Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 259

ISOLDE'S POV

I wandered through the fashion display area of the lobby, my heart swelling with pride every time I heard someone praise a dress design, compliment the fabric, or admire the color coordination. Each positive comment felt like a small victory, and I couldn't help but smile.

*Look at what you've built,* I thought to myself, watching a young woman examine one of my evening gowns with obvious admiration. *Getting to this point took so much time, effort, and sacrifice.*

The journey hadn't been easy. Two years of working in secret, pouring my heart into every design, building Liberty Designs from nothing into one of the most successful fashion company. Two years of hiding my identity while my creations spoke for themselves.

A flash of red caught my eye from across the display area. I quickened my pace toward what appeared to be a stunning evening gown, wanting to get a closer look at the design.

When I reached it, I carefully lifted the dress from its hanger. The fabric felt luxurious between my fingers, and the cut was absolutely exquisite. *This fabric and tailoring—this is definitely haute couture level work.*

Suddenly, someone yanked the dress from my hands. I spun around to see a woman in her forties with heavily applied makeup, now clutching the red evening gown. Her face wore a shallow smile that was clearly meant to cause trouble.

"This dress is mine. I saw it first," she declared smugly.

"That's a lie," I said firmly. "You just took this dress from my hands."

"No, I didn't!" she protested, holding the dress closer to her chest.

Our dispute was attracting attention from other customers, and I noticed a sales consultant approaching us.

"Is there a problem here?" the consultant asked professionally.

The woman immediately launched into her performance. "I got to this dress first, but this girl snatched it away from me, and now she's trying to turn things around!"

The sales consultant looked between us thoughtfully, then asked a pointed question: "If she took the dress from you like you're claiming, why is the dress in your hands and not hers?"

The woman fell completely silent, clearly not having thought through her lie.

"Are you suggesting I'm lying?" she demanded, her voice rising. "I want to see your manager! Where is your manager? I want to speak to the manager right now!" She paused dramatically. "I'm a VIP customer here. I should get anything I want!"

*This is really getting on my nerves,* I thought, feeling the eyes of other shoppers on us. *I don't like the attention we're drawing. No one has recognized me yet, but it won't be long before someone figures out who I am and exposes my identity. I was planning to go public today anyway, but not like this.*

I took a deep breath and made my decision. "She can have the dress," I told the sales consultant. "I'll choose something else. Just let her take it."

"Are you sure, miss?" the consultant asked, clearly surprised.

"I promise it's fine. Just let her have it."

I walked away toward the elevators, ignoring the woman's smug expression.

*You're just giving up like that?* Lyra's voice echoed in my mind.

*Some battles aren't worth fighting, Lyra. We have more important things to focus on today.*

My phone rang just as I reached the elevator bank. The caller ID showed my mother's name.

"Hello, Mother."

"Where are you?" she asked immediately.

"In the building. What's wrong?"

"I just arrived."

"Okay. I'm heading upstairs now."

I hung up, feeling my heart start to race in my chest. My mother had built her own fashion empire with me after leaving my father Alaric, and today was going to change everything for both of us.

As I stepped into the elevator alone, my thoughts turned to what revealing my identity would mean. *When I expose who I really am, everything is going to change. People will be shocked, surprised, confused. Some will be angry.*

I thought about the past two years, how my mother had hidden me after my mysterious disappearance from Ezra's Silver Moon Group, how almost no one had been able to find me. Apart from family and a few staff members, no one knew where I'd been. There had been so much speculation—that I'd gone into human society, gotten plastic surgery, or even died.

*These rumors and so many other stories will resurface after today's announcement, and that scares me.*

But it had been my mother who convinced me to reveal my identity. She said it was time.

When the elevator reached my floor, I made my way to the waiting area outside my mother's office. She was in the conference room first, addressing the company employees.

As I sat waiting, my thoughts inevitably drifted to Alpha Ezra. *He's in my mind every single day. I miss him. I miss him so much it hurts, and a huge part of me still loves him. Still craves him.*

*But I can't do that. I won't!*

Suddenly, Lyra's voice cut through my thoughts. *Let's see if you can maintain that attitude when we return to Silver Moon Group for the Fashion Design Competition.*

Fashion Design Competition. That was the main reason my mother had convinced me to reveal my identity. It was a prestigious design competition where famous designers competed at Silver Moon Group. The competition happened every five years, and I had to go public to participate.

*If I enter this competition and win, it will take my brand to a whole new level. I want to show the world, especially those Lycans, that bloodline means nothing—they're no more noble than ordinary werewolves. I know I'll have to face Alpha Ezra. I'll deal with that when the time comes. For now, I...*

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Holden appeared in the doorway.

"It's time," he said simply.

Despite the nervousness rising in my chest, his words made me smile. *This is it.*

I took a deep breath and prepared to face the public and confront my past.