Damion’s POVThe night stank of scandal.By the time I left Mia standing on that balcony, the storm inside me was worse than the chaos that had unraveled in the ballroom.I was supposed to be in control. Always. My word was law, my presence enough to command silence. Yet when I looked at her—when I saw that fire in her eyes, that unyielding defiance—it rattled me.I should have crushed it.But instead, I wanted more of it.The corridor stretched before me, lined with gold sconces, polished marble, and guards who lowered their eyes as I passed. They bowed, but the usual satisfaction that came with such submission wasn’t there. My mind was still on her.Lyra.Mia.Or both.The way she said she had already died once—spirits, it made my chest tighten. Her voice had been steady, but I caught the tremor underneath. That wasn’t a performance. That was truth.And truth like that was dangerous.My fists curled at my sides. She thought exposing Nyla would bring her justice. She didn’t see the b
Lyra (Mia)’s POVThe ballroom stank of betrayal and fear.Even as Damion’s hand guided me through the dispersing crowd, the whispers clung to my skin like damp cloth. I could feel their eyes burning into me—dissecting every word I had spoken, every ounce of fury in my voice.But I didn’t regret it.Not one word.Nyla’s face when the footage played would be etched in my memory forever. The way her mask slipped, the way her composure cracked, the way the smug princess of the Bennett family suddenly looked like nothing more than a cornered rat. For once, she couldn’t lie her way out.For once, I was the one holding the blade.Still, as Damion’s grip tightened around mine and he pushed open the tall balcony doors, cold air spilling in to wash over us, I felt my chest tighten.He let the door swing shut behind us, blocking out the muffled noise of chaos. Out here, it was only him and me. The night sky stretched wide and endless above, stars scattered like judgmental witnesses.I had barely
Xander’s POVThe echoes of her scream still clung to the marble walls long after they dragged Nyla away.The woman I once trusted. The one I let into my home, into my bed, into my future. Now paraded before everyone as a murderer.The flashes of cameras hadn’t stopped even as the chaos unfolded. Journalists in the back corner were still scribbling, their pens moving like hungry rats desperate for crumbs. The audience, once applauding me as a genius, now whispered, heads bent together in fevered gossip.My stomach churned.This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to end. I had envisioned glory, champagne, headlines celebrating Xander Design’s triumph. Not humiliation, not scandal, not Nyla dragged away like some criminal out of a cheap drama.And yet…I couldn’t bring myself to look away from her.From Mia.Or Lyra, as she had screamed at the top of her lungs—like she was daring me to remember.She stood there like a specter of my past, eyes blazing with vindication. Every word she’d throw
Lyra (Mia’s) POVThe hall erupted into chaos.Gasps, screams, and sharp intakes of breath filled the air as the video froze on the last frame—the knife buried in my chest, Nyla’s hand pressed firmly around the hilt.A hush swept through the room, heavy and suffocating, before the murmurs began again, louder this time, urgent and venomous.“She killed her…”“Her own twin—how could she?”“The Alpha’s mate—what a disgrace!”Every pair of eyes in the hall turned on Nyla. Faces that had once adored her, envied her, or respected her now twisted with horror and contempt. The carefully painted mask she had worn for years was cracking, falling away piece by piece under the weight of truth.Mother was the first to move. She rose slowly, her hands trembling, her lips quivering as though they struggled to form words. Her gaze was locked on Nyla, disbelief and grief shining through her eyes.“Tell me this is a lie,” she whispered, voice shaking. “Tell me this is not true, Nyla…”Nyla staggered ba
Lyra (Mia’s) POVI had planned to take them down one by one.I didn’t expect both of them to line up against me.Damion remained on the stage. He was in the dark about this part of the plan, but he stood by me nonetheless. At this point, that was the only thing I could hope for.If Nyla thought ganging up with her husband would scare me into backing away, she was wrong.“I didn’t call him a murderer. I only called him an accomplice. You are the one who is the murderer!”Everyone gasped, their ears sharp and ready to catch the drama about to unfold.Nyla scoffed and threw her hands up in the air. “I have had enough of you handing out allegations all evening! You just can’t stand not being the center of attention, can you?”I could see what she was trying to do—go off topic. I could smell the fear on her, the fear that I might actually present evidence that would get her in trouble.Well, her fear was justified. Because I was about to end whatever career and reputation she had managed t
Karma destroys a man on the very day he believes he’s untouchable. Just when I thought I’d finally found a reason to celebrate, my entire world came crashing down.What a day.After the setback with Mia refusing to give me money, I found another way.I wasn’t about to hang my head and cower just because one path closed. There was always another door to force open—and I found it.I got the money. I paid the bribe. I won the award.That was how the night was supposed to go. That was the dream I prayed for—and I made it happen. I beat the system.I had won.The feel of that cold award in my palm? It was like tasting heaven. Nothing could beat this—not even an orgasm.I had everything set up for a celebration. I was going to make sure the whole world knew I was back.But then a rock had been hurled straight into my well-planned machine, and everything went off the rails. The victory drums would have to be silenced—at least for now.“How dare you?!” I snapped at Mia, turning toward her. “I