My decision to come here. Everyone in this house. My future.

In the end, I decide to leave.

Not just to be free as an adult, but to completely cut ties with this family and go as far away from them as possible.

If I can, I never want to see them again for the rest of my life.

The first step is making sure they do not sabotage my cooperation with FrostAe. Richard should be able to protect that partnership for me... right?

I hope so.

After I get money from that, I will quietly wait until I turn eighteen. Just a few more months.

Once I am eighteen, I can handle my documents myself. I can truly leave this family, leave Green Pack, even leave the West Region.

Maybe I should go to the East Region.

The only thing I regret leaving behind is Richard. I hope he does not ask to come with me.

The Black family is too close to the Green family. If Richard comes with me, I may never truly escape.

Maybe... I can spend more time with him after I get out of here.

...

The door finally opens after exactly one month. They really locked me up for the entire winter break.

The maid who opens the door stumbles back in shock. What did she expect from someone who hasn’t bathed or changed clothes for a month?

It is already night.

There are no clouds tonight. Moonlight shines clearly, and I can see that the mansion has not changed at all.

I smell food coming from inside. I don’t even remember the last time I ate something warm.

My feet carry me there.

I ignore the servants and anyone who freezes in shock when they see me. At least they do not attack me or mistake me for a ghost.

In the dining room, the Alpha Green family is eating peacefully. They laugh and chat, the perfect image of a happy family.

My presence will clearly disturb that harmony. That is exactly the point.

"I’m back," I say.

All eyes turn toward me.

Shannon and Luna Eileen immediately spit out the food in their mouths.

Shannon rushes to the bathroom. Edwin looks nauseous and frowns deeply.

"What are you doing? You stink!" Edwin shouts, covering his mouth.

Alpha Will and Darren also cover their mouths.

"Aren’t I part of this family?" I say calmly. "I want to eat together too."

"Get out of here, Clarissa!" Alpha Will roars.

I step closer. The deeper his frown becomes, the more obvious it is. As the strongest werewolf here, he must be the one most affected by my smell.

My eyes sweep over the dining table, then the warm food.

One person does not move. One person does not cover his mouth. Larry.

He just stares at me, always silent, with eyes I cannot understand. He has a mouth, yet he never truly speaks.

Ignoring him, I step closer to Alpha Will, but not close enough to touch him. If I enter his range, he might hit me again.

Alpha Will realizes I am deliberately provoking him.

"What do you want?" he asks.

I answer plainly. "I want to leave the Green family and become Clarissa, without a last name."

Darren, Edwin, and Luna Eileen all look shocked. They clearly did not expect those words.

They stare at my filthy face, searching for hesitation.

But I do not look at them. I look only at the head of this house.

Alpha Will scoffs, then laughs mockingly. "You think this family is a toy? That you can come and go whenever you want?!"

"You don’t see me as family anyway," I reply calmly. "You think I tarnish this family’s name. So let me go."

It is strange. After being locked alone in a basement for a month, I can still think clearly.

"Whether you like it or not, everyone already knows you’re part of this family," he says coldly.

"What do you think will happen to the Green family’s image if people find out we suddenly cancel the adoption?"

This time, I scoff.

So that is why Alpha Will wanted me as an adopted child. To improve their image.

The life I thought was a family drama turns out to be an ironic comedy.

While I desperately tried to protect my position in this family, it was never for me. It was always for their benefit.

"I’m leaving anyway."

...