Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 86

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
*By R. Joseph*

Kael.

The sensation was overwhelming, as if I had just been unceremoniously tossed from a speeding bus, with no cushion or warning to soften the impact. The world around me blurred into a cacophony of noise, my ears ringing incessantly as I fixed my gaze on Leilani. She stood there, an infuriatingly smug smile plastered across her pale face, radiating a confidence that only fueled my frustration. Deep down, I recognized an unsettling truth—I couldn’t even bring myself to blame her for what was unfolding.

We, my brothers and I, had brought this upon ourselves. We had sown the seeds of discord, and now we were reaping the bitter harvest. Leilani had every justification to snatch this contract away from us, to sever ties and seek her own path. The moment she stepped through that door, I felt a chill that whispered of inevitable confrontation, and, regrettably, I had been right.

The clock ticked ominously, marking the time—10:18.

Caelum’s voice broke through the tension, low and menacing. “You’re letting your personal grievances cloud your judgment, Leilani. It’s clear you’re not cut out for this line of work!”

Oh, the foolishness of him.

I couldn’t help but facepalm as Leilani turned slowly, her gaze icy and unforgiving, locking onto Caelum with a palpable irritation.

She hissed, her voice laced with venom, “If my so-called personal grievance stems from the fact that you once posed a lethal threat to my life—nearly succeeding in taking it—then yes, I think it’s fair that it clouds my judgment. Perhaps I should have ensured you were behind bars instead of standing here, spewing nonsense.”

The impact of her words hit like a physical blow. Gasps echoed around the room, disbelief etched on every face. Caelum’s expression darkened, a storm brewing behind his eyes that hinted at a dangerous tempest of thoughts.

But he wasn’t my concern right now.

Leilani was.

I despised the way her wild silver hair tumbled down her back in cascading waves, stopping just shy of her delicate waist. It made my heart race and my knees weak. I loathed the way I yearned to tangle my fingers in those silken strands, to tug at them as I worshipped her body, whispering my name until it fell from her lips like the sweetest of prayers.

Goddess, how I hated that I found her so irresistibly attractive, so stunningly beautiful, and undeniably intelligent. I loathed the fact that despite everything—despite the chaos she had wrought in our lives, the scandalous videos of her escapades with countless men that played in my mind, and the knowledge of her past as the pack’s pariah—I still wanted her.

Leilani made to leave the room, but just as she turned, Chalice sprang after her. Dropping to her knees, tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded, “Please, sister. I’m so sorry for speaking out of turn! I need this job. I need to learn from you and your team. I promise I’ll be good!”

The air thickened with tension, everyone frozen in disbelief, including Leilani, who appeared taken aback by Chalice’s desperate confession.

Leilani took a small step back, her brow furrowing in confusion as she regarded her twin. “Chalice, no,” she whispered, but the weight of her words hung heavily in the air, and I knew, deep down, that everyone had heard her.

I silently hoped this moment might thaw the icy walls surrounding Leilani’s heart, that she might find compassion for her sister, who had always shown her kindness. But as I observed the frown deepening on Leilani’s face, the way her lower lip quivered, I realized why Chalice had been the chosen one from the start, rather than her.

My heart sank.

“Leilani, please…”

“No. Stand up, Ms. Blackthorne.”

Her words landed like a punch to the gut. My chest constricted painfully as Chalice’s tears began to flow more freely, her small hands wiping them away with trembling resolve. “Please, I’ll learn. I’ll do better,” she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.

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