Chapter 131

The morning sun cast golden rays through the sheer curtains of Lillian's bedroom, stirring her awake. She stretched languidly, her muscles still sore from yesterday’s intense training session with Professor Montclair. The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted upstairs, courtesy of Lucien, the ever-charming head chef of the Blackwood estate.

Downstairs, the mansion buzzed with activity. Sebastian Blackwood sat at the head of the dining table, his piercing gaze scanning the morning reports Marcus Grayson had handed him. Oliver, his seven-year-old son, was enthusiastically recounting his latest adventure in the gardens to Victoria, who listened with a fond smile.

Lillian entered the dining room, her presence immediately drawing Sebastian’s attention. His eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion as she took her seat beside him.

"Sleep well?" he murmured, his voice low and rough.

Lillian nodded, though the truth was, she hadn’t slept much at all. Dreams of Donovan and Evelyn had plagued her, a constant reminder of the past she couldn’t escape.

Before she could respond, Beatrice burst into the room, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "You won’t believe what just happened!" she exclaimed, waving her phone in the air.

Lillian raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

Beatrice grinned. "Isabella just confirmed she’s coming to visit next week! And she’s bringing her new designer friend, Genevieve Laurent!"

Sebastian’s expression remained impassive, but Lillian caught the subtle tightening of his jaw. The mention of Genevieve—a woman rumored to have once been close to him—clearly unsettled him.

Lillian forced a smile. "That’s great. I’ve always wanted to meet her."

Beatrice, oblivious to the tension, continued chattering about the upcoming visit while Oliver tugged at Lillian’s sleeve.

"Will you play with me later?" he asked, his big eyes hopeful.

Lillian ruffled his hair. "Of course. But first, I have a meeting with Professor Sinclair."

Sebastian’s gaze sharpened. "About?"

Lillian hesitated. "Just some research I’ve been working on."

She didn’t mention that the research involved Donovan’s recent movements—or that she had reason to believe he was planning something dangerous.

As breakfast concluded, Theodore Whitmore approached Sebastian with a discreet whisper. The Lycan chairman’s expression darkened, and he stood abruptly.

"We’ll continue this later," he said to Lillian before striding out of the room.

Beatrice leaned in. "What was that about?"

Lillian shook her head, her stomach twisting with unease. "I don’t know. But something tells me it’s not good."

Her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number. The screen displayed a single, chilling sentence:

"You can’t hide from me, little wolf."

Lillian’s blood ran cold.

Donovan had found her.

How utterly foolish she had been to trust them. A seething rage and gnawing jealousy churned in Victoria's stomach like a storm. She bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood, refusing to let a single tear fall. Her gaze remained fixed as her father, Sebastian, stormed toward the pair, wrenching Donovan away from Lillian and delivering a brutal punch to his gut.

Victoria's feet felt rooted to the ground. Every instinct screamed at her to rush to Donovan’s side, to ensure he was unharmed—but she couldn’t move. She was paralyzed, her heart shattering as she stared at the man she had loved with reckless abandon.

So consumed by her turmoil, she barely registered Lillian slipping back into the house until the other woman spoke.

"Victoria..." Lillian exhaled, her voice laced with false surprise. "I didn’t realize you were here..."

"Hello, Lillian," Victoria forced out, her smile brittle. "I was just looking for Donovan. Have you seen him?"

Lillian’s gaze flickered toward the door before she turned back, her own smile a perfect imitation of warmth. "I think he’s speaking with your father," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "Is everything alright?"

Victoria studied her, the betrayal cutting deeper. She had considered Lillian a friend. How wrong she had been. Was Lillian really going to stand there and lie to her face? The thought of what might be happening between Lillian and her fiancé made her chest ache so fiercely she could barely breathe.

She had sacrificed everything for Donovan—her pride, her dignity. She had fought tooth and nail to be with him, even at the cost of her father’s respect. And now, it was all unraveling before her eyes, leaving her powerless.

"Everything’s fine," Victoria lied, forcing another hollow smile. She felt more isolated than ever. "Actually... Donovan’s family is hosting their annual barbecue tomorrow night. I’ve never met them before, so I’m a bit nervous."

Lillian nodded, though unease flickered in her eyes. "They’re... particular. They never liked me," she admitted, drawing Victoria’s full attention. "But my family attends every year."

A spark of realization ignited in Victoria’s mind. If she could win over Donovan’s family—if she could prove she was the better choice—then maybe, just maybe, he would finally see the truth. But she needed Lillian there. She needed the comparison to be undeniable.

"That’s a shame," Victoria murmured, feigning sympathy. "Why don’t they like you?"

Lillian stiffened, caught off guard. "Oh, I don’t know. They’re very traditional. If you don’t fit their standards, they’ll never accept you," she said with a dismissive shrug. "It doesn’t matter."

"You’ll be at the barbecue tomorrow, won’t you?" Victoria pressed. "You said your family goes every year."

Lillian hesitated, twisting her fingers. "We might skip this year. Given... recent events with my father."

Victoria seized her hand, desperation bleeding into her voice. "Please, Lillian. I don’t want to face them alone."

"You won’t be alone," Lillian said gently, pulling away. "You’ll have Donovan."

"I need someone who’ll stand by me if things go wrong," Victoria insisted. "We’re friends, aren’t we?"

Silence stretched between them before Lillian finally sighed, relenting with a slow nod.

"Yes," she said softly. "We are."

"So you’ll come?" Victoria’s eyes shimmered with fragile hope.

Lillian forced a smile.

"I’ll be there."