And then there was Adrian Nightfang, who had quietly stayed by my side all that time, becoming the only light in my life. I fell for him, let myself sink deep, even believed he would be the one I could rely on for the rest of my days. But in the end, I discovered that tenderness had been false too.
It turned out that in this world, the person everyone loved was never me.
I let out a low, quiet laugh, turned off the communicator, and didn't look at the messages again. It didn't matter. After this Pack Feast, there would only be one last meeting between me and Everett and Eleanor Ashvale.
The next morning, I arrived at the feast together with Chloe and Adrian. We boarded the lavishly decorated vessel docked at the river port. The moment we appeared, Everett and Eleanor came forward with wide smiles.
They walked straight to Chloe and Adrian, leaving me standing entirely to the side.
"Our darling girl, it's been so long and you haven't called your parents, haven't even asked how we're doing. Let your mother get a good look at you, see if you've lost any weight."
The words sounded like scolding, but the tone was pure indulgence.
Chloe laughed and threw herself into their arms. Adrian stood nearby, his gaze warm. The three of them together made a picture so cozy it looked like a real family.
And I might as well have been a stranger with no place among them.
"Everett. Happy Moon Blessing Day."
I stepped forward and held out the gift I had carefully prepared. It was a painting I had paid a considerable sum for, by an artist Everett had always admired.
Only then did Everett and Eleanor spare me a glance, offering a flat acknowledgment before waving for a servant to take the gift. The box wasn't even opened. It was set directly onto the pile with everything else.
I watched it happen, and my heart stayed strangely calm.
Right after, Chloe held out the tin of herbal tea she had brought, her voice light and easy. "Happy Moon Blessing Day, Everett. I just picked this up on a whim. It's probably nothing special, so don't hold it against me."
Everett and Eleanor took it at once, unwrapping it on the spot, turning it over in their hands, their smiles growing wider by the second.
"We love it, we love it. Anything from our Chloe, your father loves! Take it back and put it away carefully, don't let it get damaged!"