CHAPTER FIVE:The Reception
269 Words
Anna’s POV – Present
The applause fades, but the stares don’t.
My cheeks ache from smiling.
Xavier’s hand is still resting lightly at my waist.
Not possessive.
Not intimate.
But steady.
Supportive.
The reception hall is glowing with gold chandeliers and soft music. Crystal glasses clink. Wealth whispers from every corner.
This world does not belong to me.
And yet—
I stand in the center of it.
Mrs. Cortez.
Guests approach one by one.
Congratulations. Compliments. Speculation hidden behind polite smiles.
I respond carefully. Softly. Measured.
Then I feel it.
That familiar weight.
Maxwell’s eyes.
When I turn, he’s closer than before.
Madison beside him.
Her dress is elegant. Understated.
She always did know how to adapt.
Maxwell clears his throat.
“Anna… I didn’t expect—”
“Congratulations,” Madison interrupts smoothly.
Her smile is perfect.
Her eyes are calculating.
“You look… different.”
I meet her gaze.
Calmly.
“Yes,” I reply. “I suppose I do.”
Before either of them can say more—
Xavier’s hand tightens slightly at my waist.
He steps half a pace closer.
Not aggressive.
But territorial.
“Is there something you need?” he asks coolly.
His voice drops a few degrees.
Maxwell straightens instinctively.
“No. We were just—”
“Offering congratulations,” Madison finishes.
Xavier nods once.
“Then you’ve done so.”
A polite dismissal.
Effortless.
Powerful.
They step back.
But I catch it—
The flicker in Madison’s eyes.
Confusion.
How?
How did Anna end up here?
What she doesn’t know—
Is that I’m still figuring that out myself.
- Writer
