“Elle, the driver is here.” Aunt Sarah quickly peered into Avielle’s room to inform, her eyes widening in shock.
“Good heavens, you look…” She trailed off, fully entering the room.
“Could you help me fix my mask, aunt?” Aunt Sarah couldn’t react for two seconds, she was stunned by how gorgeous Avielle looked.
The light blue dress created a beautiful ethereal symphony with the deep blue shade of her eyes.
Her violet hair hidden beneath a full, wavy blonde wig, its tresses cascading down her shoulders.
Aunt Sarah smiled in admiration after tying the mask that concealed half of Avielle’s face, leaving her striking blue eyes and bold red lips.
“You look so beautiful dear, I doubt your jerk of an ex husband will recognize you, but I’m afraid Alpha Zaden will be even more adamant about pursuing you after seeing you like this.” “Thank you aunt.
And you have nothing to worry about, I’ll be fine.
I’ll shut off Zaden’s interest in me so it doesn’t cause more trouble.” She said goodbye to Aunt Sarah with a kiss, then headed downstairs and slid into the car, where the driver held the door open.
The driver began to make his way towards the palace.
Avielle gazed outside for a while before glancing down at her phone when it beeped with an incoming text.
[Avie, we’re already in the ballroom.
I don’t see you, but I’ll make sure to distract the alpha’s gaze whenever I sense you nearby] Avielle sighed, then replied by letting Nelly know that she would be there soon and the color of her attire so Nelly would keep an eye out for her.
The plan was to not let Kyrian see her at all.
Avielle believed that with Nelly there, Kyrian would never be able to look her way.
Nellisa would do anything to distract him.
When the palace came into sight, it looked ablaze with dazzling lights.
Guests already swarming in heavily.
‘This is it, you can do this Elle.’ She stepped out of the car and thanked the driver, carefully climbing the steps.
When the grand doors of the ballroom were pulled open for her, Avielle hesitated momentarily before stepping in.
Knowing that Kyrian was in there set her heart into a marathon of emotions.
He had hurt her in so many ways, she should resent the idea of seeing him again, yet the thought of him made something flip in her stomach, excitement making her heart race.
For some reason, she wondered if what Aunt Sarah said might be true.
Would he really not recognize her?
Or would he be too lost in Claire’s arms to even notice her?
Avielle knew she was playing a dangerous game, and she reminded herself to steer well away from them before she resolutely entered the ball room.
One of the attendants collected her name card, looking at her with a mix of awe and bewilderment before giving her access to proceed.
Avielle was immediately swallowed by a crowd of elegant looking men and women, mingling and laughing in the hall.
Just as she was about to feel relieved that she could easily blend away into some hidden corner without being noticed, the conversations and laughter around her suddenly quietened.
She looked up to realize that all eyes had turned to her.
She couldn’t be sure why everyone was staring, but still she carried herself gracefully, lifting the hem of her gown refusing to make eye contact with anyone.
Still the curious gazes followed her body along with quiet whispers her senses caught sharply.
“Look, it’s her, alpha Zaden’s woman.” “By the goddess, she is stunning.” “She is, I don’t doubt the rumors anymore, the alpha must be so captivated.” “But didn’t the rumors say she was pregnant?” “She is, but I think her dress hides it.
Do you think the alpha will marry her and take the responsibility for her bastard child?” That specific statement caused Avielle to pause.
Her fingers tightening around her dress until her knuckles turned white.
Though she was angered by those words and hated the fact that someone had dared to address her children as bastards, she didn’t want to cause a scene or draw attention to herself, she inhaled a calming breath then continued into the room, smartly evading the limelight to blend into the shadows.
But her plans of escaping didn’t seem to be effective at all as Zaden’s voice carried through, “I’m surprised you decided to come.” Avielle thought he was talking to her, so she slowly turned in the direction of the voice, only to freeze up in shock.
A very familiar man was standing next to Zaden, he was hard to ignore even in the crowd of elites.
A crushingly unbearable pain suddenly filled her chest.
Kyrian’s face settled in her view and she couldn’t even notice anyone else.
His deadly allure filling up the room, the navy blue tux he wore matched perfectly with the mask that shaped every hard line of his handsome face.
He had one hand buried in his pocket and Claire clung to the other, sultrily draping herself right by his side, the orange gown looked expensive and complexly tailored to her.
Avielle’s eyes flicked down to her stomach, it was hard to see if she indeed was pregnant like she’d told Avielle that she was months ago with the layers of the gown hiding it.
She shouldn’t be anywhere near them, not if she didn’t want to be seen.
Avielle realized and hurriedly turned to leave when she suddenly bumped into someone.
“I’m so sorry…” Avielle murmured apologetically.
“It’s alright, you should be more careful.” The elderly woman smiled warmly, evidently not taking offense in what happened, but Avielle suddenly realized that every eye had turned to her because of it.
She felt the hairs on her nape stand and unease crawled into her belly as she slowly turned in Kyrian’s direction, her heart thumping in dread.
She froze when she found him looking directly at her, those dark eyes clashing with her own frightened blue ones and everything seemed to come to a screeching standstill.