Chapter Twelve

Elaris’ POV

​The waiter had just set down our drinks and taken our food orders when I noticed a shadow falling across the edge of our table, making me look up from my glass of water to see Liora standing right beside my chair with a fake, sweet smile plastered across her face.

​"Elaris, I truly could not believe my eyes when I saw you walking through the restaurant," Liora said, smoothing down her designer white dress while looking down at me with a soft, pitying expression, "it has been six whole years since you abandoned the family without saying goodbye to anyone, so I just had to come over and see how you were doing after living out of the city for so long."

​"We are in the middle of a private family meal, Liora," I replied, my voice dropping into a cold tone as I rested my hands on the table, "so unless you have a legitimate reason to be standing near my children, I suggest you walk back to your own seat."

​"Oh, don't be so defensive, Elaris," Liora continued, letting out a small, artificial laugh as she stepped even closer to my chair while giving Enzo a slow, calculated look, "I was just genuinely concerned about you, because the last time any of us saw you, you were signing divorce papers and leaving the mansion with a single suitcase after Cassian realized he could never truly love you."

​"Is this woman bothering you, Elaris?" Enzo asked, setting his napkin on the table while glaring up at Liora with deep disgust, "Because if she is making you uncomfortable, I can have the restaurant manager remove her from this room immediately."

​"It is completely fine, Enzo, she is just trying to create a scene like she always does," I answered, keeping my eyes fixed on Liora's smug face, "Liora has spent her entire life trying to prove she is better than me, but she forgets that I know every single lie she told to get where she is today."

​"I don't need to lie about anything, sister," Liora sneered softly, leaning down slightly toward me so the surrounding tables would not hear her words, "Cassian chose to take care of me, he gave me a home in his mansion, and he kicked you out because you were nothing more than a temporary stand-in bride who took my wedding dress when I was away."

​Cassandra stared up at Liora with a deep frown, pulling her chair a little closer to Enzo's side, while Casey reached across the table to grab his glass of orange juice to take a drink.

​"You took a wedding dress that was forced onto me, Liora," I stated firmly, looking her dead in the eyes without backing down for a single second, "and as for Cassian, you are welcome to keep clinging to a man who refuses to marry you after six whole years, because I have zero interest in him or the miserable life you built with him."

​"How dare you speak to me like that after everything I endured because of your jealousy!" Liora raised her voice slightly, trying to act like the victim for the benefit of the surrounding diners, "You ran off to have children with another man while Cassian was left dealing with the shame of your sudden departure, and now you come back acting like you are some important lady!"

​As Liora gestured dramatically with her arm, her elbow accidentally bumped into Casey's arm just as he was lifting his drink, causing the entire glass of sticky orange juice to slip out of his fingers and spill directly down the front of her expensive white dress.

​"Oh no!" Casey gasped out, pulling his hands back immediately as the orange liquid soaked through the fabric of her skirt and dripped down onto her expensive shoes.

​Liora gasped loudly, dropping her sweet, gentle act in a fraction of a second as her face twisted into absolute fury, and she lunged forward to grab Casey roughly by his shoulder.

​"You stupid, clumsy little brat!" Liora screamed at the top of her lungs, shaking the six-year-old boy violently while glaring down at him with pure hatred, "Look at what you did to my dress! Do you have any idea how much money this dress costs, you worthless little creature?"

​Casey burst into tears from the sudden shock and pain of her tight grip, hiding his face behind his arms as he trembled in his chair.

​Before Liora could pull him again, I stood up from my chair with lightning speed, reached out my arm, and slapped her hand off my son's shoulder so hard that her body stumbled backward into an empty chair behind her.

​"Take your hands off my son right now!" I shouted, stepping directly between her and my crying boy while Enzo stood up beside me, his jaw clenched in rage as he glared down at her trembling frame.

​"He ruined my designer outfit on purpose!" Liora shrieked, pointing a shaking, orange-stained finger at Casey while looking around at the restaurant guests who were all staring at her in shock, "His mother raised him to be a terrible, uneducated wild animal just like her!"

​"My son made an accidental spill because your arm hit his glass, you crazy woman," I spat back, my voice shaking with pure maternal fury as I held Casey against my side to comfort him, "and if you ever touch my child or yell at him again, I swear to you that ruining your cheap dress will be the least of your worries!"

​"You hit me, Elaris!" Liora yelled, holding her reddened wrist while tears of anger filled her eyes, "I am going to tell Cassian about this, and he will make sure you and your illegitimate children are thrown completely out of this city!"

​"Go run to Cassian like you always do, Liora," Enzo interjected, his voice dropping into a dark, threatening register as he gestured for the restaurant manager, who was hurrying over with two security guards, "because by the time we are done with both of you, neither you nor the Virelli family will have any standing left to threaten anyone in this town."