Talk
436 Words
It was as if a signal had been given. A waitress stepped out after a soft knock, indicating that the guests were now being attended to. They looked and smelled of luxury as they ushered in a variety of dishes before quietly leaving after serving.
Lunch offered an elegant selection of gourmet dishes. Tender filet mignon rested atop silky mashed potatoes infused with roasted garlic, while butter-poached lobster was paired with saffron risotto and grilled asparagus. Fresh seafood platters overflowed with oysters, king crab legs, jumbo prawns, and succulent scallops.
Delicate handmade pasta was tossed in rich sauces, and vibrant salads featured heirloom vegetables, edible flowers, toasted nuts, and artisan cheeses.
“Just as I remember you liking it. I don’t know if your preferences have changed, but please enjoy,” Aldric said.
“I appreciate the effort. And yes, my preferences have changed,” she replied calmly. “But I can work with this. Let’s dig in,” she added .
A server refilled their glasses and quietly left, sealing the room in a tense silence.
Aldric wiped his mouth with a napkin and set it down. His gaze locked on hers.
“Now that we’re done eating,” he said evenly, “we talk.”
Keira smirked faintly. “You stole my line. Fine—talk.”
His expression hardened. “You can’t go back there, Keira. Not yet. We’re not strong enough to face what’s waiting.”
Her smile faded. “So this is your plan? To control me?”
“It’s protection,” he insisted.
She leaned back, voice cool. “If he heard his ‘favorite child’ is trying to stop the ‘least favorite,’ he’d break someone’s neck. Yours, probably.”
Aldric exhaled sharply. “This isn’t a game.”
“Neither is my life,” she shot back. “And you don’t get to decide where I go.”
A beat of silence.
Then Aldric slid a folder across the table.
“Then at least hear this before you walk into it blind.”
Keira didn’t move. “What is it?”
“DNA results,” he said quietly. “You’re a Moss.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t.”
“I’m serious. You’re not an imposter. You’ve been with your real family for five years.”
The air shifted.
Keira stared at him,searching for a crack, a lie, a joke. There was none.
Her hand slowly reached for the file. Hesitation flickered in her fingers before she opened it.
Line after line confirmed it.
Keira Moss.
Her grip tightened until the paper creased.
“…How?” she whispered.
- Writer
