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Chapter 5

作者: Levinne
Elena's POV

The banquet hall blazed with light.

As we stepped out of the car, every guest's eyes turned toward us.

Adrian finally took his place at my side again.

He knew well enough that he couldn't lose face in front of others.

I slipped my arm through his without effort.

He didn't refuse.

Clara followed half a step behind us.

More than a few people, seeing her, smiled knowingly.

I heard someone murmur:

“Isn't that Lord Adrian's new assistant?”

“Why would he bring her along?”

“Lord Adrian's wife really is gracious, isn't she?”

I walked in, smiling.

They didn't know I no longer had the strength to care.

The lights in the hall were too bright.

The strings too loud.

Every smiling face wavered before my eyes.

I stood beside Adrian, listening to him talk with the Council members.

When a smile was called for, I smiled.

When a nod was called for, I nodded.

Ten years had made me fluent in the whole routine.

Only today, after standing so long, my legs had gone weak.

I discreetly braced myself against the edge of a table.

The instant my fingertips touched the cloth, Adrian asked quietly:

“Still tired after a whole night's rest? What's really wrong with you?”

My chest clenched.

At the edge of my vision, a barely perceptible worry touched his face.

I breathed through the pain for a few beats, then looked up at him, still smiling.

“It's nothing.”

“It's just stuffy in here.”

This was the end of it; I had no wish to keep clinging to him with both hands.

Adrian had told me long ago: this was only an alliance, and I shouldn't hope he'd ever truly come to love me.

I'd made my peace with it. I wouldn't cling to him anymore.

Maybe the medication had hidden the scent of my sickness completely.

Maybe it was just that Clara came over right then, carrying a drink.

Either way, he didn't press the question.

Clara handed him the glass, the gesture intimate and a little playful.

“Lord Adrian, the Prince is waiting for you over there.”

Adrian took the glass, his gaze leaving my face.

“Wait for me here.”

I nodded.

“All right.”

He led Clara off into the depths of the crowd.

I stood where I was, watching their backs.

And suddenly I remembered our wedding night.

He'd walked out of the room just like this, telling me to wake up to reality.

His back was straight, his stride unhurried.

He never once looked back.

I lowered my head and gave a small laugh.

The ache in my chest began to spread again.

This time, the medicine didn't seem able to hold it down.

Holding the edge of the table, I thought to find a corner and sit for a while.

But just then, the lights in the hall flickered.

The music cut off all at once.

The first sound to break out was a scream.

And then a streak of silver tore through the air from above, flying straight toward where Adrian stood.

A vampire hunter.

My body moved faster than my mind.

Moments ago every step had set me trembling with pain.

Yet in that instant I shoved through the crowd and threw myself toward Adrian.

“Adrian!”
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