Revenge amnesia upgraded to his brother novel Chapter 82

**The Goodbye That Never Reached You and My Life Chasing 82**
**Revenge Amnesia. Upgraded to His Brother**

**Chapter 82**

**Norah’s POV**

The banquet hall enveloped me like an ornate prison, a gilded cage where the laughter and chatter felt hollow, devoid of real joy.

Chandeliers blazed overhead, casting a harsh light that glinted off polished surfaces, while the clinking of glasses echoed in the vast space, creating a symphony of emptiness that only heightened my discomfort.

Across the room, Mateo’s gaze was fixed on me, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. He was watching me like a hawk, and the intensity of his stare sent a shiver down my spine.

Finally, he pushed himself away from the table and strolled over, each step measured, calculated. As he leaned in, the scent of his cologne—a sharp, expensive fragrance—washed over me, leaving a cold trail in its wake.

“Lucien doesn’t fight like a gentleman,” he murmured, his voice low and almost reverent, as if he admired the chaos that surrounded us.

I refused to meet his gaze, focusing instead on the swirling liquid in my wine glass, hoping it would offer me some solace.

“That rage…” he continued, a dark glimmer in his eyes, “He wanted to tear me apart. Piece by piece.”

Mateo’s smile turned sharp, almost predatory. “He really cares for you, Nono.”

I raised the glass to my lips, taking a long, bitter sip, letting the taste linger on my tongue as I struggled to process his words.

“But emotions can be a weakness,” he added, his tone shifting to something more sinister. “A fatal one.”

He let that statement hang in the air, giving me a moment to absorb its weight. “Eleanor still has a powerful card to play.”

At that, my heart skipped a beat. I looked up, unable to mask my surprise.

“Don’t give me that look,” Mateo warned, his eyes chillingly flat, reminiscent of a shark’s. “I’m just warning you. Lucien’s obsession with avenging his mother is consuming him, and when a madman loses control, he makes reckless choices.”

He leaned in closer, his breath brushing against my ear. “Be careful, Nono. Don’t let him drag you down. Protect yourself.”

His words sounded like concern, but they felt like a carefully laid trap, designed to ensnare me in a web of deceit.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Mateo stood up straight, his voice booming to cut through the murmurs of the crowd.

“Miss Hawthorne!” he declared, as if announcing a grand reveal. “Since you’ve won me, starting tonight, I—and the Vega family behind me—are yours to command.”

He paused for dramatic effect. “I will help you take back everything.”

The room fell silent, the atmosphere thick with tension, before whispers erupted around us. All eyes were glued to us.

Lucien, however, walked past without so much as a glance in my direction. His demeanor was icy, blank, as he made his way to Amélie’s side, leaving me with a hollow ache in my chest that felt sharp and foolish.

I tightened my grip on the wine glass, the urge to hurl it against the wall bubbling beneath the surface.

As the banquet drew to a close, an unspoken rule seemed to dictate that Lucien would leave with Amélie, as if she had somehow triumphed.

Mateo seized my arm, his grip firm. “Our suite,” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The luxury suite on the top deck was vast, almost overwhelming in its opulence. It felt like another cage, albeit one with a breathtaking view.

Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the inky blackness of the sea, dotted with the faint lights of distant boats that bobbed like lost souls in the dark waters.

I stood by the glass, gazing out at the thin crescent moon illuminating the surface, feeling a profound emptiness settle within me.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, the tension coiling within me.

“Fine. A kiss. Then you talk.”

I rose on my toes, aiming for a quick peck on his cheek—cold and fleeting, nothing more.

But just as I leaned in, Mateo turned his head, capturing my lips with his.

My eyes widened in shock, and before I could pull away, his hand gripped the back of my head, deepening the kiss against my will.

His tongue slid into my mouth, and a sweet, metallic taste overwhelmed my senses.

I squirmed, pushing against his chest, but he was unyielding, a wall of muscle that refused to budge.

One hand slid from my hair down to the small of my back, pressing me firmly against him, while the other slipped lower, gripping my thigh and hiking my leg up around his hip.

“Let… go—” I gasped, finally breaking free for a moment.

But he didn’t retreat far, his lips still brushing against mine, teasing me.

“Look, Nono,” he murmured, his voice low and taunting. “Your knight doesn’t look happy.”

I turned, my heart racing.

Through the glass, on the deck below, stood Lucien, his presence dark and brooding.

He was watching us, his eyes ablaze with a potent mix of rage, jealousy, and betrayal.