Chapter 357: Breakfast IV.
Adrein.
The sound of heels clicking against the floor suddenly echoed through the hall.
Every head turned toward the entrance, and my entire body stiffened instantly.
It was Vanessa.
She strode into the hall as though she owned the place, her posture confident and her chin held high. Expensive jewelry adorned her neck, wrists, and ears, glittering beneath the lights with every step she took. The diamonds sparkled brilliantly, drawing attention to her from every corner of the room.
She should have looked beautiful.
At least, that was what everyone used to say.
There was a time when I would have looked at her and seen elegance. A time when her smile would have softened something inside me.
But not anymore.
Now, all I could see was a monster.
A monster wrapped in designer clothes.
A monster hidden beneath diamonds and beauty.
A monster who had destroyed everything she touched.
"Oops!" Vanessa’s cheerful voice cut through the tense atmosphere.
A wide smile spread across her face as she approached us, completely unfazed by the hostility radiating from everyone in the room.
"What exactly did I miss?" she asked innocently.
The smile on her face only fueled the rage already burning inside me and my hands clenched into fists.
"You backstabbing bitch!" My voice exploded through the hall and the smile on Vanessa’s face didn’t even falter while I took a threatening step toward her. "What have you done?" I demanded.
Vanessa chuckled softly.
The sound was enough to make my blood boil.
"I have done nothing wrong, baby," she replied casually.
She continued walking toward me until there was barely any distance left between us. Then she brushed an invisible speck of dust from my clothes as though we were having a normal conversation.
The absolute audacity.
"You all are the ones in the wrong," she added smoothly and a murmur of disbelief swept through the room.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Davain’s voice rang out sharply from where he stood.
Vanessa slowly turned toward him. "Nonsense?" She raised an eyebrow before walking past me entirely and the confidence in her movements was infuriating and then stopped directly in front of Davain. "It’s not nonsense, Davain." Her smile remained firmly in place. "You all abandoned our wedding plans after announcing them to the entire world." She paused dramatically, allowing her words to settle over everyone present. "The greatest humiliation imaginable."
The room grew even colder.
Aidan scoffed loudly and the sound dripped with disgust. "Do you expect us to go ahead and marry a vile woman?" he asked.
Vanessa gasped dramatically. "Ouch!" She placed a hand over her chest. "That hurts, Aidan." She pouted her lips like a wounded child. "You have always been the one who adores me most."
The statement only made Aidan’s expression darken further, and his jaw tightened while his eyes narrowed.
"Yes, you’re right." he said, as he took a deliberate step forward, his voice dangerously cold. "I was." He added, taking another step. "But now I’m the one who hates you the most."
The smile on Vanessa’s face faltered for the first time.
Aidan’s gaze hardened. "Especially after that pregnancy stunt you pulled."
The accusation hung heavily in the air as everyone stared at Vanessa, waiting for her response.
"Oh, please!" Vanessa rolled her eyes dramatically, her expression filled with frustration and disbelief. "You all left me with no choice, okay?" she yelled.
Her voice echoed through the hall as she threw her hands into the air in exasperation. There wasn’t a single trace of guilt on her face, not even remorse.
If anything, she looked offended as though she were the victim in all of this.
The sight only made my blood boil even more.
Before Vanessa could continue her ridiculous attempt at justifying herself, Noah suddenly moved.
One second he was standing beside us and the next, he had crossed the distance between them.
The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the hall.
Everyone froze.
Vanessa’s head snapped to the side from the impact.
"How dare you kidnap my bride?" Noah demanded, his voice trembling with fury.
The veins in his neck were visible, and his fists remained tightly clenched at his sides as he glared at her.
"You—!" Vanessa immediately raised a hand to her cheek, as shock flashed across her face as she stared at Noah with wide eyes.
For a moment, she looked completely speechless.
"Enough of this drama!" Galen’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Unlike everyone else, she remained perfectly composed, her posture was straight and her expression cold.
"And if this continues," she added firmly, "I will ask the guards to throw all of you out."
The authority in her voice immediately drew my attention and I felt my anger spike, as my jaw tightened.
"And who exactly do you think you are?" I asked, with no attempt to hide the anger in my voice.
Galen clicked her tongue, the sound was annoyingly casual. "You want to know?" she asked, as a small smile appeared on her lips. "Then try me and see."
The challenge in her voice was impossible to miss and I couldn’t help laughing softly, not because anything was funny but because her confidence was almost unbelievable.
"How can a murderer have so much confidence?" I asked with amusement.
Her smile instantly stiffened.
"You have no shame at all, Galen." I shook my head slowly. "I honestly wonder what decent man in his right mind would marry a woman like you."
The words hung heavily in the air.
"Watch your tongue, Adrein." Daniel’s voice was filled with annoyance.
I immediately turned toward him. "What now?" I asked, as I raised an eyebrow. "Are you both a couple?"
The question instantly caused several people to glance between them.
"That isn’t what I’m implying, Adrien," Daniel replied quickly, as there was an unusual urgency in his voice, almost as though he wanted to distance himself from the accusation immediately.
A grin spread across my face. "You see, Daniel?" I chuckled lightly. "Even you don’t want her." I added, as I pointed toward Galen. "Doesn’t that make me right?"
The embarrassment on Galen’s face appeared almost instantly and for the first time since we’d arrived, her confidence seemed to crack.
"Guards!" Her voice rang sharply through the hall and the command was immediate.
A guard stepped forward without hesitation.
To my surprise, he bowed his head slightly toward Galen before awaiting further instructions.
That alone told me more than enough.
"Hold him down." Galen said, as she pointed directly at me, as the smile slowly returned to her face.
The guard obeyed instantly.
Before I could react, he moved behind me and strong hands grabbed both my arms. Within seconds, he had forced them behind my back.
My muscles tensed immediately and the sudden restraint only fueled my anger. I struggled slightly before glaring directly at Galen.
Her smile widened slowly and deliberately, as though she was enjoying every second of this.
My patience finally snapped. "What’s going on here, Galen?" I demanded, my voice thundered through the hall. "What’s the meaning of this?"
The anger in my chest burned hotter as I stared at her, waiting for an answer.
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