Lahat ng Kabanata ng Beautiful Betrayal: Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

The Hidden BloodlineHope Elara was finally asleep.For the first time since they arrived, her breathing was soft and steady. Zenep sat beside her, gently running her fingers through her mother’s hair, while Zoey sat in the corner with a notebook on his knees, quietly practicing his handwriting.The room should have felt peaceful.But Valduz could not stop thinking about one name.Anastasia Rizen.Hope Elara’s mother.The name was more than a name. Among wolves, it carried power.Before disappearing more than thirty years ago, Anastasia had been one of the strongest alpha females in existence. Even now, wolves still spoke about her like a legend.And Hope Elara was her daughter.Valduz’s jaw tightened.If the Rizen family had known Hope Elara existed, everything might have been different. They never would have allowed him near her so easily.Her bloodline carried power, authority, and a legacy that powerful families would do almost anything to protect.But another question troubled hi

Hope Elara stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself.For one dangerous second, she felt seventeen again.Like this was prom night.Like one wrong moment could ruin everything.Or change it.Her younger self never would have believed this version of her life could exist.That one day, Hope Elara would be getting ready for a real date in a dress she had designed herself.For a night that actually mattered.Her fingers slowly smoothed over the royal blue fabric.Soft. Flowing. Made exactly for her.She had designed the dress when she was twenty-two.Back then, Hope Elara had thought she understood herself.She hadn’t.Her body had changed since then.Pregnancy. Stress. Weight gained and lost.Life.Yet somehow, the dress still fit as though it had been waiting for her.Hope Elara turned slightly toward the mirror.The crisscross straps rested perfectly against her back. Nothing pulled. Nothing felt uncomfortable.And for once, she did not immediately search her reflection for s

“The coat,” Valduz corrected quickly. “So I can see the rest of the dress.”Hope Elara laughed before she could stop herself.“Wow. That almost went very wrong.”Valduz groaned.Even the tips of his ears had turned red.Somehow, seeing a man as intimidating as Valduz embarrassed only made him more attractive.“We should probably leave before you say something we can’t recover from.”“You’re right.”A muffled laugh came from behind Hope Elara.She glanced toward the hallway.Tessa stood there with one hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking. Freddy was beside her, looking just as amused.They had clearly been watching.Tessa noticed Hope Elara looking and immediately pressed a finger to her lips.Then she grabbed Freddy and pulled him out of sight before Valduz could turn around.Hope Elara bit back another laugh.His family was strangely adorable for people powerful enough to terrify almost anyone.She stepped closer to Valduz.“Ready?” he asked.Hope Elara nodded.Together, they w

Hope Elara laughed the moment she saw Valduz’s phone.Of course he had found it.Of course he had.Valduz lifted the screen slightly, making sure she got a good look.And there she was.Full mermaid costume. Glittering makeup. Bright smile.She looked confident in a way Hope Elara barely recognized anymore.Her stomach dropped.“Oh my God.” She covered part of her face. “Please, no.”She grabbed her water and took a sip as if it could somehow save her from the embarrassment.“That was literally my lock screen until I was twenty-five.”Valduz’s grin widened.“Good.”He didn’t sound ashamed at all.Then his eyes narrowed slightly.“Just so you know...”Hope Elara immediately became suspicious.“Your no-shirt-and-suspenders phase?” She pointed at him. “Terrible.”Valduz groaned.“My parents refused to bring me anywhere back then.”“I expect nothing less from them.”Hope Elara laughed, and some of the tension between them disappeared.Not all of it.But enough for the date to feel easy ag

“Things aren’t even bad yet, Angel.”Before Hope Elara could pull her hand away, Valduz caught it and held on.“I tried to keep you out of all this.”A heavy silence settled between them.“But I’ll protect you.”His voice lowered.“You and the twins.”It didn’t sound like a promise he was still considering.It sounded like a decision he had already made.“You’ve got me wrapped around your fingers.”Valduz lifted her hand and pressed a slow kiss to her fingertips.Hope Elara’s heart jumped.“I built a version of myself for the world,” he admitted. “So if I disappeared one day, it wouldn’t matter.”Hope Elara stared at him.“Valduz...”Then she reached across the table and tapped the middle of his forehead with her palm.Valduz blinked.“You just hit me.”“I’m trying to fix your brain.”She calmly picked up her wine and took a sip.Valduz continued staring at her.“I never want to hear you say that again,” Hope Elara added.There was no hesitation in her voice.Valduz went quiet.People