“And yet I’m here,” Fayre replied, unbothered by his hostility. Her gaze shifted to me, and her smile grew. “So, this is the new Luna. I’ve heard… interesting things.”
I felt her eyes sweep over me, assessing, judging. She was flawless, exuding a confidence I couldn’t hope to match.
“Yes, Fayre,” Jacques said, his voice a low growl.
“I came to talk,” she said, her tone softening. “Surely you can spare a moment for an old… friend.”
“I’ll handle this,” he said to me, his voice firm. “Stay here.”
I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Instead, I nodded, watching as he led Fayre away from the crowd.
Is she really his ex-lover?
Cestia’s POV
“WHERE IS JACQUES?”
The meal proceeded downstairs, its joyful hum of discussion and music providing a strong contrast to the turmoil that was developing within me. Jacques had vanished not long after Fayre's spectacular arrival, leaving me alone among the murmurs and curious looks of the crowd.
I faked a grin at others who approached me, like nothing was wrong. But as the minutes passed into an hour, his absence grew more difficult to ignore. My heart tightened with uneasiness.