Chapter 20
Liana’s
POV
I frowned, looking at him. “My relationships? may. I know why you asked that precisely. Or.. what type of relationships do you think I’m hiding?”
Knox smirked, resting his chin on his hand. “Oh, you know. The complicated ones.”
The table had gone quiet.
Too quiet.
I could feel eyes on me. The nobles, the advisors. Even Alaric, though he kept eating, his ears were definitely listening.
I exhaled through my nose. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Knox’s grin widened, but his voice was calm when he spoke. “Alright. Fine. Let’s talk about Amira.”
I stiffened
Knox tilted his head. “Why does she hate you so much?”
I swallowed, my fingers tightening around my fork
The air in the room changed
The servants still moved in and out, but I knew they were listening.
Elise didn’t even bother pretending she wasn’t paying attention. Her sharp violet gaze was focused entirely on me from the corner where she stood. Clearly she managed the maids in the dining area as well as my room
Alaric he was still eating, but I knew better. His grip on his knife had tightened, just slightly.
They were all waiting for my answer.
I sighed, setting my utensils down. “It started in childhood”
Knox leaned forward slightly. “Go on”
I hesitated.
Talking about Amira wasn’t something I did often. Not because I couldn’t, but because it never helped. No matter how many times I tried to explain, people always saw her the way she wanted to be seen. The perfect, adored, innocent Luna.
But now in this room… they wanted the truth.
Fine.
I sat back, running a hand down my sleeve. “Amira and I were never equals. She was always more.”
Knox raised a brow. “More?”
I nodded. “More beautiful. More loved. More wanted.”
Elise scoffed softly under her breath, but I ignored her.
her.
I took a slow breath. “When we were children, she got everything she ever asked for. Our father spoiled her. Our mother doted on he She was the golden child. And I was just there.”
Knox’s smirk had faded completely. “And you never questioned it?”
I let out a dry laugh. “Oh, I questioned it. But what answer could I have gotten? That I simply wasn’t enough? That I was only ever meant to stand in her shadow?”
Knot’s eyes darkened, but he said nothing.
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Chapter 201
I continued, my voice quieter now. “She never had to earn love. People just gave it to her. I had to fight for scraps.”
I paused, my fingers curling into my dress.
“And the worst part?” I whispered. “I still loved her. Despite everything. Despite knowing she didn’t see me the same way.”
Silence.
Knox studied me carefully, “And when did it turn into hate?”
I inhaled slowly. “The day she realized I could take something from her.”
A chair scraped against the floor. I glanced up.
Alaric had stopped eating
His sharp gaze met mine, unreadable.
I turned back to Knox, ignoring the heavy weight of those icy blue eyes. “Amira never feared me. I was nothing to fear. But when she found out that Max–her husband–was my mate, something changed.”
Elise scoffed. “And you expect us to believe that’s the only reason?”
I shot her a glare. “You don’t have to believe anything.”
She rolled her eyes, but Alaric’s voice cut through the conversation like a blade.
“Continue
His eyes were also on Elise giving her a slight warning through his gaze.
But I didn’t care about that. He had asked me to continue.
My breath hitched.
It wasn’t a request.
It was an order.
I swallowed, turning my gaze back to Knox. “She rejected me first. Not Max. Her. She looked at me like I was filth. Like the goddess had played a cruel joke on her.”
Knox’s jaw clenched. “And Max?”
1 exhaled, shaking my head. “He didn’t hesitate. He rejected me immediately. Likel was nothing.”
Knox’s eyes darkened.
I continued, my voice quieter. “And Amira! She laughed. And from that day on… I wasn’t her sister anymore. I was her burden
slave.”
Silence stretched between us.
The air in the dining hall felt heavier now,
Knox finally leaned back, his expression unreadable. “She sounds obsessed with you.”
I let out a dry laugh. “She’s obsessed with winning”
Knox hummed, tilting his head. “And yet, despite everything, you still don’t hate her.”
I stiffened. “I never said that.”
He smirked. “You didn’t have to.”
I clenched my fists. “She took everything from me, Knox.”
“And yet, you still wanted her to love you.”
23
Her
9:22 AM c d
Chapter 20
I pressed my lips together, ignoring the way my chest tightened
Because he wasn’t wrong.
Knox sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So, let me get this straight. She stole your mate, turned your entire pack against you. humiliated you at every chance, framed you for murder-
“Knox. I warned.
“–and you still flinch at the idea of hating her!”.
I shot him a glare. “What do you want me to say?
He shrugged. “That you’re done being second to her.”
1 exhaled sharply. “I am done.”
“Are you?”
My jaw clenched.
knox studied me for a long moment. Then, he smirked. “I think you’re still holding onto something. And one day, that’s going to bite you in the ass.
1 gritted my teeth. “You don’t know anything.”
“I know enough”
The table was still silent.
Everyone had heard every word.
I could feel the weight of Alaric’s gaze on me, even though I refused to look at him.
Finally, Knox exhaled and stretched. “Well. That was fun.”
I scoffed. “Go to hell”
Knox chuckled. “I’d rather eat.”
He picked up
his fork again like we hadn’t just had a conversation that had cracked me open for the entire room to see.
I sat there, my heart still racing.
Alaric hadn’t spoken again,
But I was pissed. I don’t know what got into Knox, bug e was acting like a arsehole. It took every ounce of strength for me not to break down here like a useless fool
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