The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 287

-Ava’s POV-

“This is a disaster! We have to call the wedding off,” Isabella gritted out as she knelt on the floor, stretching her hand under the dresser in a futile attempt to retrieve one of her earrings that had rolled underneath.

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I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore her dramatics, just as Eliza hummed in satisfaction while putting the finishing touches on my makeup.

“Are you people not hearing me?” Isabella shrieked, her voice rising with each syllable, “I said—”

“The people all the way in another country heard you,” My mother’s voice cut in, flat and unimpressed.

Isabella froze mid–reach before turning her glare on my mother, who stood with her arms crossed, looking down at her with thinly veiled disapproval.

At least it wasn’t directed at me.

Evelyn Pierce was making an effort.

She had even cut her hair–my Aunt Rosaline’s doing, as she had grumbled when I picked her up from the airport yesterday. But I had caught her checking herself out in the mirror more than once, and despite her complaints, she had been smiling.

I had taken her to the hospital to see her first grandchild, who still needed to be monitored, and she had almost cried. Which, of course, made me cry too.

I knew it would take time to truly move past everything she had done, the way she had treated me in the past. But she was trying, and in her defense, she had been kinder and more considerate lately. Isabella, on the other hand, had been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, and I had wisely decided to stay out of it.

Isabella tore her glare away from my mother and turned to me instead, “Lilian, your mother is being mean to me.”

I pretended not to hear her.

Instead, I turned to Eliza, “Do you think I should add a little more highlight?”

Eliza, who had learned the fine art of avoiding drama, nodded thoughtfully, “A little wouldn’t hurt.”

My mother let out a small huff, and Isabella let out an even bigger one, “You are both ignoring me!”

“And what a blessing that is,” My mother muttered.

Isabella gasped, scandalized, “You see? You see how mean she is?”

“You’re being dramatic,” My mother replied, giving her a pointed look.

“It is not dramatic to be upset that my earring has disappeared into the abyss!” Isabella huffed. “And you, Evelyn Pierce, are just heartless!”

From the corner of the room, Mikayla, who had been pretending to scroll through her phone but was clearly enjoying the drama suddenly let out a snort of laughter.

That was her first mistake.

Both my mother and Isabella turned their heads toward her at the exact same time, their attention now locked onto a new target.

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“What’s so funny?” My mother asked, arching a brow.

“Yes, Mikayla,” Isabella narrowed her eyes. “What exactly is so funny?”

* .96%

Mikayla’s eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights, “Oh, nothing! Absolutely nothing at all.” She waved a hand. “Just, uh… allergies! Yes, allergies! You know, sneezing, watery eyes, and-”

cut

“No, I-”

while laughing.” My mother said,

panicked. “I–I did not! That was just–uh–air escaping

pressed my lips together, struggling to

Isabella accused.

my mother asked,

eyes darting like a trapped animal. “Um… I think… you’re both very…

decide if her answer was good enough and I sighed, finally deciding to save her. “Alright, enough. Stop bullying her,” I said, first to my mother, And stop being mean

exhaled dramatically, placing a hand on her

flat look. “And you–stop being overly dramatic. Just take another pair of

knock on the door

turned to my mother and again, something passed between them.

together then, “Okay, all done!” She stepped

Something felt off.

Something was off.

“Isn’t someone going to see who it is?”

weirdly smiled, “Why don’t you

do I have to

to her feet.

mother flicked her eyes toward her with a sharp look.

child, she slowly sank back into her chair without another

Poor Mikayla.

invitation to stay back here instead of

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Chapter 287

you want to set weird all of

the door. My heart pounded for

handle, pulled it

around me idurred

behind me vanished. The voices.

the last person I had ever

he still stood tall. His eyes, once sharp and calculating, were

chance” My father said, his voice rough, almost unfamiliar. “And then the second chance to walk you down the aisle.” He swallowed thickly. “If you will

didn’t let

choked sound tore from my throat as 1 flung myself at him, wrapping

around me slowly, as

shaky, my heart pounding “You-” My voice cracked. I tried again. “How are you awake?” I pulled back just enough to look at him, my fingers clutching the fabric of his suit. “They

hollowed, his suit hanging looser than it should have. The strong, untouchable man I had once known–who had ruled

was someone else.

opened my mouth, but he beat me to it.

Hesaid, his voice firm but quiet.

before

breath, his eyes searching mine, “I heard

caught in

see it before. But I do now.” He clenched

sucked in a breath, my grip tightening on

anger… it wasn’t just at you. It was at myself.” He let out a shaky exhale. “That I had let one of my children

sound escaped me.

thought you were, no matter what I believed you

eyes, my chest tightening so painfully I

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Chapter 287