Chapter 235
He sighs. “At least rest it for a few minutes?”
I nod and ease back in the chair. The ice feels good against my throbbing ankle.
There’s a sharp knock at the door, and Ezra pokes his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but there’s an urgent matter that requires
your attention.”
Arthur frowns. “Can it wait?”
Ezra’s expression is grave. “I’m afraid not, sir. Security issue.”
Arthur looks torn, glancing between me and Ezra. I wave him off. “Go. I’ll be fine. I’ll just rest for a few minutes and then head back to the party.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Go play Alpha President.” I offer a smirk.
He leans down to kiss me quickly. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
And then he’s gone, following Ezra out the door.
I give myself ten minutes with the ice before deciding that I’ve hidden away long enough. Carefully, I slip my shoe back on and
stand, testing my weight. It hurts a little, but it’s bearable, and the painkillers haven’t even kicked in yet. I just need to be careful
not to twist it again.
The hallway outside is empty, and I make my way slowly back toward the ballroom, admiring the artwork as I meander by. Just as
I step through the main doors, a woman steps into my path. She’s vaguely familiar–one of the many people I was introduced to
earlier, although I can’t recall her name.
“What a performance,” she says with a saccharine smile. “Quite the dramatic fall. Some might say the dance symbolizes your entire rise to prominence–flashy but ultimately unstable.”
I blink, caught off guard by the direct attack. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, don’t play innocent. You may have fooled everyone else with your little lost heir story, but some of us know better.” She
steps closer, her voice dropping to a hiss. “Selina was–is–twice the woman you’ll ever be. You think you can just waltz in an
take her place? Please.”
So she’s one of Selina’s friends. Probably the one who greased the floor, judging by the satisfaction in her eyes when s
mentioned my fall.
“I didn’t take anyone’s place,” I reply. “And I certainly didn’t ask for any of this.”
She scoffs. “Right. Just like you didn’t ask to be the Alpha President’s mate? Just happened to fall into that to d you?”
1/3
Chapter 235
I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, another voice cuts in.
+40 Bonus
“Margaret, darling, there you are.” Veronica glides up beside me, linking her arm through mine as if we’ve been friends for years.
“I see you’ve met my cousin Iris.”
Margaret’s smile falters. “Veronica. Yes, we were just getting acquainted.”
“How lovely,” Veronica says, narrowing her eyes. “Although I must say, Margaret, your husband was looking for you rather
desperately. Something about the credit card you maxed out without his knowledge?” She tilts her head slightly. “You should
probably look for him. He’s in quite the state right now.”
Margaret’s eyes widen, and she hurries away without another word.
As she leaves, Veronica glances at me. “Word of advice, cousin? Never engage directly with vipers like Margaret. They’re not
worth your time or energy.”
“Was she the one who-”
“Almost certainly,” Veronica confirms as she leads me further into the ballroom. “She was Selina’s sorority sister. She’s been
making noise about you since rumors of your existence first surfaced. There are others you should be wary of as well.”
Quietly, Veronica points out various guests—people who were close to Selina, who resent my sudden appearance, who might try
to undermine me in ways both subtle and overt. Once she’s finished—and there are more people than I’d hoped for–she turns to
me with a gentle smile.
“The best thing you can do is continue to carry yourself with grace and try not to show how their actions shake you,” Veronica
says. “In this world, appearing weak is often more dangerous than actually being weak.”
Standing next to Veronica, with her perfect poise and effortless grace, I can’t help but feel weak. She basically had to come to my
rescue. But I manage a smile and thank her for her help, and with that, she glides away as if she’s not even walking, but rather levitating slightly from the floor.
I look around for a moment, and then spot Arthur across the room, deep in conversation with Ezra. Curious, I make my way
toward them. As I get closer, I can hear snippets of their conversation.
“-confirmed it was her? You’re absolutely certain?” Arthur is saying.
“Yes, sir,” Ezra replies.
“Fuck,” Arthur mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Of all the nights for her to…”
“Sir,” Ezra interrupts, his eyes suddenly fixed on something over Arthur’s shoulder. “She’s here.”
Arthur spins around, and I follow his gaze to the main entrance of the ballroom.
My stomach drops as the crowd parts to reveal the very last face I expected to see tonight.
Selina.
