Chapter 302
Chapter 303
3rd Person’s POV
Ezra didn’t answer her.
Finished
But something within him-something that had been restless, sharp-edged, and quietly unraveling- finally stilled. Lylah’s words sank deep, threading through bone and instinct alike. The tension that had lingered for far too long eased at last, replaced by a rare, unfamiliar calm. For the first time in years, perhaps longer, Ezra felt… at peace.
The following morning unfolded with a sense of normalcy.
Lylah returned to her routine. She had plans-Tiara had requested to meet, and Iris had sent word as well, noting how long it had been since they had last seen each other. Rather than choosing between them, Lylah decided to bring them together.
That afternoon, they met at the Lunar Grace Academy Library.
The grand structure stood serene beneath winter’s hold, its towering windows veiled with frost. Inside, warmth pooled in golden light, and the faint scent of parchment and ink filled the air.
Despite Tiara and Iris meeting for the first time, conversation flowed with surprising ease. Laughter came naturally, bright and unguarded, weaving through the quiet hum of the library like a melody.
However, elsewhere within the library, behind the closed doors of a private study room, the atmosphere was entirely different.
It was thick with tension.
Unforgiving.
Cora stood stiffly across from Thane Blackridge, her posture rigid, her breath shallow. The air between them felt colder than the winter outside.
Thane sat with composed authority, one leg crossed over the other as he reviewed the papers in his hands -her work. His sharp gaze scanned each page with meticulous precision, his silence far more damning han any immediate critique.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm-but cutting.
‘I can feel the inconsistency, Cora,” he said, setting one page down. “You wrote your thesis under my supervision. I even provided you with the framework of my previous research…” His eyes lifted to meet ners, “And yet this feels like none of that mattered p>
Cora’s fingers tightened in the fabric of her skirt.
‘What do you mean?” she asked, her voice faltering despite her effort to steady it. “Is it… that bad p>
His gaze sharpened. The warmth that once lingered there was gone, stripped away entirely. In its place was something distant, clinical… as though he were no longer looking at her, but at just another failing junior.
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Chapter 303
Finished
“Has something been distracting you?” He said slowly, “Because whatever it is, it’s bled into your work. Entirely p>
Cora’s pulse spiked.
“And what I’m reading,” he added, tapping the pages lightly, “feels as though it was written by someone who has no place being a student under Professor Corvin Vale at all p>
The words struck like a crack of thunder.
For a moment, Cora couldn’t breathe.
“No-Thane, that’s not true!” Panic flared, hot and desperate. She took a step forward, her voice tightening. “I can prove it. I can fix it. There are mistakes, yes, but I can correct them. Please…” Her composure slipped, desperation creeping in. “Don’t say I don’t deserve my place p>
Thane regarded her in silence for a beat, then exhaled lightly.
“Then prove it,” he said at last. “We’re already here. Gather the references you need and revise everything I’ve marked p>
Relief and humiliation twisted together in her chest.
“Yes,” she replied quickly.
She didn’t waste another second.
Cora moved through the library shelves with urgency, though each step felt heavier than the last. Shame burned beneath her skin. Beneath it, something darker coiled-anger, simmering and volatile.
Her wolf stirred uneasily, agitated by the storm of emotion.
Rowan. Eldric.
Their names flickered through her mind like sparks. The tension with them lately, the constant strain, had fractured her focus, splintered her thoughts when she needed them most. And now…
Now she was paying the price.
She turned another corner, scanning titles with unfocused eyes until she froze,
Warm laughter through the silence like a blade.
Cora froze as she saw her.
Lylah.
Seated with two others, relaxed and radiant, her expression light in a way that made something bitter twist inside Cora’s chest. Her gaze shifted and there, at the far end of the table, lay Lylah’s papers.
An opportunity.
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Chapter 303
Finished
Something dark curled at the edges of her thoughts.
‘Why does she get to laugh like that p>
Cora’s steps softened, quieter now, deliberate. She approached the table slowly. Her eyes flicked over the
pages.
Lylah’s thesis.
A slow, bitter smile curved her lips.
“Has Professor Grimwood praised you for this, Lylah?” she murmured under her breath, her voice barely audible. Her fingers brushed the edge of the paper. “I could do much better. I would have… if Rowan hadn’t made things so difficult p>
Her grip tightened.
“And why did he?” Her voice thinned, bitterness seeping through. “Because of you. You’re the reason I couldn’t write mine at its best. The reason I-” her breath hitched, anger flaring, “—I failed p>
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The Betrayed Princess Rising
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.