I spent the entire afternoon preparing the dining table, arranging everything with care as the faint evening glow filtered through the curtains. The dishes were positioned exactly the way I wanted them. Maca chicken pie steaming softly. Vegetables glistening with spices. A plate of creamy macaroni set beside two glasses of chilled juice that sparkled like rubies under the light. Everything needed to look perfect. Everything needed to feel planned.
Because tonight was not just dinner.
Tonight was strategy.
Tonight was the first step in destroying Kael.
And Adrean was the tool.
I moved around the table one more time, adjusting anything that seemed an inch out of place. My heart pulsed with anticipation, and with calculation. I had invited Adrean with a simple lie. A harmless invitation.
