From Betrayed Luna to Wolf Queen (Lillian) novel Chapter 82

CHAPTER 82

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“We are not done!” Vivian’s voice cracked like a whip. “You owe me more than a sorry, Brandon! You ruined my birthday! You ruined my reputation! You painted your finger at me in front of Victor Kane and told everyone I was the one behind it! You threw me to the wolves to save your own pathetic skin!”

This man destroyed everything and he doesn’t even care.

“I did what I had to do.” Brandon’s voice hardened slightly, a spark of the old defensiveness flickering through the exhaustion.” Victor Kane was about to break every bone in my body. What was I supposed to do? Stand there and take it? Let him destroy me because you wanted a fancy birthday party?”

“I wanted a fancy birthday party?” Vivian’s voice hit a pitch that could have shattered crystal. “You told me it was already arranged! You told me your father handled everything! I didn’t ask for any of this! You brought it to me! You wrapped it up in a bow and put it in my hands and told me it was real!”

“Then maybe you should have questioned it!” Brandon shot back, his composure finally cracking. “Maybe you should have asked yourself how a man you’d never met would throw you a party at the most exclusive hotel in the city! But you didn’t question it, did you, Vivian? You swallowed it whole because it was exactly what you wanted to hear! Because it made you feel important! Because for one night, you got to pretend you were somebody!”

The words hit Vivian like a bucket of ice water thrown directly into her face.

She stood in the center of her bedroom, barefoot, in yesterday’s wrinkled dress, her phone pressed against her ear, her mouth open, and for three full seconds, she could not produce a single sound.

Because he was right.

She hadn’t questioned it. Not once. Not for a single moment. She had accepted the lie without hesitation because it tasted exactly like the truth she had always wanted.

“Don’t call me again, Vivian.” Brandon’s voice had gone flat once more, drained of whatever brief energy the argument had produced. “My father has already told me to cut ties with you. Our business partners are pulling out. The Holt family can’t afford to be associated with you right now.”

“Associated with me?” Vivian’s voice came out strangled. “You’re the one who lied! You’re the one who used Victor Kane’s name! This is your fault, Brandon! All of it!”

“And being connected to you made it worse.” His tone was cold now. Final. “You’re toxic, Vivian. Everything you touch turns into a disaster. My father called you a sinking ship, and he’s right. I’m not going down with you.”

He called me toxic. The man I chose over Logan just called me toxic.

“Brandon, wait

“Goodbye, Vivian.”

The line went dead.

Vivian stood there, the phone still pressed against her ear, the silence on the other end filling her head like water flooding a sealed room. Her arm dropped slowly to her side. The phone slipped from her fingers and landed on the carpet with a soft thud.

She stared at the wall in front of her. At the mirror. At the reflection of a woman standing alone in a penthouse that suddenly felt like the loneliest place on earth.

Twenty four hours ago, she had been standing on top of the world. She had a partnership with Imperial Group. She had Brandon Holt’s arm around her waist. She had a birthday party that the entire city was talking about. She had friends and admirers and a future so bright it hurt to look at.

Now she had none of it.

CHAPTER

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The partnership was gone. Brandon had abandoned her. The party had been a lie. Her friends had turned their backs. And the only thing the city was talking about was how spectacularly she had been exposed

She sank onto the edge of the bed, Her knees finally giving way.

The tears came slowly at first. One at a time, rolling down her cheeks and dropping onto the fabric of the dress she had chosen so carefully for what was supposed to be the best night of her life.

Then faster.

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