Lorien
Two days had passed, but the weight in my chest hadn’t eased.
I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the man staring back. My fingers fumbled with the tie—black and gold, matching the suit Cassius had sent. I hated how it looked so good on me. Hated how it fit like it belonged to me, like it had been made from memory—his memory. And maybe it had. That thought made me want to rip it off.
But I didn’t.
I tightened the knot instead.
Maybe I wore it to prove something. Maybe I just wanted to look like I didn’t care. Maybe—just maybe—I was fooling myself into believing that he’d look at me and realize I wasn’t his anymore. I didn’t want him. Not like that. Not after everything.
“Daddy!” Caius came barreling into the room, eyes wide and sparkly. “You look like a movie prince!”
Lucian appeared behind him, smirking in approval. “Yeah. You’re gonna break hearts tonight.”
I snorted. “That’s not the goal.”
Caius gasped. “It should be!”
Despite myself, I smiled. “Thanks, you two.”
They
