Chapter 145: A Spectacle FIA I stared at Cian’s face as the color drained from it completely. His expression looked like someone had punched all the air from his lungs and left him gasping. "What is she doing here?" The words came out strangled. Rough. I forced myself to look at the blonde woman again. Our eyes met this time. Cornflower blue locked onto mine for a heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Then she looked away and started walking, her white dress catching the light as she moved toward the hallway. "Cian... I..." My throat felt tight. "Fia." He turned back to me. His eyes were wide. Apologetic. Torn. "I..." "I understand." The words came out easier than I expected. Maybe because some part of me did understand. Maybe because I could see the way his entire body was pulled toward that hallway like an invisible string was wrapped around his chest. He swallowed hard. "No. I shouldn’t." "You should." I kept my voice steady even though my hands wanted to shake. "You clearly haven’t gotten closure. Go." His jaw worked. He looked at me like he was searching for permission he’d already been given. Like he was hoping I’d take it back. But I didn’t. He turned and walked away. His steps were quick at first, then faster. Almost running. Chasing after the ghost that had just materialized in the middle of our dance. I stood there on the dance floor while couples moved around me. The music kept playing. Something bright and cheerful that felt wrong against the hollow aching in my chest. Had I made a mistake? The thought hit me hard. I should have told him to stay. I should have asked him to choose me instead of whatever unfinished business lived in that hallway. Because the look in his eyes when he saw her. The hurt. The longing. It was still there. Raw and bleeding and so fucking obvious it made my stomach turn. I’d been certain he moved on. The way he held me. The way he looked at me. The way he said my presence was enough. But I was starting to think that wasn’t the case at all. The room seemed to slow around me. People spun past in their expensive clothes with their champagne glasses and their laughter. Everything felt distant. Muffled. Like I was underwater watching a party happen on the surface. I walked slowly toward one of the far walls. Put my back against it and tried to breathe normally. Now that I wasn’t so overwhelmed by seeing Cian’s ex girlfriend, my brain started putting pieces together. Was this what Aldric had promised? Had this been his big plan for the night after all? My hands grew cold. His ex was a witch. And what did Cian need at this exact moment? A witch. Someone to help his mother. Someone to solve the problem that had him falling apart in my arms just an hour ago. This wasn’t coincidence. This was orchestrated. I took a step forward, not sure where I was going. Just needing to move. "Two lovebirds finding themselves." Aldric’s voice came from beside me. Smooth. Amused. "Ain’t it cute?" I turned to face him. His expression was smug. Self satisfied in a way that made my blood boil. "What kind of a monster are you?" The words came out sharp. "Did you orchestrate this?" He tilted his head. "It looks more to me like the goddess is shining her great light on lost love." "You fucker..." "Okay. That was plain rude. But... you shouldn’t be fixated on me this much." "I wasn’t the only one who saw Cian abandon you on the dance floor and run after the whirlwind romance he had." He chuckled. The sound grated against my nerves. "It has to hurt. But the think pieces that will be flying around right now will be so tea." "What even is your end goal?" "Wouldn’t you like to know?" I crossed my arms. "So Alpha Julius Knight is one of your minions." "I wish I had that power." Aldric smiled wider. "But no. We’re close though. Julius doesn’t necessarily hate Cian, per se. He just saw him as a child that had too much power way too quickly. He figured either my immediate older brother or myself were a much better choice as Alpha of Skollrend." I looked at him. Really looked. I tried and I failed to find something remotely humane under all that calculation. "What about her? Madeline. Is she...?" Aldric’s smile turned sharper. "You think I have the power to make a Blossom witch cower and bend to my will? That’s such a high thought you have of me. I’ll keep that in mind." "So you’re just playing them like fiddles then." My voice came out flat. "Is that all people are to you?" "Want to dance?" He extended his hand. "If you say yes, I’ll be more receptive to your questions. I will even be honest." "I’m not a game or a toy." I pushed past him. My shoulder brushed his arm as I moved. I needed to get away. I needed space. I needed something to stop the spiral happening in my head. Despite telling Cian I didn’t need alcohol, I found myself scanning the room for a waiter. One passed nearby with a tray of amber liquid. I grabbed a glass without asking what it was. The first sip burned. Made my throat feel raw. Made my eyes water slightly. I heard whispers. Low voices that thought they were being subtle. "Is that her?" I turned my head slightly. Two women stood a few feet away. Their eyes locked on me like I was something fascinating and grotesque at the same time. "Yes. I saw Isobel with her daughter earlier, so she has to be the Omega bastard." "You should have had your eyes on the dance floor." The other woman leaned closer. Her voice dropped but not enough. "Alpha Cian abandoned her for that witch he used to see." "Oh, the Blossom girl? What is she even doing here?" "Right? Someone is being messy." Their laughter followed me as I walked away. Each step felt heavier than the last. The alcohol sat in my stomach like a fucking rock. I wasn’t watching where I was going. I was just moving. Trying to find somewhere quieter. Somewhere I could breathe without feeling everyone’s eyes on me. But I bumped into someone. Hard. "I’m sorry," I said automatically as I started to step around them. The man turned. His smile died the second he saw my face. My skin prickled. Every hair on my body stood up at once. "Father." The word came out before I could stop it. Automatic. Learned from years of greeting him the same way. His eyes widened as well. "Fia?" His voice sounded strange. Shocked. "How... How.. how have you been?" I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even speak. I just stood there staring at the man who’d thrown me away. The man who’d decided I wasn’t worth keeping. The man whose rejection and disbelief had now shaped every single day of my life since I chose to wear Hazel’s veil. He looked older. Gray at his temples. Lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. But his face was the same. The same sharp features. The same cold assessment in his gaze. "I..." My voice wouldn’t work properly. "I’ve been fine." The lie tasted bitter. Everything about this moment tasted bitter. "You look well." He cleared his throat. Shifted his weight. "I saw Cian earlier and it looks like things are better for you." "Yes." "That’s good." He nodded. Like this was a normal conversation. Like we were catching up after a short separation instead of the true mess of what it has actually been. "Very good for you. It brings me peace... you know... Given what you did."