Exchanging Vows: The Swapped Wife Is a Top Shaman novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Ivy’s Point of View

"Please don’t worry about me," I said, squeezing my mother’s hands. "I promise I’m doing well. Alpha Alaric and Luna Helena have both been kind to me. They’ve accepted me as family."

My mother wiped her eyes. "Truly?"

"Truly." I smiled. "Luna Helena even stood up for me against Lady Margot. They’re looking out for me."

Some of the tension eased from my parents’ shoulders. But I could tell they weren’t entirely convinced. How could they be? Their daughter had been swapped on her wedding night and married off to a dying man.

I took a deep breath. It was time to tell them the truth.

"There’s something else you should know." I looked at each of them in turn. "What happened that night wasn’t an accident."

My father frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The marriage swap. Seraphina ending up with Bastian while I was dumped in Dominic’s bed." My voice hardened. "It was planned. All of it."

Silence.

"Seraphina had me drugged," I continued. "Someone knocked me unconscious and hid me under Bastian’s bed while they consummated their marriage. Then they dragged me to Dominic’s room and left me there like garbage."

My mother’s face went white.

"Uncle Roland and Aunt Camilla knew about it," I added. "They had to. There’s no way Seraphina could have pulled this off without their help. The maids. The timing. The cover-up afterward. It was all coordinated."

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then my mother exploded.

"Those monsters!" She shot to her feet, her whole body shaking with rage. "How dare they! How dare they do this to my daughter!"

"Mother—"

"I’m going to find Roland right now!" She was already moving toward the door. "I’m going to drag him in front of the elders and demand justice! They can’t get away with this!"

Finn and I lunged at the same time. We caught her arms before she could make it three steps.

"Mother, stop!" I pulled her back. "You can’t!"

"Why not? They deserve to be exposed! They deserve to be punished!"

"And who will believe us?" I kept my voice steady. "Uncle Roland is the Alpha. Aunt Camilla is the Luna. Seraphina is their precious daughter. We have no proof. No witnesses. Just my word against theirs."

"But—"

"If you go in there making accusations, they’ll twist it around. They’ll say I’m bitter about losing Bastian. That I’m jealous of Seraphina. That I’m causing trouble because I can’t accept my fate." I guided her back to her chair. "You’ll only make things worse for all of us."

My mother sank down, tears streaming freely now. "So they just get away with it? After everything they did?"

"For now." My jaw tightened. "But not forever."

My father had been silent through all of this. He sat in his chair, staring at the floor, his shoulders slumped.

"This is my fault," he said quietly.

"Father, no—"

"It is." He looked up, and I saw something broken in his eyes. "If I had more power, more status, they never would have dared to target you. But I’m just the Beta with no real authority. A title without teeth."

He laughed bitterly.

"My father was the old Alpha. But my mother was just a concubine. So even though I carry the bloodline, I’ve always been treated as lesser." His hands clenched on his knees. "Roland has spent his entire life making sure I stay beneath him. Taking credit for my ideas. Blocking my advancement. Keeping me invisible."

"That’s not your fault."

"Isn’t it?" He met my eyes. "I should have fought harder. Should have stood up for myself. For our family. Instead, I just... accepted it. Kept my head down. Hoped things would get better on their own."

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