Chapter 360\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t trust my voice, so I said nothing\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She gave a small, sad smile. \u201cThey can talk about curses and potions all they want. I saw what real strength looks like. And it wasn\u2019t borrowed. It was yours.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat up, leaning against the beadboard as she handed me the bowl. It was her usual sunfire noodles- handmade, served in clear broth, topped with moonleaf greens, a poached egg, and just enough wild chive oil to make your mouth water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The scent alone made my stomach grumble.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked quickly, suddenly fighting the sting behind my eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Mia, I murmured, my voice cracking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was the only one in this house who had ever treated me like I mattered. She noticed when I was cold. She brought me food when Lwas locked away. She stood between me and Alaric\u2019s fists more times than I could count.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If not for her\u2026 I wouldn\u2019t have survived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTruly,\u201d I added, my fingers tightening around the bowl, \u201cI\u2019m still alive because of you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes welled up, but she smiled gently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, after a pause, she whispered, \u201cMiss Riley\u2026 maybe you should run. Tonight. Slip away while they\u2019re distracted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her words hit like a gust of wind through my already cracked defenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a split second, I wanted to say yes. Gods, I wanted to say yes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then Nyra stirred inside me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRun?\u201d her voice was faint, almost a sigh. \u201cYou\u2019ve run enough. We both have. You know what must be done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I exhaled slowly and looked back at Mia. \u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her face crumpled. \u201cWhy not? You don\u2019t owe them anything. You-\u201d Her voice broke. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what he did while you were unconscious.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t need to ask. I already knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nyra\u2019s presence pulsed gently in my chest, coiled but aware. She never truly slept-not when danger was\u00a0<\/p>\n
near.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia tried to keep her voice calm. \u201cThey dragged you out of the hospital bed, Riley. The wound on your shoulder split open. You bled through your gown, and he still forced you into the car like you were a sack of grain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:15 Mon, Dec 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 360\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nyra growled softly in the back of my mind. \u201cCowards. Bastards. They will pay, Riley. I\u2019ll make sure of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a smile onto my lips. \u201cMaybe marrying into the Stormridge won\u2019t be so bad.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia stared at me, horror on her face. \u201cYou can\u2019t mean that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d I whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But she and her daughter were the only two people in the world I cared about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I knew one thing: as long as they remained within Alaric\u2019s reach, I would never be free. So I had to stay. I had to play along until I had what I needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One million credits. That was the bride price.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enough to get Mia and her daughter out of the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were my weakness. My soft spot. If they stayed, the Vales would always have a chain around my neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI should eat this before it gets soggy,\u201d I said, changing the subject and shoving a mouthful of noodles into my mouth before Mia could argue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She watched me, sadness etched into every line of her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I ate the entire bowl-soup and all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she left with the empty dish, my smile dropped instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat in the silence and made a silent vow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a little longer, Mia. Hang on. Once I get that money, I\u2019ll burn this house to the ground if I have to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next seven days passed in uneasy calm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I barely left my room except to eat. I avoided everyone else like the plague. Even Scarlett, for once, kept her distance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I knew it couldn\u2019t last.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That morning, after brushing my hair and slipping on something simple, I opened my bedroom door and nearly ran face-first into Zara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was smiling. Too widely. Too fake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In her hands was a glossy shopping bag.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara kept her tone light, sugary sweet. \u201cI just wanted to give you something. A gift.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She held up the bag like it was the moon itself. \u201cI had this dress specially picked for you. For tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t take it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mo\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dec 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not in the mood for charity, Zara. Just say what you want and go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fake smile twitched. \u201cRiley, do we really have to keep fighting? I\u2019m still your mother.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. \u201cYou\u2019re my mother now? Since when? When you ignored me in the storage room? When you let your husband beat me bloody?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you want to try on the dress?\u201d she asked weakly. \u201cLet me be a mother to you, just once?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy now?\u201d I snapped. \u201cWhat\u2019s so special about tonight? Wait-let me guess. There\u2019s a banquet. Some public event where you want me to show up like a good little daughter, arm candy for the Stormridge heir.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her silence was answer enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped back and crossed my arms. \u201cIf you really cared, you\u2019d give me money. I could buy my own dress. Something I actually like. But no, you want me to wear your pick, smile on cue, and impress your precious\u00a0<\/p>\n
guests.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think I want to sell you off?\u201d she whispered, eyes welling with tears on command.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I said bluntly. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what you\u2019re doing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to help,\u201d she pleaded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re trying to look like you care. But you don\u2019t. You never have.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could see it in her eyes-guilt and shame fighting for dominance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me guess,\u201d I said. \u201cThe banquet\u2019s tonight, right? The Stormridge prince will be there, and you want me to dazzle him with my charming personality?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSave it,\u201d I cut in, stepping forward. \u201cWe both know I don\u2019t have a choice. You want me to go because you think it\u2019ll make you look good. And if I refuse, you\u2019ll find a way to punish me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That silence told me everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nyra stirred again, her voice low and lethal. \u201cLet me out, Riley. Let me speak through you. Let me show them what a real Alpha looks like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet,\u201d I whispered back. \u201cSoon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zara tried to smile again, but I could see the cracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve always wanted to be accepted,\u201d she said gently. \u201cMaybe tonight\u2019s your chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d I murmured, reaching for the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d I said without looking back. \u201cI\u2019ll wear the damn dress.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:15 Mon, Dec 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 36\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I will\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because when I burn this family to ash, I want them all dressed for the occasion\u00a0<\/p>\n
798\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fintabed\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 360 Chapter 360\u00a0 you\u00a0 I didn\u2019t trust my voice, so I said nothing\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 She […]<\/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-20633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20633","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=20633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}