Chapter 164
164
Third Person’s POV
+8 Pearls
Caelum Knox was known throughout the rogue territories as “the Reaper.” He once single–handedly infiltrated a cartel compound deep in the jungles beyond Blackthorn Valley and eliminated every target without backup. A former warhound. from the Eastern Front, his legend was still whispered in rogue circles with fear.
After retiring from active service, Lucien Duskgrave had personally recruited him–not as a driver, though that was the title outsiders knew– but as the Shadow Enforcer of the Stormridge Pack. Whenever Lucien needed something done quietly. quickly, and without loose ends , Caelum was the one who moved.
Despite his quiet demeanor, those who understood Lucien’s true power knew Caelum was his sharpened fang, the one that struck in the dark.
Duke, Lucien’s second assistant, knew his Alpha well. The moment Lucien assigned the task to Caelum, Duke realized this time. Lucien was truly enraged.
If Caelum moved, secrets long buried–even from eight generations back–would be unearthed. The Ebonclaw Pack’s filth, land everything the Vale family had done to Riley, would soon be laid bare.
Duke slowly sat back down, and a heavy silence cloaked the entire room like thick fog. It wasn’t just the calm before a storm it was the feeling of breath being held, of judgment approaching
Riley sat rigid on the couch, her mind a storm of chaos . Her gaze swept across the people around her–each looking at her with eyes full of sorrow , rage , and pity.
Her heart twisted painfully in her chest, clenched by an invisible hand that wouldn’t let go. The grief , the betrayal, the shame -it surged through her like crashing waves, each one higher than the last.
She was suffocating.
She wanted to cry, to scream, but she clenched her jaw. She wouldn’t fall apart. Not here. Not now. She didn’t want to make anyone worry, Didn’t want them to see just how broken she truly was.
“I… I’ll head upstairs,” she whispered, her voice nearly inaudible.
She stood, but the world tilted. The air around her swirled, her vision blurred, and her knees buckled slightly.
Lucien, Duke, and Theo moved in unison, all three men rising instinctively to steady her.
Lady Duskgrave, Mrs. Beck, and Mia also took a step forward, concern etched into their faces.
But Riley forced herself to stay upright. Her pride, battered as it was , kept her standing .
She gave them a strained smile, her lips trembling. “I’m fine. Just stood too fast, that’s all.”
Her voice was hollow, the smile paper–thin. But she waved them off and turned toward the stairs.
“Miss Riley, Mia called gently, “breakfast is ready just a few bites, please?”
Riley caught the movement of Mia’s lips and shook her head. “No appetite. You all go ahead.”
Her steps were slow and unstable, each one as though she were walking through fog.
Mia’s heart twisted as she watched her limp away, the scars of her past still etched into her every movement. The thought that someone—her own family–had not only neglected her but stolen a piece of her body…
It was unforgivable
Tears welled in Mia’s eyes as she turned away, unable to bear it.
But Riley didn’t return
349 PM P
164
+8 Pearls
She walked into the embroidery room–a small , sunlit space Lucien had chosen for her himself. “If you’re tired, he’d once said, “stand here, look at the garden , breathe in the air. Let it soothe you. This room suits you.”
And it had Before.
Now, the sunlight felt cold . The scent of the blooming roses–fiery red , soft pink, snowy white–was nothing but noise. Even the fresh air couldn’t pierce the dark cloud that swallowed her.
She moved to the embroidery frame and stared at the unfinished Peony of Eternal Bloom she’d begun days ago. It was vibrant, detailed, and filled with hope when she started it.
Now it looked gray.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the needle. She forced herself to focus on the fine lines, the colored thread , the rhythm.
But on the third stitch, a single tear slipped from her eye and landed on the fabric.
Panicked, she wiped it away with her sleeve.
But more followed. She tried to stop them, swallowing hard , breathing fast–but her tears betrayed her, one after another, falling like broken beads of pain .
Then–stab.
She pierced her finger. Blood welled from the tip, red and furious, and bloomed on the silk like a cursed flower. It spread, mixing with the tears already staining the cloth.
And in that moment–her strength shattered.
Riley collapsed over the table, shoulders shaking as she finally, fully broke down . Her sobs echoed in the quiet room, raw and unrestrained.
A storm had been building inside her for years–and now , it was here .
And no garden , no sunlight, no gentle breeze could save her from it.