Betrayed by My Ex, Marked by His Alpha Emperor Brother novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130: Chapter 130

Elara’s POV

Dawn crept through the curtains like a thief.

I hadn’t slept at all. My eyes were dry and burning, fixed on the slow shift of light across the ceiling as night bled into morning. The patterns changed from silver to pale gold, and I tracked every shade like a woman memorizing a landscape she’d never see again.

Kaelen’s arm was still draped across my waist. Heavy. Warm. His breath stirred the hair at the back of my neck in a slow, steady rhythm.

I closed my eyes and let myself feel it. The heat of his chest against my spine. The weight of his hand resting just below my ribs. The faint scent of cedarwood and iron that clung to his skin no matter how many times he bathed.

Remember this.

His arm tightened. He shifted behind me, pulling me closer, and his lips brushed the curve of my shoulder.

"Morning," he murmured. His voice was rough with sleep. Intimate. The kind of sound that belonged only to this room, this bed, this space between us that no one else would ever occupy.

"Morning." My voice came out steady. I’d practiced this. Rehearsed it in the dark hours while he slept. Every word. Every inflection.

He propped himself on one elbow, and I felt his gaze on the side of my face. Those dark gold eyes—searching, always searching.

"Did you sleep?"

"I slept very well, honestly. I was just a little tired after Riley’s party yesterday, so I drifted off quickly." The lie slid out smooth as silk. I even managed a small smile as I turned to face him.

He huffed a quiet laugh. His thumb traced a lazy circle on my hip.

"You’re sure you’re all right?"

"I’m sure."

Liar.

We talked for a few more precious minutes. He engaged with me warmly, and when he mentioned he might be a little late coming back tonight, I crossed to the wardrobe where his formal clothes hung in neat rows. I selected a silk cravat—deep burgundy, his color—and turned to face him.

He stood still as I looped it around his collar. My fingers worked the knot with practiced precision, smoothing the silk flat against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat through the fabric. Strong. Steady. Alive.

"There." I straightened the fold. Let my palms rest against his chest for one beat too long.

He caught my chin. Tilted my face up.

"I’ll see you tonight," he murmured warmly, a dark gold promise in his eyes. "We’ll continue our intimate moments then. I promise."

I rose on my toes and kissed him deeply, masking my lie about seeing him later. His hand curved around the back of my neck, and for one terrible, perfect moment, my resolve cracked straight down the center.

I pulled back before it shattered completely.

"See you tonight."

He smiled. Pressed one last kiss to my forehead. Then he was gone, his boots echoing down the corridor.

I stood in the empty bedroom and pressed both hands over my mouth until the sound building in my throat died.

Before heading downstairs, I began the morning routine I had perfected over the past year—brewing herbal tea and preparing breakfast.

The kitchen smelled like oats and honey. I poured myself a cup of herbal tea while Valerius sat at the table, hunched over a bowl of cereal, his black hair sticking up in three different directions. He stabbed his spoon into the bowl with the grim determination of a soldier preparing for battle.

"What’s wrong, sweetheart?" I asked. My hands did not shake.

"Math test." He said the words like a curse. "Fractions."

I slid into the chair beside him. "Which part?"

"All of it. Fractions are stupid."

I smoothed down the most rebellious tuft of his hair. It sprang right back up. "You know what? Daddy’s actually very good at fractions. He’s going to help you with your homework tonight. And he’ll pick you up from the academy too."

His dark gold eyes—those eyes that were a mirror of his father’s—lit up. "Really? He promised?"

"He promised."

"Eat your cereal, sweetheart," I said gently.

He grinned. Shoved a massive spoonful into his mouth. Milk dribbled down his chin.

I reached over and wiped it with my thumb. He squirmed away, laughing.

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