The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 133

Liora’s POV

I slipped into my father’s apartment, still wearing my stained, damp dress from the ceremony that I never got to attend. The wet fabric had gone cold against my skin, making me shiver; or maybe it was just the summons that was sending a chill down my spine.

My father was waiting for me in the small study of his apartment. His eyes locked onto me the moment I stepped into the room, and the fiery anger that I saw there made my spine stiffen on instinct.

But it was the man standing beside him that really made my nerves tingle.

It was the janitor from yesterday.

Not Jessica in disguise, but a short man in a janitor’s uniform. With his hat off, I could see his features more clearly; brown hair, blue eyes, and the kind of rugged face that screamed “royal guard”.

Shit. The janitor was my father’s doing, wasn’t it? It had never been Jessica in disguise or a random creepy employee, but rather the undercover bodyguard that my father had promised he wouldn’t assign to me.

“Liora,” my father said, leaning forward with his knuckles planted hard on top of his desk. “Just before the ceremony, I received word from my agent that you were still involved with the drama regarding those other three students. I had hoped that he was wrong, but now I know it was true.”

I pulled my head back and looked at the janitor. “Involved with the drama?” I blurted out. “I didn’t do anything.”

My father held the vial of Wolf’s Edge up. “Rather than reporting this to me immediately, you went on your own adventure.” He nodded toward my ankle. “Hurting yourself in the process, it seems.”

“I hurt myself in an attempt to get away from the strange man who was following me.” I lifted my chin and leveled my father with an angry glare. “You said you wouldn’t—”

“I couldn’t trust you, Liora. I had to do what I thought was best, and it seems I was correct in that decision. Why didn’t you bring this to me sooner, rather than allowing Mr. Alder to drag your name even further through the mud at the ceremony?”

My jaw clenched. I wanted to say that it was Callum’s fault; he had taken the vial from me, claiming to handle it himself, but he had lied to the principal about everything.

Ass.

But I didn’t say that. I didn’t even want to say it out loud; it made me too angry.

My father took my silence for guilt and sighed, straightening. “I can’t believe you’re still deigning to engage in this whole thing. It’s unbecoming of a princess.”

“And what am I supposed to do, then?” I muttered.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you to do: reveal your identity. Put all of these rumors to bed. Leave this school and return to the palace, where you belong. We’ll find a way to restore your wolf once you’re home, safe, and with all this nonsense behind you.”

“You know I can’t do that,” I retorted. “If I reveal myself now, then everyone will know that the Princess is wolfless. If you think my name being dragged through the mud is bad now, imagine what it’ll be like when it’s no longer ‘Belrose’, but rather your daughter.”

My father pursed his lips, but I held his gaze. “You know I’m right,” I said.

“Perhaps you are. But I’d rather you come home, regardless of the consequences.”

I thought about that for a moment; admittedly, returning to the palace, where my advisors and servants and tutors and guards could handle everything for me just as they always had done, had crossed my mind multiple times.

I could go home, back to my old life, and never have to deal with any of these people again.

My father’s Beta handed me the bag. Inside was an exquisite emerald gown with a full skirt and trailing bell sleeves. It was from my personal collection at the palace.

They left me after that, and I changed into the dress. I had to admit that it was sort of empowering to put it on after my last one got ruined. This one trailed on the floor behind me, and it covered my ankle brace, too.

Once I was ready, I steeled myself and returned to the banquet hall. The guests were still abuzz when I entered; the ceremony still hadn’t begun yet. The guards gave me dirty looks as I passed, but allowed me to enter.

But as the doors swung open, and I strode in, all heads turned to me—and the room fell silent, save for the sound of a single glass shattering against the floor.

I glanced over out of the corner of my eyes to see Bianca standing at her table, staring in shock, with a puddle of champagne forming around her feet.

And beside her was Callum. Face pale. Eyes wide.

Only the tips of his ears were the faintest red.

But I ignored him. I ignored all of them. And I held my head high as I slowly walked down the aisle, finding my seat beside Mia and Zane.

“Bianca,” Mia whispered, eyes like saucers as she took in my new gown, “what happened? You look…”

“Like a princess,” Zane pointed out.

I didn’t respond. I didn’t have time to, anyway; because my father, sitting in his throne, clapped his hands together and announced, “Now that everyone is here, we may finally begin the ceremony.”