The Rejected True Heiress (Liora) novel Chapter 116

Liora

“Liora.”

I turned, skirts swaying, only to find Zane slipping into the narrow space beside me, hands shoved in his pockets like he had nowhere better to be. Typical.

He wore that half-smile he used when he wasn’t sure I’d let him stay—testing the water, already braced for the cold.

“Just thought I’d say hi,” he said. “Since we’re… strangers now.”

My gaze swept over him once before meeting his eyes. Steady. “We’re not strangers.”

Something flickered—interest, irritation, maybe both. “No?”

“But we’re not friends,” I said, tone flat, no room for debate.

He leaned back slightly, studying me like a softer answer might appear if he stared long enough. The smile held, but it didn’t touch his eyes.

“Ouch,” he said lightly. “So no small talk?”

“Depends on what you’re fishing for.”

“Fishing? No. Just curious.” He leaned closer, voice dropping beneath the music.

“You’ve done tournaments before. Never cared this much. I saw your little midnight training.”

I scowled. “So you’re stalking me now? Problems with rejection? Do I need to hurt you to be clear?”

“Relax,” Zane chuckled. “Checking in as a—friend not-friend. So… what’s different about this one?”

My face stayed still, voice flat. “Nothing.”

“That’s a lie. It’s about your wolf, isn’t it? Why you were in the restricted section with Callum. Didn’t know you were the type to use people.”

“I wasn’t just using him,” I shot back. “He was helping me. Mutual.”

He studied me, eyes searching for a crack. “You’d save yourself a lot of trouble if you just told me.”

I nearly dumped my punch on him. “I did.”

“No, I mean—told me how serious it was. I didn’t know. No offense, Liora, but your tone and expression hardly change. Ever. I had no clue this meant so much. I would’ve toned down—”

“How much of an asshole you were? Doubt it.”

Before he could answer, movement caught my eye. Callum crossed the floor, that quiet, taut awareness following him the way it always did. For a moment, his gaze flicked between me and Zane before settling ahead.

Bianca was on his arm, laughing too brightly, steering him like she’d just won a prize.

I didn’t look at her. I looked at him. For a heartbeat, our eyes locked. A nod passed between us.

Then I turned away, smoothing my face, voice cool as I said to Zane, “I believe our conversation’s over.”

“Liora—”

But I was already slipping through the crowd.

*

More than an hour had passed when I found myself leaning against a pillar, sipping my punch.

I wasn’t waiting.

But I gave myself five more minutes.

Then a rush of air, the subtle press of someone’s back against the opposite side of the pillar. I caught the scent before I saw him. Pine, the same that clung to the halls of his home.

A smile threatened, but I forced it down.

“You’re late,” I muttered, swirling the glass.

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