Aria’s POV
I didn’t know how I made it through.
My entire body felt like it could collapse at any mont. Every step took effort. Every breath burned. But I couldn’t skip work. I desperately needed this paycheck. I needed to get out of here. Away from this city. Away from him.
So I put on my uniform. Tied my hair back. Covered the dark circles under my eyes with cheap concealer. And walked into Moonlit Velvet like my world hadn’t just ended.
The mont I stepped through the staff entrance, I knew sothing was wrong.
Conversations stopped. Heads turned. Eyes followed with that particular gleam of hungry curiosity.
Gossip.
It was buzzing through the club like angry hornets. I caught fragnts as I moved toward the bar.
"Did you hear? They’re back together."
"Kael and Rebecca. Like nothing ever happened."
"I heard she was just a ga. So birthday present or sothing."
"Poor thing. Did she really think she had a chance?"
My chest constricted so tight I thought my ribs might crack. I kept walking. Kept my face blank. Kept pretending I couldn’t hear every word.
They were back together.
Kael and Rebecca.
Of course they were.
This morning, he’d told the whole thing was a ga. Entertainnt for his ex-girlfriend. And now here they were, celebrating their reunion in the sa club where I served drinks for minimum wage.
The universe had a sick sense of humor.
I grabbed my notepad from behind the bar. Checked my section assignnts. Started my shift like a robot running on empty batteries.
Smile. Take orders. Deliver drinks. Clear tables. Repeat.
Don’t think. Don’t feel. Don’t look at the VIP section.
Definitely don’t look at the VIP section.
But my eyes betrayed . They kept drifting toward that corner booth. The one with the best view. The one reserved for Blood Crown’s elite.
There he was.
Kael.
He looked the sa as always. Devastating. Untouchable. His dark hair fell carelessly across his forehead. His jaw was sharp enough to cut glass. Those black-gold eyes stared at his phone, completely absorbed.
Like nothing had happened. Like this morning ant nothing.
Because it didn’t. Not to him.
Rebecca was draped across his arm. Her golden hair cascaded over one shoulder. Her green eyes sparkled with triumph as she surveyed the room. She wore a dress that probably cost more than my monthly rent. Red silk that clung to every curve.
She looked like a queen. And she knew it.
My stomach lurched. Bile rose in my throat.
I turned away. Forced myself to focus on the custor in front of .
"What can I get you?" My voice ca out steady. Sohow.
The next two hours were torture.
I moved through the club on autopilot. Smiling when I needed to smile. Nodding when I needed to nod. Pretending I was fine when I was dying inside.
Every few minutes, I caught another whisper. Another pitying look. Another cruel smirk from soone who’d heard the story.
The Shadow Moon girl who thought she could catch an Alpha heir.
How pathetic.
How stupid.
How naive.
When my break finally ca, I practically ran to the staff room. My hands were shaking. My vision was blurring.
Not here. Not in front of everyone.
I slamd the door behind . Collapsed onto the tal bench. Pressed my back against the cold wall.
And finally let myself cry.
The tears ca hot and fast. Silent. Unstoppable. I clamped my hand over my mouth to muffle the sobs tearing from my chest.
I hated this. Hated that he could still destroy like this. Hated that after everything—after Finn, after my family, after all the lessons I should have learned—I’d let myself hope again.
Hope was poison. Hope was a lie.
Kael had made that perfectly clear.
The door creaked open.
I scrambled to wipe my face. Tried to pull myself together. Failed miserably.
Elara stepped inside. Her pretty face creased with concern when she saw .
"Aria?" Her voice was soft. Worried.
"It’s nothing." The words ca out too fast. Too high. My voice trembled like a leaf in a storm. "Just family stuff. No big deal."
Elara hesitated. She clearly didn’t believe . But she was too kind to push.
"Okay." She shifted her weight. Looked uncomfortable. "But, um... Rebecca wants you to serve their table."
My heart plumted through the floor.
"What?" The word ca out as barely a whisper.
"She insisted." Elara continued, looking miserable. "Said if you refuse, she’ll talk to the manager."
Panic clawed at my throat. "But that’s not even my section tonight!"
Elara shrugged helplessly. "I explained that. She didn’t care. What’s going on, Aria? Did sothing happen with you and..."
She trailed off. But I knew what she was asking.
Everyone knew.
"I have to go." I stood on shaking legs. Smoothed my apron with trembling hands.
Elara sighed. She wanted to ask more questions. I could see them burning in her eyes. But when I rushed past her, she held back.
Thank god for small rcies.
I stopped in the hallway. Drew in a shuddering breath.
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t face them. Couldn’t sit there and smile while Rebecca gloated and Kael pretended I didn’t exist.
But I couldn’t afford to lose this job either.
If I refused, Rebecca would make a scene. She’d complain to managent. She’d get fired. And then what? No money. No way out. No future.
I was trapped.
Just like always.
I lifted my chin. Squared my shoulders. Started walking toward the VIP section.
Each step felt like wading through wet concrete. The noise of the club faded to a dull roar. All I could hear was my own heartbeat. Thundering. Panicked.
Twenty feet.
Fifteen.
Ten.
They ca into focus. Kael, still staring at his phone. Completely indifferent to the world around him. Rebecca, leaning back in her seat, watching approach with the satisfied smile of a cat who’d cornered a mouse.
Five feet.
I stopped at their table. My hands gripped my notepad so tight my knuckles went white.
"Good evening." My voice ca out flat. Professional. Dead. "What can I get for you?"
Rebecca tilted her head. Her smile widened into sothing predatory.
"Aria." She drew out my na like it was a joke. Sweet as poison. "No rush. Sit down."
I froze. My stomach dropped another six inches.
"I’m working, ma’am—"
"Don’t make repeat myself." Rebecca’s voice turned ice cold. Sharp as a blade. "Sit. Down."
I hesitated. Looked around for an escape. Found none.
Slowly, reluctantly, I lowered myself into the chair across from them.
Rebecca laughed. Sharp. Victorious.
"Much better." She leaned forward, elbows on the table. Her green eyes glittered with malicious glee. "So tell . How did it feel? Dating my boyfriend?"
I dug my nails into my palms under the table. Drew blood. Welcod the pain.
I knew exactly what she was asking. But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of a response.
Silence was my only weapon.
"I an, it must have been amazing, right?" Rebecca continued, leaning closer with obvious delight. "He’s pretty good in bed, isn’t he?"
Heat flooded my face. Sha. Humiliation. Rage.
I said nothing. Stared at the table.
"Cat got your tongue?" Rebecca laughed again. "God, this is pathetic. You’re not even going to defend yourself?"
I didn’t trust my voice. Didn’t trust myself not to scream or cry or break completely.
So I stayed silent.
Rebecca turned to Kael. Pressed a kiss to his cheek. He didn’t move. Didn’t react. Just kept scrolling through his phone like none of this was happening.
Like I wasn’t even there.
My chest felt like it was caving in.
"You should say thank you, you know." Rebecca turned back to . Her voice dripped with condescension. "If I hadn’t chosen you, would you ever have gotten to touch soone of our... caliber?"
I kept my eyes fixed on the table. Refused to speak.
"Don’t be difficult." Rebecca laughed again. "You want to know sothing funny? He told you were the most disgusting thing he’d ever touched. I’m taking him to get tested for STDs after this. Just to be safe."
The words hit like physical blows.
My already shattered heart turned to ash.
Finally, I raised my head. Looked at Kael through tear-blurred eyes.
For the first ti since I’d sat down, I t his gaze directly.
Those black-gold eyes. The ones that had burned with sothing that looked like passion last night. The ones that had watched fall apart this morning with cold indifference.
They stared back at now. Blank. Empty. Like I was a stranger. Like we’d never touched. Never kissed. Never shared anything at all.
My mouth opened. I wanted to say sothing. To defend myself. To call him a liar. To ask if any of it had been real.
But before I could form a single word—
Pain exploded across my face.
The slap echoed like a gunshot.
Every head in the club turned toward us.
My head snapped to the side. My cheek burned with fire. Stars danced across my vision.
Rebecca’s hand still hung in the air.
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