The Love I Threw Away

Because of his grandfather's dying wish, Supreme Court Chief Justice Garrick Vance—the most powerful beast-shifter in the city—was forced to marry me, a human court clerk who had secretly loved him for years.

For six years we pretended to be strangers at work while he remained ice-cold toward me and our daughter Wren at home. When his celebrity ex-girlfriend Seraphina returned from overseas, I watched him come alive for another woman—attending her parties, rushing to her side at midnight.

Meanwhile, our five-year-old daughter waited every night for a father who never came home.

The day Wren nearly died from his careless gift, I finally signed the mate bond dissolution papers.

This time, he's lost us forever.

Maeve's POV

"Thorne, are you sure about this? A permanent clerk position at the Supreme Court? Do you know how many people would kill for this job?"

Anna, the HR director, asked me this question for the third time, clearly baffled by my decision.

"I'm sure." I slid my resignation letter across the desk. "My mate and I are ending things. I want to take my daughter and move somewhere better for humans."

Anna sighed, her eyes softening with sympathy. "Probably for the best. I've watched you raise that kid alone all these years. That man's a piece of work. High-ranking shifters are all the same—cold as ice and selfish as hell."

I gave her a tight smile. "He's always... tied up with work."

Anna signed the documents. I took the copy and said quietly, "Just don't report this to Chief Justice Vance yet, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Let me keep some dignity here. I don't want the big shots knowing until everything's finalized."

She shrugged. "Fine. I'll sit on it for a week."

I walked out of the office and slipped the documents into my bag.

Anna had no clue that the deadbeat mate she'd just trashed was the very man who ran this whole damn city—Chief Justice Garrick Vance.

Six years ago, I signed a mate bond with him.

It happened because of his grandfather's dying wish. The old man had been the previous Chief Justice, and a wrongful case involving human-shifter territory disputes had eaten him alive with guilt—especially since it got my parents killed. On his deathbed, he grabbed my hand and insisted his grandson bond with me as some kind of compensation.

Desperate for protection in this brutal shifter city, I said yes.

But Garrick always believed I was just some opportunist who played his dying grandfather to climb the social ladder. For six years, nobody at the courthouse knew we were mated—or that we had a five-year-old half-blood daughter.

I mean, who'd believe the almighty Chief Justice Vance had anything to do with some nobody human clerk?

I packed up and headed for the exit. Outside, I spotted a black sedan.

Garrick stood beside it, still in his black robes, every inch the intimidating alpha he was.

"Garrick, we need to talk—"

His eyes narrowed the second he saw me. "Whatever it is can wait. I'm busy."

I reached for his sleeve. He jerked away like I had some disease.

"Don't forget our deal, Maeve." His voice was ice-cold. "At work, you're just another clerk. We don't know each other."

The hidden marriage rules. No showing we're together at the courthouse. Six years of playing stranger, and all I got was him looking at me like garbage.

A red sports car screeched up to the curb.

International superstar Seraphina jumped out and threw herself into Garrick's arms, kissing his cheek.

"Garrick, babe! I've been waiting FOREVER! You can't miss my party tonight!"

Seraphina—his childhood sweetheart who'd gone overseas to become famous and just came back covered in glory.

The ice-cold Chief Justice melted for her, actually smiling as he smoothed her hair.

It felt like someone punched me in the chest.

Seraphina noticed me in my cheap uniform. "Who's this?"

Garrick didn't even glance over. "That's Maeve from records. Nobody important."

"Nobody important."

Seraphina giggled and grabbed his arm. "Come on then! Let's go!"

Garrick let her drag him to the car. They roared off, leaving me choking on exhaust fumes.

I let out a harsh laugh. Maeve, what did you expect? He's never seen you as anything more than dirt on his shoe.

I pulled out my phone and sent one last text: Wren's craft showcase tonight at 8. School auditorium.

I stared at the screen. One minute. Five minutes. Just like always—nothing.

I took a shaky breath and headed for the light rail to the human district.

At Wren's school, she came running over with a clay figurine clutched in her hands.

"Mommy! Look what I made! It's Daddy!"

She held up the little black-robed figure, her eyes shining. "Is Daddy really gonna come tonight? All the other kids have their mommy AND daddy..."

Her famous father had never shown up to a single thing. Not once in five years.

My throat went tight. To keep that light in her eyes, I lied. "He'll try his best, sweetheart."

Seven PM, backstage at the showcase.

Wren fussed over her display, making everything perfect.

"Mommy, will Daddy like my present? I tried really hard to make the robe the right color like in his pictures."

"He's gonna love it, baby."

"When's he getting here?" Wren kept peeking toward the entrance. Every time she heard footsteps, her little ears would perk up, then droop when it wasn't him.

Other parents filled the auditorium with chatter and laughter while Wren stood alone at her booth, still waiting.

My phone buzzed. Garrick: Running late with court stuff. Be there soon.

Wren practically bounced. "Mommy, look! Daddy's coming! He didn't forget!"

She put her clay figure front and center, beaming with pride.

The show started. First speech, second activity, third judging round...

Still no sign of him at the entrance.

Wren's turn came up. She stood in the wings, gripping her dress, staring at the empty VIP seats.

"Mommy, where's Daddy gonna sit? Did he get lost?"

"Maybe he's stuck in traffic, honey." The lie tasted like ash.

"Wren needs to go on now," the teacher said.

Wren looked down at her clay figure. "Mommy... is Daddy really not coming?"

I pulled her close. "It's okay, baby. Mommy's here. I'll always be watching."

She smiled through her tears. "Yeah. Having Mommy is enough."

She walked onto that stage all by herself. I sat there trying not to cry.

My phone lit up with breaking news:

Garrick in a designer tux, arm around Seraphina at some fancy party, both of them laughing and clinking champagne glasses.

The headline made me sick: Superstar's Homecoming! Chief Justice Makes Rare Public Appearance. Childhood Sweethearts Reunite.

No court business. No emergency. He'd just picked her over his own daughter without a second thought.

Wren finished her presentation alone. No daddy cheering. No hugs.

She ran back to me with her little figurine. "Mommy, did I do good?"

"You were absolutely perfect."

"I wish Daddy could've seen..." Her voice cracked.

I held her tight, my tears soaking her shoulder.

Later, back at the mansion that never felt like home, I tucked Wren into bed and pulled out the dissolution papers. The ones where I gave up any claim to his money or property.

I signed my name without hesitation.

Garrick Vance—we're DONE.