Betrayed by Blood: My Second Life as a Queen novel Chapter 9

The wedding concluded, and Xavier still hadn't found a single trace of Willow.

It was as if she had vanished into thin air. He had watched her leave on the cameras, but the trail went completely cold outside the venue.

Enraged, he shattered a towering champagne pyramid in the private suite!

Beside him, Tessa's smile had long since died, leaving her face ashen.

Left with no other options, Xavier addressed the elite crowd at the reception. "I deeply apologize. As her eldest brother, I failed to discipline Willow. She has shockingly abandoned her fiancé to run off with another man. Thankfully, Tessa gracefully offered to step in to save the ceremony. She has always been selfless, and it breaks my heart that the Shaw family has put her in such a difficult position."

The guests exchanged stunned glances, but many quickly bought the lie.

After all, Willow's rebellious reputation was well-known in their circles. It wasn't hard to believe that the girl who spent years bullying Tessa would pull a stunt like eloping and leaving a mess behind!

Someone sneered indignantly, "She dates Elias for three years and just bolts? What a slap in the face to the Landon family! How utterly shameless!"

Hearing the venom directed at Willow, a subtle smirk graced Tessa's lips before she feigned a timid defense. "Please don't be too hard on Willow. She's just spoiled, she didn't mean any harm. Besides, I truly love Elias. Being with him makes me so happy."

Her tactful performance immediately smoothed the ruffled feathers of the Landon family. Any lingering doubts they had about accepting an adopted daughter vanished.

She was actively protecting their pride, after all.

"The honor is entirely mine," Elias said smoothly, his eyes flashing with just the right amount of sorrow. He played the heartbroken victim perfectly.

Even though he had known about the bait-and-switch the entire time.

The couple's perfectly synchronized act cemented Willow as the ultimate villain in the eyes of the elite.

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