ログインAshtonThe door opened almost immediately, Diana stepped in.For a brief second, the room looked less miserable.She still had on that red dress from earlier, though she had taken off the heavier jewelry. She looked… easier like this. Less curated.A sight for sore eyes, one might say.Unfortunately, I had other problems.Before she had even crossed fully into the room, I had already swept the last of the Silvercrest reports into the locked lower drawer of my desk. The papers disappeared beneath wood and keys with all the dignity they did NOT deserve.No one needed to know I was investigating Diego.“Am I interrupting something?” she inquired, her voice light.“Yes,” I said.She blinked at first then chuckled softly.I allowed myself the faintest curve of amusement before motioning toward the chair across from me. “Take a seat, since you’re determined to do so anyway.”She smiled and crossed the room, settling elegantly into the seat.“Is everything alright?”“Yes.”“That answer was s
AshtonI stood at the doorway a bit longer just watching her lay still beneath the covers, her breathing slow and even, her lashes resting against her cheeks like none of tonight had happened.The way she had looked at me with that expression right before the sleep took her wasn't something I enjoyed very much.I wanted to go closer again. Instead, I looked away first.Cowardly, maybe.Necessary, definitely.I turned and walked to the door, then paused with my hand on the handle. One last glance.She still hadn’t moved.Good. That meant my influence had settled properly.I stepped out and shut the door quietly behind me.Two guards were already standing outside with their backs straight and heads lowered.“Stay here,” I ordered. “No one goes in. No one. Am I clear?"“Yes, Your Majesty.”I held their gaze a second longer just to make sure they understood I meant exactly what I said, so excuses later on will be void. Then I walked off down the corridor.Thinking back to what I had to do
LanaUnstable.That word did not just hit me. It ripped it's way right through me.My eyes stayed locked on Ashton’s face, but everything inside me was shaking so badly it felt like my bones had gone loose under my skin.Unstable?Was that what he thought of me?Was that what he had reduced me to after everything?I tried to speak, gods, I tried.My throat strained but not so much as a squeal could come out.Ashton saw it my internal struggle and his expression changed just a little into something of regret.Too late for that now!“I’m sorry,” he whispered under his breath.Sorry?My fingers twitched uselessly at my sides.Sorry?He had me trapped in my own body and he was saying sorry like that fixed shit.His voice dropped lower.“Forgive me for this ”A tear slipped down before I could stop it.Humiliating.I hated that he saw it.I hated that he was the reason for it.He took one slow breath, then said, “I’m doing this because I care for you.”I stared at him.No no, don’t do that
Lana“Why don’t you see it?”The question tore out of my lips before I could smooth it down into something calmer.My throat was already hurting from everything I had swallowed tonight, and the words came out rough, cracked at the edges.Ashton stood in front of me in the dim corridor, completely quiet. Not saying anything at all.I swallowed hard and asked again, quieter this time, but no less sharp.“Why don’t you see what she’s doing?”Finally, he spoke.“What are you talking about, Lana?”A humorless laugh slipped out of me.What was I talking about? Seriously?I stared at him, my fingers curling so tightly into my palms my nails bit skin.“Diana. I’m talking about Diana. She has been all over you since the day she got here. She follows you around, touches you whenever she can, stands too close and talks like she already belongs beside you—” My breath caught, but I pushed through it anyway. “Why can’t you see that she obviously wants you?!”The second the words left my mouth, my c
Part 1LanaI was just about to take a step forward when Ashton turned around. He had felt me.Or maybe Diana had looked at me too long and he noticed.Either way, the second his eyes landed on me, I straightened automatically.My shoulders.My chin.Even my face.It was annoying, honestly, how quickly I pulled myself together under his gaze.He looked at me from across the ballroom and a soft smile appeared on his lipsMy fingers brushed down the front of my dress without thinking. Smooth beneath my palm. I looked down at it for half a second, then back up—I gasped.He was right in front of me.One second he had been standing beside Diana.The next he was here.Close enough that I could catch the clean familiar scent of him beneath all the ballroom perfume and candles.“God,” I muttered under my breath. “You need to stop doing that.”His mouth twitched.His eyes stayed on mine for a second too long and just like that, everything around me blurred for a beat.“You look beautiful.” he
Lana“What?!”The word flew out of my mouth so loudly the beta maid in front of me nearly dropped the tray she was carrying.I blinked at her.She blinked back at me.Then she looked down at the tray nervouslyThen at me again.I looked down at what she was holding. A bowl of flour, eggs stacked carefully in a smaller basket, sticks of butter, sugar, vanilla flavours, milk, and some ridiculous amount of berries balanced on the edge like the whole thing wasn’t one wrong step away from disaster.My brows pulled together.“For what?” I asked again, slower this time, like maybe I had somehow heard wrong the first time.The maid shifted awkwardly before answering. “For Lady Diana’s birthday, my Luna.”My face stayed blank for exactly two seconds.Then I let out a short laugh. There was truly no humor in it. No joy.Just disbelief.“You’re joking.”She looked horrified. “N-No, my Luna.”Of course she wasn’t. Of course!I stared at the tray for another second before stepping aside so she cou
Chapter 64LanaWorst full moon celebration ever.That was the only thing in my head as I stood there under the moon with a goblet in my hand that I hadn’t even touched yet.Music rock Silvercrest but all I could hear was Diana’s voice."Ashton already knows I’ve loved him."What she had said earli
LanaMy voice had came out harsher than I intended, tearing cleanly through the quiet state of willow hollow.Diana, at first staring at me, her expression changed so fast it almost would’ve fooled me if I didn’t already know better.Her eyes widened, lips parted. Her hand even lifted to her chest
LanaI wanted to say something. Anything.Stop! Wait! She’s lying. It wasn’t Sloan.But the words never made it past my throat.I just stood there as the guards dragged the maid away like she weighed nothing. Her feet scraped against the ground while her voice cracked from all the crying she had be
LanaBefore night even had the chance to settle properly, I was already standing in front of the mirror, trying to make myself look perfect for tonight.I dragged the lipstick carefully across my bottom lip, then pressed both lips together.My hair had taken forever but I made it work.Sapphire was







