The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation (Valeria) novel Chapter 347

KATHERINE

Murmurs suddenly arose near me. I felt Elliot’s arm grow slightly tense.

I tried not to jump to conclusions, but as that beautiful voice drew closer, the woman sang a ballad filled with passion, as if meant for a forbidden lover, and her gray eyes casually searched through the crowd—until they locked onto a man.

Intensely, without much pretense, that striking singer, the so-called Zafiro, seemed to be dedicating her love song to Elliot.

“...Oh, Brenda is bold. Look at her, not even respecting the man's wife being right there...”

“...Pft, honestly, that’s an open secret. I don’t even know why the Duke brought her…”

“...To humiliate her, obviously…”

Some whispered words reached me from behind.

I lifted my chin and glanced at Elliot from the corner of my eye, assessing his reaction.

He sipped from his glass, not looking at Brenda, who now seemed completely assured of herself. She was his mistress.

He had brought me to this party where his lover was—who, on top of it all, was now making her way through the crowd, singing her romantic nonsense, directly dedicating it to him right in my face.

Honestly, I felt utterly ridiculous.

I had never been in a situation like this before. It was clear we were the center of attention.

A thousand possible reactions ran through my mind.

Truthfully, all I wanted was to pull away from Elliot and leave.

But no, I would endure this with grace, because I wasn’t about to give that shameless whore the satisfaction of seeing me defeated, crushed beneath her heel.

I was the wife here—without happiness, without love, or whatever else—but the title was mine, and no mistress was going to challenge me for it.

I had suffered half my life and buried my sister to secure this place—I wouldn’t hand it over to her! I looked at her coldly and didn’t move away from Elliot. I waited for her to approach.

The crowd parted as they hummed along to the song, shifting aside to give her space to continue her performance, “aimlessly.”

Elliot said nothing either, acting as if everything was normal, even chatting quietly with a man beside him.

Causing a scene wouldn’t be wise, but I truly hoped he wouldn’t humiliate me in front of everyone.

The singer’s gray, smoky-shadowed eyes met mine.

Her glossy red lips moved as her throat vibrated with high-pitched notes.

The wretched woman sang beautifully, to make matters worse.

“...I love you beyond distance, beyond those who judge us without knowing our deepest feelings...”

Damn miserable bitch—how does she not choke on her own venom?!

She reached out a hand into the air.

If Elliot let her touch him, I swear, my “grace” would end right here and now!

But before she could reach us, the shadow of a man stepped in, his deep voice joining hers, turning the performance into a duet. He took her hand, sparing us from a scandal.

Only, this was just the beginning of a stormy night, one filled with trials for this sham of a marriage, already leaking from all sides.

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