SOPHIA’S POV
The MC had just called Tiffany Mrs. Stone in front of everyone, and no one corrected him immediately.
Not Damien. Not Tiffany. Not anyone from their group. The room was full of people, but I had never felt more alone.
My chest didn’t ache the way it once would have. It was worse than that. I felt numb.
I looked at Damien across the hall. He was sitting opposite us with a calm expression. Tiffany lowered her head shyly, pretending to be embarrassed, but I saw the satisfaction hiding behind her expression. She enjoyed every second of this.
The MC, whose name I had now learned was Mr. Collins, laughed into the microphone and continued making jokes about love and loyalty. Guests smiled and raised their glasses.
They treated the moment like a charming mistake. No one cared that the real wife was sitting right here.
My wolf was strangely quiet inside me. She wasn’t angry at all. She was tired.
A server walked past with a tray of champagne. I took one glass, then another from a different tray moments later. I drank quickly, barely tasting either one.
Maybe if I drank enough, I would stop feeling the humiliation of standing in my own marriage like an outsider.
I got up and moved toward the far side of the hall where there weren’t too much people. The music sounded distant there.
I picked up another drink.
“You should slow down.” A voice said.
I froze for a second before turning. Zade stood beside me.
He had approached so quietly that I hadn’t noticed him. His eyes were on the glass in my hand, then on my face. There was no judgment in his expression. There was only concern, which somehow hurt more.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“No, you’re not.”
“I said I’m fine.”
He gently took the glass from my hand before I could stop him. He set it on a nearby table and turned fully toward me.
“You don’t need to punish yourself because he embarrassed you.”
My throat felt tight “I’m not punishing myself.”
“Then what are you doing?”
I wanted to answer quickly. I wanted to tell him to leave me alone. But I was too tired to lie.
“I’m trying not to feel anything,” I said quietly.
For a moment, he said nothing. His eyes moved past me toward Damien and Tiffany. Whatever he felt, he hid it quickly.
“He’s been at her side all night,” Zade said in a low voice. “And you’re standing here drinking alone.”
I looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters.”
I laughed bitterly. “To who?”
“To me,” he said.
The words landed harder than I expected.
I looked at him slowly. He looked straight into my eyes. My wolf stirred inside me.
Before I could respond, movement near the center of the hall drew attention again.
I turned.
Damien was walking with Tiffany toward the hallway leading to the restrooms. He placed one hand on her back as he guided her through the crowd. He leaned down when she spoke, listening closely. She smiled up at him like they belonged only to each other.
My stomach twisted.
“He’s escorting her to the restroom now,” I muttered. “How thoughtful.”
He never did that with me.
The worst part was how natural Damien looked doing it. He looked comfortable, like he enjoyed doing things for her.
“He treats her like she’s precious,” I said softly, mostly to myself.
Zade looked at me “And he treated you like something else.”
I swallowed hard. He was right.
I moved away from there again again and took another drink from a passing tray before Zade could stop me. He caught my wrist this time,.
“Enough.” Zade said
I sighed in frustration “Let go.”
“No.”
His hand was warm around my wrist.
“You’ll make yourself sick.” He said softly.
“Maybe I want to be sick.”
His eyes got darker. “Don’t say that.”
I stared at him. “Why do you care so much?”
“Because I care about you, Sophia. You matter the most to me.”
My eyes burned with tears. Something about his words touched me in a way I didn’t expect.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t do this, not here, not now.
I pulled my wrist free, but I didn’t take another drink.
Across the hall, Damien returned with Tiffany beside him. She was smiling softly again. He stayed close to her, handing her water and speaking near her ear. Anyone watching would think they were deeply devoted.
Mr. Collins noticed them too. He hurried over with his phone in hand, looking excited and eager. I watched from where I stood as he bowed slightly to Damien, then stepped aside and made a call.
A few moments later, I heard George’s name.
My body went cold.
Mr. Collins had put the phone on speaker mode, perhaps to impress the surrounding guests. Damien didn’t stop him.
“Sir George!” Collins said cheerfully. “You should feel proud tonight. Your grandson and granddaughter-in-law are the most loving couple here.”
I felt the floor tilt beneath me. He was talking about Tiffany.
Guests around them smiled awkwardly.
Collins continued happily, unaware or pretending to be unaware.



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