I cut my classes halfway and drive home, my hands gripping the wheel tighter than usual. The moment of reckoning is here, and I refuse to be absent when the truth is laid bare. Madam Jessy will be arriving soon, and I need to be prepared.
As I pull into the palace gates, a strange stillness greets me. The air feels heavy, thick with something unspoken. The usual bustling of maids, the distant chatter of guards, gone. Only the sentries remain, their faces unreadable as they salute me. I ignore them and step inside, my heels echoing in the eerie silence.
I move like a shadow to my room. No one stops me. No whispers, no prying eyes. It's as if the palace is holding its breath.
Inside my chamber, I waste no time. I unzip my travel bag and begin packing. I won't stay here a second longer than necessary. My place is not among these vipers. I fold my casual dresses neatly, slipping my personal documents and essentials into the side pocket. The luxury gowns, the leftover jewelry - those remain untouched in my wardrobe. They belong to this palace, to the lies and deception that thrive here. Not to me.
As I close the bag, voices rise from the hallway. Footsteps - heavy, purposeful, heading to the grand hall. They're here. My heart pounds.
I step to the window, parting the curtain slightly. Cassian is walking ahead of the group, his face stiff, unreadable. Behind him, the council members, Lord Edric at the center, exchange low murmurs. Simeon is there, jaw clenched, hands fisted at his sides. The Queen… nowhere in sight.
I exhale slowly.
The storm is here.
And I am ready.
I want to wait, but the raised voices in the grand hall shatter my patience. My pulse quickens. I can't stay inside anymore. I step out, moving swiftly toward the commotion.
As I approach, Liliana's shrill, desperate cries fill the hall. My steps falter when I realize she isn't screaming at Simeon. She isn't yelling at Cassian.
She's confronting the Queen.
I freeze.
"You asked me to come here!" Liliana's voice cracks with hysteria. "You told me to say my son was Cassian's. You swore you'd protect me, take care of me." She sobs violently. "What are you doing just sitting there while I'm being humiliated?"
A chilling laugh echoes through the hall. The Queen's.
"You lying bitch," the Queen spits venomously, her face a mask of scorn. "Watch your mouth before I have you arrested." She leans forward slightly, eyes gleaming with menace. "Do you think I'd ever let you fool my son for years, only to come back with this filth? Claiming a son that isn't his?" She scoffs. "I was merely sympathetic to your pitiful tale. That's why I let you stay under my roof. I should of thought of the DNA test before. But now, I see your true colours." She waves a hand dismissively. "You will be thrown out of this place this very minute."
Liliana stares, mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. She's speechless.
I fold my arms, watching the disaster unfold.
Cassian paces, running a hand through his hair, looking like a man unraveling. His face is pale, his jaw tight, his eyes darting between his mother and Liliana as if trying to process the betrayal.
Simeon grips his son tightly, his face unreadable, but I can see the flicker of triumph in his eyes. The three council members who oversaw the DNA process exchange uneasy glances, helpless in the face of the palace's chaos.
My phone vibrates in my hand. I don't even glance at the screen before answering.
"Yes," I say evenly. "Please come."
The storm has broken.
And the endgame has begun.
Lord Edric finally steps forward, his face a mask of authority. His voice cuts through the tension like a blade.
"Liliana," he announces, his tone final, "you are banned from this palace. Go in, take your belongings, and follow your husband." His gaze hardens. "You have twenty minutes to leave or we will have you arrested and charged for deception."
A collective gasp ripples through the hall. Liliana staggers back as if she's been slapped.
"My…my husband?" she stutters, eyes darting to Cassian, then to Simeon, who stands stiffly, gripping his son's hand.
Simeon doesn't spare her a glance. Instead, he turns to his boy and speaks gently. "Come, son. We're going home."
The little boy clutches his father's hand tighter. "But… Mama?" His innocent gaze swings to Liliana, who stands trembling, her lips quivering.
Simeon exhales sharply. "Your mother made her choices," he says coldly. "Now she has to live with them."
Liliana's breath hitches. "Simeon, please…"
But he's already walking away, his back rigid, his son trailing beside him.
Cassian stands frozen, his hands fisted at his sides, his head bowed. He looks utterly defeated. But more than that, he looks like a fool.
I smirk. Serves him right.
I unfold my arms and tilt my head, waiting for him to at least look at me. Just once.
He doesn't.
Coward.
I shake my head and turn on my heels, leaving him behind with nothing but his shame.