Chapter 1

Lyra's Pov

The wine was halfway down my throat when I heard the name my husband called. I choked, my eyes stinging with sudden tears.

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. No... It can't be her. Surely Dorian would never do this to me. I thought as I blinked back the tears and tried to steady my breathing.

Maybe the dim backstage light was playing tricks on me. I needed to see with my own eyes.

I tentatively drew back the curtain and peered at the stage. At that same moment, she was walking to the stage so I saw her face in full and I gasped.

Dorian held out his hands for her to hold, smiling warmly at her.

"Please guys, meet the one person who made this concert a success. She is the brain behind the success of my album and I can't thank her enough." Dorian began speaking and he turned to face her.

Okay… something is very wrong. Brain behind what? Her? My sworn enemy? No—our sworn enemy!

He couldn't possibly be giving her my glory when he knew what she had done to me? Maybe it was someone who looked like her, when I hear her name, I will know that Dorian cannot betray me this way. I tried to assure myself even with the truth staring right at me in the face.

"Seraphina Drayke. Thank you for making this a success." He finally nailed my heart and leaned close to give her a full kiss on her lips and the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

My eyes widened so much I thought they’d pop out of my skull.

Dorian was cheating on me with Seraphina? 

The bitch who ended my career? The witch who silenced my voice and killed my dreams? The thief who stole my chance and made herself the star I was meant to be?

Hell no! I was not going to stand by and watch history repeat itself. I clenched my fist in barely controlled anger as I marched towards them on the stage.

"Dorian Veynor!" I clapped in mockery as I got closer. "Finally, the mask has fallen off." 

Dorian looked at me in shock because he was not expecting me to be at the concert while Seraphina smirked at my presence.

The bitch was still as audacious as ever and I felt like wiping that infuriating smirk off her face.

"Lyra! What are you doing here? You were not supposed to come." He stammered as he tried to talk due to the shock of seeing me.

Dorian was a star. Seraphina, the reigning queen of music. And me? I used to sing—until Seraphina happened.

"How could you Dorian? How could you work with her again despite knowing what she did to me? How could you collaborate with my enemy behind my back and still have the guts to give her my glory?" I shouted and everywhere became quiet instantly.

All eyes were on us. The organizers and fans who had come to watch their celebrity idols were in shock and confusion at what was going on but I didn't care about keeping appearances anymore.

"Lyra, calm down! This is not the time and place for this discussion. Just go back and we will discuss this after the event is over." Dorian said and held my hands to drag me out but I angrily slapped them away.

"You shameless idiot! You want to settle this in private after giving someone else the praise due to me in public?" I questioned.

"And what the hell are you doing with Seraphina? Of everybody? Have you forgotten what she did to me?" 

I had expected Dorian to show remorse at my question but instead, he appeared frustrated.

"Here we go again! Seraphina this, Seraphina that? Lyra when will you move on and let the past be the past? When will you let go of your jealousy and unforgiveness? It's ten years already! Come on, grow up!" Dorian snapped.

I could not stop the shock that registered on my face as my legs became weak and I took a step backwards to steady myself.

The incident from ten years ago crashed over me. The triumphant grin on Seraphina’s face, the same grin she wore the night she ruined my voice and ended my career.

I turned to Dorian. My supposed husband who had vowed to stay with me and never have anything to do with Seraphina again.

The betrayal cut deep. Not necessarily because I had been the one who had been helping Dorian write all his hit songs and even the majority of the songs on this album and he had appreciated someone else instead. It was not because he had collaborated with someone without telling me but because of who the person was.

Seraphina Drayke of everybody! That was the betrayal.

"What? Cat got your tongue? You can't say anything again?" Seraphina mocked but I was not ready to answer her yet so I turned to Dorian instead.

"Dorian, what did you just say?" I asked.

"You heard me, Lyra. I can’t put my career on hold just to massage your wounded pride over something that happened in high school—something that’s still unclear to this day." Dorian answered with a nonchalant expression on his face that I had never seen before.

My chest clenched painfully as I processed his words. He didn't just do that did he?

He didn't just throw my pain in my face and call the incident that ruined my life unclear. Was he doubting me?

"Dorian? Unclear? Don't tell me that you are doubting me. Don't tell me that after all these years and your promises, you still doubt me." I nearly cried but Dorian did not care.

"Yes Lyra, I still think there is something fishy about that day. We still have to...." 

I didn’t let him finish. My hand flew before I even realized it, cracking across his face with a resounding slap.