Chapter 90
“No! Please, stop it! The children are watching,” Fleur injected herself into the space between them, her voice a sharp blade cutting through the suffocating tension before claws could be drawn. “Do not do this in front of them p>
She could feel the primal, feral energy vibrating between the two men, a terrifying display of raw dominance that made her pulse race.
Slowly, the invisible pressure in the room began to recede. Both men stepped back, breaking the deadly trance of their standoff.
Raphael’s shoulders dropped, a flicker of profound hurt crossing his features as he glanced toward Chloe and Gabriel. He had loved those kids. In the absence of their true parent, he had genuinely believed he could claim them, protect them, and build a family of his own with Fleur.
“Let me handle this, Christian. Just one last time, please,” Fleur pleaded, turning to her husband. Her voice soft but unyielding as she appealed to the powerful wolf who held her heart.
Christian’s dark eyes bored into hers, searching for any hint of hesitation. Finally, he gave a curt, warning nod.
“I am waiting. Wrap this up quickly,” he rumbled, his deep voice carrying a possessive undertone that left no room for argument. With a final, territorial glance at Raphael, he guided Lea and the children toward a vacant table nearby.
Fleur exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, relieved that Christian had masterfully suppressed his inner beast enough to give her space. Yet, even as he sat with the children, she could feel the heavy weight of his gaze tracking her every move.
Turning back to Raphael, she caught a dangerous, unfamiliar intensity burning in his eyes. The sheer scrutiny in his stare made her palms sweat, stripping away her defenses and leaving her feeling completely exposed.
“What is going on here, Fleur?” Raphael’s voice was dangerously quiet, laced with an exhaustion that ran bone-deep. “I don’t understand how everything changed overnight. The family I thought was going to be mine belongs to someone else now p>
The sharp accusation stung, making Fleur flinch. “Raphael, nothing changed overnight,” she said, her tone firm yet tempered by the deep affection she still held for him as a lifelong friend.
She had never wanted to break him. “Whether you want to accept it or not… I don’t love you that way. I never gave you reason to think otherwise p>
Raphael ran a frantic hand through his hair, uttering a dark curse under his breath. “Why him? What makes him so special?” he groaned, the rejection twisting into pure frustration.
Fleur stayed silent. She couldn’t tell him the truth. She trusted Raphael, but in his current volatile state, revealing the truth of Christian’s supernatural bloodline and the absolute law of the mate bond was a risk she couldn’t take. Her heart ached for his pain, but some secrets were too dangerous to share.
Suddenly, a realization seemed to dawn on him. Raphael’s eyes widened in profound shock as he pieced together the striking resemblances. “He… he is the father, isn’t he?” he gasped.
Fleur’s eyes snapped up, confirming everything without a single word. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
Raphael let out a bitter, mocking laugh, shaking his head. The warmth she usually found in him was entirely gone, replaced by cold disdain.
“You are unbelievable, Fleur. Did you forget that you couldn’t even bear to mention his name? The man vanished from your life for six long years. He left you to raise two children alone, and the moment he snaps his fingers, you cast everyone else aside for him p>
He frowned, his irritation flaring into a harsh lecture. “It’s always the same story. You trust the very person who tears you apart, and then you willingly walk right back into the fire. Then, when it all falls apart again, you’ll blame fate.” He let out a cold snort. “It’s not fate, Fleur. It’s your own blind choices p>
A surge of fierce, protective anger flared within her, burning away her guilt.
“Whether you agree with my choices or not, they are mine,” she countered, her voice rising with a hard-won independence. “I survived the worst years of my life entirely on my own, protecting my children and building a life from nothing. I don’t need anyone to lecture me on my strength, nor do I need permission to decide my own future p>
Raphael’s posture slumped, the anger draining out of him, leaving only a hollow disappointment. “Fleur, the entire world witnessed my proposal. My fans, the media—everyone is waiting for us to announce a wedding date p>
“And that was your mistake, Raphael,” she replied softly, the weight of the confrontation finally exhausting her. “You planned a public spectacle without ever asking me what I wanted. Marriage isn’t a game, and I cannot pretend for the cameras p>
Seeing the utter defeat in his eyes, she softened her tone, trying to offer a lifeline. “If you need me to issue a joint statement to the press to clear the air, I will. We can tell them it was a misunderstanding, or a publicity stunt gone wrong.” She forced a small, tentative smile, hoping to break the ice. “Besides, your female fans will be thrilled to know you’re still single p>
But Raphael didn’t smile. His gaze remained icy, lingering on her before shifting one last time toward the children playing across the room. The sight was a physical blow, a stark reminder of the future that would never be his. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, finally realizing he had been trying to hold onto water—the tighter he squeezed, the faster it slipped through his fingers.
“Goodbye, Fleur. I hope our paths never cross again,” he said, his voice thick and rough with unshed tears.
Before she could speak, he turned on his heel and walked away, his hurried footsteps echoing sharply through the quiet lobby.
Fleur watched his retreating figure grow smaller until he vanished through the glass doors, a heavy, hollow ache settling deep in her chest.