Chapter 319\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment Kael opened his mouth, rage shot through me like wildfire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(0!),\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pushed myself off the ground, hands stinging from the marble floor. Pain flared in my knee, nearly knocking me off balance. I steadied myself with a breath and met his gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, Kael. You really don\u2019t need facts to smear me anymore, do you?\u201d My voice was sharp, venom-laced. \u201cShe ran into me, and yet somehow, I\u2019m to blame again. Why? Because accusing me is free now? Doesn\u2019t even cost you a thought?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou-\u201d His expression darkened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are dozens of people here,\u201d I cut him off. \u201cAll of them saw what happened. So which one of us needs their eyes checked-you, or me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He glanced around, suddenly aware of the crowd\u2019s silence. Mooncrest City\u2019s elite stood frozen in place, watching. Some with frowns, others with expressions carefully neutral.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They didn\u2019t like me. I was the girl with a prison record, the stain on the Ebonclaw name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But even they had limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Someone finally spoke. \u201cKael\u2026 it really was Scarlett who bumped into her. We all saw it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another voice joined. \u201cYes, it wasn\u2019t Riley\u2019s fault.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A ripple of agreement followed, low but growing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s face turned an ugly shade of red.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To him, this wasn\u2019t about truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was about control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was ruining Scarlett\u2019s birthday brunch-the precious illusion of a perfect daughter, perfect family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew me too well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He thought I was vengeful. Dangerous. Capable of anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:00 Thu, Dec 25 M\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 319\u00a0<\/p>\n
But not in the way he thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Z(0)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rinished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if she did hit you,\u201d Kael said, voice tight, \u201cit was an accident. You could\u2019ve moved. But no- you stood there on purpose.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air left my lungs in a rush. My cars rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Move?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could barely walk without limping. I hadn\u2019t taken a full step without pain since the day they dragged me out of court like a criminal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ah.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael didn\u2019t believe I was injured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He thought I was faking it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just like he thought I faked everything else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He only saw Scarlett on the ground, weeping.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Never saw that I\u2019d gone down with her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If they liked painting me as a villain-fine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let them watch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I yanked up my\u00a0<\/p>\n
sleeve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gasps scattered like sparks across the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blood streaked down my elbow. Raw, torn skin peeked through the shredded fabric. My palm was ripped open, bright red and still leaking. Droplets slid from my fingertips and splattered onto the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised my arm, high, for all to see.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I look like someone who threw herself into the floor for fun?\u201d My voice trembled, not from fear-but fury. \u201cYou think I like bleeding in front of a hundred people just to earn one more insult from my brother?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tears welled, uninvited. My eyes burned, turning the world red and glassy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett froze, mascara dripping down her cheeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:00 Thu, Dec 25 \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 319\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finishing\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t used to losing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael\u2019s pupils constricted. He couldn\u2019t look me in the eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For once, shame had a grip on him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara gasped and rushed forward, gently cradling my arm as if it weren\u2019t her words that wounded me most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Riley-sweetheart, you\u2019re hurt. Does it sting?\u201d She blew softly on the injury like that would crase the years of silence. Like a mother comforting a paper cut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to laugh in her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then Scarlett piped up, her voice fragile and trembling, eyes full of tears. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Riley. I didn\u2019t mean to. I was just so upset\u2026 my dress, the one Kael had custom made-it was damaged. I panicked and ran too fast. I didn\u2019t mean to bump into you. Please, don\u2019t be mad at Kael. He was just worried about me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned those wide eyes on me-so full of sorrow, so delicate in her misery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So convincing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If I hadn\u2019t known better, I might\u2019ve pitied her too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I did know better.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She hadn\u2019t changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not in five years. Not in fifteen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean,\u201d I said coldly, \u201cthat because Kael was worried about you, he had the right to accuse me without evidence?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett blinked, startled by the venom in my voice,\u00a0<\/p>\n
She cowered into Zara\u2019s arms, tears spilling again. \u201cYou\u2019re misunderstanding me\u2026 I didn\u2019t mean\u00a0<\/p>\n
it like that\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara tightened her arms around her, sighing heavily, \u201cRiley, you\u2019ve got it wrong. Scarlett is a sweet girl. She wouldn\u2019t ever do something malicious. Today is her birthday. Please, just say sorry and let it go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Say sorry?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let it go?\u00a0<\/p>\n
7\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:00 Thu, Dec 25 M\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 319\u00a0<\/p>\n
GD\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fushed\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised an eyebrow, voice smooth and dangerous. \u201cThis isn\u2019t the first time, is it? Are you sure I\u2019m the one misunderstanding, Luna Zara? Or should I remind you what happened five years ago-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough.\u201d Her voice wavered. She paled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smirked. \u201cThought so.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There it was again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That ugly, familiar choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett in her arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Me alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like always.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I squared my shoulders and turned toward the door, every step jarring against the pain shooting through my legs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d made it two paces when Kael grabbed my arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExplain it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I jerked around to face him, voice brittle with disgust. \u201cExplain what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dress,\u201d he said tightly. \u201cScarlett\u2019s gown. What happened to it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I followed his gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Feathered white fabric shimmered under the lights-except for one jagged edge where a layer had been torn out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fabric like that didn\u2019t fall apart by itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me guess,\u201d I said. \u201cYou think I ruined it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were the only one in my car. The dress was hanging there. And now-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNow it\u2019s damaged, so it must be my fault?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett began crying again, voice cracking. \u201cWhy would you do that, Riley?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara sighed. \u201cI know you\u2019re angry. But you can\u2019t lash out like this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:00 Thu, Dec 25 M\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 319\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let out a sharp laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
And then I said the one thing they hadn\u2019t expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKael\u2019s car has a dashcam.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everything stilled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
81\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fireshed\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to accuse me of tampering with the dress,\u201d I continued, \u201cthen pull out your phone. Show everyone the footage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stiffened beside her mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned to Kael. \u201cYou\u2019ve got nothing to hide, right? I demand you play the video.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The crowd was already whispering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s voice came out shaky. \u201cThere\u2019s no need to check the camera-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara jumped in, \u201cRiley, that\u2019s enough. Don\u2019t make this any more embarrassing than it already is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alaric finally spoke for the first time, voice low. \u201cThis ends here. Go clean your wounds.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
No.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I ripped my arm from Kael\u2019s grasp. My voice rang out like a whip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one touches that video? Why? Because it would prove I didn\u2019t do it? Because it would mean someone else-someone you actually care about-would have to take the fall?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They flinched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I didn\u2019t stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of the truth. I want it shown. Right now. In front of every person here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned in a slow circle, meeting the eyes of the entire ballroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you all afraid?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
730\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 319 Chapter 319\u00a0 Riley\u2019s POV\u00a0 The moment Kael opened his mouth, rage shot through me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20592\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}